"TopChefMastersRecap" news and stories

Michael Chiarello. Photo: Bravo TV.

At this late stage in the season, there's a few things about "Top Chef Masters" we've come to expect. Foremost among them: When host Kelly Choi breaks out her best grade-school instructional voice, we know we're in for something special.

Last night was no exception. When she offered an oh-so-helpful etymology primer -- "The word 'chef,' as you know, means 'chief'!" -- you could practically see the four remaining pros shudder in their aprons.

Yup, after a season of going it solo, the polished pros would direct a crew of underlings for the penultimate elimination challenge. That the challenge itself was one of the vaguest and least interesting of the season -- cook a buffet for 200 "Hollywood insiders" -- didn't matter, especially considering that the pool of sous-chefs they had to choose from were some of the most memorable: the snottiest, cockiest young turks of "Top Chefs" past.

Spike Mendelsohn, Ilan Hall, Richard Blais, Dale Talde -- they all stood there like kids waiting to be picked for dodgeball.