Elia on <i>Top</i>

The last woman standing on Bravo's Top Chef was knocked down Wednesday night. Elia's curls may have grown back over the two-month hiatus -- which for viewers thankfully flew by between two episodes -- but on the first day back she was cut from the competition.

At the show's start I really wanted to like resident lesbian Josie, but her South Park voice really grated on me.

Meanwhile, part of Elia's charm is a delicious accent that seems to fall somewhere between French and Mexican. And though she already had my attention, she really won me over when she went bonkers and smeared her face with chocolate during one of the challenges.

Her vibrancy was such a welcome counterpoint to co-host Padma's vapidity. (Sorry. She may be beautiful but she's the hostess with the leastest charisma.) Plus, it's hard not to be impressed by a woman who buzzes off her curly locks on a (drunken) whim -- in front of millions of viewers ...

... and was once two seconds away from making Mexico's Olympic swim team. On top of that, she's just 23 but she has 34 culinary degrees. I can overlook the fact that her favorite movie is Forrest Gump. I think. Well, so long, Elia. At least you made the final four.