Top Chef Reunion: Pea Puree Problem (Finally) Explained

Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons weigh in on this season's biggest mystery

By Marc Malkin Sep 22, 2010 11:37 PMTags
Top ChefJustin Stephens/Bravo

Who knew pea puree could be so controversial?

Well, if it's part of Top Chef it can be…

The big question during this most recent season of the cooking competition show has been if Alex really stole Ed's pea puree during one of the elimination challenges.

The Los Angeles chef has always maintained his innocence. And host Padma Lakshmi has his back. "He totally didn't steal the pea puree," Lakshmi recently told me. "If he did, he would have been sent home."

Judge Tom Colicchio teased that all will be explained on tonight's reunion special. "It'll come out a little down the road that he absolutely did not steal it," he said.

So why the big mystery? Because it makes good television. As fellow judge Gail Simmons said, "We call it creative editing."

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