# Top Chef..New Orleans **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266 "2013-10-03T15:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/41 "2013-11-07T14:29:13Z")
This was a boring episode. No one inspired…except for Nina. I thought cream cheese was a ridiculous challenge. I don’t think the execs chefs could be inspired with that ingredient . Right one went to LCK. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/42 "2013-11-07T14:36:08Z")
Who do you think paid more this week, Toyota or Philadelphia Cream Cheese? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/43 "2013-11-07T14:41:41Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Who do you think paid more this week, Toyota or Philadelphia Cream Cheese? If it was based on how many times they were mentioned I would guess Kraft. Seems to me every other sentence had the phrase “Philly Cream Cheese” in it. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/44 "2013-11-07T20:08:56Z")
When the best you can say about your dish before serving it is, “It’s not great but I’m sure it’s not disgusting”… that’s a bad sign. ---
**Author:** ![Happyasaclam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7c8e57/32.png) [@Happyasaclam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happyasaclam)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/45 "2013-11-07T20:29:25Z")
I know it’s a cooking show, but I am missing some of the dramatic characters of seasons before. Btw, I don’t like cooking with cream cheese unless it’s a dessert or dip. Someone needs to inform padma chewing with an open mouth is very unattractive for an attractive lady. (My first post btw). Didn’t know where to jump in till I found the top chef thread! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/46 "2013-11-07T20:45:31Z")
Welcome, **Happyasaclam!** StG ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/47 "2013-11-07T21:10:13Z")
I got caught up on Last Chance Kitchen. So far the winner is very surprising. It’s still early and I imagine several chefs will take the lead. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/48 "2013-11-08T17:36:40Z")
I have a question for the woman of the Dope. The last episode featured John Besh and at least twice they made reference to how good looking he is and I counted three references to how wonderfully fabulous his hair is. Really? I’m not seeing, but I’m a guy. My wife says isn’t seeing it either. Does he have unusually great hair or is this some kind joke I’m not in on? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/49 "2013-11-08T18:21:42Z")
Not seeing it either. John Besh has limp hair and a weak chin. StG ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/50 "2013-11-08T22:16:44Z")
Yeah, that John Besh/sexy doesn’t work for me (I’m female). He’s just an average looking guy with no discernible charisma. He’s a good chef, just not sexy. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/51 "2013-11-08T22:20:29Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Welcome, **Happyasaclam!** > > StG +1:) ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/52 "2013-11-09T02:05:55Z")
I was watching Anthony Bourdain’s _No Reservations_ today and he was in Vietnam. Guess what was served with one of his dishes? Tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/53 "2013-11-09T04:31:21Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > I was watching Anthony Bourdain’s _No Reservations_ today and he was in Vietnam. Guess what was served with one of his dishes? Tomatoes. I think the point was, Travis’ weird dish had a cooked tomato sauce, similar to that found in Italian cuisine, only with Viet spices/seasonings. Noone claimed that tomatoes are unknown in Vietnamese cuisine, only that Travis’ use of them was unusual. As with most SE Asian cuisines, tomatoes are seen as a salad vegetable. ---
**Author:** ![baronsabato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@baronsabato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/baronsabato)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/54 "2013-11-09T06:59:44Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I think the point was, Travis’ weird dish had a cooked tomato sauce, similar to that found in Italian cuisine, only with Viet spices/seasonings. Noone claimed that tomatoes are unknown in Vietnamese cuisine, only that Travis’ use of them was unusual. As with most SE Asian cuisines, tomatoes are seen as a salad vegetable. Not quite. “[Tom sot ot ca chua](http://foodaffairvietnam.blogspot.com/2011/07/tom-sot-ot-ca-chua-tomatoes-and-chilli.html)” (shrimp with tomato sauce) _is_ an authentic Vietnamese dish, but it sounds like what Janine ended up making wasn’t a very good version of it. That being said, Tom and the other judges made a mistake in questioning the authenticity of tomato-based sauces in Vietnamese cuisine, which has apparently made enough people upset to [post angry comments on the Top Chef blog entry for this episode](http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-11/blogs/gail-simmons/lemongrass-gate-and-other-oddities). ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/55 "2013-11-10T02:58:18Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I think the point was, Travis’ weird dish had a cooked tomato sauce, similar to that found in Italian cuisine, only with Viet spices/seasonings. Noone claimed that tomatoes are unknown in Vietnamese cuisine, only that Travis’ use of them was unusual. As with most SE Asian cuisines, tomatoes are seen as a salad vegetable. I mostly just thought it was funny after watching the TC episode, so I’m not like “Ha ha judges. You’re busted!,” but the judges were kind of dicks about it. To me, it came across as Tom basically saying “I don’t care if YOU have seen it. I haven’t seen it and therefore you’re wrong.” And I like Tom and don’t much like the chef. So given all that, watching Bourdain chow down on tomatoes and not be like “How UNUSUAL!” cracked me up and made me think of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/56 "2013-11-14T16:55:51Z")
Last nights musical chairs QF was interesting. They’ve done similar QF’s in other seasons where one chef starts a dish and then another one adds to it, then another works on it. I think they called it a relay race other seasons? I don’t recall. Anyway musical chairs is the same idea. Most of the dishes had three different chefs working on them. The pot luck dinner looked like fun. Some of the food seemed a little formal for pot luck. But the chefs want to impress the judges. I haven’t really noticed Patty in the other episodes. Has she won any QF’s or EC’s? She wasn’t even featured that much in this episode until told to pack up her knives. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/57 "2013-11-14T18:50:35Z")
I would’ve prefered either 4 different chefs or two alternating. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/58 "2013-11-14T19:10:06Z")
> [@Zago](#): > > Yeah, that John Besh/sexy doesn’t work for me (I’m female). He’s just an average looking guy with no discernible charisma. He’s a good chef, just not sexy. I don’t see it either but at least I can look at him without the urge to tackle him to the ground and tweeze his unibrow. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/59 "2013-11-14T20:31:06Z")
I won’t miss Patty, and Jenine is queen of Last Chance Kitchen! ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266/60 "2013-11-14T20:42:55Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > I won’t miss Patty, and **Jenine is queen of Last Chance Kitchen!** Spoiler! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-new-orleans/670266.md?page=4)