blakegwinn

I tend to agree with you but just to play devil's advocate it does seem as though (with the exception of the ridiculous way they judge/structure restaurant wars) the cream still rises to the finals every year.

Man did Richard look cracked out or what? Seriously man he looked terrible throughout the entire episode. Not that I was necessarily hoping he would win but I felt really bad that he crapped the bed so badly. He seemed to take it pretty hard. I still think on a day to day (non-competition) basis he is probably one of the better chefs to have been on the show along with the two finalists from season 1 and hung. They really dialed up that drama with the editing this time didn't they? It seemed like Lisa had it in the bag but I feel like they kept cutting away before the really got into the head to head comparison of Stephanie's vs. Lisa's dishes. I think they probably did a course by course tally and weighted it for margin of victory to break the 2-2 tie. Stephanie won the 3rd course in a big way and maybe the first by a slim margin. Richard might have acted as a spoiler by taking the dessert category but even if not I think Lisa won 2nd and fourth by a very very slim margin. curious to read the judge's blogs....

Handheld citrus presser. I know you could just use your hands but I love that thing and use it every other night.

Interesting point and I do definitely agree. That analogy did have some holes in it. In all honesty I learned more from most of my math TA's than I did the professors. But for the record I still think a chef should be able to write any kind of cookbook he wants without it being such a personal offense to the the foodie elite.

How many times do you think Tom has said something along the lines of "OK Padma, the grownups are talking now. Why don't you go play with your stairmaster?" Padma doesn't exactly strike me as the female version of Grima Wormtongue or anything. And even if she is more persuasive than I give her credit for, don't you think if the other 3 judges, all of whom have actual reputations in the food world to uphold, thought she was protesting some decision a litttttle too much at some point, they would just have turned against her from there on out thus ending the producers "inside" connection? Again why bother with any of this? It is waaaaay too much work and risk. If they can't take the footage they already have (including all the random surprised, angry and smirking faces that they can splice in at any given time) and make a compelling story or evoke the proper emotions to keep viewers invested in the outcome they should probably just hang it up. (They might be better suited towards campaign work.... HI-YO!!!!)

I love all the conspiracy theorists that talk about how "They want so and so to stay on for ratings" or whatever. I find it strange that these people often are of the opinion that contestants are edited to look one way or the other. Isn't that kind of contradictory in a way? If they are editing people to look like villains and heroes when they are not, what reason do they have to advance certain people? I agree completely with Dmnkly, why do you even need to bother fixing who advances? You have thousands and thousands of hours of videotaped arguments and conversations between judges, between contestants and between judges and contestants. Throw in an unlimited supply of booze and a severe lack of sleep and I guarantee the story possibilities are endless. The cost-benefit for a producer to influence the judges, in any way shape or form, is just soooo loaded. One camera-guy, bagel delivery boy, righteous guest-judge or jilted ex contestant (including one who is now a producer!) overhears the converstion or gets wind of a fix, leaks it to the press or posts it on a foodie bulletin board and all hell would break loose. Someone higher up on the network foodchain would probably express "absolute shock" that something like this was going on and the offending producers would get sacrificially canned or reprimanded. The show would risk becoming a pariah among potential celebrity chef guests and potential contestants. Ex contestants would cry foul. And for what? I don't even know that who is in the finals makes much of a difference for ratings. Does it really matter to most Top Chef viewers if it is the villain versus the hero? Or two fan favorites? Or two villains? We are all watching the finals regardless. And as far as increasing ratings among non or casual-viewers, how would they really know the difference or have any stake in who makes it anyways? And how do the producers know that the "fixing" will have a positive effect on ratings? Maybe all the Dale or Antonia fans will feel disenfranchised now that Lisa made it through and won't watch. I guess the way I see this whole business of fixing is that it would be a ton of work and risk to the future of the show for a very small and very uncertain reward. Networks love reality TV because it is easy. If I were a producer for Top Chef, I would cast a bunch of people with the perfect mix between talent and character, keep them from sleeping, slap them into random teams all the time, keep the booze flowing , let the cameras roll and go to Cabo for a couple of weeks. I am sure when I got back I would have a great show.

One thing that really griped me about her early on (which had nothing to do with editing) was how she talked about diners and us "normal" people like we are all unsophisticated peasants who think McDonald's is gourmet. Can't afford to eat at her restaurant.... Ugh.

There is a place a few blcoks up called Market Counter that is serviceable. I ate there a few months back when we were running late for a party and didn't have time to "shop around". Nothing will blow your socks off but it is a decent place to eat on a nice night (the front windows open way up) and a little bit classier than Hallo Berlin if that is what you were looking for. They have three or four predictable beers on tap (I remember stella, sam and magic hat #9 when I was there) We had some great scallops, a slightly mismatched game bird dish and a nicely cooked piece of fish with greens that were slightly overcooked and over salted. Everything seemed like all it needed was the tiniest tweaking to move from decent to good. I am planning on going back and giving it another shot sometime soon. That part of 9th is basically all restaurants so I say just walk up and down 9th and menu shop. That is how we found that place actually.

HELL yes. I can't count the number of times I had to stop mid recipe and clean up some stuff because I needed more space or a certain utensil had already been used for something that shouldn't be mixed in. Oh how I would love to have that big metal bin which sits next to the hotline and makes dirty items disappear along with a constantly replenished stack of clean stuff right next to me.

Quick question that just came to mind, does the same go for other instructional books? Would you want a precalculus textbook written by a college kid who took precalc last semester and currently has a C+ average in Calc I? Or would you prefer a precalc book written by a PhD in math who is probably publishing papers on subelliptic partial differential equations or something? And is it a disservice to anyone (including himself) for him to write it?

I somewhat agreee with Dan. I think the Ruhlman article misses the point by forcing the same inspirations on all chefs and chef cookbooks. Cookbooks are written for different audiences and purposes I think. I don't see why a great chef couldn't write a French Laundry type cookbook as a very-technical and exact guide for extremely serious home cooks or young wannabe chefs who want to learn and practice advanced techniques on advanced and hard to find ingredients and turn around the next year and write an "easy family meal" style cookbook that shows non-cooking busy parents how to up their game just a little bit with limited time/budget/availability/skills or just break out of a 5 day rotation of the same meals over and over. I fail to see how this is a disservice to anyone.

To his credit he did come up with the salad, which the judges mentioned as their favorite of her dishes. That same thing happened in the Season II finals when one of the ousted favorites (Sam) as sous chef came up with one of the favorite dishes (the heart of palm dish) on the fly. I think getting the right sous chef is a huge advantage.

That congratulations tirade was just mind boggling. Lisa lecturing people on polite behavior and or social graces? Are you serious? I mean just wow wow wow. That isn't even the pot calling the kettle black that is the prostitute calling the nun slutty. I did like the way they handled it, instead of apologizing or admitting wrong doing they both just gave an insincere, patronizing congratulations and moved on.

I agree with this 100 percent. There were many times I thought I caught eye-contact with a guest and went up to the table but when I got there nobody spoke up so instead of interupting everyone to double check, I just pretended I had come over to pour wine. Sometimes there wasn't even eye contact made. I always liked having something arbitrary to do at a table. It gives you a chance to "check up on" the table and gives the guest a chance to bring up something but doesn't require you to break the table conversation. As long as your wine service isn't clumsy or awkward it gives you presence without being overbearing, if that makes sense.

I don't know if it is available anywhere in DC, but since moving up to Jersey I have really been into this NJ brewery called River Horse. They make a couple of great belgian style beers. The first is a Tripel called Tripel Horse and they also have a bready White Ale called Brewer's reserv. I really enjoy both and they definitely hold up to my favorites in those categories (especially when factoring in the price). I have also tried a few from their regular lineup (a pale ale, esb and lager) and their winter seasonal, all were solid. I am currently drinking my first batch of their summer blond ale which definitely hit the spot during the warm memorial day weekend, light and easy to drink without lacking character. Not seriously hoppy (which I like) and not overly sweet or citrussy like a lot of summer brews (ie Leinenkugels). It was like mama bear's bear, just right.... Anyways, if you see this stuff on any shelves in DC I recommend picking it up.

Yeah. The bottomless mimosas are nice as long as they get filled. If you have four or more try to ask for a pitcher so you can just refill your own. The brunch items are decent but nothing has ever really jumped out at me enough to forego the pizza. I usually just end up ordering off the regular menu and then wheeling and dealing a few slices for a little bit of brunch fare. My brother really likes the pizza omelette. I really like the combination of stuff but the sausage makes it fairly greasy and it is really more of a frittata than a true omelette. Those things don't bother me but I thought I should mention it. I have never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes for a table (usually go around 1ish I guess) and the atmosphere is perfect for brunch, unless it is nice enough to sit outside in which case I would probably go to the beer garden at wonderland instead.

I really like Colicchio but I am convinced they record some of his comebacks at the table after the fact and stick them in later. I think they should copy Project Runway (um, my girlfriend watches it...) and have a permanent non-judge "helper" like Tim Gunn. Colicchio has almost done exactly this a few times and I have always liked it. Just stroll around the kitchen a few times and offer up advice without participating in the judging. I think it would also be cool to just have him as a back judge (even though this would take a lot more of his time). I think one of the big challnges last year he stayed in the kitchen the whole time even through service and just tasted the dishes before they went out. I think this would be a good idea and would undercut some of the annoying finger pointing. I think people would be less likely to bitch about who was responsible for what if they knew one of the judges had been back there the whole time and might call them out for unjustified bitching.

How is that stupid foul mouthed !@#%#$($*%& Lisa still in it?!??!? Good lord. And Spike has lasted 3-4 weeks longer than he should have on pure strategy. I would have liked to see Dale in the final but he did screw up...by choosing to be head chef (and ok that scallop dish sounded pretty bad). Bt still are you serious!? When are these guys going to learn, there are two things every contestant should know by now, have a pastry dish ready and don't FREAKING VOLUNTEER TO BE HEAD CHEF IN RESTAURANT WARS!! In the last two seasons my favorite contestants are batting 0-2 against restaurant wars. First Tre and now Dale, if my favorite volunteers for head chef next season I am turning off the TV. Also one thing about the restaurant wars (and also just team challenges) that always bugs me is how they rip on the head chef for not having control or if there are teamwork problems by saying something like "part of being a good head chef is having control blah blah" but there is such a different dynamic here. In this show someone could tell the "head chef" to go fuck themselves when they make suggestions or ask for something. But in a real life kitchen you would probably be fired on the spot and there is a good chance you would soil your reputation around town. I just fail to see what kind of options the head chef has to get things done when positive reinforcement, politeness etc. are too far gone to be considered an option, as in Dale and Lisa's case.

I have no idea how they do it but every Potbellies I have been to (maybe 8-9 in 3-4 states) have all had the most friendly, helpful, and seemingly happy to be at work staff I have ever seen working in retail or fast food. And it's not even close. I just don't get it. What are they doing that other places aren't? Tougher screening, mandatory ecstasy use, "re-education" seminars?

One quick note on the sabotage, with multiple cameras constantly rolling if someone had messed with the stove it would have been on film somewhere. If it had been on film I feel like the producers most definitely would have used it. That would have been dramatic gold for them. So I am inclined to believe that she just screwed up.

Oh I was dying when he said that. And maybe it was edited but it seemed like he fired it off really quickly. What a great dig. Beth said the same thing about the dress. She said it was definitely a completely different dress. The lady was a wedding planner so maybe she had her eyes on a couple she had seen befor and couldn't decide or got hooked up by some local dressmakers or something.

I hear Germantown is usually nice and quiet... I honestly don't get the hatred either. The food isn't god awful. I have only been there two or three times but I don't remember walking out feeling like I got robbed (as I did at Ceviche in Silver Spring). Lauriol is packed for the same reason there was always a line at the Hotel Washington Roof Deck (which had possibly some of the worst food in the city the last time I went there) it is a great environment to hang out and have a drink in. The other thing I don't get is people will bitch and moan about local owned businesses getting pushed out of their neighborhoods but here is a locally owned business (I believe) that is doing great business. So I guess we just like locally owned businesses as long they don't mess with our commute and attract the types of crowds we like.

Yeah I figured it was just a typo but I was hoping to turn you into a chuck norris/bill braski type figure. "Did you know that Sphere777 eats a 64 oz. steak as an appetizer at Ray's? The entree is a whole spit roasted angus steer. It used to be more before the stomach stapling though." "Yeah well I heard Sphere777 beat Kobayashi in a hot dog eating contest by 33 dogs, and as soon as the contest was over, devoured Kobayashi. "

Just take a look at one of my baby pictures...

Wouldn't that be like warming up for a marathon by running a quick 20 miles?