Getting Excited for ‘Top Chef’ and ‘Project Runway’

The shows must go on

Image from Flickr.

“Project Runway” season six, its first season airing on Lifetime rather than Bravo, is nearing its end. The finale airs Thursday, and we will find out whether Althea, Irina or Carol Hannah will win the prize money and all of the other perks.

Wednesday’s “Top Chef: Las Vegas,” which Bravo thankfully managed to keep around, will pit the final five chefs against each other. To get you prepared for this delightful week on cable, I offer you recaps of “Project Runway” and “Top Chef: Las Vegas” because I love them so — both, I can’t pick. It’s like choosing between personal loan companies — they’ve all got what I want!

Top five on ‘Top Chef’

I think most viewers — and I know the remaining chefs — believe now that Robin is gone, we are really down to the very best of the bunch. Everyone still in the competition most definitely deserves to be there. Truth be told, I am a softy and I always felt sorry for Robin because the other chefs were mean to her.

They continued to be mean to her during episode 11, but on the most recent challenge, it was clear that it was Robin’s time  to go. I think she probably makes much better food than I ever could, but she kept repeating the same mistake: Rather than perfecting dishes that she knew she could do well, she was always trying brand new things. It finally caught up with her on “Top Chef” season six, episode 11.

Strong get stronger, weak go home

If it wasn’t clear that Robin was the weak link going into episode 11 (it was), it became apparent quickly. She left a huge mess in the kitchen after creating her quickfire breakfast in bed for Padma and Nigella Lawson, who is a huge big shot in the food world. Eli won with what Nigella called “a good hangover breakfast.” It was a reuben sandwich/eggs benedict hybrid, and it made it into the Top Chef Quickfire recipe book.

The elimination challenge was to create a dish inspired by one of those elaborate Vegas hotels. Robin, once again, took on way too much and tried a brand new experiment. She tried to make sugar panes that represented the glass sculpture all over the ceiling at the Bellagio. She failed. The sugar didn’t even make it onto the plate, leaving her with a boring dessert.

On the other end of things, Michael — or Voltaggio the Younger — won the challenge with his crispy buffalo wings, inspired by New York, New York. I find a lot of comfort in the fact that my love for buffalo wings doesn’t mean I have an unsophisticated palate.

Fastest ‘Project Runway’ recap in the West

Here’s a summation of what happened on “Project Runway,” the season six finale Part I: Nothing. Yes, it was the episode where Tim Gunn went to visit the designers as they worked on their collections. Then the designers checked into their hotel. Then Heidi told them there was a “surprise.” They had to create another look for their collections before the show in Bryant Park.

Sorry, Heidi, but six seasons in, this is not a surprise. In fact, if Carol Hannah, Irina and Althea didn’t show up for the finale with an idea of what else they’d make, they’ve obviously not been following the show. Just two more days, folks, and the suspense will be through! Yes, it’s a little sad to see season six come to an end and begin the long wait until season seven.