Top Chef...

So, I am thoroughly enjoying this season of Top Chef. I was much less enthused last season when Hung won, because he was so annoying and such an a**. I was so mad when he won I vowed not to watch anymore.

My love for Top Chef began because I really got into fine tuning my skills in the kitchen during law school. Turns out one of the first season contestants, Tiffany, also competed for the junior college team where I was introduced to debate and where I also coached during law school. (Incidentally, debate is also how I met my husband.)

So, the first season of Top Chef came along and it was a welcome respite from law school study. I watched avidly the first season. I mourned when the season was over and TV sucked again. I counted down the days to seasons 2 and 3 almost as restlessly as the countdown for bar results.

And, even though Hung's win completely angered me, I immediately set the DVR to tape Season 4. And, lo and behold... to replace Tiffany as my favorite, now there's Stephanie. They haven't villianized her like Tiffany, so she is my bet to win. I'm sure it will come down to her and Richard, but Richard's hair just bugs me. I mean, really, you're a guy who wears pink shoes, but does that mean ya gotta be stuck in the 80's with the bad pseudo-mohawk? And his food is too weird for me. "Neat" is not a term I want applied to fine dining. Savory, luscious, delicious, fresh, those are all terms I might want to use. Not Willy Wonka-esque craziness.

But I digress. Stephanie is awesome. She managed to win the first two elimination challenges, and even pulled off a friggin' wedding cake. And the last episode was the best ever. Not only did it have a relay race in it, which I love each and every time they do it, but instead of restaurant wars, they went back to wedding wars. Wedding wars is so much better. Talk about chefs with a deer in the headlights look in their eyes, when they find out they have to do wedding food in 16 hours.

So, after Tiffany was wronged first season, Dale was wronged last season, my money is on Stephanie. You go, girl! Cook circles around them fools! And then open your own joint so I can come eat there.