Top Chef - S7E5 Postmortem

Can't watch at the moment... busy checking out The Girl and The Goat. Hopefully the hotel has Bravo.

 

UPDATE : Attention, hotel management... despite what your channel lineup card may say, this is not Bravo, and unless Jessica Fletcher is the guest judge tonight and Colicchio just turned up dead, I'm pretty sure this isn't Top Chef.

I'll check in tomorrow.

UPDATE II : Man, I hate this whole watching the episode after everybody else thing.

Timothy bites it in episode five, finishing 12th, which raises the bar three positions for the next Charm City contestant. Sorry, Baltimore (and I mean that sincerely). But when the hometown boy can't ace blue crab, it isn't a good sign. More on that Monday, I'm sure.

Side note... if I may be so bold as to challenge somebody whose culinary stature could squash mine like a gnat... you know I love you and your snooty French accent, Eric, but you're wrong. Make it without pasta and it's still minestrone. Lots and lots of Italians do, often with rice and just as often (if note moreso) without either. And this is why I try not to speak in absolutes unless I really, really, REALLY know what I'm talking about. When it comes to food, no matter how much you know, you can't know everything, and somebody will call you on it. To be fair, I'm surprised these kinds of gaffes don't happen more often. It speaks to just how much these judges DO know. But you gotta call the slip-ups when you see 'em.

Reactions seem to be all over the map, but I kinda dug this episode. You guys are a tough crowd this season.

More Monday, when the rankings return... thanks for giving me the week off. Got lots of other non-TC goodies to start slinging in your direction. Let me get home, get this week's rankings out the door, and we're off to the races... Woo!

Comments

[Independent George]

Are you going to the GCM Chef's Barbecue tomorrow?

[Bart]

I was very happy with this episode, actually. It was sort of chaotic, but managed to show off a lot of the food.

Glad to see my Jersey Boy Kevin bounced back a bit. Sad to see Tim go, but unfortunately, he was just unable to find his groove. His exit interview was REALLY classy, and that seems to be the trend so far - each contestant's exit interview has been particularly nice.

Well, except last week's, with Arnold and Lynne...but I think anybody who got eliminated would have been understandably frustrated.

Either way, I think this one hit all the right notes.

I am curious to see if it'll turn out that Tamesha's using Angelo or what!

[paula]

Wow. I thought that was awful. Worst episode I've ever seen. (disclaimer: I didn't watch seasons 1 and 2. But still.)

[paula]

P.S.: Dom--I'm so jealous! Can't wait to read your review.

[KinderJ]

When, oh lords of reality TV, when will I learn to stop trying to forecast thy will? As soon as I downgrade Kenny he pulls out a win and simultaneously demonstrates that he is a good leader.

I am pretty ambivalent about this episode. I always like to see more focus on the food than the personalities, but it was interesting to see how people rose to the occasion. Over all, the 'your all one team' schtick is not a good one. Hope it goes and stays gone. Those ingredients looked beautiful. Kind of annoyed me when Timothy just choked out, despite that lush selection. I know they were short on veggies, but why not get some of the duck fat and roast the turnips and potatoes in that? Would have been lovely and really brought some flavor to the dish. Not much you can do after chopping them so fine, but you could drop some extra flavor in there and step it up.

Two more things that were kind of inexplicable to me: oddly chopped carrots and no pasta in the minestrone. Not in this specific circumstance, just that she never cooked minestrone with pasta. Really? I mean, is that a thing? I am kind of with Ripert on this one. Not even irritating, just very odd.

[JJH2]

I was not a fan of the first two episodes, but I think the season is starting to find its groove. I wish they had slightly better facilities and maybe an idea of what they had to cook with before they showed up, but even though it looked like a hectic working environment, the food looked pretty good on the whole.

The ingredients they had to work with looked absolutely gorgeous. And I think in comparison to Season 5's "farm to table" challenge... this season actually came out ahead. Kelly really impressed me tonight. She was really cool under pressure, fought just hard enough to get the ingredients she needed, and even pulled out a nice dessert to top off the meal.

Stephen is just so hapless it's kind of entertaining to watch. He had two really bad ideas this episode. Luckily for him, the group quickly and unanimously shut down his big fresh fruit platter dessert idea, which would have been a disaster. And then he violated one of the cardinal rules of Top Chef - you don't win friends with salad! Especially not a salad that looked as heavy and wet and overloaded as that one. He just didn't get it either. Sometimes more is not better. Yet he seemed to think that throwing everything you can think of into the salad, including two dressings (wtf?) would make it awesome.

It was also nice to see some of the chefs being agreeable and nice with each other. Ed seems to have a crush on Tiffany, which is cute, and is the first time he hasn't seemed entirely miserable this whole season. Angelo's relationship with Tamesha is weird and kind of predatory... plus he has got to stop saying that things are sexy. Because stop. Please. When he said he wanted to "extract" her inner passion, blech.

[JJH2]

Oh, yeah, and Kenny rocks! It's funny that everyone in the house seems to think he's suave and charming. Plus, he really rocked both the Quickfire and the EC, especially with three well-received little quickfire dishes. I was much more interested in those than his curried eggplant, even though he won with that. He seems a little insecure with the constant reminders about how much he wants to be the "alpha male," but from what some of the cheftestants were saying, they definitely prefer him having the reigns than Angelo.

[KinderJ]

@JJH2- And I doubted him! My shame is eternal.

[Independent George]

I'm a big fan of Patricia McConnell, the animal behaviorist and dog trainer, who noted that true alphas don't continually seek to assert their status over others; they simply possess it. The ones who do that are the pack members in the middle tier, who are insecure and obsessed with attaining & maintaining status precisely because it is unstable. They're what McConnell calls "alpha wanna-be's".

The true alpha behaves exactly as Jennifer did in the Air Force challenge last season.

[Dionysus]

Did anyone find the editing for this episode, particularly the first half... odd? It felt like an entirely different team was shooting it. I'll be honest, I had trouble focusing on any part of the quickfire because I felt disoriented.

[Lou]

I agree with IG (above).
Kenny's constant whine about being the alpha has gotten boring. He obviously has talent and is in it for the long haul but I'm waiting for the professional to show up.
Angelo has become better as Kenny has gotten more annoying.

[Esther]

Eh. Not as annoying to me as last week, but not amazing. We are definitely seeing the top tier prove itself repeatedly, at any rate, even if little of it is mind-blowing.

Actually, you know what depressed me most? The top four chefs. For instance, I love Kenny (despite the stupidity of the "alpha male" assertions), but that kind of dish should not have won this kind of challenge. I don't doubt that it was the most delicious dish there, but a dish with strong dominant flavors of pantry ingredients (curry powder, lime juice, etc.) could be made anywhere; it didn't seem like a celebration of the super-fresh, high-quality ingredients they were given.

(That said, I am VERY intrigued by his use of carrot tops -- which are debatably toxic, though probably okay in those quantities -- since they rarely show up in recipes, are perfect for this kind of challenge, and add a really interesting fresh bitterness. I wish I was given some indication of them other than reading his recipe; did anyone pick up on it on the show?)

Pretty unsurprising top and bottom tiers; we'll see what happens next week. Unfortunately, none of the top rank of players (Angelo, Kenny, Kelly, etc.) has a personality that I like very much, so I'm finding it hard to root for anyone particular.

[Lon]

I have begun rooting for Kelly. During the year Stephanie won, she didn't emerge from the pack until about this time when she started winning and winning and winning.

To me, Kelly is displaying many of the same attributes. Cooly professional, not braggard, just motors along producing pretty good food. Might be enough to overcome the ego challenged who can't cooperate. Restaurant Wars will cull some of those people out if nothing else.

[Independent George]

Carrot Top is always toxic.

[Daniel]

I'm really trying to ignore the personalities, but they are making it hard...

Kenny's constant 'alpha male' crap has been grating on me too. The points I would make about it have already been made by you folks. Really does make me miss Jennifer too. I remain happy with his food, though I think Esther makes a compelling point that it wasn't a particularly thematic dish. Duct tape would be helpful. "Big Daddy" my ass ;).

Whereas Fabio always presented (to me) the threat of his charm turning sleazy, Angelo takes it to a much more refined level of unpleasant sleeze. Again, I remain happy with his food. Duct tape would be helpful.

Kelly did nothing that in the slightest way bothered me this episode. She managed to be assertive without becoming shrill or unpleasant. Good for her.

Although we had reasonable people at the top and bottom, I was again confused with the ambiguous direction in the challenge, and the 'coincidence' that the top 4 all just happened to be teamed up with one another. I believe Kenny was there; I believe Kelly was there. I can even believe that Andrea was there. I just have trouble believing that Kevin was there too totally on his own merits. Now, perhaps he was and those really were the best 4 dishes of the night...but it certainly does strain credibility.

I'm overall just not hugely thrilled with some of the challenge formats this season. They seem messy, and I can't help thinking it is due to Leanne's absence.

[gilmore]

Will have to rewatch, but my main thought is that Stephen has to be one of the luckiest contestants around (as was Lisa two years ago). He is the worst chef there but each week, someone better than he makes a bigger mistake and leaves. Bad ideas and worse execution.

Secondary thought is the guest judge was and is a douche. Pretentious and haughty in his comments, then bludgeoned Amanda - like granny cutting vegetables with an ax!! He is no Wolfgang Puck.

Third thought is there seem to be a lot of closer relationships building this year between chefs - alliances or back stabbing strategies? I'm with you on that Bart.

Final thought - very classy exit interview. He knew he messed up.

[Bart]

@gilmore - Your comments about the guest judge reminded me of something else I wanted to add...did anyone else think that the critiques were unusually harsh at this Judge's Table? Setting aside the guest judge (who apparently performed at the Bocuse d'Or, which may explain his pretentiousness), even Tom, Padma and Eric piled on on the zingers.

Kevin kind of reminded me of Arianne from the New York season - openly questioning whether or not he belonged, and then pulling out a decent performance. Be interesting to see if that was just temporary and he'll flame out.

I'm still lamenting the lack of a personality I can root for. Angelo's no Fabio. Tamesha's got as much personality as Michael Voltaggio. Haven't seen much of Kelly besides cool professionalism (not that I'm complaining). Where's this season's lovable superhero?

[Angie]

I thought that the quality of (almost) all of the dishes was amazing, given that the chefs had to deal with : a.)a rather nebulous "one team" concept, b.) finding out the available ingredientsliterally as the challenge started, and c. ) cooking on shared outdoor grills and burners. I was surprised that half of the fooddasn't undercooked to the point of being raw.

Tim messed up on his dish, for sure, but some of his difficulties had to be related to the spartan facilities. Yes, he should have recognized the problems and corrected them, but to mess up on making a salad in that same amount of time ? Stephen should be so, so gone at this point. Besides, Tim was at least an interesting character, with some good comments - he'll be missed.

As for Amanda's soup - there's no excuse for the carrots, but dinging her for the lack of pasta? What was she supposed to do, grind up the farm's wheat harvest, then pull a pasta maker out of her back pocket? Or hope someone has put a box of elbow mac in the back of the (blatant product plug ) Siena ? Calling it minestone was a tactical error, so just call it veg soup and cut the carrots finer next time.

[Anon man]

I'm sort of numb after that episode. Not because of a roller coaster or anything, but rather the lack of anything. The QF was simple enough and the guest job was a shocker. (BTW: his place is great, and the former place where Kevin worked was also great.) But the QF was telling. Tim, who has certainly been taught to revere those insect-like crabs they have around here, prepared about the most traditional presentation of crab this side of a crab cake. The guy might be a fine cook, but I realize right there that he has zero creative skills. So on to the elimination challenge. Half of the time was devoted to them arguing about who was going to be the teams that weren't teams. Zzzzzzz. Then they cook. Another primitive kitchen challenge, yawn. And Tim loses with a forgettable dish. Really, no shocker there,

All in all, an episode with no interest. Too much time bickering and flirting and not enough time describing the food or techniques.

Also, I am considering changing my screen name from "Anon Man" to "Alpha Male"

[Independent George]

did anyone else think that the critiques were unusually harsh at this Judge's Table?

The one that bothered me was about Amanda's soup being so rustic. Ummm... you're out on a farm, and the chefs are cooking outdoors. Wasn't that the point? (I don't dispute the bad technique in chopping the vegetables unevenly).

I was surprised that half of the fooddasn't undercooked to the point of being raw.

That's a great point. When did they shoot this? What was the point of cooking/shooting outside if it was still winter? I love the idea of a farm challenge, but the setup in season 5 really made a lot more sense.

[Bart]

IG - This had to be filmed in the spring. Note the cherry blossoms from the first episode.

[Stacey]

Long time lurker, first time commenter but I had to say to Dom that even though I'm really sorry that the hotel screwed your Top Chef viewing, I couldn't stop giggling at your post, imagining Jessica Fletcher as a guest judge.

As for Top Chef itself, I'm with most people, this season isn't as impressive as past seasons, mostly because there just isn't anyone I'm really pulling for. I'll still watch because I do love the show, just not as manic as I have done in past seasons.

[dach]

Ed's first win in the QF. Ed's needed time to get warmed up in the competition.

They really are pushing reality show drama and alliances this time around. Maybe success of Housewives of .... franchise. Interesting the show is intentionally not creating randomly drawing teams or appointing leaders in the many group challenges, to to see how the chefs sort themselves out, hoping for some ugliness, alliance making to capture on tape. Is it now a completely different team/person coming up with these TC challenges?

It's interesting in the leadership deadlock they just gave up and fell back to assigning teams from last challenge and have everyone make whatever dish they wanted, and call it separate 6 dishes. It was the fairest move. I was waiting to see if Tiffany and Ed, with their love connection, where going to get together, switch teammates.

And considering the fighting and begging and horestrading over limited ingredients it was impressive they did as well as they did.

The top 2 dishes determined the top 4.
Bottom 3 came out of bottom 2 dishes... I'd like to hear why Tiffany got a pass. But it may have been edited out.

It was interesting the judges didn't comment on the lack of more organized menu. But maybe just accepted it given the vague challenge criteria.

[paula]

My irritation with the show this week is mainly (but not solely) with the EC. The directive: You're all on one team (huh?), you're going to an awesome organic farm but you don't know what your ingredients are, you don't know what you're cooking ON or how much space you have, and--oh, yeah--it's freezing cold. Just utterly stupid as a "concept." Where are they supposed to even begin? What a wasted opportunity to really focus on the quality of those ingredients.

Second, the focus on Ed flirting with Tiffany and Angelo flirting with Tamesha...gag. Is this "Big Brother"? And Svengangelo may very well be the devil. He's creeping me out big time, and I predict that by Episode 7, we'll see him lick his lips with a forked tongue.

OK, a few good points: I liked how they seemed to work together on site. And some of the food did look pretty good and creative. Oh, and I'm starting to wonder if they just keep playing the same Kenny "alpha male" comment over and over for effect--maybe he didn't really say it as many times as they're making it seem?

I still like Kelly and Tiffany. Andrea may be a sleeper, too.

[Anon Man]

They did film it in the spring. It was a crazy spring here in DC. Coming off the 900 feet of snow we got, it got insanely hot in late March which melted it all off, and that's when they started (the first challenge on top of the Newseum and the Mount Vernon challenge were during this heat wave). Then, in April it got cold again for awhile before finally getting into spring.

After thinking about this while driving in, I think Kelly reminds me of Stephanie: quiet personality, cooks good, but relatively simple food, that appeals to Tom's taste buds. But this episode was completely forgetable.

[Joanna]

I thought this challenge was SO much better than last week's. It could have been fleshed out a little more - why were they one big team? why did everything have to be a surprise? - but at least it allowed each chef to cook his or her own food and take responsibility for what they made.

When Padma announced the bottom three, I realized that I'd be fine with any of them going home. I'm okay with the fact that it was Tim, but really, Stephen is on borrowed time at this point.

And far be it for me to disagree with Eric Ripert, but... minestrone does not need to have pasta. As soon as he made that comment, it just seemed wrong to me, so I grabbed Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and found her recipe for minestrone -- which has lots of vegetables, beans, and NO PASTA! I think Amanda is kind of annoying, but in this case, she was right.

[skyboot]

I'm beginning to think Kenny was the prototype for Chef on South Park. By the end of this season, I expect him to make Chocolate Salty Balls ... while wearing the chinchilla robe.

[Nikki L]

@dach - I believe I remember them saying that Tiffany made a good dish and that there were a lot of ways that Tim could have edited his dish to make the two pair wonderfully. I take it that it wasn't a team error and that it was completely a fault with the part of the dish that he prepared.

[garik16]

Did anyone else notice how they changed this year's contest from last year's?

Last year, the "you're all on one team challenge" (The military base) basically let the chefs do what they wanted. So Jen Norris(who had elimination immunity) was able to not do a single dish, but instead coordinate.

THIS Year, they stated that EVERY person had to have a part of a dish. The end result was that Ed couldn't perform a Jen Norris like role, because he HAD to cook something.

I liked the last year idea better. Yeah having someone (immune) not cooking may make them unlikely to win the challenge, but if you're really wanting them to show an entire team effort, it's a great improvement.

[mar]

Tiffany made a big deal about how she was separating herself from Tim and letting him do his own thing. Teams of two were the chefs' idea, not a requirement of the challenge, and it was judged that way.

The surprise of the judges for the "rustical" (is that the word they used?) quality of the dishes surprised me. You're at a farm, cooking outside on grills, serving family style. Is it so unexpected? I think even the judges were spoiled by Season 6.

[Independent George]

Isn't "one big team" just another way of saying it's an individual challenge?

[paula]

Did the military base challenge have no guidelines at all, though? I forget. I thought they were in two-person teams determined by knife pull (or something with a little more structure).

[Danny]

A much much much better challenge than last episode. That being said, usually at this point there are dishes that I would love to eat. Nothing has truly wowed me and I'm not really invested in any of the chefs.

If anybody knows and would like to respond, in previous seasons during 30 minute challenges, frequently the chefs make a pickled something or other. How do you pickle in 30 minutes? Also, how do you make ceviche in such a short amount of time?

[jh]

If I remember correctly, in the military base challenge yesterday, the pairing up and Jen in charge was their own self doing, and not with a knife pull, etc.

[bryanD]

Good episode despite troubling opening scene of multiple Big Brother-ish heart-to-heart "candid" discussions [audible shiver!]. Nice recuv, tho!

But to the plot: Until Timothy went the show would be stuck in spinning-pinwheels mode for another week. Now we advance. Hopefully Stephen will be next. Then it's Soup's On, more or less (Amanda?)!

"As for Top Chef itself, I'm with most people, this season isn't as impressive as past seasons, mostly because there just isn't anyone I'm really pulling for."---Stacey

I think *Angelo vs Kelly* has the potential to be the best contest so far on TC. Usually, it a test of cultures or personality. And despite editing that has seemed to push the Edginess of Angelo's and Kelly's personalities, happily it hasn't taken with me. I find them both smart and any abrasiveness or pushiness seems to have been entirely appropriate under the circumstances---in hindsight. This season might be a trial of finesse.
Even the main soap opera angle (Kenny's self-esteem) is at least focused on a high-achiever this season. Also, no one will decide to attempt to shave Kenny's head against his will! Keep your perspective, people! Also, remember, there have been admitted "home cooks" in the Top 5 in seasons past---I can't remember her name, but her main influence was hamburger helper (pasta and meat). Also, lest we forget: ILAN!! Also-also, the cuddlin' canned crab boy of Colorado season: "*boo-hoo* I hope my girlfrind doesn't break up with me fer layin' on the couch with Coo-coo Cohen, the fish mangler! boo-hoo"...THAT guy beat Stefan! Grrr!!!!

Nah! This seen is fine!

[Steve F.]

Can't wait for your rankings, Dom! Two weeks have seen a lot of definition and movement. Not much at the top and bottom...but definitely in the MOTP.

[garik16]

@George, in a sense yes, but saying you're all one big team also means that you don't have free choice on what you're doing. If one person is doing one type of dish, another person can't make a second of that dish.

And no the Military Base challenge was NOT pulled by knife block.

[Polybus]

I thought a salad was the kiss of death - was shocked that Stephen didn't go home for it.

I'm slowly gaining a rooting interest in Kelly.

[BritBrit]

Disclaimer: This post is solely personality based and has nothing to do with the food. Sorry in advance?

Okay, this may not be the most popular of opinions, but after this episode I believe I may be jumping on the Angelo bandwagon (skeevy and crab infested though it may be). I think his whole persona is one of those that is so ridiculously, unbelievably and outlandishly wrong, that it’s somehow started to turn that corner and become almost right. For me at least.

Unlike the Alexs of this group who seem to be delivering sound bites just for the sake of seeming interesting, I get the sense that Angelo genuinely believes in all the bullcrap he’s spewing. And with Angelo, I’m fairly certain that if I saw him on the street or went to his restaurant he’d be that same guy, television and editing be damned, and that’s kind of refreshing. The guy is just such an oddity. I find myself hearing his words and watching his actions and marveling that such a person actually exists. Most likely his Grossy McIck factor will get old right quick, and I’m sure that if I knew him personally we would not get along, but for now I am fascinated.

Please don't come after me with flaming pitchforks.

[Independent George]

I'm slowly gaining a rooting interest in Kelly.

Are you rooting for her, or just not actively rooting against her? She's got the talent, and she rose a few levels in my eyes for professionalism in the face of reality show drama, but I still don't have a sense of who she is. To a lesser extent, ditto for Kevin, Andrea, & Tiffany.

[Marlissa]

What - no one is commenting on Angelo's "I had crabs" moment? I actually laughed out loud. At least, I assumed he was making a joke. And what is with Stephen? To call him this season's Robin would actually be an insult to Robin - she made something decent, at some point.

[Erin]

I was rather bored by this ep...basic challenge, basic food, basic blah.....I miss LeAnn. The most interesting thing about this one was the GJ's (can not remember the man's name to save my life right now) outfit.

On other notes, I haven't really found anybody to root for. I was liking Stephen, but the guy just can't seem to get it together enough to even make a passable salad! Kenny and Angelo just seem like two big ego's (granted Angelo's is the skeevy-er one) Andrea seems to be riding Kelly's coat tails,(the two times she's been on top, she's been paired w/Kelly) and Kelly..well I'm waiting for a Jen-like flameout from her, but even if it doesn't come so far her food just hasn't been interesting. Honestly, no ones has really.

[zsparks]

Is that Roman Polanski as Jessica's guest perp?

[Polybus]

IG - I was a little put-off at first by Kelly's insistence that the carnitas tacos at the school were hers and hers alone. But aside from that dustup with Arnold, which may have been part elfin editing, I think she has shown independence in her thinking and imagination in her dishes. She befriended Tracy. In this last challenge, it was admirable how she went after the beets, got them and then did something terrific with them. She made a dessert, even though she was well aware that it might get her sent home. I think that for the most part she's not just professional, but showing some personality as well. I'll grant that she's not as likeable as Stephanie, Harold or Kevin from last season, but in this group I think she stands out.

If it weren't for Kenny's Alpha Garbage, I think that he might have a rooting interest as well. I admire Angelo's cooking, but his continual allustions to sexiness makes me want to take a shower. I like Kevin and I think that he might go as far as restaurant wars or maybe even further, but he's been spotty in his cooking and I'm not really rooting for him. I like Andrea, Tamesha, Tiffany, and Ed, but for some reason I just don't have a vested interest in their success. Of the remaining chefs, I have nothing against Stephen, but he seems really clueless and I just don't care for the attitudes of Amanda and Alex.

So, I'm back to Kelly.

This season reminds me a little of Season Two. When you find yourself rooting for Marcel, you know there's something wrong. And I almost have similar feelings this season. We'll see how it goes. I'm trying to keep an open mind!

[Independent George]

Andrea seems to be riding Kelly's coat tails,(the two times she's been on top, she's been paired w/Kelly)

I disagree; they were paired together both times, but Andrea's components seemed to get higher praise JT in this round, and she seemed to take the lead on the dinner menu during the previous challenge.

[Polybus]

Efram Zimbalist Jr.?

[Independent George]

Polybus - good points. I also appreciated Kelly's ability to be assertive without the stridency of, say, Angelo or Kenny, but aside from that, I really haven't seen much personality out of her. (Though I did warm to her when Arnold kept whining about her, seemingly for no reason).

I don't know if it's just the editors preferring to focus on the most annoying personalities, or that the contestants are holding back to maintain a positive image, but I just can't get a read on most of the chefs thus far.

[Dreamboat]

"What - no one is commenting on Angelo's "I had crabs" moment? "

LOL! This became a teaching moment in my household when my teenage daughter asked why I was laughing at what Angelo said. I don't think he understand the concept of national TV because I cannot believe he admitted that.

[suzanne]

If I remember correctly, in the military base challenge yesterday, the pairing up and Jen in charge was their own self doing, and not with a knife pull, etc.

Correct -- remember someone -- Mike I? -- was on the bottom after initially being on top, until the judges were able to separate what he had done (some sort of bad shrimp or greek salad?) from what his "partner" (Mike V?) had done. He was upset because he and ?Mike had been "partners," yet the judges didn't consider them to actually be partners, because it wasn't part of the challenge.

If that makes sense.

[nomnomnom]

Just got around to watching this. Thought it was a totally disposable episode on all merits. The QF ingredient was a complete softball given the shooting location. All the chefs seemed to come prepared with exactly a dish for the occasion.

The EC was another fake farm episode with no prep. Some of what was done seemed impressive, but it's just another episode of non restaurant food. That's what 3? now? Impossible to truly get a handle on what this season is really going to shake out to be.

They are really struggling to put personalities with these chefs. It's strained, and it shows.

[ataylor]

Is there a purely likable chef in this group? Through all the seasons there has always been one or two chefs (last season 4) who you could get behind because they were consistent and had integrity in the way they talked about their food. Not to mention were somewhat humble... this season it feels like all the front runners are prone to inconsistency or just aren't taking their food seriously enough. How many times an episode does someone have to call their food "sexy"? Not a fan so far.

[rab01]

Ataylor - Season 2 had absolutely none who fit your criteria. (I enjoyed Marcel but he certainly wasn't humble.) Season 3 had only Tre. (Again, I really really liked Hung but he wasn't humble). Season 5 had Carla but, by this point in the season, the editing made her look more flakey than talented.
In my opinion, we were just spoiled by Seasons 4 and 6.

[Bart]

rab01: Still, we had Fabio and Stefan, who were very entertaining. Carla, while flakey at that point (supposedly), was a lot of fun to watch.

[rab01]

totally agree with you Bart. It's just the types that ataylor was talking about are actually pretty rare. I loved Stefan but he surely was not humble.

It's way early to say that this cast doesn't have fun personalities, yet. I generally liked the Miami season but at this point in the season it felt to me like all Howie, all the time

[PerryMB]

Sam from season 2

[Polybus]

Hootie!!!!!!

[paula]

I'm definitely one who's been spoiled. I didn't watch seasons 1 and 2, so I didn't really start watching until the show had hit its groove. And that means my expectations are, I suppose, too high. This challenge just seemed completely arbitrary to me, in that there were too many variables. They should have just blindfolded them all for good measure.

[garik16]

In all honesty, Season 4 was probably the ideal for this show. You had a couple of very good chefs who interested the foodie crowd (Blais, Stefanie, Dale, MAYBE Antonia), you had likable chefs (Blais, Stefanie, and Antonia again) for the casual watchers looking for someone to root for and you had drama (LISA, Dale, hell even Spike) for the drama lovers.

Season 5 wasn't great on talent, Season 6 was overloaded with talent, but no real drama to be found (making the final four very anticlimactic) and Season 7 so far seems like Season 5 (Nothing has really impressed me like 6 or 4) with the drama amped up.

[bryanD]

"In all honesty, Season 4 was probably the ideal for this show."---garik16

Eh! I still gotta stick with the semi-mythical Season 1.
A really righteous and serious guy deservedly won it; an uber-talented harpy put up a great challenge; plus we had the very interesting, somewhat flaky (and surprisingly complex) gay comfort food dude. I can always watch a day-load of Season 1 reruns (with Bacardi!)

[timothy]

@bryanD

"we had the very interesting, somewhat flaky (and surprisingly complex) gay comfort food dude."

I am just curious about which attribute made the complexity surprising? Was it surprising that the comfort food guy was complex, or was it surprising that the gay guy was complex or was it surprising that the flaky guy was complex? No hostility or provocation implied in my question; I'm just curious.

[dach]

The good thing is we see that the judges and produces don't keep people mainly on personality. From watching the extras, Tracey is the natural, funniest person there. Dreadlocks guy out first episode is also pretty waky and unique. Arnold I don't know... his persona was exhausting to me. I think when he said he was happy to get a vacation after PYKAG, he really meant it.

No one left is as interesting, personalitywise. Angelo seems like he might be, but then he's really quieted down. Kenny's "alpha male" posturing is getting to be really one-note. Amanda has quieted down and hit a low groove. She's mainly good on TV for making cute pouty faces. The lack of personality and drama has gotten so bad that the editors have resorted to creating showmances.

[bryanD]

"I am just curious about which attribute made the complexity surprising?"--timothy

Simple. It's never been approached since on TC. Even the better later seasons have (had to?) resort to food-style gimmickry (Blaise-molecules), ingredient specialties crutches (Kevin-pig), wankery (Europe vs USA), fakery (connubial acting-out on couches), cliques, and TOO MUCH Padma...thank gawd she's preggers!

Don't get me wrong. I always watch TC. Also, "complex" should better read as "soul". That guy had soul. As dach exposits above, re: Arnold. It's been noticeable only by its absence. Again, not complaining. It's why I called Season 1 semi-mythical (in a TV sense, of course). Still TC is the best show on the boob tube next to Project Runway, maybe...PR has hot skinny models! And one doesn't have to imagine a dress.

[vizoroo]

Had to restore my PC to factory and lost all my favorites!Ugh! Then Top Chef started and I was verklept! (Pardon my spelling and SNL reference.) But, this season's chefs have left me unimpressed. Macho Kenny, Sleazy Angelo, Sherry Jus Amanda, the first departed who I wouldn't want near my food, and a few others whose names have not imprinted on my mind. Kelly from Vail(used to live in Colorado) was my initial favorite, but her personality as depicted is not very compelling. Nor is the food very impressive this season. And that is depressing, unsettling...whatever. Gail isn't on judges' table very often. I actually miss the "slightly" obnoxious Brit.

But now that I have rediscovered Skilletdoux, I am looking forward to the rest of the season. Thank you Dom.
And thanks for the review of Stephanie's new place.

[KinderJ]

I am not ready to completely write off this season. I don't expect huge peaks like last season (can you imagine a Bocuse D'Or challenge with this crew?) but I think as the crowd thins out a little the contestants will have more room to shine. Here's hoping.

Changing topic entirely, I now feel my tv has been sullied by Angelo discussing his venereal diseases on a cooking show. Advice?

[jh]

@Kinder J-

Alcohol. Lots of alcohol. Best when ingested, but also suitable as a sanitizer.

[bryanD]

"I am not ready to completely write off this season."---kinder j

(I promise(!) this is my final comment-blurb-spam on this thread!)

This season is good. TRUE, a major sub-plot involves Kenny's hoped-for ignominious early exit on my part.
A-male aside, Angelo and Kelly are aces. Plus there are several sleepers who no one can prove in civil court are not fine chefs.

"Changing topic entirely, I now feel my tv has been sullied by Angelo discussing his venereal diseases on a cooking show."---kinder j

That was sad, indeed. One thing, though. Did not Angelo refer to "crabs"?
Now, I haven't been a marine corps overseas whoremonger in a couple decades (B.C.), but back in the day "crabs" meant Lice, a pest, a parasite. As opposed to "clap", a V.D. But it doesn't matter. I'm off to wash my brain.

Feel free to delete this, Dom.
See what happens when the *food* is lost? :0)

[KinderJ]

@bryanD- you are probably correct, I just tend to lump them together.

Moving back to food, has anyone looked at that Eggplant recipe? I have a ton of eggplant growing in my garden (more than I thought would survive, actually...) and pretty soon I am going to need a lot of ways to eat it.

[KinderJ]

@bryanD on the fine chef thing- This episode did provide an excellent contrast moment with last season. I don't remember who's QF dish it was, but I remember Brian V. commenting that it would have been improved had the ricotta been pureed and more completely incorporated, as opposed to folding the ricotta into the mixture. My immediate reaction was to wonder if I could spot that difference after just one bite of food. Maybe it was not very thoroughly folded, so there were areas with no ricotta? I don't know. I just think that the bar was raised so high last season that now I want more from the chefs. Not up to season 6, that's unreasonable, but more. These contestants are certainly competent and some may even be excellent. I'm rooting for them, I want them to shine. So far, they have not. Here's hoping.

[gilmore]

KinderJ - Lump crab?? Take two shots!!

[timothy]

"Also, "complex" should better read as "soul". That guy had soul. As dach exposits above, re: Arnold. It's been noticeable only by its absence. Again, not complaining. It's why I called Season 1 semi-mythical (in a TV sense, of course)."--bryanD

I hear you. I think there's something that happens on the first seasons of better-than-average reality shows. The participants are not being compared to previous seasons' participants; they are being compared to actual chefs, actual singers, actual designers, actual real housewives. This gives them a kind of naive hopefulness that they may break out of whatever lives they have, into their version of a dream-life. I would suggest this is what we saw in TC season one with Dave. What you call complexity and soul arises from his conviction that if he does well enough in this macaroni and cheese challenge, he will achieve something he doesn't yet have or become something that he isn't yet. As the seasons pile on, however, the participants and the viewers realize that what the contestants will achieve, at best, is success at a reality tv show. They (and we) start comparing everyone to other contestants on other shows, not to actual success stories from real life. Dave, in season one, was the guy who might alter his life and become a world class cook. Arnold, in season seven, was the guy who fills the gay guy slot on a reality show and kind of reminds us, faintly, of that soulful guy, Dave, from season 1. I guess what I am saying is that in season one, the reference point is to reality, and in season 7, the reference point is to reality tv.

[Polybus]

I still find something endearing about Season One. Part of it was the newness and wondering what the challenges would be, part of it was the drama with Tiffany, but the capper was that Harold seemed like a really decent person and a creative chef, so it was very apt that he won.

Season Four is my other favorite season, mostly because of the personalities and the fact that you never knew what Blais was going to come up with. Whether he crashed and burned or created something so unusual that even the other chefs were startled by it, he was lots of fun to watch. No one has surprised me more in any season. I also really liked Stephanie and Antonia (and their cooking), but Spike and Andrew really lent the season a wacky feel.

Other than that, I could praise excellent chefs from other seasons (Stefan, Marcel, Fabio, etc.) or personalities that I really liked (such as Kevin and Bryan from last season) or cite some drama that was interesting (the whole Marcel head-shaving incident), but I think to have a whole season that is enjoyable, you have to have the right mix of personalities, talent, interesting challenges, great guest judges and perhaps a little drama in the mix as well.

For me, I'd put this season so far right in the middle. It might have room to grow and get better, but I don't think it's the worst by any stretch, nor do I think it will it be among the best. So far, no one has pushed the envelope far enough.

[Luray]

I re-watched the episode and it seems to me that Angelo is trying to be funny, but not quite making it. Sort of the way Mike I last season would say things and sound like a jerk, but he had a smirk you could almost see and realize he doesn't fully mean what he's saying, but thinks it's funny.
Of course, I could be wrong and it may be hopeful thinking that someone wouldn't really be that bold and talk about having crabs. I took it as a joke. Though he does call everything sexy, so there may be something icky there.