Claudia Greco

I have to agree with you there, tupac - the frisson between Ruhlman and Knowlton always works for me (!)

Hmmm . . . I think there's just an awful lot of Souyth America that NR hasn't been to, and Uruguay just happen to tie in nicely with Chris Bourdain's ongoing genealogical research. I think both brothers enjoyed Uruguay - I just think that Chris was more interested in genealogy than Tony (who is, after all, more about the food and culture), and both were a little bummed that they hit a dead end with the genealogical research. Looks like the Uruguayan Bourdins (note different spelling) are going to have to give Chris a hand, or else he's going to have to schlep all the way to France again and get the records on all the French Bourdains who went between France and Uruguay before returning for good, 1816-1870.I thought the look on the faces of the grilled meat joint in the market was priceless when the Bourdains went for round TWO of that massive meat-in-pile entree . . . they were gobsmacked! ("These gringos . . . are . . . not . . . human!")

I thiought they said the camel tasted like gamey lamb? (Gamey, in a good way). And the lizard tastes like . . . lizard! (Gotta trust Danya's brother Abdullah on THAT one!)

Vegetarians know better to come over to my house when NR is on - on tape or live (!)Hubby and I killed ourselves laughing over the opening. I'm SO glad I didn't seend in a tape (!)

Had the hubby and I in fits! I feel for those fans whose videos were so summarily rejected, but . . . damn . . . it WAS funny (!)

Im with you on the Himalayas. I suggested Nepal, Tibet and Burma a few seasons back. And, of course, since then, Tibet has been crushed under the jackboot even more so than usually since the protests, Nepal was overrun by Maoists and has since voted to end its absolute monarchy, and Burma (Myanmar) has become even more repressive and totalitarian since the tsunami. So I'm guessing Tony won't be going anywhere I suggest (!) (Definitely not Burma, anyway. I know he won't promote a totalitarian regime through tourism, no matter how tempting.)

Whatever became of Heather, season 1 winner? I bet Christina came back to NY and wrapped up her training at the CIA, and is probably stashed away somewhere, right now, training and working in a Ramsay restaurant. Believe me, GR Holdings has now invested heavily in her, so they'll give her as much hands-on as they can. If you notice from last week's episode, "Sarge", who was once a sous chef at GR's Hospital Road restuarant (I believe) when they shot Boiling Point (1995), is the exec chef at another of Gordo's restos. So Christina will resurface.

OMG, I have to agree with you, kristi, 1000%. Haunting, and beautiful. I loved everything about it - the way it was shot, the pacing, the gentleness to it . . . . but I don't think Tony needed to apologize to the amputee in any way - in fact, several people on the NR board were rabid because they thought he had. The man just wanted people to be aware that this was the damage done to him and his country by our ordinance, right or wrong. So Tony has made a lot of people aware. As the man asked him, "Can you look at this? Can you see the truth?" And Tony said he could - the question did not make him angry or want to shy away. It was just painful, though. That's it. Painful. I loved the ba ci (bah see) ceremony. It was so natural and warm, a group of people wishing a stranger well, and gently holding his arms, etc., in the correct position for the blessing. It was something to see a room full of people in concentric rings around Tony, just lightly touching him, with a finger on his rib or arm or back, not because he's some media star, but because he was just a man, a visitor, being blessed and honored by a group of warm, caring people. Idon't even think there was voiceover on the that final shot - lovely. Warm, serene, down-to-earth . . . and I did not regret the lack of the usually highly enjoyable snark through this ep at all. It was a beautiful ep. Way to go, Tony.

←

Consider it the basis of Tony's evolving work (it was from 2005) (!) Tony always has a theme or leitmotif, and he basically took his beloved Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and made this episode a paean to that book, and to Gonzo. Most people think it's one of his best episodes (although my personal favorite is Malaysia).

← 6/25 was Tony's 52nd birthday - he most likely was in New York, celebrating. Besides, he walked past my hubby (who was parking his car) at 44th & 8th in NYC on 6/27, and there was no doubt then that was Tony. (We figure if he was on 44th & 8th at 6p, hweading westbound, then he was probably looking for a really good dive bar (!))

Ahh, but is Corey (or Christina) FROM Brooklyn? I think not! Strangely, it's Petrozza (from North Carolina) who sounds more Nooo Yawwhk than either girl, so go figg-yuh. Fuhgeddaboutit.

The London - right. Thank you. I got a little fuzzy because the NYC Ramsay outpost was Gordon Ramsay at the London, then the Maze at the London, and now it's GR's Maze at the London, with, I think, a distinction being made between the main dining room (GR at the London), and the bar area (the Maze). But I could be wrong about that. Oy. Mazes. Londons. Enough already!

Well, maybe she's finishing up her education while Ramsay finished building his restaurant - I think it's Gordon Ramsay Maze Hollywood or something like that?You know, you'd think after three seasons the cheftestants would get the idea that the sous chefs would deliberately be sabotaging the final three as they take their turns at the passe. So, aside from the fact that Ramsay TOLD them to taste the food and check it, they still didn't. Missing peas in the risotto was an easy call. The wrong sauce on the Wellington was trickier, but still catchable. Only Christina thought she might be sabotaged, so she was both looking and tasting, and caught the basil in the mash. She was also the only cook to analyze her Gordo-prepared breakfast. So, despite her youth and greenness, this girl is really THINKING. I like her, and wish her the best. I was really sure the wilier, older and more experienced Corey would have taken her out - if not in this ep, then certainly in the final - but I guess when you get to the final three, there's nowhere to hide, and only yourself to sabotage. under at

T^hat's what I was thinking. Either he went a little too heavy on the sugar and not enough on the miso, or he didn't cook the carmel through (?) There are plenty of Vietnamese dishes that use caramel - on pork, scallops, etc. - but Dale said he'd never made that particular dish before. BTW, your recipe sounds great - would you please post it? Thanks!

Nothing new about pork cheeks - guanciale, in Italian. ←

I can't believe she kept retreating into herself when she got too pressured, or that she KEPT screwing up once she started screwing up. I had high hopes for her, but Ramsay was right - she was just too inconsistent, dish to dish. From "stunning" risotto to crap, in one blink of an eye. And I NEVER thought Petrozza would make it into the final three. Corey is going to shaft whomever she can - I hope Christina's figured out that she's no exemption, especially that the two blonde Cs have finally succeeded in getting rid of Jen. Oooo, this should be nasty. Very nasty. I think the two women will gang up on Petrozza before Corey turns and claws Christina.

Andrew did say it about Spike, undoubtedly ← I hope no one is getting a culinary boner about this topic. ← No, although Richard DID swear to God that Dale has gorgeous nipples (!) And let's not forget Spike's "bromance" with Mark. I'll never forget the flat, thousand-yard stare Antonia gave him and Mark while they lounged in their improptu bubble bath. Now, THAT "black hammer" look was priceless (!)

Nothing new about pork cheeks - guanciale, in Italian. Which Mario Batali has had on Babbo's menu for years. Batali, Symon, Bourdain, Ferguson and numerous other chefs have been big on the "nasty bits" or "varietal" curts of meat for a while now. (Although I don't consider pork cheeks a "nasty bit." They are easily the best part of the pig, like halibut cheeks being the best part of the fish.)

Cher-rin-NYO-la, actually. "GN" in Italian is "NY" (like nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!) And the poor little "nee-swahhz!"

And outside of it, too.

Hahaha! No, he REALLY is one of Gordo's maitre'ds - there's Jean-Philippe, Jean-Baptiste, and Jean-Claude. Mercifully, there are about a dozen more who aren't Jean-anythings (!)Jean Claude @ Restaurant Gordon Ramsay: http://www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad/chefs/maitred/ Jean-Philippe Susolivic @ Petrus: http://www.gordonramsay.com/petrus/chef/restaurantmanager/ Jean-Baptiste at Gordon Ramsay at the London (NY): http://www.gordonramsay.com/gratthelondon/...taurantmanager/

I enjoyed watching The General, Mr. Bragadoccio Bobby, forward march it right out the side door. Mediocre cook. But what I really loved was watching the normally cool, composed JP nearly lose it when he found out the 12-top were all Hawaiian Tropic models. "Zen, lay-tair, we can all go to the BEEEEEEEEACH!" Squealed like a little girl just thinking about it. Now, THAT was worth it.I'm afraid poor Jen is going to be beaten like a cheap gong over the next few weeks. The other two girls hate her, and it looks like Ramsay's done fallen out of love with her. Which is too bad. I think she's better than her recent f____ up demonstrates. She might have survived the raw fish service, but when Petrozza delivered her John Dory to the pass without checking with her - WTF? And Gordo was NOT going to listen to her protest her innocence. Best thing she could've done was just "Yes, chef!" him until he went after someone else. But it was still unfair. Petrozza is making me progressively nervous with his cleanliness issues. Oy. And, yeah, we all KNOW we're watching next week!!

i'm with you on the buy Gail a new dress fund.... I could barely concentrate on the show I was so fasinated by that outfit...like watching a train wreck- don't want to look but can't stop. Padma, however rocked! Rooting for either Richard or Stephanie- both class acts. ← I think the cut of Gail's dress was fine - obviously, she is boobacious naturally or nursing or both - but the freakin' pattern. OY! I don't care if it was Diane Von Furstenberg. The color combo and pattern gave me hives.

I REALLY thought he was going go Full Metal Jacket. So whiny. Such a hot mess. And so delusional about his abilities - or lack thereof. I suspect he was the kid other little boys just kicked in the head until he bled from the ears. Just a guess. ← Wow Claudia, I've always taken you for an uptown girl. The streets must be a lot meaner these days. So, so, brutal... ← An INDIGENOUS uptown girl. The streets are a lot NICER these days. Bourdain and I aren't (!)