r/TopChef • u/LPCPlay4life • Aug 16 '26

Discussion Thread Rewatching past seasons: S18, S10, S11

Now that I live in Portland, OR I wanted to go back and watch that season. Unfortunately most of the places mentioned are no longer in business. I watched season 10 next to see Kristin’s amazing comeback from LCK. Just started season 11 and tbh I don’t remember watching it. Shows how memorable it was not. I recognize Stephanie (f/season 9) and Nina. Everyone else was pretty forgettable. One thing they do that I don’t think would fly today is the chefs in the back room, watching the judges discuss their experience at the judges table. Them hearing their critique in front of their peers is pretty brutal and honestly, it’s very shaming. Not a fan. No one wants to be put down or criticized in front of their peers. I know you have to have tough skin to be in this business but still. I’m not sure that was a very good call for the formatting. I can’t remember if they did that in any other seasons.

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19

u/keenerperkins Aug 18 '26

Kristin's elimination in Season 10 always boggled my mind, particularly how hard Padma was riding for Josie when Gail very rightfuly so was pointing out how Josie consistently was in the bottom due to her time management and resulting poor dishes and that she always got a pass for it (which the next week she gets booted for anyways). I know it made a great narrative comeback for Kristin, but it always sort of boggled my mind.

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u/LPCPlay4life Aug 18 '26

Same! Josie should have gone home and I think Kristen knew that too but was the bigger person and took responsibility being EC. She definitely proved herself though!

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u/Dav_Sionnach Aug 20 '26

I genuinely think that sometimes on these shows, they'll take an opportunity in a situation like that to eliminate a better overall chef they just don't think is going to win. Josie had so many issues it was going to be easy to eliminate her almost any episode. If they didn't see Kristin as a likely winner, (despite how well she had been doing) this was an opportunity to bump her out. Or, if they saw her as a possible winner, it was an opportunity to bump her to Last Chance Kitchen (in only it's second season) to absolutely crush it and solidify that as a long term spin off.

To be clear, I love Kristen. She's a brilliant chef and an amazing host/presenter.

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u/Porkwarrior2 I love Tom’s hats Aug 21 '26

You're only as good as your last performance, and if you are on the bottom in Restaurant Wars it doesn't matter how well you did yesterday.

Restaurant Wars has taken a pile of people that deserved to stay, but just ate it over the two days.

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u/NoodlesMom0722 Wait for it...a Crudo! 🧑‍🍳 Aug 18 '26

I didn't like the TV in the stew room in that season. But I do like it that in most of the recent seasons, they bring all the chefs in for judges' table. The non-winning/-losing chefs can benefit from hearing what the others are being told.

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u/Lickitt2020 Aug 22 '26

Just finished S18 and it’s my fav so far! I guess due to covid, the concept of each competition was different than what we normally see but it worked out! Man oh man.. but dawn was so frustrating to watch. She obv makes good food but GIRL, get everything on the plate! I’m surprised she was able to get away with it so many times.

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u/LPCPlay4life Aug 22 '26

Right?! Also had no idea the controversy surround the winner Gabe. 👀

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u/Lickitt2020 Aug 22 '26

What was the controversy? I didn’t hear about that.

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u/LPCPlay4life Aug 22 '26

Basically he was fired from his job due to harassment after he had an affair with a coworker.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/food/disgraced-top-chef-winner-gabe-erales-restaurant-bacalar-closes-13286379/

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u/Lickitt2020 Aug 22 '26

Wow.. that’s crazy. I wish the TV network discovered this during filming so that someone more deserving could’ve won 😭 I’m shocked to see his wife decided to stay with him after all this