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It was Stephanie Izard in the end. Slow and steady wins the race as the show's first female winner proves you don't have to have an outsized personality to win -- you just have to be good.

Steph will be doing a live chat at the Chicago Tribune site at 1 p.m. today. If you're a fan go ask her your questions. But try to avoid "Man, wasn't Spike a dick?"

Not that he wasn't, at times. You can read an interview with him here.

My problem with Top Chef is that I've usually never eaten any of the things they make and, of course, can't taste the food through my television set. So, of course, I resort to picking the person who I think is nicest or most interesting and rooting for them. Cooking is not really like singing or dancing -- it's hard to tell who you think is doing the best on their merits when you can't experience the final result.

But if there wasn't enough drama for you this year (from one contestant telling the judges they'd have to call security to throw him out if he was voted off to one half of a lesbian couple nearly starting a fistfight after her lover was voted off) -- just wait till you get a load of Bravo's teen version of Top Chef.

If you just can't get enough of the show, the L.A. Times had a profile of smoking hot host Padma Lakshmi yesterday.

And, for the ladies who love bald men (we love you too) -- here's one from Salon this week with host/Chef Tom Colicchio.