Top Chef Recap: Robin Haters Rejoice!

​More anticipated than the actual season finale and the announcement of who becomes the next Top Chef was Robin’s very delayed departure from the show. Waiting with bated breath no more, Top Chef fans are ready for the mud wrestling that will be the remaining episodes.

Jen continued to falter with her “sword in the stone”-inspired rock of a NY strip with roasted beets and a thread of wine sauce. The dish was more suited for jokes about Excalibur, providing witty banter for the always lovely Nigella Lawson, rather than wowing the judges.

Biting our nails in anticipation of the possible elimination of Jen, Eli or Robin, we were actually a little shocked that Eli’s gritty peanut soup disaster (which was more suited for Top Chef Reno) was a one way ticket out of Vegas. The producers finally caved and allowed Robin to get the proverbial boot, knowing perhaps, that a massive Top Chef fan uprising was in the works if she was allowed to stay.

On the flip side, Kevin and the Voltaggio brothers reigned supreme, as usual, with the real surprise emerging as Michael’s crispy chicken wing was proclaimed the winner. With the “ooh’s” and “aah’s” emanating from the judges after Bryan’s elegant dish was sampled, it seemed a bit out of place for a chicken wing with a dollop of blue cheese to come out on top this far into the competition. Kevin’s mildly cured salmon also seemed a bit more refined and chef-ish, but it seems the judges have to rotate the winners between the two brothers, Kevin and Jen–when she’s got her head together.

Results and bygones notwithstanding, we’re ready for the gloves to come off and the real competition to begin with our favorites in the ring: Eli, the wild card, Jen, the scatterbrain, Kevin, the understated front runner, Bryan, the polite and more refined brother, and Michael, the overly confident and intense alpha male.