Richard Blais and Mike Isabella got to be assisted by eliminated chefs in the kitchen. The former had Spike, Angelo and Antonia on his team while the latter got Tiffani, Jamie and Carla. Richard decided to call his restaurant Tongue in Cheek while Mike preferred to call his simply Izz.
Mike created a dish made from beets for his first course, and followed it up with steamed halibut with kumquat, pork shoulder with pepperoni sauce and a flan. Richard amused the judges with hamachi and sweetbreads, black cod and pork belly, beef short rib and foie gras ice cream.
When the judges deliberated, the first and second course went to Richard, while the third went to Mike. The dessert became the determining point but it was apparent that Richard would win because during the tasting, judge Art Smith said about Mike's flan, "I don't like the way it feels in my mouth."
As a winner, Richard earned $200,000 prize and the Top Chef title. "I didn't think I could do this, I willed this," he said after Padma Lakshmi's announcement. Meanwhile, Mike did not take the loss lightly, saying "To come in second is tough. I felt like I beat him. I just didn't get the prize
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