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

[gourmetgrazer]

I think he just choked when he realized he was going to have to make a souffle.

is a souffle that hard? it should be in a contestant's repetoire.

PS who would we like to see from DC on this show?

[synaesthesia]

Didn't Rocco think it was vegamite?

Not surprising. That dude is from Australia and Vegemite is more the thing there than Marmite.

[zoramargolis]

PS who would we like to see from DC on this show?

I've been trying to talk Joey Zumpano into trying out for the show. He's the former executive chef now manager of BlackSalt. He's a terrific chef and really cute, too.

[cajcaj]

Not surprising. That dude is from Australia and Vegemite is more the thing there than Marmite.

He's from New Zealand.

Looks like this season will be entertaining! When I heard the judges comments about Nimma's oversalted shrimp I knew she'd be a goner.

[synaesthesia]

He's from New Zealand.

Oops. Well same idea. Vegemite in NZ. He looks a little like Justin Timberlake.

[cajcaj]

He looks a little like Justin Timberlake.

I think his choice of shoes (and no socks) and rolling of jeans in his bio pic are odd

But better perhaps than Richard's pink crocs.

[goodeats]

is a souffle that hard? it should be in a contestant's repetoire.

Well, not that I'm an expert, but all that comes to mind is the scene in Sabrina where Audrey Hepburn fails miserably at making a souffle.... I think this one is hard if you don't make it all the time because it really depends on the timing.

[cheezepowder]

I was expecting one of the mushroom team members to go home.

[goodeats]

I was expecting one of the mushroom team members to go home.

Me too. I really like Valerie, but Dale is a bit too much.

[Pool Boy]

I was expecting one of the mushroom team members to go home.

Ditto. Nikki (I think that is her name) was the one that came up with the mushroom idea and executed it (poorly). Any chef should know that stuffed mushroom caps should be served hot, or at least nice and warm. Room temperature or, worse, cold, stuffed mushrooms just taste like crap, no matter what you stuff them with.

[MelGold]

Why would you serve them to the judges if you had already decided to pull them from the table? Nikki should have been kicked off for that reason alone.

[Seanchai]

Why would you serve them to the judges if you had already decided to pull them from the table? Nikki should have been kicked off for that reason alone.

I think she served them because it was the only thing she prepared (beside the Sandra Lee-like tablescape). She definitely would have been knifed if she had nothing for the judges. Turned out to be a wise choice.

[MelGold]

I think she served them because it was the only thing she prepared (beside the Sandra Lee-like tablescape). She definitely would have been knifed if she had nothing for the judges. Turned out to be a wise choice.

She also made the honeycomb & lavendar bites so she wouldn't have been dish-less, but point taken.

[Tweaked]

I'm just surprised how often these chefs say they hadn't tasted the food before serving (not just on last week's episode but on previous shows/seasons as well)

Now I'm no chef and I've never catered a 200 person event on a couple hours notice, but I have thrown dinner parties and don't you always at least nibble on what you are making...I mean at the very least just to snack on something, let alone to make sure it tastes ok.

[hm212]

Now I'm no chef and I've never catered a 200 person event on a couple hours notice, but I have thrown dinner parties and don't you always at least nibble on what you are making...I mean at the very least just to snack on something, let alone to make sure it tastes ok.

Agreed - I am not a chef either but I know what tastes good. The other night cooked for a friend and would NEVER serve something that I have not tasted. One of the items, just was off so added some extra cream and seasoning so that something was not served that I was not happy with.

[dinwiddie]

Actually, I think the issue with the mushroom caps was that they added the cheese to them to try to make them look better, they didn't taste that bad before but looked like crap (literally), but the addition of the cheese was what made them taste wrong. They should have tasted them again after adding the cheese then they would have known not to serve them at all.

[monavano]

I feel a little differently about serving the judges the mushrooms. I think she made a good call in pulling the mushrooms from the table. However, the judges asked specifically about them and I feel her response was "here, taste them if you want, but know we didn't think they were good enough to serve to guests". I was rather surprised by how harshly the judges held it against the team when in fact, the right call was made.

The judges were already warned to eat them at their own risk, IMO.

[hm212]

This is part of the problem with a reality show, you only see a 15 second clip of what may have been an hour discussion. We don't know what else was said or how it was said.

I also feel that once a chef gives out food in a contest (real life would be a different answer), all disclaimers are off.

I feel a little differently about serving the judges the mushrooms. I think she made a good call in pulling the mushrooms from the table. However, the judges asked specifically about them and I feel her response was "here, taste them if you want, but know we didn't think they were good enough to serve to guests". I was rather surprised by how harshly the judges held it against the team when in fact, the right call was made.

The judges were already warned to eat them at their own risk, IMO.

[cajcaj]

Am I the only one still watching?

I think it was a good thing they got rid of Erik before he had to plate another dish.

[bettyjoan]

You're not the only one watching, but you very well might be if they keep showing crappy episodes like that!

Erik's plating was, in fact, a disaster. However, I don't know if that merited his removal more than, say, Zoi's whining about not wanting to make pasta salad (and then producing a crappy one). I understand that pasta salad ain't haute cuisine--but it also ain't hard to make well. Heck, my 86-year-old grandmother makes about the tastiest version I've ever had. Anytime a Top Chef contestant goes down the "I'm too good to make ______" road, I get reeeeeeeally turned off.

The quality of the guest judges is still pretty darn good (though Bayless was giving off a creep-tastic vibe), and I'll keep watching for Ted Allen, if nothing else. Love him!

[acevedo81]

I´m still watching, but there are too many contestants still to be able to form an opinion. I´m waiting for the fat to be trimmed to 10 contestants to start, I guess the playing field is so leveled this season that its hard to fall in love with someone. Season 1 by the first episode I already liked Harold, Season 2 i really liked marcel, season 3 i liked hung, this season my love is up for grabs

[MelGold]

I´m still watching, but there are too many contestants still to be able to form an opinion. I´m waiting for the fat to be trimmed to 10 contestants to start, I guess the playing field is so leveled this season that its hard to fall in love with someone. Season 1 by the first episode I already liked Harold, Season 2 i really liked marcel, season 3 i liked hung, this season my love is up for grabs

I like Stephanie. She's what I think Tiffanie wanted to be like in season 1. The rest of them I'm not so sure of right now.

[blakegwinn]

I don't know who I like yet but there is an 80 percent chance Andrew is on Crystal Meth. I thought Hung was hyper but Jesus this guy is all over the place. Also I was not impressed by Erik at all his dishes looked like crap, tasted like crap (according to the judges) and seemed to be Chilis menu rejects. (corn dogs, "nacho" souffle, quesadillas) Still though I don't think he should have gone home because THAT CHICK SCREWED UP PASTA SALAD. I mean c'mon. I don't care if someone shoots for the stars and flops miserably but if you are making something Sandra Lee thinks is easy you don't have to transcend the genre or anything but at least make it edible. How do you eff up pasta salad?? The fact that she didn't get the boot said to me that they want to keep this relationship playing out for a bit longer and see where it goes. The big guy may have been in over his head but at least his mess up was just poor planning (trying to precook corndogs) instead of the inability to make a freaking pasta salad.

[Pool Boy]

You're not the only one watching, but you very well might be if they keep showing crappy episodes like that!

The quality of the guest judges is still pretty darn good (though Bayless was giving off a creep-tastic vibe), and I'll keep watching for Ted Allen, if nothing else. Love him!

I hate, hate, hate team episodes. I know they do it because they want to see which chefs have leadership skills and the ability to bring teams together as well as bringing the best out of their teams/staffs, but it gets really tiresome. I DID like the idea of how 'Doorknock Dinners' this episode seemed though in that they went shopping for ingredients from 'normal' people's homes.

Any Mr. Bayless was indeed creepy. My wife wondered aloud just how many facelifts he's had already.

Am I the only one still watching?

I think it was a good thing they got rid of Erik before he had to plate another dish.

Erik was weak from episode 1 on. His plating was horrible and his flavors I take it were not good either. And doing pre-cooked corndogs? Why?

I am surprised that Zoi survived the cut this past week. Both Ryan and Nikki can expect short shelf lives I think, too. As for those who will go long, I'll go with Andrew, Dale, Richard, Spike and Stephanie and possibly Lisa or Jennifer, too.

[blakegwinn]

I DID like the idea of how 'Doorknock Dinners' this episode seemed though in that they went shopping for ingredients from 'normal' people's homes.

"Here you can have this 5 pounds of clams I have sitting in my fridge for no apparent reason." When they sent the "pretty boy" up there to talk nice to the people at the houses I was hoping that big guy Erik would take the opposite approach, put a nylon stocking over his head, take off his chefcoat so he just had a wifebeater on and run around to houses yelling "OPEN THE MOTHERF*!@#$%ING DOOR!! NOW GIVE ME ALL YOUR ROSEMARY B!#@CH!"

[mktye]

Both Ryan and Nikki can expect short shelf lives I think, too.

It does not sound like Ryan is a fav of Rick Bayless either... click.

[hm212]

The concept of the original show was good but stunts like this are really getting stupid. Cmon - If someone knocked on your door with a camera in your face without warning and asked to go thru your fridge and pantry. We would be calling the cops.

"Here you can have this 5 pounds of clams I have sitting in my fridge for no apparent reason." When they sent the "pretty boy" up there to talk nice to the people at the houses I was hoping that big guy Erik would take the opposite approach, put a nylon stocking over his head, take off his chefcoat so he just had a wifebeater on and run around to houses yelling "OPEN THE MOTHERF*!@#$%ING DOOR!! NOW GIVE ME ALL YOUR ROSEMARY B!#@CH!"

[Pool Boy]

The concept of the original show was good but stunts like this are really getting stupid. Cmon - If someone knocked on your door with a camera in your face without warning and asked to go thru your fridge and pantry. We would be calling the cops.

You don't think the whole block was pre-warned of this? Come on, of course they were.

[blakegwinn]

You don't think the whole block was pre-warned of this? Come on, of course they were.

I take it one step further. I think the food was planted. Did you see the giant trays of paella? Who just has that kind of seafood sitting around the fridge, block party or no.

[Dmnkly]

The concept of the original show was good but stunts like this are really getting stupid. Cmon - If someone knocked on your door with a camera in your face without warning and asked to go thru your fridge and pantry. We would be calling the cops.

I think you underestimate people's willingness to do whatever they have to do to get on television.

That said, I didn't think the show made any big secret of the fact that they contacted people ahead of time. In fact, Lee Anne talks about it in detail in her blog on the Bravo website, and Padma says on the show, practically with a wink and a nudge, that "a lot of families will have supplies that they bought especially for tomorrow".

I realize it's a matter of interpretation, but I never got the sense they were suggesting these were surprise visits.

[cajcaj]

well this is kinda random

[blakegwinn]

well this is kinda random

Beth and I were looking at the website for Good Stuff last week and on one of the pages he had some quote like "being top-chef isn't the most important thing, it is the journey" (not exact but it was something along those lines) We both thought this sounded like something a non-winner would say.

I think smart money is on Jimmy Neutron. Marcel made it to the finals with the same schtick and less talent. The only possible kink in that prediction is that I think when Molecular gastronomy fails it fails in a really big way. Given the way they supposedly judge, on a challenge-to-challenge basis I could see him completely bombing one challenge when some xanthum gum creation doesn't set right or something and he is left with some tasteless shapeless slime on a plate. Despite that risk I still maintain that if Marcel can make the finals, so can Jimmy.

[Dmnkly]

I'm averting my gaze since it seems the discussion is headed in that direction, but I sincerely hope people aren't publishing future elimination information in a public thread -- for those crazies among us who, you know, prefer to save the ending for the end.

[cajcaj]

I'm averting my gaze since it seems the discussion is headed in that direction, but I sincerely hope people aren't publishing future elimination information in a public thread -- for those crazies among us who, you know, prefer to save the ending for the end.

No spoilers - just what someone on the show is up to now. Don't look at the link if you think this has the potential to be a spoiler.

[synaesthesia]

Am I the only one who kept thinking in the zoo episode that spent the first 30 minutes or so thinking they were saying bellini instead of blinis? I was so confused because at first I thought, black olive bellinis? ew...

[zoramargolis]

Am I the only one who kept thinking in the zoo episode that spent the first 30 minutes or so thinking they were saying bellini instead of blinis? I was so confused because at first I thought, black olive bellinis? ew...

I knew that they were talking about blini (that is the plural, by the way), but I was still thinking "ew"--just because blini made with buckwheat are there to provide a soothing yeasted pillow for salty caviar or smoked salmon. To f**k them up with salty olives just is not a good idea at all.

[goldenticket]

Am I the only one still watching?

I just started watching - thank you Bravo for running all of the episodes last night so I could get caught up . I just hate it when work travel interferes with my few favorite shows. I don't have a winner picked yet, but I would really like to see a woman win this season! It's time - maybe the early Stephanie wins will prove to be predictors of later (winning?) performance. I like what's she's done so far.

[squidsdc]

Am I the only one who kept thinking in the zoo episode that spent the first 30 minutes or so thinking they were saying bellini instead of blinis? I was so confused because at first I thought, black olive bellinis? ew...

You weren't imagining it, they were definitley saying bellini. I knew they meant blini which is why it kept bothering me that they kept mispronouncing it. No matter what they were prepared with, they are pr: "bleeni" and do not rhyme with fellini!

[Pool Boy]

You weren't imagining it, they were definitley saying bellini. I knew they meant blini which is why it kept bothering me that they kept mispronouncing it. No matter what they were prepared with, they are pr: "bleeni" and do not rhyme with fellini!

I was annoyed by this too. Doofuses!

[Dmnkly]

I was annoyed by this too. Doofuses!

Grounds for immediate elimination, says I!

[Pool Boy]

Manuel was robbed. If his team was going down, it should've been Spike. BAH!

That said, Zoi is really to annoy me. And I can't believe that Nikki and Ryan managed to coast through once again.

[cajcaj]

Manuel was robbed. If his team was going down, it should've been Spike. BAH!

That said, Zoi is really to annoy me. And I can't believe that Nikki and Ryan managed to coast through once again.

I thought for sure that Ryan and Mark were doomed (the movie discussion between them was pure comedy) but it managed to work - I'm sure due to Mark. Zoi was really obnoxious this past episode! All that stuff about "if that's what they want then see ya"

[sandynva]

Manuel was robbed. If his team was going down, it should've been Spike. BAH!

That said, Zoi is really to annoy me. And I can't believe that Nikki and Ryan managed to coast through once again.

I second that. at first i liked Z, i thought her perfectionism was perhaps an indicator of talent, but i really haven't seen anything impressive from her. and her rant this time was pure defensiveness.

For whatever reason, i'm not that inspired by the chefs this season. usually by now i'd have a favorite, but i don't yet (except maybe stephanie) and have seen something i thought was really amazing, but i haven't. is anyone else feeling the same way?

also, any predictions on who will be in the final 3? i'm guessing stephanie, dale, and richard (though he really needs to pull some new tricks out of his hat, IMHO).

[Poivrot Farci]

well this is kinda random

The humble gourmet hamburger and fresh from the farm marshmallow milk shake concept juggernauts spaced-docked with the prosaic satellite lite-years ago and, like, marshes my mellow.

Spike’s “dimpled” mushroom could have been many things, but not a fluted mushroom. A campy lamp shade prototype that would have drawn groans from campy lamp shade prototype judges perhaps, but double ironic humor is still in its infancy in France and the proudly presented sneaky sleight of hand shortcut ta-dah was lost on M. Boulud. Such saccharine hipsters and anyone with professional aspirations in any fields of arts, letters, sciences, crafts or western cuisine who do not have the intellectual curiosity or discipline to investigate the work, techniques, theories and practice of their predecessors are worthless to the bone. Worse are those who tout 3 Michelin star apprenticeships, 1500 word bios and CIA plaques while passing a poked mushroom as anything technical or classic.

[cheezepowder]

Spike seems convinced that butternut squash soup would have been a winner, but that soup is trite. I wasn't that impressed with Zoi so wasn't disappointed to see her go.

edited to add: on further thought, I guess all they would have needed from the soup was to get in the middle like Nikki's team.

[MelGold]

If their soup had been anything close to a Power soup, they probably would have won the challenge. Shoulda, woulda, coulda...move on.

[zoramargolis]

If their soup had been anything close to a Power soup, they probably would have won the challenge. Shoulda, woulda, coulda...move on.

I thought their whole concept of "earthiness" was lacking. Wild mushrooms, okay. Truffle would have been better. When I think of earthy flavors, I think tubers and root veg and those that grow underground--potatoes (including sweet potatoes), turnips, beets, carrots, jicama, leek, onion, garlic. For something more exotic--manioc, boniato, although granted they might not have found those at a Whole Foods store. I don't associate butternut squash with the earth, beyond the basic fact of all vegetables, that the plants they are a part of in general are grown in soil.

[jiveturk21]

Craziness at the end of the episode last night, everyone yelling at everyone else and I had no idea what the hell was going on. As far as I am concerned, kick all of them off the show, so far a very uninspiring bunch, I am not cheering for anyone, especially not the chick that won the challenge (awesome trip to Italy for bitching all day and making bacon!?), the guy that was bitching about not making the soup and the chick that got kicked off. Hell, what am I talking about, they all pretty much suck.

[cajcaj]

Craziness at the end of the episode last night, everyone yelling at everyone else and I had no idea what the hell was going on. As far as I am concerned, kick all of them off the show, so far a very uninspiring bunch, I am not cheering for anyone, especially not the chick that won the challenge (awesome trip to Italy for bitching all day and making bacon!?), the guy that was bitching about not making the soup and the chick that got kicked off. Hell, what am I talking about, they all pretty much suck.

All that craziness at the end was made crazier by "creative" editing I think. The scenes where Dale was yelling at Lisa cutting to the scenes of Jen clapping and then kicking a chair over just didn't make sense or seem to follow from each other. Yea, Spike came off badly in this episode... and Antonia was right, she did offer to make the soup if the 2 of them were really into it.

[Dave Pressley]

If their soup had been anything close to a Power soup, they probably would have won the challenge. Shoulda, woulda, coulda...move on.

If they had chosen to do a soup, they probably would have been criticized by the judges for "only doing a soup", even though the judges hinted otherwise. Damned if you do...