Reunion show,terriffic idea. Trying to start drama by bring up past tensions,terrible idea.Ended up reminding me of the rest of the Bravo lineup, Which I NEVER watch. Stay true the shows style

I watched this episode with my husband and we both loved it. I adore Fabio, I think he is being groomed for his own show and this was a "test" so to speak. I could have done without seeing Marcel, he has a massive chip on his shoulder and could not be more on the defensive. Stefan, still as sexy as ever. Carla as always very sweet, I had the pleasure of meeting her just after she left the show but before a winner was announced. She came to one of the restaurant that my bosses own and she was nice and sweet. Very decent lady.

Please, please Bravo more gag reels, that was funny!! I love Top Chef, it never disappoints me. Go VOLTS!!

Is Top Chef in danger of cancellation? Their support of the message boards has been mysteriously sporadic (they finally added new threads after a three-week unannounced absence,) and they decided to broadcast a filler episode in the middle of the current season? Are the ratings slipping?

Since this was my first season to view Top Chef I didn't appreciate this episode at all. As far as I was concerned it was like one long insider joke and just disrupted the season that I've actually become quite interested in. If networks wonder why they're always losing viewers it's because of stunts like this. I've reached the conclusion that it's better to not watch a season when it's going on and just wait and buy the DVD's. Then you're not at the mercy of the manipulation the networks set up.

It seems pretty clear that Bravo is working on the idea (this and the website) of Fabio as much more than just a cheftestant. Not a fan of this episode, although it would be more intriguing if they brought back others...Stephanie, Antonia, Sam, Dave, Trey, etc. Would love to see more of what a lot of the participants were up to....

I did like the reunion but where was Jamie, Trey, Betty and of course Sam (cool drink of water).

Would prefer more comfortable conversation instead of forced interrogation Or better yet go to their kitchens.

I also agree with more un-aired clips although was glad to re-see the Jamie / Leah giggle fest. Had forgotten how hilarious it was!

I actually lost some respect for Fabio - he was not so likeable in this role as bully/host. Why didn't he bring up Stefan's goofing off that irked Hosea? And Hosea and Leahann? Lisa's temper or Dale's temper tantrums? Or everybody elses' meltdowns? Why show Marcel as Season 2's punching bag? And if so, why not show how idiotic his bullies were? Frank's "I'm a gentleman" shown with all those clips of him being an ass? Or Sam yelling obscenities at Marcel in a public store? Marcel has always been about the food - and no doubt he accepted this invite to cook and to taste. This show really didn't highlight the food; it hightlighted the antics. People loved Marcel's fish, yet comments were "off camera" not during dinner. Discuss the foods, the menus, the cooking styles! And I LOVE Marcel for calling Stefan on the carpet when Stefan said Marcel was a "tw*t" Go Marcel! As for the rest of the drama . . . Move on!

This sort of episode needs to be saved for the summer, not in place of a new episode in the middle of the season! While it was somewhat interesting to rehash all of the old drama, this was a major disappointment in place of...

Monica,

Thanks for responding to my query about past recipes. I still don't understand why you can't just keep ALL the past recipes on the site. I mean, isn't virtual space infinite? Aren't they putting the entire Library of Congress online? What's a few more recipes compared to all those weighty tomes?

On to your suggestions. I have the Top Chef cookbook but, alas, it only covers the first 3 seasons. Your other plan of action, ie, bugging my favorite Bravotv.com editor for the recipes I seek... well now, THAT'S a brilliant idea. So here goes. Please send me these from season 4:

1. The "Fire" dish from the Earth, Fire, Water, Air challenge. Lisa, Dale & one other person. There was shrimp with a chili sauce, miso bacon, and a salad with jalapenos.

2. Antonia's winning noodle dish in the one pot challenge with kids.

3. Lisa's 1st dish from Restaurant Wars. Laksa?

4. Lisa's dishes from the finale.

5. The bison wrap from the box lunch for cops challenge. I think it was Dale's.

See? Wouldn't it be easier to just keep the recipes available? I appreciate your help.

I loved seeing the former Top Chef cheftestants come back and be able to cook what they wanted without time constraints and "quirky" challenges. It reminds me of how talented they really are. I always am interested in what they are doing and how Top Chef changed them.

I know Bravo has been known to do these silly reunion shows in the past, they never really amount to much substance and I end up wishing I didn't watch at all. Fabio should have been in the kitchen cooking and not hosting...he looked like he was being handed his lines one by one,and there should have been more focus on cooking, not rehashing stuff that happened years ago. A big disappointment to see him go after Carla, Casey, Lisa and Marve/Ilan like that--get over it Bravo! Get back to getting these guys in the kitchen competing and doing what they do best. This was waster filler only and a huge disappointment. Poor Harold looked miserable--hope he got paid for having to fly out there and deal with that scripted drama.

Face it--the characters make this show interesting, so of course we want to see them again. There are plenty of boring, forgettable cooking shows just about food--you might see these once during a home sickleave, but sure wouldn't come back for a rerun. I agree with Fabio--if the contestants don't want to revisit old history, they can just say no to the reunion invitation--I'm sure others were invited and declined. (It's like those MTV Road Rules/Real World competitions where people keep coming back for more abuse--a way to extend one's 15 minutes of fame and make some cash). That said, Marcel does seem embittered by his season, and understandably so. He is one of the smartest, most creative & talented chefs ever on the show, with a very different approach to food--and a truly unique human being. Fabio implied he was weak if he felt he was somekind of victim--hmmm...being pulled from sleep, held down, and nearly abused while a gang watched & taunted? I'd say that qualifies--came too close to disaster to be simply brushed aside as "boyish pranks." Was that funny? Never. Shameful? You bet.

Not my favorite Top Chef episode - The last time I was subjected to that kind of drama was at a family reunion. Marcel is so easily baited he should feel used.

C'mon, they knew what they were getting into when they were invited. If not, they should ask about the "Fine print" before they sign up to do a reunion show. Or have it entered in the contract what they won't discuss. But the whining "tired of talking about it", what else do some of the chef's have to talk about?? I personally thought Marcel was upset because he thought Fabio was bringing up the drinking incident in Miami that Marcel was arrested for earlier this year, or last year.

If the Chef's want the publicity for their current ventures, they arent going to get it scott free. The price is the discussion of filming left-over's so to speak.

It was entertaining, but not in the Top 10 of shows. I do wish the producers had focused more on the fun and positive, instead of the whining and cantekerous (sorry Harold, I love you but you are in this group as well).

Give Fabio his own International Top Chef show!!! I think he can carry it!

Very week episode. More food, less drama, please.

FABIO rules. but this episode sucks.

stick to the food! i only watch bravo for top chef, but if it becomes as trashy as housewives, you will have lost another viewer. i loved Masters for being classy, food-focused, and for highlighting just how well good chefs can work together. please don't do this again and bring back the show i loved based on good food!

Adding my voice to those who thought this episode was awfully lackluster. There's only about 5 minutes of greatness in this episode- 1) Marcel skipping up the stairs, 2) Fabio-Stefan banter, 3) Richard Blais paranoia.

Bravo- if you want to reuse footage you've already shot, that's fine, show us more NEW stuff! There's got to be so much gold that no one's every seen before. The stew room outtake from season 4 ("You have 1 hour to cook a hobbit-GO!") is easily one of my favorite top-chef moments, and it wasn't even in an actual episode!

I am a loyal Top Chef fan --- I've watched every episode multiple times, read everyone's blogs, read all the bios, etc. I do not watch the other food shows on TV because they don't even come close. Top Chef is a smarter show -- the challenges are very clever, the judges are so articulate in explaining why a dish didn't work, the shows are edited in such a way that the program is enjoyable but is also a great teacher about food, technique, preparation, pairing and eating. I am not a cook, but it has inspired me to make better choices in selecting foods, be more adventurous about the ingredients I purchase, and to even try my hand at a few dishes. I can echo many of the comments from other viewers about what this reunion show should have been. But, my biggest disappointment came from how stupid it all was. I could pick on each comment that some of the chefs said, but no one looked particularly good. Fabio tried his best, but even his charisma couldn't salvage the poorly written questions. I am so surprised --- was Chef Tom really a part of this? I doubt it. This was more like a bad drama. I'm still a fan of the show and the chefs, but I am very disappointed in the producers for stooping.

Have to agree with the general disappointment over this reunion. It was a highlight reel of Bottom Chef though some of it was fun. That I couldn't dislike Fabio for the line of questioning chosen for him, is a testament to his eminent likeability. Maybe it was the editing, but Carla and Casey don''t seem comfortable about their history which is understandable, but sad to be reminded of. Did you taste this dish before you served it?

This was a TERRIBLE episode. I do not care about the drama. I care about the food. Why on earth would you force Fabio to force them to awkwardly talk about past drama that no one still cares about? Either run a damn clips show (which I will turn off) or actually run a cooking competition with all-stars, e.g., the holiday special (which I will look forward to all week). So disappointed in Bravo right now.

Harold knew about the Glad bed because it was in one of those outtake shots that they show during the commercial breaks during Season 5.

I can't imagine how cool that would have been to be at Whole Foods while the Top of the Top Chefs went shopping :) I would have loved to have been there.

And Hung is SO hot :)

And I can totally understand why Marcel was a little defensive and a little peeved during the show. I'm not a Lisa fan and in the world of Top Chef Villains, it seems like she's the top Villain. I'm not condoning a show where everyone is picked on, but if Marcel was going to get picked on, you may as well have started on picking on Lisa, too.

I enjoyed watching this show, and did not feel all the "drama" dominated the hour as much as some others seem to. I loved it when Richard said that he was dying to compete again. I am glad all these former finalists all got a chance to cook for each other; I'm sure that was a special experience for all of the chefs. I really enjoyed the slammin' salt-encrusted tai snapper dish that Ilan and Marcel made. I'm sure it was absolutely delicious.

Seriously, I would have loved to have been at this dinner with all this heart-felt wonderful and expensive food, made by so many talented people trying to impress each other. I'm sure I would have loved each and every course as well as the company.

I will say I'm glad that the competition resumes next week as I do greatly prefer the standard Top Chef show. But as a one-time thing this reunion dinner--well, I liked it, and am glad I watched it.

Just want to echo the other viewers that this was a very disappointing show and not the best way to let us see some of our favorites from seasons past. Clearly something was edited out when Fabio stood up and asked for the cameras to be turned off, why leave that in at all if you don't show us what happened to provoke him? He was a charming host over all but the format was very strange. We loved the parts showing them cooking, but don't learn anything from the table chit chat. Were only these chefs invited? Perhaps the ones we did not see (LeeAnn, Betty, Jamie, Brian, Tre, Hosea, etc.) were more aware of the pitfalls that Bravo editing and producers who like to show negative and ugly moments would prevail in this so-called reunion show. Next time just have one on one interviews with the former cheftestants letting us know where they are now and how appearing on Top Chef affected them professionally and personally, that is really what we want to know! Let's Cook!

It was almost as though this show was to point out that the people that have appeared on Top Chef are not anywhere near the level of the Top Chef Masters, and still have a long way to go. It is becoming clear that these are people still trying to prove themselves.

Actually that was written about the Chefs, but I think it could be said about the producers at Bravo as well.

Sam who was missing is the hottest.

I agree with many on this board. The tension seemed forced and it was overall uncomfortable. I like the idea of catching up with contestants from past seasons, but I would have preferred a clip show, where exes commented on their favorite/uncomfortable/memorable moments. Forcing Fabio to ask awkward questions was just painful. Sorry. I'll keep watching Top Chef, Top Chef Masters and Top Chef: Pastry?--but I'll skip the next dinner special.

I thought Harold looked uncomfortable like he didn't want to be there. Maybe too much time has passes since his season and he's just not into it anymore. Can't blame him. Still love him.

Where was Dave? I'm not your bitch bitch. Loved that one.

Where was forgot his name? Culinary Boner? LOL.

Where was Hot Sam who I wished won season 2?

I would have preferred a "lost footage" show with the chef's commenting on the clips.

I am sick of everyone defending Marcel. He pushed Ilea down in the ocean in one episode and no one remembers that. The shaving incident was uncalled for, but he is not totally innocent.

This reunion show was a hot mess! It made many castmates uncomfortable to focus on their previous embarrassing moments. Their uneasiness made it uncomfortable for the viewers to watch. Was that the effect you mental midgets were going for? For shame.
The next time you geniuses think up a half-baked idea like this, please consider your audience. We want to see the season unfold; without pointless breaks in the flow.

Just two things: Marcel hasn't learned self-awareness and Stefan reawakens the mad, mad crush I've had on him since I saw him peeling those apples...

Was the comment made by Marcel about fish sauce really necessary? I am Asian American and I am not offended easily, however, his tone while making the comment and his portrayed behavior in the entirety of the episode left me with a very sour impression of him. If you want to be a victim fine be a victim, but don’t agree to go on a reunion special of the reality show you were on if you don’t want unfavorable parts of your past to be rehashed. Pathetic.

The reunion show was TERRIBLE and an insult to loyal Top Chef fans! What was the point of dredging up old nonsense? I would have liked to catch up with the cheftestants and see what they are up to now. I thought it was disresptful to the viewers and to these skilled men and women to have to be embarrassed this way. I couldn't even watch the whole thing. Does every show nowadays have to resort to this kind of garbage??

I'm a big fan of Fabio, so happy to have him host this reunion. Him & Stefan obviously have a special friendship and their bawdy sense of humor is fun to watch. Was also a big fan of Hung & Carla, so glad they are doing well, along w/ the other chefs.
Marcel had a right to be defensive, I know he must be sick of everyone bringing up the past, but he was too defensive at times when he should have just made jokes of it. Anyway good show, can't wait for Master Chef to come back though, a very classy show!!!

Monica...you think Hung (that arrogant little piss ant) looked HOT?! I think I just threw up a little. And I wanted to punch Marcel. Maybe they SHOULD'VE shaved his head. That aside, I was thrilled to see Dale (Season 3), Casey (Season 3), and Richard (Season 4). I thought Dale looked adorable.

Okay, I liked the show but I agree that is was a bit annoying in certain parts. I do not understand how after seeing Marcel's behavior in Season 5's finale why they would EVER have him back. He is so nasty and I have an idea why. Ever since the finale for his season I knew why he was always so mad and defensive, I'm in the restaurant biz I get what his deal is.
Please don't invite him back for anything, he is so rude to other people and so condescending, I mute the tv when he talks now. I wish the nasty attitudes of the chefs were taken into account somewhat as well, but I don't think they will ever change their criteria. I think Mike V. is an AWESOME chef but a total jerk and I think Kevin is an AWESOME chef too but is so humble about it that I hope he wins, he's great.

Loved Fabio as the host...I don't know if anyone else could have done it, and I thought his "Dad" moment was right on.

I thought Stephan was a "lesbian opportuniwhore"...I guess it works both ways.

I liked this episode. Yes, I missed having another episode of the competition but seeing the past cheftestants was fun. I loved watching them cook. The deleted footage was great and I wish they would've shown a lot more deleted stuff instead of rehashing stuff we've seen a thousand times. Fabio, with his cute accent, was a great host. Okay, so there wasn't any competing but I'll quote the show, "It is what it is."

Awful idea. An hour of my life I will never get back. Let's get back to cooking.

I thought this REUNION show had potential but it was runied, by once again,bring up all the unpleasant scenes and things that happened in the various seasons of Top Chef. What is with Bravo and the producers that they think people want to watch this vile trash? Save it for the "Housewives" and other stupid reality shows. We want to know about the chef's lives in the cooking world and their food philosophy, not this other nonsense. Shame on you, Bravo!

At first I was looking forward to the reunion special. But less then 15 minutes into it, I stopped and instead watched my other recording of Criminal Minds. (It's somewhat telling that I was more comfortable watching a show about a serial killer who collected victim's eyeballs than watch the manufactured drama at the Top Chef table.) It was early this morning that I was able to finish watching the show. The tension and stress that the producers dredged up was so transparent and ruined much of the show for me. To me, it's about the amazing food, the creativity, and the challenge. The show would have been so much better if you had focused on the food and the chefs' experiences with different challenges. In hindsight, what would they have done differently? I wanted to hear more comments about different bites from the delicious food being served... Poor Fabio--he's a natural charmer, but even he couldn't segue into emotionally manipulative questions without acting like he has the sensitivity of a sledgehammer. I did enjoy seeing unseen footage and hearing the chefs describe favorite scenes or challenges from their seasons. I hated seeing Marcel not allowed to relax with the unrelenting microscope on his personal trauma. Asking "Do you feel you were a victim?" was the most asinine question ever!
Please... if you do a similar show in the future, focus on the FOOD. After all for most of us, that's what brought us to Top Chef in the first place.

You know how sometimes you will get a dish on top chef where the judges will say something like, "I think the original concept of the dish was good but clearly there was a loss of focus in the execution. Way too many ingredients thrown together, some worked well but most clashed and the dish became less than the sum of their parts. Kind of mess in the end."

Well, substitute the word "show" for "dish" and that's my take on last night's episode.

There's a reason some of us love Top Chef and despise Housewives. The reunion show took out the skilled competition part of Top Chef, and focused mainly on the 'Housewives-ish' drama stuff. Blech. Don't do it again.

I got excited when Fabio busted out the knives. Then when Tom never showed up I got more and more disappointed. It was obvious that Fabio was forced to discuss old drama because Bravo told him to. Did not feel real. The show ended and I was like, "really?" waste of an hour. Never want to see this trash or anything like it on Bravo again. And might I add, I do watch many a Bravo tv show.

I think the language barrier caused most of the problem with Marcel. I beleive what Fabio was trying to say and what he actually said are two different things. For example when Fabio said marcel looked angry and wanted to beat people up I beleive he was talking about how he was portrayed in Season 2 but Marcel took it as him talking about them from there brief meeting.

I was disappointed when I tuned in to see a real episode of Top Chef and got the reunion show. I did not enjoy it. Please, get back to the competition.

I enjoyed the show, but as I've only been watching since season 3, much of it was new to me. Fabio did a fabulous job. It seemed a good idea to give the chefs a forum to clear up some of the controversial situations that we saw on the show. I don't think it was out of line for Marcel to be questioned about an uncomfortable incident. If he didn't want to answer the questions, he should have deflected the question in a much more tactful and classy manner. And as Fabio said, don't come on the show if you're not going to cooperate. I thought Carla and Casey both handled their misunderstanding in a very mature mannner. And I'm sure it has given them both closure to a very unfortunate situation. I would personally like to see a reunion show for each season when everyone from each respective season shows up, shares best and worst memories from the show, talk about how the show has impacted their life, and then have one final cook off to be judged by the TC judges. Winner take all.

PLEASE do not give us this type of show again. Except for Fabio, it was not entertaining. We watch Top Chef to see talented chefs in action & for the great food they make. Don't bring it down to the level of those Housewives, it's so distasteful. Would prefer to never see Marcel on TV again.

Please don't do this type of show again. It was painful and irritating to watch. Viewers do not need to see a rehash of all the fighting! We watch Top Chef for the food and not the drama.