Top Chef: DC Thread

[skatingtripods]

Last night kicked off the DC season with new judge Eric Ripert and I was very unimpressed with this year's cast of characters. There was nobody who jumped off the page as being somebody you could really like. Unlike last year where the brothers, Jennifer, and Kevin were pretty well-liked early on.

Several people that I can't stand already. It doesn't seem like a very strong field this year either. Kenny and Angelo were far and away better than everybody else with the first quickfire and elimination challenges.

I'm expecting a pretty lackluster season.

Anybody even still watching this show?

[Ziner]

I dvr'd it, will be watching later. Comment later. Last season is going to be tough to top though. Isnt there a few Cleveland people in this one?

[skatingtripods]

I dvr'd it, will be watching later. Comment later. Last season is going to be tough to top though. Isnt there a few Cleveland people in this one?

Originally from here, yeah. No longer living in the area. They had to make a dish that represents where they're from and the one guy did one from Colorado, where he lives now.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

I dvr'd it, will be watching later. Comment later. Last season is going to be tough to top though. Isnt there a few Cleveland people in this one?

Originally from here, yeah. No longer living in the area. They had to make a dish that represents where they're from and the one guy did one from Colorado, where he lives now.

Stephen is also from (Cleveland) Ohio and used that as his inspiration. Kenny was from Euclid but did the Colorado theme. Also the hippie-chef with dreadlocks (John) that says he's from Detroit is from Ohio; he just went to U. of Michigan.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

The fat guy is gonna win.

[Ziner]

The fat guy is gonna win.

[mattvan1]

Last night kicked off the DC season with new judge Eric Ripert and I was very unimpressed with this year's cast of characters. There was nobody who jumped off the page as being somebody you could really like. Unlike last year where the brothers, Jennifer, and Kevin were pretty well-liked early on.

Several people that I can't stand already. It doesn't seem like a very strong field this year either. Kenny and Angelo were far and away better than everybody else with the first quickfire and elimination challenges.

I'm expecting a pretty lackluster season.

Anybody even still watching this show?

Watched it and was disappointed as well. Might need a couple of episodes to build up the rivalries and get some background info on the chefs.

Padma's assets were the highlight.

[Ziner]

Padma's assets were the highlight.

When aren't they?

Any hot chicks this year? If not regular hot, how about least cooking hot like Jennifer from last year?

[jack_tors]

Padma's assets were the highlight.

When aren't they?

Any hot chicks this year? If not regular hot, how about least cooking hot like Jennifer from last year?

There is one decent looking chick but she is a 9 iron, good from about 90 yards away..

For those who havent watched, dont want to ruin it but the guy who won the first challenge should be beaten severely with a meat cleaver. One of the most annoying chefs I can remember on this show. And judging by the clips of the upcoming season, he is going to be this year's douche.

Seems like this show is becoming as much about the drama as the cooking which turns me off. Give me Top Chef Masters any day.

[Larvell Blanks]

Padma's assets were the highlight.

When aren't they?

Any hot chicks this year? If not regular hot, how about least cooking hot like Jennifer from last year?

I'm still fond of Casey Thompson


she's got a little party animal in her

[Ziner]

Good call Larvell, at worst TV chef hot. Nice melons too... wrapped with prosciutto of course...

[mattvan1]

she's got a little party animal in her

Never realized she's so horny

[jack_tors]

Padma's assets were the highlight.

When aren't they?

Any hot chicks this year? If not regular hot, how about least cooking hot like Jennifer from last year?

I'm still fond of Casey Thompson


she's got a little party animal in her

+1

I always thought she was hot but goddamn, she is smoking right there.

[skatingtripods]

Anybody even still watching this season?

[Squints]

Yeah, I'm still watching. I started the season, I'll finish it out. I don't like the direction this season (maybe even the show?) is going, making it personal, trying to get out the tougher competition Survivor-style. Last weeks episode was the worst one I have seen, this is my third full season watching it.

I understand the whole "Producers have to get the ratings", but this one reality show seemed immune to the typical competition-style reality, which made it enjoyable, until now.

[skatingtripods]

Yeah, I'm still watching. I started the season, I'll finish it out. I don't like the direction this season (maybe even the show?) is going, making it personal, trying to get out the tougher competition Survivor-style. Last weeks episode was the worst one I have seen, this is my third full season watching it.

I understand the whole "Producers have to get the ratings", but this one reality show seemed immune to the typical competition-style reality, which made it enjoyable, until now.

Agreed 100%. Maybe they just simply didn't have the talent apply this season. I've seen Kelly Liken on Iron Chef before. She may be the best chef there, but her personality leaves a lot to be desired.

They've had good groups of chefs every other season, so I really hope next season is better.

[mattvan1]

Finished reading Bourdain's newest, "Medium Raw". He goes out of his way to ackowledge that Colicchio is a stand up guy who takes his task very seriously and will never bow to the pressure of the producers. He is only interested in who is the worst chef on that day. Sometimes these deliberations take hours before a decision.

It is a shame when the best, most interesting chef-contest on television must contrive to introduce drama. It probably doesn't help that Food Netwok has blatantly ripped off every great idea Bravo has introduced, and the "fucking donkey" Gordon Ramsey gains viewership on Fox by lying about placing short order cooks from Dennys into showcase new restaurants.

I'll always stick with Top Chef as long as it stays true to form. I am afraid, however, that it's in the process of jumping the shark.

[Ziner]

This season is boring, but I still watch. Can't root for Angelo, but he clearly seems like the best cook. Didnt do a very good job of getting interesting personalities this season

[rebelwithoutaclue]

This season is boring, but I still watch. Can't root for Angelo, but he clearly seems like the best cook. Didnt do a very good job of getting interesting personalities this season

Angelo and Kenny seem to be the favorites and the most experienced at blending flavors that make sense. Tiffany and Kelly could be dark horses but Kelly looks primed to implode down the stretch like Jen did last year. Can't believe it took this long for Stephen to get booted and can't believe Alex is still there. He should be the next one gone regardless of how well he cooks next challenge.


Side note: I haven't been watching the whole series (this is my 3rd season) but is Tiffany the first chef to win immunity and then also win the challenge? Seems most times that if you get immunity you just fuck around for the challenge.

[Larvell Blanks]

^^ quite a few contestants have won both. Huang did it and Stephan in Season 6? I believe did it 3 times. How he lost that season is beyond me.

Watching this year but not glued to it. Angelo seems like the best but is he stuck in the one note category. That being he's only cooked within the Asian influence this season. He's similar to Ilan, who cooked Spanish style all through his season. Still waiting for Kenny to really wow the judges. It seems like he's right there but the judges seem to be holding him, as well as Angelo, to a higher standard.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Well the Beast is gone. Probably the best all-around cook but chose the wrong challenge to have his worst day. Liked him the whole show but just couldn't stand his bitching and crying about the other team hiding Alex's deficiencies. You lost, take it like a man. Might be one-trick pony Angelo's to lose now and minus Alex, Amanda, and Kevin, everyone else has a shot.

[Larvell Blanks]

Well the Beast is gone. Probably the best all-around cook but chose the wrong challenge to have his worst day. Liked him the whole show but just couldn't stand his bitching and crying about the other team hiding Alex's deficiencies. You lost, take it like a man. Might be one-trick pony Angelo's to lose now and minus Alex, Amanda, and Kevin, everyone else has a shot.

Was shocked to see Kenny go home but when you put far too many ingredients in a salad that's gonna hurt you. I really expected them to call Alex back out and find out the deal. Unfortunatley Angelo and Ed made sure they said Alex conseptalized the dish when in truth Alex couldn't butcher the lamb to Alex's expectations.

Kevin has come on these past few weeks so I wouldn't count him out just yet. Maybe he'll now have a chip on his shoulder and deliver a win for his long gone bud, Kenny. (spills out some Ole E)

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Well the Beast is gone. Probably the best all-around cook but chose the wrong challenge to have his worst day. Liked him the whole show but just couldn't stand his bitching and crying about the other team hiding Alex's deficiencies. You lost, take it like a man. Might be one-trick pony Angelo's to lose now and minus Alex, Amanda, and Kevin, everyone else has a shot.

Was shocked to see Kenny go home but when you put far too many ingredients in a salad that's gonna hurt you. I really expected them to call Alex back out and find out the deal. Unfortunatley Angelo and Ed made sure they said Alex conseptalized the dish when in truth Alex couldn't butcher the lamb to Alex's expectations.

Kevin has come on these past few weeks so I wouldn't count him out just yet. Maybe he'll now have a chip on his shoulder and deliver a win for his long gone bud, Kenny. (spills out some Ole E)

Can't wait for the cooking with malt liquor challenge. Kevin has definitely been better the last few weeks but I don't know if it's because he's cooking better or everyone else is cooking worse, thus making him look better. Ed seems to be coming on strong at the right time, and is another chef with the right pedigree to possibly win.

[skatingtripods]

I've been pretty turned off to the series by this season. This week was a pretty telling example of where the show is going. The only reason the red team won is because Angelo and Ed were responsible for, what, 6 of the 8 components of the meal? I know that's the way that it can work, but to hide a team member because he can't cook is extremely telling. I think the whole elimination process of restaurant wars needed to be re-evaluated from that.

Kenny has gone downhill since the start. But, to get rid of a decent chef in exchange for an incompetent, clumsy, personality-less character like Alex makes no sense. It speaks to what the show has become this season.

Luckily, every other season is good, so the next season should be the quality of the Voltaggio brothers, Kevin, and Jennifer.

[Squints]

Obviously for last season, but TC won the emmy last night for competition-reality show, in a bit of an upset/surprise.

Good to see that Amanda chick gone. In the three seasons of watching this show, she has been the worst chef, she effed up mac & cheese!!, to make it that far in the show.

[skatingtripods]

So Kelly goes home and it leaves Ed, Angelo, and Kevin to battle for Top Chef champion.

Given that Ed won both challenges in the last episode, he'll have to royally f up to lose this thing. Haven't been a fan of him all year. I really hope next season is much better.

[Larvell Blanks]

I was waiting for Angelo to let the waterworks flow before they mentioned who go to PTKAG! Guy thinks he has the upper hand because he cooks Asian daily. It was good to see Ed beat him in both challenges. Angelo made a huge mistake with trying to make his soup bold by leaving it too salty. I thought that would get him run but apparently his lamb tartar pulled his fat out of the fire.

Although he sucked in the quickfire, it seems the judged really like Kevin's dishes in the challenge. When texture is the only real critique, you've made a solid dish despite limited knowledge.

Someone needs to let Dana Cowin know that low cut dresses don't look good on skeleton's. Padma would have done that some justice.

Next week looks interesting w/ Angelo sick. Wonder if Huang will create his dishes for him while Ang takes credit. Looks like Mike V and Kevin will be duking it out in the kitchen too.

[mattvan1]

I have never been less fired up for a season finale than I am tonight. This entire cast goes down as one large group of forgettable chefs.

Mild interest - Angelo doesn't win and then doesn't have enough money to get his mail order bride out of Russia.

ETA - Actual real interest to see how former winners, especially Voltaggio, work with one of the less talented finalists from this year. Hopefully, someone gets stabbed with a paring knife

[exiledbuckeye]

I hate the way they filmed/edited the finale. We barely saw any of the actual cooking. I've never been so bored by a TC episode.

[mattvan1]

One big ass FEH. Who were all those mystery dinners? David Chang, possibly the most influential new chefs today, gets mere mention. Sous chefs, especially Hung and Voltaggio ignored. Waaaay too much footage spent on Angelo’s illness, trying to build drama. As if the producers would not change the final to another day to accommodate someone who was seriously ill. The whole thing felt rushed in order to get to the new pastry show debut.

The best cooking/reality show on TV has officially jumped the shark.

[skatingtripods]

It definitely wasn't a good episode, or a good season, but I'm glad Kevin won. I liked him all along and Angelo and Ed were just arrogant douches.

They usually have a great season followed by a mediocre/shitty one, so hopefully next year it gets better.

And I won't watch a single episode of the desserts one.

[metalhead9x9]

I was hoping they'd pick Angelo, that way Hung can claim to be a two-time Top Chef. What a beast.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

I was hoping they'd pick Angelo, that way Hung can claim to be a two-time Top Chef. What a beast.

Whoever won was working with a previous winner so whichever "sous chef" that worked with the winning chef could make that claim.

[Ziner]

Dude you're in luck. She's back for the All-Stars season. Jennifer will be back for another season, it will probably take me another season to figure out if she is good looking or not.