# Top Chef Texas - Season 9 \[combined thread\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702 "2011-11-03T02:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/202 "2012-01-19T19:33:02Z")
Crap. ☹ Hadn’t had a chance to see LCK, but the hope of the Comeback was the only thing keeping me invested in this season. That really sucks–let the TC challenges play with all sorts of bait & switch scenarios, where a panel of judges must decide and the contestants have enough time and leeway to course correct by any of these “twists”. But one judge, small time limit, head-to-head? Isn’t that a challenge enough without jerking everyone’s chain even more? I really really hope Nyesha wins Fan Favorite now, because she did get royally screwed this year (cockiness aside). ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/203 "2012-01-19T21:13:14Z")
I was OK with Beverly, but when she started crying in front of the judges (again), I was all, “Oh, \*hell \*no.” If I were a judge, I’da sent her packing just for that. Seriously. I realize that this is important and has a lot of meaning, but it’s that way for everyone. Show a little strength and backbone, lady. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/204 "2012-01-19T22:02:04Z")
I think there’s only one or maybe two LCK before the winner is brought back into the regular competition. They’re down to the final six. If Beverly is brought back that’s going to get really ugly. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if she gets knocked off in LCK. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/205 "2012-01-20T03:00:11Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > OTOH Nyesha’s cockiness at the very beginning of LCK was also her downfall. Her voiceover clearly said she’s have no problem taking down Beverly. Moral: The mightier you are, the farther you fall. > > The bitchy part of me would love Beverly to walk away with all this – it’d be the metaphorical kick in the teeth to all the Mean Girls and Boys this season. > > She _can_ cook, btw. She’s not flashy, but she knows what she’s doing. > > (BTW, I was a diehard Nyesha fan until the cockiness got the better of her. I still am. I think she’s amazing.) I definitely didn’t like Nyesha setting herself up for a fall like that, but figured it was her way of pumping herself up. I don’t think she was one of the “mean girls” to Beverly, and while I certainly don’t condone the overall behavior towards her, I do think she brought a lot on herself. And I think the biggest reason she was sent home this episode was because she basically won’t challenge herself, hence her not cooking hardly anything but Asian unless forced to. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/206 "2012-01-20T13:17:47Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That’s like asking me to make you a nice diamond brooch and then I get hosed with 14 karat gold and a cubic zirconia stone. While my opponent uses the high quality 18 karat gold and 50 point diamond I selected. How can anyone hope to win with a fake diamond and a ring that will turn your shirt green within a week? The ingredient choice was a tie and, therefore, irrelevant. Nyesha got dinged for seasoning. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/207 "2012-01-20T19:11:00Z")
First of all, Beverly can clearly cook extremely well. She won the elimination challenge last week. She was (assuming Padma wasn’t lying) seconds away from winning the quickfire this week. She lost tonight’s elimination challenge only because every other chef basically cooked the best food of the season. And as for Top Chef being gimmicky, well, of course it is. If it was just 15 straight episodes of “ok, cook the best thing you can” it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting to the general public as it is. I know very little about really good cooking, so I would certainly not watch a show that was just judges making learned comments about Bernaise sauce or what have you. Top Chef is at its best when it hits a balance between gimmicks and straight cooking, and I thought this quickfire’s twist was perfectly reasonable. ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/208 "2012-01-26T03:26:21Z")
They actually had a real cooking competition EC tonight. Each team deveined and butterflied shrimp, made pasta, and cut the corn off the cob. All that had to be checked by Emeril and Cat Cora before they even could start cooking. Its nice seeing some real technical judging for a change. The EC is to prepare a healthy choice meal. Those usually haven’t gone well on TC. We’ll see how this bunch does. I’m not sure if the judges will be counting calories on this one or not. I didn’t see any dieticians in the kitchen to check up on them. ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/209 "2012-01-26T04:22:59Z")
Yep, no calorie counting this time in the healthy EC. Otherwise the guy that got eliminated may have won. I’m pretty sure he had the least calories. [SPOILER]Paul is kicking butt. He’s by far the leader in EC wins. I count 4 EC’s and 2 QF wins on Bravo’s scoreboard page. Hope he can keep it up. Paul’s nerves sometimes trips him up. That’s why he blew the Block Party QF and didn’t get the shrimp cooked. At least we don’t have to look at Chris’ weird top knot anymore. [/SPOILER] ---
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/210 "2012-01-26T14:43:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The EC is to prepare a healthy choice meal. Those usually haven’t gone well on TC. We’ll see how this bunch does. I’m not sure if the judges will be counting calories on this one or not. I didn’t see any dieticians in the kitchen to check up on them. I’d like it if they had a chemist take a sample dish from each chef, and do a proper analysis for calories, fat, protein etc to see what the dishes contain. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/211 "2012-01-26T15:10:44Z")
I enjoyed this weeks episode, but seeing the preview for next week just pissed me off. If it wasn’t so far in the competition I’d just skip it completely. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/212 "2012-01-26T16:21:56Z")
I just watched a couple hours ago, and I already forgot what next week’s show is. What is it, since it pissed you off so much? I though Tom was really being a dick to Greyson. This show is all about reimagining ordinary foods. She was right - how is a friggin’ meatball a more justified meal than chicken salad? ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/213 "2012-01-26T16:37:05Z")
It sure seemed to me like Ed was going to be the one to go. They got on him for the flavors, textures and lack of healthiness. He should have gone. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/214 "2012-01-26T16:58:23Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > It sure seemed to me like Ed was going to be the one to go. They got on him for the flavors, textures and lack of healthiness. He should have gone. Reality-show editing. Never trust what we see to be an accurate representation of what actually happened. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/215 "2012-01-26T17:53:28Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Yep, no calorie counting this time in the healthy EC. Otherwise the guy that got eliminated may have won. I’m pretty sure he had the least calories. No, he would never have won with something that was all dried out. Nutritional data may have kept him in the game, but no way he would have won. > [@singular1](#): > > I though Tom was really being a dick to Greyson. This show is all about reimagining ordinary foods. She was right - how is a friggin’ meatball a more justified meal than chicken salad? Yes he was. And he really doesn’t like being called on it either, which imo is just more dickishness. Meatballs are absolutely no more exciting or innovative than chicken salad. I mean, how inherently exciting can a dish be when it’s a staple at my elderly aunt’s church potluck dinners? > [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > It sure seemed to me like Ed was going to be the one to go. They got on him for the flavors, textures and lack of healthiness. He should have gone. I think it ultimately boiled down to ambition and past performance. Remember, at least one judge was snarking on the winner of Chris’s challenge for lack of ambition in dish selection, so that’s going to count against him when compared to Korean barbecue. And a lot of Ed’s execution issues stemmed from his misguided attempt to impress them by making his own bread, whereas Chris’s execution issues stemmed from silly careless bullshit like not accounting for how chicken salad soaks up dressing, or leaving his sandwiches unwrapped to sit and get stale, or not blending the smoothies thoroughly, or not seasoning his tofu emulsion. You can make a good argument for getting rid of either one of them based purely on this challenge, although the judges are pretty consistent in rewarding a swing for the fences that strikes out over a bunt that gets tagged out at first. But when you look at overall performance in the whole competition, Chris has a strong enough history of silly execution mistakes that the judges commented on it during the deliberations. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/216 "2012-01-26T18:38:41Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I just watched a couple hours ago, and I already forgot what next week’s show is. What is it, since it pissed you off so much? > … Speaking for myself: Pee Wee Herman. I may skip the show myself. That character has always given me the creeps. And the nausea. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/217 "2012-01-26T18:41:41Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Speaking for myself: Pee Wee Herman. I may skip the show myself. That character has always given me the creeps. And the nausea. Seriously? Ick! My DVR cut off before the previews. why on Earth woudl they have chosen him?!? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/218 "2012-01-26T18:56:27Z")
This Texan tour of Top Chef has tanked in so many ways. But seriously, PEE WEE HERMAN? For the love of God, don’t let him TOUCH any food! Next season, Alaska maybe? Go game hunting with ex-Gov Palin? Crew on Deadliest Catch crab boats? Club baby seals? ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/219 "2012-01-26T20:18:11Z")
Let me guess, because they couldn’t do Texas without doing the Alamo, and his character’s bicycle was hidden in it’s non-existent basement. Right? ICCKKK! ! ! Retro - I’m right there with you. This is just disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/220 "2012-01-26T20:47:14Z")
I get the feeling that Tom C. just friggin’ _hates_ chicken salad. On a couple of other shows during the past few seasons, he’s made snide comments when any chef would try to present it. I don’t know if that had anything to do with the outcome of this show, but I thought Ed was really the one that should’ve gone. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702/221 "2012-01-27T02:15:26Z")
I don’t get the chicken salad thing much either. It’s Texas. It’s insanely hot. They’re cooking for an outdoor block party. Meatball sandwiches are considered a good thing? Like ok, maybe chicken salad is not inspiring to the judges’ minds, but I personally would rather eat chicken salad than a meatball when it’s freaking 100 degrees outside. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-chef-texas-season-9-combined-thread/601702.md?page=12)