David Ross

boo-hoo, boo-hoo, Johnny couldn't could because he had a bad pan, boo-hoo, boo-hoo. And by the way John, if you were trying to present a lean lamb burger, why again did you add a fried egg on top? John said it was to add some more creaminess and it was only another 60 or 70 calories. Me thinks the real reason is that a) it wasn't really truthful in the first place to present it as lean knowing he was going to put an egg on top and b) knowing that if he over-cooked the burger the egg would help out. Chef Puck obviously vetted John out.

As I'm watching the repeats of the past four episodes this morning I'm thinking that the Producers have left out one of the major elements of Seattle's cuisine-Asian. I remember a few years ago during season 7, the Chefs travelled to Singapore and did some awesome Asian dishes in the finale. I detest the thought of the Chefs leaving Seattle for the finale, but I sure would like them to prepare some dishes that are a huge part of Seattle's culinary culture.

Please don't eat a heavy, spicy meal tonight. You'll need to have a strong constitution to watch "Restaurant Wars." Ugh.

I'm not a hater of John Tesar. As a viewer, and someone who knows a bit about food, cooking and dining, I offer opinions based on what I've seen and I base my comments on the food first. The editing and snarky stuff that gets thrown into Top Chef amplifies personal traits that are already there--and that certaily doesn't endear someone like John or Josie to the audience. But as Tom always says, it's ultimately about the food. What I saw with John was that he was one of the more experienced and talented Chefs in the competition, but his ungracious attitude and lack of professionalism built a self-imposed barrier that prevented him from moving forward. When I see it or sense it, I present the same criticism regardless of the contestant. On the other hand, look at Chef Kristen. She's not only talented, but she has an unassuming and likeable personality. She doesn't appear to be out to tear-down her fellow competitors, nor does she make intentionally rude and hurtful comments that lead to clouding her ability to focus. She's intent on cooking the best dish she can every challenge she faces--not tearing down her fellow competitors while stirring the risotto. If you look back at the history of Top Chef, those traits ultimatelyproduce the winners.The editing and drama woven into the show are just the window dressing that keeps viewers coming back, but it isn't the foundation of the show. It's the food. I'm sure John is highly successful in his restaurant endeavors, and of course I don't know the true person, only what I see on Top Chef. For good or bad, what we see on Top Chef is what forms our opinions. So in the context of the discussion, I was glad to see John go.

It was laughable last week when John was giving Stefan the business for using frozen tuna. (As if tons of restaurants around the world don't use high-quality, frozen tuna). I seem to remember it's the top commodity at the Tokyo fish market. Either John is uninformed about tuna, which isn't likely, or he thought he could create a storm around another contestant and none of us would notice.

Now THAT is a thing of beauty..*swoon* Wow, that is beautiful. Brisket-smishket. I'm going to use beef cheek for my next pastrami.

Thanks. It's never too late to post in a Cook-Off. I like the idea of the ice bags to keep the smoking chamber cool. I've never thought of that. I think I'll try it once we get some fresh Spring salmon up here.

Will someone help us, please. Reruns of Guy vs. Rachel, Celebrity Cook-Off remind me why I won't be watching the new season tommorrow.

As far as the last episode went, (sans Last Chance Kitchen), John's crappy attitude, (the true John I suspect), obviously clouded his abilities in the kitchen. No John, you don't get beat by a Chef who isn't as egotistic and less-talented than you are. You get beat because you put up a dish that wasn't worthy. I don't think this guy is really capable of only focusing on the food and cooking. He's obviously got talent, but he has so many inherent roadblocks that I doubt he'll ever realize his true ability. Whether it's Top Chef or a restaurant venture, unfortunately for him he's always left people with a sour taste.

I wanted to add that "buyer beware" is something to keep in mind when you shop for Dungeness Crab. I go to a reputable fishmonger. He buys directly from the fishermen and only sells deep-water crabs that come off the Washington or Oregon coast. The deep-water crabs are larger with a harder shell and more dense, sweet meat. His crab is more expensive, partly because of the quality and partly because he's a small Mom and Pop shop, but it's worth it. The big-box grocery stores were selling Dungeness Crab over the holidays, but it wasn't fresh. It was frozen, whole crabs from last season. I knew the season wasn't open so I couldn't understand why they were selling what was perceived as fresh crabs just-caught. Well, if you look at the very, very, very small type in their ads or labels in the case, it will say "previously frozen." They have to label it appropriately by State law, but they really push the issue. Buy your Dungeness from a trusted source.

Finally, after a strike, price wars, soft shells that prevented fishing and horrific weather, fresh Dungeness Crab. Too bad we didn't have it for the Holidays, but it's still a special once-a-year treat to have the first, fresh crabs of the season.

That is a beautiful filet. My favorite cut of beef.

Wow, thanks for sharing. I think you really inspired the Chefs.

I didn't eat as much lamb in 2012 as I would have liked. It's my favorite meat, and this has encouraged me to eat more lamb in 2013!

An "ill-mannered yutz!" is quite simply, the best description of a shallow Top Chef contestant that I've ever heard. Bravo, (not the network).

Looks delicious. Unfortunately for me I suppose, I've never gotten over my aversion to beets. I think it goes back to when I was a kid and my Mother served us pickled beets with cottage cheese. What is the flavor profile of the beets in your dish? Are they overly sweet?

Yeah, interesting. The dish I posted was my favorite flavor combo. I plate all my dishes to the best of my ability and take a picture for others to enjoy it just so happened it looks nice. Hmmm Maybe we're reading this wrong. Yes, it is in fact your best dish of 2012. It doesn't have to necessarily look as if it was served at Robuchon's L'Atelier or served on your back porch in July. It could be a more intricate dish like the one I started off with--foie gras, ice wine and huckleberries. Yet then again, it could a a delicious spaghettie carbonara or a warming stew. The photos simply depict what we've created, but the true heart of a cook, I think, is the pride in knowing you created something absolutely delicious and it left you with a memory that it was your best dish of 2012--and something you'll probably make in 2013.

You bring up an interesting point. Many of these cooks are relative children with comparitively limited experience. It's easy for them to be confounded by a weird product or protein; or to be go down an unfamiliar path that leads to a mess. I wonder if age or variation in job experience correlates with success. I think you've hit upon a very important issue that we don't discuss enough these days but one that is spotlighted so often on Top Chef--young, funky, trendy, Chefs with a laundry list of cooking jobs on their resume, yet without a lot of life experience or mentoring to be able to withstand the basic, fundamental challenges. One example--Colicchio slapping himself silly at the Judges Table when a Chef doesn't understand the subtleties of seasoning or what to pair with fresh seafood. Blueberry Gastrique with Smoked Salmon and Pickled Oysters garnished with Candied Elderflowers and served with a Bloody Mary Shooter may sound tempting to some, but I think a more experienced, as in life experience, Chef, may tell you a fresh oyster with lemon is much better. Chef John is a bit older and his experience is showing, (even though he's a pain in the rear).

We'd love to see some photos of your dishes and explanation of the recipes. Sounds very tempting to me.

Sounds delicious and east to put together. I've always liked the idea of using a cola beverage with slow-cooked pork. This one's on my 2013 list.

Welcome! That is one fantastic pig dish.

I'm sure we all had great successes in the kitchen in 2012, and choosing one, singular dish as your "best" is somewhat daunting when you're a serious cook. But when you think about it, choosing your "best" dish really isn't that hard. It's a dish that you're still remembering today, December, 29. A dish so memorable that you can still taste the flavors and textures in your culinary dreams. For me, one dish clearly stands out. It was a dish that took about 3 weeks to craft from the idea stage, through numerous practice runs to perfect the technique, to that final day when I hit the home run ball. It involved two very different ingredients, one pauper--jelly, and one prince--foie gras. The dish came together quite unexpectedly during one of our eGullet Cook-Offs, (http://forums.egulle...ll-o-and-aspic/). But it wasn't just the sweet, smooth, ice wine jelly and the unctuous, silken, foie gras or the perfumed, tart, wild huckleberry compote that made this dish memorable. It was a little metal Jell-O mold, some 90 years old, that was my Grandmother Pink's that really made this my best dish of 2012. Ice Wine Jelly with Foie Gras Mousse and Huckleberry Compote- What was your best dish of 2012?

Why did they bring her back? I can only assume for the drama factor which she is playing full force Yep, that's what I figure. Her cooking skills have been pretty woeful so far, so it's got to be the other stuff. The stuff that has nothing to do with her ability as a cook.

My confidence is somewhat restored as I watch episode 8 and the quickfire challenge with fresh oysters. Micah did something very simple yet somewhat difficult--perfectly frying an oyster. It must be crispy, but it still should be basically raw in the center, just warmed through by the hot oil bath. And as fate would have it, I myself had fried fresh Pacific oysters for dinner last night. I have a bit more experience than Micah, having fried oysters for oh, about 40 years or so.

I'm getting caught up on episodes--at number 7 right now, the "Foiled Again" show. I wanted to throw something at the television when I saw Josie pair Dungeness Crab and Sockeye Salmon with Raspberries. You don't have to be from the Pacific Northwest to realize that raspberries don't go with fresh, beautiful seafood. At least most of the time. (Years ago a famous Northwest Chef did a stunning dish of seared salmon with a raspberry sauce). Josie really mucked up stuffing the seafood into a spring roll and pairing it with a cloying mayonnaise sauce. Then raspberries. She should have gone home, but alas, survived. Why did they ever bring her back? But she's just a symptom of a disease that's raising its ugly head as the season progresses--these Chefs haven't fully learned that sometimes less, (as in a fresh gooseberry), is better, as opposed to more, (as in gooseberries with chorizo), Chef John.