Over at Grub Street today, two highly esteemed foodies/ cultural commentators dished about which dishy Top Chef finalist's dishes they had found most compelling. The conversation ran to the innovations of Marcel's foamspiration, Ferran Adria, and whether either finalist could actually run a restaurant (for the record: no. They think Sam could, though: "He's forceful but noncommittal, in a passive-aggressive way.") But it was when talking about villainous caricature Marcel that the discourse took a turn for the, ah, rigorously intellectual:

Sternbergh: Marcel had a Lex Luthor-esque regard for his own intellect.
Sternbergh: Which, like Lex Luthor, was not entirely unearned.
Ozersky: Either Lex Luthor or Mr. Mxyzptlk.

We thought Marcel was more like when Wolverine was brainwashed into becoming an agent for HYDRA, but we're no experts.

Ilan Won, Yes, But What Does It Mean? [Grub St]