"Top Chef" (2006-) Reality Chef-Competition Series on Bravo - Now in Season 16

[Andelman]

"Hooker and an 8- ball"

[Ericandblueboy]

"Hooker and an 8- ball"

He also practices making babies. Yes, the guy is nuts!

[Michael Landrum]

"Hooker and an 8- ball"

The editing that placed this comment directly after Arnold's pledge to support an orphanage in Thailand for children infected with HIV/AIDS (presumably as a direct result of the rampant sex trade there) is truly disgusting--especially in a challenge designed to celebrate and extol children, more specifically Tom's and Padma's. Not that chefs trotting out their children is that far off from Toddlers and Tiaras-style exploitation in the first place. Actually, now that I think about it, why am I even surprised?

For both of them--or any parent for that matter--to fail to quit the show in shame after this is pretty pathetic.

[Pat]

I don't know if the archived version of their Post chat will stay at this URL, but Arnold and Lynne's views of what went on are quite at odds with the way the show is edited, I'd say. They sound like best friends and say that everyone got along well and the environment wasn't cutthroat at all.

Lynne: I made a serious error in judgment. That's what happened. I was so stressed out about overcooking it, that I ended up undercooking it. Could have smacked myself for that. Even us old veterans make mistakes. It was unfortunate that Arnold had to pay for my mistake, but he loves me anyway.

Lynne: I personally think they wanted to get rid of me and Arnold was collateral damage. I don't think I was dramatic enough and honestly all the footage that was captured of me, I looked pretty miserable. I didn't even want to watch myself. Since it was a team challenge, unfortunately, Arnold went with me.

[Pool Boy]

Lynne totally screwed over Arnold tonight. He wants her to cook the pasta but she insists on doing it in the last minute because she's cooked fresh pasta plenty of times before and knows how to do it properly. Lo and behold, she under-cooks the pasta and their team gets sent home. She's seen later saying she should never let Arnold take the lead. Way to take responsibility!

I think it was all about the way it was edited....again.

That said, I am still pretty bored with this bunch of chefs. The actual elimination challenge was kind of cool though -- though I have to say I think it is weird that the 'winners' were picked from the teams remaining in the dinner course -- they missed out 'winning the two prior courses after all.

[Billy DeLion]

I think it was all about the way it was edited....again.

Typical Release Language, my emphasis added. It's all about the advertising revenue, not so much the food.

...the Producer, the host of the Program (if any), and/or the Network) may reveal and/or relate

information about me of a personal, private, surprising, defamatory, disparaging, embarrassing or unfavorable nature, and that my

actions and the actions of others participating in the Program may be embarrassing or of an otherwise unfavorable nature that may

be factual or fictional. I further understand that my appearance, depiction, and/or portrayal in and in connection with the Program

or otherwise, and my actions and the actions of others displayed in and in connection with the Program or otherwise, may be

disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing or of an otherwise unfavorable nature, may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation or

condemnation, and may portray me in a false light. I further understand that any information regarding me that Producer may

disclose during the Program may be more or less favorable than similar information disclosed by Producer regarding other

participants....

[mdt]

I am so sick of crabcakes benedict for breakfast, I can't believe that got any credit. It is on every menu anywhere. You don't need a Top Chef to come up with that dish. Tonight's results just floored me. I am really disappointed in this season. I could stop watching, but I keep hoping for a glimmer of hope.

They were supposed to come up with dishes for the Hilton chain. I think that fit the bill more than the mussels with squid ink pasta.

[mdt]

Timothy Dean in another mess.

His partner carried his ass in the last challenge.

[ktmoomau]

They were supposed to come up with dishes for the Hilton chain. I think that fit the bill more than the mussels with squid ink pasta.

Except they said the hotel chain wants a new signature dish for its menu—something healthy, yet sophisticated and easily executed in a hotel kitchen. To me Eggs chesapeake are not healthy or sophisticated. At least squid ink pasta is sophisticated, although mussels and pasta aren't particularly healthy. It is healthier and more sophisticated than short ribs with polenta or potatoes. Short ribs in esence are unhealthy, comfort food.

And the other winning breakfast had hollandaise, pancetta and potato. Not healthy either. So really Hilton didn't want healthy or sophisticated it wanted things that people staying in a hotel would think were good and that they would order for room service regardless of health or sophistication.

[monavano]

Antonio has not struck me as a man with a sense of irony or humor, so when he said he's had crabs and has bad memories, I'm thinking he's not talking about crustaceans.

Plus, he's just creepy.

[Michael Landrum]

OMG!!! Did any one see what went down on Housewives of New Jersey last night?

All I can say is god bless Bravo!!!

[Ericandblueboy]

OMG!!! Did any one see what went down on Housewives of New Jersey last night?

No but I'm gonna watch every single episode of Bethany getting married.

[fuzzy510]

*ahem*

THANK. GOD.

[DanCole42]

So here's my take on the cheftestants.

Timothy - He always seemed to think he'd made this incredible dish, but it's always ended up sucking. Was he just fooling himself?

Amanda - Very attractive, slutty crackwhore. No, seriously, she admitted to having been on crack in the last episode. She has confidence and guts and doesn't seem to take the whole thing too seriously, so I'd like to see her do well.

Kenny - He's from Telluride, so I was predisposed to like him from the start. He's cocky, yes, but he can cook, doesn't take himself too seriously, and has a good sense of humor. I think he could make the top three.

Kelly - Seems like she can be kind of a bitch at times, but it's the kind of bitch that can get shit done, not the kind of bitch you want to slap. I think (hope) she'll be in the top three.

Angelo - He is the reason that we have war and disease. He is a putrescent, pernicious pestilence that should be scraped off Satan's boot into a pile of snot shit. He is full of himself. Takes himself too seriously. He is the guy at the party that preys on the girl you've been in love with since 8th grade and fucks her. He is suave and seductive and his words are poison. That he continues to win over the judges week after week just makes me hate him more. I want his balls scraped off with a paring knife and his smug-as-shit face smashed in with a meat mallet and broiled.

Everyone else is just "meh."

[Ericandblueboy]

Jungle fever. And who's Tim gonna sue because he didn't win Top Chef?

[qwertyy]

Forgetting for a moment the possible offensiveness of this show, the offensiveness of this thread is getting fairly out of hand.

[DonRocks]

Forgetting for a moment the possible offensiveness of this show, the offensiveness of this thread is getting fairly out of hand.

[uh ... yeah, to say the least. Needless to say, there's at least one post in this thread that will be deleted. I have zero tolerance for this.]

[Ericandblueboy]

Tamesha did not come across as a sweet person. She was too easily influenced and did not watch her language on TV.

[cajcaj]

Tamesha did not come across as a sweet person. She was too easily influenced and did not watch her language on TV.

Um, and the others did? What a random thing to point out.

[Ericandblueboy]

Um, and the others did? What a random thing to point out.

Kenny is one of the most talented chefs on the show and he was on the bottom today. Did he drop F bombs on TV? Was he living in denial? Someone who curses and gets sent home for bad food isn't really a random event. Do you have a point?

[goodeats]

Kenny is one of the most talented chefs on the show and he was on the bottom today. Did he drop F bombs on TV? Was he living in denial? Someone who curses and gets sent home for bad food isn't really a random event. Do you have a point?

Wow. Everyone is on defense today. It appears that WWZ's point was just asking you to elaborate, not attack. Chill.

Besides, not having a tv, I have no clue what you are talking about either.

[cajcaj]

Kenny is one of the most talented chefs on the show and he was on the bottom today. Did he drop F bombs on TV? Was he living in denial? Someone who curses and gets sent home for bad food isn't really a random event. Do you have a point?

My point was basically, asking if you had a point. Why bring up her swearing when it seems like a pretty common thing on the show from almost all the chefs. I didn't say cursing and getting sent home was a random event - but that your post was random.

[Ericandblueboy]

My point was basically, asking if you had a point. Why bring up her swearing when it seems like a pretty common thing on the show from almost all the chefs. I didn't say cursing and getting sent home was a random event - but that your post was random.

My point is she deserved to go home. Since when is this a discussion about my posts as opposed to the show? In response to you, I didn't notice much swearing by other chefs. Why is my post random when it is directly related to the person who got booted tonight? If you don't think she deserves to go home, let's hear your reasoning.

[hungry prof]

Tamesha's scallops sucked. End of story. That's why she was sent home. Moving on. Hoping this season somehow improves. . .

[Tweaked]

There's been plenty of swearing on Top Chef through out the years...big fucking deal.

Personally, I thought the tasting should have been blind. Split the two "teams" up, seperate shopping runs and seperate kitchens. Maybe Kenny's dish did suck (dude needs to stop with the duos and trios)...maybe it was editting...but did appear to be gang up on Kenny night. However, based on the judges comments did seem like Tamesha blew it with her scallops.

[DanCole42]

DISCLAIMER: This is a commentary on the "characters" as portrayed by the producers and editors of Top Chef, not a slight to their real-world counterparts. In addition, I apologize in advance if anyone is offended by my language or references to historical atrocities.... Except Angelo. He is worse than Hitler.

I love how Tamesha said that her personality clashed with Amanda. Could that be because Amanda is a strong woman who doesn't take shit from people? Whereas Tamesha got taken in by Angelo's bullshit?

When Angelo told the server how to carry his dish: "It's like a baby," douche literally began to drip from the bottom of my TV screen. Seriously. I would bottle it, but it's too strong to be contained.

The peer reviews... that was probably the least classy thing I've ever seen, and I once saw Pauly Shore attend a performance of Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Dina Lohan. True story. I mean come on, the editors couldn't have thrown in one single fucking positive comment? Are we really supposed to identify with these people? What happened to the support and goodwill from last season? Did some producer not earn enough to send his spoiled little shit of a kid to Camp Gofuckyourself this Summer?

Anyway, I'm still putting my money behind Kenny and Kelly, my Colorado buddies.

[Ericandblueboy]

When Angelo told the server how to carry his dish: "It's like a baby," douche literally began to drip from the bottom of my TV screen. Seriously. I would bottle it, but it's too strong to be contained.

I wonder if Angelo did kind of sabotage Tamesha by not pointing out how much her dish sucked? Could Angelo be that much of a snake as to befriend someone just to stab them in the back?

[ktmoomau]

I dislike the show so much, I forgot it was on last night. After hearing all this I don't think I need to watch it. Maybe I should let you guys preview all this seasons episodes before I bother to watch them. I really do miss last season so much. It was so neat to see a awesome bunch of people rising to the top without all this type of drama.

[monavano]

I dislike the show so much, I forgot it was on last night. After hearing all this I don't think I need to watch it. Maybe I should let you guys preview all this seasons episodes before I bother to watch them. I really do miss last season so much. It was so neat to see a awesome bunch of people rising to the top without all this type of drama.

I can't believe that I missed Modern Family for this yawnfest.

[mdt]

There's been plenty of swearing on Top Chef through out the years...big fucking deal.

Personally, I thought the tasting should have been blind. Split the two "teams" up, seperate shopping runs and seperate kitchens. Maybe Kenny's dish did suck (dude needs to stop with the duos and trios)...maybe it was editting...but did appear to be gang up on Kenny night. However, based on the judges comments did seem like Tamesha blew it with her scallops.

I agree on the blind tasting. It was amazing at how many of the dishes had unfavorable comments, but like Dan said it could be the editing. The one thing that viewers don't get is the taste. Sure some of Kenny's dishes look good, but do they always taste as good as he thinks they do?

That said, the judges didn't make any comments to say that they disagreed with what was being said.

[fuzzy510]

Anyway, I'm still putting my money behind Kenny and Kelly, my Colorado buddies.

For my money, she's easily the best chef there. Kenny's good too, but wildly inconsistent.

[jigones]

Does anyone think this season is lacking some flair? Just not as excited to watch it.

[fuzzy510]

Does anyone think this season is lacking some flair? Just not as excited to watch it.

That's putting it mildly. The only one that's been this bad has been season 5 (New York). If it wasn't DC-based, I'm not sure I'd care to watch it this season.

[Pool Boy]

There's been plenty of swearing on Top Chef through out the years...big fucking deal.

Personally, I thought the tasting should have been blind. Split the two "teams" up, seperate shopping runs and seperate kitchens. Maybe Kenny's dish did suck (dude needs to stop with the duos and trios)...maybe it was editting...but did appear to be gang up on Kenny night. However, based on the judges comments did seem like Tamesha blew it with her scallops.

Oh I completely agree. None of the chefs should have known what chefs prepared what dishes for the ones they were tasting and supposed to be judging. This was largely then allowing contestants to tactically do things unrelated to the actual food and flavors thereof and the presentation. Man that sentence sucked. My point is, if the judging chefs tasted the food blind, there would be no scheming who to screw up by voting them to the bottom.

This season totally sucks compared to last season.

[zoramargolis]

I really do miss last season so much. It was so neat to see a awesome bunch of people rising to the top without all this type of drama.

Have you forgotten about Robin Leventhal, the passive-aggresive cancer-survivor who everyone loved to hate?

[ktmoomau]

Have you forgotten about Robin Leventhal, the passive-aggresive cancer-survivor who everyone loved to hate?

I didn't think though that the drama in last series was like this though... the editing seemed to be a lot more food focused. Yeah there were some remarks back and forth, but it didn't seem to be so snippy between EVERYONE.

[Ericandblueboy]

I think Angelo is not only a pretty good chef, he has really studied the past seasons and has developed a strategy to win. As with other reality TV shows, the strategy is devious. I think Angelo is primarily liable for turning Top Chef into just another reality TV show.

[hungry prof]

I didn't think though that the drama in last series was like this though... the editing seemed to be a lot more food focused. Yeah there were some remarks back and forth, but it didn't seem to be so snippy between EVERYONE.

Maybe it's actually because the chefs aren't that good this season. When you don't have the confidence that your cooking is the best, then you have to resort to reality show gamesmanship.

But, then, to argue against myself: the most conniving contestant this season--Angelo--also seems to be perhaps the best chef this season.

Finally, according to Colicchio's blog, Kenny's dish really was that bad, despite the appearance that the other chefs might have been ganging up on him for strategic reasons.

[monavano]

I didn't think though that the drama in last series was like this though... the editing seemed to be a lot more food focused. Yeah there were some remarks back and forth, but it didn't seem to be so snippy between EVERYONE.

Tamesha deserved to go if only for her quote in the Style section of the WaPo today:

"I'm sorry that they didn't get the concept of my dish...unfortunate for them"

Really....it's not me....it's YOU!! You collective judges with years of experience and highly-esteemed careers. You just don't get it!!!!

Lack of introspection drives me nuts.

Perhaps, just perhaps, not only was her dish ill-conceived, but maybe, just maybe, it tasted really bad.

This season is unispired. I don't know if the editors are aiming to take the focus off of food, or if the food is really that boring. I watch to be inspired, like I was a couple of seasons ago, when the challenge was chicken, potatoes and onions. Simple, and let's see what the chefs can do with it.

So Hung made a beautifully simple meal of chicken and potatoes, but with sublime perfection. I was inspired to make classic baked chicken au jus (he did sous vide and crisped) with Pommes Dauphinoise. Scalloped potatoes? Meh...but wait. The judges and professors waxed poetically over this potato dish." Now what exactly is Pommes Dauphinoise?", I thought.

So, I did what any other home cook would do-I Googled it and found a recipe that has transformed what I knew as scalloped potatoes and taken it to another level. Another experience, really. Different, decadent and completely unforgettable.

This.. this is why I watch, and to date, this season leaves me thinking that I am more enlivened by good old Public Television cooking, my cookbooks, and frankly, my own cooking.

[stickmoon]

Finally, according to Colicchio's blog, Kenny's dish really was that bad, despite the appearance that the other chef's might have been ganging up on him for strategic reasons.

Yeah Kenny made a classic Top Chef mistake there. Tom Colicchio and co. rarely go for duos or trios or whateveros...he nearly always chides the chefs for making two or three reasonably good dishes with a tenuous connection instead of just making one great dish.

Given how the season has gone, I expected the chefs to manipulate the vote more than they did...seemed to me like the judges agreed (at least mostly) with the chefs recommendations. Although I noticed that Angelo was the first person to comment on Kenny's dish suggest that Kenny should go up for elimination, and that does set a tone and directs the conversation...I think he did that intentionally. On the one hand, Angelo gets on my nerves with all the strategery. On the other hand, it's a competition and he wants to win. On the third hand, he seems like a good enough chef that he could win on the strength of his dishes alone.

Edited July 23, 2010 by stickmoon

[jiveturk21]

I have been away for three weeks, so I just got to watch the last three episodes back to back to back.

I think that we can all agree, at least so far, that these chefs seem to have very little talent when compared to past seasons. Up to this point, season two seemed to have the least amount of talent, but these chefs are running away with that trophy at this point.

Being part of a reality show in the past even to a very, very, very small degree, has really taught me that the editing is OUTRAGEOUS! I understand why they do it, but it still pisses me off. With that being said, I kind of think that the editing that they seem to be doing surrounding Angelo is almost criminal. Obviously it is not actually criminal, but they seem to be taking it to a new level. Listen, he is the douche bag of all douche bags. Trust me, it drives me nuts that he wants to literally have sex with the food that he makes, but I have not seen one glimpse of the backstabbing/game playing/mind games that they are portraying him to be involved in. Maybe they are not showing us what he is doing and that is why it makes no sense why all of the judges are bitching about him. Or, maybe they are just bitching about him because they hate him or they are jealous of him. Either way, being a total donkey doesn't make you maliciouos as they make him out to be. Damn, I hate defending dummies like him, but I have to in this case.

By the way, someone on here mentioned something about Kenny not being cocky or something like that, I totally disagree. I agree that he is not a dick about it, but he thinks all of his shit is good and, as we see from the judging, I think he is a bit overconfident.

[Ericandblueboy]

Did Alex steal the pea puree or not? How is it they have cameras everywhere and can't settle this simple matter?

from bald Italian's blog:

Think about it: There are three possibilities, right? 1) Alex may indeed knowingly have stolen Ed’s pea puree and used it; 2) Alex may have made his own pea puree and been wrongly maligned by his co-contestants; or, 3) Alex unwittingly may have mistaken Ed’s pea puree for his own and taken Ed’s, but truly believing that he was using his own. In two of the three possibilities, Alex did not intentionally commit any wrongdoing.

We will never know.

B.S. They were filming in the kitchen the whole time. If Alex never cooked any peas then he couldn't magically produce pea puree. None of the contestants believed the pea puree was a simple thing that can be prepared in a short period of time.

[stickmoon]

I was really disappointed that the producers didn't step in and alert the judges that Alex probably stole the pea puree.

[hungry prof]

Did Alex steal the pea puree or not? How is it they have cameras everywhere and can't settle this simple matter?

Agreed. Very strange. And even if they didn't catch either the theft or the actual preparation on tape, shouldn't there have been evidence of the preparation of the pea puree after the fact? Either an immersion blender or a regular blender. TC contestants clearly don't do dishes as they go along, so why didn't anybody ask to see Alex's blender?

[Ericandblueboy]

I think Amanda is a ditz but what's with Kelly trying to hold out on the salt - which she then overused and got in trouble. I was just wondering why this episode everyone got a full portion of food, is it because politicians can't share plates? What a waste (so typical of politicians)!

[monavano]

I think Amanda is a ditz but what's with Kelly trying to hold out on the salt - which she then overused and got in trouble. I was just wondering why this episode everyone got a full portion of food, is it because politicians can't share plates? What a waste (so typical of politicians)!

I thought Amanda would be dinged for breaking down the Porterhouse steak, but to my surprise, the diners looked at her plate more favorably. It didn't help that Kelly over-salted her steak, and her attitude stinks. If you seek to win, or surpass another contestant because they did not or could not offer their best, then you have no pride in what you do.

I would, by far, want to know that I beat my opponents on their best day. If Kelly were truly confident in her skills (which she isn't-she cried over trying to please the judges) and not threatened by Amanda, she would have shared her salt and not acted like a first grade bully.

I'm not a fan of Angelo personally, but he showed that he's got what it takes to win this thing. His QF challenge offering had the wheels falling off, but he pulled it together and won.

[Ericandblueboy]

I'm not a fan of Angelo personally, but he showed that he's got what it takes to win this thing. His QF challenge offering had the wheels falling off, but he pulled it together and won.

Kevin made some comment about Angelo making Chinese food. I think he made some other derogatory comment about Angelo before because Angelo's forté is obviously Asian. I'm not a fan of Angelo but I'm also not a fan of a sore loser (who seems to dismiss Chinese food). Additional tidbit about Kevin from NJ.com:

Sbraga, who graduated with a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales in Miami, previously worked as chef de cuisine at the Grill at Philadelphias Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and later served as culinary director for the restaurant group run by Jose Garces, the Philadelphia restaurateur and recently anointed Iron Chef America. But when the market tanked, he was laid off.

[jiveturk21]

I was really disappointed that the producers didn't step in and alert the judges that Alex probably stole the pea puree.

I don't know anything, obviously, but my guess is that Alex didn't steal the pea puree and that is why they edited the show to make it seem like he did. I know, it sounds crazy, but I cannot imagine that the producers know that he stole the pea puree and let him go on and win the challenge, they will do some crazy things, but that seems like too much. My guess is that they just wanted to make something out of really nothing, for ratings purposes, so they made a decision to not show Alex making a pea puree.

Either way, it is stupid all the way around.

[Pat]

I thought Amanda would be dinged for breaking down the Porterhouse steak, but to my surprise, the diners looked at her plate more favorably.

When she said that she'd never cooked a Porterhouse, I was surprised that she would volunteer that. Then when she started cutting the steak up, I thought it seemed like she was trying to change the protein to something she was more comfortable with, which seemed kind of weak. As time went on, though, I changed my mind and decided it was pretty savvy that she showed she could butcher one cut of meat into two other cuts and cook them well. She took what could have been a negative and made it a positive.

[Ericandblueboy]

Does Kelly have a legitimate beef with Amanda chopping up the porterhouse? When you chop it up, it's no longer a porterhouse. I would have liked more clarity in their rules. The other contestants had swordfish, salmon, lobster, and lamb chops. Kelly and Amanda didn't get just "beef," they were ordered to cook a porterhouse. Would it have been okay if Amanda grounded up the porterhouse and made meatloaf with it?