10/25 Show Discussion***Spoilers***

[MHcarrollton]

That was a very very poor dismissal. First, how can we be sure that if any of the others would have been in Otto's spot that they would have taken them back in instantly. Secondly, if you get a once in a lifetime chance stay and get dismissed don't dismiss yourself, and thirdly I am sick of these reality contestants being complete jerks. Those two girls knew Cliff had immunity, there was two of them, and they knew they sucked as a team so they picked an easy target to take the heat from them and put someone else in the bad target seat. I have great integrity and I can honestly say that if I had something on the bottom of my cart and left without paying I have no idea if I would be honest enough to take it back immediately. I don't like admitting that, but for them two girls to act like they are morally better I doubt they are.

[Gala62]

I don't agree with the drama the 2 women created, but honestly Otto should have owned up to it right away when asked about it. He was wayyyy too evasive and just dug himself in deeper.

[ajefferson10]

That was a very very poor dismissal. First, how can we be sure that if any of the others would have been in Otto's spot that they would have taken them back in instantly. Secondly, if you get a once in a lifetime chance stay and get dismissed don't dismiss yourself, and thirdly I am sick of these reality contestants being complete jerks. Those two girls knew Cliff had immunity, there was two of them, and they knew they sucked as a team so they picked an easy target to take the heat from them and put someone else in the bad target seat. I have great integrity and I can honestly say that if I had something on the bottom of my cart and left without paying I have no idea if I would be honest enough to take it back immediately. I don't like admitting that, but for them two girls to act like they are morally better I doubt they are.

I have to disagree with you! I think the girls did the right thing and Otto should have bowed out of the competition. Rules are rules. All actions are under the microscope on these shows. Otto should have known better.

[PhoneGrrrl]

I think Otto saw the handwriting on the wall and dropped out before being booted. He's probably kicking himself after seeing the show, when the judges said that if he owned up to his actions, they'd boot Marisa. Inasmuch as I thought Otto's actions were not honorable and did bring the team down, Marisa would have gotten my vote to be kicked out. If a pastry chef fails at the dessert, she doesn't need to be in the competition at all.

[MHcarrollton]

He did not break a rule the rule was spend 500 dollars and he did the leche was free. What he did was dishonesty, but not breaking a rule.

[suncat7]

That lychee wasn't free, it was stolen. If you leave a store without paying for something and you know it it's stealing. He was standing in front of the store loading the vehicle when he mentioned getting them for free. That girl (Marisa?) should have made an issue of it in front of the STORE where she heard it, if she was going to make an issue of it, though. I think she waited until later just so she could point fingers at him. (although he was stealing.) "No stealing" might not be in the Top Chef rules, but I'd like to think most of the contestants have the good sense not to steal.

That said, with Otto taking responsibility for it, I don't think he should have left. I think the pastry girl should have left for serving what one judge referred to as a "hockey puck." She said she thought it was fit to serve, and the judges clearly thought otherwise. I hope she's gone very soon.

[Yardgnome]

Sunny, I completely agree. Marissa definitely needed to go after failing to make something that was in her specialty.

I think we are in for lots more drama this season then last.

[5DogWorld]

In some stores and cultures, bargaining is a way of life. We've seen it on other shows all of the time, where the contestants are asking for a discount or bargaining for a better deal (project Runway leaps immediately to mind).

I'm thinking it's possible Otto was just unconsciously thinking, "hey we spent a lot of money, they threw in the lychee, cool, let's get going!"

He freaked out ugly when confronted, but I think many of us would under that kind of scrutiny.

Not saying it's an excuse, but I didn't see it as the First Degree Stealing Thing that others are.

[buglover]

The only thing that leads me to believe he was being sneaky was he told the judges that he got wrapped up in the competition and wasn't thinking right. To me, that sounds like he's admitting he did it and knew he did it. If he had said, I didn't realize until we were outside that they were in the cart and was too embarassed to take it back in so felt cool, free stuff, then I might feel it was an honest mistake. We've all done that on accident, something in the bottom of the cart, etc. It was the way he explained it that made me uneasy.

[5DogWorld]

Having now seen the whole episode, the fact that paying for the lychee would have put them over budget is the kicker, for me.

The sad part is that they clearly didn't need the stuff anyway.