Tweaked Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 So is there no new episode tonight, just the silly Top Chef reunion dinner thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungry prof Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 So is there no new episode tonight, just the silly Top Chef reunion dinner thing? Silly is an understatement. That was one stupid hour of television. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Straight from the source - Top Chef Stephanie Izard was invited and then uninvited by TC to the dinner. She is very happy she did not attend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Having acquired, after over 15 years without, a television, I have recently discovered several things: One) The world of fine dining is, on the whole, more pathetic than I had thought. That being said, some of these guys can cook like some serious badass motherfuckers. Two) Based on the differential factor between talent and need, Tom Colecchio is a far greater sell-out than Rocco, and therefore all the sadder. Three) Anthony Bourdain is as lame and embarassing as I thought, if not more so. All that forced, posed authenticity, all that petting zoo populism. Four) Two places I will never go are Atlanta and Orange County. Thanks Bravo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe H Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Having acquired, after over 15 years without, a television, I have recently discovered several things: One) The world of fine dining is, on the whole, more pathetic than I had thought. That being said, some of these guys can cook like some serious badass motherfuckers. Two) Based on the differential factor between talent and need, Tom Colecchio is a far greater sell-out than Rocco, and therefore all the sadder. Three) Anthony Bourdain is as lame and embarassing as I thought, if not more so. All that forced, posed authenticity, all that petting zoo populism. Four) Two places I will never go are Atlanta and Orange County. Thanks Bravo! There is some real excellence in Atlanta including Bacchanalia (and Quinones within) along with Rathbun's and the Watershed in a converted gas station which has fantastic fried chicken on Tuesday night that might rival Prince's although it's not "hot." Orange county, CA? Over the years I've tried a lot of places there but have yet to find anywhere that I really like. You really should try Table 21 at Volt sometime. He is serving superb, creative, interpretative food in an environment that for most outside the industry will find really interesting. The staff's personality and presentation help put it all over the top. Perhaps only Komi has a similar "personality" but I prefer Table 21. Two visits since July and there will be a third in December. We like it THAT much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyjoan Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Having acquired, after over 15 years without, a television, I have recently discovered several things: Four) Two places I will never go are Atlanta and Orange County. Thanks Bravo! I'm assuming your distaste for Atlanta comes not from Top Chef but rather from the Real Housewives series. I can say with some certainty that those women are neither real, nor are they housewives, nor do they live IN Atlanta. Don't write off the city based on Bravo's presentation thereof--it's actually a pretty great place (and yes, I know I am biased). There are some incredible things (food-wise and otherwise) happening in Atlanta, and I'm proud to call it home. And yes, my address is ACTUALLY Atlanta. 30306, baby. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Joe Yonan is tweeting as watching the show, and it's pretty amusing. here He mentions that the phone call with BV at the beginning of the show could be a bad omen. ETA-I see he reworded his text to foretelling "drama" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Once more, I get the impression that decisions were not made solely on the basis of the one dish served in the Elimination round. Eli's really sounded like the worst, but since he won the Quickfire Challenge, and Robin is not as good a cook, he stays. The major justifications I can see for the decision are: 1) his dish was a bit more convincing in its attempts to complement the casino, though primarily in terms of ingredients; 2) Robin's technical incompetence surprised the judges since they all felt her dessert was one of the easiest things to make. I will say, in her defense, she took the Italian side of the Bellagio into consideration when deciding on a panna cotta, and not just the glass sculptures that captivated her. * * * I truly feel for Jennifer. All the self-doubt. Her up-beat blather about a rather unfortunate draw of a place (boy did that entertainment look pitiful) was totally unconvincing. Have to say that Tom C's comments about medieval food impressed me--even though they were elementary references to spices and reasons for their importance, they suggested what could have inspired J to surpass the tearing-of-the-roasted-chicken that was going on at the place (and come on, how medieval is broccoli?), especially since she is so good at flavorful broths and sauces. * * * I wanna Kevin doll. * * * Really looking forward to the next episode! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Finally! I'd like to know how many chefs in all the various TV cooking competition shows have been waylaid by panna cotta and /or creme brulee...for some reason it always seems to be the go to "dessert" option and almost always the kiss of death...In a non-1700s courtesan inner thigh way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Really looking forward to the next episode!Okay. So who's next to be eliminated--Eli or Jennifer? We now know who the final three will be.I'd like to know how many chefs in all the various TV cooking competition shows have been waylaid by panna cotta and /or creme brulee...for some reason it always seems to be the go to "dessert" option and almost always the kiss of death...In a non-1700s courtesan inner thigh way!Much as I love Nigella--that saucy, literate wench--I have to disagree with her on how simple panna cotta is. Top Chef contestants rarely do desserts in the course of their day-to-day experience, and since no written recipes are allowed in the competition, participants tend to memorize a small number of dessert recipes beforehand. Recipes are more important with desserts, because the ratios of ingredient elements are much more important there. And panna cotta has a fairly simple formula/ratio of liquid to gelatin and doesn't have the inherent risks of an egg-based custard, which can easily overcook, even in a waterbath. The problem is in being precise with gelatin sheets and also the solids (like fruit puree) that can be included in a panna cotta can have an unpredictable effect on the liquid/gelatin ratio. Robin seemed like no more than a talented home cook, and being one of those myself I can 'fess up to producing rubbery pannae cottae, even with a recipe book to consult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Speaking of desserts doing contestants in--did anyone else see the most recent episode of Chopped on Food Network? I have to admit a considerable amount of vicarious pleasure at seeing a 60 year-old woman, a former combat-zone nurse from Portugal, who calmly and confidently wiped the floor with a couple of uber-macho drama king chefs, and won the competition while behaving in a loving, maternal way toward her fellow contestants. Her coup de grace was dessert--she said that her first NY restaurant job after emigrating from Portugal was as a pastry chef, and she produced a throughly professional-looking napoleon with the "mystery basket" ingredients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I was surprised Eli didn't get the whack this time, given the edited comments, but so so glad Robin is history. She should have been gone 4-6 weeks ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Padma's appearance on "Watch What Happens Next" manages to redeem all. Now if I can just figure out how she got those scars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraB Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Padma's appearance on "Watch What Happens Next" manages to redeem all. Now if I can just figure out how she got those scars... I believe she was in a car accident as a teenager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I believe she was in a car accident as a teenager. Yep.From Wikipedia In 1984, when she was 14 years old, Lakshmi was involved in a serious automobile accident, causing an injury to her right arm that required surgery, which left a 7-inch scar[3] between her elbow and shoulder. The accident happened on a Sunday afternoon as Lakshmi was being driven home by her parents from a Hindu temple in Malibu. She remembers a loud bang, looking out the windshield and realizing the family's red Mercury sedan was airborne. She described the event in the April 2001 edition of Vogue, saying, "Flying in a car felt like an exhilarating hallucination, an unbelievable ride that oddly remains one of the most beautiful images in my memory." The car flew 40 feet down an embankment and straight into a tree. The tree trunk fell directly on top of the car. Lakshmi remained conscious, covered in glass, for the 40 minutes it took for the paramedics and firefighters to get through the traffic. They used the "jaws of life" to extract the family from the crumpled car. A helicopter landed in the middle of the highway to airlift her parents away while an ambulance carried Lakshmi to the hospital. Everyone survived. Her injuries included a fractured right hip and a shattered upper right arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poivrot Farci Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Now if I can just figure out how she got those scars... Emotional scars from getting comfy with Salman Rushdie’s genitals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Tear jerker this week. I haven't cried this hard in a long time...It's a difficult choice when it comes down to the last 5 chefs, who are solid folks and friends with each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm212 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Not surprised Eli went home tonight. My guess is the Jennifer will go home next week unless Kevin really screws up. The producers want brothers in the finale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I think the plot thread of Brothers V technique v. Kevin's homespun cooking philosophy bodes well for Kevin making the finals. I doubt they would have spent so much air time on Mike's "I cook Kevin's food on my day off" and Kevin's I prefer "flavor over flash" if they don't both make the finals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Not surprised Eli went home tonight. My guess is the Jennifer will go home next week unless Kevin really screws up. The producers want brothers in the finale. Kevin won't screw up. He'll probably win it all. He is a solid chef, and thus follows in the mold of past winners, who are reliable but not necessarily as creative or risk-taking as some of their fellow contestants. Remember those who lost in past seasons--Stephen (?), Marcel Vigneron, Richard Blaise. As they showed Michael Voltaggio saying: "Kevin's food is what I cook on my day off." But taking risks and showing flashes of brilliance also increases the chances of failure, especially under the extreme time restrictions of the format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I'm just hoping that they give Jenn's hair a makeover. Ye Gods! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I'm just hoping that they give Jenn's hair a makeover. Ye Gods! It looks like the next episode was filmed some time later, as Jen's hair looked somewhat healthy, and Kevin's grew out a bit. But yeah, dayum sister, get thee some VO5. At least Jen won the quick-fire and seemed to perk up a bit. During her confessionals, I just want to grab her chin to lift her head up as she mumbled her words while staring at the floor. What happened to her since the beginning? She had attitude! I was so happy for Kevin. I would have liked to have seen either him or Bryan get that opportunity to compete. The two of them seemed to appreciate the honor and challenge. Eli-good guy, but it was him or Jen. I'm glad Jen gets to go on and I hope she recharges her spirit between now and the next challenge. I'm with Zora picking Kevin. If not Kevin, then Bryan-another huge talent, solid, decent person. My only doubt about Bryan is that he may overreach like he did last night-sort of like Tiffany in season one's finale, with saddling herself with double the work when simplicity could have done. To her credit though, she almost pulled it off. Almost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungry prof Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Kevin won't screw up. He'll probably win it all. He is a solid chef, and thus follows in the mold of past winners, who are reliable but not necessarily as creative or risk-taking as some of their fellow contestants. Remember those who lost in past seasons--Stephen (?), Marcel Vigneron, Richard Blaise. As they showed Michael Voltaggio saying: "Kevin's food is what I cook on my day off." But taking risks and showing flashes of brilliance also increases the chances of failure, especially under the extreme time restrictions of the format. I agree with this. Isn't Tom always saying that you can't "play it safe?" Wrong. Safe food cooked well will beat imaginative food cooked poorly every time. Kevin's dish was the only one in this challenge that didn't have some significant execution error in it. I can't imagine how nervous those chefs must have been cooking for a room that included both Keller and Boulud. Anybody want to bet on whether the Bocuse d'Or is going to be televised on Bravo next year? There's usually some promotional reason for just about everything they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I am amazed that they got Thomas Keller to come on the show. And I think I would have soiled myself if I was one of the chefs having to cook for that table. No, I know I would have. I am pulling for Kevin or Bryan to win it all. I think Jenn needs to pull out a near perfect performance now and one of the guys needs to stumble, in order for her to make it to the final 3 now. We'll see! All I know is, I need to plan a trip to Atlanta. Soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyjoan Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I am 100% in favor of a DR.com road trip to Atlanta. No one ever comes to visit me, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE to show off my city! That said, I have been trying to get into Woodfire Grill for MONTHS and have been unable to (unless I wanted to eat at 10 PM on a Tuesday). Darn all of that Top Chef publicity. Still, even if it means I can't get a dadgum reservation, I am pulling for Kevin to win it all. We met him at a chef demo at our local farmers' market, and he was just insanely warm and funny and well-spoken. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 ...I am pulling for Kevin to win it all. We met him at a chef demo at our local farmers' market, and he was just insanely warm and funny and well-spoken. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.This belongs under Travel/Atlanta, I know, but I just spoke to some tourists from Atlanta yesterday who said they didn't have any outdoor farmers' markets in the city proper--you had to go out to Decater (?) for that. True? Where exactly was this demo featuring Kevin and what did he prepare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyjoan Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 This belongs under Travel/Atlanta, I know, but I just spoke to some tourists from Atlanta yesterday who said they didn't have any outdoor farmers' markets in the city proper--you had to go out to Decater (?) for that. True? Where exactly was this demo featuring Kevin and what did he prepare? Aw, those tourists steered you all wrong! There are two notable farmers markets in the city proper. One is the Piedmont Park Green Market: http://www.piedmontpark.org/programs/green_market.html, which is right in midtown. My favorite is the Morningside Farmers Market: http://www.morningsidemarket.com/index, which is in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta. And just FYI--while those two markets are, in fact, in Atlanta proper, it is notable that Decatur is a mere 10 minutes away (so even if Decatur had the only or the best market, it's easy to get to from the city). As you can see from its website, the Morningside market features chef demos nearly every week. They usually bring a local chef in to highlight a seasonal ingredient and answer questions about its preparation. Kevin was highlighting okra, and he made a sauteed okra with grits and chili tomato sauce. It was delicious, which was all the more impressive considering that he was working on one fold-out table and a Coleman burner. I blogged about the event here: http://troublewithtoast.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/cooking-with-kevin/. He was an absolute pleasure to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Girl Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Saw this on the Bravo Top Chef page. Her face looks much fuller but her chest is HUGE. Look at pictures #3and 11 http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/photos/top-chef-out-and-about-in-nyc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Bravo to Bravo. This has been one of the most engaging seasons populated by the most talented chefs in a long time. I look forward to watching it every week--and don't feel dirty at all afterward! While the product placement is getting out of hand and while they are clearly editing to make some tensions exist where they may not, I hope they stick with this season's structure of good challenges, fun twists (high stakes!), and most imporantly, qualified contestants. I have to be up at 3:30am Thursday morning for a flight, and I'm STILL going to stay up to watch Wednesday night. (I'm such a sucker. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79pooh83 Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Bravo to Bravo. This has been one of the most engaging seasons populated by the most talented chefs in a long time. I look forward to watching it every week--and don't feel dirty at all afterward! While the product placement is getting out of hand and while they are clearly editing to make some tensions exist where they may not, I hope they stick with this season's structure of good challenges, fun twists (high stakes!), and most imporantly, qualified contestants. I have to be up at 3:30am Thursday morning for a flight, and I'm STILL going to stay up to watch Wednesday night. (I'm such a sucker. ) I think you can sleep--I don't think there's a episode this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79pooh83 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Is anyone in DC with Comcast having trouble getting sound on Bravo? I'm hoping it's fixed by Wed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm212 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Is anyone in DC with Comcast having trouble getting sound on Bravo? I'm hoping it's fixed by Wed. Not to jinx anything but it is working in MOCO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Michael's pistou looked like something that Robin would have done--and not just because of the squash blossoms. Jen may have been accused of being all over the place due to a confidence issue, but her dishes looked focussed and polished. His vegetarian one did not. Were Kevin eliminated for stringy texture, there would have been a riot. He knew there was not enough time to get a nice, tender brisket, so there is an element of flawed judgment to be taken into consideration. I love the fact that his approach to food is so appreciated and so perfect for the setting of the finale, though. The dramatic necessity of having both brothers compete in the finals is something discussed here for some time, however, seeing Jen pick herself up and demonstrate a finesse w proteins other than seafood made me hope that she had a chance to go further and that the judges would stun us all by sending home Michael V despite his gifts. * * * As for commercials, I am glad that next week will be the last time I have to watch Erica again. Nonetheless, the worse was the cliché-ridden one for Dove chocolates. Silky, glossy luscious chocolate, silky skin, glossy chestnut-brown hair, lusciously attractive unclothed woman. (No relation to Dove soap, lotion and shampoo?) Then, at the climax of the comparison of the objects of our desires, we're told these morsels contain peanut butter. I'm sorry, but after watching her toss her long hair which editing likens to a stream of chocolate, I picture a pile of peanut butter dumped over the model along w the announcement. Not quite the Herb Albert cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm212 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Jen looked pissed off for most of the episode, like she knew she was going home no matter what she cooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Kevin won $30k in the previous elimination challenge. Michael V. won a 2010 Prius in today's quickfire, both substantial prizes. Bryan has won several elimination challenges, but I can't recall anything except an "opportunity" to work for nothing in Joel Robuchon's kitchen for a week. Seems to me that having gotten this far, if he doesn't win the Top Chef final, he was robbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flavortown Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Kevin won $30k in the previous elimination challenge. Michael V. won a 2010 Prius in today's quickfire, both substantial prizes. Bryan has won several elimination challenges, but I can't recall anything except an "opportunity" to work for nothing in Joel Robuchon's kitchen for a week. Seems to me that having gotten this far, if he doesn't win the Top Chef final, he was robbed. Seriously. I'm really pulling for him, and I think he'll manage to win. His brother is just too inconsistent, and while the judges seem to generally love Kevin's style of cooking, I just don't see him going all the way. Of course, whether or not Bryan pulls it off, he'll be getting a good chunk of change from me the first chance I get to head up to Frederick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Of course, whether or not Bryan pulls it off, he'll be getting a good chunk of change from me the first chance I get to head up to Frederick. Well, you might want to make that reservation now, because I hear everything is booking up pretty fast, particularly the tastings....I was just really glad that the tissue box was near me and thankful for AB that the "Erica" commercials were about to end because wasn't it a year ago (or more?) that she was featured in them? Fashion-wise, I am not sure that Padma sports bangs well, but I am sure that if she has one right now, she might want to rethink her stylist since why would you wear gloves or whatever those thingies + off-shoulder + tights (?) were during the dinner?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Of course, whether or not Bryan pulls it off, he'll be getting a good chunk of change from me the first chance I get to head up to Frederick.A few hundred from you and many others-- lot of people will be visiting Volt--I'm not sure that will be anything close to the impact of $100,000 in goods from Macy's (do they sell immersion circulators and reverse griddles?) and $125,000 in a lump sum of cash (both minus taxes, of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Cooking aside, I believe Kevin, a regular culinary Constable Dogberry, should have gone home for his misuse of the word "toothsome" in whose seeming plausibility and presumed cleverness, true to the famed Miss Malaprop, he seemed to take particular pride. Now if he were describing the ripening Padma rather than his undercooked brisket that would be another matter. From now on at restaurants, whenever offered a final course after feasting on some free-range pulchritude and several sidereal dishes, I am going to declare myself too fulsome for dessert, even for a littoral taste...Now when it comes to post-praedials, well now that's another matter, I'll drink 'til the first crepuscular lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol_ironstomach Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 From now on at restaurants, whenever offered a final course after feasting on some free-range pulchritude and several sidereal dishes, I am going to declare myself too fulsome for dessert, even for a littoral taste...Now when it comes to post-praedials, well now that's another matter, I'll drink 'til the first crepuscular lights. Best. Vocab. Post. Ever. Also, I can't wait to see sidereal dishes on a Ray's menu (item 25M). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Also, I can't wait to see sidereal dishes on a Ray's menu (item 25M). Listen here, sunshine, it'll be a cold day on the surface of a pulsating variable before you get a look at my Very Large Array. That's not on the menu for you. Neither is the Very Long Baseline Array. Nor will you be a part of the Very Large Array Expansion Project. Ever. Go play in your own Bok Globule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvanrens Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 and while the judges seem to generally love Kevin's style of cooking, I just don't see him going all the way. Really? Why is this? He's been the most consistent chef on the show - I mean, I love Bryan, and I've been to Volt several times now (it helps that I'm local) and bumped into him at the Fredneck Farmer's Market, so I would love to see him win, but I still think it'll be Kevin. Michael Landrum's little linguistic litany aside, I say he's got both brothers beat on sheer talent. Like Michael, he has a definite vision, and like Bryan, he has the skills to completely realize that vision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flavortown Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I say he's got both brothers beat on sheer talent. Like Michael, he has a definite vision, and like Bryan, he has the skills to completely realize that vision. I see Kevin winning if Bryan and Michael reach too far and don't deliver. He may have a vision, but it seems as though Bryan's vision is consistenly more ambitious, just not always achieved. The challenge with Thomas Keller a few weeks ago was a perfect example - the judges repeatedly said that with more time they thought Bryan's dish would have blown the others away. Based on that statement, I thought Bryan should have won that one, but Kevin pulled it out. Last night Kevin was the one who reached too far and failed, while Bryan pulled off what he aimed for except for a little undersalting. The problem is that Kevin's reach was a dumb one rather than an attempt at some super creative, ambitious dish: trying to cook that brisket without enough time to make it come out well. It's a move like that that makes me see Bryan as having a greater potential to wow the judges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I think Jen was edited to make her seem a bit more unfocused an disheveled than she really was. Just my sense. I thought she would have been lauded for a successful plan B. Chiarello loved her duck-so what if the cooking method was her second choice. How many contestants go down for not being able to quickly think on their feet? If the judges did not know her initial intentions, would they have judged her differently than they did? They all seemed to love it. Mike V-I thought he was going to be out for the ragu and improperly cooked/served egg-especially in light of Padma's delicate condition. Kevin-I agree, he thought "toothsome" would give his brisket a patina of character, but the judges threw the BS flag while Kevin patted himself on the back. I would have thought that he would be more tough on himself. At least he was in previous competitions. Bryan's food apparently was not as under-seasoned as we were led to believe when the judges initially tasted it. My money is on Bryan, between his amazing performance and "tells" thus far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 My money is on Bryan, between his amazing performance and "tells" thus far.I think Bryan is going to be invited to try out for the American Bocuse d'Or team. Kevin won that challenge and the prize of trying out for the team, but it was Bryan who the judges were talking about as having the right temperament and skills for the competition. Kevin's rustic style is not what the Bocuse d'Or challenges involve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I'm expecting Kevin to win, but would love it if Bryan did instead. Michael comes off in the editing as kind of a punk, so I am not really rooting for him. But, I think we can all agree that this has been probably the best Top Chef season so far froma sheer culinary talent point of view. It'll be hard to beat this season with next season - no matter what they try to pull off. Oh and all I know is that I am aiming to dine at Kevin's establishment in Atlanta....soon. And I have no reason to ever be in Atlanta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Girl Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 But, I think we can all agree that this has been probably the best Top Chef season so far froma sheer culinary talent point of view. It'll be hard to beat this season with next season - no matter what they try to pull off. How about a baby food challenge for Padma. Or better yet, Padma breastfeeding during Judges Table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowellR Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 The Voltaggio brothers will be doing a live chat on WashingtonPost.com at 1:00 pm this afternoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajcaj Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 The Voltaggio brothers will be doing a live chat on WashingtonPost.com at 1:00 pm this afternoon Can someone settle something for me? I swear at the beginning of the season under Michael's name it said he worked at Bazaar in LA. But then partway through it changed to saying what it says on the Post chat, that he's chef de cusine at The Dining Room at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa. did I imagine the Bazaar part?? I mean it made sense because I definitely recognized more than a few of his dishes as Jose Andres dishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) Can someone settle something for me? I swear at the beginning of the season under Michael's name it said he worked at Bazaar in LA. But then partway through it changed to saying what it says on the Post chat, that he's chef de cusine at The Dining Room at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa. did I imagine the Bazaar part?? You not imaging things, WWZ. He left in August for The Dining Room. I'll add an edit when I can find an article about this.ETA: Maybe September? Here is Tim Carman's Young & Hungry post about Josh Whigham taking over Michael Voltaggio's place at Bazaar. Edited December 9, 2009 by goodeats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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