From Ted's blog:

But here’s a reality-show check. At the beginning of the finale, Padma told the chefs they were about to cook “the most important meal of your life.” Well, yeah, Top Chef producers would naturally take that position, at least publicly. And at the time, I’m sure it seemed that important to the chefs, too. But of course, it wasn’t then, and it isn’t now. There will be many, many more-important meals in Stephanie Izard’s life, and in Richard Blais’s, too. Take, for example, the first one he serves his new daughter, Riley Maddox Blais, born two weeks ago in Atlanta. Seven pounds, nine ounces.

He’ll probably do sous-vide pureed peas, and apple-juice “caviar.”

Awwww.

I know! So cute.

And what he said earlier - that the biggest surprise was how poorly Richard did, makes me think that had Richard been on form - Stephanie wouldn't have won.

Nigel spends too much time talking about how beautiful the girls are, seriously

yes! he's been creeping me out more and more the past couple of seasons.

How does it work once people are knocked off, so the two new solo people get matched up as a pair or do all the pairs get mixed up?

the people who end up partnerless partner each other. later on in the show they'll all change partners.

did anyone watch Celebrity Circus last night? i meant to, but completely forgot it was on. the commercials have been cracking me up!!

From the Zap2it recap of the TC finale:

The culinary bigwigs gather 'round and watch Richard work. Lisa is unimpressed: "I cook simple food and I keep minimal ingredients instead of overthinking things," she sniffs. Cut to chef Ripert saying "The day you stop learning anymore is the day you're such an egomaniac you're blind." Thanks, editors!

Hee.

And what he said earlier - that the biggest surprise was how poorly Richard did, makes me think that had Richard been on form - Stephanie wouldn't have won.

Well, maybe, but that's the game -- being able to perform that night.

Nigel spends too much time talking about how beautiful the girls are, seriously

::nods::

And his teeth bug me. They have to be dentures. I'm afraid they're going to pop right out of his mouth one day, shoot through my TV screen and bite me on the face. Scary teeth, dude, quit smiling so wide!

From the Metromix interview with Stephanie:

So … where are you going?

I'm working on doing another restaurant in Chicago.

Can you tell us more?

I'm trying to look for spaces right now. I'm definitely going a different route than the Bucktown neighborhood—maybe something a little closer to the downtown area. We're getting a lot of great new restaurants in the city right now, but I think we need a great new restaurant that's a little more affordable, [where] people can go have a great meal and don't have to spend $100 a person. I'm just really excited to start working on it.

Nigel spends too much time talking about how beautiful the girls are, seriously.

He's totally a dirty old man. If you are blond, have a good body in skimpy clothes and are halfway decent in dancing, you will get to Vegas.

Susie, QED, who would be so much more attractive with her natural hair color and about 95% less eye makeup.

He's totally a dirty old man. If you are blond, have a good body in skimpy clothes and are halfway decent in dancing, you will get to Vegas.

This, except I don't think he cares about hair color. There are too many crappy/skanky contemporary dancers on the show. And then annoyance #2 is the fake heteronormativity he forces on the men. Blerg.

Still, last night was very good.