TOP CHEF viewers have shared their frustration after Danny Garcia was crowned the winner during the Season 21 finale.
Danny emerged triumphant against Dan Jacobs and Savannah Miller on Wednesday night – although fans accused producers of intervening to secure his win.
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Top Chef viewers aren’t happy with Danny Garcia being crowned winner of Season 21Credit: David Moir/Bravo
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He emerged triumphant against Dan Jacobs (left) and Savannah Miller (center) on Wednesday nightCredit: David Moir/Bravo
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Danny impressed judges Gail Simmons, Kristen Kish, and Tom Colicchio with his four dishesCredit: Stephanie Diani/Bravo
Danny, and the other Top Chef finalists were tasked with prepping “the best four-course meal of your life.”
They fought head to head in the final challenge, which took place aboard a Holland America Eurodam cruise ship docked in the Caribbean.
Danny, who is a classically-trained executive chef with the Saga Hospitality Group, cooked a breadfruit tuile, smoked mussels, and lobster, among other “significant food memories” as he put it.
He impressed judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and newcomer Kristen Kish with the quartet of dishes.
The chef won $250,000 as well as the $53,000 he scored in weekly challenges — the most any Top Chef contestant has ever won on the show.
Fans, however, felt that Dan was “robbed” in the finale and questioned how Danny managed to win with an “undercooked lobster” dish.
“Dan was ABSOLUTELY ROBBED. Had easily the best meal of the night and lost? Top Chef, do please explain??” one wrote on Instagram.
“Dan should have won…how could undercooked lobster win?” another asked.
“What a scam. This winner was picked long ago. And no, I didn’t eat the food, but I listened to the feedback. Dan was absolutely robbed,” a third posted.
“I’ve watched 12 seasons of Top Chef and don’t think I’ve ever seen a chef win even an elimination challenge with a seriously undercooked protein, much less the finale,” someone else added on X, formerly Twitter.
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“Not sure what happened there but the judges’ critiques did not match the result.”
“I’m sorry, but this seems more like a producer’s decision than the judges’ decision,” yet another viewer raged.
“There is no way that Danny outcooked Savannah and Dan! You can season your food and win top Chef, that’s bulls**t!”
Danny chatted to Us Weekly about how he plans to spend the huge prize money after his win.
Top Chef Season 21 contestants
TOP Chef returned for Season 21 in Wisonsin March with 16 new contestants and judges Gail Simmons, Kristen Kish, and Tom Colicchio.
Alisha Elenz
Amanda Turner
Charly Pierre
Dan Jacobs – finalist
Danny Garcia – winner
David Murphy
Kaleena Bliss
Kenny Nguyen
Kévin D’Andrea
Laura Ozyilmaz
Manny Barella
Michelle Wallace
Rasika Venkatesa
Savannah Miller – finalist
Valentine Howell Jr.
“My wife and I are looking to find our first home, plant our roots more than we already have here in New York, and start the next journey of our lives,” he said.
“We’re gonna stay in Brooklyn, that’s home for us.”
He also shared more details on the new restaurant he is opening.
“Time and Time is the name of the restaurant. We’re opening in the fall. It’s going to be seafood-focused,” he explained.
“The idea is I don’t wanna take myself too seriously with food. We’re looking at it through a lens of what does a steakhouse look like as a seafood restaurant?
“There’s gonna be a lot of large format things and fun embellishments on the sides, if you will. When you’re at the beach, it’s all seafood. It’s all shellfish.”
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Viewers suspected that producers intervened to secure Danny’s winCredit: David Moir/Bravo
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He battled against 15 other contestants on the showCredit: David Moir/Bravo
