<<SPOILER ALERT: This post contains information about the outcome of tonight’s episode of Top Chef, along with pictures and video of Carla Hall and Spike Mendelsohn from tonight’s watch party at Good Stuff Eatery. Check them out after the jump!>>
Still with us? Then let’s get this over with:
GO CARLA! YOU ROCK!
Our local Top Cheftestant totally smoked the competition this week, putting together a crawfish and andouille ‘gumbo’ that won praise from the judges for its authentic flavors and its firm grasp of the concept behind this week’s challenge.
And the fact that she did it while competing head-t0-head with her culinary crush Andrew D’Ambrosi (Spike’s bro from last season) made the victory that much sweeter.
I joined Spike and a few dozen of his closest friends at Good Stuff to watch the episode, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Carla there in the restaurant with her husband, Matthew. As luck would have it, I was able to snag a seat just two down from Carla, giving me a prime spot from which to observe her reactions to the edited version of the challenge she went through last year.
Throughout the episode, Carla was gracious and sweet. She took time to answer questions from anyone who asked, and she had plenty of positive things to say about her fellow competitors. She did stand up and take a little bow when she was named as one of the top three in the Quickfire Challenge, but she was generally just watching the show and enjoying it with everyone else.
The crowd went wild for her when it became clear that her gumbo would carry the day against Andrew’s concoction. They reached a fever pitch again when she received nothing but praise from the judges. As Carla would likely say, you could really feel all of the love in Good Stuff and all of the good wishes from everyone in the room.
When Carla was announced as the winner, Good Stuff erupted into cheers. So much so that they almost drowned out the announcement of the prize that Carla won: a pair of tickets to the Super Bowl this Sunday!
But the real drama had shifted from the television screen to the booth next to me, where Carla pulled out a pair of representational Super Bowl tickets and handed them to Matthew. The poor guy didn’t even have time to process what had just happened. When he finally realized that he was holding (basically) a pair of tickets to the Super Bowl, he broke out into a huge grin and started fanning himself with the tickets.
You have to give it to Carla – she really knew how to set up a surprise. By alluding to Matthew and her stepson as the real football fans in the family during the episode, she laid the groundwork for giving Matthew the tickets tonight – several months later. Even better, I overheard her saying that she had been telling Matthew that she was sending him and their son “on a trip” this weekend for quite some time. When he pointed out that the Super Bowl was taking place this weekend, her response was something along the lines of “I’m sure you’ll be able to watch it where you’re going.”
From personal experience, I know how hard it can be to keep this kind of win a secret from loved ones, but the non-disclosure agreements that TV shows make you sign are strictly enforced. Talk about frustrating! But now that the cat is out of the bag (and now that Matthew knows where he’ll be headed this weekend), I’m sure Carla’s feeling great about the whole experience.
A big Hootie-Hoo! to Carla (and Matthew) for the win this week – here’s hoping she can carry the success through the rest of the season.
January 29, 2009 at 5:01 am
Aww, shucks. What a wonderful surprise for your family, Carla. The game will be a wonderful gift for your absence during filming Top Chef. Congratulations on your win!!!
I’m a fellow WordPress foodie and blogger and actually found you through WordPress blogger http://www.notionscapital.wordpress.com.
I don’t know how the series ends, just saying hello and sending some Texas love your way. Dee
January 29, 2009 at 10:59 am
Soooo amazing! I was wondering how Carla would have told her husband and I’m just so impressed that she is sending him and her step-son. Super generous and always showing the love.
January 29, 2009 at 10:59 am
Go team Carla!!
January 29, 2009 at 11:29 am
Hootie Hoo! Yay Carla!
January 29, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Hootie hoo! Thats awesome that you were able to watch it with her! And thanks for the review compliments (from a fellow Elizabeth)- coming from a seasoned reviewer like you I am honored!
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January 29, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Sending out some love and a big ole Hootie Hoo to my season favorite Carla. Heres hoping she carries the momentum into the finals (and the win!) Plus, how great is it that she kept the surprise from her husband? Carla may just be the best Top Chef! contestant ever!
January 29, 2009 at 4:46 pm
[…] attended the Top Chef watch party last night at Spike Mendelsohn’s Good Stuff Eatery and report on events from the burger joint. Be forewarned: It contains spoilers for those who haven’t yet caught the latest […]
January 30, 2009 at 12:47 am
What a great post! I did some Googling because I was curious to know whether she gave the tickets to her son and stepson. Wow, I can’t believe she kept that secret all that time! Congrats to Carla!
January 31, 2009 at 9:09 am
Nice write-up Mike! Way to go Carla…keep the love flowing.
February 9, 2009 at 5:32 am
Oprah’s people really need to reach out to Carla because she would be perfect for that show. Her energy and vibe are really complimentary to O’s and Carla’s segments would do really well. Just a thought. Carla makes me break out in smile. Hootie Hoo from Holland! (I’m an expat)
February 25, 2009 at 8:05 am
[…] of 17 chefs vying for the top spot. Several weeks later, Capital Spice was there to celebrate her triumphant win in the Super Bowl/All Stars episode alongside Carla and her husband, Good Stuff’s Chef Spike […]
April 30, 2009 at 8:05 am
[…] Watching Top Chef with Carla Hall at Good Stuff Eatery – What an amazing experience! Not only were we sitting a few seats away from Carla as she watched […]
May 5, 2010 at 11:33 pm
[…] restaurant, Good Stuff Eatery. Current Top Chef contestant Carla Hall was there with her husband. Capital Spice has the scoop on the viewing party and how Carla’s husband reacted when he found out she had won two […]