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6/12: Richard Blais loses “Top Chef,” some Dagmar Midcap backlash
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chicago’s Stephanie Izard edged out Atlanta’s Richard Blais (right) for the fourth season of Bravo’s “Top Chef.” She’s the first female to win it all.
Atlanta’s Blais, with a faux hawk and a genial demeanor, came into that final episode as the favorite to win, having won four times and landing at the bottom just once. Stephanie also won four but had been at the bottom three times. Lisa Fernandes won just a single elimination challenge and had been in the bottom a whopping six times including four weeks in a row. Nobody (except perhaps Lisa herself) thought she would win — and she didn’t.
Blais seemed unfocused during prep and several of his dishes didn’t quite achieve what he wanted. “This is a disappointment, almost being there,” he said after he was nixed. “Losing at the last second sucks. You put your whole heart into it, then it doesn’t work out. One thing that is good about this is to refocus and keep doing what I love to do. The future is bright, that’s for sure.”
“Lots on the line for me and my career,” Blais said at the top of the hour. “There’s more at stake than my personal failure. This is for my wife. I have a baby on the way, a new house. I have everything to lose in this competition.”
He is as boggled as the rest of us that Lisa Fernandes is still around. “Lisa’s got a bad attitude,” he notes. “I don’t think Lisa deserves to win ‘Top Chef.’ “
Lisa: “I’m in the finale. I managed to get through with the skin of my teeth. I don’t care that Stephanie and Richard have won a bunch of eliminations and I won one. You know - I’m going to beat you!”
Blais’ toughest competition is Stephanie, who has provided a steady hand and sharp culinary chops. She often surprised the judges with interesting and tasty combinations. Lisa has shown occasional flashes of brilliance but has mostly exhibited a major chip on her shoulder and an odd paranoia, one week thinking someone deliberately messed with her pasta.
The final challenge is to do a four-course meal: fish, poultry, red meat and dessert. Neither Steph nor Lisa are thrilled by the prospect of being forced to do meat.
Since both Steph and Richard won the same number of challenges, they did a basic coin toss to pick a sous chef. Steph got first pick and takes Chef Eric Ripert of the Le Bernardin Restaurant, Richard hooks up with Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill and by default, Lisa gets Chef April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig.
Dinner is a black-tie affair for nine diners with seven hours to prep. Lisa opts for Asian, although April admits she isn’t well known for that genre. RIchard goes thematically with “my journey.” “Showing some classic training as well as molecular gastronomy. It’s not that we don’t know what the hell we’re doing. We just got this challenge a few seconds ago. Waiting for that lightning bolt.”
Stephanie is just trying to show off her style of cooking, “different flavor combinations, just be real well balanced.”
Each chef got to bring one special request. Richard brought liquid nitrogen, not a common item to use in cooking. He is trying tabasco sauce ice cream as a garnish with oysters via the nitrogen. (Huh?) “Never seen the technique,” Ripert said. “That’s [freakin’] cool!” Blais said. Lisa pooh poohs this as “overthinking things.”
Lisa is feeling she’s connecting well with her sous chef April. Richard still doesn’t have his menu fully conceived by the end of day one.
Day two twist: sous chefs are gone. They’re on their own. Lisa said she’s going for big bold, bright and in your face flavors. The menu: grilled prawns, tom kha gai soup & dumplings, wagyu beef and thai rice pudding.
Richard wants to tell a story. “It’s not just about electric nitrogen and electric smokers,” he said. He opens with scallops, then guinea hen, foie gras and eggs, a third course of pork belly, then banana “scallop” and bacon ice cream.
Stephanie opts to open with seared red snapper, then quail with lobster ravioli and quail egg, followed by medallions of lamb and a dessert of ricotta poundcake. (She would have preferred another fish dish instead of dessert.)
Richard tells judge and guru Tom Collicchio that things aren’t fully sorted out, “a little abstract.” He seems a bit scattered. Stephanie is much calmer, hoping her dessert works out. Lisa is in good spirits. “Richard is usually calm but seems very excited,” Tom said. “His Achilles Heel is he may be doing too much.”
Richard is using the nitrogen for his bacon ice cream but dumps the day one idea. Steph is still unsure about the cake and Lisa is skeptical that it’s so bad. “Stop doubting yourself!” Lisa said. She’s confident. Richard and Steph? Not so much.
“I’m the only one who is a craftsman and an artist. I want to prove it’s not just in my head,” Richard said before the meal.
“I’ve come this far and will definitely be the first female ‘Top Chef,’ ” Lisa said. “This is it—meal of a lifetime,” said the less introspective Stephanie.
Meal course #1: Most liked Richard’s scallop with mango and pineapple vinegar. Judges seemed to like it though one said it was too complex. Judges generally liked Lisa’s prongs though one thought the chili heat was too strong. Stephanie’s red snapper is considered the best of the trio. Round one: Stephanie
Lisa does a coconut soup, which was well loved, well balanced. Steph’s quail was good, too, but found the leeks undercooked and irrelevant. Richard has what came first: hen, chicken egg and foie gras, which may have been too complex. “This is him falling in love with the technique,” Collicchio said. Round two: Lisa
Lisa’s goes for some waygu beef, but it lacks tenderness and the sauce is too sweet. Judges absolutely loved Steph’s medallions of lamb. Richard’s pork belly, real simple (for him) got so-so ratings and considered underseasoned. Round three: Stephanie
Richard is toast, isn’t he?
Anyway, the judges really enjoyed Lisa’s thai rice pudding. Richard finally got it right with his bacon ice cream. Stephanie’s cake was nice and moist but unrefined. Round four: Lisa or Richard. Close.
Stephanie won the viewer’s poll, too.
-It’s been almost a week with me not mentioned WGCL weather forecaster Dagmar Midcap. Shame on me! Anyway, fellow blogger and former WAGA-TV newscaster Doug Richards, initially wary of mentioning her name on his Live Apartment Fire blog, threw caution to the wind Tuesday and did a big essay on her here, largely defending her.
We’re kinda rooting for Midcap. True, she’s no meteorologist. But she’s a personality, and WSB has topped the ratings for decades on the strength of one woman’s personality. Midcap has a certain amount of natural talent. She appears to be bright enough to conjure up and deliver a forecast. She appears to have a pulse. If the choice is between her and Glenn Burns- and there’s no severe weather threatening- why not Midcap?
But alas, the daggers came out in the comments section, where a distinct anti-Dagmar tone emerged (his readers or commenters, at least, appear to be mostly in-the-business types):
Dagmar is a “weathergirl”, just like the stereotypes of the 50’s and 60’s. With her knowledge and credibility (extreme lack of both), she is a turnoff, especially with her breathless delivery. - Steve
Sadly, another example of how hard work ultimately does not matter. Ms.Midcap may have worked her tail off to get this far, but that is not why she is where she is. We all know that. But hey, enjoy the glory Dagmar. Take it when you can. You may be the first to get canned - TravisBickle
Folks, she’s NOT translating into ratings. T and A does not work in Atlanta. The 11pm show went from 3rd place to 4th in May. THAT should tell you something. - Ima Believer
You’d think being in a top 10 market they could find someone who is both a meteorologist and good looking person. - Craptastic
Comments
By skeptic
June 11, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
Good luck Richard, and if you can’t pull out the win, I hope Stephanie takes it…anybody but that whiny brat Lisa!
By Blaze4Live
June 11, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this
Come on Richard! I’ve been rooting for you the whole season. You can do it!
By GoBlais
June 11, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
I was really disappointed for Richard. But I think he did a good job showing Atlanta diners his human side. He’s no longer the wacky foie gras milkshake guy. He’s a talented chef who brought the spotlight back to Atlanta. I was excited from the moment I saw his pizza made with tea and peaches.
I look forward to seeing more from him. With all the top New York chefs opening restaurants in Atlanta (including Colicchio), I think we owe him our support.
I also admit that Stephanie was really talented and I’m glad she is the first female Top Chef.
By JOHN
June 11, 2008 11:28 PM | Link to this
TO ME MISS MIDCAP IS THE BEST LOOKING LADY ON THE AIR HERE IN ATLANTA IN A VERY LONG TIME BUT JUST ONE THING WE DO NOT KNOW MORE ABOUT HER LIKE IF SHE IS MARRY OR HAVE A BOYFRIEND WHO EVER THE GUY IS HE IS SO LUCKY
By JOHN
June 11, 2008 11:29 PM | Link to this
TO ME MISS MIDCAP IS THE BEST LOOKING LADY ON THE AIR HERE IN ATLANTA IN A VERY LONG TIME BUT JUST ONE THING WE DO NOT KNOW MORE ABOUT HER LIKE IF SHE IS MARRY OR HAVE A BOYFRIEND WHO EVER THE GUY IS HE IS SO LUCKY
By Gram
June 12, 2008 12:27 AM | Link to this
I KNEW Stephanie would win. She was always on the money…well almost always…with her creations. I think the best person won. Just because someone is from here is no reason to want them to win. They have to be the best CHEF, not the most popular. The other girl, Lisa(?), had too much of an attitude, and thought she had it made, but I knew from from the start she might make it to the finals, but she wouldn’t win. I can pick’em!
By snorfledork
June 12, 2008 1:53 AM | Link to this
It was pretty much a foregone conclusion from the beginning. The producers wanted a female to win. Nothing wrong with that. Stephanie is a strong cook. When Richard won the car, I looked at my wife and said, “it’s a consolation prize”. As a native Atlantan who has followed Blais career, I know the ups and downs of what he has been doing. I hope that his stint at HOME proves a lucrative future for this really cool cat.
By mirandarocks
June 12, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this
John….Dagmar has a BF in Atlanta…I know….BWAHH!!!!!!!
With global warming uh I mean climate change being the big thing nowadays I think its great to have a hot babe like Dagmar telling us about it. I mean it will be great to have a nice soothing sexy babe like Dagmar talking to us as our homes get overtken by the ocean waves.
As for the people raging on Dagmar. They are probably the same people trashing Kellie Pickler….and they’re probably all fat too!!
By Ted
June 12, 2008 7:47 AM | Link to this
Attention fat or old women.. quit hating on Dagmar! Jealous
By Foodie
June 12, 2008 8:30 AM | Link to this
In the age of Tivo’s and DVR’s….a spoiler alert would have been nice.
By Top Blais
June 12, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this
Stephanie kept it simple (snapper, lobster, lamb and poundcake) and it paid off because the criteria the judges used to select the winner was: which meal they would most likely want again - i honestly believe, and i was pulling hard for Richard, that if he had it to do over again he wouldnt have gone over the top - chitlins, bacon ice cream and some abstract fowl wouldnt have been his choices
By Jeff in Roswell
June 12, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
Who really cares if the person delivering the weather report is a certified meteorologist? It doesn’t matter if it’s someone behind the scenes that has the knowledge or the person delivering the report. We still get the info needed and Dagmar is much easier on the eyes than Glenn Burns or David Chandley. If you’re into amazon women you can always watch Karen Minton in the mornings - she’s got some “things” to offer. I do appreciate what people like Glenn Burns do, but I have to tell you that their “up to date” weather reports that they do during so called weather “crisis” is annoying. They are just speaking on the air with no teleprompter and it is bad… bad. That is the time that they should shine - wow, “Severe Weather Team”! They fail miserably. Watching Dagmar is at least enjoyable.
By Dee
June 12, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Ted…I’m an old lady and a little overweight and I think Dagmar is great. She is far better at telling me the weather than Monica is at telling me the news. We’re loaded with meteorologists at the Weather Channel. If you want one of them, they’re easy to find.
If you want to know WHY the weather is doing what it’s doing…tune into a meterologist. If you want to know WHAT the weather is doing, Dagmar does a fine job.
By Edward
June 12, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
Thank GOD Blais did not win. I’m so sick of all this “molecular gastronomy” crap. A REAL chef who cooks REAL food won the contest, and rightfully so. Just ponder why all these “gastronomy” restaurants open and close so quickly, like the flash in the pan they are, while restaurants that serve REAL food become classics that endure. I don’t want to eat a fad, I want food.
By Big Al
June 12, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
The people who complain about Dagmar are silent about Monica Kaufman or whatever her name is these days. Dagmar is not a meteorologist and Monica is not a journalist. Dagmar reports the weather and Monica reads the news.
By AUGirl
June 12, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
So proud of Richard Blais and his contributions. If you haven’t had the chance to visit Home, definitely do so! It’s amazing. I hope that he is here in Atlanta to stay. Congratulations on the new baby girl, as well!!
By MUFFIN
June 12, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
HEY GUYS HOW ABOUT POSTING A SPOILER ALERT. NOT ALL OF US HAVE WATCHED THE SHOW YET AND YOU RUIN IT ON THE FRONT PAGE??? AND YES I’M YELLING BY TYPING IN ALL CAPS. THANKS A LOT. 16 WEEKS OF WATCHING AND IT’S ALL LAID OUT FOR ME, WITHOUT ASKING, IN 2 SECONDS.
By jogger
June 12, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this
I wish he would of won- but I had a feeling he wasn’t. I am glad that Stephanie won instead of Lisa.
Richard will be okay.
By Dan
June 12, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this
I think Chef Blais has learned a lot from his time on Top Chef. My recent meal at Home was outstanding (we had the tasting menu), and IMHO displayed the right balance of great taste and playful whimsy. Anyone who wants to read my overly long description of that dining experience can check it out at:
[http://danbrowning.blogspot.com/2008/05/dining-at-home-home-restaurant-that-is.html]
By Tracie
June 12, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
I knew Stephanie would win, but I did have a soft spot for Richard. Lisa should have never made it to the final round, she was not worthy. Sometimes I wonder what the judges of Top Chef are thinking??? The final four standing should have been Antonia, Stephanie, Dale and Richard…Lisa’s dishes always came up short and her attitude sucked!
By wineking
June 12, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
I thought Blaise would win, but he is a chookker,,,, He will be fine working for tom cathatal at HOME old POSH restaurant.Go Steph…
By wineking
June 12, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this
I thought Blaise would win, but he is a chookker,,,, He will be fine working for tom cathatal at HOME old POSH restaurant.Go Steph…
By Rod
June 16, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
I think it’s funny that in the next to last show, when Lisa was upset Richard and Steph didn’t congratulate her for making the final show, Richard said “Congrats for winning the bronze medal.”
Then in the Finale, Richard clearly was the third best.
Congrats Richard for winning the bronze medal!!!
By Grand Tetons
June 24, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
Dagmar is fine with me. I’m not a jealous woman. Neither am i some tight-a$$ “insider” or weather-nerd with an axe to grind. It’s realy telling that someone had to slant “ratings” agianst her by alleging that channel 46 had slipped from 3rd to 4th after Dagmar started doing the 11 p.m. Excuse me, you piece of crap, but 46 was already in last place before Fox 5 ADDED it’s 11 p.m. newscast, so, of course, it was probable that channel 46 “slip” a position. It’s not like the ratings number dropped much; just the audience-share pie got sliced a little thinner.