Top Chef Season 4

[Nargi]

When Valerie said she was making blini's ahead of time I thought, "Oh nooooo...!!!"

And were they saying "Bellini?" as in the drink?

ah, yeah, valerie kept calling them "bellinis," even at the end when colicchio corrected them. just bad. bye, valerie (just watching it now, tivoed so no idea who gets sent home)

←

on tv, people always say "bellini" and "mar-sca-pone" and they said "parpadelle" once... there's others i'm sure. maybe it's a regional thing, but blini is blini, mascarpone comes from mascarpa in italy and pappardelle is just that. at least in my experience. ::shrug::

[Nargi]

What I've seen of the French Laundry and Keller's other establishments, not a lot of swearing (or speaking, for that matter) goes on.  Of course, I've only seen shots of these kitchens on television, and not in person, so who knows what happens when the camera is off. But I think I'd rather run a kitchen the way Keller does, with zen-like mastery, than the way Ramsay does like a drill sargent *cough*.

So no, I don't really think dropping more f bombs than absolutely necessary makes one a better chef. In fact, perhaps the opposite is true. Just a theory. 

edit: caugh to cough

←

i mean this in the nicest way possible, but have you ever worked in a kitchen before? people always assume cussing and the like is some horrible, off thing, but kitchens are rarely, if ever, quiet places of meditation. generally only the extremely high end, 3 michelin-starred restaurants are zen-like and most people tend to work there for the sake of a high point on their resume. i work with someone who worked at french laundry and bouchon and after 2 years he was asked to be the sous chef and he quit because he was tired of never having fun at work and having his food thrown against the wall. just a thought. we blast music at my work and drop the f bomb like it's going out of style and we're one of the (if not the) busiest places in san diego. it's all about personal preference, i suppose.

[KristiB50]

Saturday Night Live Top Chef parody HERE

[Tsulli1]

on tv, people always say "bellini" and "mar-sca-pone" and they said "parpadelle" once... there's others i'm sure. maybe it's a regional thing, but blini is blini, mascarpone comes from mascarpa in italy and pappardelle is just that. at least in my experience. ::shrug::

←

It always drives me crazy when I hear: EX-presso.

Its ES-presso, isn't it?

[Claudia Greco]

When Valerie said she was making blini's ahead of time I thought, "Oh nooooo...!!!"

And were they saying "Bellini?" as in the drink?

ah, yeah, valerie kept calling them "bellinis," even at the end when colicchio corrected them. just bad. bye, valerie (just watching it now, tivoed so no idea who gets sent home)

←

on tv, people always say "bellini" and "mar-sca-pone" and they said "parpadelle" once... there's others i'm sure. maybe it's a regional thing, but blini is blini, mascarpone comes from mascarpa in italy and pappardelle is just that. at least in my experience. ::shrug::

←

Actually, Valerie, Antonia et al. kept saying "buh-lini", which is even worse. And then there's saying "carmel corn" for "carAmel corn", or "carmelize" for "carAmelize". Carmel is right by Pebble Beach and Monterey. Caramel is the candy. Drives me wild every time I hear it.

[Claudia Greco]

:

←

Edited April 15, 2008 by Claudia Greco (log)

[Zeemanb]

When Valerie said she was making blini's ahead of time I thought, "Oh nooooo...!!!"

And were they saying "Bellini?" as in the drink?

ah, yeah, valerie kept calling them "bellinis," even at the end when colicchio corrected them. just bad. bye, valerie (just watching it now, tivoed so no idea who gets sent home)

←

on tv, people always say "bellini" and "mar-sca-pone" and they said "parpadelle" once... there's others i'm sure. maybe it's a regional thing, but blini is blini, mascarpone comes from mascarpa in italy and pappardelle is just that. at least in my experience. ::shrug::

←

Actually, Valerie, Antonia et al. kept saying "buh-lini", which is even worse. And then there's saying "carmel corn" for "carAmel corn", or "carmelize" for "carAmelize". Carmel is right by Pebble Beach and Monterey. Caramel is the candy. Drives me wild every time I hear it.

←

You people are driving me nuts.....I have to get away from the computer for a while.....if anyone needs me I'll be at ChiPOLTE.

I watched last week's episode again, and I think we're going to see some Jerry Springer action between Spike and Jennifer unless one of them goes home first.

[rconnelly]

When Valerie said she was making blini's ahead of time I thought, "Oh nooooo...!!!"

And were they saying "Bellini?" as in the drink?

ah, yeah, valerie kept calling them "bellinis," even at the end when colicchio corrected them. just bad. bye, valerie (just watching it now, tivoed so no idea who gets sent home)

←

on tv, people always say "bellini" and "mar-sca-pone" and they said "parpadelle" once... there's others i'm sure. maybe it's a regional thing, but blini is blini, mascarpone comes from mascarpa in italy and pappardelle is just that. at least in my experience. ::shrug::

←

Actually, Valerie, Antonia et al. kept saying "buh-lini", which is even worse. And then there's saying "carmel corn" for "carAmel corn", or "carmelize" for "carAmelize". Carmel is right by Pebble Beach and Monterey. Caramel is the candy. Drives me wild every time I hear it.

←

Even Padma and Gail said Bul-llini if you listen hard.

[Claudia Greco]

←

[nliedel]

I call it a bell-ini too, after I've had two. If I have three, it's a bull-ini.

[David Ross]

I'm not so sure the Top Chef "Blind Taste Test" Quickfire Challenge has much relevance in terms of who the ultimate winner will be-and apparently the producer's must have felt the same way. They barely gave air time to displaying all 15 ingredients involved in the taste test. Can one of you name all 15 for me? I sure can't. And I can't see any mention of the ingredients presented in the Quickfire Challenge posted on the Top Chef site. This is the only mention I can find:

"Before the chefs got to any cooking in this episode, they had to prove their palate skills. Blindfolded, the chefs had to taste items and tell Padma and Guest Judge Ming Tsai which was of higher quality. While a couple chefs came close, Antonia's palate prevailed."

I liked Antonia's approach to the Challenge as if it was a blind-tasting of Pinot Noir-a little taste, a little swish, a sip of water. I think cleansing her palate between tastings might have been the reason she won the challenge by correctly selecting 12 of the 15 items. (I still don't know what all 15 "tastes" were and I sure would like to know which 3 items Antonia got wrong. Kills me not knowing).

[theclash]

I'm not so sure the Top Chef "Blind Taste Test" Quickfire Challenge has much relevance in terms of who the ultimate winner will be-and apparently the producer's must have felt the same way.  They barely gave air time to displaying all 15 ingredients involved in the taste test.  Can one of you name all 15 for me?  I sure can't.  And I can't see any mention of the ingredients presented in the Quickfire Challenge posted on the Top Chef site.  This is the only mention I can find:

"Before the chefs got to any cooking in this episode, they had to prove their palate skills. Blindfolded, the chefs had to taste items and tell Padma and Guest Judge Ming Tsai which was of higher quality. While a couple chefs came close, Antonia's palate prevailed."

I liked Antonia's approach to the Challenge as if it was a blind-tasting of Pinot Noir-a little taste, a little swish, a sip of water.  I think cleansing her palate between tastings might have been the reason she won the challenge by correctly selecting 12 of the 15 items.  (I still don't know what all 15 "tastes" were and I sure would like to know which 3 items Antonia got wrong.  Kills me not knowing).

←

Imitation Breakfast Syrup vs. Real Maple Syrup

Generic Sliced Bacon vs. Double Applewood Smoked Berkshire Slab Bacon

Farmed Salmon vs. Wild Atlantic Salmon

Imitation Crab Pieces vs. Jumbo Lump Crab Meat

Hershey Bar vs. Valrhona Chocolate

Generic Supermarket Unsalted Butter vs. Plugra

Deli Cheddar vs. English Cheddar

Generic Soy Sauce vs. Small Batch Artisan Soy Sauce

Boxed Sake vs. Junmai Daiginjo Sake

Lumpfish Roe vs. American Sturgeon Caviar

Generic Commercial Pork Chop vs. Organic Kurabuta Pork Chop

Generic Commercial Chicken Breast vs. Organic, Free Range Chicken Breast

Cheap Parmesan Cheese vs. Parmigiano Reggiano

Supermarket Pate vs. Country Pate with Black Truffles

Generic Olive Oil vs. Small Batch Artisan Olive Oil

blog

[Ndy]

I'm not so sure the Top Chef "Blind Taste Test" Quickfire Challenge has much relevance in terms of who the ultimate winner will be-and apparently the producer's must have felt the same way.  They barely gave air time to displaying all 15 ingredients involved in the taste test.  Can one of you name all 15 for me?  I sure can't.  And I can't see any mention of the ingredients presented in the Quickfire Challenge posted on the Top Chef site.  This is the only mention I can find:

"Before the chefs got to any cooking in this episode, they had to prove their palate skills. Blindfolded, the chefs had to taste items and tell Padma and Guest Judge Ming Tsai which was of higher quality. While a couple chefs came close, Antonia's palate prevailed."

I liked Antonia's approach to the Challenge as if it was a blind-tasting of Pinot Noir-a little taste, a little swish, a sip of water.  I think cleansing her palate between tastings might have been the reason she won the challenge by correctly selecting 12 of the 15 items.  (I still don't know what all 15 "tastes" were and I sure would like to know which 3 items Antonia got wrong.  Kills me not knowing).

←

Imitation Breakfast Syrup vs. Real Maple Syrup

Generic Sliced Bacon vs. Double Applewood Smoked Berkshire Slab Bacon

Farmed Salmon vs. Wild Atlantic Salmon

Imitation Crab Pieces vs. Jumbo Lump Crab Meat

Hershey Bar vs. Valrhona Chocolate

Generic Supermarket Unsalted Butter vs. Plugra

Deli Cheddar vs. English Cheddar

Generic Soy Sauce vs. Small Batch Artisan Soy Sauce

Boxed Sake vs. Junmai Daiginjo Sake

Lumpfish Roe vs. American Sturgeon Caviar

Generic Commercial Pork Chop vs. Organic Kurabuta Pork Chop

Generic Commercial Chicken Breast vs. Organic, Free Range Chicken Breast

Cheap Parmesan Cheese vs. Parmigiano Reggiano

Supermarket Pate vs. Country Pate with Black Truffles

Generic Olive Oil vs. Small Batch Artisan Olive Oil

blog

←

DAMN YOU!!!! you beat me to it!

[Chris Hennes]

Wow, nice work on getting that list. Serious TC dedication, here (both of you!). Interesting stuff: I think I could do the maple syrup, the bacon, the chocolate, and the cheeses, but the others, probably not with any consistency. 12/15 is damned impressive if you ask me.

[David Ross]

Thank you for providing the list. Anyone know which Chef scored the lowest?

[dockhl]

Stephanie !

[David Ross]

I think Antonia should jump into a bowl of hot soup!

Because she had immunity for winning the Quickfire Challenge, I personally think she should have stood back and played a supporting role to Spike and Zoi by letting them drive the creation of the dish. Take one for the Gipper. Call me a loyalist for the team if you will, but I would have supported my fellow Chefs by giving them the best opportunity to shine if I had the immunity. (As you have all mentioned in such graceful terms on these pages-all the support in the world would probably not have helped poor little Zoi survive).

Now-will someone please present Zoi with a nicely wrapped salt and pepper mill for her birthday? Sign the card with "Our deepest sympathies that you were eliminated from Top Chef. This small gift from your friends at eGullet is a token of our hope that you will properly season your pasta salad in the future. Best Wishes."

Antonia scoffed at the idea that spooning squash soup into 80 bowls was laughable for an upscale fundraiser banquet and that such a pedestrian dish would never win an Elimination Challenge. Hogwash. Listen up, Ming Tsai was right when he said that "soup can be quality" and one measure of a good Chef can be found in a delicious bowl of soup.

How could soup ever compete with Team Earth's "Beef Carpaccio with Mushroom Salad and Sunchoke Aioli?" This is how......

If it's hard for this team to understand or agree on how "luxurious" a first course soup can be, let me relate a dish that is frequently on the menu at Guy Savoy- arguably one of the finer French chefs of the day-at his restaurant in Las Vegas:

"Soupe d'Artichaut a la Truffe Noire"

"Brioche Feuillettee aux Champignons et Buerre de Truffe"

I'll translate for Antonia, Spike and Zoi:

"Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup, Toasted Mushroom Brioche with Black Truffle Butter."

My, my, isn't it curious how "simple" soup can be as Ming Tsai would say. Isn't this the perfect expression of the element of "Earth"-artichokes, mushrooms and black truffles?

I've had the pleasure of eating this dish at Guy Savoy and it is as elegant and sumptuous as it sounds-yet the ingredients so simple and pure. And it's "just" a bowl of soup.

[Chris Hennes]

I've had the pleasure of eating this dish at Guy Savoy and it is as elegant and sumptuous as it sounds-yet the ingredients so simple and pure.  And it's "just" a bowl of soup.

←

I think they were worried about being called out for doing "just" a bowl of soup: founded or not, there is the impression that soup is easy. I suspect they figured that there was no way they were going to wow the judges with a soup. And honestly, despite Chef Tom's claim to the contrary, I would not be surprised if they had gotten zinged for "taking the easy route" unless it was one hell of a good soup. Of course one can make great soups: but is a soup going to win in a head-to-head battle? Not so sure...

[David Ross]

I've had the pleasure of eating this dish at Guy Savoy and it is as elegant and sumptuous as it sounds-yet the ingredients so simple and pure.  And it's "just" a bowl of soup.

←

I think they were worried about being called out for doing "just" a bowl of soup: founded or not, there is the impression that soup is easy. I suspect they figured that there was no way they were going to wow the judges with a soup. And honestly, despite Chef Tom's claim to the contrary, I would not be surprised if they had gotten zinged for "taking the easy route" unless it was one hell of a good soup. Of course one can make great soups: but is a soup going to win in a head-to-head battle? Not so sure...

←

Maybe....but I have a sense that the judges would have been pleasantly surprised had they been presented a bowl of "soup" and they just might have praised the Chef's efforts. Restraint and simplicity can be quite alluring-especially with food.

Would a lush soup have beaten Team "Fire's" dish of "Grilled Shrimp, Miso-Bacon and Pickled Chili Salad?" Maybe not, that was a killer dish. But you never know.......

[cathrynapple]

On previous seasons, peopel have always been dissed during judging for making "just a salad" or whathaveyou. I would have turned down the soup idea for that reason alone.

[David Ross]

I guess I just see the issue differently. A Chef could view the concept of presenting “soup” as the ultimate challenge-a test of their skills to prove the critics wrong that yes; in fact I can create a memorable dish out of what is often seen as mundane. At least that is how I might approach it-and I’d ask the same question of Chef Tsai to see how he views it. It’s an interesting debate for sure.

But enough talk about soup, I do have a few parting shots/comments/questions about the “Elements.”

Andrew and Richard enough already with the “faux” caviar and salmon. You can only dress up tapioca pearls in a limited number of guises, so give it a rest, now. And as everyone knows, there are other fish in the sea than just salmon. Next time you go fishing how ‘bout reeling in something other than salmon, salmon, salmon. Finally, whatever species of swimmer you guys choose to cook-absolutely, CLEAN THE SCALES off Mr. Fishy, please.

Mark was really caught off guard at the judges table when Chef Colicchio pressed him on why he chose to accompany the aforementioned Salmon and Faux Caviar with a “Parsnip Vanilla Puree.” Poor guy sounded like he was really tongue-tied trying to give a credible answer for the odd flavor combination. Try as he did, he could only muster a sort of “uh, I thought it would go with ‘Confit’ of Salmon.” Oops Mark, your mates told us they cooked the salmon “sous vide.” I know, a minor point, but when one gets nervous (or questions a cooking technique that maybe they don't support), they tend to say silly things to justify the pairings in a dish.

I’ve been rough on Zoi and she certainly left us last week with some memorable and contradictory statements last week before she made her exit-

I never saw Zoi actually taste the mushroom salad that would accompany the team’s beef carpaccio, a hint that Zoi may not have tasted or seasoned the dish before it went out. But Zoi said she DID taste the dish.

She said that “I like bold flavors,” (like too much rosemary?), and that “I like highly seasoned” food. But it strikes one as odd that a Chef who makes those kinds of statements turns out food that is roundly criticized for being “bland”-one of the more tame comments from the judges.

I personally would like all the Chefs to shine and put their best dishes forward. There’s always a bit of a sense of sadness when Padma asks a Chef to pack their knives and leave the kitchen. But it’s also an opportunity for a young Chef to learn and grow. If they understand and accept that.

One of Zoi’s last statements speaks volumes as to what was one of the biggest hurdles she faced in the Top Chef race. Whether it was a lack of seasoning, choosing the wrong dish or not standing firm in her convictions when faced with the skepticism of her teammates-she never seemed to be able to accept responsibility for her own failures. “I’m totally fine with what I did. THEY didn’t get it.” That unfortunately is not an attitude that will serve one well in the real world. A Top Chef has to be aware of the fact that they aren’t just cooking for themselves. There are others to please, customers for example, who may just want a little salt on their beef.

[tmgrobyn]

I've had the pleasure of eating this dish at Guy Savoy and it is as elegant and sumptuous as it sounds-yet the ingredients so simple and pure. And it's "just" a bowl of soup.

I am more than jealous David!!!

[rickster]

Seems like the NY Times has been reading this thread:

Cursing on Cooking Reality Shows

[Tsulli1]

Seems like the NY Times has been reading this thread:

Cursing on Cooking Reality Shows

←

So if this reporter called Andrew at Le Cirque, does that mean he was booted and is now back at work?

[Chris Hennes]

Seems like the NY Times has been reading this thread:

Cursing on Cooking Reality Shows

←

So if this reporter called Andrew at Le Cirque, does that mean he was booted and is now back at work?

←

My understanding is that the show finished filming some time ago: I think all the contestants are back to real life now.