Idea for Top Chef

Cafe Society
1

I was thinking about this while watching The Next Iron Chef but given the current
Lisa a finalist. WTF!!! :eek:
I think it would work for Top Chef

The idea is . . .

No eliminations until the end!

12 contestants (you’ll see why in a second) and 10 weeks
Each week is a quickfire and elimination challenge
Scores for quickfire
Win +2
Top group +1
Bottom group -1
Loss -2

Scores for elimination
Win +4
Judges’ most favorites +2
Judges’ least favorites -1
Loss -2

By having an assymetrical point system, you reward creativity since you can win more points than you can lose. Winning 1/3 of the time is the breakeven point.

Elimination challenges would vary as individuals, duos, trios, and quartets (hence the 12 competitors).

At the end of the 10 weeks, the top 3 scores go to the finals or maybe have a cookdown with the points leader automatically in and the next four compete for the last 2 spots. There could even be seeding so maybe a head-to-head battle.

I think it would be exciting. Think of your favorite chef in a tight battle. It is week 9 and five points separate 3rd and 7th. It’s a duos challenge and your guy gets stuck with . . .

Lisa :smack:

What d’ya think?

2

Innerestin’ idea, but it probably wouldn’t fly. For me, when there’s ten or twelve contestants, I can’t really distinguish most of them (unless they’ve got weird hair, or wear a hat, or are outstandingly obnoxious) so I wouldn’t have the same involvement while watching. Under the present approach, I don’t really start to know the candidates until week six or seven, when they’re down to a smaller number.

And, of course, that would cut out all the backroom drama – the crocodile tears when so-and-so leaves, the sincere sadness when whasisname leaves, the back-biting, the pushing off of blame… All the stuff that reality shows (as opposed to mere competitions) are made of!

3

I was wondering recently if Top Chef would work if the judges didn’t know which chef had cooked what when they were tasting.

Our system is intriguing, but I think I’d have a hard tome keeping straight who was in the lead or had what points from previous weeks.

I also agree with Dex that it’s helpful that the cheftestants get more screen time as the herd is thinned out.