Top Chef

[djs111]

Yeah, I was surprised because last time someone's protein was considered too rare, they got sent home - I really thought Casey was a goner! But it looks like her smoky tomato sauce saved her!

That guest chef was cracking me up, going on and on about having to choose between two (equally smelly, to me) cheeses as a failure. Heeee....I would have had to choose no cheese. I guess in a way it was an attempt to second-guess.

I was liking Hung as a person a bit more, but his inability to accept any kind of criticism (don't like something he cooked? YOU are a dolt! or it was someone else's fault!) and the way he seems to always be putting the other chefs down really grate. I know the show is edited, tho. I am also tired of the immigrant story, to me it is pure and simple just the cooking and attitude that count.

I am really looking forward to next week!

[playbiller]

If you missed the first show, Hung is a friend of Marcel. That should explain criticism issues.

[Guest Toots]

Hey Play, I was a week early with my predicition.

Hung is so passionate about cooking. It was quite a moment when he talked about what winning meant to him. :kos:

The surprise was Dale who said he hadn't cooked for a year before coming into the competition. Did I hear that correctly?

Who are we putting our money on now? I'm just going to wait until the last bell is rung.

[playbiller]

Yeah, Dale's confessional was a great surprise to me. It might explain his coming along.

All I can say is that Casey really lucked out it was elk, usually the person who serves raw meat is gone, but she wowed them with a sauce she had prepared before for serving with elk.

It is a real toss up, they seemed to like Brian's dish a lot, but I didn't think he brought anything to the show and did not really cook all that much. Wild guess - I think Casey will be inexperienced because she has never taken the lead in a kitchen, so she will be dependent on her helpers, Hung does not have the respect of the judges, so it must be Dale. But....Dale has issues as well with his dishes. He messed up with presentation more than once.

Who has your vote?

[Guest Toots]

I think Casey because she seems to be the one they admire most. They keep saying Hung is the most technically qualified but nothing follows that statement so I don't think it's going to be him. Dale has come along well and had some wow moments. According to next weeks snippets Casey has some melt down moments.

Twists and turns in this fun little cooking show!

[playbiller]

After this it is on to the next Iron chef, heh. That will be much older people and less humor and more impressive cooking without anyone complaining about not having enough time

[atinal]

I'm thinking Casey, she has been getting stronger and stronger as the season has progressed. I did notice the preview they showed for next week makes it look like she might be buckleling under the pressure, so I could be wrong. I thought all of their speeches about why they think they should stay were pretty good.

[jamar1700]

I actually liked Dale for the first time last night.

[Guest Toots]

Top Chef reunion was on last night and it was pretty interesting. Casey won the 10K for being the most popular chef which doesn't surprise. If anyone else watched did you see a spark or two between CJ and Padma? Hmmmmmmmmmm mannerisms were very interesting when they were interacting with each other.

I still can't believe Padma was married to Salman Rushdie, but not sure why I find it such a stretch.

I'll miss that show but it does free up time for other shows I like. Must get a DVR!

[jamar1700]

If anyone else watched did you see a spark or two between CJ and Padma?

oh...big time.

[playbiller]

Padma and Rushdie are divorcing. It may not be on TMZ, but it made the political pages.

[Guest Toots]

Padma and Rushdie are divorcing. It may not be on TMZ, but it made the political pages.

Yep, that's why I said "was" married to Salman Rushdie. Actually old news by now but still interesting that the two of them would be together....go figure.

Jamar, glad you saw it too! The little toss of the hair she gave, the lowered gaze of CJ. Wow!

[Ansamcw]

If anyone else watched did you see a spark or two between CJ and Padma?

oh...big time.

CJ??? is that the tall guy??? Its tough following this thread because we are so behind in Canada...this week was the frozen dinner week with Rocco as guest judge...so we have a long way to go still...

[Guest Toots]

If anyone else watched did you see a spark or two between CJ and Padma?

oh...big time.

CJ??? is that the tall guy??? Its tough following this thread because we are so behind in Canada...this week was the frozen dinner week with Rocco as guest judge...so we have a long way to go still...

Yes CJ is the tall guy. This show was a reunion after all was said and done so you have a ways to go before it's over.

[playbiller]

I think Padma is a woman who naturally flirts with any good looking guy, not sure it means anything. SOrry, I misread the is/was part of the post.

I thought Hung was a good winner and at least consistant in both his successes and even his failures were not so spectacular, but possibly a matter of taste - no serving uncooked meat or forgetting a seasoning or suace.

I liked when Casey's roomate spoke up to include herself in the Casey curse. Interesting that Howie thought his fellow chefs would hate him, what did he do to anyone, he seemed to work hard.

[djs111]

Howie constantly complained about other cooks, I always wished he would just shut up. One of the other chefs said Howie got more asshole-ish every week, and no one disagreed. He was sort of a tattle-tale or something.

In the reunion show, I thought CJ was reaching over and touching Casey an awful lot, I thought it was cute - maybe he is just a guy who really likes women!

I didn't enter that contest where the prize was for Hung to cook for the winner and 10 other friends.....in watching his remarks during a few of the re-runs, I feel Hung would consider that I have a "common" palate or something. His elitism is more off-putting the second time through. In fact, I should thank him for curing my addiction to the re-runs!

Yes, his food was consistently good - I just wouldn't want to hire him and see him every day.

[JennaZ]

I think the right chef won. While not every dish might be spectacular, at least no dish would be inedible. I'd happily eat Hung's food, and if the judges' comments were any indication, the meal would be amazing.

If you get a chance, read the blogs at Bravo's web site. Unlike any of us, those people have actually tasted his cooking and seen him in person. Their insights are interesting and illuminating.

Said Ted Allen:

I have never agreed with the notion that Hung’s food lacked “heart” or “soul.” Ever. You see it in every knife stroke, and you taste it in (almost) every dish. Yes, he has seemed less than cuddly with his competitors at times -- I think that’s really what Hung’s detractors are reacting to. We should consider, though, that most of that was really the product of editing, prodding by interviewers, a few ill-chosen remarks, and a not-very-convincing job of trying to be the Santino/Jeffrey/Marcel/Stephen that Hung thought the show wanted him to be -- a natural hazard of this wildly successful reality format.

Said Anthony Bourdain:

That viewer polls and public opinion seemed to lean very heavily against Hung speaks well, I think, of the integrity of the judging. In fact, there's no more illustrative example of how things really work: Had the judges really cared about appealing to the majority or pleasing their cruel, corporate masters, they would have given the win to Casey, providing the producers with not just a satisfying, crowd pleasing, Lifetime Channel story arc but a heartwarming resolution -- and a moral lesson to boot:

"Heart Wins Out Over Clinical, Soul-less Technical Skill!"

"Arrogance, Overconfidence and Hubris Punished in The Rockies"

"All-American Girl Next Door (Underdog From Texas) Wins Out In Battle With Overqualified Loudmouth Asian Guy"

But they didn't do that, did they? They did what they were supposed to do and gave the win to the Top Chef of the bunch.

Said Gail Simmons:

Unlike our viewers, as judges we vote with our taste buds, not with our emotions. I hope one day you too get the chance to actually taste his food. I have no doubt you will think it is as special and exciting as we do. I know whatever Hung chooses to do with his new title of Top Chef, he will never settle for anything but perfection. He can’t help it. It’s in his soul.

[Couch Tomato]

I only saw a few episodes of Top Chef... some sort of marathon on a recent holiday... and I liked Hung the best. He would turn the simple assignments into these convoluted things and you could tell they wanted him to calm down. But I was always a bit excited to see what he would come up with. What do you get when you win Top Chef?

[playbiller]

You get 100K, some article somewhere and complete professional kitchen by GE and other various crap.

Most people find they can get backers for a new restaurant from this show. 3 chefs from season 1 have restaurants. Leanne prepares the challenges and assembles everything needed for the show. From season 2, I doubt those idiots will get backers and I believe I heard that one or two of seson 3 are in talks.

[cha cha trusty]

Is anyone watching this year's show? Top Chef New York?

The memory ran out and I don't know who got booted off this week!!

Anybody?? Bueller??

[FearofH2O]

I don't know his name but it was the chubby guy with the unusal looking sort of beard. Maybe you can catch a repeat? or go to Bravotv.com.

I didn't even know there was a thread for this. I try to remember to watch every week.

[cha cha trusty]

You must mean Danny. the one that put the mushrooms at the bottom of Carla's dish.

I have mine set to automatically record it every week - which is good since next week I'll be at SPAMALOT!!!

Thanks for the idea about a repeat show - I actually thought of that after I posted. But I'd like to keep discussing it here!!

eta: I found a good blog:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainm..._it_anyway.html

[FearofH2O]

Good article cha cha! I agree that this episode was a lot more interesting. The Foo Fighters episode was boring.

I can't believe that Arianne keeps winning. She is good at cooking meat but so am I when I use a thermometer. Duh! Although she must also be good at seasoning. Fabio and Stephan seem to be the only professional chef types. I'm going for one of them winning.

[djs111]

Fear, I get the impression that she get kudos for the meat because so many contestants have messed it up over the years - and by the time you find out the turkey breast, for example, is not right, it is too late to do anything.

Richard's warmed fatty practically uncooked pork belly dish he made for the finale last year looked revolting, and I think the judges remarked it should have been crispy.

I think they are happy they don't have to eat revolting meat :-)

That being said, no one, IMO, has made anything spectacular this year. I thought it was odd the salad won, but then, it was not chefs who judged.

[tribeca]

Really enjoyed the last episode.

Battle of the All Stars.

Yeah for a Carla win kind help to like her but hey I love quirky people

Boo for Jeff going home

but he was so sweet & professional leaving.

thought it funny that Stephan chose Andrea because he thought she was a weak chief & then she beat me.

ha.

But then I adore Andrea. She was never into the competition but she has a wonderful website (cool recipes for making healthy food taste good-- kind of an oxymoron)