Top Chef Finale Tonight

The moment has finally come, tonight the winner of Top Chef Season 3 will be announced.  What is different about the finale is that this time they have chosen to announce it live.  The chefs have been to Aspen, done their thing and have been back to “real” life until tonight, when they will get to find out the winner along with the rest of the world.

The announcement is being done in Chicago, so, my only guess is that the next season will be taking place in the Windy City.

The Village Voice interviewed all three finalists this past week.  Dale and Hung were the best interviews, fun, spirited and willing to talk the dish.  Casey it appears was reserved, except for giggling with her boyfriend during the interview.

Dale:

When Dale talked about the cast of the show, he practically sounded like a kid who misses his camp friends. He said that dealing with certain aspects of the reality TV process bonded the cheftestants. “What television entails really shocked us,” he said. “We really banded together. Certain things made us really angry and frustrated. Very few of us were there to be a TV star, and the only hand you could hold was that of your fellow competitor.” He even said that when the clock started during competitions, the chefs were relieved, because it meant they could do their thing.

Hung:

I asked Hung if we were going to see his “soul” in the finale and he promised we would. “Oh yeah. Everything is going to make sense in the end, if they edit it right.” About the judge’s complaints that his cooking isn’t expressive enough, he said “What does that mean, when [Colicchio] says ‘We don’t see Hung.’? What should I do, make sweet and sour chicken and wontons? I’m trained in French food. I love French food. That is me.”

Casey:

Anyhoo, when I asked Casey how she was handling the suspense, she said “Well, it’s been interesting.” Apparently, her restaurant in Dallas has been flooded with Top Chef fans, who pose for photos with her whenever she makes an appearance in the dining room. “My cooks are just looking at me, like, ‘We hate you.’ I can’t really go out in the dining room anymore, because it’s like, I can’t get away and back to the kitchen.”

Click here to read the interviews in their entirety and they will be talking with Rocco after all is revealed tonight. 

I agree with Nina at the Village Voice, it’s between the “mean immigrant” and the Jennifer Aniston look-a-like and as much as I want Hung to win, I think the producers of Top Chef, oh, I am sorry, I mean the “judges” of Top Chef will choose the woman.  Hey, next season if you are an African-American, gay chef…the kitchen is yours.