Top Chef Winner Revealed

Melissa won Top Chef. You only saw 2 episodes of this season, but you saw every episode from all 16 sessions prior. You and Mom were always recommending shows for me. Top Chef was my recommendation for you two. Your welcome.

I watched Season 1, Episode 1, in March, 2006 after seeing countless commercials for it while watching Project Runway on a Jetblue flight back from Spring Break. I was fresh off a trip of trying every single food imaginable, determined to shed my picky eater exoskeleton. Watching Top Chef would be part of my journey to eating all of the things. 

As you know, I fell so hard for the show that I named my cat Perilla after Top Chef Season 1 Winner Harold Dieterle’s first restaurant. When the restaurant later closed, you said “well I guess you have to change Perilla’s name now.” Never missed a beat on those Dad jokes. 

The television show opened all of our eyes to the wonderful world of canapes and scallops two ways. We went to Momofuku Ko and you relished over how delicious an egg can be. We went to DeGustibus to watch Karen, a two-time Top Chef contestant, cook 5 courses. And we went to the iconic James Beard House so 5 contestants from Top Chef Season 16 could cook for us. Top Chef was never just about dishing over who would win. Top Chef was everywhere, from my job at Colicchio & Sons to one of your final meals  ever at a Carrie’s restaurant in Denver. 

We even did a Top Chef fantasy league, where we had a ridiculously elaborate point system. I found the Word document with the rules and calculations on your computer. Wow. It was 14 pages long. 

So Dad, Melissa won Season 17. Stephanie Cmar made it to the finals, which was shocking, but she did a great job towards the end. The finale was in Italy, which was so beautiful. The quality of cooking was so high this season. You would have loved it.

Top Chef will always be one of my favorite shows. I am so glad you hopped on board so we could share it together. We honored you by watching the finale together, me, Sung, and Mom, after a delicious dinner of scallops and asparagus. We went through all of the Top Chef restaurants we’ve been to over the years. I wish you had been there. You would have had a series of fun Top Chef questions to ask. 

I wish you didn’t pack your knives and go Phil.