Anyone Watching "Life After Top Chef?"

[Lamar_Mundane]

It started with a group of four chefs in Aspen at the Food and Wine Festival - Jen, Richard Blaise, Fabio, and Spike. They do some cooking, then have a very awkward dinner together before flying back to their homes. We find out that Fabio is getting very wealthy and successful, as is Spike, to a lesser extent. Richard is about to open a restaurant in Atlanta, and Jen quit working for Eric Ripert to open her own place, but the funding fell through and she is doing odd jobs here and there.

Jen, who I liked on Top Chef, seems to be a nervous wreck in real life and is very jealous of the other chef’s successes. She has a lot of nervous tics, and seems to be waiting for someone to give her $2M with no strings attached to open her place (called Concrete Blonde). She was in Aspen with all these rich people and at a benefit that Cole Hamels (Phillies) hosted, but all she says to people is how her funding fell through, but she never asks anyone to invest! She also looks beautiful in the kitchen with her hair tied back and no makeup, but when she cleans up for her camera confessionals, she looks like something from the Westminster Kennel Club.

Fabio, who I also liked, comes off as a total phony with a superior attitude and is a hyper Type A personality. He really isn’t likeable.

Spike, who I did not like, is easily the coolest of the four. He is laid back and confident, and as I said before, becoming quite successful along with his slightly crazy family.

Richard seems to be really socially awkward and a bit of a dick. He really shouldn’t leave the kitchen. He appears to be within days of a divorce from his wife, and while he talks and talks about being a better husband and father, he has little interest in doing anything that would make him one. Another one that I liked on Top Chef, but I probably wouldn’t like in real life.

It’s an interesting show, mainly due to seeing how different these people are in real life from your (my) perceptions of them from the show. Richard and Jen both seem to have a touch of Asperger’s Syndrome - I wonder if that is common in the culinary world?

[Sattua]

I haven’t watched it, but I got those impressions about all four of them by watching their original Top Chef seasons. Jen seemed extremely nervous and high strung, but she always did well so there wasn’t much reason for her to wig out. Fabio is the young, male, Italian Paula Deen. Richard takes himself too seriously. Spike… I never liked, I have to say. He seemed “douchebag cool” as opposed to “competent and confident Season Six Kevin” cool. I guess he really knows his flavors, though.

[LavenderBlue]

@Lamar_Mundane

It started with a group of four chefs in Aspen at the Food and Wine Festival - Jen, Richard Blaise, Fabio, and Spike. They do some cooking, then have a very awkward dinner together before flying back to their homes. We find out that Fabio is getting very wealthy and successful, as is Spike, to a lesser extent. Richard is about to open a restaurant in Atlanta, and Jen quit working for Eric Ripert to open her own place, but the funding fell through and she is doing odd jobs here and there.

Jen, who I liked on Top Chef, seems to be a nervous wreck in real life and is very jealous of the other chef’s successes. She has a lot of nervous tics, and seems to be waiting for someone to give her $2M with no strings attached to open her place (called Concrete Blonde). She was in Aspen with all these rich people and at a benefit that Cole Hamels (Phillies) hosted, but all she says to people is how her funding fell through, but she never asks anyone to invest! She also looks beautiful in the kitchen with her hair tied back and no makeup, but when she cleans up for her camera confessionals, she looks like something from the Westminster Kennel Club.

Fabio, who I also liked, comes off as a total phony with a superior attitude and is a hyper Type A personality. He really isn’t likeable.

Spike, who I did not like, is easily the coolest of the four. He is laid back and confident, and as I said before, becoming quite successful along with his slightly crazy family.

Richard seems to be really socially awkward and a bit of a dick. He really shouldn’t leave the kitchen. He appears to be within days of a divorce from his wife, and while he talks and talks about being a better husband and father, he has little interest in doing anything that would make him one. Another one that I liked on Top Chef, but I probably wouldn’t like in real life.

It’s an interesting show, mainly due to seeing how different these people are in real life from your (my) perceptions of them from the show. Richard and Jen both seem to have a touch of Asperger’s Syndrome - I wonder if that is common in the culinary world?

I agree. I watched about 45 minutes of it and then turned it off in disgust. Fabio and Richard are essentially unwatchable and utterly unlikeable. They should just shut up and cook.

[Sahirrnee]

I tried to watch but got bored.

I agree about Jen, she’s prettier when she’s not trying to be pretty.

[PoorYorick]

@Lamar_Mundane

Richard seems to be really socially awkward and a bit of a dick. He really shouldn’t leave the kitchen.

It was kind of pathetic when he was supposed to be chewing out his staff because the quality was lacking or something. He seemed to be really worried that they might not like him anymore, and was looking for reassurance. “Did I make you mad?”