When the one richbitch said she might as well be considered allergic to cilantro she disliked it so much, and meaning it in all earnestness, it reminded me of some of the idgits on this board telling cooks and chefs they are “allergic” to certain items, when really they mean that they don’t like that food or are prejudice of it because of their latest media, and nutritional science fad influenced “diet”. “Allergy” has almost become devalued as a SERIOUS medical condition because of this type of irresponsible bandying and the sudden explosion in the prominence of so-called “food allergies” these days also correlate to this type of bullshit and irresponsible use of the condition.
Oh well, at least now I know why I’m not rich and wouldn’t want to be, if their bullshit is the price.
I thought the last couple was nice. They didn’t seem too adventurous either, but they had the least restrictions, didn’t make too many complaints about the food not looking good and were nicer (or so it appeared to me) to the contestants.
I also thought the cigar idea was brilliant, but I don’t think I’d have been able to get past the “ash.” Made my stomach turn over, it did. And I felt that they were right on the money with sending Chuy home. You just don’t over cook a dish (and make another mealy) at this level. Basic cooking skills that they should be way beyond.
… Crackers or cornbread to go along with chili? At least one of the teams should have tried to make homemade crackers, I’ve noticed that as a lately haute trend. Cornbread with green chiles in so 1988.
Didn’t one of the Jen’s a couple of seasons back actually win twice with something-cigars? It’s rambling around in my brain but I can’t seem to get a hold on the memory. I think she had won a quick-fire with them and then used the same popular recipe in a catering challenge for the winning team?
IIRC, the caterine episode with “cigars” was on board a yacht. It was the season with CJ, because he couldn’t stand up straight in the yacht galley!
The “cigars” were made by Howie, and he took a LOT of heat for the tacky concept, plus the fact they were more greasy than anything. Howie may even have been eliminated in that episode.
~VOW
I don’t like that kind of quickfire. Make something delicious with vienna sausages and saltines, without proper cooking equipment. Then the judges complain that it doesn’t taste so good. Sheesh!
Give them decent ingredients and a decent kitchen, then see what tasty things they can come up with.
Is it just me or is there something a little joyless about this season? Padma, Tom and Gail all seem weary of torturing people and dashing dreams. At the beginning of this last episode when Padma had to face everyone to tell them to get a good nights sleep she looked like the last place she wanted to be was in front of that group of exhausted, miserable people.
This most recent episode was just odd. To my disappointment, I wasn’t as engrossed as usual to the point where I was actually shocked when Chuy was eliminated. The editing seemed to foreshadow either Ty-lor or the blond Chris getting the PPYKAG. So when that wasn’t the case, I wondered if I simply hadn’t been pay that close attention.
Highlights of the episode included Dakota admitting to her arrest warrant (regardless of whether it was even true, the fact that she was still stating it on national TV tickled my insides); John Besh guest judging, because he’s also been delightful and well-spoken; and Gail cracking me up with her incredulous responses to the hosts (such as how she reacted to hearing about there being 1200 guests in attendance at one of their weddings). But overall, I agree that the food was bland and unimaginative, and the chefs’ reluctance to offend the hosts was partly to blame.
Now, I was under the impression that each group consulted with just one of the three couples. I didn’t get what was the point of doing that. Why should the chefs cater to just one pair’s preferences if the food was to be served to the whole group? I must be missing something obvious here.
I’ve never really followed this show. Hearing that Top Chef skipped Houston because our visitors & convention bureau failed to fork over money to the producers didn’t convince me to watch. Especially after Our Great State paid $400,000 to get the focus on Texas. (Thanks, Rick!)
The Houston Press’s food editor has been recapping the season & getting her snark on. What did she have to say about the latest episode?
I know it’s possible to live a worthwhile life in the Metroplex. But there just might be a history of rivalry between Houston, the state’s largest city, the country’s 4th largest, the home of a thriving restaurant scene–& Baja Oklahoma.
You would expect Top Chef to have some vetting process to make sure that the hosts aren’t too picky so the food turns out good. Unless they wanted to see what the chefs could make under those restrictions… but it didn’t work out well.
Sleep deprivation has been a common theme this competition and I think that has a lot to do with how the chefs have acted and cooked. Also, I’m sure Tom Colicchio was sick for this episode because he sounded miserable.
One thing regarding the previous episodes - Beverly just had a baby right before the Top Chef contacted her to say she was on the show and she basically had to just up and leave immediately. So she’s really feeling the stress of being away from her husband and her baby. Makes me wonder how many other contestants have personal issues because of the strain of the competition.
I’m not sure I read it, but someone said that this season was especially punishing because they taped this past summer and the average daily high temp was like 115.
Those hosts were seriously irritating, and Dallas must have really pissed off the Top Chef producers if that was the first impression of the city that the show presented (regardless of how accurate it might be). That said, a successful chef is going to have to learn to make good food that appeals to unadventurous people with money. It’s the rare and lucky chef who gets to cook to his own palate all the time.
just finished watching All the Last Chance kitchen segments.
I like the idea. It’s always bothered me that sometimes weird circumstances trip up very talented chefs. The guy that wins Top Chef is not necessarily the best chef.
That happened with Chuy. It’ll be interesting to see how far he lasts in the Last Chance round.
The eliminated chef is at somewhat of a disadvantage. He’s been through an exhausting challenge and he just got the emotional hit of elimination. Now he has to cook against someone that’s well rested and stress free.
But, at least he does get the chance to redeem himself and get back in. I like it.
Please pack your knives and go.
I’m having a harder time connecting to any of the chefs this season.
The husband from the third house in the progressive dinner just made me weep. Actually, all of those people did. So much money and so few brain cells. Or so it seemed.
Also, because all the chefs are completely unaware of LCK while on the show, any unfortunate chef who chooses to get drunk in the stew room is going to be at an additional disadvantage.
That’s a good point. I hadn’t considered the drinking in the stew room. There could be liability issues if they let someone intoxicated try to cook. They are working with sharp knives, fire, and liquid nitrogen.
Maybe Last Chance Kitchen is filmed the next day?
Tom Colicchio said in this weeks blog that his back was giving him trouble. He had surgery in Nov. That’s why he was grumpy visiting those peoples houses. We may see a lot more grumpy Tom this season. Understandable if he’s in pain.
Never saw so many chefs screw up a 300 cover dinner.
None of these chefs seem the least bit interested in working as a team. Everyone is CYA all the time. It showed tonight when they totally screwed up those steaks. Why was only one guy out there on the grill marking them? Then they didn’t fire them right in the kitchen either?
Any housewife can cook potato gratin. Then we see a Top Chef screw it up royally? Wow.
