Top Chef Desserts

I'm glad to see some insight on pastry chefs.  Personally I do not like pastry-chef-made desserts at fancy restaurants.  There's always too much going on for me and I can't handle that much sugar and texture.  I like basic desserts like bread pudding, rice pudding, creme caramel, yellow cake with chocolate frosting, carrot cake and a good pound cake.

I don't eat "caramelized mission fig with red wine caramel, hazelnut, goat cheese fondant, served with bacon ice cream."  (from the desssert menu of le bernardin)

But anyway I'm enjoying the show.

As a professional pastry chef I don't like the overegged "Cheffy" desserts with a bit of this and an unnecessary that with candied rat bladder either, I will admit to "French Lemon Tart with raspberry compote, clotted cream and almond tuile" or "Sticky Toffee Pudding with homemade vanilla ice cream", accompaniments to the main component should compliment and not distract the diner.

I do not find the show very engaging. I would rather watch Cake Boss. I find that show much more engaging for audiences and find myself cheering for everyone on the show to succeed and put out a great cake.

Has anybody watched this show? How do you compare the two?

I don't know, I kind of like Top Chef Just Desserts. 

The people in the show are crazy, in fact, I'd bet they were chosen because they are kind of nutty, but that's what makes reality TV interesting. I know I never expect reality TV have meaningful content.

As for Cake Boss, it is a good show, but it's apples to oranges. You watch Top Chef because you, at least partially, enjoy the drama between the contestants. I like Cake Boss because him and his family's antics are fun to watch.

I tried to watch Top Desserts and I don't like it. The contestant just rub me the wrong way..TOO MUCH CRYING!! Come on....

aw how sad, heck! lets all just cry and be famous!, nah!, lets all just get real, stop watching TV and do some cooking, theres eatin to be done!

Between Top Chef & Top Chef Masters I'm good. Don't feel the need to follow a 3rd series.

the whole concept is flawed - no formulas, no ability to practice what they're doing? or at least enough time to test... it shows in the results mostly and it's sadly going to be a disaster. i was looking forward to it too but so far have been really let down at the series in general and will be surprised if there's a 2nd run. Shame cause i love all the people/producers involved. My only advice is that you need to design judgment based on the dynamics of the trade and pastry is nothing like savory.

Some of them let their creative talents go to far, there is a limit. The combinations used by some are downright crazy and non appealing