Fpoint

What's the word on Foxtrot Oscar? I have yet to go since Ramsay took over(wasn't thrilled to hear that he did). Is it still good or has he messed it up?

That's a typical FN pattern. Someone gets a show. Then they get a 'road show'.

What I would have liked to seen were the contestants simply getting to cook. No curve balls no disappearing sous chefs. They've done all of that to get to this point just let them create their own menu with their own ingredients. Let them shine on their own terms they certainly have earned it.

I thought it was very funny how fast Giada was to criticize the young perky blond.

I'd strongly suggest L'Arpège Alain Passard's place. He does some very interesting things.

The one thing I noticed was that during and after the quick fire the only name Sirio Maccioni seemed to remember was Cassey's. What I don't get is why did Brian get off so lightly for using a pre-made pheasant sausage in what was supposed to a basic chicken dish. This seemed like him 'not cooking' yet again. There was more talking about what Cassey called her dish than to Brian's skirting the rules.

Ouch....!

I also though Tom came off as trying a little too hard to be cool. In fact my first response was too laugh when he first appeared in the get up. Trying to impress a certain guest judge perhaps?

No the worst prize was Sara's when for winning her challenge they gave her a lame round of applause form the judges. Then to rub it it Cassey gets a laptop and then two first class tickets anywhere in the world.

When the guest judges provide a prize it is some thing they have done like a book or some of their wine. They will present it to, and congratulate the winner. This time Padama just pulled out a lap top from under the table and gave it to Cassey. The guest judge(I still don't know who he is) never touched it and said nothing. And Geoffrey Zacarian who was the guest judge during Sara's win does have books out.

I feel very bad for Sara. 'Trey and CJ winners for creating one frozen pasta dish over the course of two days here's a trip to Italy.' 'Cassey winner for creating one cold hors doeuvre here's a brand new lap top.' 'Sara winner for taking on the role of executive chef(which means if your team loses, short of one of your team mate setting a judge of fire, you're pretty much going home) and all of the responsibilities that go along with that job. For getting Hung to calm down and cook. For getting Howie to act as a team mate for the first time. For creating several dishes. and for overseeing an extremely successful dinner service and leading your team to victory please accept a half-assed round of applause from the judges.'!?!?!?!?!?!? I was stunned when from out of nowhere this laptop appears and is given to Cassey. And Sara was standing beside her, with CJ. She was Surrounded by people who got some really great prizes. Top Chef has never shied away from any sort of product placement. The show is blatantly full of product shots. So much so that it is laughable at times.But his prize came out of nowhere with none of that. It almost as is someone said 'The cute girl won someone go get something cool and expensive.' If I was Sara I would be PISSED!!!!!!!

They have already announced that she is one of the four (which seems like a lot) new co-hosts for the new forth hour. I see your point regarding the seriousness of food. But with regards to FN that isn't going to happen. It is, rightly or wrongly, style over substance. We saw it clearly during the airing of The Next Food Network Star. It was all about personality. FN execs have stated before they do not want another Julia Child type.

I too thought it was odd that she first stared co-hosting the third hour and figured it was probably just an on air try hour for the up and coming forth hour. And she eventually got the gig. What I also thought at the time was how bad she was. She was really like a fish out of water. Stumbling over her words(that's Anne Curry's job) Losing her place (Curry again) Looking into the wrong camera. Dead air time. There are a multitude of excuses about why she was so bad. Nerves live tv, etc... But what got me was thinking back to the recent Next food Network Star series when she was judging. She was rude, obnoxious, dismissive and generally full of herself talking down to people with little or no experience on TV. Yet here she is a few weeks later like a deer in the headlights. She was no better that the contestants she was picking on and she was the one with the experience...and the attitude. She simply could not back herself up.

Interesting to note that this past summer the producers and broadcaster admitted that a spearfishing sequence from his 'F Word' TV show was staged. Ramsay was a part of it as he claimed to have caught the fish in question... http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,2127536,00.html

He comes across as someone who will do anything for money. I have not seen this but I heard he was selling cat food not too long ago. If this is true how can one take him seriously as a chef? I did see a car commercial where he and a lady are heading from the market to a picnic. They buy a fish and it stinks up the car. In other words the chef bought a bad fish. It's not a bad thing to poke fun at oneself. But if you are serious about your professionalism perhaps it's best not to imply you don't know how to shop for food. At one point in his blog he refers to himself as an entertainer. Just how does he figure he dose that? How ever there is a small part of me that feels a little sorry for the guy. I sure he never in his wildest dreams did he envision the disaster that the show turned out o be.