One of the things that happened for me in 2020 is that I became addicted to cooking competition shows. Chopped, Guy’s Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay etc. The newest one, which just started season 2, is the Tournament of Champions. Is anybody else watching? The sports fan in me loves the competition and the pretty darn good cook in me is always trying to learn new things by watching these great chefs do their thing.
Does Brook Williamson have what it takes to win it all again? Will Antonia Lofaso get her revenge? Can’t wait for next weeks episode.
Daughter and I loving it. Loved it last year. It’s blind competing, blind judging and the randomizer embrace both quality will win and add that element of anyone can win on any given day.
Brooke puts out scary quality dishes every time. That said she has to face Michael Voltagio or Cat Cora next. Brutal path.
But Antonia has always been one of my favorites so I’m rooting for her and she’s got a much easier path.
I do think winner comes from the west.
I agree the blind judging and the randomizer really even the odds. I think that’s why Alex Guarnaschelli lost in the first round last year. The west is very strong, but I never count Amanda Freitag or Maneet Chauhan out. That’s my favorite part about this competition is that anything can happen and anyone can win.
I’d say Brooke is probably my favorite, and agree that her next round will be rough, whichever of those two win, but I’m just happy to watch such good competition. Learning a thing or two is an added bonus.
I wonder what’s up with Guy’s voice? Vocal nodes?
I also enjoy the $10,000 that each winning chef in each round gets to give to a struggling restaurant of their choice. Whatever you wan to say about Guy Fieri, he helps a lot of people and small business all over the country with his shows.
I agree 100% about the $10,000 and love the chefs have been choosing small neighborhood places for the most part.
And Guy - with or without the mystery voice issues - is really the perfect host for this.
I’m a big fan of the Food Network (and associated channels.) I enjoyed last season but I had a nagging feeling that it was pre-determined that BW was going to win so they could create a new face of the network. I’m almost certainly wrong, but I couldn’t help feeling that way as the contest progressed.
It’s quite a group of talented chef’s again this year. I didn’t even know Michael Voltaggio had a chef brother. Antonia Lofaso is also my favorite, but there are a lot of people who could win.
I don’t know how they could rig it with the blind competition and blind scoring. Her dishes always look pretty good to me. The single elimination is scary, anybody can be out at any time. Imagine being the first person to lose in the first competition. I think it was Brian Malarkey this time. Ouch.
Well, it’s an edited TV show, so technically I don’t think it would be difficult. But again, I’m not really saying I think it was rigged. I just had that feeling for some reason.
There isn’t a chef on the show that I don’t like. I’ve eaten Jet Tila’s food several times, so he’s my sentimental favorite. We’ve been playing with the idea of driving to Nashville to eat at Maneet Chauhan’s Ale and Masala House for the chicken tandoori poutine.
Bryan Voltaggio has come in second on Top Chef twice and Top Chef Masters once. Which really has to suck.
His food is beautiful, but he can struggle in shorter time
And there we go. Surprised the scores were so low too.
Really did not know who was going to win the Michael W vs Brooke challenge.
Just finished watching. Yeah I had no idea who would win the Brooke v Michael matchup, it was definitely close. Could be heading toward another Brooke v Antonia semifinal in the West.
A tie?! Amazingly a total exact tie for Antonia and Jet. Looking forward to the rematch and super-sized episode next week! I will say, both of their dishes looked incredible, and I’m not even that into crab.
I never say this but I was good with this tie.
Both dishes were extraordinary - with the worst randomizer of the night. Neither my daughter or I could guess which was going to win.
Also loved Antonia’s face when she figured out it was a tie.
Yeah both dishes deserved to win, so it seemed like a fair result. All of the Chefs are really bringing it right now. If only I could taste these dishes haha
I was surprised Christian’s dish did as well on presentation, especially after the slams for separate plate and bowl, but I agree these chefs are in it to win it.