***** Top Chef Masters *****

iconoclast · #1 06-10-2009, 12:18 PM

the new top chef starts tonight, and it looks like this season is going to be pretty **** good... anyone else here looking forward to this???

Top Chef Masters - Bravo TV Official Site

Nicko · #2 06-10-2009, 12:32 PM

Might be interesting to post a question to Carla Hall and see what her take is on the Top Chef Masters. Forum is open and going on now.

Gunnar · #3 06-10-2009, 01:32 PM

I had started this same thread in food and cooking..cause it involved food and cooking. I started mine a week ago ...and YES! very excited to see this.

iconoclast · #4 06-10-2009, 02:40 PM

seems like a pretty decent list of 'pros' on there... i wonder if bravo is going to make it all 'hollywood' like they do with the regulars... if so it may ruin the show, however i think with this current line-up for the 'masters' there will be a lot to learn from it and great deal of entertainment... i hope im not wrong about it.

shroomgirl · #5 06-10-2009, 02:58 PM

looks like a super lineup. Brave guys (girls) to be willing to expose themselves to not only competition but for many an experience into the unknown known....

ie using grocery stores instead of specialty wholesalers, not have compound or bases or other "stock" items + labor at their fingertips.

ie most probably don't conceptualize and exicute dishes in a few minutes in unknown kitchens, especially their caliber.....and calculate how long something takes to cook/start to finish.....most restaurants prep then finish when ordered.

ED BUCHANAN · #6 06-10-2009, 03:23 PM

I enjoy some of their food combos. even though some of them sound crazy, they are really good. Also I pick up a lot from their plate presentations. Much better then watching Gia or Flay, or the Sunday morning guy in one of food network rehearsed comedies.

Koukouvagia · #7 06-10-2009, 03:37 PM

I'm glad they got Kelly Choi to host, she's NY local television personality and I've always enjoyed her programs.

Where's Padma and Tom? Are they part of this?

iconoclast · #8 06-10-2009, 04:52 PM

i watch kelly choi on the local nyc channel... she tours some of the most obscure hot spots... one thing i dont care for is after she puts them on tv theyre not really the same bc you get all the newcomers but still a great show.

Gunnar · #9 06-10-2009, 10:28 PM

brilliant! The challenges were like they had a window into my mind, first judged by children..those girl scouts were BRUTAL...rotfl. and then cooking a three course meal stuck in a college dorm room with just a hot plate a microwave and a toaster oven for the elimination round. Tim Love had a beautiful comeback after freezing his veg accidentally.

I was wandering how they were going to get around hurt egos when someone had to go home. Having only 4 challengers and then eliminating 3 at once saves a lot of face. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

iconoclast · #10 06-10-2009, 10:57 PM

very different from the regular top chef... excellent episode imo... im looking forward to more.

Koukouvagia · #11 06-11-2009, 08:20 AM

Well we all knew (and they all knew) who would win the challenge as soon as he walked in. The judges were very .... nice I guess. Nobody wants to step on any toes.
The 4 contestants seemed like really good sports, I didn't get any feeling of ego bashing, it looked like they were having a good time and didn't take themselves too seriously.

shroomgirl · #12 06-11-2009, 08:49 AM

is the episode available on line? Bravo has video clips/conversations but not the episodes.

Gunnar · #13 06-11-2009, 09:57 AM

I don't know when they will be available..Bravo has clips...Hulu has the intro to the chef's clips...found a bittorrent that says it has all of the episode here:

top chef masters torrents search

they all seemed like really down to earth friendly guys. They looked confident and while they didn't want to lose they were true pros and didn't bash the other guy. It really looked like they had a lot of laughs.

PeteMcCracken · #14 06-12-2009, 07:55 PM

Well, for "round one", the "Master" proved his worth by "reading the quick fire judges" and preparing a dessert that tantalized their eyes as well as their tastes.

Gunnar · #15 06-12-2009, 09:30 PM

to be fair, I was rooting for Hubert Keller, while I have had my issues with french people, I won't hold it against him and he had the brains to open his first restaurant in my hometown of San Francisco.Besides his food is gorgeous that being said, I honestly felt that until about the halfway point of the quickfire that they all had a fair shot.

Then Chef Keller shows how he is a "master". He designed a dessert for his customer profile on the spot. I mean really..."Your being judged by Girl Scouts for a dessert..you have 60 minutes...GO!"

the man knocked it out of the park, cause he kept his eye on the ball and hit the sweet spot of the bat. I am so looking forward to see the rest of this series.