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‘MasterChef’ finale: Battle Panna Cotta, and a winner is crowned

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“MasterChef” crowned Luca Manfe its Season 4 winner, proof that nice guys don’t always finish last. Or maybe it was proof that the world will conspire to make sure mean girls don’t finish first.

It was East Coast versus West Coast as Luca, the restaurant manager from New York City, took on Natasha Crnjac, the homemaker from San Diego. But this being reality TV and all, the face-off was about so much more.

It was TV nice guy versus TV villainess. The cameras played up Luca and his happy-go-lucky style, along with his endearing fresh-off-the-boat-from-Italy accent, while also homing in on Natasha’s penchant for talking smack about her competitors while rarely missing an opportunity to talk about her own talents (or her own pretty looks).

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Moreover, the win was about Luca’s never-give-up back story. Luca had tried to fight his way to a “MasterChef” title in Season 3 and was told by the judges to go home and, well, learn how to cook. Luca did just that, doggedly returning for Season 4. And when he stumbled along the way this season — and, boy, did he stumble, coming close to elimination several times — he dutifully took all that the judges taught him back to the cooking bench.

To be sure, this was a season marked by verbal ugliness thanks in no small part to troublemaker Krissi and her tough-tawking Philly mouth. (Personally, I thought it all detracted from the competition that aims to pluck home cooks from obscurity and groom them for culinary greatness. I’d scratch all that in favor of more time for cooking-and-plating lessons from the judges. You?)

But if there was one factor that summed up the differences between the two finalists it was this: When Natasha ran out of garlic during one of the earlier challenges in the competition, she turned to another competitor for a handout, and got it. But when Jessie made a similar slip-up and forgot butter, Natasha refused to give her any, seeing it as a way to sack the competition.

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And in both cases, Luca bailed the women out, taking from his own pantry supplies to help them.

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Was he a sucker for doing so? Was Natasha the shrewder of the two? No doubt, on both points.

But while Natasha was winning the battle, Luca was winning hearts and minds.

In the end, it was highly unlikely that someone as unlikable as Natasha was going to win “MasterChef.” After all, this is not just about a TV show. This is about cookbooks, and public appearances and building the “MasterChef” brand.

Finale winner aside: Would bigger crowds turn out for Luca? Or Natasha? Exactly.

Which is, kinda, a shame. I could be wrong, but I feel like there was a bit of a disconnect with Natasha. I am not sure that the abrasive, sharp-elbowed and brittle Natasha we saw on camera is the same Natasha in her real life. (I reserve the right to be wrong about this, however.) Her family seemed so warm and genuine, and she seemed the same when she was surrounded by them. Did the cameras bring out this harsh edge? Was she playing to the cameras for more face time? If that’s the case, it backfired in a big way.

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The finale saw the competitors cooking three dishes for the judges: an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Notably, the judges did not reveal their votes after each round, perhaps giving themselves wiggle room.

Natasha’s dishes were pure perfection, with plating so startling they looked like works of art. Her menu started with seared scallops, moved on to a technically proficient take on monkfish and then a tropical duo of panna cottas. (She ultimately ditched one of the panna cottas because it didn’t set up right.) It appeared flawless.

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But Luca’s dishes were pure heart, even as they appeared a little too heavy, a little too rustic. It started with seared duck livers, then short ribs, and then an audacious basil panna cotta with a sweet tomato jam. His panna cotta had to be made twice because he failed to execute it properly the first time.

Chef Gordon Ramsay suggested that the competition was so tight that he wondered whether it would actually be a draw, with much of the focus on Battle Panna Cotta.

But, c’mon.

Luca’s sister and father were flown in from Italy for this finale. There was no way he was going home without the $250,000 prize. And besides, as Christine Ha said, it was about time the American version of the international “MasterChef” TV show crowned its first male victor.

What did you think? Did the judges get it right?

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