FOT Forum
FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sarah on October 21, 2008, 08:26:03 AM
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Coming soon (http://gothamist.com/2008/10/01/top_chef_new_york_details_revealed.php).
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Pick your top five, three and winner, based ONLY on the photos!
Fabio, Radhika, Jeffrey, Jaime, Alex
Jeffrey, Jaime, Alex
Alex
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What, no faux-hawks? Next thing you know there'll be no foams.
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I noticed that, too, ChrisF. With relief.
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Pick your top five, three and winner, based ONLY on the photos!
Eugene, Stefan, Ariane, Fabio, Patrick
Eugene, Fabio, Ariane
Fabio
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Ariane, Fabio, Alex, Stefan, Jill
Ariane, Alex, Stefan
Alex
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Fabio, Stefan, Ariane, Jamie, Richard
Fabio, Ariane, Richard
Richard
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Yeah, Ariane is definitely up there. I'm throwing out Leah.
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It feels wrong to make these sorts of speculations... but here we go:
Eugene, Jamie, Fabio, Stefan, Carla
Jamie, Fabio, Stefan
Stefan
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some one should have told these people in their promo shots that crossing their arms or putting their hands on their hips is totally bothersome. especially when more then half the photos have those gestures in them.
anyway, based on looks alone i am going to to say danny or alex...
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perhaps the biggest surprise here is the addition of Toby Young, author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, which was recently given the Hollywood treatment.
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
no! that guy is the worst. i read his book because my boyfriend-at-the-time was reviewing it and every page left me foaming at the mouth.
ugh. UGH!
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Wait, the Foo Fighters are going to be guests this season? Does that mean the hiatus is over!?
I'm not really familiar with Toby Young. Why is he going to be on now? Is he rotating with Gail or are they going to have 5 judges?
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perhaps the biggest surprise here is the addition of Toby Young, author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, which was recently given the Hollywood treatment.
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
no! that guy is the worst. i read his book because my boyfriend-at-the-time was reviewing it and every page left me foaming at the mouth.
ugh. UGH!
Seconded. (Except the boyfriend part.) He is a horrible person.
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I'm not really familiar with Toby Young. Why is he going to be on now? Is he rotating with Gail or are they going to have 5 judges?
it doesn't seem that way from the bravo site, but then again, it's supposed to be a SURPRISE!
SURPRISE, VIEWERS! this person you know nothing about is going to guest judge!!!! as a bonus, he knows zilch about food! he's just an asshole! aren't you PSYCHED?!?!!?!
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I was hoping they'd replace Gail with Bourdain. I always enjoy when he's a judge.
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i dont have the skill to determine winners based on looks alone, but Jeffrey has the innocent, false confidence of someone who will be eliminated first.
I was hoping they'd replace Gail with Bourdain. I always enjoy when he's a judge.
agreed. he's ruthless.
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Fired up? Ready to go?
10 p.m.
Bravo.
Bring it.
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Thanks for the reminder Omar.
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Oh I am ready ready ready.
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is it tonight?
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yessir.
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Thanks for the reminder!
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My timer has been set for a week.
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(avoiding major spoilers for people who haven't seen it yet)
Solid first episode. For the first half, I was comparing it to last season, and thought there were no great characters this time around, but then things fell into place. Stefan is a Master Villain who will no doubt end up in the final if his snootiness doesn't get the better of him. You gotta love his provocative talk about being the first "European Top Chef". Got a kick out of the Long Island guy too.
I for sure thought the blonde (Melissa?) would get kicked off, since she got so little face-time. Surprised at the actual outcome, would've guessed that that person was such a good character the producer would've wanted to hold on to them. But no!
The people's champion? Eugene. Dude worked his way up from washing dishes, no fancy-pants culinary school here. He's the kind of no-nonsense guy that Bourdain loves to gush about.
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Yup Eugene's who I'm rooting for! No one else really stood out to me yet.
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I hope Eugene accidentally makes a classic disch from a different world cuisine each week.
Final Four: Eugene, Jill, Hosea, Alex.
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Did anyone else think that scallops and apples was an odd combination? I love apple in savory dishes but that was just weird to me.
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Oh yeah, what's with the scallops hangup on Top Chef? I've never seen so many dishes made with scallops anywhere.
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They booted the two people I could most see myself getting tired of. Woo hoo!
Rhadika is bee-YOO-tiful.
That dude's beard is insane.
That's all I got.
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Thoughts in no particular order:
I must say, having just watched season 1, I was delighted to see Padma again. That Katie Lee person was excruciating.
I was rooting for Eugene from his interview on; the more distraught he looks, the better I like him. And judging from his magical unconscious re-creation of an Indian classic, I'm thinking maybe he's a chef savant.
I was very pleased the Eye-Rack lady was the first to go.
Carla is sanpaku, has spirit guides, and seems like a goon. I hope she sticks around for comic relief.
Leah is a contendah. So is Jamie.
I like Stefan and his Finnish arrogance. Tom sure put a whammy on him, though, by saying the winner of the first elimination almost always wins Top Chef.
I feel sorry for Ariane and wish her well. But she hasn't got a hope in hell.
Melissa has impressive bangs.
Danny appears to be a thug.
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I like Stefan and his Finnish arrogance. Tom sure put a whammy on him, though, by saying the winner of the first elimination almost always wins Top Chef.
I believe they said he was born in Finland, raised in Germany, and worked in Switzerland. I see all three in him.
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ive never met a Leah i liked.
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True enough, Martin. But "Finnish-German-Swiss arrogance" was too cumbersome.
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True enough, Martin. But "Finnish-German-Swiss arrogance" was too cumbersome.
try FinGerSwiss on for size.
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Very nice.
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"The vinaigrette is not an emulsion".
I'm going to struggle with the fact that Daniel looks and talks exactly like an old roommate.
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it's totally an emulsion. FinGerSwiss is dead wrong.
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it's totally an emulsion.
And an unstable one, to boot.
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That's what makes FinGerSwiss so irritating. He's so sure he's right! He's cocky about it! But he's so wrong.
Also, he ruined the illusion that all Finnish people are as wonderful as the Moomin family. :'(
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Collaborators during WWII.
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To be fair, they had it rough from all sides.
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Ignore me: I'm grumpy today.
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stefan is a boring asshole. i hope someone else comes up and really grabs the asshole ring because so far, stefan doesn't hold a candle to lisa. he doesn't even hold a candle to stephen the sommelier, and everyone ended up loving him!
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long live eugene from hawaii, the chance gardiner of top chef!
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stefan is a boring asshole. i hope someone else comes up and really grabs the asshole ring because so far, stefan doesn't hold a candle to lisa. he doesn't even hold a candle to stephen the sommelier, and everyone ended up loving him!
I wound up loving Stephen the Sommelier when he got all drunk during the reunion. He's an amusing drunk.
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Please don't refer to him as Stefan. He has a nickname, you know.
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Stephen the Sommelier says "ek cetera"* (just like Mika Brzezinski); what price pretension now?
*And "ekspecially," which I'm betting Ms. Brzezinski does not say.
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"The vinaigrette is not an emulsion".
I'm going to struggle with the fact that Daniel looks and talks exactly like an old roommate.
I'm having the same problem with Stefan because he looks exactly like my uncle.
Also Jeff kept reminding me of Chase from House.
All that lamb was making me fucking hungry.
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Yes, Jill gave her quiche the gluey ostrich egg treatment, but Ariane is clearly one of the most pathetic contestants in the show's history. New Rule: if a judge spits out your food, you have to go.
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Jill's looked gross by any standard. I make a lot of egg dishes and that thing looked overcooked, dry, and I have used many things for crusts but never brown rice. The gluten level is so high it would taste like... well, glue... which is what one of the judges said.
I think Ariane will be gone next week or the week after. And she'll be on the bottom every time. It's not that hard to make a lemon dessert that's not too sweet.
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My friend said that the Top Chef apartments overlook McCarren park. Maybe they'll be a shot of a kickball game or two..
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(No) thank you, Fabio, but our princess is in another castle.
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I don't think Eugene is going to make it, folks.
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I don't think Eugene is going to make it, folks.
agreed
i liked that the superstars of episode 2 weren' the same as the first episode. makes the contest all the more open. im happy tha radhika did welll since i have fellow-indian pride, and not too fussed about #### getting eliminated.
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I can't believe I picked Alex to go all the way. The first time he opened his mouth all I could think was "Uh-oh. I smell some sort of fois gras tamale debacle".
My co-worker Max is doing funny recaps for Eater, and his animated gif work is splendid:
http://eater.com/archives/2008/11/top_chef_recaps_i_spit_yours_into_my_napkin.php
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It's so clear who doesn't have a chance, it's sort of like finishing up a solitaire game that you know you've won.
Final 3: Jamie, Fabio, FinGerSwiss.
In conclusion, canned crab?! For shame, Hosea.
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Finally caught up with this episode.
I agree with Omar about Ariane, and (sadly) Sarah about Eugene.
Europe 2 - US 0
Next week: FOO FIGHTERS
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In conclusion, canned crab?! For shame, Hosea.
I know, right? Anyone who is good at seafood would NEVER use canned crab. I was shocked that's all that was offered at a NYC market.
You can taste canned crab from a mile away. Especially in a salad like that. It's so fishy!
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you can pretty much taste anything canned (compared to fresh) from a mile away. yuck!
and yes, shame on Hosea.
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Maybe it's my lust speaking, but I think Radhika might win the whole thing.
The other two finalists will be Fabio and the drummer from Radiohead.
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Next week: FOO FIGHTERS
I am already cringing in anticipation of next week. Dave seems like a nice enough fella, but even in that preview clip his mugging for the camera was way out of control.
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I like the two euros, but they're overconfident and those types get taen down a notch on TC at the first opportunity.
I like eugene, but he'll be gone.
the indian girl who wants to be seen as more than a curry chef does an indian themed dish for the hotdog challenge?
I was happy that the two students from CIA got kicked off in the first week.
the guy with the canned crab is a seafood specialist....from boulder colorado.
I love this year so far, but I don't know that it will stack up in terms of the food with last years crew.
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last year was brilliant (with the exception of Lisa), but i fast forward through all the garbage as much as i can. unfortunately, a lot of the drama happens in the kitchen when they're cooking.
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the indian girl who wants to be seen as more than a curry chef does an indian themed dish for the hotdog challenge?
I think all four dishes she's done so far have been Indian. In her little introductory confessional thingy, she implied that she doesn't want everyone to assume she's going to cook Indian dishes every challenge. Good luck with that.
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I don't think Radhika has a chance in hell of winning. I'm telling you, Jamie's the lady to watch. As of now, though, I'm sort of rooting for Carla, just because I think she's hilarious, crazy, and kind. Still, anyone who can't think of something better to do with cheddar cheese and apple pie is lacking something in the imagination department, so I don't really think she has a prayer (except literally, what with all her invoking of the universe and her spirit guides).
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I knew Sarah would love Top Chef.
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Hell, I thought I proved that last season.
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i agree with sarah. im rooting for jamie- she reminds me of stephanie from last season. the europeans i could do without, although stefan is a force to be reckoned with.
but i still dont think he's going to win.
PS and jill...what a boring, plan jane. she'll be out soon enough.
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Tay-Haw delivers:
"This crumble's pretty outrageous."
"No more barfait."
I think Mr. Mendel's excitement re the vegan stuffing was the most he's spoken publicly in the past decade.
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I was rooting for the underdogs, but I knew they probably didn't have a chance. Too bad Daniel and Eugene proved to be sore losers. Esp. that ass Danny (I hate it when men blame period-stained panties for a woman's ill humor; let's be fair: Jamie's probably something of a bitch all the time).
Carla has grown on me. She's much more competent and contained in the kitchen than I expected. She won't win, but I enjoy liking her. Alex, too, is an amiable sort. I hope both of them stick around a bit.
So far, my money's still on Jamie. The furriners are good but a little less consistent than she is.
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I was rooting for the underdogs, but I knew they probably didn't have a chance. Too bad Daniel and Eugene proved to be sore losers. Esp. that ass Danny (I hate it when men blame period-stained panties for a woman's ill humor; let's be fair: Jamie's probably something of a bitch all the time).
Carla has grown on me. She's much more competent and contained in the kitchen than I expected. She won't win, but I enjoy liking her. Alex, too, is an amiable sort. I hope both of them stick around a bit.
So far, my money's still on Jamie. The furriners are good but a little less consistent than she is.
I support the above statements. Danny has emerged as the classic Fat Dumbass character. They should do a mini-competition where they assemble all the FD's from the various seasons. They can battle it out with competent-yet-unoriginal pork dishes and yell at each other until their heads burst.
Richard should have made the Blais banana "scallops"! I'm sure the judges would have enjoyed a third go-round with those.
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I was rooting for the underdogs, but I knew they probably didn't have a chance. Too bad Daniel and Eugene proved to be sore losers. Esp. that ass Danny (I hate it when men blame period-stained panties for a woman's ill humor; let's be fair: Jamie's probably something of a bitch all the time).
Carla has grown on me. She's much more competent and contained in the kitchen than I expected. She won't win, but I enjoy liking her. Alex, too, is an amiable sort. I hope both of them stick around a bit.
So far, my money's still on Jamie. The furriners are good but a little less consistent than she is.
I support the above statements. Danny has emerged as the classic Fat Dumbass character. They should do a mini-competition where they assemble all the FD's from the various seasons. They can battle it out with competent-yet-unoriginal pork dishes and yell at each other until their heads burst.
Richard should have made the Blais banana "scallops"! I'm sure the judges would have enjoyed a third go-round with those.
I'll always have a place in my heart for fat slob Mike from season two.
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Mikey was good-natured. Miguel, Danny, Howie, and Joey (and others as well, I believe) would pick on him.
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"Soup. We want SOUP. Now"
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I don't really watch this show ever, but my father is watching an episode of it (I'm assuming a rerun) on the Food Network and I'm sort of listening to him talk to the TV - a few minutes ago, the judges told a girl her egg was completely undercooked and he went "THIRTY MORE SECONDS AND THAT'S A COOKED EGG AND FUCK YOU, DICK!"
We take our television very seriously around here.
Also, he has been looking over my shoulder every ten seconds as I type this. He wants to know if there's an emoticon with a chef's hat I can put in.
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I think I like your dad, Emma. And that was tonight's episode. I just watched it.
Does Top Chef run on Food Network in Canada? That's crazy.
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... but Ariane is clearly one of the most pathetic contestants in the show's history.
Retracted. I suppose not overcooking a turkey and making a watermelon/tomato/feta salad are not the most scintillating of culinary feats, but she's clearly much more competent then the first two episodes indicated.
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I don't really watch this show ever, but my father is watching an episode of it (I'm assuming a rerun) on the Food Network and I'm sort of listening to him talk to the TV - a few minutes ago, the judges told a girl her egg was completely undercooked and he went "THIRTY MORE SECONDS AND THAT'S A COOKED EGG AND FUCK YOU, DICK!"
We take our television very seriously around here.
Also, he has been looking over my shoulder every ten seconds as I type this. He wants to know if there's an emoticon with a chef's hat I can put in.
This absolutely charmed me. And, yes, the judges wereridiculously strict about that egg--although Jamie was a dunce for thinking she could cook a duck egg in two-and-a-half minutes.
I thought last night's episode was dull. Not enough cooking. I know it's hard when there are still a lot of contestants, but it still bothers me.
I continue to like Carla, as long as she doesn't talk about the universe and sech. Now that Alex is gone, she's the last nice one standing.
Re Danny, anyone who says of himself that he's "very charismatic" deserves scorn. He's a more competent cook that I first gave him credit for, but what a turd.
Of the outlanders, Fabio makes decent food and benefits enormously from his cute little Italian ways; Stefan, however, seems subdued. I begin to wonder if he'll make it to the final three.
Element of suspense: Will Leah and Hosea get kicked off for fucking? Tune in during weeks to come to find out!
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I thought last night's episode was dull. Not enough cooking. I know it's hard when there are still a lot of contestants, but it still bothers me.
Scott Tobias (http://www.avclub.com/content/tvclub/top_chef/today_show_rocco):
"This week, alas, we have our first real dud of the season. While I understand and appreciate that the contestants on Top Chef have to twist and contort themselves around challenges that take them out of their comfort zones, tonight’s Elimination Challenge crossed a line for me. It’s one thing to ask them to package an Italian pasta dinner to withstand a Bertolli-like frozen bag treatment—just to name another of gifted shill Rocco DiSpirito’s episodes—but to ask them to yap about it in a two-and-a-half minute live television segment really is a test of another kind. And I don’t think it really has that much to do with cooking."
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I watched the Food Network's "who will be the next FN star" show earlier this year (terrible, but Top Chef got me hooked on food-related reality shows), and this elimination challenge reminded me of that piece of crap.
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Yeah I was pretty disappointed with both that food network show and last night's challenge. Meh.
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Same here. Not a very entertaining episode. Enjoyed Emma's story though.
Larry King-like thoughts: Will Leah and Hosea take the term "food porn" to another level? Also, that Danny, what a complete idiot... Eugene is not getting a lot of face time. Was he even in the breakfast challenge? I can't stand Rocco... Ariane certainly plays it safe... Stefan seemed off his game with the TV challenge....
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i feel the need to express that every time i see the name Leah, i become greatly confused for half a second.
also, i agree on all accounts that this TV challenge may have looked good on paper, but lacked severely in execution.
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i feel the need to express that every time i see the name Leah, i become greatly confused for half a second.
Why? Because there was a Leah in an earlier series? Or is that your name?
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the latter.
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Personally, I just can't stand that ziplock baggie commercial that screams "ERIKAAAAAA" at the beginning of it. It's always on during Top Chef and it makes me hate the sound of my own name.
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i hear you on that, erika. as i mentioned earlier, ive never met/known a Leah i liked. the two Leahs on Top Chef make me embarrassed enough.
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For people who like Anthony Bourdain, is he interesting on Top Chef? The local Time Warner is about to add Bravo and I was wondering whether to check it out.
Edit: I gather he was only on there for the one season. Still.
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anthony bourdain works well on Top Chef because you only get about 10-15 minutes of him.
this doesnt give him much wiggle room to act like he does if you gave him a full television hour and his own camera crew, but it does allow you to get his good side, which is no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point culinary wisdom.
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Erika and Baron: imagine how I felt after the RNC and indeed continue to feel to some extent now.
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For a few episodes, I thought Danny would transcend the New york meathead stereotype, and his cooking was looking OK, with the exception of the potatoes from last week. After last night's Ba Ba Booeying to the camera, he's dead to me.
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The facial hair wasn't enough to seal the deal for you, eh?
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For a few episodes, I thought Danny would transcend the New york meathead stereotype, and his cooking was looking OK, with the exception of the potatoes from last week. After last night's Ba Ba Booeying to the camera, he's dead to me.
I loved how this was his version of "coming alive in front of the cameras". Bababooey? Are you kidding me, weird beard?! Watch your back "Bam!", there's some new blood in town!
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Huh? Moments:
* Padma calling Rocco the "most recognized face in the culinary world"? Whhhaaa?
* Me finally realizing that Jeffrey "I have too many ideas and feathered hair" works at a restaurant one letter away from being "Dildo". Don't judge
* Alex getting the full-blown (as wifey calls it) "Loser Edit": "Hey guys, I just found this letter, it makes me cry. I can't wait to get married." We haven't seen Alex for more than 3 seconds per episode and he gets treated to that right off the bat? THEN he goes on to make a dessert? DOUBLE KISS OF DEATH. R.I.P. my blind choice for winner.
I was waiting for them to cut to Fabio after a shot of the Flirty Two, and him saying something like "I don't flirt with woman. I make fuck with them."
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* Padma calling Rocco the "most recognized face in the culinary world"? Whhhaaa?
* Me finally realizing that Jeffrey "I have too many ideas and feathered hair" works at a restaurant one letter away from being "Dildo". Don't judge
That could actually be true, a lot of people watch Dancing with the Stars.
Also, I ALWAYS misread that as "Dildo" and I ALWAYS giggle like a child.
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i watched this with cancer mom last nite and between coughs she was able to sputter out:
"What's with that guy's facial hair?!"
"Why does the indian girl always look frightened?"
"Bababooey...(sigh)"
"i think Stefan is too cocky."
"It's going to be Alex."
despite my annoyances with all the contestants, having TWO dishes spit was worth any time wasted. not to mention, switching up the quickfire challenge was a nice touch.
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Re Danny, anyone who says of himself that he's "very charismatic" deserves scorn. He's a more competent cook that I first gave him credit for, but what a turd.
I really enjoyed how he talked about how he "lights up in front of the camera" while not lighting up in front of the camera.
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Personally, I just can't stand that ziplock baggie commercial that screams "ERIKAAAAAA" at the beginning of it. It's always on during Top Chef and it makes me hate the sound of my own name.
Imagine that you're nine years old and the most exciting new science fiction show that all the rest of the 4th graders at your school are so excited about is "The Invaders", with lead character David Vincent, which is the way everyone you have ever know up to that point (and it continues to this day) misspells your name. It was HELL I tell you.
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"Why does the indian girl always look frightened?"
we're always nervy around white people.
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also, rocco likes tools. tee hee.
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"Why does the indian girl always look frightened?"
we're always nervy around white people.
You're an Indian, Samir? Me too! What tribe are you in? I'm a Creek.
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You made me laugh, samir.
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* Padma calling Rocco the "most recognized face in the culinary world"? Whhhaaa?
* Me finally realizing that Jeffrey "I have too many ideas and feathered hair" works at a restaurant one letter away from being "Dildo". Don't judge
That could actually be true, a lot of people watch Dancing with the Stars.
Also, I ALWAYS misread that as "Dildo" and I ALWAYS giggle like a child.
I noticed the Dildo/Dilido thing from the beginning and also giggled like a child when I drove past it yesterday. It's in the Ritz-Carlton on Collins Ave. The sign for the Dilido is in all caps, and the L is supposed to look like a swan or something. It still looks like Dildo.
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(Almost) FOT Leah!
(http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/5187/leahoh0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
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This is frightening/mesmerizing:
(http://eater.com/uploads/2008_12_carla.gif)
Max did it again: http://eater.com/archives/2008/12/top_chef_recaps_i_cherry_picked_my_favorite_tools.php
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I like to think that Jamie is repeatedly saying "Fuck you" in the background there.
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(Almost) FOT Leah!
(http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/5187/leahoh0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
ew boy. ive never disliked a Leah as much as i dislike the ones on television.
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"Splooge." - Danny.
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"On a side note... We are really starting to see a very unflattering side of Jaime. One guarantee you get from going on Top Chef is the opportunity to learn how to take criticism. Jamie is revealing that she is a sore loser and doesn't receive critique well. I had a guest tell me that her pickles were too vinegary the other day. I easily could have crossed my arms, told her she was an idiot and marched away. Instead, I listened and smiled politely. And then gently walked away and thought to myself that she was an idiot. A chef needs these tools to be successful. In this show, and well, in life." -- Blaisinator (http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/5/blogs/index.php?blog=richard_blais_1&article=2008/12/too_many_cooks).
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I was absolutely certain that either Jamie or Jeff (my money was on Jeff) would be the winner and was as surprised as both of them when Ariane was named. I mean, all she did was watch some lamb cook. She didn't even make the marinade.
Glad Danny's gone, convinced to the end that he was robbed.
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I was absolutely certain that either Jamie or Jeff (my money was on Jeff) would be the winner and was as surprised as both of them when Ariane was named. I mean, all she did was watch some lamb cook. She didn't even make the marinade.
Colicchio:
"A note about the winning dish: Viewers typically think that we judges are privy to all the info the viewers have by the time everyone's at the Judges' Table, but we're not. The cameras were rolling when the cheftestants conceived of their dishes, the viewers heard the chefs at the supermarket, in their loft, during prep in the Top Chef kitchen, but the judges don't see any of that footage in advance. While I pay a visit to the kitchen and ask some questions while the chefs are cooking, we basically just sample the food at the challenge and judge it from there. We give the chefs a chance to explain, clarify, and illuminate us when we're questioning them at the Judges' Table, and I, for one, wish they would use that opportunity more than they do. Jamie's carrot puree was terrific; Ariane's lamb was perfect. That's what the judges knew, and what they based their decision on. Jamie could have spoken up and taken deserved credit for having conceptualized the dish and been the team leader on it, but she didn't. That information would have been salient to the judges, who loved the whole dish, and it might have tipped the scales in her favor and earned her the win."
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I was absolutely certain that either Jamie or Jeff (my money was on Jeff) would be the winner and was as surprised as both of them when Ariane was named. I mean, all she did was watch some lamb cook. She didn't even make the marinade.
Glad Danny's gone, convinced to the end that he was robbed.
agh! i read this before watching last nite's episode. crap.
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Sorry, Baron. That's why I never read this thread till I've seen the latest episode. Still, at least you can rejoice that Danny is gone.
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I'm just glad I don't have to look at that dummy's beard notches anymore.
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normally i stay away from this thread until said time, but i couldnt resist this morning. thank god that goofball is gone.
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Max, once again, on it like Omar:
http://eater.com/archives/2008/12/top_chef_i_dont_give_a_sht_about_these_people.php (http://eater.com/archives/2008/12/top_chef_i_dont_give_a_sht_about_these_people.php)
(http://eater.com/uploads/2008_12_dannysplooge.gif)
(http://eater.com/uploads/dannywave.gif)
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Good riddance to that detestable oaf.
I loved the way they cut to lonely Colicchio in the kitchen, eating by himself.
Also this:
(http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/3593/vlcsnap3049875ce7.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
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I loved the way they cut to lonely Colicchio in the kitchen, eating by himself.
And shoving the food down his throat as though he hadn't eaten for a week.
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Like he always does. Remember last season:
(http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4109/col3wr0.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
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Indeed I do. I commented on that bite then, and you obliged by posting this very picture.
Ah, the good old days.
P.S. I love the way this season Top Chef has finally got on the anti-Chilean sea bass band wagon.
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Anyone else think it's a little nervous-making that Mrs. "Cougar" has gotten on the winning sides just for cooking meat properly a couple of times? I fear for when she has to make her own plate of something.
Oh Tom, how I would love to see you and Fabio have a fish cookoff.
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Indeed I do. I commented on that bite then, and you obliged by posting this very picture.
Ah, the good old days.
This particular circle is complete.
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i watched this in its entirety last nite and was perplexed to hear Danny use a bogus referee call in football as his analogy for his bad taste (literally) and why he was voted off- completely oblivious.
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Note: For anyone mourning the absence of faux hawks this season. Fabio's got a mini one going on.
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it's a good thing radhika doesn't want to be known as "the indian girl"
mitigation: it was jamie's idea.
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"For something borrowed we borrowed from Radhika's culture, cuz she's from India."
I like Jamie but that was one of the lamest things I've ever heard.
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i enjoyed both Leah and Hosea admitting they are strictly platonic because they both have their respective boy/girlfriend back home since i wondered how well the scenes of them flirting went over as they watched it with their special someone.
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"[T]he proof's in the pudding — and her pudding sucked." (http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/12/top_chef_exit_interview_episod_2.html)
Best exit interview ever??
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mad props for him using "malarkey".
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"They thought I didn’t do that much. But I made a barbecue sauce from scratch. I’m not taking Peter Luger’s sauce and pouring it out of a bottle. There’s a lot of steps involved and a lot of technique involved in making a barbecue sauce. I was kind of shocked."
?!
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"Pickling is an old technique, and basically to make something new you have to start with old first."
(http://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/2008/12/20081211_danny_250x375.jpg)
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i was trying to figure out if that was sweat on his shirt...?
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i was trying to figure out if that was sweat on his shirt...?
Either that or grease.
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i was trying to figure out if that was sweat on his shirt...?
Either that or grease.
Pickling brine?
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Pffft. Cop out!
Also, I'm sure filming the Christmas special in July was awesome.
Eugene getting passive-aggressive, too.
And the Europeans have - finally - formed a bond.
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Fabio has grown on me. I think he's adorable and he seems genuinely nice.
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Yet not as good as a cook as I first thought.
I made many notes while I was watching the show at 5 this morning:
1. Weren't the closeups of Hosea's mobile oh so subtle?
2. Martha Stewart's shameless plugging of her book was embarrassing. I mean, how much money does that broad need?
3. Jeff was plainly unimpressed by the choir.
4. Fabio has a pretty little voice.
5. Someone used canned corn. I cringed.
6. Jamie's pronunciation of "vichyssoise" makes me want to strike her. Eugene's of "poisson," however, just makes me want to laugh.
7. Natasha Richardson sounds more and more like her mummy.
8. I don't care what anyone says: Carla is a nice woman, though she'd probably annoy me in real life.
9. How many wake-up calls is Melissa going to receive before she's kicked off the show?
10. There's something very boring about this season. Apparently Tom agreed with me.
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Once again, I had as big of a reaction to the preview of next week as the actual episode aired. Quoth Fabio ... "Eees Top Chef, not Top Escallop!"
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I hope they cut two next week. Whittle this shit down.
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I loved that Fabio scallop quote - echoes my sentiment exactly.
In other news, I completely agree with all of Sarah's points, as always. It really is something dull about this season. And the anti-climactic ending of the episode summed it up - there are simply no Stars in this batch.
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It really is something dull about this season.
Maybe it's the knives.
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Help! The guy on YouTube who used to upload the episodes has been shut down! Where the hell else can a non-cable-having person go?
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I bet if you look for a torrent, you'll find one.
Apparently, next week a Christmas special is airing, featuring chefs from the first three seasons. Probably a repeat, I'm guessing.
You know, sadly, although the unexciting food and minimal focus on the cooking process are the main reasons this season is boring, I think, another problem is that no one is really hatable. Or even just consistently irritating. I guess I should have been rooting for Danny to last, just because I found him obnoxious.
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Scallopgate (http://amuse-biatch.blogspot.com/2008/12/scallopgate-redux-on-behalf-of-cheyenne.html).
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Help! The guy on YouTube who used to upload the episodes has been shut down! Where the hell else can a non-cable-having person go?
The "scene" seems to drop the ball on Top Chef lately, I've had to wait up towards one or two days for a noob-torrent to show up (I mean really!). But do a search on mininova and it'll show up now.
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Scallopgate (http://amuse-biatch.blogspot.com/2008/12/scallopgate-redux-on-behalf-of-cheyenne.html).
i explain the (corrupt) editing process to my mother when she vents about TC and why she believes so-and-so should have won. not to mention, it blatantly states during the credits that the producers create some (most?) of the swing when it comes down to eliminating a chef.
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It's very obvious to me that Jamie is a very good, very reliable chef who just needs to cook more red meat to wow the judges. Vegetables and scallops ain't going to do it, even when the producers don't unfairly skew things.
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i agree, im getting tired of seeing scallops. its very reminiscent of a couple seasons ago when EVERYONE was cooking foie gras.
still, i picked jaime as my favorite since the first episode; i continue to stand by her.
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I don't know if its in the editing but my allegiance has totally flipped.
in the beginning i wanted Eugene because he was an underdog and thought the Europeans were gonna be the villains of the season but now Eugene seems kind of like a hack with a bad attitude and Fabio seems charming and sweet.
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I concur, Colin. Although I never disliked Fabio, Eugene is a big disappointment to me.
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Help! The guy on YouTube who used to upload the episodes has been shut down! Where the hell else can a non-cable-having person go?
http://ninjavideo.net/cat/1249
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Help! The guy on YouTube who used to upload the episodes has been shut down! Where the hell else can a non-cable-having person go?
http://ninjavideo.net/cat/1249
Thanks! I usually avoid the first half of the season but I'm addicted this year!
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I don't know if its in the editing but my allegiance has totally flipped.
in the beginning i wanted Eugene because he was an underdog and thought the Europeans were gonna be the villains of the season but now Eugene seems kind of like a hack with a bad attitude and Fabio seems charming and sweet.
I feel the same - I was ready to hate Stefan but for some reason I find his Euro-tude to be funny and endearing
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I quoth Max:
"Each contestant draws a knife with a number on it, and the Choir awkwardly reveals through the "power" of song that each chef's dish will have to be inspired by one of the twelve days of Christmas. Really? Judges are no longer allowed to complain about bad food. "Being a Top Chef is all about being able to cook things based on song lyrics." Shoot, who said that quote, I can't remember. Oh yeah, no one. This is the worst."
This episode reminds me of why I usually don't watch this show until the end of the season; it's gimmicky and stuffed with over-editing to try and make sense of an insane process. Once it gets down to at least UNDER 10, for god's sake, it should get good. But I'm still amused but the awfulness.
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This episode reminds me of why I usually don't watch this show until the end of the season; it's gimmicky and stuffed with over-editing to try and make sense of an insane process. Once it gets down to at least UNDER 10, for god's sake, it should get good. But I'm still amused but the awfulness.
same here. i usually have more fun watching once it's down to brass tacks.
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This episode reminds me of why I usually don't watch this show until the end of the season; it's gimmicky and stuffed with over-editing to try and make sense of an insane process. Once it gets down to at least UNDER 10, for god's sake, it should get good. But I'm still amused but the awfulness.
same here. i usually have more fun watching once it's down to brass tacks.
I am just watching it for the first time (I have seen 4 episodes,) and the disappointment for me is the idiotic themed-challenges make it impossible to come up with something exceptional that meets the vagaries of the theme, and then the hosts are all snotty about the quality of the food. Jeez, give them a broad theme and let them cook, forgot this you-may-only-use-the-hand-you-don't-write-with-and-you-must-hang-upside-down-from-a-suspended-cable-while-cooking-food-that-communicates-the-primary-themes-of-Proust-but-without-using-any-ingredients-whose-names-contain-any-of-the-letters-a-e-g-o-u-or-y.
Here's a theme for you; prepare a seafood dish without any type of cream sauce in two hours or less. Go!
Earlier seasons were undoubtedly more entertaining since it is FOT-beloved, but this stuff is a snooze. Who is going to be this week's celebrity judge, Jeremy "i am begging you whatever you make, cook it fully" Piven?
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forgot this you-may-only-use-the-hand-you-don't-write-with-and-you-must-hang-upside-down-from-a-suspended-cable-while-cooking-food-that-communicates-the-primary-themes-of-Proust-but-without-using-any-ingredients-whose-names-contain-any-of-the-letters-a-e-g-o-u-or-y.
That actually sounds like a pretty good challenge.
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In honor of Top Chef's return tomorrow, I downloaded the free trial version of the game and just spent a frantic hour playing it. It's surprisingly difficult to keep track of what one is doing in the game, and no doubt I missed many opportunities to improve my score. All in all, I did a creditable job, however: mostly high-middle of the pack, one win, and one PYKOG (to my shame).
I think it would be great if they created a different version that gave one a little more time to think. It could also be recast to teach people a bit more about cooking, which could be nifty.
Two contestants will be booted tomorrow. It's going to be thrilling, I'm sure.
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I don't know how it happened, or maybe I haven't been paying attention, but this show is now officially HO-RR-IBLE.
HORRIBLE.
Food critic Toby Young?! Scallops FTW?!
Also, can we stop with the fucking "talk about how much s/he misses her family --> goes home" bullshit?
(http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4934/topchefs05e07hdtvxvidgndl9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
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After I watched it, I realized I didn't have anything to say about it. That pretty much sums up what a piece of crap I think it is: I don't feel like wasting energy sniping.
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I know others have pointed it out elsewhere, but I really hope Young doesn't try to make stupid popculture references in all his critiques.
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Yes, once he referred to Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder as an "unexpected surprise", I knew I was gonna hate Toby Young.
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Yes, once he referred to Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder as an "unexpected surprise", I knew I was gonna hate Toby Young.
Especially because I take that to mean something unpleasant, although I don't think that's really how he meant it.
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also can someone tell him that it's time to put that WMD joke away. It hardly even makes sense anymore. at least that tom cruise thing was arguably topical.
what a hack.
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(http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4934/topchefs05e07hdtvxvidgndl9.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Did you insert the Bravo logo on top of a still from LAST DAYS?
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bad stuff.
carla doesn't have PIZAZZ.
i'm always happy when radhika succeeds.
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bad stuff.
carla doesn't have PIZAZZ.
i'm always happy when radhika succeeds
Say what you will about Padma's hosting/speaking abilities, I do enjoy hearing Radhika's name pronounced correctly when Padma talks to her. Radhika seems to be doing well, but is suffering in the edit because she's not as vocal as the other chefs. For example, did you know she actually won the Foo Fighters challenge?
The bad in the show is getting harder to ignore, such as The DIET DR PEPPER mentions last night. Toby Young seems to be acting out some sort of Bourdain caricature, but without the charm. It sounded like he was reading his snaps off cue cards! At least they seem to have whittled the contestants down to a manageable bunch of reasonably talented chefs.
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So Radhika won that? I don't remember the individual winner ever being announced.
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bad stuff.
carla doesn't have PIZAZZ.
i'm always happy when radhika succeeds
Say what you will about Padma's hosting/speaking abilities, I do enjoy hearing Radhika's name pronounced correctly when Padma talks to her. Radhika seems to be doing well, but is suffering in the edit because she's not as vocal as the other chefs. For example, did you know she actually won the Foo Fighters challenge?
Also, in this week's show her crab bisque was criticized by Mr. Young as being the equivalent of elusive Iraqi munitions, but it was praised by Colicchio in his blog on the Bravo website.
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Further proof that T. Young is out of his element.
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So Radhika won that? I don't remember the individual winner ever being announced.
Exactly! I'm thinking they're ignoring her now to make a season long arc where she suddenly starts winning challenges, kind of like Antonia from last season.
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Apparently Hosea also won that challenge.
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Also, can we stop with the fucking "talk about how much s/he misses her family --> goes home" bullshit?
It is called "The Loser Edit"(TM), as appropriately defined by The Wife.
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thats what i call it (more or less)!
i know immediately they will be voted out/off if they mention any of the following during the interview:
*missing their family
*issues they still have to deal with at home
*how messed up their lives have been (this can turn 50/50)
*issues theyre dealing with now
as a general rule, i keep an open mind; however, i still watch it on dvr so i can skip the boring stuff to see if im right.
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I will bet a boatload that Toby belongs to Brooklyn Vegan.
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Fabio, it's Top Chef, not Top Pesto!
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Better episode, I thought, despite the vile quickfire challenge. I was even surprised by the loser: I was rooting for Leah to be booted (I dislike her more and more, which causes me to dislike Hosea more and more by extension). I would also have been glad to see Radhika go. To paraphrase Omar paraphrasing Fabio, "Hey, Radhika, it's Top Chef not Top Bread Pudding." Her "for some reason they don't have figs here!" really annoyed me: she's got masses of fresh ingredients grown or raised right on the farm where she's to cook, and she's miffed at the absence of figs? What, does she expect a fig orchard in New York?
It was distressing to see two of the teams screw up the beautiful meat they were given to prepare. Jeff, I think, was trying to make the pork healthy by removing the fat. Hasn't the ninny learned by now that the Top Chef judges aren't watching their figures? And, Fabio, really: a strong pesto on a ravioli stuffed with a mild pork filling? Dumb. Dumber, though, was Ariane's slathering of her lamb with yet more pesto. As for the butchering (and later tying), what a joke.
Both teams stupidly and arrogantly thought they could improve the meat. Stefan, Jamie, and Carla had the wisdom to realize they should do something simple. Their menu didn't appeal to me much when it was flashed on the screen, but when I saw it I dearly wished I could have had some of it. Especially the soup and the tart.
Next week I hope to see the axe fall on Leah's spoiled neck.
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Her "for some reason they don't have figs here!" really annoyed me: she's got masses of fresh ingredients grown or raised right on the farm where she's to cook, and she's miffed at the absence of figs? What, does she expect a fig orchard in New York?
Haha! I, too, found this annoying. She also made some crack about housewives during the Quickfire and then delivered an ill-conceived mound of slop.
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Also: that subtitled "comfy" in the Leah/Hosea tease for next week was pretty gross. It's Top Chef, not Top Marathon Love-Making Session!
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I forgot about that housewife crack. Yes, she's coming off as a little too privileged.
And I, too, was revolted by that snuggling snippet in the promo for next week's show. Especially the baby talk. Leah strikes me as one of those goils who likes to flirt and tease and squirm and wriggle against a fella and then express shock when she senses a stiffening in his nether regions. Plus her cooking is predictable slightly up-market fare, and it bores me.
I'm rooting for Stefan these days.* He's obnoxious, but I like him for some reason, and he is a good and more interesting cook, if only because of his Finnish/Germanic approach to things. I still think Jamie is good, but she's boring, too. And poor Carla should be sent home just because she's too pure for the dog-eat-dog world of Top Chef. She looked so unhappy for much of yesterday's episode. She needs to go home and hoot at her husband.
*I just read that Stefan's favorite simple recipe for spring is a wedge of iceberg lettuce with bacon and blue cheese dressing. I may have to change my mind.
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These guys are all gonna crash and burn at restaurant wars.
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my favorite episode
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Isn't Hosea married?
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apparently theyre both linked with significant others, but refuse to stop cuddling on national television.
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Also: that subtitled "comfy" in the Leah/Hosea tease for next week was pretty gross. It's Top Chef, not Top Marathon Love-Making Session!
(http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/6422/topchefs05e08pdtvxvidiwzp1.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
That was just too much. The cynic's perspective is of course: surely they won't split up the two lovebirds now that they're starting to get it on?
T. Young showed once again that all he's there for is to deliver groan-inducing, pedestrian witticisms - and the way he sort of looks around the room for props as he delivers them is sickening and pathetic. He's not a natural, and he clearly doesn't know food.
Sarah, agree completely about the meat. They butchered it (sorry). I almost gasped when they mentioned how pretty boy Jeff had trimmed the fat off of that fantastic pork meat. What is this, Top Pretty Boy Diet Chef?
I'm rooting for Stefan FinGerSwiss these days.
Fixed. Show some respect.
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This has just not been a very good season of Top Chef, I don't think. Beyond Toby Young there's no real villain. They need to stop shopping at Whole Foods. They're in New York City. There are so many great places to shop for food! I don't get it.
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Nobody's mentioning Toby's line about fucking some pork?
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That was very tasteful.
Martin, thank you. How could I have forgotten his true name?
One more thing: I did like Ariane's crack about Hosea in her exit interview. The contempt in her voice was lovely.
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They need to stop shopping at Whole Foods. They're in New York City. There are so many great places to shop for food! I don't get it.
EXACTLY. The Whole Foods is across the street from a fantastic greenmarket in Union Square and it's the middle of summer when they're filming, and yet, NOT ONCE do they cross the street. C'mon guys, it's Top Chef, not Top-Corporate-Sponsorship-Shopping. Eh? EH?!
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[crickets]
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I never thought I'd say this but I miss you Gail.
This weekend, Wife and I are picking up a car from the parking lot behind the Top Chef apartments. We will pour out a little Diet Dr. Pepper for Ariane.
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They need to stop shopping at Whole Foods. They're in New York City. There are so many great places to shop for food! I don't get it.
Don't you suspect it's an endorsement deal?
I kind of suspect something like this in season 12.
Melissa Rivers: Chefs, here's today's challenge. Using only the ingredients on the table, seasoned and breaded chicken strips, whipped potatoes, brown gravy, Kraft mild shredded cheese, and fourteen pounds of table salt, construct a single-bowl entree. We will serve it at tonight's VFW Hall 493 weekly picnic, where we will be joined by Chef Bobby Flay and our celebrity guests Trig Palin and Olivia Munn. We will be raising money to help those less fortunate among us pay for the mandatory US flag lapel pins now required as President Palin's first formal executive action, so make that salt talk!
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They need to stop shopping at Whole Foods. They're in New York City. There are so many great places to shop for food! I don't get it.
EXACTLY. The Whole Foods is across the street from a fantastic greenmarket in Union Square and it's the middle of summer when they're filming, and yet, NOT ONCE do they cross the street. C'mon guys, it's Top Chef, not Top-Corporate-Sponsorship-Shopping. Eh? EH?!
Actually, it's the Whole Foods at Houston and Chrystie, AKA the Bowery Whole Foods. So your argument falls apart completely!
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I just remembered something else from this week's show that annoyed me: Describing her team's dishes to the people at the lunch table, Jamie says the ravioli were "house-made." First of all, "house" in this context is stupid. Second, of course the damn ravioli were freshly made.
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They need to stop shopping at Whole Foods. They're in New York City. There are so many great places to shop for food! I don't get it.
EXACTLY. The Whole Foods is across the street from a fantastic greenmarket in Union Square and it's the middle of summer when they're filming, and yet, NOT ONCE do they cross the street. C'mon guys, it's Top Chef, not Top-Corporate-Sponsorship-Shopping. Eh? EH?!
Actually, it's the Whole Foods at Houston and Chrystie, AKA the Bowery Whole Foods. So your argument falls apart completely!
Quiet, you!
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I was a couple of weeks behind and I've given up on going through the whole thread.
Stefan is my favorite.
Carla looks and sounds like a muppet.
There are some boring people on this version. Every week when they're doing the quick fire there are at least 3 people where I say to myself "holy shit, that guy is still here?"
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Carla really does look and sound like a muppet. What is it with reality show contestants and their tendency to resemble walking, talking muppets?
(http://i44.tinypic.com/14xmamb.jpg)
In fairness, Carla isn't trashy like New York, and she doesn't wear a shitty weave, and she probably has a better singing voice. Also, she doesn't look like Janice or any other member of the Electric Mayhem.
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(http://sharetv.org/images/home_movies/melissarobbins-melissabardingalsky-char.jpg)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qaTClzzdVc&NR=1[/youtube]
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All the chefs are putting love in their food these days. It's really boring.
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I wish Carla would make a tart.
I know that shit is amazing, but the second time she rolled it out they should have called her out on it. Instead of being like "the tart was amazing again", their take should have been "why are you serving the same dish twice when you have MAYBE 20 opportunities to put food in front of us and the whole country?"
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Yes, but that tart looked delicious.
Also, that video would have been vastly improved with a hootie call.
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Radhika was going to make bread pudding again. Ariane served cauliflower puree twice. I'm pretty sure there have been other repeats as well. Just more evidence that this is an uninspired crew.
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That video just lit up my morning.
I like Carla. She seems genuinely nice and is probably a pretty tasty cook outside of stressful competition.
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Was it Blais who kept serving up tapioca pearls as caviar last season??
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No it was crackhead andrew. (i think)
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I wound up liking Mr. Meth Andrew toward the end. Even if he was a friend of that douchebag Spike of the Bad Hats.
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I like Carla. She seems genuinely nice and is probably a pretty tasty cook outside of stressful competition.
I agree, erika. Though her talk of spirit guides and such makes me cringe.
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That video just lit up my morning.
I like Carla. She seems genuinely nice and is probably a pretty tasty cook outside of stressful competition.
i agree. i didnt know what to think of her for the longest time but shes grown on me
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"We can serve monkey ass in an empty clam shell, and we still gonna win this one." -- Fabio.
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Bye bye, freak-out face!
The judges made an excellent choice.
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Best episode of the season thus far. It was odd to see the challenge decided on dessert and service, but in the end they made the right decision. Leah was very very lucky that she was on the team with Stefan and Fabio. Fabio's no fool, and you can see him play up his "Italian-ness" when it serves his purposes.
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If Radhika had had the wit to choose Fabio, her team would have won, hands down. I mean, her choices at that point were Carla, Jeff, Fabio, and Stefan--and she picks Carla? Carla's a sweetie, but come on: each of the other three is a stronger cook. Yet more proof that Radhika was useless as a leader. And what a failure! She didn't help formulate the menu, she didn't cook a thing, she didn't manage the kitchen well, and she was hopeless out front. Much as I would have preferred Leah to go--she was terrible, too, and, besides, I can't stand her more--Radhika did earn her PYKAG.
Other observations, in no particular order:
1. I know Stefan is overwhelming, but what a wimp Leah was with him! She was the boss of that restaurant, and she let him bulldoze her.
2. What a jerk Stefan can be! If I had undercooked fish that was sent back, and someone said to me, "Why did you not cook him a little bit?" I would have had to struggle not to strike him.
3. Leah and Hosea? Yuck. Esp. Hosea's euphemistic "Leah and I flirted a little too much," used twice.
4. Jamie sleeps with a stuffed animal.
5. I would have liked to try Stefan's desserts.
6. Fabio really doesn't take criticism well. (Let's face it: he did make what amounted to a fancy cheese steak.) And next week it looks like he's going to argue with a judge again.
Next week: Carla finally gets tossed, failing egregious fuck-ups on the others' part--which prospect is not terribly far-fetched.
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Next week: Carla finally gets tossed, failing egregious fuck-ups on the others' part--which prospect is not terribly far-fetched.
i agree with this prediction. although i like carla MUCH more than i like leah, leah is giving the show nice edit-for-dramatic-television footage for the producers to use and keep people coming back to see what happens between her and hosea. it makes all the difference. if they werent flirting so much, undoubtedly she would have been sent home already.
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Leah is so whiny. That's all she did all episode. As soon as things went bad, she folded. I think you're right that Carla is next to go, but I'd prefer it if Leah went.
I think that while Stefan is an arrogant jerk, he still makes what looks like consistently good food, and if there were some stronger personalities in this group, he would be less of an issue. No one confronts him. They just complain.
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stefan has been confronted a number of times, but he's a jerk when you call him out on the carpet. he seems like the kind of guy who refuses to see where youre coming from and its pointless to talk to those kind of people. egh, im getting worked up thinking about it. that guy is such a buffoon.
at any rate, i agree with you on leah, of course.
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"A jerk when [called] out on the carpet"? I disagree: Stefan actually takes criticism from the judges better than Jamie, Jeff, Fabio, or Leah. It's just his peers that he tries to dominate. He strikes me as the kind of guy who will bully if he's allowed to; I bet he backs down when faced with a strong enough opponent. But all these Americans are wimps when they deal with him: they just storm off instead of standing their ground.
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"A jerk when [called] out on the carpet"? I disagree: Stefan actually takes criticism from the judges better than Jamie, Jeff, Fabio, or Leah. It's just his peers that he tries to dominate. He strikes me as the kind of guy who will bully if he's allowed to; I bet he backs down when faced with a strong enough opponent. But all these Americans are wimps when they deal with him: they just storm off instead of standing their ground.
apologies. i was referring to him being a jerk with the other chefs, not the judges. theyve called him out before on what a dominating person he can be and how he doesnt listen to anybody and is truly a bully (in the kitchen), and he only proves their point when he 'defends' himself. if it were me, id walk away too- he's stubborn as hell and thinks he's always right, theres no use in talking at that point.
its not giving up or not holding your ground, its picking your battles and not wasting your energy.
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In last season guys like Richard raised the bar on how to think about approaching and cooking food in terms of a Top Chef competition, I think. And because this season lacks people who are really thinking about things differently or confident enough to challenge themselves, it seems easy for a jerk like Stefan to steamroll everyone. He's definitely a bully and bullies will back down if really challenged (or at least that's the theory, right?) but no one in this season is really doing anything but trying to keep their heads above water. I think Jaime seems to stand up to him, but she keeps making variations on the same thing. Still, she's the standout for me. I liked Hosea at first, until he started to act like a passive aggressive creep. Bah, Top Chef!
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its not giving up or not holding your ground, its picking your battles and not wasting your energy.
It's a competition in which the winner stands to take home a tidy sum and get publicity that's worth far more. I think standing up to Stefan might often have been a battle worth picking. All the wusses who caved before him were just lucky that his instincts and talent are good enough so that letting him have his way didn't hurt them.
Another point: Fabio seems like an affable guy, but he has a steel core, and he and Stefan got along just fine. I doubt if the fact that they both have accents was the only reason. Rather, I'd wager that Fabio didn't let Stefan rattle him, and as a result they interacted more as equals.
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4. Jamie sleeps with a stuffed animal.
You don't remember Stefan making pants for Jamie's rabbit stuffy?
Honestly, I think Stefan is growing on me. I kind of like him, and I can't explain it. I've always favored the contestants who get the villain edit on this show, with the exception of Lisa from last season. Oh Lisa. What a jerk.
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I didn't realize she slept with the damn thing.
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Who's this "Stefan" you're talking about?
I would've sent Radikha home for that hideous dress alone!
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I'm sorry, I forgot his given name was FinGerSwiss.
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And I keep forgetting as well. So much so that for a second I didn't know what you were talking about, Martin.
(You've got to admit, though, "Stefan" is a lot easier to type than "FinGerSwiss.")
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I'm sad about Radhika leaving, if only for the Indian-pride deal.
Carla sending out love-waves was a low light, and the word DILIDO repeatedly showing up onscreen remains a highlight.
Most contrived moment:
(http://videogum.com/img/thumbnails/photos/top_chef_5_9/leah_hosea.jpg)
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FinGerSwiss just makes me want cheese. But I guess I always want cheese.
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Stefan is clearly the best chef on the show.
if other famous chefs are an example being a total asshole seems to be a prerequisite.
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I think FinGerSwiss is sweet. Sure, he's pig-headed and arrogant, but he's also good-humored and sort of doofy.
I was pretty pissed off at Hosea when he said he thought FGS would try to sabotage his team. I hope he had the decency to feel ashamed when he learned that it was mainly because of FGS's desserts that the Sunset Lounge won.
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I was pretty pissed off at Hosea when he said he thought FGS would try to sabotage his team. I hope he had the decency to feel ashamed when he learned that it was mainly because of FGS's desserts that the Sunset Lounge won.
I agree it was a stupid thing to say, although picking that terrible name for their restaurant was a bit of unintentional sabotage.
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I took that as evidence of his doofiness.
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That new judge is as worthless as I thought he was going to be. I never thought I'd miss Gail.
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That new judge is as worthless as I thought he was going to be. I never thought I'd miss Gail.
I agree. Every review he does contains some labored movie reference, that fails to communicate anything worthwhile about the dish.
The labored references makes me feel like I'm doing hard labor in a prison camp and I'm going to be sick after the big egg eating contest that all prison labor camps have like that movie, "Jackass: The Movie."
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Or like that show Monk.
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I started fastforwarding whenever Toby Young opens his mouth. He makes me cringe.
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That Superbowl theme was so incredibly laboured, it made my head spin.
...Spin all the way to the endzone.
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Yeah, it's why I haven't mustered the gumption to say anything about the show.
BUT: I'm glad Stefan wasn't kicked off; I wish Fabio had been dumped instead of Jeff; I'm happy Carla got at least one win.
In conclusion: Quaker Oats?
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Bunky beds! Bunky beds!
And yeah: oatmeal?
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Bullshit! Fabio overcooked his meat. This is the jerk who said why use vegetables when you can have meat, and he doesn't respecta the meata? Ugh.
I'm going to do a one-two Top Chef punch thing. I'm going to eat off the tapas portion of the menu at Dildo Beach Club on Saturday, and I'm going for tapas at Michelle Bernstein's new-ish restaurant Sra. Martinez. Jeff's restaurant isn't that expensive. I'm actually really excited by the tapas menu:
Spiced Fries chili garlic aioli, fresh herbs, sea salt $5/$9
Falafel and Hummus cucumber raita $6/$10
Seared Haloumi Cheese pear jam, fennel, hazelnuts $6/$13
Fried Oysters and Chorizo chick pea batter, saffron, spinach $9/$15
Barbecued Moroccan Riblettes chilies and cilantro $7/$14
Trio of Ceviche and Melon shaved artichoke, melon ice $10/$16
Mussels with Garlic Flat Bread citrus, tomato and thyme $11/16
Pistachio Fried Goat Cheese green tomato chutney aged balsamic $8/$14
Not bad, not bad for a Ritz-Carlton alfresco restaurant.
I've held off at eating at Sra. Martinez since it opened last month. I really love Michy's. It's a great special occasion restaurant, and her sweetbreads truly are incredible. Who would have thought eating thyroid gland could be such a pleasurable experience? I understand she also does a sweetbreads dish at this new place, and I'm interested in seeing how it compares. I'm not so happy with how fucking expensive this place is. I don't want to spend over $100 on a meal for two at a fucking tapas restaurant. Come on. Get real. But I'll do it just this once. We'll see.
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Sweetbreads are a little bit like a chicken nugget. I did not expect that until I had one. They're yummy.
I like Hosea less and less as the show goes on. Calling Miguel "Chunk"? That was shitty. Hosea has no idea what he's putting on the teevee. Cheating on his girlfriend. Making fun of people's weight. Someone needs to tell Hosea he's a candidate for Mr. Awesome.
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Hosea believes he's "an honest, caring, and good person."* Most people I've met who say this kind of thing about themselves are scarily blind to their own flaws and eager to judge everyone else's, real or imagined.
*http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/5/blogs/index.php?blog=burning_questions_2&article=2009/01/hosea_responds (http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/5/blogs/index.php?blog=burning_questions_2&article=2009/01/hosea_responds)
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Hosea believes he's "an honest, caring, and good person."* Most people I've met who say this kind of thing about themselves are scarily blind to their own flaws and eager to judge everyone else's, real or imagined.
*http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/5/blogs/index.php?blog=burning_questions_2&article=2009/01/hosea_responds (http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/5/blogs/index.php?blog=burning_questions_2&article=2009/01/hosea_responds)
Hey, wait, I'M an honest, caring, and good pers.....DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL
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It's okay, Dave. I bet you never thought you'd win a competition with a salad made with canned crabmeat.
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So I took my mom to the DiL(i)do because it is the kind of place you might take your parents. I mean, it's at the Ritz-Carlton, beachside.
We ordered everything off the tapas menu to get a good sampling. It was good for the most part, but I could get better falafel at the Daily Bread (http://www.dailybread2.com/). Jeff was kind of making the rounds, so I told him he got robbed. He kind of grinned and shrugged, but he came by to make us some tableside ginger mango granita or something with liquid nitrogen. For free! Awwww, how sweet!
I think he has some talent, and I would be interested to see how he does outside of hotel cuisine.
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SPOILER!
"While we selected the top three and bottom three dishes and discussed them as such, five of the six were actually well done, and the only chef that any of us ever considered sending home that night was Jamie." - T. Colicchio on his Bravo blog (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/blogs/tom-colicchio/four-star-forgeries).
Whuuuuuuuuuut? Leah was criticized for not paying attention to the details of her dish and producing a misguided version that flubbed a primary component. Bizarre.
Also:
"... this is just turning into a bloodbath. Stefan is so far ahead of the pack at this point that the rest are really backing into a race for second. The guy could turn in a greasy bag of McDonald’s drive-thru on the final challenge and probably still have enough respect built up to win Top Chef outright. The proof is in the numbers: After tonight’s episode, Stefan has notched four Quickfire and four Elimination wins, which already puts him two ahead of any chef from a previous season. He exudes—okay, more than exudes, boasts—an unshakable confidence in his abilities while even his toughest competitors can hardly hold onto their knives in the presence of a culinary artiste like Eric Ripert. He’s going to have to have a massive, Richard-esque meltdown to let this one get away from him, and he’s far more disciplined than the freewheeling Richard ever was." -- Scott Tobias (http://www.avclub.com/articles/le-bernardin,23442/).
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So they got rid of Jamie because her dish was salty and kept Leah because, even though she failed the challenge by not being able to reproduce the original dish, they could stand choking it down? By that standard, Ariane should have been dumped in episode 2 (I think) and Jill should have stayed.
I was shocked that Jamie was axed, but she's been annoying me lately and I think she's a few-tricks pony, so I didn't mind as much as I could have. I did long for the removal of Leah, though, whose pouting reached new heights in this episode. And isn't Hosea a sour, jealous creep?
Carla, on the other hand, just gets better and better. I loved it when she said she wants to be one of Eric Ripert's dishes when she grows up. I think
Ripert would like that, too--he seemed quite charmed by her.
In conclusion, yay, Stefan FinGerSwiss. If he doesn't win, and it's for any reason less than utter disaster, those responsible for Top Chef will have to fear for their lives.
later: "We used to catch them in horses' heads in the river in Germany and Switzerland. You rope the head of the horse and throw it in the river or stream, wait a few days and pull it out and here you have beautiful eel." FinGerSwiss on eels (from the Top Chef (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/blogs/burning-questions/stefan-what-challenge) site) or a passage from The Tin Drum?
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One of the better episodes of the season, I think. They were actually being tested on their chef skills in the quick fire and in the elimination challenge. Eric Ripert added a needed touch of class. I liked how he helped everyone with the dishes as if it weren't a deathmatch.
It's been interesting to see how Carla continues to get better. I really thought she would have flaked out long before now. But she's solid and her confidence seems to grow. Meanwhile, Leah, who initially I thought would hold it together is just giving up.
I liked Jamie, but it seemed clear she was done right from the get go. Ah well.
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So they got rid of Jamie because her dish was salty and kept Leah because, even though she failed the challenge by not being able to reproduce the original dish, they could stand choking it down? By that standard, Ariane should have been dumped in episode 2 (I think) and Jill should have stayed.
I was shocked that Jamie was axed, but she's been annoying me lately and I think she's a few-tricks pony, so I didn't mind as much as I could have. I did long for the removal of Leah, though, whose pouting reached new heights in this episode. And isn't Hosea a sour, jealous creep?
Carla, on the other hand, just gets better and better. I loved it when she said she wants to be one of Eric Ripert's dishes when she grows up. I think
Ripert would like that, too--he seemed quite charmed by her.
In conclusion, yay, Stefan FinGerSwiss. If he doesn't win, and it's for any reason less than utter disaster, those responsible for Top Chef will have to fear for their lives.
later: "We used to catch them in horses' heads in the river in Germany and Switzerland. You rope the head of the horse and throw it in the river or stream, wait a few days and pull it out and here you have beautiful eel." FinGerSwiss on eels (from the Top Chef (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/blogs/burning-questions/stefan-what-challenge) site) or a passage from The Tin Drum[/i]?
hahaha i'm so glad someone else was thinking about that during that scene.
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So they got rid of Jamie because her dish was salty and kept Leah because, even though she failed the challenge by not being able to reproduce the original dish, they could stand choking it down? By that standard, Ariane should have been dumped in episode 2 (I think) and Jill should have stayed.
They kept Leah because the hoochie-koochie drives the ratings. These guys have about as much integrity as your average college football coach.
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"Peace out, bitches!"
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"Peace out, bitches!"
About damn time. I was pretty worried for most of the episode.
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During the commercial break leading up to elimination, I repeatedly chanted, "LEAH, please pack your knives and GO," over and over again. IT WORKED.
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Bravotv.com: When Toby mentioned that he liked his egg whites a little runny, you gave him (a hilarious) look like he was nuts. What was going through your mind when he said that?
Wylie Dufresne: Who likes a runny egg white?
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Yeah, I may not be the biggest fan of molecular gastronomy (SORRY, Grant Achatz, I'm not impressed), but my respect for Wylie Dufresne increased tenfold when I saw him give Toby the hairy eyeball.
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Yes. It was obvious (again) that Toby is out of his element.
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At certain points throughout the season, it seemed like you gave up a little bit or were exhausted.
Leah: I was just over the whole thing midway through. I didn’t feel like being there anymore, I didn’t feel like dealing with the challenges and all the stress of the show.
http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/02/top_chef_exit_interview_episod_7.html
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I guess you watched the whole thing, too, Omar.
Blah ep., I thought, though I feared for FGS for a bit. Poor thing, he was terribly worried--although he shocked me by not even realizing that his fish was overcooked. But, yet again, Fabio shows himself to be intolerant of criticism. Yet again Leah was Leah. Yet again Hosea was a jealous creep (did you catch his smirk when FGS was chastised at judges' table?). Yet again, Carla was wacky, although her performance rang false and I liked her less.
This season has sucked.
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I agree, Sarah, this season has been one long disappointment.
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"Peace out, bitches!"
THE WORST.
People putting "...bitches!" at the end of sentences really annoys me. So her saying that on the way out just confirmed that she's on my lifelong enemy list.
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I agree, Sarah, this season has been one long disappointment.
You know it's been a down season when I found myself glad to see Gail back.
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Good grits are not that hard to make if you put enough cream and cheese in them.
I'm just sayin...
(GO CARLA!)
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Every now and again I'll watch a little bit of Emeril's show and he's just shuffling around a kitchen mumbling to himself. He seems depressed. But in Top Chef, he seemed almost lively and had a good energy. So last night's Top Chef had that going for it.
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I enjoyed it. There was even a little suspense.
Bringing back Jamie, Jeff, and Leah to fight for a fifth spot was bogus (I would have been furious if I'd been one of the final four who actually had to do all the work to get there), but I was nevertheless sort of glad that Jeff got another chance (I would have been equally pleased for Jamie). That he ended up getting booted even struck me as a little unfair, since his dishes met with higher praise than either Fabio's or FGS's. But it would have been more unfair if he'd won, not just because Carla did such a good job but because there's no way it would have been right for both Fabio and FGS to be dismissed. That Fabio got the axe is not unreasonable--he's been consistently merely high average throughout--but if FGS had had to go because Jeff won, it would have been a travesty.
Miscellaneous observations:
* How'd everyone like Leah's saying she was "bitter" about having been told to leave? On what grounds, one wonders?
* Jeff's talking about the two Jeffs in his head reminded me of Carla's comment some weeks ago that he couldn't "quiet the creative monkeys," which I thought was lovely.
* Fabio's hair? Even Hosea had to comment on it.
* FGS chunked up a bit during the break and looked much older and unhealthier.
* I think Finland must have given FGS a little grant or something: he sported both a T-shirt and a hat that said "Suomi."
* Another noteworthy FGS T-shirt: the one bearing the slogan "Nothing tips like a cow."
* Carla is very diligent in her naming of brands.
* The amount of wasted plastic wrap is horrifying. When they were ripping it off those moving shelf things they use to transport food, it hurt.
* Why do so many people say "chipolte"?
* I never knew the roux for gumbo is supposed to be almost black.
* I, too, was surprised by how glad I was to see Gail back. May Toby Young never return.
* Fabio and FGS's embrace when Fabio was kicked off was rather sweet.
* I'm surprised but pleased that Carla won. Her food seemed good, and her manner was pleasingly modest as well. If FGS loses to her, I'll be fine with it.
* Finally, though this season has been crappy, I'll still be sorry when the show ends next week.
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i don't know why everyone thinks this season sucked.
i loved it and i think that this is the first finale where i actually didn't know who to root for because i kinda like and want all of the remaining contestants to win (except hosea, what a goon). maybe i'm not enough of a food person or whatever but it doesn't seem like the contestants are any worse at cooking than any other chefs on previous seasons.
they were certainly as entertaining as any other contestants in my opinion.
so i ask, what makes it crappy?
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I thought there was much less focus on the food and the cooking process this season. I also thought the contestants were less adventurous and their dishes more dull. Finally, too many of the challenges, both quick fire and elimination, were gimmicky.
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Yeah, same problem here.
I thought a lot of the quickfires didn't seem to really show off anyone's skill. An oatmeal-based dish? What is that? Then Toby Young bummed me out. My other problem was that I didn't have a clear sense of who to really root for because they all seemed to be dithering around or whining about FGS.
But as the cast his thinned and the challenges have become a little better, the last few episodes have been really good, I think. The eel quickfire was cool.
Carla has really surprised me and I'd like to see her win this thing.
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Yeah, the last three have been good. Other than that, though, I only really liked the one at the farm. Even restaurant wars wasn't as good as it usually is.
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From Colicchio's blog (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/blogs/tom-colicchio/the-big-not-so-easy):
"That night, however, Jeff was never in the running for a reason that didn't make it into the final edit. He did a very fine job, however he used some sort of sterno chafing dish to keep his oysters warm that, for whatever reason, imparted a taste of burning sterno to the oysters. We all smelled it and remarked on it while the chefs were setting up their stations, and then we tasted that horrible taste when we sampled his selections. So, unfortunately for Jeff, who otherwise was cooking very well, he could never have taken the top spot of the evening."
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I like the way Hosea always, always moans about how FGS is trying to psyche him out, and then in this newest episode, Hosea himself does exactly that to Fabio.
(http://eater.com/uploads/2009_02_fabiostefan.gif)
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Yeah, I may not be the biggest fan of molecular gastronomy (SORRY, Grant Achatz, I'm not impressed), but my respect for Wylie Dufresne increased tenfold when I saw him give Toby the hairy eyeball.
Wylie has chemistry professor hair! That is lovable. He's like a chef version of J Mascis. Wylie makes a soup that tastes exactly like buttered microwave popcorn. It is awesome.
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That sounds like one of the more disgusting things in the world.
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I'm a bit late, just watched the latest episode, and as always I have nothing to add to Sarah's rundown.
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Well, that's not right.
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I'm rooting for Stefan.
also, I really like Emeril, especially when he's not putting on the gimmick.
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Seconded on both counts, although I won't be devastated if Carla wins instead (I will be, of course, if Hosea does).
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A mediocre winner for a mostly mediocre season.
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nice use of "twat" from stefan at the start.
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i thought it was an ok season overall, but still disappointed that neither jamie or radhika made it to the final. they were both cute! and isn't that what matters?
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carla at judges table broke my heart.
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Hey honey, I just won Top Chef!
Oh yeah, also I cheated on you.
But hey, I won!
Seriously, don't ever watch the show.
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I made the mistake of going on Twitter this morning before watching Top Chef. BIG MISTAKE - sure took the fun out of the finale.
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A mediocre winner for a mostly mediocre season.
Word. To have that guy win is a joke. And when the judges discussed who'd win, I got the sense that they'd just given up because the finale didn't turn out as exciting as it should've been. "OK, so now we know who'll be the next Top Chef...?" "Yeah, I guess..."
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I'm not devastated, but I am annoyed with Stefan. The thing about his food, it's not all that creative, so it has to be perfect, and he screwed up two courses. Hosea undoubtedly made the better meal. Damn.
The usual random series of observations:
1. I was pleased that Stefan happily chose Marcel and especially liked his comment, "He's a bit of a twat . . . but who's not?"
2. I felt a sense of doom as soon as Casey uttered the words "sous vide." There's no way Carla was going to feel comfortable with that method, and it was very disappointing that she reverted to her old way of kowtowing to the stronger personality. That she went on to agree to a soufflé just hammered her coffin nails in that much more firmly. Too bad. I think she would have won.
3. Tom's dislike for Stefan was very apparent.
4. I hate it when a judge criticized a dish on the grounds that it's old-fashioned (Gail's "It's so 1982" re FGS's dessert).
5. Stefan was very sweet to Carla when she broke down at judges' table and later in the stew lounge. That guy is such a softie, and it's not even well concealed. I don't see how anyone could be intimidated by him.
6. Toby didn't quip! And he sounded sincere when he said, "If we're going to give it to the most soulful chef, we should give it to Carla." Plus he seemed to want FGS to win. Doesn't make me like him, and I hope he doesn't return as a judge, but at least I didn't want to belt him.
7. If I were one of the other contestants, I'd be pretty pissed that Fabio was invited to the finale meal.
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I've always been annoyed by the whole "judged one meal at a time" method they have for kicking people off but it really made me mad that they did it for the finale too.
when looking at the scope of the whole season it's obvious that stefan is much better than hosea.
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Agreed. Besides, how could you not like this guy (http://www.bravotv.com/node/33352)? He's such an good-natured unrepentant jerk. I even pretty much believe him when he says he's not bitter.
One more thing: I think the final meal should be four courses, and everyone should be required to make a dessert.
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do you really want to see the muppet make another tart?
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I can't wait for the reunion where Hosea and Leah reveal that they are dumping their current partners and running off with his big check.
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Hosea revealed weeks ago on the Top Chef site that he had broken up with his girlfriend.
Andy, no, the prospect of another of Carla's tarts didn't interest me. It's just that when someone decides to make a dessert s/he gets disproportionately rewarded or penalized. If everyone had to make one, this problem would disappear.
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Ugh why did Carla listen to Casey about that meat? You don't souvei (I don't know how to spell that) a thick cut of meat like that. And a souffle that you don't test before you decide to make it your last dish? I don't get it.
I am underwhelmed by this finale, as well as the whole season. Bleh.
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Hosea won because he likes to work with big flavors, unlike other chefs who actively try to remove flavor from their dishes.
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Ugh why did Carla listen to Casey about that meat? You don't souvei sous vide (I don't know how to spell that) . . .
Now you do!
Carla was a dope. She got scared and let herself be led by her sous chef. Into disgrace and defeat.
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I yelled at the TV, "DON'T LISTEN TO THAT LOSER, CARLA!!!!!!!" both times. I don't think she heard me. :-[
Seriously, Casey was probably the weakest top 3 contestant in the entire series. Ugh, hated her.
Hosea is a doucheboy. And I still love FGS. I loved him going on about the Prius and hybrid cars in that video Sarah linked, and I agree with all of Sarah's random observations about the finale.
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Seriously, Casey was probably the weakest top 3 contestant in the entire series. Ugh, hated her.
Lisa from last season?
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Seriously, Casey was probably the weakest top 3 contestant in the entire series. Ugh, hated her.
Lisa from last season?
Oh god, I think I blocked that heinous asshole from my memory.
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I can't let the show go yet, so here's Casey being classy (http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2009/02/26/casey-thompson-speaks-out-about-top-chef/):
Carla was not prepared and in over her head. The show did not talk about how the first course (crab) took her half of the friggin’ cooking time that day, I was left to work the rest of HER dishes.
She also did not have a plan. The ONLY thing she had in mind was a cheese course! I would NEVER do a cheese course. And where in the hell did french come from!? She is not even classically trained! It (the show) didn’t talk about how I worked on a sauce for 2 days and Carla forgot to put it on the plate… It didn’t show how the 2nd course (fish) was MINE. It didn’t show how she took the sous vide idea and decided to GRILL it last minute causing it to be tough… And it didn’t show how she WANTED to do the souffles which she does not even know how to make! That was HER food, because it certainly was me asking her how she wanted to do this and that while she was busy picking crab the entire time and making a souffle that didn’t rise!
I am done with TC. I did not influence her. She has NO ideas of her own, oh, except a cheese course.
Some guy named MikeR responded to this, "Casey is lucky she has large breasts." Which made me laugh.
P.S. Regardless of my contempt for Casey's response, I am astounded at all the people who seem to be blaming her entirely for Carla's failure. Carla spinelessly reverted to the woman who allowed herself be bullied by Eugene and Danny in the pathetic "Gail's Wedding Shower" episode. She lost because she was a wimp and a waffler, however sweet-natured and capable of making good food. And I suspect she knows it.
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Speaking of which... Gail. Va-va-voom or what?
Don't judge.
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Casey is dead to me.
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I noticed, too, Martin.
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Speaking of which... Gail. Va-va-voom or what?
Don't judge.
Yes, Sra. Corazon and I both noticed that. But really, how couldn't you? I think it was funny because for once Padma actually dressed a little less like a tart and Gail rolled in all "HEY, I might have been gone for a few weeks but you aren't passing me over for Toby --- I am smart AND HOT. Go ME."
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I can't let the show go yet, so here's Casey being classy (http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2009/02/26/casey-thompson-speaks-out-about-top-chef/):
She is not even classically trained!
Didn't Carla mention at some point that she is classically trained?
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I can't let the show go yet, so here's Casey being classy (http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2009/02/26/casey-thompson-speaks-out-about-top-chef/):
She is not even classically trained!
Didn't Carla mention at some point that she is classically trained?
She mentioned it once or twice. Also, her bio on Bravo (http://bravotv.com/top-chef/bio/carla) mentions "the refinement of her Classic French training." Also, Carla apparently has a cute tortoiseshell cat (picture 10! (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/carla)) and lots of purses. And works with people who wear Jamz.
Addendum: Jamie also has a tortie (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/jamie).
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I'm so pissed
it was already too much to see Fabio get eliminated while Hosea got to continue, but to see Hosea beat Stefan in such a bullshit way...
I have to say, for everything stupid Toby said during his tenure, he made the most sense when judging in the final, and it's a shame that Gail "I'm a fat, ugly generic canadian girl just like every fat ugly generic canadian girl east and west of Quebec" Simmons, Tom and Padma "the model that tries to fit in with culinary experts" chose to dismiss everything that happened before that in the series because a desert *looked* outdated.
I mean, the entrees were tied, Hosea's first dish lacked seasoning and Stefan's was "watery", so I'll call that one a tie as well. Stefan's second dish was the strongest dish of the night as they said, and Hosea's last dish was stronger (but not better than Stefan's second dish)
So right there, advantage Stefan. But if we wan't to say "ok, they're tied", apparently they were supposed to look at past accomplishments on the show, and in that case Stefan smoked Hosea out of the water.
So how did Hosea win? European bias? I think so!
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am I the only one that is totally grossed out by squab?
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am I the only one that is totally grossed out by squab?
No matter how good it may be, it would feel like eating a rat. No thanks.
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am I the only one that is totally grossed out by squab?
Apparently, you're not, but I'm not.
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Wrong on many levels
[youtube]yzwxmy1TWNM[/youtube]
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And there's an "extended version" with more ankle licking. This definitely has the feeling of someone hitting me in the head with the sexy stick and yelling "HEY! DO YOU GET IT?! IT IS SEXY." I'm hoping that she got paid a truck full of money.
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Yes, it's criminal how that poor innocent thing was exploited like that.