Top Chef : Season 7 - Washington, D.C.

[oakapple]

The level of entrants continues to rise, it seems. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I understand that the popularity has made it a high stakes affair, but I thought the show was originally about the dreams of up and coming chefs.

As I recall, many fans were starting to complain about the quality of the chefs. Look up the eG discussion thread from Season 5, which Hosea Rosenberg won. A lot of people said he was a mediocre chef, and didn't deserve to be called "Top" anything. His career in the last two years hasn't exactly set the world ablaze, as far as I can tell.

A lot of us felt that the show should be aiming for the best talent it can get. I read somewhere that the producers were trying to do this. There was a clear step up in Season 6. I thought that any of last four chefs in the competition (Michael V, Bryan V, Kevin G, Jennifer C) was more talented than Hosea from Season 5.

This makes sense to me. I want to watch the best talent I can, not to have amateurs thrown into the deep end so that I can watch them screw up.

Plus, I'm not sure how the line between Top Chef and Top Chef masters is determined (stars and/or rosettes?).

The chefs on Top Chef Masters are FAR more accomplished in their careers. They're generally a lot older. Quite a few of them are household names, people who've authored cookbooks and own multiple restaurants. You can read their biographies on the Bravo site. There's a pretty significant difference between these chefs and those on regular Top Chef.

Note that on Top Chef, they're competing for $125,000 "to help turn their culinary dreams into reality," but on TCM they're competing for charity.

[IndyRob]

Then again, maybe this was always the intention for the show. It may have just been harder to get the top notch talent before the show was so popular.

Maybe, but I'm wondering if it's more of an indirect consequence of Collichio's high standards - which has resulted in all the high profile chefs who they've been able to get as judges. It wouldn't be hard for me to believe that Eric Ripert watches the show (or maybe doesn't but hears about it in his kitchen), and thinks "Why did that Miguel guy get on when my own Jennifer is so much better?" So as he agrees to judge an episode, maybe he says "I've got a person who would be great for next season...."

I'm not trying to foster conspiracy theories, but maybe they need to look at a fourth series called something like Top Chef: Ladder. Part of the prize would be entry into the next season of Top Chef. Let Bourdain or someone take the Collichio role. Bourdain and bad food would be classic.

Regarding John, I just noticed they have a video on the website that may elaborate on his thought process, but I haven't it watched yet. But I'll go ahead and make a fool of myself by posting my initial thoughts....

The original criticism was that the maple syrup flavor didn't come through (and pre-made pastry). But as it looked like it was coming down to the wire, I thought to myself "He's not going down for not enough maple." But then they mentioned that the pastry had gone soft. That's when I thought he might be doomed.

I think something that catches even the Masters out is not being in complete control. He either didn't anticipate, or didn't think about a mousse-like substance sitting on puff pastry for as long as it did.

Too bad, he was certainly a character.

[oakapple]

Then again, maybe this was always the intention for the show. It may have just been harder to get the top notch talent before the show was so popular.

It's a pretty substantial sacrifice. They need to take around a month away from their jobs, and it's a bit confining to live in a big group home with no access to media, family, and so forth. I understand they can't even carry a cell phone. I don't want to over-state it, but the contestants are under Bravo's complete control during the month or so that they're there.

Those who are eliminated early are not literally sent home. They live in an alternative group house until the entire season has been shot, with nothing much to do. And getting eliminated early is an acute embarrassment.

Beyond a certain point in one's career, it's not worth the aggravation. But as the show has become better known, the producers get more access to higher levels of talent.

Edited June 17, 2010 by oakapple (log)

[Reignking]

Yes, especially as the show is not exactly new any more. Presumably they've watched some of the earlier seasons, and should have a sense of what NOT to do. But this guy didn't seem to be the brightest bulb on the tree.

As wacky as he was, I wouldn't be surprised if he had never seen it, or had only caught it once or twice. Same thing goes for even the biggest reality show, American Idol.

[IndyRob]

This makes sense to me. I want to watch the best talent I can, not to have amateurs thrown into the deep end so that I can watch them screw up.

This, I think, goes to my point. I do want to see a skillful amateur in the mix. It puts the whole thing in context. When, as in the first season (IIRC), when a professional chef (a particularly annoying one) went before the amateur, it has meaning.

I can't taste the food. I need something I can relate to. There are thousands of people that can put up better fare, with more soul, but generally in more limited quantities. In the early stages I want to see chefs beat those first on their way to the prize.

I don't want it to become a professional inner circle thing.

[ChickenStu]

I have never seen season 1 episode 1. Bravo doesn't replay it, ever...

[chezcherie]

I have never seen season 1 episode 1. Bravo doesn't replay it, ever...

that's so interesting--anybody know why?

[Chris Hennes]

Do they replay any of the older seasons? I can't remember seeing anything recently that was before about season five, I think.

ETA: I think they are available at iTunes, though.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Chris Hennes (log)

[G-rat]

Do they replay any of the older seasons? I can't remember seeing anything recently that was before about season five, I think.

ETA: I think they are available at iTunes, though.

I think they only replay the current season after it is over during the year it came out and then they replay the last season before the premiere of the new season. For instance yesterday they showed Top Chef 6 in its entirety from like 12:00pm until 8:00pm. I am off of work helping my mom recover from surgery and it was going on in the background all day long basically.

Edited June 18, 2010 by G-rat (log)

[IndyRob]

The first episode can be seen here...

http://realitytvfan.org/2009/12/19/top-chef-usa-1-episode-1/

I was wrong about a them having a home cook, but there is a culinary student/model. One executive chef, but otherwise, the term 'restaurant chef' seems to be used loosely. Harold is described as one, but later says "As a sous chef,..."

[ChickenStu]

I saw a bunch of episodes from season one a few weeks ago.

It was surprising how much the show has changed, and how much better the production value is now. They were doing interviews of contestants in whole foods season one...heh heh.

Thanks for the link.

[KatieLoeb]

Gotta root for Kevin, since he's a Philly guy, or at least almost. We have a common former employer (Jose Garces) and I like that he's pretty laid back and confident, but not too cocky. Yet, anyway.

Philly always represents in Top Chef. Chef Jennifer Carroll made us proud last season. Here's hoping Kevin makes it to the Final Three this season.

On a side note, I volunteered and worked one of the bars at an awesome charity event earlier this week, the Great Chef's Event 2010 held here in Philadelphia to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. It was a blast! So much fantastic food and drinks to be had. And virtually every great chef you could think of all in one room. The auction portion was held on the stage directly in front of the bar I was working. Dinner for 14 people cooked by Mario Batali and Tom Collicchio at Osteria Restaurant here in Philadelphia went for $30,000!! Awesome. Chef Carroll was in attendance as well as Iron Chefs Morimoto and Garces, Chef Collicchio, Chef John Besh of New Orleans and Chef Jonathan Benno as well as many others. Serious heavy concentration of talent in one room. It was an honor to participate for such a worthy cause.

[butterscotch]

Jon looks like something Robert Crumb drew.

OMG

eggs actly!

[Shalmanese]

It was interesting to me how this proves that raw speed at prep turned out to be such a good predictor of cooking ability. Greatness at cooking is not all about wild bursts of creativity. It's about hammering in the basics so hard that you become a ridiculously efficient ninja at them.

[Nicholas Ellan]

I'm just thrilled Toby Young is gone. Ripert has always been excellent on the show; we're all very lucky he's committed to a whole season.

It was interesting to me how this proves that raw speed at prep turned out to be such a good predictor of cooking ability. Greatness at cooking is not all about wild bursts of creativity. It's about hammering in the basics so hard that you become a ridiculously efficient ninja at them.

Like on Iron Chef, the time limits are the essential part of the challenge. The faster you can work, the more you can do, since everyone has the same time budget. You need the skills before you can afford to have an imagination.

Edited June 19, 2010 by Nicholas Ellan (log)

[Tri2Cook]

White guys old enough to have predominantly grey hair have no business trying to sport dreads... that frizzy bird nest with a few string bean dreads scattered through it was just ridiculous. If he couldn't (or wouldn't) make his own puff pastry, he should have used tuiles or cookies or something instead. Actually, some thin, crisp cookies made with maple sugar would have been a better choice in my opinion. Frozen puff and maple-ish (according to the judges) mousse... what did he do for the other 2 1/2 hours of the 3 hour work time? Oh yeah, he made a mango and passion fruit sauce (that uses canned mangoes in syrup as the base) to further represent Michigan and the maple theme. Before anyone says it, I realize all of the components don't need to, and probably shouldn't, contain maple... but if maple is the theme then the flavor of maple needs to make some sort of forward statement somewhere on the plate. The judges noticed that it didn't so he should have noticed it as well and corrected it. Even if it was something as simple as a drizzle of nice, strong grade b maple syrup. I'm not claiming the guy isn't a good cook, I don't doubt that he is based on his credentials, but he made some very dumb choices as a way to introduce himself to the judges and he paid the price.

That aside, it looks to me like there's going to be a fairly balanced mix of confident, talented cooks combined with some less experienced and nervous cooks. At this point, I wouldn't particularly agree that the talent level has went up a notch above last season... but we'll see.

[Doodad]

Well he did set the wrong temp on the ovens and burn his hazelnuts in the process.

[gfweb]

I missed part of it. What did Angelo do to try to get Kenny kicked off?

[Dignan]

I missed part of it. What did Angelo do to try to get Kenny kicked off?

Well, he had immunity and didn't seem to try too hard when only two members of his team, including Kenny, were available to take the fall. Last week he said he wanted to win every challenge, but with immunity he made peanut butter on celery. Tom asked him if he would have made the "dish" if he didn't have immunity, and he wouldn't answer the question.

[oakapple]

This week’s episode was an excellent illustration of how chefs sometimes get lucky:

As Tom Colicchio put it on his blog:

I’ll add that Amanda is just lucky that Jacqueline’s dish was as disastrous as it was, since I cannot believe that no one stopped Amanda from making that sherry chicken for a cafeteria full of children.

Sometimes a chef screws up badly, but manages to hang on because another chef makes an even worse mistake. Now, for all we know Amanda could be gone next week, but if she makes it deep into the season, everyone should remember that she should be gone by now.

The previews certainly made it look like they're setting her up as the femme fatale of future episodes. The conspiracy theorists (those who think the producers manipulate winners and losers strategically) might point out that Amanda is easy on the eyes, and male viewers wouldn't mind having her around to look at for another couple of months.

There's an old truism that making dessert is the kiss of death on this show. That's not really true, since all four teams had to make a dessert. What IS true is that if it comes down to a bad dessert and a bad protein, the dessert chef usually goes home. But there is no rule that desserts always fail per se.

[oakapple]

I missed part of it. What did Angelo do to try to get Kenny kicked off?

Well, he had immunity and didn't seem to try too hard when only two members of his team, including Kenny, were available to take the fall. Last week he said he wanted to win every challenge, but with immunity he made peanut butter on celery. Tom asked him if he would have made the "dish" if he didn't have immunity, and he wouldn't answer the question.

I agree that he probably wouldn't have made that dish without immunity. But since chefs were judged independently on their own dishes, I can't see how his failure set up Kenny to fail. If anything, by serving such a simplistic dish, he was arguably doing his teammates a favor, since I doubt he used up his share of the budget.

[Dignan]

I missed part of it. What did Angelo do to try to get Kenny kicked off?

Well, he had immunity and didn't seem to try too hard when only two members of his team, including Kenny, were available to take the fall. Last week he said he wanted to win every challenge, but with immunity he made peanut butter on celery. Tom asked him if he would have made the "dish" if he didn't have immunity, and he wouldn't answer the question.

I agree that he probably wouldn't have made that dish without immunity. But since chefs were judged independently on their own dishes, I can't see how his failure set up Kenny to fail. If anything, by serving such a simplistic dish, he was arguably doing his teammates a favor, since I doubt he used up his share of the budget.

Because they picked a worst team, then a member of the worst team went home. If Angelo doesn't try to elevate the team with a worthy dish, he increases the chances they will be the worst. If they are the worst, he has immunity and can't get sent home, and Kenny has a 50% chance under those circumstances because only he and the other one can get booted. Tom asked him (Kenny) straight out during production whether he was worried because he had a 50% chance of going home on his team while everyone on the other teams only had a 25% chance. So not only did he not care if they, as a team, had a lackluster meal, he potentially benefited. So he sandbagged. He took a club out of their bag, he made them play a man short, etc...

Of course, he could have taken a dump on the tray and it wouldn't have cost them any of the budget.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Dignan (log)

[ChickenStu]

But taking 50 dumps on trays...I would think the judges would get him on portion size.

He did something pretty easy, its probably nice to take a step back when everyone around you is so worried about costs, etc.

[gfweb]

I get it. He did screw him quite clearly. The editing made Angelo seem to be a villain. Looks like he is.

[Tri2Cook]

As Tom Colicchio put it on his blog:

I’ll add that Amanda is just lucky that Jacqueline’s dish was as disastrous as it was, since I cannot believe that no one stopped Amanda from making that sherry chicken for a cafeteria full of children.

The problem is more about the location than the dish or the fact that the diners were kids. It really wasn't a good decision for a school cafeteria. On the other hand, I would have no problem with serving a dish like that to kids (or having it served to my kids if I had any, which I don't) under other circumstances. The only reason I consider it a bad choice for the school cafeteria (other than the high potential for the kids to just not like it) is that it may go against the wishes or beliefs of some of the kids or their parents. There is nothing about the dish that is going to harm them or send them down the path to alcohol abuse or anything like that but, for some, it could be like incorporating some pork into a dish designed for a devout Muslim.