Hung Wins!!!!

It was suspenseful. Really. I was so nervous for Hung. I thought Dale was going to steal the win from him. Casey was really inconsenquential from her cinammon-scented scallop all the way to her burnt-out pork belly. I think she wants us to blame the altitude at the Aspen. Dale had moments of blinding brilliance. The judges showered praises on those damn Colorado lamb chops, but he also dished out spectacular mess like the curried lobster that Chef Tom called "inedible." Hung on the other hand, was in Chef Rocco's words, "the man with the plan." The judges nitpicked his dishes for want of acid here and there but that was all they could come up with. His finale dishes were worthy of the win - poetic, elegant, screaming of natural talent, finesse, and confident. And he cooked them all with his usual ease, speed, and sagacity. The boy was out to win. And he did.

His first course: Raw Hamachi - looks so yummy. Second course: prawns with tamarind sauce, vietnamese salad, coconut foam and whatever else was nitpicked by the judges but could not be complained about.

His duck was the perfection of the night. Todd English called it a 3-star Michelin meal - Hung nearly passed out when he was told that. His molten chocolate cake was derided as not imaginative or daring enough for a last course. But I thought, this guy got the balls. He believed that his 3 other courses were perfect that all he needed to do was sweeten up the judges with a desert they clearly needed and with a technique that even the judges could not find fault with. Love his mojo! In the end, superiority, consistency, and talent won. Congratulations HUNG!

On a side note: Chef Rocco di Spirito was Hung's sous chef for the finale prep. His blog is really worth reading if only to experience Hung's handiwork first hand. Chef Rocco: my eye candy for the night.

Best words came from Hung: "They tell my that my food has no soul. That feels like being run over by a truck. I have so much love, so much soul in my food." We believe you Hung.