Paul Qui Crowned Winner of Top Chef: Texas

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The heat in the kitchen was almost more than fans could stand on Wednesday night for the Top Chef: Texas season finale as the two contestants - Paul Qui and Sarah Grueneberg - battled it out for the $125,000 prize.

Ultimately, it was the former who was crowned Season 9's Top Chef.

Paul Qui Photo

Both chefs with a connection to the Lone Star State - Paul Qui currently cooks in Austin and Sarah Grueneberg was born there - battled hard until the end.

The finale was "about as close as it can get," according to head judge Tom Colicchio, who told the contestants, "You both should be very, very proud."

But in the end, Padma Lakshmi announced, "Paul, you are Top Chef."

"I am extremely happy to see my dad and mom being there and everybody I have met through out this journey," Qui said, almost at a loss for words.

"The magnitude of what we've done since San Antonio is so broad I can't describe it."

Sarah was upset. "I thought for second it was going to be me and it wasn't," she said while crying. "I think I deserve to be Top Chef but it wasn't my day."

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    Comments (8 Total)


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    Gina

    Why don't they call this show TOP MAN? Why is a female always losing to a male contestant in the finals! Why don't they get rid of all the male judges and just have women compete against eachother. Then maybe women will have a better chance to be recognized as TOP CHEFS. I mean really!

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    marilyn

    So last night i caught up with Top Chef and saw that the mean fatty sara wanted to win, but didnt stand a chance LOST. I am so thrilled that TOM and PADMA got it right. She was not a kind person. She treated her sous chef like the way she treats the bottom of her shoe. Karma is a bitch sara. How you treat people will come back to you....lololol...mean girl sara

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    jackie

    So glad mean fat sara lost. She was so mean and disgusting. So appalled she made it this far...What a meaneeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy.. She sucked and her dishes looked horrible...

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    lin

    so glad sara lost. She has one of the worst personalities I have seen on television in a while. She has no humility or modesty and is arrogant and nasty. She was very ugly from the beginning to the one gentleman on her team. And..........the desert was totally made by someone else. Keep that attitude Sara and you will stay as unhappy inside as you obviously are.

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    Wendykhalil

    I thought they were both great. I just didn't like the way the lady competing was rude and unfair to her only male Sui chef. I believe that had a lot to do with the decision.