Oh how I missed them so. It's hard to forget that just a few short months ago CJ, Tre, Howie, Joey and the rest of the Season 3 cast of Top Chef started competing for the ultimate title of Top Chef. But last night's Top Chef Reunion Show reminded us of everything we loved about this season and just why each contestant made it great.

To start it all off, everyone asked if they thought Hung deserved to win. It was kind of interesting to see their response. Everyone somehow managed to say something like "Hung was the guy to beat," or "Everybody in this competition was so talented that really anyone could have taken it." But many people did not actually say, "Yes, Hung deserved it." I've said it before and I will say it again: Hung might have been a little cocky, but he knew how to cook and managed to impress some amazing chefs. I think Hung deserved to win.

Oh and speaking of Howie: Did anybody else notice Howie's huge chin kept grazing the microphone when he first started answering questions? It was so annoying - it kept sounding like wind was blowing in the background every time he'd speak. Then in the next scene the mic was moved down to a lower part of his shirt. Imagine that embarrassing scene as a PA says, "Sorry Howie, but your chin is in the way of the microphone."

I think the scenes that were saved for the reunion show, that did not make the final cut of the original episodes, are some of my favorite parts. For example, Hung hoping out of bed as soon as he woke up every morning was hilarious to me. And some of the scenes of the contestants dancing and drinking in "The Steam Room" while they waited for the judges table to end were pretty entertaining. One clip that I would have killed to see was a clip of Brian opening a freezer door and slamming himself in the face. Apparently everyone in the final four said that was the funniest point in the show and were surprised it wasn't aired according to Jacki Garfinkel, who interviewed the final four.

It was very interesting to hear about what went on while the contestants were waiting for judges table. Imagine being stuck in that room for hours while the judges debate your dish. And an average of a 6-hour wait is pretty lengthy. It just goes to show that the judges don't take their job lightly. On the flip side, it is interesting to think that during those six hours, the chefs just seem to drink and drink. I wonder how many times people showed up at judges table sloshed ready to defend their dish and take down anyone they could to win. As they always say, in reality TV, alcohol is a great social lubricant, which makes for great TV.

When it came to the fan favorite, I was dead set on Tre winning (as it seemed was Colicchio). I think CJ had a good shot at it too since he was the funny man. Needless to say, I was a bit surprised when Casey won. There didn't seem to be too much backlash when she didn't win the competition, and I didn't notice too much support for her on the message boards either. But she was a great chef and I'm glad people liked her.

As for this season of Top Chef, it's time to pack our knives and go. But don't fret, I'm sure soon enough we will see a showdown between the different seasons' contestants. And if we are lucky, maybe Chef Colicchio will challenge Hung to a cook off and we will see what he is really made of. Either way, I am already gearing up for next season. Until then, bon appétit.

I have to admit, I was not as excited to watch last night's Top Chef finale as I have been with previous season's finales (in my defense baseball playoffs are going on and the Red Sox played their first game last night; sue me). I was somewhat anticipating something similar to what we have seen in previous seasons.

As the competition progressed though, my excitement grew. I started to realize the best part of Top Chef is not about all of the crazy tests and heated arguments; it's about the food. The greatest thing to watch is when the extremely talented chefs are told to "have at it." There's no insane challenge. They just have to cook their best meal ever. And once I saw that this finale was a little different than the previous seasons, I felt like I was in for an exciting ride.

I also liked that this year the chefs all presented their courses at the same time. I always felt that in previous seasons one competitor had a slight disadvantage because their meal would be further away from the judge's table. I mean I'm sure the judges remember what they ate (it is their job), but the most recent dinner might be just a little bit fresher in their mind.

I was also pretty enthusiastic about the extra dish curveball Chef Tom through in there at the eleventh hour. Top Chef is not Top Chef without a curveball. Surprisingly enough, though, the extra dish was one of the best for both Dale and Casey. It still was a little annoying that they brought back previous contestants, but at least they didn't go through the whole interrogation like they usually do. As cocky and arrogant as Hung was, I'm glad he won based on his cooking and was not judged because of his personality.

One thing that kind of disappointed me was the lack of that "wow" factor. I feel like in previous seasons there was always that one thing that made you feel like the finale really was aspecial. In the first season's finale for example, I remember the chefs had to use an amazing wine with their dishes and serve it to some really special chefs and highly respected food critics. Don't get me wrong: Rocco, Todd and Michelle are very, very talented chefs, but I feel like they should have paired them with an extremely over-the-top wow factor of a judge, like the "commissioner of eating" or something.

After all the tasting and discussion, the judges went on to have close to a six-hour discussion to decide who would be Top Chef. That's what people don't realize: we only see a five-minute discussion that was boiled down from a six-hour one. These judges aren't here to play around.

Ok, I have to admit something else; I hated the whole live announcement thing. Did you notice that everyone was wearing exactly the same thing they did at judges table? Like we are suppose to believe that everyone just said "hold that thought," jumped on a plane, flew to Chicago, watched what was just shot and then announced the winner? Silly.

At that point, once all the contestants and their families watched the show, it was pretty evident that Casey took bronze. Frankly I thought Casey would have done better than she did, but she has no one to blame but herself; her dishes just couldn't compete.

I was surprised Dale came in second. I mean let's be honest: I was surprised Dale even made it to the final four. But he proved himself in the kitchen and really wowed the judges with some of his dishes. And I am positive this won't be the last we see of him on Top Chef.

And finally, I'm glad Hung won. Not to brag or anything, but I thought either Hung or Tre would be the winner from very early on in the competition (that's my one I-told-you-so, let me have it). He really seemed to have great skill, great taste and made great choices. All qualities that make a great Top Chef.

Be sure to read Jacki Garfinkel's interview with Hung to see what he is going to do with the money, what he thought of the competition and what his next plans are.

Also be sure to tune in next week for a cast reunion, audition tapes and much more.

So here we are, down to the Top Chef final three (a first for Top Chef, which usually goes straight from four to two). Brian was sent packing, so let's took a look at how the field was narrowed from four to three. I must admit, up until a couple of weeks ago I would not have picked the final four - Brian, Dale, Casey and Hung - to be the last ones standing. Of course I always thought Hung would make it to the end. And ever since Casey really started impressing the judges within the last few weeks, I knew she would be able to go up against any of the contestants. But I have to say that Brian and Dale both surprised me a little bit. Dale had not won any challenges and didn't wow too many people, and poor Brian will be forever known as the seafood guy.

When the chefs arrived in Aspen, I had to laugh at how each one arrived. Dale, Brian and Casey got there around the same time and seemed genuinely happy to see each other, never too shy to throw their arms around each other. When Hung got there (late, I might add), he very rigidly collected his suitcase and marched to the other contestants. When he arrived you could feel the awkwardness through the TV. It is so apparent that Hung is the outsider and is only there to win.

The elimination challenge was nothing special or different from any previous challenge; it was just cooking elk for cowboys. This was the first time, however, that the chefs really had to focus on game rather than fish or meat, which can be challenging. Brain took a gamble braising his dish in such a short amount of time due to the strong connective tissue of the elk. Like Dale mentioned, it would have been great given a 12-hour braise versus a three-hour one.

Dale performance in this challenge was quite surprising. Not only did he avoid a bullet with his not-so-great goat cheese tart, but he also presented a great dish worthy of the win. And for the first time (I think) in Top Chef history, a chef actually tasted his product and said nope, time for plan B. And he actually had a plan B! Hallelujah!

It was interesting to hear what Hung said at the judges table. I'm surprised people didn't make a bigger deal out of it. When Hung was first assigned the task of cooking Elk, he was adamantly against it. This was just not his element; he would much rather cook a nice piece of fish than some gamey elk for cowboys who "only eat baked beans." But at the judges table he seemed to express to them how he was happy to cook elk for the cowboys. I guess what the judges didn't know didn't hurt them (or him) even though his lack of interest did come across in his meal. I am just surprised no one said anything. Howie probably would have.

I must comment on what each person said at the judge's table. After the judges said what they had to say about the chefs' dishes, each chef was given an opportunity to say something about why they should stay. Dale started with his heart-wrenching story about how being on Top Chef gave him his love of cooking after losing his dream job. Then Casey went on talking about how she is young but very talented and just wants to prove herself. Hung followed suit and actually showed emotion, talking about his passion for food and how he is doing this for his family who escaped Vietnam to come here. Top Chef suddenly turned into a Lifetime movie.

But then came Brian (insert sound clip of cricket noises here). Brian's speech was probably the lamest speech in Top Chef history, especially following his fellow contestants as they poured their heart onto the floor. He wants to show what HIS cooking is really like? I thought part of Top Chef was incorporating yourself into each one of your dishes? After his dish and that speech, I was not very surprised he had to pack his knives and go.

Again, however, I was surprised by Dale. It is interesting though that this challenge was his first win. Just goes to show that if you sit in the middle long enough, you'll make it to the end. I'm glad he won, but the real competition will be between Hung and Casey.

I am excited for next week. The last episode is always the best. There are never any rules, hardly any limitations and always a slew of amazing ingredients and guest judges. I am glad there are three this year so we can really see some cooking. Right now Hung is my bet, but Casey has a really good shot. There never has been a female Top Chef before, so maybe that will come into account. Or maybe it will really be just about the food. Stay tuned to Bravo next Wednesday at 10 p.m. for the finale, to finally learn who will be crowned Top Chef!

Just in case you didn't get enough of him this summer with Hell's Kitchen, Chef Gordon Ramsay is back with his brand new show, Kitchen Nightmares. This show is a take on the his successful show in England (just like Hell's Kitchen) where Ramsay visits run down, unsuccessful restaurants and attempts to resurrect them as only Ramsay knows how. If you missed your weekly dose of yelling in the kitchen, look no further. Gordon Ramsay will not disappoint.

The first episode of Kitchen Nightmares was an amusing start. Ramsay visits a small Long Island Italian restaurant called Peter's, owned by an, lets just say, interesting family. Peter's sister actually owns the restaurant, but Peter himself is regularly seen in there, usually not doing too much. To top it off, Peter (who by the way thinks he is in Goodfellas) would rather spend money on a Mercedes and nice clothes than a new oven for the restaurant. Oh yeah, and likes to get into fights and threatens money collectors in front of the restaurant. I said they were interesting, right?

First of all, everyone is going to compare Kitchen Nightmares to Hell's Kitchen. Even Kitchen Nightmares makes the comparison. Most scenes are shot exactly like Hell's Kitchen, complete with the intense voiceover and music. And of course Ramsay enjoys yelling and saying "OK" after everything.

After watching Kitchen Nightmares, I don't know if we necessarily need another Hell's Kitchen for the fall line up. Ramsay during the spring/summer just fits right along with the other cooking shows (Top Chef, Feasting on Asphalt). Not to mention that I just don't think Kitchen Nightmares will do that well. First of all, the show is not a competition, so most people won't tune in week after week if there isn't the threat of somebody getting kicked off. Secondly, Kitchen Nightmares is on a Wednesday night, smack dab in the middle of the most jam packed part of the fall lineup (Criminal Minds, Private Practice, Bionic Woman, Gossip Girl). As much as I love food and cooking, I'm interested in checking out some of the other new shows this fall season, and I am sure I am not alone.

I also think because Kitchen Nightmares is so similar to Hell's Kitchen we will get much of the same substance production-wise. It's no surprise last night's episode was the premiere; it was filled with yelling, fighting and ridiculous characters. I thought I was watching an episode of Cops when it first started. It looks like this show will focus less on the food and more on the drama.

It will be interesting to see how Kitchen Nightmares. I will probably try and catch a few more episodes (or DVR them at least). But in my eyes, a weekly dose of Ramsay is best served after a good night of summertime grilling.

So it's been a while since I have blogged. In cased you missed it, this week's episode was down to the top five chefs, Brian, Hung, Dale, Sara and Casey. And they aren't in Miami anymore. Last week the chefs shipped out and flew to New York City where they weren't exactly let out of the airport. The chefs had to create a high-class dish that would hold up when cooked on a plane. I must say this challenge made me slightly giddy. I love food science (I own more than one food science book that I read for fun) and I get a little happy with food that is conceptually put together with a specific cooking method in mind that must taste delicious. I'm odd I know.

In any event, after testing and tasting, CJ's dish, specifically the broccolini, did not work. In fact Tom Collichio said it might have been the worst dish ever on Top Chef. Hey at least CJ received one title, right? Casey, on the other hand, managed to impress the judges and won the prize: two plane tickets to anywhere in the world. Casey might not have wowed the judges early on, but she is certainly starting to now, which is good, especially where the prizes are the most rewarding, and the competition is nearing its end.

The next stop on their remarkable tour, the chefs were taken to the French Culinary Institute, a very prominent culinary school in the heart of New York City. Their challenge: showing off their talents by creating a tasty dish using chicken, onion and potato. I finally started to get excited because this is true cooking. No games, no team fights and no questions of leadership. These chefs really had to show what they can do in the kitchen to make these few simple ingredients taste great.

Oh, and to top it all off, the chefs had to present their food to a panel consisting of the deans from the Institute, who literally some of the best chefs in the world. These people know a thing or two or one million, and focused on classic technique and skill. One screw up and these guys will taste it a mile away. Just slightly nerve-racking, no?

All five chefs took on this challenge differently and a lot can be seen by their concepts. Brian, for example, decided to make a peasants pie, which I am sure tasted wonderful. However he side stepped classic French technique and the focus on chicken; he added sausage. Hung and Casey on the other hand really did showcase their skills with their dishes, regardless of semantics (they both labeled parts of their dishes incorrectly).

In the end I agreed with the judges' decision to send Sara home. Even though Dale had a pretty big D'oh, serving undercooked chicken and under-seasoned dishes at this stage in the game is just inexcusable. Dale might have been overambitious, but his dish probably would have been better received if he didn't forget the sauce.

As much as we viewers love to complain, I have to admit this week's episode left me happy. I think this week's challenges really show who can be the Top Chef. And I think the judges' decisions were spot on; these four are really the four that deserve to still be around (even though Tre should have been among the finalists). I am excited to see how the four will do, and I am especially keeping an eye on Casey and Hung. Aspen, here we come.

But even though this is the final stop for this year's Feasting on Asphalt, Alton Brown's work is truly never done. He will certainly continue producing the greatest show on Food Network, Good Eats. And I'm sure we are bound to see Mr. Brown commentating on Iron Chef on a regular basis. But the problem with Alton Brown is that I can't get enough of him. I watch food and cooking shows and say to myself "man I wish Alton Brown was here to prove this guy wrong."

So here is my list of new shows I would love to see Alton Brown do next.

1) A Kitchen Equipment show. There is a show on the Fine Living Network called Shopping with Chefs. It follows around two chefs as they shop for food and equipment and tell you why you should buy this gadget or that gadget and which is the best. And 9 times out of 10 I think Alton Brown could do this show so much better. He would tell you everything there is to know about each gadget, and then he'd follow that up with 20 reasons NOT to buy it because it's a uni-tasker and a waste of money. If you do want advice from the master about your kitchen, I suggest picking up his book Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen. It's a very good read.

3) Another Season of Feasting On Asphalt. I really do love this show. It is one of the few shows on television that looks at food at a different level. Not only does it show cool authentic food joints, but it shows the history of food, how it's made and why it is important to keep around. By the way, if you are feeling adventurous, the Feasting on Asphalt website (http://www.altonbrown.com/adventure/tarmac.html) has a list of all the places he visited every show. Some have websites, some don't. But at least you'll have a name to ask a local.

4) A Grilling Show. I know, I know. Bobby Flay did one and just about everyone talks about grilling on his or her show. But grilling is the best way to cook any food (in my opinion). I have spent many a summer cooking about 9/10ths of my meals on a grill on the deck. I feel that Alton's knowledge about grilling extends far beyond what most people can do with a grill. On Good Eats alone he has done some pretty amazing stuff with that contraption.

5) Survivor Man - Cooking Outdoors. Okay, maybe we won't throw Alton in the heart of the jungle and ask him to feed on bugs for a week. But Alton has done some pretty remarkable things on the road just to cook food when he had so little. He made a decent cup of joe using snow last season. And this season he managed to grill steaks on sticks, which left me in awe. It would be interesting to see what other outdoor cooking secrets Alton knows. Plus, he could show tricks on how different cultures used to cook certain things in the past, like he did with the Vikings in the last episode of Feasting on Asphalt

Perhaps some of these ideas are a little far fetched, but what can I say, I love watching Alton Brown. I feel like he is a wealth of culinary knowledge and is a resource that should be tapped. Every time I watch one of his shows I learn something new about food.

Comment if you have any other ideas on shows you would like to see Alton pursue. Make sure you watch Good Eats on Food Network. And keep your fingers crossed for another season of Feasting on Asphalt.

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Go to www.jackmyers.com.

I wasn't that excited to watch Top Chef last night. You would expect that with last week's episode being a rerun, this week I would be eagerly awaiting the clock to strike ten. But now with Tre being booted prematurely and the rest of the contestants just kind of boring me, I could barely pull myself away from Guitar Hero.

We are starting to enter into the episodes I like to call the "Straggler Episodes." These episodes are the in-between episodes that are kind of there to boot off the stragglers, like Howie last night. These are the people you know aren't going to make it to the final 4, but somehow manage to keep holding on week after week through luck. In last season, for example, Mike managed to stay in the competition for a while until he was asked to pack his knives around the same time. Only, we liked Mike.

You can tell the judges aren't fans of these episodes either. Both Gail and Ted weren't there to judge the boat party last night, although Gail had mentioned in her blog that she was very busy during these months. Her stand-in was very, very well qualified, but I kind of miss Gail in a strange way.

The way I see it, it works like this. When the season starts you are all excited because you haven't seen a Top Chef episode in a long time (unless you're nuts like me and watch a majority of the previous season's reruns). You want to learn each new contestant's name, you're excited to see the judges and guest judges and you want to start picking winners. Towards the middle you see group challenges go sour and start to see which contestants will be problems (which is always good TV).

But once you get to this point in the season, the excitement starts to wear off a little. You know all the contestants and have a pretty good idea who will be in the final four, so you're stuck with three to four weeks of kind of just lull shows. That is until someone gets kicked off that you weren't counting on, like Tre this year or Sam last year. Then all hell breaks loose.

Perhaps to prevent the problem of the "straggler episodes," Top Chef should start out with fewer chef-testants. That way, not only is there more on the line and less room for error for the winner, but we can eliminate the month of waiting for the finale.

As far as Howie leaving last night, everyone saw it coming, including him. I thought it was pretty lame for him to say he wanted to withdraw himself from the competition to save Brian from getting the axe because he was catching flack for his leadership. When he said that, Chef Colicchio looked like he was going to throw up. Howie knew during service his food wasn't up to par and wanted to leave on his own accord rather than having to say he was kicked off. I'm glad Padma told him he couldn't quit because he was fired.

In the previews for next week's episode it looks like the contestants are traveling, which might up the excitement level a bit. Let's just hope they go somewhere that will add a little spice to the show and make it interesting until the finale.

After becoming a die-hard Top Chef fan, I have a newfound respect for talented chefs and innovative food. Shows like this have helped me explore a vast culinary world and exercise my taste buds as I constantly try and update my cooking knowledge. But even though I have nothing but admiration for the talented and creative chefs on these shows, television has strayed slightly from celebrating good American cooking at its finest. Good thing we have Alton Brown and Feasting on Asphalt.

One of the greatest aspects about this show (among many) is that Alton sits down with the real backbone of American cuisine. No, I'm not talking about any celebrity chef who owns three restaurants in Las Vegas. I'm talking about that 75-year-old woman who makes pies in that local diner down the street and has been baking since she was 10. Or that fry cook who would rather go a round or two of interrogation with Jack Bauer than give up his fried chicken recipe. These are the people who make the best food in the country - and no, I don't care how many "throwdowns" Bobby Flay has won.

These people put their heart and soul into their food and their restaurants. So when you go to that "authentic classic/contemporary American bistro" and order the $15 slice of "deconstructed coconut cream pie", all you're getting is the watered down creative attempt at the far superior $3 slice of coconut cream pie made by someone eyeballing measurements because they have been making it for 30 or so years. These people work on the premise if it ain't broke, don't fix it. They make great food, doing what they love and sell it cheap.

Which, by the way, is another reason why these family-owned eateries are so amazing - the prices. On Feasting on Asphalt Alton Brown explores how quality food can be cheap, and that these places can stay in business for years on end. He sat down with the owner of one of the last franchises of the chain Maid Rite, a sandwich shop in Quincy, Illinois, owned and run by the same family for over 30 years. They take an amazing recipe perfected by the original owners, sell it for next to nothing, and manage to keep expanding the restaurant. It seems like it all comes down to values. They make a good quality product they are happy with, have a service staff who have been working there forever, and a happy local clientele who can walk out with their bellies busting for under 10 bucks.

And that whole ideology is really what Alton is celebrating in Feasting on Asphalt. McDonald's, for example, started as a great idea until it became, well, McDonald's. The drive up restaurants, roadhouses and diners did more for food in this country than any one chef ever could. But once local highways turned into interstates, roadhouses became rest stops and quality was replaced by efficiency. Meanwhile, somewhere off the interstate, some of the best pie you will ever taste is cooling in the glass case while the woman who made it is close to retirement. Let's just pray she taught her granddaughter how to bake.

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Well it looks like we were wrong folks: Tre had to pack his knives and go.

In last night's episode of Top Chef, my decided winner (and many others' might I add) was asked to leave by the judges. Although it might not have been as shocking as season 2's fan favorite Sam's departure, seeing Tre being kicked off was pretty surprising. But after the shock wore off, I was left with one burning question - which remaining contestant is even deserving of the title of Top Chef?

CJ - CJ seems to be pulling his weight and has the drive to win, but he just is not taking any sort of responsibility. Last week he won the quickfire and picked the "dream team," but stepped aside and let Tre lead both nights, which ended with his demise. As much as I like CJ, I just don't know if he is Top Chef material.

Brian - It all goes back to being versatile. We get it, you can cook seafood, shuck oysters and cook a scallop or two. But it has been my understanding that a Top Chef should be somewhat adaptable in their cooking by blending different ingredients and flavors. In one of Lee Anne's blog posts (season one contestant who works behind the scenes now) she wrote how Brian's salmon burger dish he made for the high-class burger challenge was extremely similar to the dish he made for the seafood challenge. That's just a bad move in a competition.

Dale - I think Dale has made some smart decisions and it was nice to see him cook something last night rather than just focusing all his attention on the front of the house. I think he will pull out a few more surprises and manage a few more wins. It's not over yet for Dale.

Howie - I can't believe Howie is still in the competition, and it is even more surprising that he has stayed on longer than Tre. He really screwed up the risotto last week, and this week he fought Sara on a lot of things (did you see him slam the oven like a baby when Sara asked him to do the lamb again?). Overall Howie might be a decent chef, but just like Casey, he's managed to luck out a lot.

Sara - I was super excited to see Sara put Howie in his place. She realized that in Part One of restaurant wars she let her team slide, and if there hadn't been a draw, she would be in Tre's place right now. I think she has had her problems and her successes, but will be on at least a few more episodes.

Hung - I might have still had visions of season two swimming in my head when I formed an opinion about Hung. I envisioned another battle of good versus evil like with Marcel and Illan. I don't think Hung turned out to be the jerk we all thought he would be, but I still think he is talented. Now I kind of just see Hung as that quick little guy who can cook (did you see how fast he broke down those chickens? Even Tom was amazed). I still think he will be in the final three.

It was really sad to see Tre go. I thought he was the best chef out of the bunch and the most focused in the group. He really should have been in the final two. Even Tom said in his blog that Tre was a real class act (he says it about 100 times) and was the most diligent chef, avoiding drinking and making sure he got plenty of sleep. He took a chance leading the group and he made some poor decisions with his food, which led to his downfall.

It's a shame though because I feel the deserving Top Chef just left the stage. And the worst part is I knew it was going to happen right when the judges started talking. They always say it is always all about the food and it is about the performance that night. Tre had two bad dishes that were his responsibility, and because everyone else only had one bad dish, Tre was the decided loser.

But maybe this type of judging is not the best way to do it because we truly don't get the Top Chef. We get the chef who made dishes that were at least a step above the worst. Or in the case of Howie and Casey, the chef who lucked out. If an excellent chef makes a mistake that just so happens to be the worst mistake out of the bunch, they lose their chance at winning. It happened with Lia a few weeks ago and with Tre last night.

Clearly the judges on the show are some of the best chefs in the world and they know what they are talking about. And I'm not saying I envy the judges by any means. But if we truly want a Top Chef, the judges might need to take into account all aspects of the competition, not just that particular night.

And if Howie stays much longer, all bets are off.

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There are very few people in this world that I would say I worship. Jimmy Page might make the list. George Lucas is a possibility (I am a huge dork, I know). But there is one person who undoubtedly tops my list of borderline insane infatuations. This almost god-like man has taken everything I have known about cooking and food, turned it upside down, and made me better in the kitchen. I am speaking of course of the almighty Alton Brown.

Now I know what you're thinking: this obsession is probably a little unhealthy. But Alton Brown has opened up a whole new world for me when it comes to cooking. I have always loved food and spending time in the kitchen, but it was not until I saw my first episode of Good Eats that I fully started to understand food. I never would have thought I would be so glued to the TV set while watching Alton describe why a copper bowl ionizes the atoms of egg whites more than an aluminum bowl thus creating a better meringue. No one had described food like that to me before and I was hooked.

This year, Alton saddles up on his motorcycle once again with his crew following the great Mississippi River, starting in the deepest part of Louisiana all the way up to the very end of the river in Minnesota. Alton vows to eat only at authentic roadside eateries and stop at the most interesting food and travel related spots, promising never to take a major highway on his trip. If you like history, great stories, and above all great food, you will love this show. Just don't expect any recipes - many of these cooks will take the secrets of their food to the grave.

Alton started at the southern most tip of Louisiana, just outside New Orleans. Here Alton ate the best of Cajun cuisine including grilled alligator, frog legs, bread pudding, boiled crawfish, and bowl after bowl of gumbo. Being from the north and more or less a city slicker, I have only dreamed of eating authentic Cajun and Creole (there is a difference) cooking, as I spoon what my company's cafeteria likes to call gumbo into my Styrofoam bowl at lunch.

But on Feasting on Asphalt, Alton does a great job of really making you feel like you're there, sitting at his table eating food that has been prepared from cooks who have made food like this for thirty plus years. He talks to the cooks, finds out their stories and how this food has been a backdrop to their lives. It seems every place Alton goes, recipes and businesses have been passed down through generations, and just about all the customers are regulars.

Another fascinating part of Feasting on Asphalt is the history of food on the road. In the most recent episode, Alton made his way up to Memphis where he stopped at the nation's first ever supermarket. You might question how a supermarket is related to traveling, but Alton shows just how important this connection was. He described how the invention of cars made traveling long distances easier than ever, creating havoc for local general stores being flooded with customers. This prompted local entrepreneur Clarence Saunders to develop a very organized store with individually priced items and a check out lane. This brand new idea eventually became the famous Piggly Wiggly supermarkets and changed the way we think about shopping, all beacuse of the invention of the car.

Just as a sidebar, you might notice that both years Feasting on Asphalt is spent traveling in the south for the most part. This has nothing to do with preference (even thought Alton is from Georgia) but climate. I sat down a little with Alton while visitng the set of Iron Chef America (I literally almost passed out) and asked him about this. Because they shoot the show for the summer, the trip must be shot during late winter, early spring. And as all of us northeasters know, early spring can still mean snow, which is no fun for filming, espically on a bike. Thats okay though - I would honestly much rather learn about crawfish and hot tamales in the small towns of the south than the food in the north.

So you have a sense of adventure and a thirst for knowledge, Alton Brown does a great job of quenching that thirst with Feasting on Asphalt. All the places he visits are available on his website (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ab) so if you ever feel the need to escape from your couch and track down the best fried chicken on earth (according to Alton) you have a head start. I can't wait to see what else Alton will find on the road in the upcoming weeks. And who knows, maybe this show will finally prompt me to travel to New Orleans and get myself an authentic bowl of gumbo.

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As the judges pointed out, last night's episode of Top Chef featuring Restaurant Wars is a favorite episode of many. The contestants are split up into two teams and are given the close to impossible task of designing a restaurant. This is the challenge a lot of people were waiting for, and even though I'm pretty much done with team challenges (yes, we get it, Howie doesn't work well with others), I am willing to make an exception.

Lets start out with the teams. I think the quickfire winner CJ (who, by the way, desperately deserved a win) picked a great team. I probably would have picked Dale over Casey myself, but his choice seemed to be a good one, at least design-wise. And he did avoid those pesky vanilla candles that caused so much controversy. But by talent alone I would peg CJs team to win, so I was a little surprised they did so poorly.

The other team also didn't do so hot, but they made some poor choices as well. I was extremely surprised Sara took the helm as executive chef. I'm slightly surprised she's even still in the competition. Even though Howie has some rough spots and apparently cannot make a risotto to save his life, he has executive chef experience. I'm surprised being the bulldog he is he didn't fight that.

For me this challenge was no different, I didn't taste the food, however another very lucky food blogger, Andrea Strong did. If you read the Top Chef blogs on BravoTV.com religiously (like I do) you'll see that Ms. Strong guest blogged in Padma's spot, giving you a dish-by-dish account of her experience at each restaurant. I urge you to read it because if you can't eat the food, the next best thing is reading what someone who has tasted it has to say (I guess).

To me it seemed like service played a pretty big role in this challenge, which was slightly confusing. I remember a certain judge saying this is Top Chef not Top Sommelier (I can never pronounce that word) not too long ago. But I guess a major part of running a restaurant is the service, so it only makes sense, regardless of the chefs' front end experience - or lack there of.

But in the end it did seem like it was a draw. Each team only had one dish a piece that really wowed the judges and critics. Team Garage's design might have lacked quality and left a bad (vanilla) taste in people's mouth, but they seemed to have slightly better service than Team April. I would have to agree that it appeared no one should have gone home last night. And, judging by the stack of books provided generously by Chef Daniel Boulud, maybe a stalemate was anticipated. Hopefully the chefs can cram in some useful info for their next try.

Whatever the case may be, I am excited we get another chance to watch the chefs give it another shot. Hopefully they will fix their mistakes, re-evaluate their dishes, and sweat a little less (I'm looking at you Brian). Get ready for round two! DING DING.

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I'm usually not one to say I told you so, but.... HA HA I told you so!

In last night's finale of Hell's Kitchen, the one true competitor of the show, Rock won his dream job by successfully navigating a superb dinner service. His food seemed well crafted, his restaurant was very elegant, and his team was skillfully led. I said it from the third show; Rock was going to win it all.

The one thing that held Rock back was his problems with Josh. Because he screwed up so many times, the timing of the dishes suffered which would make for unhappy customers. But despite all the problems, I think Rock handled the situation perfectly. He gave Josh a few chances, each time putting more emphasis on pulling it together and getting the job done correctly. When he was at his last leg and realized (on the biggest night of his life) that Josh would not pull through, he moved Josh to an easier station and gave Vinnie a shot. That is the best way to lead a team without burning your assets. Rock could have easily thrown Josh out of the kitchen Ramsay-style, but he would be a man down who could be used for something.

Bonnie had problems being fully in command, which is proven in the actions of her team. When Bonnie asked Julia to quickly wrap up some goat cheese, Julia flat out refused. It was understandable that Julia might have been a little bitter (even though she really had NO shot), but a good leader should be able to ask anybody they are leading to jump in a pit of lava, no questions asked and they would do it. It was clear Julia had little respect for Bonnie or she would have done what was asked. The same situation happened with Melissa. She should have told Bonnie about the lack of pasta and prawns way in advance. When Bonnie told Melissa she should have told her sooner, Melissa just shrugged and said, "Sorry?"

Even though I have some pretty strong arguments regarding Rock's win, I want to address a few comments I have received about Rock and whether or not he deserved it. First off, many people said Rock had a really bad attitude. Personally I never really thought Rock had a bad attitude at all. The one episode where he got angry because his team lost and he had to deal with the recycling, Rock threw a bit of a tantrum, but I believe it was deserved. His team lost for no good reason (I think it was the third loss in a row) and his team had to sift through trash. If anything, I can remember Bonnie being extremely annoying, whining about having to clean the dorms. If Rock had a bad attitude, he would not have won respect from the other guys and they never would have worked as hard as they did to win for him. (Although his talking in the third person - Rock did this, Rock did that - did get pretty annoying.)

I also received some comments about me choosing Rock to win because of his background. First of all, I had no idea Rock grew up in the "ghetto." I must have missed that 15-second clip of him talking about where he grew up. He did make it very obvious that he was working hard for his family, and I commend that, but that is not even close to the reason why I thought Rock should have won. Then there is the whole race issue, which I'm not even going to touch. All I can say to anyone who wrote in about that is grow up. Rock was a solid competitor, never faltered during dinner service, and always did well in challenges. Ramsay never had a reason to kick him off. I am a very big advocate of "may the best man win"; clearly Rock was the best man.

But feelings aside, this eventful season of Hell's Kitchen is completed. I hope Rock does well with his new restaurant and rather large paycheck. I also hope for the viewers' sake, next season can take it up a notch. Maybe have some better talent and some more interesting challenges. But it still wouldn't hurt to have another competitor who falls asleep while standing up.

If you haven't gotten your fill of Ramsay, remember Kitchen Nightmares premieres this Fall on Fox.

And don't forget to check back on the food blog weekly for my commentary on Top Chef and other delicious food related shows (Feasting on Asphalt, here we come!). Happy eating!

Tre on Top Chef
Photo: Matthias Clamer

According to the judges, there are a number of qualities a person must have in order to be considered a Top Chef. These traits seem to often change or vary from episode to episode, but usually the judges have a general guideline. Top Chefs should obviously be able to cook, should have an abundance of culinary knowledge, and should be somewhat versatile in their cooking. They should also have a good understanding of what food is appropriate given the customers' tastes and the situation, and should ultimately leave the customer satisfied. And of course, the judges expect all of these traits to be held strong under short time frames and constant pressure.

One trait the judges really seem to sort of be on the fence on however is leadership. The judges say they want the Top Chef to be a leader, someone who can successfully pilot their chefs through the challenges they offer. In the past two seasons the final challenge gave the finalists a chance to cook an impressive 5 course meal as the head chef, leading dinner service for some of the best-known chefs in the world with some of the best ingredients in the world. The catch however has been that their sous-chefs were previous competitors - a raw deal for people like Tiffany and Marcel who stepped on anyone and everyone to get to the end. When the time came for the sous-chefs to speak about their experience with their leader, very few came to bat for the ones who led poorly. Clearly leadership is an important aspect of being a Top Chef.

But the judges don't seem to punish for poor leadership skills either. A few weeks ago Dale proposed that his team do a trio of desserts for a team challenge, which ended in a disaster. Dale was reprimanded by the judges for making such a bad choice, but survived elimination. Similarly, the judges expected CJ to take lead of his team in last night's episode and encourage communication, but gave Sara the boot for not pulling her weight.

It seems that the best bet for the contestants is to just remain in the middle for a while. It is hard to remember a time when Harold ever took the reigns for a team challenge in the first season. And Ilan kind of hid in the shadows until the very end (which is maybe why he hasn't opened up a restaurant yet).

Next week's episode is the mini restaurant wars episode, which is a favorite of mine. This is where the teams get together, decide on the restaurant theme, and plan a menu in like 24 hours. It will be interesting to see how another team challenge goes. It looks like Brian is excited to take the lead on this challenge from the preview alone. And heaven help the people with Howie "The Bulldog" on their team.

But if history once again repeats itself, I would pay close attention to the chefs who do their jobs and are well liked. That's who will win this year.

Bonnie and Rock
Photo: Greg Gayne/FOX

So here we are, down to the final two on Hell's Kitchen. I almost thought we would never make it. Bonnie the personal chef/nanny versus Rock the professional executive chef. An interesting duo of finalists to say the least.

Two weeks ago I gave ten good reasons (ok nine, but who's counting) why Rock is going to win it all. In all honesty I thought Jen would be standing in Bonnie's place, but I can understand why Ramsay would want to get rid of Jen as quickly as possible (ugh even the flashbacks last night reminded me how annoying she is). I still think Rock is really the only choice here and has been for the past five shows or so. However, Bonnie has surprised me in the last few weeks and I feel she might have a fighting chance.

I want to prelude this by saying a lot of things I am about to give credit to Bonnie for are based on last night's episode, which was probably heavily edited in Bonnie's favor to appear that way. They want to "even up" the competition so it appears they both have a shot to win. They did the same thing last year so that viewers were questioning the winner right up until the end. That being said...

Then came the trip to Las Vegas. Ever notice that Ramsay is a jerk 100% of the time, right up until he has his two finalists? Then he turns into the nicest chef on TV. I forgot this happened last year, but once it was just Virginia and Heather left, Ramsay wined them and dined them until the finale, giving them constant surprises.

In Las Vegas Bonnie impressed me again in the surprise food challenge; I can't believe she won! They were asked to make their signature dish (can we find a new challenge?), which was presented to some pretty big names. Some of the head chefs and owners of some impressive, notable restaurants in Las Vegas were the judges, which I'm sure was fairly intimidating. Plus, serving a dish to two of your prospective bosses (two bigwigs of the Green Ranch Valley Resort) must have been a little nerve-racking. But in the end Bonnie prevailed with her fettuccini and shrimp and won the challenge. Step aside Mary Poppins.

I think next week might actually be an interesting battle. When it came time to pick the past contestants for their teams (oh man I bet no one saw that one coming...) I am a little annoyed that given the choices, Bonnie picked all the girls and Rock picked all the guys, but it will be interesting to see how they lead them. Rock seems to think Vinnie will work better when not being yelled at, and I think Brad will bend over backwards to make sure Rock does well. On the girls side, Jen will probably do well for Bonnie, but I think Melissa and Julia won't go out of their way for team Bonnie.

When the dust clears, I'm still confident Rock will be the last one standing. Bonnie might have had a good dish and a decent idea for her restaurant, but it will come down to execution. I have faith Rock will lead well and push out the service, which will make all the difference.

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Host Padma Lakshmi and Guest Judge Alfred Portale
Photo: Glenn Watson/Bravo

My girlfriend grew up in a family of non-chefs. To her, grilled cheese was best made in a microwave. She survived college thanks to the frozen food section in the grocery store. It's not that she never tasted good food - since her family couldn't cook, they always went out to restaurants. It's just that in retrospect she's realized that she never appreciated how great that food was.

Then we started watching Top Chef. While the drama on Top Chef is one reason that the show is wildly successful, it's the superb level of cooking that also attracts viewers. Hell's Kitchen thrives for the sole reason that Gordon Ramsay's show is one hundred percent about the yelling and theatrics. The food is not the focus of the show, as it is on Top Chef.

Top Chef introduces viewers to a new level of cuisine and teaches them the hard work and detail that goes into creating those dishes. The skilled "chef-testants" consistently bring new and innovative dishes to the table, and the judges and guest judges educate the viewers with their insight and criticisms of the dish. Speaking of the guest judges, they also do their part in introducing us to superior restaurants.

A few weeks ago, chef-testant Howie won the challenge, which awarded him the chance to spend a week in the kitchen of guest judge Alfred Portale's famed restaurant Gotham Bar & Grill. You know a show is of a high caliber when it is able to feature chefs like Portale. On the episode that Portale guest judged, the contestants had to reinvent an American classic. Portale told MediaVillage (during an extraordinary dinner at Gotham) that he was very pleased with what the contestants did in the quick fire, but in that elimination challenge, he was very disappointed.

Host Padma Lakshmi,Guest Judge Alfred Portale, and "Chef-testant" CJ
Photo: Glenn Watson/Bravo

Often times the contestants on Top Chef will criticize the challenges' obscurity, yet Portale does not believe that's a good excuse. "Crazy things happen all of the time in kitchens, and while some of the challenges might not translate literally, they do represent some of the real life challenges in terms of surprises and unexpected things," Portale said.

Luckily for Howie, he survived the American classic challenge and Portale chose his Fennel Crusted Pork Chops with Apple Fennel Salad & Sultana Raisin Emulsion. Even more lucky for Howie, and the viewers, is that Portale was on Top Chef in the first place.

Portale was somewhat hesitant about doing the show, as he told MediaVillage, " My feeling was that it probably was mainly scripted, and that they were doing multiple takes, and that they were following a script. But I learned that was far from the truth." Top Chef might just be the most real reality show of them all - viewers see what actually happen.

Having taken many chefs under his wing, Portale said he had no problem with his job as judge on the show. "I found I was very comfortable in that role. I think that it's a very natural thing for a chef to critique and try and be supportive of new ideas and point out whatever areas there might be for them to improve. It was a very natural." That's a positive comment for viewers to hear, as Portale said he would love to come back next season as a judge again.

Referencing the idea that Top Chef really does influence the way people eat and look at food, Portale said, "I think that it's very important. I hadn't realized to what extent the show is viewed. It's very impactful. I think it only educates people and makes them more passionate and aware of not only the food, but the challenges and difficulties of being a successful chef."

Portale knows a thing or two about being a successful chef. Plus, when we asked him how he thinks he would have done on Top Chef if he had been a contestant early in his career, he quickly answered, "I would have won, of course!"

Spoken like a true Top Chef!

Reporting by Jacki Garfinkel

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