Reactions to the Top Chef All Stars Dinner Reunion Special

There was no new episode of Top Chef Las Vegas last night, but that's OK, since we did get a very special reunion episode, including some past season favorites (and not-so-favorites), including:

Season 1: Harold and Tiffani
Season 2: Marcel and Ilan
Season 3: Casey, Hung, and Dale
Season 4: Lisa and Richard Blais
Season 5: Carla and Stefan (and Fabio, who could not possibly be more adorable, as the host)

The chefs came together to hang out, go shopping, and cook a five course dinner that they then got to actually eat themselves without a judge in sight.

The show was all about rehashing - like a reality TV version of a Family Ties flashback episode - and from me, that is a major compliment. I loved the reminiscing and hearing what the cheftestants have to say about their behavior now. In summary: they've learned a lot and have grown up and they hate the knife block but love the people.

Some highlights:

• Fauxhawks: so totally two years ago. Though heavy product is apparently still cool.
• Lisa gets stopped on the street regularly and told that she's awesome.
• Blais is still crazy competitive.
• Stefan=Lesbian Opportuniwhore (credit: Tiffani).
• Dale lives with Sarah from his season.
• Chefs like box cakes as much as I do.
• They also like to drink. A lot. Especially in the stew room, which Blais described as, "like college." I think I want to go there. If Bravo offered up one night in the stew room to a viewer, I might actually enter one of their little contests.
• Marcel, despite his protestations, is still pretty whiny.
• That said, he and Ilan cooked a salt-encrusted Thai snapper that looked amazing.

My favorite part of the episode, though, was Fabio's smackdown. Towards the end, at the dinner table, all the chefs were whining about having to revisit their seasons and talk about old drama. As he so elegantly reminded them, they were all free to turn down Bravo's offer to appear on the show. But now that they were there, they were going to talk.

Can't wait to see him on his own show. I love you, Fabio!

What did you think? Who's looking good? Who's not? Who did you miss? Who could you have lived with out? Any big surprises in the flashbacks? Please leave a comment with your thoughts...