Top Chef: Portland was one of the most unique seasons of Top Chef to date. The show changed its formula due to the pandemic, bringing in a roundtable of former winners and all-stars to the judge's table. They also had to adjust to not traveling throughout the host city in order to display its food and dining scene. Despite the limitations the pandemic imposed on the season, the season showcased food culture worldwide through its passionate contestants that brought fresh culinary perspectives that pushed what Top Chef could be. There are standout chefs every season, and Top Chef: Portland was no different, but did the eventual champion deserve to win, or was there someone more worthy for the crown?
Gabe Erales won Top Chef: Portland, beating Dawn Burell and Shota Nakajima, but should someone else have won? Many fans believed Shota Nakajima was most deserving, being the apparent front runner for the entire season, but Erales won the final challenge, gaining the title of Top Chef. Erales had a great season, mixing the traditional flavors of Yucatan Mexico, where his family is from, and his mastery of sauces. He was definitely one of the season's standouts, so it wasn't a surprise he made it so far. Nakajima may have been hands down the best chef on the show, but he came up short in the finale.
Shota Nakajima came out of the gates as one of the strongest chefs on the show, using his training in traditional Japanese techniques and applying them seamlessly to whatever challenge the judges laid before him, resulting in some of the most inventive dishes the show has ever seen. Nakajima won four of the thirteen challenges, including the final two before the finale. He also placed at the top of five challenges, being distinguished by the judges. In nine of the thirteen challenges, Nakajima either won or was one of the best. Gabe Erales won three challenges and placed high in three others which is an impressive season, but he also placed at the bottom twice.
Shota wasn't only distinguished by the judges but also by his fellow competitors, who viewed him with respect and admiration for the things he could do in the kitchen. Other than Nakajima, you could also argue fellow finalist Dawn Burrell deserved to win over Erales, but her fatal flaw of not getting everything served on time, which popped up throughout the season, was her downfall. Burrell had some impressive performances and placed in the top groups of six challenges while only winning one, earning her way to the final with some of the season's best dishes.
After the finale aired, news surfaced that Gabe Erales was fired from his position as Executive Chef at the Austin Tx restaurant Comedor because of allegations of harassment. The revelations put a dark cloud over the finale, but the producers behind Top Chef are adamant they were not aware of any allegations before filming the season. It was an unfortunate turn of events, even more so because two other amazing chefs could have won over Erales and were arguably more deserving.
Hopefully, Shoto Nakajima and Dawn Burrell both return to the show at some point, like several runner-ups have in the past. Richard Blaize, the runner-up of season 4, went on to win the first Top Chef All-stars two seasons later, so it's not out of the question for the two runner-ups from Portland to compete once again. The next season of Top Chef will take place in Houston, and filming is underway. Previous seasons of Top Chef are available to stream on Hulu.