Top Chef: Season 3

[vikingsue]

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

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RConnelly - thanks for the summing up re: count. My TV "guide" says that tonight's episode is about the "three finalists." Wow - I thought - what have I missed??? Must be an error here. Looking forward to the show.

Edited September 6, 2007 by vikingsue (log)

[hungryCAT]

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

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RConnelly - thanks for the summing up re: count. My TV "guide" says that tonight's episode is about the "three finalists." Wow - I thought - what have I missed??? Must be an error here. Looking forward to the show.

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Yeah, I was wondering about that myself!

[KristiB50]

Hung's candyland quick fire reminded me of the magic mushroom village Michael made last season

Can't believe Howie served nothing.

On to elimination. Tom tells them every week, "Enough with the raw tuna!" And every week someone trots it out.

Ever notice Brian doesn't cook?

Hungs was retro. I've had those. Not bad bad but he could have been more creative

As far as Howies elimination goes I think he gave up after the quickfire and that's why he was getting along with everyone.

Padma's pants are getting tighter. She had an unfortunate wardrobe tonight.

Bourdain is back next week!

Edited September 6, 2007 by KristiB50 (log)

[Zeemanb]

I have to say I was transfixed by Hung's amazing insight- "I love to eat....I've been eating my whole life". (Or something to that effect)

[Pierogi]

As far as Howies elimination goes I think he gave up after the quickfire and that's why he was getting along with everyone.

Howie was done BEFORE quickfire with his attitude. He went into it whining about how he couldn't make anything from his aisle, and it wasn't fair, and how was he supposed to come up with something with canned fruit and on and on and on.......bleh. Of course he couldn't think of anything to make ! And you could see it on his face when they were given the elimination challenge, he seriously looked like he smelled something hideous (like maybe his duxelle......) while the rules were being explained.

And just when I thought Hung had gotten a personality transplant, he comes up with that line about Michael Schwartz' closed mind. There's our Hung and his mega-ego !

My final 4 - CJ, Casey, Sara and Dale.

And yeah, Bourdain next week. Can't wait.

[Carrot Top]

You guys are funny. Really, I think I like this thread more than the shows at this point.

Howie was done BEFORE quickfire with his attitude. He went into it whining about how he couldn't make anything from his aisle

Howie has a limited repetoire that he's learned by memory. He hasn't shown that he can think creatively. It's possible he can't but rather just repeats what he knows till he learns something new from someone else, thinks it through, watches, practices, repeats.

I'd love to see him on a dance show where the music was turned on and the direction given: "Dance!"

He'd definitely do the White Boy Shuffle. Over and over again.

I have to say I was transfixed by Hung's amazing insight- "I love to eat....I've been eating my whole life". (Or something to that effect)

That was hilarious. It sort of went along with the fantasy scene he created on the plate. The sugary cereal must have gone up his nose or something.

But I can definitely relate, having at moments said the most incredibly bland and idiotic things myself when forced to speak under pressure.

I give him credit for at least trying something different. He loved winging it too, which was great to see.

Hungs was retro. I've had those. Not bad bad but he could have been more creative

The entire menu really could have been transported from the eighties, but those cucumber things definitely were iconic.

Padma's pants are getting tighter. She had an unfortunate wardrobe tonight.

One of those unfortunate tropical fashion statements - turquoise pants. There ought to be a law.

now it's the bad Vanilla Ice hair.

It's all about the cooking for me.

Seriously, I think the judgement-by-hair thing has merit. It seems to be as meaningful as anything else, or moreso, in this competition. Maybe it's so in real life too.

Hung or Casey, then. That's who I'm backing at the moment. Hip hair makes the chef.

[Fpoint]

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!!!!!!!

Edited September 6, 2007 by Fpoint (log)

[monavano]

Stick a fork in Howie. He's done. He just ran out of steam and it's understandable since he doesn't have the constitution or talent to win. I think between his checking out mentally and his awful duxelle, he knew he was toast. Eh, Mia did it last season. She absolutely melted down and offered to leave. She was emotionally spent.

And Hung's quick fire plate looked like Walt Disney threw up on it!

Finally, I'm glad to see the girls kicking butt! I hope to see both in the finals.

[tmgrobyn]

I think the light bulb went on for Howie last night. He is probably a pretty good cook where he works, but as someone says, years of doing the same thing over and over, clouds creativity. His heart is on his sleeve and finally figured out that with Tre gone, and the continual challenge being group challenges, there was no way he could win this thing. I think he went in last night trying to get sent home. It seemed he figured out he had no allies, friends or any sort of team so why bother carrying on.

I was disappointed by the producers choice of showing Casey's and Sara faces when he asked to make a comment. They spoke volumes of disgust for their outspoken opponent. I think under the rough, seemingly unrefined exterior, lies a big heart and a pretty sensitive guy. He just never wanted to drop his guard and let anybody see it.

That's my armchair psych eval for ya!

[TAPrice]

That episode just felt like excuse to get rid of Howie. We all knew that he couldn't last. Finally he's gone--now let's move on to the real competition.

[weinoo]

How can any of these people actually say they are caterers, or have catered before?!

Please, with that budget, they could have come up with 6 items (2 or 3 of each) @ $50 per item (CJ's, Casey's and Sara's + 3 more), and maybe spent some of the leftover money on presentation or a beautiful "raw" display. The gougeres might have been a good idea - but they weren't gougeres...they were profiteroles...stuffed with something shrimp-y they might have been nice. Tiny crab cakes or little lobster salad on a leaf of something? Where was the pork, howie?

And, as Dana said, who puts almost everything on toasts, bread or cucumber slices?

I think the quality of the chef's cooking has gone way down since last season.

[chezcherie]

two quick thoughts--

1. dana cowin says that duxelle and puff pastry don't go together? really? REALLY? while that particular presentation fell short, i think they can be a tasty combination, if done well.

2. while no howie-phile, i kinda felt him last night...it seemed like during the quickfire, he had the sort of "what am i doing here?" realization that i'm sure i would have had (albeit much sooner), and chucked his crap presentation...probably deciding at that point that this "top chef" thing was not for him, and bailed. while entertaining (sometimes...less and less, tho) to watch, i can only imagine how tedious it must be to actually participate in these shows, and how demeaning these trumped up challenges must become. sure, he knoew, going in, but i gotta give him a little credit for checking out, and serving turned over martini glasses filled with nothing...maybe he shoulda called it oxygen foam? (or, as my nana used to say "air pudding and wind sauce"!)

[chezcherie]

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!!!!!!!

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my prediction is that sara is going to take the big prize...not because she's the best chef, but because a woman "needs" to win this season, and they sure as hell can't give it to casey after the onion debacle...so i think sara will come out smelling like a rose!

[Carrot Top]

Howie is an odd mixture (or seems to be, based on what is shown) of arrogant bully and guy-with-a-golden-heart-buried-under-the-bluster. He exhibits moments where he seems to be reaching for honor within himself, for himself, and those moments are rather jewel-like. It's rather like watching a large green toad on a lily-pad in a pond who suddenly spouts beautiful philosophy with the voice of John Barrymore, his eyes turning human and appealing for that moment before there is a mere toad bellowing his toad song there again and you wonder whether it really happened or not.

I can't say that I think any of the challenges have been demeaning, though. It's all about food and situation and creativity and chops, whether one is left in the pickle aisle of Key Food with a dollar to spend or whether one is dropped into Balducci's with a thousand. The Balducci's situation is much easier.

All the other nonsense that the show doles out aside (hah! ) I enjoy the shape these challenges have taken. They are true challenges. If the results are boring, to me it's not the fault of the challenge but the players levels of response. It is really hard to break out of a pattern of thinking in terms of what one "does" as a chef, and that is what this show asks of the contestants, over and over.

[Zeemanb]

There was one brief second during Howie's post-show debriefing where I thought he MIGHT start crying like Joey.....that would have been some good TV.

[Carrot Top]

Ever notice Brian doesn't cook?

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I remember him cooking something way back (or think I do, at one point I was getting him confused with CJ regardless of the height difference merely because their hair looked the same ) because I remember backing him back then as potential winner with Tre. Hah.

But wasn't the Nouvelle Wonder of Spam with Crispy Onion Tower and Abstact Sauce Pattern dish his this week? That earned him the teamleader position which he then translated into not having to cook.

[Darcie B]

I tire of the contestants hands being tied so much. I understand the idea behind the challenges is to get them to be inventive, but it also gives them an excuse to fail. I would like to see them be given large funds and lots of time and see how creative and talented they really are. Give 'em enough rope to hang themselves. Then maybe we could see some really good food instead of psychedelic Froot Loops dioramas.

I suppose then Hung's excuse would be that the judges' palates weren't refined enough.

[rconnelly]

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!!!!!!!

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my prediction is that sara is going to take the big prize...not because she's the best chef, but because a woman "needs" to win this season, and they sure as hell can't give it to casey after the onion debacle...so i think sara will come out smelling like a rose!

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I agree, but I was under the impression that the guest judge provided the "prize", not Top Chef people.

Edited September 7, 2007 by rconnelly (log)

[Fpoint]

I agree, but I was under the impression that the guset judge provided the "prize", not Top Chef people.

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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.

Edited September 6, 2007 by Fpoint (log)

[Kevin72]

Finally. Though again, watching Howie sit out Quickfire had me livid that he was still around and Tre wasn't. He should've been eliminated on the spot.

And, are the editors of the show paying attention to comments? They dropped two hints of surefire doom for Brian right off the bat: him commenting on missing home, and then also the requisite "I'm in this to win!" comment. I thought for sure he was a goner.

The Elimination irritated me again. It seems like at this point in the season the contestants all get reamed for not being Top Chef material and never pull off a clear "win". They were unduly hobbled with budget constraints, a picky crowd, and a limited cooking space, and it just irked me how overly critical and nonplussed the judges were, particularly when the crowd, for the most part, did like what was served. I felt the contestant's frustrations this time and I thought Brian did a decent job, actually, in leading the crew and keeping everyone going. It didn't seem like he could've won either way.

This time, Hung was the one who got renewed respect from me. His comments about Tre were . . . sweet? . . . and he got the biggest laugh of the night with his assessment of Howie's food.

And, holy cats, YES, Sara really got screwed last week with her prize. Makes me pull for her even more now.

BTW, Bourdain's got a particularly sharp blog up on last night's ep on the network site.

[kalypso]

I tire of the contestants hands being tied so much. I understand the idea behind the challenges is to get them to be inventive, but it also gives them an excuse to fail. I would like to see them be given large funds and lots of time and see how creative and talented they really are. Give 'em enough rope to hang themselves. Then maybe we could see some really good food instead of psychedelic Froot Loops dioramas.

I suppose then Hung's excuse would be that the judges' palates weren't refined enough. 

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I agree. It's one thing to have a couple of elimination challenges where they have cash limitations but time after time gets boring. HGTV's Design Star has been giving their contestants $10,000 a pop for their challenges and, for the most part, the constestants have risen to the occasion. $10,000 isn't a lot of design work, but, by comparison, the designertestants have shown a stronger creative streak than the Top Chef contestants. I'd rather see the cheftestants have adequate financial resources to do what they do a little more frequently than we have recently.

Anyone else think this thing has gone on far too long. It's beginning to wear on me, I'm fast loosing intereset and, frankly, at this point I don't really care who wins. A recap show, a rerun of the reunion show, single eliminations, this thing is in a rut and going nowhere. It's slow boring and, increasingly, predictable. I like the concept and the format, but jeez, I'd like to see a quicker. livelier pace. Or perhaps I've just finally been reduced to sound-bite mentality

Edited September 6, 2007 by kalypso (log)

[Vinotas]

Anyone else think this thing has gone on far too long.  It's beginning to wear on me, I'm fast loosing intereset and, frankly, at this point I don't really care who wins.  A recap show, a rerun of the reunion show, single eliminations, this thing is in a rut and going nowhere.  It's slow boring and, increasingly, predictable.    I like the concept and the format, but jeez, I'd like to see a quicker. livelier pace.  Or perhaps I've just finally been reduced to sound-bite mentality 

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Actually, funny you should say that, I was watching the show and thinking that this season's been dragging on a lot longer than previous ones. And I also feel like they're starting to reach for sponsors (Glad bag?). What happened to the famed "Kenmore Kitchen"?

That said, I am think Howie's time was up, between the Quickfire debacle and his greasy "cigars". Even though he was the "bad guy", I always had a soft spot in my heart for the big lug, but that was when he was actually cooking stuff. Not this episode, however.

Can't wait for the Bourdain episode next week!

Cheers!

[chappie]

Aside from the restaurant challenge, in which they had a bigger chance to shine, most of the other eliminations have bored me; I could've made a better Cuban and slider, and probably some decent appetizers on a budget, and I'm no chef.

Let them make the kinds of things that make you, the viewer, attempt to imagine what they taste like. I wish the obscure proteins challenge had been saved for later.

Or perhaps it's merely a poor crop of contestants.

Either way, I think they've allowed some weaker talent to survive too long. I'm not sold on Brian or C.J. at all; I'm slightly more impressed by Casey than I was; I still think Tre should be there, that Lia would outperform some of the survivors, and that Hung (who I trashed earlier) probably will be a finalist. But I think now I'm rooting for Sara. She turns out pretty solid stuff, she's got an even temperament and I agree she was royally ripped off in the prize department.

A MacBook Pro? Hunh?

[hsm]

I'm heading towards Sara to take it (as opposed to her not taking any prize for winning an elimination challenge).

CJ makes bad lobster salad and takes no responsibility. Casey's palate may be ok, but her knife skills are nil and I haven't seen her lead anything but a parade into the hot tub. Spam-Boy doesn't cook. Hung can cook, but can he go from "silly people, none of you understand my food" to Top Chef? Final two could be Dale and Sara. Dale's ok, but he doesn't seem to have shown the growth that Sara has. Otoh, you never know what tricky wabbit those TC editors can pull out of a hat.

[Carrot Top]

Spam-Boy doesn't cook.

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(I love that line.)