Why Reddit Has Concern With Top Chef's Last Chance Kitchen

Although people may claim that they watch food competition shows like "Top Chef" to learn about cooking, they are really watching them for the drama. These shows do a great job of getting us emotionally attached to the competitors, telling us about their backgrounds and families and sharing the occasional tearful story. Your favorite contestant going home on "Top Chef" can be heartbreaking, especially before the introduction of the "Last Chance Kitchen" digital series.

The competing chefs got their first taste of redemption during Season 9 of the culinary competition show (via The Hollywood Reporter). The series is hosted by Tom Colicchio and adds an extra element of drama to the show. It's clear that "Top Chef" fans are nearly as invested in "LCK" as they are in the main series because, during Season 15 of the show, the digital series had 11.5 million streams (via The Hollywood Reporter). Although the thought of your favorite chef returning to the competition — and sometimes winning the whole thing — can be exciting for fans, some Redditors take issue with the series.

In a Reddit thread about Season 19 of "Top Chef," a few fans expressed their disdain for "Last Chance Kitchen." "I'm sure I'll be downvoted but I'm not a fan of 'LCK'," said @future_dog_3156. "If anything, Sarah has proven that the route of 'LCK' is actually easier. Being a part of RW, serving big groups of people, coordinating with other chefs in a team challenge, etc. is much harder." Some Redditors agreed with this user, including @strawberry_margarita, who said, "This is the best argument against 'LCK' I've ever seen. I've never liked 'LCK' and you really summed it up." 

Other users, however, chimed in to defend the merits of "Last Chance Kitchen." "See, I think 'LCK' is more of what I want out of 'Top Chef'," said one Redditor. "There the pressure is on making good food, and not BSing up a story about how this dish vaguely relates to a challenge (or to 'Jurassic Park')." Another user argued that the web series is actually more difficult than the main show, saying, "Statistically speaking, 'LCK' is harder because you have to beat the field. There's no middle ground for an off week." 

To find out if a fourth "Last Chance Kitchen" winner will take home the title of "Top Chef," be sure to tune in to part one of the Season 19 finale on May 26.