New Top Chef Season?

[Craig.723]

Personal, at this point and time I feel that the new Top Chef season is kind of weak right now. I know that it's only the Fourth show but no one really stands out. Don't get me wrong, I love Top Chef...I've watched all the seasons and enjoyed them. But, on this new one someone really needs to step it up..Because, ****'s Kitchen is coming on soon and those people are hungry and will do whatever it takes..How do yall feel about the show?

[Kteck]

I dont like this season so far. I'm with you I think everyone is pretty much the same, and it makes for a fairly boring show.

[RSteve]

Originally Posted by Craig.723

How do yall feel about the show?

Frankly, I was somewhat irritated by the judging panel's attitude with regard to the block party episode. I don't recall which of the contestants remarked, "We created a great party for the folks with food they really enjoyed, made from the ingredients they were kind enough to contribute."

I thought Tom Colicchio's response was sheer "horse-pucky."

"You're cooking for this panel."

Innumerable restaurants have failed because management directed that the food rate highly with the critics and themselves. 45 years of experience tells me emphatically that diners run to a restaurant that's highly reviewed once but it's the kitchen and a smart menu that makes for return clientele.

I have no doubt that a star will emerge.

[Jeffaliscous]

the block party episode annoyed me. although the judges decision on who to send home i agreed with.

Collichio(sp) said they were expecting much more of out the contestants. Well, in my experience, a block party is not somewhere you go for gourmet food. I think that the food that was made was food you would normally find at a block party, and, the ingredients werent things they shopped for, they were donated. In a normal household, people who dont cook any more then dinner for the family dont have ingredients that u can create gourmet top chef food with. I wasnt expecting the judges to react the way they did.

Ill give the girl who made the mac and cheese a break, while i know how velveeta acts and knew it would sieze up like that, not many chefs who are capable of becoming top chef work with velveeta on a daily basis, so i guess thats fair they didnt send her home for that. I agree that the corn dog fella should have been sent home, simply because he said a couple times he serves a corndog on his menu. If its something you work with on a daily basis, you should be well aware that it isnt something you can prepare ahead of time and still have the same quality. Rick bayless really annoyed me as guest judge as well. during the quick fire, he said he was looking for gourmet mexican food. while i agree any cuisine can be gourmet, mexican food isnt usually a cuisine that is gourmet. Go to mexico, find me a top notch gourmet restaurant. you may find one or two, but the majority is street food, soul food. Mexican is one of my favorite cuisines, and the fact that it isnt gourmet and that is a family style food, a food that is about comfort and love is what turns me on about it.

I was surprised that team which won did win. I thought the losing team were going to be the winners.

Just as an opinion, some people on this season really cant cook. I cannot believe on the episode where they had a bunch of classic dishes, one choice was chicken piccata, the guy who did that one breaded it. Thats very simple, its a recipe you can find in any womans magazine, kraft home living, ****, even readers digest might have the recipe. i couldnt believe he screwed that up, that was a complete embaressment to watch. Oh yeah, i forget his name, I think its andrew. During the judges table, when he said "you couldnt send me home, youd have to have security guards come and drag me out, this is my house." that was just stupid to say. Everyone knows u dont speak to your chef like that, even if u are on television. I really thought they might send him home just for acting like that. Saying u dont think u shoudl go home is one thing, saying you cant send me home because its my house is another. I thought that was really disrespectful. What if they did send him home, what was he going to say, no? Sorry buddy, if they padma says go home, ur going home, u saying ur not going home isnt going to make the judges say "well we cant send him home, he said he wouldnt go" what a goof. I do like him tho, i just thought that was so stupid to say, it was pointless and made him look like an idiot.. to me anyway.

dont take this the wrong way, i love top chef, if nothing else, its a really fun show to watch. Season three was my favorite so far, season one being second favorite, and i really did not like the season 2 contestants, they were goons. All season were great tho.

breaded chicken piccata!! THERE WASNT EVEN LEMON! he simply did not make chicken piccata, and im sorry, but if you want to be top chef, u need to know how to make chicken piccata. cut and dry.

[eloki]

I think the new zealander guy (mark) is quite good, they didn't show his dish in the quickfire, which i thought was quite odd...

[GhettoRacingKid]

i like the new zealand guy

the lesbians arent bad but maybe its becuase they are lesbians.

I cant stand spike or the other guy that looks like him the attitude guy.

I think give it another week or 2 some people will start to shine

I hope the tall guy from NY goes far. My bro in law worked there.

[OahuAmateurChef]

I agree that this season has been a tad weak. I am a huge fan (I even played the sudoku game like 4 or 5 times)

I agree with Jeffalicious about Andrew in that his ability to cook Chicken Piccata was sad. Andrew's bio impressed me though. It implied that he understood many components particular to Thai cuisine.

And if you know Thai cuisine, you know taste, IMHO.

It is a lucky thing there have been no Thai chefs on Top Chef.

It would almost be cheating!
(Please understand I am biased. Although I grew up on a particularly Western palette, my sweetheart is Thai)

BTW, I have no clue how to make Chicken Piccata.

But I can make a Thai Papaya salad (Som Tam) that can blow your tastebuds!
And I hearby challenge any Chef or cook to that mighty or meek.


Show me another culture that can even compare.

Richard impresses me, and I am voting for Andrew!

[Craig.723]

I'm kinda glad that I'm not the only one who feels this way about the season. Yeah, maybe in the next couple of episodes the show will get better. Because the last show with the "Block Party" was kind of weak. I haven't learned names yet . But, the white with the beard who said, "I'm not going anyway because this is my house" interests me . But, I'm really looking forward to if they a Top Chef "DC". I would love to be on there. But, the season new of ****'s kitchen starts tomorrow..Don't know how I'm going to watch it because I will be at work. But, I've give Top Chef acouple more shows and if doesn't improve..wait until next season. And it's not just because of the chefs..It's some of the quick fires and challenges