Top Chef - S9E12 Postmortem

Ed: "Should've been me, Chris..."

Yeah, you're right.

Don't get me wrong, much as I like Chris, there's no question who I'd rather see advance at this point. And I hate healthy cooking challenges. But those are the rules, and unless Ed did something more to adjust his dish that wasn't mentioned, it should've been him.

It could've been worse. It could've been the Target challenge. So I suppose I should be happy that the annoyance factor was as low as it was.

Many, many thoughts. I'll save 'em for the rankings.

Discuss!

Comments

[Redpoint]

Do you think Chris's really tasted worse than Ed's?

[Canuck]

I was terrified for about half an hour that Ed was going home. His dish got far from rave reviews, he basically gave a middle finger to the challenge, and he had the Paulinator to topple. And, by all indications, he probably should have gone home...but it seemed to me that the judges went around their official rules (or, as I like to call it, pulled a Top Chef Canada) and simply eliminated the weakest chef.

It sucks because I really liked Chris from a personal standpoint, and was always hoping that his flashes of brilliance like the poison apple would have popped up more often, but it was his time to go. It seems like the Top Chef environment just didn't suit either of the Moto boys.

[Dreamboat]

When Grayson suggested chicken salad I knew one of those 2 would go home. All I could think about was season 4 (I think) block party when Tom asked the eliminated chef "Did you really think you could win Top Chef with a pasta salad?" And then there was season 7 (I think) in the Las Vegas hanger for the troops when he asked the same questions. I could literally hear Tom in my head saying "Do you really think you can win Top Chef with a chicken salad?"

[TxGriff]

I was very worried Ed would go home. I know it has been said a lot, but really, has there been another season where one person has been so dominant throughout the compitition? I have watched this show since season 1, and I would argue that only Kevin G has matched Paul's performance thus far (I belive Kevin won 5 eliminiation challenges before the finals). The QFs don't weigh as much with me at this point- it's clear Paul shines when he has parameters and time to think about his preparation. The finals are always unpredictable, but no matter what, Paul is walking away with $50,000. That's incredibly impressive.

[Krazikarl]

Man, the previews for the next episode look so bad...

Do we really need Pee Wee and bike riding in an elimination challenge at this point? I mean, in a QF is fine, but not the EC.

[chrish]

Didn't like the elimination challenge at all, given the stage of the competition. The constraints limited the quality of the food. The role of guest voting (as I understood it, the losing chef had to come from losers by guest voting) had too much potential influence, even though I don't think it played an issue. And I didn't like the "healthy" aspect of it either, as a matter of principle, as well as it not being a well defined rule. E.g., if a chef managed to appeal to the guests by making a less healthy dish, there didn't seem to be any mechanism to address that.

The Top Chef truism from this season is that you should always serve to order and damn the lines.

Also enjoyed Grayson's response to Tom.

[chrish]

"bike riding in an elimination challenge at this point"

Yeah, that's pretty nuts. Especially given what we understand the temperatures to have been during filming.

[Kathy from Austin]

@Dreamboat, I agree! I like Grayson very much, but if you look at her choices she is a country gal. Huge ribeye, chicken salad, etc. She probably cost Chris his place, though it was up to him to sort that out.

I was also worried about Ed. I think his flavors are good, but no way can he stand up to Paul. Paul is just so much more sophisticated. So far we have seen his veggies/fruits. I can't wait to see his proteins, for sure his strength. He will shine in fine fish and poultry. If he has a downfall it will be beef.

Also, Lindsey has two impressive challenges under her belt. She has to pole vault Sarah.

[doktarr]

The chefs seem to overemphasize the head-to-head aspect of things here. Unless the crowd does something really weird, the best dish will win and the worst dish will go home. It's unlikely that the judge's pick for worst dish will win head to head, or the judge's pick for best dish will lose head to head.

That said, if it were going to happen, it would be a case like this one, because someone could "cheat" towards the unhealthy end to curry favor with the crowd, but get properly dinged by the judges.

Is Paul at $50k now? Wowza.

[TokenOmnivore]

Remember, when Grayson was thinking chicken salad Chris didn't have any better ideas. It might be cool to eat at Moto. But it seems like Chris does better with time to think out and refine a dish. Doesn't mean he's a bad chef, just not a top-class TC competitor.

I can imagine that a little chewy short rib still tasted better than a dry, bland chicken salad.

Finger's crossed that Paul doesn't stumble.

[dmantell]

I do find challenges like this frustrating, because the parameters always seem so nebulous - both to the viewers as well as to the contestants. And although the judges certainly pay lip service to making the dishes 'more healthy', it doesn't seem to carry a ton of weight. While I'm happy that one of the weaker chefs was culled, this remains a source of irritation that has existed over many seasons.

So do they just have a 'gag' real of Lindsey and Sarah grimacing whenever someone else garners praise, or are they really just making the same unpleasant faces over and over again?

[gilmore]

Agree with most everyone.
I hated the principle of the challenge, the "catering" for 200, outdoors in the heat again (that had to work against chicken salad).

I loved Grayson's line about the meatball, that Lindsey out-meatballed Sarah (I am sure she thought the meatball was in her wheelhouse) and Ed's embrace of competing against Paul.

I feared for Ed going home and am glad he stayed.

I too am mortified that pervert Pee Wee Herman is on the show. He is not even funny. If anything says Texas, it is Pee Wee Herman, just as if anything says Austin Music Scene, it is Patti Labelle.

Instead of cooking it, is Top Chef jumping the shark?

[Anon Man]

In defense of chicken salad: ok, sure, chicken salad isn't necessarily the most elegant food stuff, but I give Grayson credit for sticking to her guns that chicken salad vs. meatballs isn't like french fries and lobster. A group of us were musing about how to make chicken salad healthier, the winner (in a creative process fueled by wine), was sliced chicken breast with a "mayo" of greek yogurt with lemon, oregano and maybe some garlic. Essentially, yes, it's a chicken kabob sandwich.

That defense aside, I knew Tom wouldn't go for it. And agreed that a "healthy" challenge without any real guide to how well they were improving the health of the food is kind of lame.

Random aside: Didn't Ryan, the "Healthy Choice Food ambassador" go out in a block party challenge?

[paula]

There's a difference between clever editing that keeps viewers guessing and deceitful editing that deliberately leads viewers to believe one thing when the truth is something else entirely. I have to think it was the latter this week--clearly, based on the comments we saw, Ed should have been the one to go home. A lot more must have been said to take down Chris's dish than we were privy to. That's annoying.

Damn, Lindsey's dish looked fantastic. I find her really unlikeable as a personality, but I want to try both components of her elimination dish. And Ed...he was SO gracious with Paul when he effed up their quickfire. Almost too gracious. That coupled with his EC efforts, and it felt a little like Ed was mentally ready to go home. Chris certainly seemed that way, too.

Paul is just a pleasure to watch. Insanely talented, creative, humble and human. I'm going to be in Austin next summer and I'm going to have to make a reservation at his restaurant ASAP.

[paula]

Anon man: My immediate thought on the chicken salad was greek yogurt, too. Maybe with grapes and toasted almonds, minced onion, tarragon (oh, wait, maybe not). I don't know, to me that would have been healthy and refreshing.

Another random observation: Padma forgot to wear pants for both challenges.

[Redpoint]

Anon Man: Ryan went home doing something perceived as prissy for the Bears tailgating episode.

Paula: I noticed that too, about Ed. When he was so nice to Paul about the shrimp, all I could think of was that he would have been quite curt or belittling to Sarah or Beverly if they had made such an omission.

Also, re Padma. Every challenge she has been wearing something one would put a toddler in, rompers. In Project Runway talk, "I question her level of taste."

[Skillet Doux]

Gilmore... Say what you will about Pee-wee's purported predilections, any of his subsequent work, or his inclusion in Top Chef, but I will forever stand by Pee-wee's Big Adventure as a classic work of pure comic genius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QltlctqfY4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cHLoHou8uY

I repeat... Pure. Comic. Genius.

Carry on.

:-)

[gilmore]

there is a five part video series on the Bravo site that shows how Ryan became the Healthy Choice flavor ambassador. A competition between him, Casey, Tre and Sarah Nguyen to determine the flavor ambassador.

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-9/top-chef-healthy-showdown

[aaalex]

thank you, domenic, for that phone call from pee wee's big adventure. i totally agree: pure. comic. genius.

the LCK ... i guess we're not supposed to mention it until friday but ... Top Chef copying Chopped? Hmmm. There's something kind of annoying about those secret ingredient boxes. though i think the "better"chef won...

[jordanhc]

@TxGriff - Your not the first to mention Paul's complete dominance as unparalleled in top chef history, however I really think too many people are overlooking Stefan because he didnt win. I think by end of season Stefan had 8 wins total (4 EC, 4 QF)and had won both challenges in an episode 2 or 3 times. They didnt award money for challenges until season 6 in Vegas I think so it may not have seemed as impressive as Paul winning all the money but I think Stefan was clearly as dominant compared to his season if not moreso than Paul. Also about Kevin G, he may have won more (not sure on that) but I dont think most people would say he was head and shoulders above either Voltaggio in that season.

1 knock on Paul (and I know he's been great) was Restaurant Wars. I know they did RW on very little sleep and less prep time than usual, but in my opinion to be dominant on top chef winning restaurant wars is essential. I know its not exactly the same as working in a real restaurant (although its the closest they get) but Paul has seen 8 seasons of this before, should have known what works and what doesnt and figured out a way to make it happen for his team.

[Bill G]

+1 in support of chicken salad. To me, it's one of those things that can be absolutely horrible or phenomenal. Also liked Grayson standing up for herself.
How is veal/lamb/Greek yogurt meatball a healthier alternative to a traditional meatball? Is the justification that yogurt is a healthier binding ingredient than eggs? Doesn't seem like she embraced the challenge as some of the others did. Not fully embracing the challenge is what Beverly got kicked off for.

[TxGriff]

jordanhc- Good point, I did overlook Stefan. Not sure why, I was a big Stefan fan. I remember thinking that he was doing so well that tanking in the finals was almost inevitable. I have similar feelings about Paul :(.

About Kevin, I didn't mean to imply that he was head and shoulders above the Volts or Jen. I just meant that, statistically, he was pulling away a bit towards the end, despite such a strong group. Looking back through Dom's season 6 rankings (which is conveniently located in the categories section- thank you!), Kevin had 4 QF and 5 elimination wins under his belt going into the finals, as opposed to Michael's 2 QF and 3 elimination wins. And Michael openly admitted he was frustrated because he kept bringing his A game, but Kevin would still win. I loved that the top group that season performed so consistently at such a high level and brought out the best in each other.

[ally]

First, greek yogurt is full of fat, even more than regular yogurt, and the only "healthy" thing about it is more protein. But I think that Lindsay had that covered with the MEATball. Veal, Lamb, fatty yogurt, lemon. Yum, no wonder she won over a turkey meatball.

Second, if I was going to make a more healthy chicken salad, I would have done a vinegary one, kind of like german potato salad without the potato. Again, it is silly to say greek yogurt is healthy, if you're not using it as a meat substitute.

Ed seems to have escaped for his body of work. In that sense, it isn't "fair" but I am glad Chris was finally sent packing. I think Tom finds Chris' gimmicks annoying, which probably means Bev wins on LCK (but I haven't watched it yet so I'm not doing a spoiler here!)

[Libster]

Judge's table will be held in the basement of the Alamo next episode. ;P

Hah okay carry on with the real topics. :)

[paula]

As someone pointed out, the "healthy" parameters weren't even defined here, so there's definitely a case to be made that Greek yogurt is healthier than mayo in a chicken salad. Protein, calcium, active cultures...

[chrish]

In the extended judges table video, Tom frames the decision as Chris having met the healthy aspects of the challenge better and Ed having the tastier (although still very flawed) dish. And in the absence of clear rules that were violated, I have to think the tastier dish will win. Which goes to show the problems with the "healthy" nature of the challenge.

FWIW, Ed did apparently trim the fat from his shortribs. That hurt his dish but he did make some (minimal) effort to make something "healthy", whatever that might mean.

[Anon Man]

ally, Interesting point on the yogurt, and another reason why these healthy challenges are generally lame. One year, they had to get their recipes pre-approved, but they forgot to account for squeeze bottles of oil and the like. They also play off certain preconceptions of what is and what is not healthy. Yogurt sounds healthier than olive oil mayo. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, and of course, that depends on your definition of healthy. Remember when Brian Malarkey did Lobster in the challenge and Tom called him out as not trying, and he stuck to his guns saying that lobster wasn't inherently unhealthy if you didn't cover it in butter.

The helathy challenge probably has a reasonable place in the challenge rotation for any number of reasons, but they really need to work the kinks out. Either give them a specific parameter (no more than 3 grams of fat, so much sodium, whatever), or have the concept of the helathy changes signed off on by a nutrionist, or some other specific guideline. Otherwise, you get what they had last night: send home the less healthy bad dish (Ed), or the less tasty one (Chris). If you watch the extended JT, it isn't clear that flavor was the only thing that got him botted. Other problems include: 1) Sanitation, 2) his stupid hat.

[gilmore]

Thanks for the clips Dom. Still don't like him, but I see the Texas/Alamo/Bicycle connection. I am too old to have watched him, and my kids were too young. Give me The Three Stooges any day.

[MB in MD]

Boo to the general structure of the challenge, but I am glad that Chris was finally put out of his (and our?) misery.

One of my favorite sandwiches to make is a chicken salad that uses homemade pesto instead of mayo. Layered with sliced sundried tomatoes, it's tasty and contains mostly "healthy" fats from the nuts and olive oil. Too bad that the chefs were stuck in the mayo/yogurt paradigm; there are actually lots of ways to make a delicious and creative chicken salad.

OT: this month's issue of Fine Cooking magazine offers a traditional recipe for beef stroganoff and a modern version by Graham Elliot Bowles. The modernized recipe sounds amazing, with mary a braised ribeye to be found. Sorry about your luck, Heather!

[paula]

Another point worth noting on the vagueness/lameness of the challenge: They weren't actually required to make something "healthy," were they? Just a "healthier version" of the dish they'd chosen.

[MB in MD]

Gah! That should be "nary a braised ribeye."

[Gary]

It sounds like Cora has at least heard of Edward before. She kept saying that she expected a lot more from him or that he was capable of more than he showed. If the one guest judge (each week) who supposedly shouldn't have any history of performance on the show to judge, it made it easier for them to justify keeping Ed. They wouldn't really have to convince her he should stay.

I don't get how beating one more person gets the chef back into the competition. 4 remaining chefs + 1 LCK champion = 5? Does that mean all the other chefs who lasted this long don't get a second chance?

Also, just wanted to say, having Pee Wee is a bit of a stomach churner.

[Redpoint]

Yeah, I wonder if the LCK winner is going to have to win the EC to stay in the game, like Jeff would have had to in the first finale episode of season 5.

PS, I almost said "i wonder if Beverly will have to win . . ."

[ally]

MB in MD - yes, they were stuck in the creamy white binder because, as many of the chefs this season, they lack imagination!

I'm still laughing every time I think of Grayson's exchange with Tom. Sorry, but no matter what the Dana Cowin said, lemon flavored meatball is not "original". Years ago I got a recipe for just such an animal out of a cookbook put out by the seattle greek orthodox womens association or something like that. Trust me, if I know about it, it's not original :p

[Bart]

I'm not sure why everybody's so down on the healthy aspect of the challenge. I get why everybody's upset about the vague parameters, but why do people scorn healthy food? I think it's perfectly legitimate to ask chefs to make healthy food tasty. Why is that so wrong?

As for the EC - sorry to see Chris go, but I had a feeling it was his time. Gonna side with Grayson on the chicken salad thing. Yeah, chicken salad is unrefined, but so what? Maybe I'm feeling overly feisty, but food is food. If it tastes good, that's all that matters, right?

I am aware that I'm waaaay oversimplifying things a bit, but I'm doing so to prove a point. Like Anon said, it's not french fries versus lobster.

Besides, some beloved culinary dishes are simplified versions of rustic meals like the chicken salad sandwich. Hamburgers come to mind. Pizza. Variations of pasta with tomato sauce. So, I'm not sure why Tom Colicchio took the snobby stand on this, especially given he's all about the simple foods with big flavors.

[Tom W.]

Is anyone else currently having trouble with the vids on the Bravo site? I tried watching a couple but they almost immediately end and go to the commercial again after just a second or so...

[Skillet Doux]

"I'm not sure why everybody's so down on the healthy aspect of the challenge. I get why everybody's upset about the vague parameters, but why do people scorn healthy food? I think it's perfectly legitimate to ask chefs to make healthy food tasty. Why is that so wrong?"

Speaking only for myself, here...

1) I detest that foods are pigeonholed as "healthy" and "unhealthy." Some foods should be eaten less frequently and in less volume than others. But I hate the implication that there's something wrong with a chocolate chip cookie. There's nothing wrong with a chocolate chip cookie unless you eat five of them or have them three times a day. (And this is completely setting aside the fact that what constitutes healthy is an endlessly moving target.)

2) But acknowledging that we need to take care of ourselves (a very noble and important pursuit, don't misunderstand), and even surrendering to this framework wherein things are "healthy" and "unhealthy", I hate it even more when people try to make "healthy" versions of foods that aren't inherently so. Don't try to reduce the amount of pork fat in a plate of spaghetti carbonara and use whole wheat pasta. Have your spaghetti carbonara in all its traditional glory, just have it less often, and eat less of it. Or at least acknowledge that this is a perfectly reasonable approach rather than dismissing the dish as "unhealthy". Of course, people are free to make their own choices, and some may like lean whole wheat carbonara (ugh). But I reject the implication that the solution to our problems is to take our recipes and rework them into "healthy" versions.

3) Pork fat rules.

I think that sums it up.

[Skillet Doux]

Tom... It's not just you. I've been having the same problem. They usually get it corrected eventually, but in the meantime I watch the vids on Hulu as much as possible (they're not always available there).

Also, if you haven't spent a lot of time with the Bravo website, this kind of thing is totally par for the course.

[Paula]

There's a risk in making a non-creamy chicken sandwich, though, and calling it "chicken salad." The chefs have to be constantly wondering which sin they might be crucified for at JT: Will it be "This was a healthy challenge and you didn't go far enough" or "You took the healthy idea too far and the flavor suffered"? If they make a vinegar-based binder, will they hear "What a brilliant reinterpretation of the dish" or "you called it chicken salad, but do you even know what chicken salad is?" It's not like the judges are consistent. Unless, of course, you over- or undersalt. :)

[Independent George]

I had the same reaction when I heard chicken salad, but the more I thought about it, I realized there was no reason why they had to make a literal chicken salad. If there was ever a time to deconstruct something, this was it. Would it have been outside the parameters to make a bowl of chicken curry for the 'salad', eaten by dipping a piece of nan as a 'sandwich'? What about stuffing a roasted pepper with a chicken & vegetable filling, and topping it with a crouton? How about a chicken tamale - would that have qualified?

[Independent George]

Better idea - chicken Caprese salad grilled pizza. Basically, it's a Margherita pizza with chicken - that stretches the idea of a chicken salad sandwich, but still within the theme, and I think it's still much better than just making a dang sandwich.

[ally]

IG stop you're making me hungry

[nomnomnom]

Only takeaway for me from this one was that there must not be a whole foods in San Antonio. I was so happy to see them use Central Market. It's in another stratosphere compared to WF in this area.

Nothing else really stands out. Next week looks like casseroles?

[Cindy]

Waah, Grayson has a lot of courage (or would it be nerve, or just stupidity?) to talk to Colicchio with that particular tone! While I can see why she gets defensive, I also think maybe she could've taken it with a grain of salt, accepted the crit, and really tried to move outside her box in the next challenge. I feel really bad for her, because she looked like she was starting to fall apart in that little storage room. Her slight mental unraveling, along with the deadly combination of possibly offending Colicchio (though he may never show it on tv), and losing support from bud Chris, might cost her the next round. Sadface, since she is definitely one of the more refreshing personalities on S09.

Um, Pee Wee? You know, I've always wondered how awkward some of those dinners might be, because random stars or whatever are still virtually strangers. Padma is charming as usual, but I might have imagined a sliver of a grimace from Tom. Or is that how he smiles anyway?

[TxGriff]

nom- there's a Whole Foods in San Antonio, actually not far from the Central Market. I too am glad they went to CM though- it's by far my favorite place to grocery shop.

Anon- I think there was room for interpretation, but maybe the problem was time limit/equipment. I read an interview with Chris, and his original idea was to make hamburgers, but he changed his mind once they were told about the setup and equipment situation. They had no grills or regrigeration once they were on location. That being said, I don't see why they couldn't had done the curry or stuffed pepper.

[Anon Man]

The more I think about this challenge, the more I'm bugged by it, for the reasons Dom articulates. The secret to healthy eating isn't (usually) to make an unhealthy dish healthy, but rather, to eat less of unhealthy dishes. By having them pick something and then be told to make it healthy is not really the right way to alter eating habits in any meaningful way. Personal anecdote: for the month of January, I decided to not eat land meat. This wasn't some healthy decision, but rather a food challenge, since I felt like I was in a food rut both cooking and eating. The upshot has been I've eaten more salads, more Indian, Japanese, etc., foods and tried different fish and vegetable recipes. Some of the food is certainly healthier than a cheesburger, but again, that's incidental.

So, for example, I went to a Mexican-ish chain restaurant for lunch (it was raining and they are next door, don't judge me). Instead of a carne burrito, I had a grilled fish burrito. Strange thing happened: the cashier instantly yelled back that someone had ordered fish. I think it is so rarely ordered they cook it to order. And, you know what, it was much better than the usual stuff they serve there. When I'm done with my experiment I will probably continue to order that when I eat there. Sure, according to the website of the chain, it has less calories and less fat and so on than the other dishes, but that's just a bonus.

So, on the show, if they had said: "make something that is suitable for a healthy lifestyle and a block party," then it wouldn't have bothered me as much, since they could have picked a dish that can be re-imagined more easily. Like I said above, there's a place for a "healthy food" challenge every season, but they need to think it through.

[Bart]

Hmmmmmm, I sort of see what you guys (specifically Dom and Anon Man) are saying, but I guess I just don't see how it's that much different from, say, asking contestants to make a deconstructed version of a dish. Or to put a modern spin on a classic.

It's not pigeonholing a dish as healthy any more than it would be pigeonholing a dish that's ripe for deconstruction. It's not like there's something inherently wrong with a chocolate chip cookie if the challenge is to deconstruct it. It's a different method, that's all.

[Skillet Doux]

Bart... But with a deconstructed dish, there's no implication that there's something wrong with the original and it needs to be deconstructed. In this case, even if it isn't outright stated (though it frequently is), there's a very clear implication that there's something *bad* about the dishes in their original form. It's stigmatizing the foods themselves rather than addressing the accompanying eating habits and, IMHO, that's a poor way to approach it both from a health and culinary standpoint.

This is a pet peeve and I'm fully cognizant of the fact that I'm far more sensitive about it than most.

[doktarr]

@IG, I don't know if you watched extended judge's table, but Padma made the same point you did. She said that in a way, chicken salad was actually a great choice, because you can put basically any herbs or vegetables or flavors in it that you want (she actually mentioned curry). So the failure wasn't the choice of chicken salad - it was the choice to make a traditional, literal chicken salad, just with less fat in it.

Following up on what Dom said - there's nothing inherently unhealthy about fats and sugars. What's unhealthy is getting a ton of calories from them to the exclusion of other food, and then sitting on the couch. There are days where I burn thousands of extra calories, and if those extra calories come from fat and sugar, I'm not really shortchanging my body.

There's something inherently unhealthy about certain sorts of fats, but even then your body can handle them just fine in moderation (much like alcohol).

[nomnomnom]

So they've laid out how this is to go down.

5 cut to 4 this week and then up to 5 the following week and then cut to 4 for the finals.

[TxGriff]

Oops, I posted Anon, but I meant to respond to IG's comments. I need to stay away from the computer before I've had my morning cup of coffee...regrigeration? Ba!

[TDub]

I think the knock on chicken salad comes from the fact that it is a dish that is traditionally *assembled* rather than *cooked*. You can slap a bunch of ingredients together and voila! - chicken salad. You have to cook a meatball.

This is not to say that I think Chris and Grayson didn't do enough with their dishes. I'm just theorizing that this might be why Tom appeared to have such disdain for chicken salad.

[TokenOmnivore]

Following the healthy vs. non-healthy line, it would have been funny if a chef had forced the diners to do a few jumping jacks or other exercise before feeding them. Yeah, I left some of the fat in, drop and give me a couple and you'll have worked it off....

Of course with the heat last summer I don't expect that would have gone over very well....

@Cindy - I'm waiting for Tom's blog to show up. But to me it looked like Tom was amused by being challenged by Grayson. I still think she's in over her head. But I'm proud that she's not afraid to be herself. [Yes, I've got family from WI.]

[jackie]

Gah, the healthy challenge. I lean more to the low-carb than the low-fat version of "healthy food", and I still think I might have broken a vein in my neck when I heard "BREAD is empty calories" in that snotty Padma-tone. There is no more grating term than "empty calories", imho. Either they're enjoyable or not, but all food is energy for the body.

[jackie]

Just found this, from a diner who was there that episode: http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/01/top-chef-taping-texas-san-antonio-texas-healthy-food-challenge.html

Sounds like Chris and Grayson's voting might have been a bit screwed up due to the wasp ("bee") issue.

Also, Padma.

[Alamos Road]

I just watched the sneak peek for the new show "Mediocre Chef" - described by Ed as the "not so prestigious" competition where the chefs have to ride "that line in the middle" in pursuit of the top prize of the $125 gift card, more than sufficient to "bring their culinary dreams" to fruition. Can't wait for the premiere episode.

[Redpoint]

I think the fans know more about the judges than the chefs. Remember Tom's reaction to Spike's chicken salad? Virtually the same. I bet we all did a collective scream, "not chicken salad."

[Redpoint]

Hee hee. Nobody will probably read this, but did you all read the link posted about being at the filming of the episode? The rules given to the diners:

Don't look directly into the camera
Don't look directly at Padma
Don't talk to Padma.

Ha! What is this about? Padma scared of the minions? (can I just say how incredibly fake and irritating I find her. Sorry)

[Redpoint]

A commenter wrote: why can't you look at her? Is she a medusa of some sort?

Hee hee

[Anon Man]

@Redpoint, I read that. The "avert your eyes from Padma" rule was really funny. That, and the observation that her scowl disappears the minute the camera turns on (presumably he broke rule 2 to note that), was also good.