Master Food Porn

The Top Chef Masters finale did a good job showing some of the major differences between the spin-off and the original. On the one hand, there wasn't too much suspense over who would win. Not that by any means Rick Bayless' victory was a given. But since everyone is already an established chef, it's not like there was going to be another Hosea situation. Sure, I was disappointed Hubert Keller got third, but I can't argue with a 27-ingredient mole sauce. There weren't any strong feelings over the outcome.

On the other hand, the finale provided possibly some of the best food porn the show has seen. Seriously, getting some of the best chefs in the country to go all-out made me really jealous of everyone at that meal. Unlike Top Chef finales where you look out for the mistakes, here it was just a series of escalating gushes from the judges. If I ever make it to Chicago, I may need to seek out Frontera Grill.

People felt kind of mixed about Masters, between the tournament-style format, the different judges, and the minimal drama of having established chefs duke it out just for charity and bragging rights. But as the end showed, even if it wasn't ever must-see TV, it certainly made you hungry.