What?  The title is over the top? I just really like Top Chef.  So sue me.

It must be said.  What was that green thing Padma was wearing?  Ack.

Ok, the quickfire.  Totally random, and introduced me to the phrase ‘umami’.  Apparently an earthy flavor. I’d probably like it.  And Jen was in the bottom 3!! NOOOOOO….but she was also vomiting an hour earlier (or whatever the time frame was) and it must be said that the idea of chefs showing up to work sick does not give me warm fuzzies.  Work ethic=good, swine flu snot in my food=bad.

Of course Kevin took the money.  He ain’t going nowhere.  And Padma did say $50,000 - even though it really was only $15 K (ONLY!).  I know. I rewound. And rewound.  And listened some more. I was flabbergasted that they would essentially give out half the prize money on a quickfire.  Who wouldn’t take that?

And then….elimination.  And if you don’t know by now that ‘go home and relax’ means ‘you’re so screwed’ than I have no help for you.

Um…Kevin and Jen paired up?  Can you say ‘winning combination’ or ‘others need not apply?’ There was no way the win was going anywhere else. 

SO, since there was no drama about who would win, and apparently nobody wants to watch them cook Kobe beef with tomato chutney perfectly (I do! I do!) we get to listen to Mike spew venom about Robin the entire time.  Producers!!  Even though he says it, we don’t have to listen to it.  Please make it stop.  “Well, I know nothing about Asian, and I’ve never seen half these ingredients, but I can’t let Robin touch them, oh no, because that would mean someone else here, a girl, can cook, and NO! I’m the only one, even though I don’t know what any of this stuff in the bag is supposed to taste like.” Oh, how I wanted him to go home.   Oh, how I wept when he was solidly in the middle.  Oh, how I wanted to see more of the winning dish.

And Michael V. with his power problems.  I’m so glad they kept him.  He’s so stinking talented, although I’m not sure the judges were all that thrilled with the boot licking Ash was doing.  It was a little uncomfortable to watch, actually.  “Picasso’s brushes,” indeed.

Top 3:Jen, Brothers V.

Kevin might take one of the brother’s spots.

Next to go: Ash or Robin.