Top Chef: Season 3

[hungryCAT]

I don't know - maybe I'm in the minority, but last night's AllStar episode bored me to tears.

Leave it to Stephen to head right to the wine rack without thinking it through . . .

Aside from the money going to charity, I thought this episode was a complete waste of an hour.

[Reignking]

I enjoyed it; I thought it was a sneaky way to bring viewers back into the fold with people they already knew, while lightly introducing the new cast. A handoff to the next season, if you will...

And no corporate tie-ins this time! It wasn't the Publix Pasteurized Egg Cook-off sponsored by Bed Bath & Beyond, where you too can buy over mitts for cooking one handed!

[hungryCAT]

Yeah, I was waiting for a Kenmore come-on at any moment!

[dagordon]

Anyone get a look at the "Kobe beef" they were working with? Some of the sorriest looking beef of any sort I've seen... if it was indeed Kobe, if must have been like grade 1 or 2. Makes me wonder about the quality of the ingredients they're working with in general.

[Swicks]

I thought the show was interesting but the food was very, very unimpressive to me, especially given that they didn't have to purchase the protein. Stephen's was clearly the best, which was interesting.

I cringed when Marcel was "talking shit" to the group back at the room, you could tell everyone else was just embarrassed and over that kind of garbage and he was trying so hard to stir it up. The way he interacts with people is like an awkward teenager, I know he is still young at 25 but that is not that young.

Ditto to whoever said if Illan is out of his comfort zone he can't cook, never was this more obvious, I still can't believe Sam wasn't the winner, he is clearly the most talented. I tend to think he might have done something to piss off someone and they decided to oust him. Don't get me started on Marcels skills. I think Elia deserved to be in the final more than Marcel and Illan.

[Reignking]

BTW, anyone notice the new scar that Marcel was sporting, on his left eyebrow? Glass bottles will do that...

[Deldino]

BTW, anyone notice the new scar that Marcel was sporting, on his left eyebrow?  Glass bottles will do that...

←

And the wicked scar on Padma's arm...

[laurelm]

I thought the episode was kinda boring as well.

I still cannot believe Ilan won Top Chef Season 2, last night's show just magnified why he should not have won and is a huge dent in the integrity of the show if you ask me. And him diddly dallying around the store room while Season one plans their menu - absolutely immature.

Loved seeing Stephen and laughed at everything he said, he is just great, also his food looked and sounded delicious- wish I could have tasted.

Only loss for Season one was Dave's dish- I have a feeling if he did it his way, he would have won- I always enjoyed his daring flavor combos.

I liked Sam during Season 2, but his dish sounded disappointing.

[SheenaGreena]

Anyone get a look at the "Kobe beef" they were working with? Some of the sorriest looking beef of any sort I've seen... if it was indeed Kobe, if must have been like grade 1 or 2. Makes me wonder about the quality of the ingredients they're working with in general.

←

I was thinking the same thing last night. Where was the marbeling? It looked like a regular steak you can get at your local grocery store.

[tmgrobyn]

I'll add my snore to the "smackdown". It was contrived. The Bravo network blew it big time on this episode. I only wish, hope, pray, that Season 3 is as good as season one. Season two was just a binch of immature egos at play and it got to be quite tiring.

It was good to see Stephen and the gang from season one. I knew from the beginning they'd take it. There is just too much bad blood for season two to produce a cohesive meal.

Did anyone else notice the comraderie between Marcel and Hung?

[glossyp]

Did anyone else notice the comraderie between Marcel and Hung?

←

You mean Hung gushing over how fabulous Marcel is? It was pretty hard to miss that. The judges also took note that some of the Season III contestants are devotees of Marcel while shaking their heads in disbelief.

[kathryn sossen]

I've got to admit I loved it- Now I know why I liked season 1 so much better- I think the team leaders were predetermined by Bravo for better TV... Hope Season three is as good as season 1. I wasnt as crazy about Ted Allen as a judge as I thought I'd be. Also, prior to the special I watched some of season one- Katie Lee seemed better than I remember.... In fact, better than Padma IMHO..

[BryanZ]

Marcel's saffron foam was hilarious (as were his pointy chops). He was so right, too, considering all Illan can do is use saffron and paprika. Illan is pretty much a bitch. Dave had it wrong all along.

Stephen is so totally sweet; I miss that guy. Those ties seem to have become even more ridiculous.

Elia looked awful, so did Tiffani. Short-hair Sam = significant improvment. I always love watching these reunion shows to see how people have changed.

The food seemed alright. I personally think Dave is still a total joke. Other than him, everyone seems to be at least a decent cook.

Collichio seemed to be trying really hard not to be Cold-dick-io, probably since he didn't like what he read on the blogs.

Edited June 8, 2007 by BryanZ (log)

[chappie]

See, I found Stephen patently absurd, from his ties to his endless self-promoting superlatives. What was his closing soliloqy, something about "I will probably have a large influence on the industry" or something (side note: why is it no one leaves with a simple "I blew it today; this sucked" and instead we get all these Stuart Smalley affirmations?).

But he could, apparently, cook and in retrospect I found him only a fraction as annoying as Ilan, who seems more of a phony with each rerun episode.

Because I'm home during the day, I've seen both seasons at least twice now, and the more I watch the softer I grow about Marcel and the more I tend to dislike Ilan's persona on camera. Marcel certainly comes off as a self-centered, anti-social kind of guy, but I get the feeling that if you knew him well, a lot of his banter would go in one ear and out the other. He probably takes his doses of ragging from friends, then backs it up.

The problem was, the show seemed to instigate and revel in the frat-mob mentality against him. The people who look the worst aren't him being a young goober, they're the ones who gang up and try to "put him in his place." While the floor chokehold obviously overstepped the boundaries, it's no less embarrassing than the big Frank lug acting like he's 16 and tough about a toothbrush.

I'm rambling here. I hope Season 3 is more like Season 1 and less like 2. Two was painful television most of the time.

(Oh yeah, I also really detested the "Deadly Sins" episode, but mostly because of the overdone act by the um ... actress ... Debi Mazar. Again, trying to come off as cool like a schoolgirl talking raunchy. She wanted to make sure we the proletariat know she lives the swinging life. We get it. You're rich, you're hollywood. Thanks.)

Edited June 11, 2007 by chappie (log)

[chappie]

Saw the Season 1 finale for the fourth or so time yesterday, and I must ammend one of my earlier comments to say Tiffany had a very honest and disarming exit interview. I liked it better than the "I'm a winner!" variety because she displayed the bitter taste of coming close to so much money (which she talked about needing) and falling short.

[KristiB50]

As I was watching the quickfire I was wondering if Bourdain was going to be a guest judge and whoot-there he was!

I wish they'd replace Gail with Tony.

My two picks are Tre and Hung but there could be a dark horse in there I knew Howie wasn't going home when he quoted Anthony about Ecuadorean cooks. Good save!

[Pierogi]

I like Tre as well. He seems to have his head screwed on straight, and also seems to have a ton of talent.

On first blush, this crop of chef-testants seem both more normal and more talented than Season 2. There was no one that immediately annoyed me tonight.

And I must say, I am in Trash TV heaven. Food Network Star on Sundays, Hell's Kitchen on Mondays and Top Chef on Wednesdays. Life is good......*sigh*.

[kathryn sossen]

I have high hopes- liked both tre and hung. Bourdain as a guest judge made my day. I too am in junk tv heaven....

[WiscoNole]

Not surprising at all that Tre and Hung were the finalists in that challenge. Both should go very far in the competition.

Bourdain, if you happen to check out this thread, you had some downright hilarious lines. You had 35-40 people in the good ole CIA rec center laughing.

[TAPrice]

I predict Tre and Hung will cruise to the finals while the others will be desperately trying not to lose.

I didn't watch season 1 (no cable at the time), but a handful of these chefs already make the season 2 finalist look like amateurs. Was there this much talent in season 1? Is Bravo recruiting stronger chefs? Or has the show become so high profile that good chefs, experienced chefs are will to sign up?

Edited June 14, 2007 by TAPrice (log)

[KristiB50]

Yes season 1 had more talent than season 2. I think the season 3 chefs are higher profile though.

I did feel bad that Clays dad committed suicide but I don't think that's a good reason to follow in his footsteps. Especially when he doesn't have a knack for it. I think he needs therapy.

The Top Chef-testants could wipe the floor with the Hells Kitchen chef-testants.

I think I'm really going to like this season of Top Chef, although, the previews showed bikinis and booze so there will be some reality show drama.

I just hope they don't have dumb challenges like cooking from vending machines and convenience food. I don't mind a little product placement but last season it was like watching one huge commercial, cooking with Kraft in the Kenmore kitchen and storing everything in Glad.

Edited June 14, 2007 by KristiB50 (log)

[TAPrice]

I did feel bad that Clays dad committed suicide but I don't think that's a good reason to follow in his footsteps. Especially when he doesn't have a knack for it. I think he needs therapy.

←

You've got to wonder if the producers mainly picked Clay for the drama he would interject.

[Grovite]

Anyone else notice that they dropped Kenmore in favor of GE? I guess NBC wanted to keep the money in-house.

[TAPrice]

Anyone else notice that they dropped Kenmore in favor of GE? I guess NBC wanted to keep the money in-house.

←

I didn't notice that, but Glad survived for another season.

Am I the only one who feels like Tom is a little diminished every time he plugs a sponsor? Come on Tom, that's Padma's job.

Edited June 14, 2007 by TAPrice (log)

[Zeemanb]

I don't know if I can handle another season of Gail. What value does she add to the show? I think all she managed to do last night was repeat everything Tom and Tony said. I would not have been surprised at any point if she started complaning about overcooked eggs from last season.

Other than that, hoping to see some good dishes this season.