'Top Chef': 'Drama queen' Brian Malarkey's elimination has fans celebrating as they root for Melissa King

Fans say Malarkey gave us some Meryl Streep level drama on the show
Melissa King, Brian Malarkey (NBCU)
Melissa King, Brian Malarkey (NBCU)

This week's episode of 'Top Chef' was stressful to say the least. From Brian Malarkey's breaking point to the one-last quickfire challenge with celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman under the same roof — the tension was palpable. Some came through while others failed. 

At the judges' table, Malarkey shared that he was exhausted, which indicated he wanted out. When host-judge Padma Lakshmi asked how the day had been for him, he said: "Oh, I just had the best time ever," and added, "This is exhausting. I forgot how exhausting this is. And I had a few little issues today that corked me in the wrong direction. I am cooked. I had a great ride my friends." Padma was quick to take the hint and therefore, she directly asked if he wanted to leave the show? But Gregory Gourdet wanted to move to the next round by merit and not because someone just vacated his spot. 

Melissa King emerged on top of it and swooped a second win in a row with her perfect quail dish with Ninja radishes and plum glaze. "It really just highlighted the bird itself. I honestly love this," Chef Brian Bornemann said. 

Meanwhile, fans cannot stop celebrating now that Malarkey is gone, and they are now rooting for Melissa to win. "Good F***ing Riddance To Malarkey! #TopChef," a viewer commented, while another shared: "Malarkey giving us some Meryl Streep level drama TN. #TopChef." Another said, "MELISSA AGAIN!! She’s been absolutely killing it. She’s so fun to watch. Very calm but fun cooking. Always so beautiful on the plate #TopChef." One more posted, "My homegirl Melissa has been consistently blowing everyone out of the water and Stephanie is my sleeper pick who quietly progresses with each challenge and brings it all together in the end #topchef." 

The final leg of the competition will be held in Tuscany, Italy, where five chefs — Melissa, Stephanie Cmar, Bryan Voltaggio, Kevin Gillespie and Gregory — will fight it out to win the coveted title and of course a cash prize, which will help them and their restaurants grow. 

Catch all the new episodes of 'Top Chef' on Bravo every Thursday.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

'Haunted Hotel' blends supernatural comedy, family drama and emotional moments as Katherine and her ghostly companions face new troubles.
2026-10-30T18:06:08.000Z
‘Nocturne’ Episodes 1 and 2 set up a tense mystery around Jurek, Karl, Jonah and Saga as a missing girl’s case takes a dark turn.
2026-10-30T14:51:44.000Z
Ella Purnell returns as Rhiannon Lewis in 'Sweetpea' Season 2, where a copycat killer threatens her secrets as she juggles new relationships.
2026-10-30T12:12:22.000Z
Dexter has a younger rival who is killing across New York, and nobody knows who he is
2026-10-30T09:23:41.000Z
The actress has received four consecutive nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category.
2026-10-30T09:01:33.000Z
The Ghoul actor drove through the California desert to mark the end of his work on the season
2026-10-30T08:52:30.000Z
The Season 5 finale cliffhanger around Pete finally gets answers on a Halloween night at Woodstone
2026-10-30T08:43:43.000Z
After feeling discomfort, Jules takes Simone for an ultrasound, which reveals unexpected results.
2026-10-30T08:02:34.000Z
With multiple characters from different multiverses traveling across, Season 2 ended with Box’s destruction.
2026-10-30T06:15:36.000Z
The ‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 finale ties together the show’s iconic storylines with a battle that could change everything
2026-10-30T05:17:25.000Z