A look back at the highlights of this particular season

After eighteen weeks of fierce competition, the twelfth season of Top Chef comes to an end tonight. And not in just any way. M6 decided to encourage its audience to follow the final between Mohamed and Sarah in replay to support the restaurateurs. The culinary show of M6 will have accompanied the dreary Wednesday evenings under confinement and curfew of 3.9 million viewers on average. Back to the highlights of Top Chef 2021, the season of “unlimited creativity”.

Tasting at the Ministry of Ecological Transition

This season, Top chef organized its first “green test”, forcing candidates to send an ecological message. This new ordeal did not take place just anywhere… The Minister for the Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, welcomed the team to her ministry. The minister was also invited to judge the candidates’ proposals alongside the three-star chef Mauro Colagreco. On the menu: “black spill” mussels, cod with “mercury” sauce and insect salads to denounce the use of pesticides.

Mathias the unloved

Each season has its candidate belittled by the public. Last year, it was David, winner of the edition, and this time it’s Mathias, eliminated at the gates of the final. The young chef of his own restaurant was criticized for his lack of humility at the start of the show, especially during the brigade events with Charline, the youngest of the season and winner ofTop Chef Objective. An image that pursued her throughout the competition. Disliked by the public, he did not fail to make a strong impression on the chefs. During the 12th episode, the cook won the title of “dish of the year” with his plate entitled “The Apology of excess”. A tasting in two stages. First four bites that are too fatty, too spicy, too sweet and too acidic, and then a tart with the perfect balance. A proposal that greatly impressed its chef, Philippe Etchebest. The best worker in France did not hesitate to kneel down to show him his respect.

Arnaud the far-fetched

If there is one candidate that we will not forget this season, it is Arnaud. The cook did not lack provocation sometimes pushing the cursor a little too far. During the trompe-l’œil event whose theme was to present a dish with an inedible appearance, Arnaud served the starred chef, Andoni Aduriz, a dish that will go down in the annals of Top chef : a dessert in the form of toilet paper and stool. A dressage a little too daring for the Spanish chef who had decided to eliminate his plate without even tasting it. And then we will remember the rock’n’roll storefront that the young man had proposed for the famous test of the restaurant war. In tandem with Sarah, Arnaud had, to stick to the theme of their street-food bistro restaurant, set up a decor more reminiscent of the residue of a free party day afterwards than a facade of a gastronomic establishment.

The restaurant war

This year, the test of the restaurant war has also been modified to reflect current events and the difficulties faced by restaurant owners. A take-out service was added to the tasting by chefs and culinary critic Pierre Régis Gaudry. The candidates had to serve dishes as good to enjoy on the spot as after being transported. Obviously, on arrival, there are surprises. The menu prepared by the team of Sarah and Arnaud was more appreciated by the chefs than that of Mohamed and Mathias, but was extremely criticized by the jury who judged the version to take away. Thanks to the points given by this second jury, Mohamed and Mathias were able to win. The ordeal of Mohamed and Mathias was not easy. A fire started while they were cooking lamb, the centerpiece of their menu. Finally, more fear than harm. The two cooks were able to resume their test normally.

Sarah, rare woman to be in the final

We now know, Sarah will be in the final against Mohamed. A woman in the final Top chef, a fact rare enough to be noted. In twelve years of existence, only six have reached the final and only two have won the show. In general, few women participate in the cooking show of M6. This year, they were only four out of the fifteen candidates: Sarah, Charline, Pauline and Chloé. Speakers sides, it was not until the quarter-finals to see a chef arrive and not the least: Anne-Sophie Pic, the most starred chef in the world. Anne-Sophie Pic, also known for her commitment against sexism in the kitchen, had herself criticized the lack of parity within the show.