Top Chef

[ldyjocelyn]

[small voice] I kinda like Rachael Ray. [/sv]

And I really don't think she's any more overexposed now than Emeril was back about 4 or 5 years ago. THAT made me ill.

I never seem to remember to watch Top Chef. But I am a Food Network junkie, and will be watching The Next Iron Chef faithfully. (Besides, my other cute, snarky, Southern boyfriend, Alton Brown, is on that one as well.)

[jamar1700]

I can't believe Dale is still in this thing and Tre is not.

FWIW I still haven't gotten over Sam not winning last year and Marcel (barf) being in the final two.

[playbiller]

There was agood reason for Sam to lose last year - one worst meal and you are out. Tre is out for a good reason as well, it is called conceit. He believed he could do everything better and delegated on the second day worse than on the first. While the judges "do not view the tape", the bread pudding remark - I can do it in my sleep - showed that he could not do bread pudding while awake. Last year Sam lost on the Hawaiian challenge, he did not listen to the requirements as described to them, much like Dave forgetting a dish. I really did not like last year, but a lot of good chefs took themselves out early with not cooking reasons and the people left just sucked (2 resigned and others just behaved badly).

I like all the people left on the show for different reasons, Dale screwed up by leaving off a dish and for having a bad concept while Sara repeated ideas with no more success than before, sometimes you just have to let go - I think she did something like Fricassee before and she failed on couscous before.

I believe Casey's weaknesses were covered by the group challenges, where Tre's were showcased, but she knew enough not to try and lead and he didn't. Dale had strenghts and weakensses shown before. Brian can cook and got the idea that simple is better as described several times to them. Hung can cook but cannot learn easily anymore, the big chip on his shoulder gets in the way.

[Guest Toots]

Oops I did it again, fell asleep in the beginning of the new episode, TV blaring away, then woke up at some ungodly hour to watch a rerun of the last hurrah for Sara. Thank goodness it repeats often. Somehow I was under the impression that Brian wasn't the best chef (he's cute and nice) and that Sara was pretty good. Dale seems to fly under the radar most of the time. Forgot he was still there and I watch it all of the time. :kotz0:

Agree with Emeril, I've never been a fan of the BAMM but he was o.k. until the overexposure. Sometimes the big personalities wear a little thin. Besides I don't like people who yell at me while showing me how to prepare a dish. I love Alton Brown because he is so damned smart. He's the one who told Bobby Flay that mangos were a part of the cashew family during one of the Iron Chef competitions.

I liked last years competition but the fight and constant dissing really got sour after a while. I didn't like Marcel but he was there and they could have handled it a bit better. Maybe!!!

I just love this show!

[atinal]

[small voice] I kinda like Rachael Ray. [/sv]

And I really don't think she's any more overexposed now than Emeril was back about 4 or 5 years ago. THAT made me ill.

I never seem to remember to watch Top Chef. But I am a Food Network junkie, and will be watching The Next Iron Chef faithfully. (Besides, my other cute, snarky, Southern boyfriend, Alton Brown, is on that one as well.)

ldyj, I don't really dislike Rachael, I still watch her "30 Minute Meals" every once in a while, I probably didn't watch the food network when Emeril first started. I guess 3 different shows airing in about 7 or 8 time slots on Food Network plus her Everyday with Rachael Ray, just seems like a lot to me. I too, like Alton Brown, I didn't "get" him at first, but once I started watching him fairly regularly, I get a kick out of him. He's like Mr. Science meets Mr Chef.

I enjoy Top Chef too. Each season there seems to be a real arrogant one. Stephen in the first season, Marcel last season (funny, I kindof liked him and thought he was probably better than the winner, foam anyone?) and this year Hung. I like Casey, it looks to me like she has really grown and paid attention to what the judges want. It seemed silly last night that they made a big deal about what she called her dish, when they all seemed to think it tasted good.

ETA: I think I tend to like the cooking shows on Food Network that demonstrate the more everday kind of dishes. Some of them use ingredients I might never be able to find around here

Edited September 20, 2007 by atinal

[playbiller]

Steven learned before the get together, he knows he is a bit of a blowhard, but you can see how fond everyone was of him by the end of the show and he apologized and seemed to really mean it in the reunion show. After his one schoolassy fight, he pretty much was helpful to others and they enjoyed his company non-coompetition time. Marcel seemed to get assier on the non-competition times, witness the season 1 vs season 2 show.

Paying attention on this show is usually rewarded when the judges don't contradict themselves. They should just admit that uless the food is really bad, it is just a crap shoot.

[djs111]

Since Bravo is All Top Chef, All The Time! right now, I watched the last few episodes of the year that Marcel won - the similarity to this year is almost funny. Everybody hates marcel, marcel makes pretty plates, marcel helps no one else, but blames stuff on people not helping him, it is almost comical.

Anyone surprised Sara left? I am guessing at a showdown between Hung and Casey, and looks like they have already chosen Hung. Funny that he is touted as a great head chef, when I watch Gordon Ramsey shouting at various and sundry slouching, drunk, and moldy restaurant staff and am told a good head chef works with and assists his staff and is head of a team. I don't think Hung is capable of being any sort of team player. Yes I know it is a competition. I guess I just don't like him. Maybe Top Chef is way different than head chef.

[Ansamcw]

I can't believe Dale is still in this thing and Tre is not.

FWIW I still haven't gotten over Sam not winning last year and Marcel (barf) being in the final two.

Oh yeah that was totally a sin...and all because he didn't happen to "cook" his dish for that top 4 elimination challenge. Although I was sure they would put Marcel in because of wat a whacky personality he had and he was a bit innovative. But Sam was one of the most consistent chef that season.

We have Top Chef in Canada Food Network but it just started ...I think I may have missed it this week.

Djs...nope Marcel didn't win.hee

[jamar1700]

FWIW I still haven't gotten over Sam not winning last year and Marcel (barf) being in the final two.

Sam was one of the most consistent chef that season.

No to mention ... he was sooooo cute. And had great hair.

Marcel was a jerk. Veeeeeeery bad hair. Bad hair!

Uhhh....I don't always pay much attention to the actual cooking...

[djs111]

Djs...nope Marcel didn't win.hee

Bwah! on me! There was so much Marcel ass-kissing at the end that I turned it off before they announced the winner!

So.....maybe there is hope for Casey.......really, Bravo shows Hung being an ass so much I wouldn't be surprised to see him twirling a fake mustache and dumping salt into her food when she is not looking. And then the judges praising him for taking initiative.

While I am so over the Cluben results, I think AI has forever tainted my regard for voting results.

Well, that and national elections.

[Ansamcw]

Djs...nope Marcel didn't win.hee

Bwah! on me! There was so much Marcel ass-kissing at the end that I turned it off before they announced the winner!

So.....maybe there is hope for Casey.......really, Bravo shows Hung being an ass so much I wouldn't be surprised to see him twirling a fake mustache and dumping salt into her food when she is not looking. And then the judges praising him for taking initiative.

While I am so over the Cluben results, I think AI has forever tainted my regard for voting results.

Well, that and national elections.

I know I thought he was goign to win for sure, but he jsut made so many errors on his last challenge and when the dish they liked best in his meal turned out to be something Sam actually put together...it would be crazy to make him win.

[Guest Toots]

ansa, I guess you are just now getting last years Top Chef?

[playbiller]

Neither of them deserved to win in the end.

I was never a big Sam supporter - there, I admitted it. He was supposed to be the new Harold, but no on in year 2 seemed to be as good a cook as the people in year 1, at least at the end. Sam is just not Harold. The first year they fought and people did not help and silliness occurred, but it I just got a feeling of seriousness, year 2 was all about bing Marcel or hating Marcel.

I don't think that Hung is nearly so bad as Marcel was last year. For one thing, he doesn't pretend to be a rapper and does not seem to attempt to mess with people as much. I have seen Hung help people, but he concetrates on himself first, which is as it should be. The only time he could have helped but didn't was in the airline challenge when he said no one asked him to help. He also seems more versitile, heck everyone this year seems more versitile. Granted they are not showing as much happening at night this year, but in the few clips they do show, Hung is getting along with people.

here is a challenge - who is coming to NY for Neil Sedaka or NJ for some concerts? we could make a reservation at Harold's restaurant for dinner one night! It is not outrageously expensive and there are 2 sittings in the evening. Reservations required way ahead of time.

[Ansamcw]

ansa, I guess you are just now getting last years Top Chef?

No we finished last season's Top Chef last summer. But they just started this season...so I only saw 2 people kicked out so far. But I have been missing it too...so not sure where they are right now.

I am having a hard time placing the names with the people so far. I know who Hung, Casey and tre are ...but not sure who Brian is..right now there is too much Howie and Joey...

[JennaZ]

I actually kind of like Hung. Yes, he's a bit arrogant and aggressive, but as Playbiller noted, he does seem to get along with others better than Marcel did. The only thing is that I'm not sure how creative he is. He always seems to want to do the "classic" version of foods, which is OK, but not what you'd expect of a Top Chef.

I like Casey, too, and I suspect it will go down to the two of them in the final. She has less training, but seems to have a good sense of flavor and proportion. She seems to keep her head under pressure, which in my opinion, gives her a distinct advantage over Brian and Dale.

Who wins is entirely up to the judges, and I do think they put a lot of genuine thought into their decisions. Keep in mind, we only see a fraction of their deliberations. The editors may try to balance the comments in order to create suspense or uncertainty in the minds of the viewers. However, ultimately, they're the ones who actually taste the food. As home viewers, we can only speculate as to how good the food actually is.

Food Network -- As television personalities, I like Alton Brown, Mario Batali, and Giada de Laurentis. However, I don't really like Alton's recipes (I hate his reliance on measuring food by weight rather than volume), and Mario's are a little too involved. I've had a lot of success with Giada's recipes, which are simple but flavorful. Rachel Ray, I like in her $40 a Day show, but her recipes don't really excite me. I've tried a few, and they were just OK.

Emeril is one of those guys who's just OK for me to watch, but I must say, every recipe I've tried of his has been exceptional. Is he overexposed? Maybe, but the same could be said of Alton, Rachel or Giada.

BTW: If you like food, you might like this book:The United States of Arugula by David Camp

Description:

The wickedly entertaining, hunger-inducing, behind-the-scenes story of the revolution in American food that has made exotic ingredients, celebrity chefs, rarefied cooking tools, and destination restaurants familiar aspects of our everyday lives.

Amazingly enough, just twenty years ago eating sushi was a daring novelty and many Americans had never even heard of salsa. Today, we don't bat an eye at a construction worker dipping a croissant into robust specialty coffee, city dwellers buying just-picked farmstand produce, or suburbanites stocking up on artisanal cheeses and extra virgin oils at supermarkets. The United States of Arugula is a rollicking, revealing stew of culinary innovation, food politics, and kitchen confidences chronicling how gourmet eating in America went from obscure to pervasive—and became the cultural success story of our era.

It includes chapters on the creation of The Food Network and its most popular chefs.

[Guest Toots]

As to Food Network chefs, I think my favorite is Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. Her philosophy is to cook only two things for a dinner party. I think that makes perfect sense because I've been so mired down in the kitchen and it took all of the fun out of cooking....and I like to cook.

I also like Giada and do get both she and Ina's recipes quite often. A friend gave me one of Ina's cookbooks for Christmas last year and it had a big beautiful chocolate cake which I made. It turned out perfectly and not to difficult to make. Rachel yells at me and that turns me off but other than that I'm not a big fan of her cooking.

JennaZ..thanks for the tip on the book. I'll try that!

I don't like Hung but he is six cuts above Marcel in treating his co chefs decently. It's hard to know how much of the drama is real and how much is staged.

Casey seems to be the star most of the time. She's come a long way since the beginning of the show but she doesn't have much experience in the restaurant world and I wonder much that will hurt her.

Now I'm waiting for the new Iron Chef. That's going to be fun!

[ldyjocelyn]

Jenna, I've seen reviews of that book, and thought I would like it. I'll have to make sure to add it to my reading list.

I also totally agree about Alton's recipes -- he's WAY too scientific for actual cooking, IMO. However, my husband has had great success with his hints on making an omelet, I will now never cook a turkey without brining it first, and Alton's overnight oatmeal is outstanding (I made some of it last night/this morning).

Maybe we should start a thread just for Food Network shows? *g*

[Guest Toots]

ldyj...Maybe we should just rename this thread to Food TV.

I like Alton for his knowledge of everything culinary. He has some very good tips.

[Ansamcw]

I love food network...of course in Canada we have different shows but we also have most of the most popular shows from the states.

I totally love Giada. I find her dishes very doable and I love her weekend with Giada show...makes me hungry everytime and I saw a few of Behind the Bash...I love that.

Alton Brown ...I love him on the Iron Chef, with his own show...sometimes he loses me a bit wen he gives just TOO MUCH info.

The guy I can;t stand the most is Bobby Flay...he just seems soooo smug. Thats why I enjoy watching Throw down with Bobby Flay cos he usually loses...hee

I can't stand Rachel Ray although I like her 30 minute meals...

I am really entertained by Paula and her boys.

Love Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey...I really like the British Kitchen Nightmares...you can really see that Gordon truly cares about making a good restaurant. haven;t seen the American version...I don;t think it would work as well here.

[playbiller]

Here isthe thinkg about both Casy and hung - neiher of them have taken a leadership role at any tim, I am not sure either of them are capable of it.

The last challenge is when you prepare dishes and supervise others.

[Guest Toots]

Here isthe thinkg about both Casy and hung - neiher of them have taken a leadership role at any tim, I am not sure either of them are capable of it.

The last challenge is when you prepare dishes and supervise others.

Play, that's what I think. Casey was a personal chef and nanny (?). That's a long way from running a restaurant. Hung doesn't seem to interact well enough and he's stubborn and unbending. Brian has a lot of moxey but didn't think he was the best chef. Dale, I don't know. I think he's a good chef and certainly amiable. The more I think about it the more I think Brian will be the winner.

Do you have any ideas?

[djs111]

I admit I just like Casey the best.....I like her ingredients and her explanations of her dishes, and she seems so clear and forthright or something. This is why I am not a judge.

I used to love Bobby Flay's show where he barbecued something for semi-famous people every week - until he jumped on the chopping block at the end of that first Iron Chef challenge show, now he just looks smug and childish, don't like to watch him.

Love Gordon Ramsey, I see there will be an American version of Kitchen Nightmares, and I can't imagine it will be as good, somehow - but then, I was wrong about The Office, so who knows.

Don't know if it counts as a cooking show, but the very first episode of the original british series where they take someone and try and train them as something else in a few weeks - the one where they took a fry cook and taught him how to pass as a master chef was brilliant and also sweet, the guy stood up to Ramsey, and then Ramsey just sort of took him under his wing. I never saw another episode I liked as much. There was a lot of interesting detail about what it takes to run a kitchen.

[JennaZ]

Ansa, I can't stand Bobby Flay, either. Like you, I enjoy watching him lose on Throwdown!

I do enjoy Paula Deen and her sons, too. Fun personalities, although her food can be a little rich.

With Top Chef, I don't think the goal is to find the chef who can best run a restaurant. It seems to be more about who can cook well, and at most, run a kitchen. The reward isn't a restaurant position, it's money and a few other professional perks. I've never seen Casey referred to as a nanny. Perhaps you're thinking of Bonnie, the finalist on Hell's Kitchen, who was a personal chef and nanny.

It would be interesting to see what Casey or Hung would be like in a leadership situation. Hung is not well-liked, but the others do seem to respect his cooking skills, which is worth something. Casey is probably more popular, but we'll have to see if she can oversee multiple dishes at once.

The US version of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, IMHO, is as good in the US as it was in the UK. They don't revisit the restaurant months later, but you still see Gordon providing interesting and constructive advice to the restaurant staff.

[Guest Toots]

I did go back and look at Casey's qualifications and she is an executive chef at a Dallas eatery. I mispoke and was probably thinking about Bonnie.

In that case, I think Casey will win!

[playbiller]

Well, that was fun and the ending was quite unexpected! Whee, looking for the 2 hour finale next week.