After tonight’s epic finale (part 1) of Top Chef, I had to break my 3-month radio silence and express my sheer joy that 2 fierce females are the finalists! Readers and Top Chef fans, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the first time in the show’s history that two women are the sole finalists. It’s a truly momentous occasion, showing just how far women have come in the culinary world.
And yes, I realize that a woman has already won Top Chef–Stephanie Izard, the insanely talented and bubbly chef from Chicago, now of Girl and the Goat fame. But somehow, I’m even more excited for the Brooke-Kristen battle, and truly admire both of these women. They not only outcooked the boys in the kitchen, but did so with grace and integrity. Neither of them had to be loud (unlike…ahem…JOSIE) or attention whores (ahem…STEPHAN), resort to cooking copious amounts of bacon (ahem…JOSH) or exude sultriness a la Padma (although I have to admit, I do kind of have a girl crush on Kristen). They both just cooked their asses off, stayed cool under pressure (except when Kristen “peed in her pants a little” as Tom barked for more tuna), and stayed true to who they are (which was ultimately poor Sheldon’s downfall).
This is not the first time that Top Chef has broken barriers and glass ceilings. Last season, Paul Qui, an adorably introverted and incredibly gifted chef from Austin, was the first Asian American to be crowned Top Chef. Here’s hoping that an Asian American woman–Kristen Kish (there, I said it!)–wins the title next.
Photo courtesy of BravoTv.com
The Unpaid Gourmet 