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Baby eels vs. isomalt teardrops
The judges kept saying it was all about the food, but I can’t help thinking that the fact that nobody could get along with Marcel worked against him. Ilan’s win on Top Chef might have been determined when he had to pick his sous-chefs and took one guy who can’t stand him (Sam) and another guy who comes across as lazy, unfocused and deliberately contrary (that would be Mikey). Ilan had the help of the two best women in the competition, Elia and Betty, and they came through for him.

If it was only about the food, then Marcel probably should have won, even though two of his dishes were not what he planned because ingredients were missing. He is the more creative of the two finalists, but I think he’s not quite ready to lead a kitchen. Ilan, on the other hand, is not only a leader but a solid, consistent chef who puts good food on the table.

It was probably a razor-thin win for Ilan, and maybe the judges are right in saying that in five years Marcel will be more successful. By then, probably some of his experimentation will either be a little more refined or a little less hit-and-miss. I’m not sure he wouldn’t have done more interesting things with the prize money than Ilan, but I’m comfortable with the way the judges ruled.

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