Top Chef season 4 Finale

I was literally on pins and needles throughout the hour. It was grueling to watch and listen and sit there and endure while the minutiae of every dish was hashed and rehashed and then weighed to the micro ounce into the wee hours of a Puerto Rican morning (ironically, weeks ago).
There were lots of guest chefs who also worked as sous chefs for the prep work. Eric Ripert, April Bloomfield, and some other guy whose name I forget. But none of that really matters because it really did come down to skill and work of the three finalists: Stephanie, Richard, and Lisa. All three prepared innovative and delicious sounding menus for their final challenge, a four course meal including dessert.
Two things surprised me most; Richard caved under the pressure and Lisa FINALLY stepped up to the plate, so to speak. Stephanie remained consistent, despite a sucky dessert. Actually, her main course with the lamb medallions and braised pistachios looked like something both original and tasty. Lisa's kobi beef dish was an utter disaster in that it was undercooked, which didn't allow the fat in the beef to be activated during the cooking process. Attention to detail cannot be overstated when it comes to cooking. Richard had a pork belly thing that laid out there like John Wayne Bobbitt's carelessly flung member.
Essentially, rounds 1 and 3 went to Stephanie and rounds 2 and 4 went to Lisa. Richard sat by the sidelines and watched the action, admitting at the judges' table that he'd choked. I have nothing but respect for Richard because he has consistently been willing to accept fault, instead of pointing fingers or hiding behind his fucking butternut squash soup. Hey, I love soup as much as the next person, and I make soup all of the time, but it isn't rocket science, or even cooking meat properly.
In the end, despite somewhat of a tie in dishes between Stephanie and Lisa, when you get right down to it the money dish is the entree, it's what fills you up during your dining experience and it's also the most costly. So while Lisa made a good soup and a good dessert, Stephanie trumped it all with her lamb. And guess what? We've got our first woman top chef!!!!
Congrats and kudos to Stephanie! Open your restaurant girl, because the next time Miss Kitty and I are in Chicago we'll be popping in for lunch.
I wish Lisa and Richard the best of luck too! Lisa, I was too hard on you in past posts. Had you cooked your beef properly you may have walked away with the prize. Richard, try and draw your ideas closer in to what you envision the outcome to be. It might keep you from wandering all over Middle Earth with your unbridled whimsy.
Again, yay to Stephanie, a much deserved crown!