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Elizabeth Falkner Moves on to Finale of Next Iron Chef

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She said she’d bring some ‘punk rock’ to the competition, and she delivered.

Hometown chef Elizabeth Falkner is doing San Francisco proud on Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, and last night she beat out another local chef, Michael Chiarello, for a spot in the finale. (Curiously, chef Chiarello foreshadowed his elimination with a little essay on the Scoop on Friday, titled “Why did I go on Next Iron Chef?“, but we suppose he didn’t break any rules per se. At least he wasn’t as sore a loser as Anne Burrell.) Meanwhile, back home, Chef Falkner’s businesses haven’t had the best year, and she just announced Thursday that she’ll be closing her flagship operation, Citizen Cake, at the end of the month.

She said she’d bring some ‘punk rock’ to the competition, and she delivered.

The move of Citizen Cake from Civic Center up to Pacific Heights may have been the decision that sealed the deal, after construction delays kept the place from opening for almost a year after the originally announced date.

In October, Falkner announced she’d be closing her SoMa restaurant, Orson, as well, and now both restaurants are on the market.

Falkner told the Scoop that the decision has been “heartbreaking,” and says, “I just have to start over, like everyone else.” It’s sounding like her new start may take place in another city (Los Angeles, perhaps?) now that she’s got some newfound television fame under her belt. She’ll be competing in next week’s finale against New York chef Geoffrey Zakarian. Stay tuned as we wait to hear more, and tune in Sunday to see if she wins!

Earlier: Citizen Cake to Close in New Year, Goes on Market Along With Orson
Elizabeth Falkner and Anne Burrell Are in a Twitter Fight

Elizabeth Falkner Moves on to Finale of Next Iron Chef