Top Chef - S7E11 Postmortem

Episode 11! With a higher FPM* rating than any other episode this season!

"I want to make a statement, so I'm going to make tuna tartare."

*smack*

"...because of all of those choices, chicken is the least interesting. Why would you come to a ballgame and order chicken?"

*slap*

"The Nationals' park is amazing. It's a beautiful park."

*ow* (with apologies to D.C. residents)

There were more. I lost count. The first was the worst, though. Am I the only one who started laughing when Amanda said she was going to make a statement by doing one of the singlemost overdone dishes of the past two decades? Apparently the statement was, "Send me home."

Aaaaaand, now I feel bad, because I think Amanda has a lot of talent and just needs some seasoning. Clearly, however, it was her time to go.

Ed's starting to roll. The Tiffany trajectory, four episodes later (well, three, apparently).

In any case, it's a total toss-up. Top to bottom, 1-5, however it falls... this entire crowd is well into the "whoever happens to have the best day" portion of the competition.

Discuss!

* - Facepalms Per Minute

Comments

[Eva]

Well, I'm not disappointed with that result. I think she had it coming for awhile now. Surprising to see how bad Angelo's dish turned out but maybe they gave him a pass for expediting.

[Kirs]

I kinda felt bad for Angelo- Kevin was being an ass. And Tiffany was actively trying to throw him under the bus (gah, I hate that cliche, but is there a better way to say it?)

Angelo was right to be concerned that someone would try to sabotage his dish if he spent the entire time out front. He didn't handle it very gracefully, but Kevin's reaction was just plain over the top.

Definitely Amanda's time, but I also would have been happy to see Kevin go home with his less than appetizing chicken skewer.

[Joe S]

Am I the only person who eats a skewer from the side (EG not sticking it down my throat)?

[nomnomnom]

I think this was a past performance death. These dishes tasted blind and Amanda is safe. They have really been hammering repeat bottom of judges table chefs this year.

Another solid week for Tiffany and Ed and subpar performance for Angelo and Kelly. Eventually Dom will come around on this if it takes all season.

Previews clears up the challenge such that the freeze-dried thing must be a QF which is a relief. Looks like standard single plate challenge. Just one chef has not won a solo single plate EC at this point. That's Kelly. I think only Kevin in this crew has not won 2 by now.

[Steve F.]

Tom made it sound on his blog that Angelo came in third.

[dach]

So fast. Nearly down to final 4.

I was hoping Kevin was gone. He's really turned into a nasty, bitter, self-centered thing since Kenny's ouster.

Poor Amanda... if she had only cut her tuna to strips at the park she'd be safe. She once again hit the mark on her flavors. Her problem all along has been she's shaky with her proteins, and so it was, her lack of confidence in working with tuna tartar that pykag her. I'm not sure if Angelo could of saved her, or even if he should have at this late stage. He might not have known exactly what she was doing, or that she wasn't going to add oil, and it was too late by the time they got to the park.

I think the show will really help Amanda career, and hopefully boosts her confidence to set her sights higher in her craft. Maybe get her to a top kitchen or set her on path to becoming an executive chef.

I don't know about other watchers, but I'm liking Angelo much more as they show his quirks and insecurity, stress management methods, dealing with his single minded quest to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a master chef. He made himself a shrine with photos of master chefs.

1) Tiffany
2) Ed (hate to put him above Angelo... but it is more Angelo rapid dive, and Ed seeming hitting sweet spot of JT palate )
3) Angelo
4) Kelly
5) Kevin

[zsparks]

Am I the only person who eats a skewer from the side (EG not sticking it down my throat)?

Joe S - No! It's not a popsicle! This is actually one of our family mottos, which I guess means people are more likely to eat it in popsicle position than I'd prefer.

I don't know, once you're eating off a stick, presumably Emily Post isn't regulating you....

[Skillet Doux]

Before I go any further, I would like to note for the record that you started this, Nom!

(And please read all of this not as combative, but playfully feisty... don't wish to give the wrong impression :-)

I see you calling me out! Is the suggestion that I'm missing the obvious evidence that Tiffany and Ed are both stronger than Angelo and Kelly? Because at least in New York, the respective reviews of Angelo's and Ed's places would certainly suggest otherwise, and not by a narrow margin, regardless of whatever miniscule statistical subset you can segregate to make the case. And isn't refusing to recognize Kelly's taco as a solo dish because it happened to reside on a tray with other items awfully hypertechnical?

Yes, it's the Tiffany and Ed show *now* (the past four episodes), but should that be weighed SO much more heavily than the first two-thirds of the season so far when they were practically non-entities? When folks get hot, I try to give them a little time to ensure it isn't just a flash in the pan before sending them rocketing up to the top. Tiffany did and she leapfrogged both of them, and now that Ed's strung together a little success I'm sure he'll gain some ground, too (haven't decided how much yet).

I'll come around even if it takes all season? You make it sound like I'm ignoring some mountain of evidence. Up to episode eight, Tiffany and Ed had one (1) win. Between the two of them. QF and EC combined. And at that point, I still had them at 6 and 7 because despite the lack of wins, they had made some good food and I thought they looked like they could start meeting with some success. Is it so crazy to ask, when they finally do, that they sustain that success for a couple of episodes before moving them significantly?

[timothy]

I like it when Skillet Doux gets assertive. The logic is always hard to beat and the writing is tough. That said, it is awfully interesting now. If there is a good Kevin and bad Kevin, there are surely dueling versions of Angelo, Kelly, Ed, and to a lesser extent, Tiffany as well. From here on out, a lot has to do with the challenges, I think. As for skewer eating technique, if one eats from the end, one can take the meat off whole, but if you eat from the side, there are little chewed pieces of meat on the stick which is kinda gross. But I did think it was funny that Ripert would not let the length of the skewer go. It bothered him. Lastly, I agree that as a television character, Angelo gets more likable as he gets less focused on his self-proclaimed sexiness and more revealing about his insecurity. I think I want him to win now.

[pls]

I had no idea people DIDN'T eat skewers from the side. Now I'm going to feel pretty self conscious next time I'm at a street fair.

[Skillet Doux]

"As for skewer eating technique, if one eats from the end, one can take the meat off whole, but if you eat from the side, there are little chewed pieces of meat on the stick which is kinda gross."

No, no, no... it's all about the bite-and-slide technique. You grab a chunk of meat with your teeth from the side so you don't gag on a pointy stick, extend your arm to slide it off the end, then consume while leaving a perfectly presentable half-eaten skewer.

I'd make some joke about this not being rocket science, but I suspect we'll be getting our fill of that next week.

[Daniel]

a) Arguments, even internet arguments can be fun from all vantage points - it's all in the tone ;).

b) I know I'm really sounding like a broken record here, but I'm just starting to get really disgusted with all the character editing. I'm just thanking god they are giving Tiffany the 'down to earth' edit vs. the 'sassy' edit, because if I have to watch one more 'sassy' black woman on TV, I'm going to commit cable seppuku.

I ultimately don't want to care that Kevin is a jerk, or that Angelo is strange, what drugs Amanda did, what an alpha male Kenny is, or whether how strongly Ed can whine. But I'm not completely made of stone, and when they put this crap on, I find it very difficult not to react. In the adjusted words of a contestant whom I also did not like, this is 'Top Chef,' not 'Top Personality,' and I really, really, really wish they'd just focus more on the food.

c) The Contestants:

Angelo: Continues his downward spiral...I had a bad feeling as soon as I saw him looking over the store-buns. The only option like that I could see working would be a New England style potato bun, and they are almost impossible to get in DC, and definitely not at Whole Foods. I really do hope he finds his mojo again. With it, I see him winning. Without it, he's the next to go.

Amanda: Definitely had worn out her welcome, but I do think she has an relevant understanding of where she is. In this episode, she labeled herself a sous-chef, not a chef, and I think that's fair. I am sure that in a few years, she'll get the experience she needs to make that leap.

Tiffany: One the one hand, I am getting a little bogged down in stew-like dish after stew-like dish that she puts out. She also seems to have an aesthetic based more around comfort food than I'd necessarily like to see from the current front-runner. That being said, this competition isn't about sophistication per se, but about execution and the ability to handle pressure. She continues to excel on both fronts.

Boy does she detest Angelo...I can't really figure out why. Considering that he made all their lives much easier this episode, and was under zero onus to do it, I was surprised she felt it necessary to diminish that at judge's table.

Ed: He whines, he's dour, but he has also gained a ton of steam as the competition has progressed. And though he might have unpleasant comments, unpleasant feelings, and an almost constantly unpleasant expression, he appears to be extremely pleasant to work with.

Kevin: Petulance is overcome quickly by a good dish. Lack of a good dish makes it stand out.

[Duffy]

Yawn.
(1)--
(2)--
(3)tie:Tiffany, Kelly, Angelo, Kevin and Ed
(4)--
(5)--

[Bart]

Does anyone else like to cook something special while watching Top Chef? Sort of a "I'm going to watch a cooking show; therefore, I cook!" thing?

Also - theory: Top Chef was pushed back to a later slot because Fox's Masterchef runs until 10 on Wednesdays now.

Bart's episode recap:

-Ed wakes up in Tiffany's dress-

Ed: It pleases me to no end that my masculine, hairy chest is where Tiffany's ample bosom once rested. *lecherous grin*

Tiffany: ED IS CREEPY LOL

Angelo: I like to sit in the dark with pictures of my favorite chefs like Cat Cora and Julia Child. And then when I'm done "praying" I make a foam from my seed to adorn my shrimp ceviche and devour it as an offering to the culinary gods. *lecherous grin*

Amanda: ANGELO IS CREEPY LOL

-Quickfire-

Padma: The Big Kahuna hit the nail on the head when he cuts the cheese.

Cheftestants: wtf dude

Kelly: I'm very good at hiding the sausage *lecherous grin*

-Elimination challenge-

Cheftestants: Uh, who's gonna take orders?

Angelo: I will.

-5 minutes later-

Angelo: Hey guys, when I said 'I will' I meant 'I won't'

Kevin: *long, indecipherable rant about tickets and how he does this HIS way in his restaurant and something or other I got bored so I stopped listening*

Kelly: KEVIN IS SCREAM-Y LOL

Amanda: Those baseball players are so big! *lecherous grin*

-Interlude-

Angelo: When I win I am going to use my money to make the final payment on my Russian mail order bride. Who says you can't find true love? I found her in the fall 2007 edition of Russian Bride Quarterly on the bottom corner of page 47. *lecherous grin*

-Judge's Table-

Rick Moonen: Ed, you won! You get a book!

Ed: Uh, that's all right. Thanks, but no thanks. Why don't you hang on to it, sport.

Padma: And a trip to Australia!

Ed: Yeah, whatever, I guess.

Padma: Amanda, please pack your knives and go.

Amanda: Thank you all so much for this opp-

Padma (interrupting): You're welcome. Please leave.

Amanda: I will NEVER forget this AS LONG AS I LIVE

-70 years later, in a nursing home-

Amanda (after watching the re-run of this very episode): Ohh, too bad, I liked that young girl. I wonder where she is now. *lecherous grin*

[Danny]

As usual, you have to trust the editing. From what they showed and from the crowd reaction, Kevin's dish was disliked the most. And, as they presented it, there seemed to be a bottom 4 this time. Has there ever been another season where 4 out of the 6 chefs have made problematic dishes.

I feel bad for Angelo. Once he stopped winning he has slowly deflated. I was baffled that he made a dish that required him to use store-bought hot dog buns. The first chef is booted in large part for frozen dough. Last week Angelo hits the bottom with frozen dough. Given that I would that he would come up with a dish that didn't require the use of pre-made anything.

Tiffany and Ed continue to do great and Kevin continues to come off very poorly thanks to the Elves. I hope that the level of cooking improves next week. I can still only think of a few dishes they've cooked that I'd go out of my way to eat. Last season there was a long list of dishes I was craving to eat. Sigh.

[Dreamboat]

Am I the only person who would not have even tasted Amanda's dish? Brown tuna tartar? No way that would have passed my lips. It may be the tastiest tuna on the planet, but all I would be thinking about is spending the next 2 days heaving over the toilet.

[Danny]

Dreamboat, I definitely wrote too soon. Ripert spit it out for fear of getting sick. Tom and Ripert's blogs at the Bravo site are really worth reading.

[JJH2]

As a New Jersey native, I am just so bummed about Kevin. I never ate at Rat's, but I love Grounds For Sculpture, where it's located. I was hoping he'd be a great culinary representative, but he's just not producing and, at least according to his edit, he's just increasingly unpleasant and belligerent.

Although Ed showed some moments of levity this episode, he went right back to his dour complainy self. His complaints are usually the same - the cheftestants he doesn't like are sloppy and have no technique. I'm glad he won the EC challenge but eh... pardon me if I don't put too much stock in the stadium food EC when the winning dishes are so uninspired. Not that the winning dishes didn't look tasty, but upscale sausage meatballs and peppers and fried fritters... not that impressive.

Despite being at Loser's Table, I thought that Kelly's crabcake BLT was the least deserving of being there. The crabcake was good, but the bacon was too big? Seems like they were really struggling for criticisms. Although, if the tomato jam wasn't good, that's certainly fair.

Very happy that it looks like the freeze dried portion of the NASA challenge will be the Quickfire and not the EC. Maybe the episode will be tolerable after all. Despite my antipathy towards the next challenge, I am really excited for the finale. I think that any of the remaining cheftestants have the possibility to pull out an unexpected stunner.

[palvar]

Do you realize that Angelo almost went home for making an Asian sandwich. He owns an Asian sandwich shop (staffed by jerks, I might add).

[Anon Man]

Dom, the Nats Park is a thing of beauty, as long as you don't watch the play on the field. I'm not sure that's a FP (I mean, are they going to say, "I like this park better than RFK because the concourse doesn't smell like urine"?) But the "With Mac and Cheese, its go big or go home" was FP worthy.

I'm kind of sad to see Amanda go. We had given her a nickname ("Crack Wh*re") after her confession about her past life, but I thought it ironic that she who claimed cooking saved her from that got booted by Rick Moonen who claimed on TCM that cooking saved him from his ADD. Ah, well.

Two things bugged me about the episode: First, that someone had to expedite at the expense of their own food this late in the season was crazy. Remember when they were on the final ellimination a few seasons ago and TOM expedited? Plus this whole "coordinate" things was silly, as long as there weren't two crab cakes, who cares what theme they have? Another "I miss Leann" moment.

The second thing was a clearly recylced interview. I can't remember when exacrly, but there was a clear reuse of an interview, maybe Ed talking about Amanda, that I think was not only an old interview, but also, IIRC, the exact same quote from a previous episode. I'll have to watch again and find it, but it drove me nuts at the time.

[Skillet Doux]

"Dom, the Nats Park is a thing of beauty, as long as you don't watch the play on the field."

Not to get too far off on this tangent, but here we're going to have to agree to disagree. I went to a game there last spring, and while it has every modern amenity, I thought it was the most boring, sterile, institutional, grey, lifeless ballpark I've ever visited. I remember thinking at the time that I couldn't figure out how they could take a nice, modern design and somehow suck every last bit of character out of it (destroying their biggest selling point -- the view -- was not a small factor). I've been to Wrigley, Fenway, Dodger Stadium, Camden Yards, Kauffman Stadium, Petco, Turner Field and Miller Park, and Nationals Park was my least favorite by a wide margin.

Wait, I take that back... I watched one game, intentionally blocked from memory, in Sun Life Stadium. That has to be the most god-forsaken place to see a ballgame. But Nationals Park was a clear second-to-last for me.

Of course, if Kevin grew up in Jersey, that would mean he probably grew up going to either Shea or The Vet which, from what I hear, would pretty much explain it either way.

[dach]

Why did anyone have to expedite at all? It looked like they where not taking money. They could have all just served food buffet/caterer style. Everyone keeps stocking a space for their own food, just keeping enough portions back for the judges.

Watching extended JT it seems Angelo's sandwich problems had everything to do with his choice of bread absorbing too much sauce and transforming into an unappetizing soggy mess. Flavors were "slightly too sweet." I wonder if he could have made his own bread? I think his sandwich shop uses steamed white bread for sweet pork sandwiches. And Chinese restaurants often make their own steamed bread.

[Susan]

I remember listening to multiple things last night and thinking "huh?"
Kevin wanted to make "accessible" food in Washington, D.C., full of politicos. I don't see them as unable to order beyond chicken. I see them as probably a fairly sophisticated demographic.
Grey TUNA? UGH. I just don't know how that made sense and I have no issue with Angelo not saving her bacon. It was not a team challenge and if you ask for advice or don't ask for advice at this point it is still all your work either way...that was Amanda's death knell.
Kevin was a dick but I agreed with his point if he had stated it calmly. Angelo was Mr. Martyr, then realized he could get screwed and wanted to change the plan after he woke up and smelled the coffee.
Also, loved the comments by palvar and recap by Bart. Right on, both of you!

[Susan]

Re: Tiffany hating Angelo, I would guess IMO that is is because she seems like a pretty straight shooter, and from moment one Angelo was manipulating all over the place and could be believed to have taken out Tamesha, a person supposedly his friend. Tiffany likely is remembering all these things looking at him. Angelo knows exactly how he is playing the camera in his recaps.

[timothy]

"No, no, no... it's all about the bite-and-slide technique. You grab a chunk of meat with your teeth from the side so you don't gag on a pointy stick, extend your arm to slide it off the end, then consume while leaving a perfectly presentable half-eaten skewer."

Yeah, that's what I meant when I said "Take the meat off whole," but I am just not as good a describer as you. I just stand firmly against the stick nibbling technique.

Okay. This is starting to sound dirty, so I will stop.

[chrish]

It would have been hard for Angelo to make the bread, I think, if it was the kind of bun I think he had in mind (the kind sometimes used for peking duck; I think like the momofuku pork belly buns, although I have not had those personally). If they were made the day before (if he had time), I don't think they'd be that great the next day w/o being steamed, and I don't know if they had the ability to steam at the stadium (or if he would have known in advance he had the ability).

That said, the hot dog buns seemed a poor substitute, and he probably knew it (he expressed his reservations; I didn't try to figure out when the interview was done, not positive if he said it before or after). It seemed like he got too locked into a particular dish (is it one at his restaurant). He should have either figured out a better alternative bread or done a different dish.

I also think that Kelly is the most effective strategic person, and I don't mean that in a bad way. She thinks through what dishes work given the constraints of the challenge. She is assertive about making sure she is making the dish she wants to make in group settings. (The only time I thought she was less than fully strategic was agreeing to do front of house in restaurant wars.) I don't know whether Angelo tries to sabotage people, but he's a little too nutty to be fully strategic.

[TxGriff]

Re the Angelo hate, I agree that there were uncomfortable moments this episode (Kevin's tirade), but I don't think it was all unjustified. From what we can tell at JT, Angelo made it seem like he took on the role of expeditor without reservations. Clearly, that's not exactly what happened, and eventhough he did ultimately fulfill that role, he had second thoughts for awhile and tried to back track. So I don't think Tiffany was trying to "throw him under the bus" as much as she was just trying to set the record straight that he did fulfill that position, but not as selflessly as he was proclaiming at JT. I didn't really see a problem with it. And for the record, I have no problem with Angelo, and I would be disappointed if he got eliminated.

I think Tom's blog makes it pretty clear that Amanda had, by far, the worst dish of the day. From the editing, it seemed like Kevin was going home. And I think this is the most critical I have seen Eric all season long.

[Bill]

I think Amanda learned a lot from this competition, fought hard and for the most part stayed above the fray. She is definitely heading in the right direction.
Other than Angelo, the rest of the crowd doesn't seem that interesting to me. Meatball sandwich, chicken on a stick, popcorn shrimp, yawn.

[Polybus]

Boy, do I miss Lee Anne Wong.

At this point of the season, I expect smart challenges that really make the chefs use creativity and to shine with great dishes. I thought that the CIA challenge was pretty good from that standpoint and the chefs simply failed. But this challenge - at this point in the season - is a major disappointment and I'm afraid that next week may bomb, too. Earlier in the season, a challenge like this would have been okay. I tend to agree with most posters that we have a fairly weak group of chefs, but straight up the challenges have really not allowed them to shine, the editing has taken on a sense of desperation and even the judging seems down this year. It used to be when the cheftestants produced boring or uninspiring fare, Tom stepped up, berated them and challenged them and that alone helped to improve the quality. I'm rather shocked that we didn't see that from him early on this season.

I'm still not convinced it's the worst season (yet) and I'm still hopeful that somehow everyone can pull it out. But I am disappointed - and especially with the level of challenges.

[chrish]

Ripert's video is hilarious for his dislike of the skewer and Amanda's tuna. It sounds like they had to force him to put it in his mouth.

[Anon Man]

"I've been to Wrigley, Fenway, Dodger Stadium, Camden Yards, Kauffman Stadium, Petco, Turner Field and Miller Park, and Nationals Park was my least favorite by a wide margin."

I prefer old parks, personally, and have been to all of those, plus about 15 others. I'm not a super big fan of the Camden/Jacobs moden ones, but I do think that the Nats one is clean and nicely sunk so that you can walk right in off the street. I don't mind the sterile nature of the place, to me its more honest than "let's make it look old" approach of places like Camden or ATT/SBC.

[Skillet Doux]

Bill... those weren't popcorn shrimp. They were arancini with shrimp and corn, which I thought was a nice angle.

[dach]

@nomX3

"Previews clears up the challenge such that the freeze-dried thing must be a QF which is a relief. Looks like standard single plate challenge."

That's not what I see. I see wine ju/sauce QF. Followed by visit NASA to make either space MRE or toothpaste gourmet food, conforming to NASA food science standards.

[Bart]

Bill - That sandwich Tiffany made was actually really appealing to me. There's one or two recipes every season that stand out as particularly exceptional that I actually want to try and recreate. Fabio's roast chicken comes to mind, as does Blais's banana scallops.

[Ranhorn]

I don't think not liking to eat meat off a stick is a legitimate criticism. Really disapointed in Ripert for that.

[Kyle]

I agree with TxGriff, it seemed more like Tiffany was saying that Angelo wasn't as selfless as he was making it sound rather than trying to throw him under a bus.

[Steve F.]

Frankly, I think the question of who goes next, factoring in Ed and Tiffany's trajectories, is down to Kevin and Kelly. They've had some bright moments lately, but also produced some flawed food. Mainly Kelly, but Kevin's bad run still cannot be ignored. Angelo slipped but edged back up to better food this week, not enough to avoid the bottom unfortunately. I can only assume that Angelo will fight harder to get back up to the level he is used to performing. So that makes Kevin and Kelly the prime candidates for missing the finals. The deciding factor is freeze-dried astronaut food? Awful!

[nomnomnom]

dach,:I think the chefs are cooking single plate food not in the home kitchen so this definitely implies that the QF will be freeze dried. You see Kelly plating what appears to be likely a black bass on a Tang colored sauce with microgreens on top.

It's entirely possible she had to cook with Tang. That was going to a table. The QF must be the freeze-dried thing they talked about in the season media cut.

To Dom: I was always in the Ed camp early in the season. I thought all along he was a sleeper and this was well before his NYT review came out. Now his NYT review is out and it's easy to poke holes at the guy, but it's somewhat unfair to use that against me at this point.

Ed had a solid resume, good experience, cooks in new york. He had a run of solid dishes early, had a few lumps, but shined in the single plate elements. Just like Tiffany. Both of these in my eyes played it just safe enough to last, but held back their big guns. I think Angelo on the other hand has played his best hand and I said as much 3-4 weeks ago. And I was hardly the only one carrying the Ed banner.

You can point to the records of the chefs in this and that, but I try to be forward looking. Performances in the first 6-7 episodes now (save E1) can be thrown out. I've never exactly been able to tell if you are just taking an integration of the current season or trying to pick a winner on a weekly basis. If it's the former then fine, holding Ed back was reasonable up until next week.

I just don't know how Bourdain is going to view this field. I have to think he's not going to respond well to Kelly at all. It sort of depends on the nature of the challenge. If they really are passing out space ingredients like Tang then the knife draw is going to play a huge role.

[gdis]

I agree that Tiffany wanted to set the record straight. However, I would have liked to see Angelo then point out the reason he tried to back out was that NO ONE stepped up immediately to help him out, and then eventually Ed did. If Ed hadn't done that, could Angelo expedite? No - and you wouldn't be able to blame Angelo for backing out if no one is willing to help him with his food. It would then be on the other 5 chefs for not being team players. Although, Ed's dish seemed to also need the least amount of set up at the stadium.

Tom's blog has been great; it's added a lot of clarity to the editing and it seems to be they've had a lot of easy decisions this season. After reading it, I haven't been upset with any of the eliminations yet. Ok, not true - I think Arnold would have been interesting to have around.

It's just unfortunate because anything michael/brian/kevin put out last season I would have killed to try; this season there are very few things.

[rab01]

I can't say I really enjoy Ed as a TV character -- his interviews are uncomfortable (did he need to recycle the same insult on Amanda that he used on Alex?) and he always look like he's just been woken after nodding out on the couch watching a ballgame and drinking a six-pack -- but he deserves mad props for this episode.

He won the QF and won the EC by cooking a dish that stunned Rick Moonen while also plating Angelo's dish. That takes skills.

[Bill]

Dom: I stand corrected on the popcorn shrimp.
Bart: I love a meatball sandwich as much as the next person.
The point I failed to make was that there didn't seem to be a lot of thought put into this challenge. Granted, the conditions made it difficult and the fact that they didn't know exactly what the set up was going to be made it even more difficult. So the smart thing to do was exactly what most of them did; easily adaptable crowd favorites.
They did it well, they move on. I just thought it made for rather dull television.

[Skillet Doux]

"Now his NYT review is out and it's easy to poke holes at the guy, but it's somewhat unfair to use that against me at this point. Ed had a solid resume, good experience, cooks in new york. He had a run of solid dishes early, had a few lumps, but shined in the single plate elements."

Hey, I put him in first place in the preseason rankings, remember? :-) In any case, I'm not trying to slam Ed or take a shot at you. I'm just saying I think the implication that I've been dragging my feet on him is kind of unfair. You speak of Ed and Tiffany as though I've been missing the boat on them all season. My point is simply that it's never that obvious. (Unless it's season six :-)

"You can point to the records of the chefs in this and that, but I try to be forward looking."

Wait, what? This was exactly my point when you brought up Kelly's record in your previous comment! You can't hyperanalyze the stats and then take a shot at me for responding to you with the same! :-)

"I've never exactly been able to tell if you are just taking an integration of the current season or trying to pick a winner on a weekly basis. If it's the former then fine, holding Ed back was reasonable up until next week."

Right up at the top of every single edition of the rankings, man!

[Lou]

From Eric Ripert's blog it seems the chicken on the skewer was not in chunks like a kabob but a strip - like a satay, so eating from the side and sliding it off was not really an option.

From the last few episodes I surprised that the others feel Angelo is still the threat he was at first and are so against him. Only Ed seems to have the self confidence to not be intimidated by the others. Kevin is just too petulant. Tiffany has now had enough success to let the bitter side show. Kelly is just uninspired/ing.

I agree with gdis that last season the chefs put out some really interesting food and I wanted to try a lot of it - now the personalities are getting in the way of the food. This season the reality show element has superseded the food and that disappoints me.

Kevin should go, not because of bad food - they are all pretty equal, but he has become the most irritating - imho.

[JJ]

Well, for what it's worth, I agree with Kirs. Maybe it was in the editing, but I didn't understand Tiffany's point. Yes, Angelo had second thoughts about expediting service once they reached the venue. Why shouldn't he? But the truth is (1) he did agree to stay in the role and (2) he did a good job keeping the service organized and running smoothly. I could see her saying, "well, he did have second thoughts and had to be coerced into staying, BUT I have to admit he did a good job once the service started and I appreciate his efforts for the team." Instead she simply sounded as though she wanted to undercut any credit he might have been given by the judges for taking on this thankless task, and that wasn't cool. I'm a little bit tired too of everyone kvetching about how Angelo is only in it for himself when none of the other contestants was willing to focus on anything but their own food.

I also agree with Kirs about Kevin. Just a total ass. Wouldn't have minded him being eliminated this time around. (Could anything have been a bigger yawn than chicken skewers?) Having said that, there seems little doubt that the five most talented chefs remain, so I can't complain too much.

[TxGriff]

I'm not disagreeing that Angelo was justified in being concerned with expediting and not taking care of his own dish. However, I really don't think what Tiffany said at JT was all that bad. She wasn't trying to undercut him, I think she reacted to his implication that he would take the expeditor role as "sure no problem" (his words) because that's not really what happened. Tiffany said something to the effect of yes, he volunteered for the role but there was "an event" that made him reconsider, then let him explain the conditions and why he had second thoughts. I don't really see any undermining there, I see it as ensuring that the judges have full disclosure about the situation. All of the contestants have said that Tiffany is very blunt and honest, so I think she would have reacted the same to any contestant, not just Angelo. This is all speculative of course, but as a faithful viewer since season 1 I have seen a lot of pettiness and "bus throwing" and I don't think that's what was going on here.

[nomnomnom]

Wait, so Angelo really got a mail order bride? I thought that was a joke.

I see what you are saying Dom, but I think the editing this year has been borderline Communist. Heck, last night even they masked the fact that Amanda's dish had to be force fed to ripert in the edit, and right to the last second it appeared she might actually be safe. Nope. They did the same thing with Kenny a few weeks back as well, and the blogs were equally as searing towards him.

This has been one of those seasons where the Elves have had to do some serious work to make it watchable for many reasons. Ed/Tiffany have been solid cooks, but not reality TV stars so the edits have been real soft on them. It is always so hard to project the winner because of the time gap between regular season and finals. It really ruined stefan. Tiffany got married in the middle of it all this time. I can't think this helps.

Put a gun to my head and I take Ed to win it all, but Tiffany has "won" the regular season at this point in my mind regardless of what happens next week.

[Skillet Doux]

"I see what you are saying Dom, but I think the editing this year has been borderline Communist. Heck, last night even they masked the fact that Amanda's dish had to be force fed to ripert in the edit, and right to the last second it appeared she might actually be safe. Nope."

Agreed, but that's hardly a new phenomenon. Editing such that the bottom finishers seem to be on equal footing so as to preserve suspense has been SOP... well... maybe not always, my memory isn't that good, but certainly for a long time.

[Bart]

nomnomnom: re: Angelo's mail-order bride... if you're referring to my earlier recap, then no, it was a joke... all in good fun.

That is, unless Angelo's reading this and wants to murder me and then cook and eat me.

[rab01]

"It is always so hard to project the winner because of the time gap between regular season and finals. It really ruined stefan. Tiffany got married in the middle of it all this time. I can't think this helps."

You are so right. As viewers we can't predict how a person will respond to the hiatus between season and finale. Personally, I think that Kevin's break-up played a huge role in his performance in the finals. It is really almost two completely separate competitions.

With "the regular season" almost over, an outstanding finale could still redeem this season for me. Every year, my favorite episode is the penultimate finale, where the four finalists become three (or 3 become 2) and then I am let down by the "cook the meal of your life" final because almost always someone simply messes up (e.g., Casey, Stefan, Kevin, Blais, Marcel). If all the finalists cook their best in the final episode, I'll remember this season fondly.

[Danny]

The more I think about Ripert's video at Bravo the more it alarms me. Ripert refused to swallow the tuna because he thought that it might make him gravely ill. Surely he expressed his concern in some way other than just spitting it out. This means that Production allowed a potentially dangerous dish to be served to a 100+ people. What if Ripert had been right? Imagine the liability issues not to mention headline stories in the press and internet "Top Chef dish sends 100 people to a hosipital". If they knew that there was potential danger in eating Amanda's dish, I think that it was irresponsible for them to allow it to be served to an unsuspecting public. Don't mean to sound like a fussbudget but it reallly does bother me.

[Skillet Doux]

Danny... the suggestion from both Ripert and Colicchio seems to be that oxidized tuna can be an indication of toxicity, but that it isn't necessarily. In other words, the oxidization itself isn't necessarily an issue, but it's often an indication of freshness -- one that was accelerated both by grinding it and doing so the day before. Production knew it was fresh when she obtained it and had been stored cold from purchase to service, so they knew it wasn't an issue even if the rapid oxidation gave another impression.

To say I'm fuzzy on the finer points here would be an understatement, but that's how I understood it based on their comments.

[Anon Man]

Dom and Dan,

That's how I read that reaction too. Eric isn't going to going get himself sent to DC General because of trying to do a tartare in an open air stadium kitchen.

The one thing that bothers me about the pre-cutting is that she asked Angelo, and Angelo said go for it without mentioning before hand that it would oxidize and how to prevent it. I know its a game, but its like giving someone directions to some place without telling them about the big sink hole in the way.

[Skillet Doux]

Anon Man... the only benefit of the doubt I'd like to give him is that we don't know when or under what circumstances he learned she didn't intend to oil it. He could have reasonably assumed she'd know to do so.

[ally]

Maybe I am naive, but I don't understand why people still think Angelo is a huge d-bag. Even Eric Ripert seems to think Angelo led Amanda astray, when he gave her some tips on how to process her tuna *when she asked him*. So then he was supposed to tell her how to do everything else and preserve it properly? If she was going down a wrong path, why didn't the other cheftestants help her out? Oh yeah, its because they are, for the most part, selfish, whiney, judgemental, and fully aware that they aren't good enough to shine through even in this non-stellar cast.

[dach]

Amanda asked Angelo a basic question about feasibility of grinding tuna into tartar, he answered it in the affirmative. Not answering it would be rude. Giving her incorrect instructions, which he did not do, would be unethical. He told her it was OK to step forward, he did not hold her hand to the finish line. But Angelo is not her teacher nor her daddy; especially in context of the lateness of the competition, he is one of her competitors, and the state of Angelo own shaky confidence.

And Angelo has said he thinks quite highly of Amanda, maybe one of the reasons she asked him for advice, but also a reason he'd be reluctant to give her the complete solution. If Angelo had given her complete lesson in preping and storing tuna tartar, and it eliminated someone else, or even Angelo himself, I think it would be quite awkward or ugly, with regrets or a repeat of accusation and recriminations of Amanda not deserving it, and Angelo being either a crazy idiot wierdo, or conspiring to help Amanda in order to eliminate a stronger competitor.

[Polybus]

Angelo, the devious game player, if he really exists, is a little like Spike. Except that Spike didn't use inuendo - in fact, Spike was quite transparent in showing his motives. He was so upfront about it that you had to laugh. Whereas, Angelo seems a little unsure of himself - almost as if he feels he should be playing the game, but unable to give himself fully to it. Tiffany has the best advice in that if you seek Angelo's counsel, you do so at your own risk.

I must admit that I started liking Amanda the last few epdisodes. She showed a goofy sense of humor that was appealing. She may have been in over her head, but I had the feeling that she really enjoyed going so deep in the competition and that was good to see.

I'm a little surprised at some of the animosity toward Kevin. He hasn't really bothered me much. This season, it's like the Elves are really trying hard to get a villain edit and utterly failing. They went that way with Alex and - aside from his cooking and expediting failures - he turned out to be kind of likeable. They tried hard to turn everyone against Kenny, but I don't think any of us outright hated him (and let's face it, he was a "beast" at prep). They've given us unlikeable edits of Kelly, Tiffany, Angelo and Ed, at various times, and honestly I don't feel antipathy toward them at all.

What do you do when you have a cast of chefs who are really neither lovable nor villianous? When those chefs are mostly just plain people, with no bizarre or driving personalities? When they have some skill, but no major pop? You edit, edit, edit.

Maybe that's why we are somewhat disappointed in this season. There's no real pop - and the Elves are failing at trying to create some. There haven't been any challeges that really made me sit up and say "Wow! I never would have thought of that!" There haven't been any dishes really that made me want to fly somewhere to try them.

Maybe it does go back to the casting - maybe they tried hard to create parity and that success backfired on them.

Whatever the reason, if I were a producer, I'd find someone who could put together an interesting cast for next year and I'd hire a pro to design challenges that are appropriate to the episode (think Lee Anne) and I'd shovel money at Ted Allen or someone with his kind of personality to round out the judging.

I await bedazzlement.

[garik16]

So the finale is in Singapore! Well that ought to be interesting. (Why was there the rumor that the finale was going to be in Montreal again?)

[Steve F.]

Check out TV Guide...Amanda vouches for Alex's pea puree...she said she saw him make it right next to her.

[bryanD]

Good: the second half of this week's TC was decent.

Bad: the first half was overlayed with a new-style electric string band soundtrack notable for rapid staccato bass lines and furious trap set drumming that grossly interfered with the speech patterns of the cheftestants during "quiet" parts. I had to rewind 3 times to hear what Boss Kelly was Puttin' Down during that planning session.
Presto agitato at forte fortissimo is no way to "color" important plot developments. (I only THOUGHT the mock-chinese opera setting to the Alex-stew room scene was the absolute pits.)

Bad: who buys "hot dog buns" for a competition? Angelo is starting to remind me of Ben Stiller in There's Something About Mary regarding his forthcoming conjugals. That has to be it.

Good: Amanda went home for serving the world's most tired TC offering.

Bad: Tiffany is a snitch. Or is that Good? I think a freak show this season might help next season's culinary contest prospects...wait! No it won't! Tiffany Bad.

[foodiewannabe]

I am glad Amanda is gone - for no other reason that all the kvetching about her still being around will be gone. One hopes. She was annoying but I thought she had some creative spark, albeit low on experience. Being somewhat geriatric, I did appreciate when she spoke (yes,some silly stuff uttered)they were sentences. She aint no dummy; hope she gets some good opportunities out of this.
Out of the remaining crew; hope Angelo, Ed and Tiffany make the finale. Dont want to have a beer with any of them but am more than ready to say bye to Kelly and Kevin.
Tiffany is the most merchandisable potential for Bravo (ka-ching, ka-ching).
Never would have of Singapore as finale location. Now that's the first surprise I have had all season. Hope Bravo gives the finalists a thorough heads up on the draconian laws or keep them locked up in a hotel for a week. Don't want to litter in Singapore.

[paula]

The editing this season is definitely worse than in previous years. Not only is it choppy, clumsy and confusing (especially in the first half third of the season), but it's flat-out deceitful. That takes all the fun out of it as a viewer if you can't tease out the truth! They didn't air a single criticism of the taste of Amanda's dish.

Man, Angelo is one weird dude. I no longer think he's the devil, but I'm still a little scared of him. And yet, I still want him to get to the finals.

Kevin: What a petulant little bitch about Angelo. "No trade-backs! You said you'd do it so LALALALALALA I can't hear youuuuu!" And Ed, you need some new adjectives. If we all did a shot every time he said "cool," none of us would be capable of posting here for 3 days.

[nomnomnom]

The reason everyone has been saying finale is in montreal is the shot in the opening sequence which clearly shows Montreal.

Where did you see Singapore for the finale garik?

[nomnomnom]

Well the singapore thing is real.

Episode Synopsis: The heat's on in Part 1 of the two-part Season 7 finale when the remaining chefs square off in the penultimate culinary challenge in Singapore

[gdis]

I'm going to compare this season to last season again (an unfair comparison, but I think it helps explain the editing). Last season there were really only two controversial dramas: Robin vs everybody and Mike I. The Robin thing played out and that was that. Most of the chefs respected Mike I and that was that. The top 4 (top 5 if you include Eli) either had no personality and were there to kick ass (the Volt brothers) or had personality, were mature/nice people and were there to win (Kevin and Jen). You can show Mike and Bryan yelling at each other, but they were kicking ass and were leaders (also willing to take the fall the few times they screwed up).

Now this season: the food is boring to the point where a meatball sub is exciting and poppers (which did sound delicious) are the hands down winners (when you read Tom's blog). At the same time, the personalities are not boring just annoying. Kevin is an ass; Kelly can be bitchy until she gets her way; Ed comes off as a dope but does step it up; Amanda is inexperienced but an a generally nice person; and Angelo is, well, Angelo. At this point the only thing that is keeping the show interesting is the personalities. Which pisses me off because I really really want to just focus on the cooking. But since that's hard to do this season, the Angelo story arc is probably the most interesting one in Top Chef history. He's devious and then he's not - only helpful. He's confident and then he's having a nervous break down. He's got a mail order bride? That's what he's using the 100k for?

[gdis]

Also, is Bourdain next episode? I'd really like to see him more often. He can have the a**hole comments that some of the critics have but he's spot on and knows how to judge food like Tom. Really interested to hear his take on some of the foods. Angelo's in for a tough ride if he does Asian, but I suspect Bourdain will like his food if he goes back to the beginning of the season talents. I think good Ed will be well received but agree with earlier mentions that he won't like Kelly's. Also, I like the Bourdan/Ripert dynamic. Both are very different but both highly respect each other and are good friends. The No Reservations when they cooked together at Les Halles was pretty entertaining. Bourdain has stated many times how much he respects and admires Ripert.

[bryanD]

"Not only is it choppy, clumsy and confusing (especially in the first half third of the season), but it's flat-out deceitful."---paula

Amen and amen. Interns amok. Somebody's shtupping somebody backstage in Production!

"Now this season: the food is boring to the point where a meatball sub is exciting and poppers..."---gdis

Never underestimate grilled bell peppers and ground meat together. Never. Tiffany, was being very smart. I would have added grilled onions w/ the peppers BTW. Unbeatable combo w/ ground beef.

"Also, is Bourdain next episode? I'd really like to see him more often."---gdis

Bourdain is a breath of fresh air when he judges TC. Hopefully, he will be a Second Wind (runner's parlance).
He has the best food show on teevee. Except when he visits "sad" places (Cambodia, the Bushmen of the Kalihari). He's not good at soliloquies.

BTW, I was all set to buy his (B's) new book, but flipping through it at the bookstore I noticed there weren't very many words in it to justify $18.
So I put a "hold" in at the library. I was told to expect a notification...in February 2011.
Everybody loves Bourdain.

[paula]

No one's mentioned my favorite laugh-out-loud moment of the show: Angelo blathering on and on during the QF judging about the ancient Chinese battering technique (or whatever) he wanted to do, then ending with: "So instead I used corn starch and water." How did that not make your facepalm count, Dom?!

[Skillet Doux]

"How did that not make your facepalm count, Dom?!"

Unfortunate oversight... definitely one of the best :-)

[Jake]

Just a few thoughts on this since I watched last night, and I seem to have different experiences than most of the other commenters here:

-I don't think Angelo is particularly devious, and I don't think he remotely sabotaged Amanda. She asked him a question, and he answered it (somewhat helpfully, even). If he'd tried to walk her through all of the steps for making a tuna tartare, it would have been condescending. Given that she planned to make her tartare ahead of time, isn't it safe to assume that she knows how that will affect the tartare and how to handle that?

-Also, it seems to me like most of the others trash Amanda and her skills in their interviews, and Angelo consistently praises her. I think he's actually one of the more positive, supportive people in this particular group.

-I don't think Ed's particularly mean or negative anymore, now that we've heard a lot of his banter with the others in the kitchen. It all seems good-natured and received as such.

-I don't think Kevin is particularly rude or aggressive. He's a little feisty, and he's under stress (as they all are). It seems like they're playing this up, but I deal with far more obnoxious people every day, and it's fine. Disclaimer: I'm from Jersey too (although I don't think anyone would describe my personality as hotheaded at all).

-I didn't think Kevin was going home, and I didn't think his chicken sounded bad. Their main complaint was that it was hard to eat, and that's usually not enough to send someone home unless everyone else is spot-on (which they weren't). Of course, I was pretty sure Amanda was gone as soon as I heard "tuna tartare" so maybe my mind was made up already.

-That said, I thought most of the other dishes were fine choices, given that they didn't know the space they would be in, or even if they were cooking to order or buffet style (which is something that should have been clearly specified). I thought they sounded pretty good. Except for the tartare.

-Kelly's accent slays me. I know she's from Pittsburgh, but it doesn't sound all that yinzer to me.

[Bart]

Totally unrelated, but massively hilarious: http://failblog.org/2010/08/25/epic-fail-video-chef-rage-fail/

The comments are fantastic, too

[ri]

Despite all the hate that Ed's poppers seem to get for not being too excited Voltaggio was fawning all over it in the Top Recipe video on Bravo. Really, it is pretty close to his style - reinvent a classical dish and make it taste great.

So even though a lot of the food was bland and uncreative, give Ed his due on that dish.

[Steve F.]

I believe that it will be either Kevin or Kelly just missing out on the finals, more likely Kelly. Astronaut food? This is where flavor, something with which she can be inconsistent, is going to be big. Kevin slipped from his previous heights during last week's EC. Colicchio thought Angelo's dish was good but that Kevin's was only solid and Kelly's terrific for the crab cake and not for the BLT. Ed and Tiffany? They're in their groove and that should carry them for one more episode.

[SorchaRei]

"Also - theory: Top Chef was pushed back to a later slot because Fox's Masterchef runs until 10 on Wednesdays now."

I am guessing not, actually. When Top Chef started its current run, the 10pm slot was taken with "Work of Art". As soon as WoA finished up, TC moved back to its normal slot. I suspect they would have done that regardless of what the competition was running. They've done this with other Bravo shows in the past (such as Project Runway and Make Me A Supermodel, with MMAS moving into the 10pm slot when PR finished a run).

On a related but tangential note, this Fox version of Masterchef is icky. And I say this as a person who pays for an Australian VPN solely so I can watch Masterchef Australia. It's weird to see a show that is so directly similar (including word-for-word joke comments by the judges) and yet has a completely different feel.

As for Top Chef, I'm glad to see Amanda go. Her whining over the lack of team-playerness in this challenge did not sit well with me after how she acted in the cafeteria challenge (and her statement at that time that she had to be out for herself, regardless of what it did to the team). She seems to have some real aptitude and the beginning of skills, but she came on this show way too early in her career. I don't think that the show did her any favors, and I think that's too bad.

[Anon Man]

At SorchaRei, I agree that MasterChef is not much of a competition for the same eyeballs as TC, and that they wanted the preferred 10 PM spot for the new, god-awful, Work of Art. I know Bravo has tried every possible extension to the Project Runway/TC formula, but some of them are pretty horrid. Didn't they have haircutting and dog grooming shows? Ack.

As for Masterchef, it is awful, but I have been watching it for some reason. (I also rent DVDs of car crashes.) I don't mind watching the cooking, but the over-wrough production and personal stories, along with Ramsay's usual hysteria is hard to watch, especailly given the 2 hour double episode format. If they went for three full hours they might actually encourage mass suicides.

[ally]

I literally picked from a hat (ok it wasnt really a hat, it was my desk but my eyes were closed I promise) to come up with a pre-Dom ranking. Good luck actually trying to make a reasonable ranking. You may want to call in sick :) By the way, I didn't like Kevin coming out on top so I was going to try it again, and the second time I picked Kevin's name first AGAIN! So I gave up:

1. Kevin
2. Angelo
3. Ed
4. Tiffany
5. Kelly

[Polybus]

Concerning Bravo's schedule, TC is the only show of theirs that I can stand watching. It's tough watching the broadcast just to get through the promos for the Horrid Housewives of Wherever. They've tried to hard to come up with another skills reality show, but nothing has really worked, including the Art show. Aside from TC, Bravo is a bust.

[bryanD]

"On a related but tangential note, this Fox version of Masterchef is icky."---Sorcha Rei

Icky is a registered trademark of The Next Food Network Star along with "cook to camera". 'nuff said.
(And if you don't believe me..."Bob Tuschmann"!!!)

"As for Masterchef, it is awful, but I have been watching it for some reason."---Anon Man

I would guess because MC is not awful.(?) While the AI-style audition rounds produced some qualms---like you say, the dreaded "personal stories"---those tv-exhibit-types were quickly eliminated without much further ado. That was a pleasant surprise. The quarter-million dollar(!) prize money should promote cooks cooking on their *best behavior*, i.e. no *dramatic* bonobo-style mounting of fellow cooks by pathetic camera hogs in refereed, risk-free environments. Oy!
Also, the show is mildly educational. (The Cat Cora demo) The two hours allows that. The treble line judging could be far more time-wasting than it actually is. Again, two hours allows for style without dinging the substance.
I put Masterchef at a big #3 behind ProjRunway and (this season's) TC. (Of course, Project Runway has the built-in advantage of being a "concrete" home-judging experience (doesn't require ESP for grading). And it has models, heh-heh.

"...pre-Dom ranking. Good luck actually trying to make a reasonable ranking. You may want to call in sick :)"---ally

Just handicap them as you see 'em, Dom, you fine diner, you.

[Bart]

Sorcha: Good points. I take back my theory, then, on the grounds that it seems to have been thoroughly disproved.

I kind of like MasterChef. Yes, it's cheesy as all hell, but it's strangely hypnotic, from Gordon Ramsay's hyperkinetic hand motions (seriously, mimic his hand motions as you watch the show. It'll increase your enjoyment tenfold), to Joe Bastianich's hilariously abrupt judgments, to the way Graham Elliot eats his damn food, to the way that Mike (a contestant) seems to wince/cry every time something negative is said about anything, to the way people have complete nervous breakdowns...

I could do without the excess editing. I don't need to know what already happened after every commercial break - I was watching the show. I don't need to know what's going to happen before every commercial break - I am watching the show. Just show me the show!

Erm.

Anyway, congrats to Top Chef for winning the Emmy! Gail/Tom/Padma seemed giddy. I liked how the Elves were thanked.

[Independent George]

Sorcha: Good points. I take back my theory, then, on the grounds that it seems to have been thoroughly disproved.

Don't you know anything about the internet? This is when you're supposed to start the Nazi comparisons.

[Steve F.]

Boo hoo. Dom hasn't had a chance yet to write his rankings column.

Oh well. We know fatherhood, family, and making a living comes first.

Here are mine if anyone wants to discuss prior to Dom's posting.

1 - 2. Ed and Tiffany: on a roll; good at minimum, some very good and even brilliant dishes.

3. Angelo: been sliding imperceptively almost since the beginning of the season; but has been solid or better until the past two episodes; whether it is fatigue, the distraction of his fiance, or both, he needs to tighten up his act for one more episode; I think he can do it; if he makes it to the finals, his experience, technique, and creativity should propel him to the win (after getting some much needed rest).

4. Kevin: despite faulty (but solid) chicken skewers last episode, he has stabilized the past few episodes into brilliant, good, and solid food. Not feeling that he will flame out. Just feel that the three others before him have a stronger footing in the competition.

5. Kelly: has seesawed between good and not so good food lately. Her weakness is flavor. Making astronaut food seems to be riskiest for her. Hence, she's my choice to go, even if her season record says she deserves to be in the finals.

[ally]

Maybe that's Kevin's problem - too much solid food and not enough purees.

[Anon Man]

BryanD, I don't know about MC. The show does have its high points, but it just seems like there isn't much actual cooking in the show. We also need more Graham Elliot (TV-wise, not physically). He gets about two lines per hour, whereas Joe and especially Ramsay are talking non-stop. And, yes, it has the same editing defect as Hell's Kitchen, where the first 45-60 seconds after a commercial is a voice oveor and a replay of the 30-45 seconds before the commercial. Way too long. Luckily, DVR takes care of that.

Plus, I'm not real sure about the integrity of the judging. What you see as them getting rid of the fluff presentation over style, I see as them being inconsistent. (i.e., Contestant 1: "moves like a chef, great job- looks stunning", but #2 gets: "Is curry foam a true reflection of your culture? Go back and make something traditional and slop it on a plate.")

[Anon Man]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Bart is spot on. Gordon punctuates sentences by slapping his hands on his thighs. It is a really odd affectation.

[bryanD]

"but it just seems like there isn't much actual cooking in the show. We also need more Graham Elliot (TV-wise"---Anon Man

I found the visual ingredient identification test last week Good TV. (On the downside, I think I would have come in first or second place due to my knowledge of such exotica as dried black-eyed peas and okra.) As for lack of actual cooking? You may be right. I was just so glad this show was decent that I might not have noticed. And yes, more Graham Elliot. I enjoy how he looooms over the dish he is tasting. In fact, the way each judge steps up to each dish in his turn is pretty hilarious now that I think about it; Ramsay the sergeant major, Bastianich the college don, and Elliot the big lug.

"Plus, I'm not real sure about the integrity of the judging."---Anon Man

The Achilles Heel of tv food competitions per the viewer, indeed.

"Gordon punctuates sentences by slapping his hands on his thighs. It is a really odd affectation."---Anon Man

That could either be because doing so is an excellent memory aid for the hearer, or because lowland Scots are eager not appear English. Or it could be for another reason entirely!

[Bart]

It's not just the thigh slapping. It's also the hand-to-the-other-side-of-the-cheek, the jiggle-while-making-a-donut-hole, the shake-the-first-finger-furiously, the-backhanded-slap-into-an-open-palm and many, many others that I am forgetting.

[vizoroo]

Hope Dom didn't fall asleep watching last week's episode and posting his rankings. :-}

Watching Chopped Champions now. Madison is on this week. One guy didn't know what Rocky Mountain Oysters were--thought they were really oysters!?!

Haven't gone back to MC since the first week. The crying was just too hideously, over dramatic for me.