“Top Chef” 2025: Grégoire eliminated, Charlie and Quentin in the final

Oh, how we love this semi-final format of "Top Chef," broadcast this Wednesday, June 25 on M6, in place since 2015, where each of the candidates in the last trio imposes a theme on the other two, and it's up to them to try to beat them on their own ground to score points. With Charlie, Grégoire, and Quentin in the arena, we could expect some very tough topics. They didn't disappoint! And in the end, it came down to the tiniest detail: a few seconds of cooking...

Charlie opens the ball and welcomes the friends in a relaxed manner, slipped into a "Barbecue King" apron grilling merguez sausages on his kamado, offering one to each. He smiles, pleased with himself. The bastard asks them for meatless meat. "I was frustrated not to participate in the trompe-l'eau," he explains. To spice things up, no vegetables but seafood... And, because we're in surprise mode, it will be without spices, eggs, or veal stock...

The Norman is sure of his trick. He regularly makes his scallop bourguignon at home with dehydrated nuts that soak up the wine sauce he dips them in. "I'm amazed by your culinary intelligence," says Paul Pairet, impressed. "You should have made it the trompe-palate! So, sir, he qualifies himself and almost comes to reproach us for it," Glenn Viel grumbles upon learning of the matter.

His protégé also opts for scallops, but in a blanquette. Grégoire, for his part, chooses a beef tartare, which he tries with mackerel, a "brilliant idea" for Éric Fréchon, who fears the consistency will be too tender... Alerted by the tricolor collar, the green collar adds sea bream. Visually, it's great. And the taste? To confuse the issue, Grégoire smokes his preparation.

The tasting by Stéphanie Le Quellec, Hélène Darroze, and Alexandre Gauthier leaves no doubt. The seasoning is perfect, but the consistency is lacking for Grégoire. "Here, on the other hand, you can immediately see the scallops," says Darroze, dashing Quentin's hopes. Charlie's Bourguignon bluffs the trio of Michelin-starred chefs; he wins hands down.

It's Quentin's turn, who requests a dessert with three preparations, including an iced one made with garlic, onion, and shallot. No cakewalk! A forbidden dessert, by the way, like fruit. "I've never made it," Quentin confesses to Glenn Viel, once again causing him to break out in a cold sweat... "You've been freaking me out all season," he whispers. But for Quentin, the taste for risk has the scent of victory... At least, until now.

The boy goes for a chocolate onion siphon ganache, a garlic vanilla ice cream with brioche and Jerusalem artichoke, a rice vinegar gel with onion, and a shallot praline with dried and candied fruit. A biscuit, a little crunch, Viel asks. No, Quentin prefers something soft. "Right now, I'm seriously in a fog, it's a bit of a mess in my head," whispers Grégoire, completely lost.

He launched his chocolate garlic ice cream, but for the rest... "Treat your onion like a fruit," Fréchon advises him reassuringly. He candied it with vanilla, made a shallot compote that he garnished with hazelnut praline. It's taking shape. Charlie, for his part, loves the challenge, goes for a "quick fix" almond and garlic ice cream, a financier, a sweet clover and candied onion pastry cream, shallot caramel, and a whole candied shallot.

At the tasting, it's hard to know who wins. Philippe Etchebest, Le Quellec, and Gauthier are having a blast. The chef would have liked a little crunch in Quentin's offering. Ouch. To keep the suspense going until the end, the montage reveals nothing of the verdict. All we know is that Quentin was beaten. Once or twice? It's a mystery...

After creativity, it's time for technical expertise, a favorite playground of Grégoire, a former sous-chef at a three-star restaurant. He asks them to recreate Joël Robuchon's soft-boiled and fried egg. He provides a photo of the dish and the ingredients to use. "Good luck and be precise," he tells them. He has made this dish "hundreds of times," having worked for Robuchon, his mentor.

"We're a bit of a rag," Glenn Viel says. Éric Fréchon warns his candidate: "No overconfidence!" "Things like this, with the meticulousness, it annoys me," Charlie grumbles in his corner, struggling from start to finish... He's still on his breadcrumbs, which the Grégoire machine is already preparing. "Wow, what a nightmare!" the Norman suffers. Quentin, for his part, seems to be managing...

"If I beat him, I'll send him a picture of the plate with my face on it every day," he jokes. In the presentation, Grégoire definitely wins. But his egg—first soft-boiled, then breaded and deep-fried—is a bit overcooked, notes Hélène Darroze. Charlie saves the day, but nothing more. On the other hand, Quentin came very close to the result. Again, we don't know...

The time for the verdict arrives. Everyone has invited a loved one. Grégoire's father, Michel, Charlie's grandfather, and then Mado, Quentin's grandmother, who lets a few tears escape. "No, my little man, you mustn't cry, you must smile," Mado whispers to him. "Ah, grandmothers, they're strong," whispers Viel, also overcome with emotion. Charlie advances to the final. Quentin too.

"Oh fuck, I'm disgusted," says Grégoire. His father clutches his head with both hands. "I'm not sad," continues the candidate. " When I lost the first time (in episode 6) , I was slapped in the face, but now, looking back, I realize I've had a hell of a journey. My dream is to be a great chef and to have a Michelin star, there's no way that can stop me."