Hasta Luego, Mi Amor

I almost cried after this episode of Top Chef:Miami. Seriously, when Padma asked Camille to pack her knives and go, I almost lost it. I just wanted to hug the hell out of that girl. Why, why, why, I kept asking myself. Why didn't we see more of you? Why didn't you blow us away with some amazing dish? Why did you switch places with Hung? He abandoned the final group when Dale declared them “Team Pastry.” That was a smart move, Hung; you bastard!



At first, I wasn’t really concerned for Camille. Dale’s idea made sense. I mean, you can’t go wrong with dessert. Right? And Camille seemed very confident. Well, she had me fooled. In fact, I was convinced that the loser had to be either Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dumb. Bravo fooled me yet again.



Although Camille’s elimination was a sad, sad moment for me, I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. She had received little air time in previous episodes. She never really prepared any amazing dishes. She was just . . . there—right smack in the middle, an invisible woman, really. We never really got a chance to know Camille. I still can't explain how I became a fan. She just seems like a real sweetheart, and that gets me every time.



She said very little at the judges table, and the little she did say was not very impressive. I think that was her major malfunction, to borrow a word from Anthony Bourdain . She could learn a thing or two from Howie. That guy can talk his way out of anything. Sometimes, a well thought out response at the judges table can save the day, something Howie knows all to well.



I wasn’t the only one affected by Camille’s elimination. Dale was visibly upset by the judges’ decision, and he acknowledged that he felt responsible for the whole mess. Well, Dale, it wasn’t really your fault. It was an unfortunate outcome, for sure, but we shouldn’t point any fingers. Camille chose to join your group; nobody forced her. Honestly, at this stage in the game, it’s important to know one’s strengths and weaknesses. Brian is a case in point. Of all the cheftestants, he’s made decisions that have highlighted his strengths. He’s a smart cookie, but he can’t fool Tom for much longer. I’m sure this was a great learning experience for Camille, and I wish her the best in NYC.



The last few minutes were quite touching. Even Joey, the big lug, shed a few tears as he hugged Camille.



And, as she went around the room hugging and saying goodbye to her fellow cheftestants, it was very clear that everyone was fond of her. It was a pleasure to see. Camille is so full of energy; she has a great personality; she’s friendly; and, in addition to all those great personal qualities, she looks great in a bikini.



So, I guess I’ll have to come to terms with the judges’ decision. In fact, I think they made the best decision under these circumstances.



You know, The HoInMo wrote an interesting post about Jamie Lee Curtis. Apparently, Ms. Curtis thinks that most people watch reality television for all the wrong reasons. Well, I have no evidence to refute her claims. However, I do believe that there are many television viewers (like me) who watch various reality shows and support their favorite contestants for all the right reasons. Miss Xaxa had her papi chulo, and I will always have the lovely Camille. I’d like to end this post on a positive note. Camille offered the following parting words to the remaining cheftestants,

I just want to say, you guys are so brilliantly talented. And I want you to rock hard!

Thanks, Camille. And I just want to say that you rock! Hasta luego, mi amor.