Top Chef: Season 3

[Curlz]

Tre was one of the best consistantly through this show. They let the hap hazard hosts and others slide, but dumped this guy? Give me a break.

I cannot understand why TC dumps talent for drama, I get it, its reality tv, but to shave off the best and leave behing someone who can't even cut an onion?

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handmc, you answered your own question! They dump talent for drama. The equation is really simple: drama = viewership = $$$.

Talent may = viewership for those of us who read/post on food sites, but not to the masses watching TC. We may have been screaming at the screen while Casey was cutting onions, but I'm betting that the majority of the viewers were feeling bad for her b/c she was falling behind.

[MarkIsCooking]

We're all so often disappointed when things in life are different than we want them to be. Many people who frequent eGullet would like this show (and other cooking competition shows) to be about the food, about the professionalism, about the creativity and artistry of true chefs and budding chefs. I'm with you on this.

Though disappointing, for the people who invest in this show and sell it to a network, it's about getting ratings and in turn ad revenue. The producers couldn't care less if the best chefs are kicked off or never even make it past application. The show gets about 2 million viewers a week and - though it's sad to many of us here - a real hard core cooking competition (as opposed to soap opera that takes place in a kitchen) would not draw 2 million a week.

For more pure programming, as has been the case for decades, there's public television.

-mark-

[Elrushbo]

I for one found it refreshing that they got rid of Tre, even if I thought he'd make it to the end. He had a bad night, and too often on Top Chef they've kept someone because they were a favorite, or because they had plenty of good nights before, etc. I was actually suprised by what happened on Top Chef for a change, and that's a good thing.

[chappie]

Oh, we're still talking about Top Chef? I'm over it.

[Carrot Top]

Actually, between this thread and the Rocco thread a film moment came to mind.

This one.

Edited August 25, 2007 by Carrot Top (log)

[Anna Friedman Herlihy]

Is anyone else shuddering to think about the possibility that one of Bravo's upcoming new shows might feature both Madonna's brother and the Strong Buzz lady? That could be why those folks were featured. Maybe a restaurant review show? One to review food and one to review decor. (Perhaps with Steven to review wine? Although poor Steven if that's the case--I do like him.)

Just a thought.

[David Ross]

   

Actually, between this thread and the Rocco thread a film moment came to mind.

This one.

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Hah! How perfect-"I coulda been a conteda." Rocco shall never hear the end of it. If you go to the Top Chef website you can link over to a video of "after the show," with Colicchio and Rocco giving their thoughts on the Tre booting.

At one point Rocco is asked how he feels about Bourdain excoriating Rocco in his blog. Rocco was actually pretty cool about it when he answered, "certainly I've given him enough stuff to talk about me." In other words, I think Rocco knows he's made some interesting television appearances and given Bourdain plenty of fodder for his pen.

At another point, a e-mail from a female viewer is read, asking Rocco if he's single. What that has to do with Top Chef I don't have a clue. But Rocco's answer was priceless-"I really don't know about that." Huh? Isn't that a yes or no question?

[Carrot Top]

Is anyone else shuddering to think about the possibility that one of Bravo's upcoming new shows might feature both Madonna's brother and the Strong Buzz lady? That could be why those folks were featured. Maybe a restaurant review show? One to review food and one to review decor. (Perhaps with Steven to review wine? Although poor Steven if that's the case--I do like him.)

Just a thought.

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My god. I hope they film it on a set used for horror movies.

At another point, a e-mail from a female viewer is read, asking Rocco if he's single.  What that has to do with Top Chef I don't have a clue.  But Rocco's answer was priceless-"I really don't know about that."  Huh?  Isn't that a yes or no question?

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At least he didn't say "Depends who's asking."

[mojoman]

Geez, a lot of thought goes into some of these comments and a lot of those thoughts are not very good.

A little perspective here.....this is a reality TV show.

Top Chef is not worth philosophizing (and bad philosophizing at that) over or getting one's panties in a bunch.

My GF (who HATES TV) and I are enjoying the show for the entertainment value that it has.

[Anna Friedman Herlihy]

Does anyone else have a lot more respect for Sara now? I'm impressed. Both with her knife skills and with her ability to supervise in the kitchen.

Come to think of it, the editing treatment they've been giving her is kind of like what they did with Elia last season--not much to speak of until the restaurant wars episode. Then all of a sudden we find out that Elia's fellow chefs thought she was an awesome cook, and from then on she rocked.

[David Ross]

Does anyone else have a lot more respect for Sara now? I'm impressed. Both with her knife skills and with her ability to supervise in the kitchen.

Come to think of it, the editing treatment they've been giving her is kind of like what they did with Elia last season--not much to speak of until the restaurant wars episode. Then all of a sudden we find out that Elia's fellow chefs thought she was an awesome cook, and from then on she rocked.

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I agree with your thoughts on Sara. I thought she showed good skills in the kitchen as the Executive Chef on her team. I like the way she stuck to her guns and dealt with Howie's frustrations. Although he slammed the oven door, he took Sara's direction and she went on with the dinner.

She had a bit of a brain fart last week when she presented her 'seafood burger' wrapped in lettuce-Boulud said it wasn't really a burger because it wasn't presented on a bun-but I think it wasn't so much the flavors as she was off the mark with making a 'burger' that fit within the theme of the quickfire challenge.

There's always surprises when we get down this deep into the competition and I wish all them well. It would probably be a choice moment in reality television to see the reaction on Hung or Howie's faces if Sara beat them out. That camera shot would probably show up on one of VH-1's '100 Top Moments in Reality TV" part 36 or something.

[Carrot Top]

Sara is an exceptionally quick learner. She might turn out to be the dark horse in the competition.

(I know I said I was going to stay away from this but chappie's comment cheered me up so. )

Edited August 26, 2007 by Carrot Top (log)

[annecros]

I miss Tre. Not only great in the kitchen, but why do we have to lose our eye candy, when the guys get to keep Casey?

I think Sara is quite the dark horse here - I have a new respect for her.

[Carrot Top]

The Amateur Gourmet's Top Chef and 80's Movies Underdog Theory.

[laurelm]

I am so disappointed to see Tre go. I am not enjoying the fact that so many chefs go under the radar and do nothing and stay on. Tre is definitely a better chef then some people still standing, and it is disappointing to see him and lia gone.

I have a new respect for Sara as well, I thought she handled her role well.

Loved seeing Hung chop those chickens and his remark- I feel bad for the other team while Casey was chopping onions cracked me up. It was agonizing to watch.

Lost respect for CJ- completely threw Tre under the bus, it was uncalled for.

I dont know who to root for anymore, I liked Brian as well, but did not see him do much this week.

[Carrot Top]

Casey will never live down that onion episode, and it's hard to believe it was real and not somehow a set-up for the audience's entertainment it was so drastic a thing.

Someone mentioned earlier that Tom wrote in his blog that the reason for her slowness was that her knife was dull. And all I can think of when reviewing that thought was why on earth she was sunbathing while her knives were dull.

(Searching for the right smilie face to insert here and there isn't one.)

On the other hand, Hung's knife sure wasn't dull.

I still think that given the fact the knife was dull she might have accomplished more by going gestapo on the onions rather than going for style. Just let out a martial arts "kia" and attack. Perfection might not have been attained but the job would have been done - and the vital criteria in this challenge was timing.

But a dull knife - that's sort of like walking into a tennis competetion with a broken raquet or entering a horse with a weak leg in a race.

A shame this happened.

......................................................

I woke up this morning and realized that Top Chef is indeed, all about philosophy. It might be about cooking skills too, but it's about philosophy most, to my mind. Good philosophy, bad philosophy, whatever. Top Chef rocks on a philosophic level. So I'm replanning my party for next season around that idea.

We will all wear pointy philosopher's caps and rather than merely try to pick winners or losers will attempt to come up with the most cogent philosophy that fits the show.

If we have to actually talk about real people in the process, that is merely an important task in the intellectual process, so we will indulge in it with trepidation but full cattiness.

Can't wait.

Maybe we'll even blog about it to increase our feelings of self-importance.

[Dave Weinstein]

It isn't a Cooking Show

Leaving aside the fact that they've stated this in the blogs, or the fact that you can hear it if you call in to the after show (since you can listen to the live mikes even on commercial if you are next up), it should be clear based on what they do and don't show.

If it were a cooking show, we'd see a lot more in depth coverage of cooking.

It isn't about selecting the Best Chef

If it were about selecting the best chef, the rules would be very different. For example, each challenge might be pass / fail / exceed. As is, you can do a horrific job, as long as someone does worse, and you can be brilliant unless everyone else is more so.

It is Reality Television, with food-based Decisions

All of the hallmarks of the form -- immunity, artificial or random team assignments, loser elimination, limited use of performance over time.

This means that the best contestant may well be eliminated, whether by having a very bad night while everyone else doesn't, by being merely good if enough people were excellent that night, or by getting caught by someone elses immunity (either because they were second worst, or because they were paired with someone with immunity and the team failed the challenge).

As evidence, does anyone really think the Ilan was the strongest chef in Season 2?

[Kevin72]

I think it was kind of a mistake to not have a new show last night. They needed something to regalvanize people after Tre's loss and rebuild some momentum for those left.

[nonblonde007]

Kevin, I agree with you. While I did watch it, out of curiosity because I didn't for the previous two seasons, I was dissapointed. Somehow, they seemed to make nearly every contestant, past and present, appear to be whining, egocentric, immature, snarkey and unprofessional babies. Seeing it from this point of view, I have come to believe that none of the chefs were picked for ability, but for controversial personality quirks. I am sorely dissapointed and have no desire to begin a new season with this series. I am sure I will watch to the end, just because, but no more. What we need in it's place would be another AB series, I can't get enough of him.

[Carrot Top]

Mmm. This was the first time I've seen any of the past winning chefs. I personally was quite pleased with their individual brands of ego-centrism. They did it with such a sense of assurance that the quirks of the current chefs simply could not compare in terms of really seeing ego stand firmly. God bless 'em all.

Plus they knew how to work better together, seemed to show a higher level of professionalism, and all in all had a sense of simply knowing what they were doing. The feel was altogether different.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Carrot Top (log)

[caseyell]

I thought last night's show was a real bore. Winning for charity and self-pride just didn't seem that compelling to the chefs. To my amazement, I found Stephen's moments the most interesting parts of the show.

[chappie]

It was also a rerun; they first aired it right before Episode 1 of Season 3.

[Miami Danny]

Look for chef Michael Schwartz, of Michael's Genuine, as a guest judge next week. His low-key demeanor (along with his consistently great food, of course), has helped make his restaurant the hottest in Miami, without any major PR push. Wonder how that will translate to TV?

[JohnRov]

That was the first time I saw the reunion show. It was pretty boring. They hsould have just let them cook with a big budget, lots of time, and no gimmicks. Marcel still talks like a 14-year-old girl ("Like, I think I'm, like, gonna win because, like, I make, like, foams and stuff. Like, how rad is that?") Ilan needs Ted and the other Queer Eye guys to give him a makeover. First it was the double watches, now it's the bad Vanilla Ice hair.

It's all about the cooking for me...

[rconnelly]

We're down to seven; after tonight it will be six.

I think it's time to "bet" on the final four.

My guess:

Dale, Hung, Sara and CJ