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

[Chris Hennes]

How does Stephen keep dodging elimination?! Hasn't that guy been on the bottom of just about every single challenge? I also agree with the comments above about the whining about the minestrone, but I suspect it's just the editors distorting the dialogue. Past seasons' contestants have indicated that this judges table thing goes on for HOURS, and they cherry pick a few tidbits and string them together in the most misleading way possible to ratchet up the tension. This week it really seemed like any of the three could have been axed, but it could have been purely an open-and-shut case that got twisted by the Magical Elves.

[annabelle]

I'm with you, GwennP. I'm rooting for Angelo, as well. The rest of them? Meh.

[gfweb]

Kenny or Kelly for me. Angelo is a villain and a tool.

[MattyC]

Can't stand Kenny. He can't back up his 'alpha male' BS most of the time, and is too dense to understand when he ends up on the bottom, it's for a reason. Angelo is far better, and while still a bit cocky, still has a better attitude than Kenny.

[Chris Hennes]

How is Kelly flying so far under the radar, anyway? Is it just that they hyped the Kenny/Angelo thing so hard? Kelly sure seems like a contender.

[gfweb]

I guess Kelly has no obvious flaw for the editors to feature. I picture a girl-next-door thing emerging for her.

Herpe girl will either get eliminated or have an affair within 3 episodes.

[oakapple]

Is it just me? I can't seem to get attached to any of the chefs this year. Last year I had favorites from day one - this season...eh. I am probably one of the only people that likes Angelo, though!

It's not just you. For one thing, I'm not yet convinced that any of them would have made last season’s top four (i.e., Michael V., Bryan V., Kevin G., and Jennifer C.). For another, the chefs that appear to be best are also not particularly likeable people (e.g., Angelo).

[MattyC]

It's not just you. For one thing, I'm not yet convinced that any of them would have made last season’s top four (i.e., Michael V., Bryan V., Kevin G., and Jennifer C.). For another, the chefs that appear to be best are also not particularly likeable people (e.g., Angelo).

Yeah, I have a real hard time seeing anybody on this season aside from maybe Angelo coming close to the top four from last season, really just seems like this seasons talent level is a few notches down for the most part.

I still don't see why so many people hate Angelo though, in my mind he's far better than Kenny - I actually like Angelo.

[Steve R.]

While visiting Miami last year, we wound up going to Talula twice. If it was in NYC, it'd be on our regular rotation (not that we really have a regular rotation, mind you). The food was great. I wouldnt sell Andrea short this season. Just sayin'.

[rickster]

It's not just you. For one thing, I'm not yet convinced that any of them would have made last season’s top four (i.e., Michael V., Bryan V., Kevin G., and Jennifer C.). For another, the chefs that appear to be best are also not particularly likeable people (e.g., Angelo).

Yeah, I have a real hard time seeing anybody on this season aside from maybe Angelo coming close to the top four from last season, really just seems like this seasons talent level is a few notches down for the most part.

I totally agree with this, but maybe we need to view last season as an anomaly and a fairer comparison would be against earlier seasons.

[hsm]

Indeed. Two names: Hosea and Ilan.

It would be nice, as the herd thins, to see that Kelly and Andrea are strong contenders. Kenny's not going anywhere soon and perhaps his Alpha taste buds will mind meld with the judges'. Angelo likes to make love to the duck. Thanks for sharing that, editors.

[Doodad]

Don't forget he has crabs too.

This really does feel more like a Top Chef special. And the challenges feel really out of whack. Hopefully just too early.

Read a really funny thought on another forum about Padma's bizarre shirt on the school lunch episode. " See my vest, see my vest..made of real gorilla chest."

[Ravac]

Can't stand Kenny. He can't back up his 'alpha male' BS most of the time, and is too dense to understand when he ends up on the bottom, it's for a reason. Angelo is far better, and while still a bit cocky, still has a better attitude than Kenny.

I agree completely. The thing about Kenny is he could be a really cool, understated yet commanding chef. An actual Alpha Male. But sitting in front of the camera and actually stating you are the Alpha Male means you aren't. It's like being cool. Either you are or you aren't. And the more you strive for it, the more you look the fool. Especially when you seem blindsided by any criticism of the food you put out.

I'm rooting for Angelo simply because I knew him when he was first starting his culinary career at a local community college before he went to the CIA. It's interesting to me to see how the editing is making him look like a conniving player. Perhaps he is nowadays, but when we took culinary classes together around 15 years ago, he was a sweet, shy kid. In fact, We used to tease him a bit about being so nice and passive and letting a few of the other students walk all over him. But even then, he was really focused on being a damn good cook and going on the the CIA and owning his own place one day.

[Carolyn Tillie]

While visiting Miami last year, we wound up going to Talula twice. If it was in NYC, it'd be on our regular rotation (not that we really have a regular rotation, mind you). The food was great. I wouldnt sell Andrea short this season. Just sayin'.

Concur - I Talula back in 2007. A few mis-steps, but overall still very memorable.

[annabelle]

Re: Tom C and his remark about the canned beans. I've wondered about this for a couple of seasons now: Do the chef's have access to pressure cookers? That would put an end to the grousing about canned beans and tough cuts of meat.

[Kim Shook]

Re: Tom C and his remark about the canned beans. I've wondered about this for a couple of seasons now: Do the chef's have access to pressure cookers? That would put an end to the grousing about canned beans and tough cuts of meat.

Not really with the beans - you still have to do a soak - even a quick soak and pressure cooking couldn't have been done in the 45 minutes.

[MattyC]

Re: Tom C and his remark about the canned beans. I've wondered about this for a couple of seasons now: Do the chef's have access to pressure cookers? That would put an end to the grousing about canned beans and tough cuts of meat.

Not really with the beans - you still have to do a soak - even a quick soak and pressure cooking couldn't have been done in the 45 minutes.

See, my thought on that was when they went to shop at whole foods and plan what they had to prep, they had in mind all *three* courses, and had to automatically assume they would be cooking all three. So those that planned on doing beans, would (or should) have started them right when they get back to the kitchen, since they were told to plan for all three meals. So with that in mind, I think Tom C was right.

[Kim Shook]

Re: Tom C and his remark about the canned beans. I've wondered about this for a couple of seasons now: Do the chef's have access to pressure cookers? That would put an end to the grousing about canned beans and tough cuts of meat.

Not really with the beans - you still have to do a soak - even a quick soak and pressure cooking couldn't have been done in the 45 minutes.

See, my thought on that was when they went to shop at whole foods and plan what they had to prep, they had in mind all *three* courses, and had to automatically assume they would be cooking all three. So those that planned on doing beans, would (or should) have started them right when they get back to the kitchen, since they were told to plan for all three meals. So with that in mind, I think Tom C was right.

Ahh. My mistake then. I didn't remember that they got to do any actual food prep before the 45 minutes started. That would have left plenty of time to do the beans in a pressure cooker.

Edited July 17, 2010 by heidih
Fix quote tags (log)

[Kim Shook]

OK, I had another WTF? moment in the last episode. Maybe I am again confused and someone can help. When Kevin's cauliflower falls in the grass, he decides (against other's advice) to not use it and get something else. It grew in dirt. Covered with organic matter (fertilizer). Couldn't he have...oh, maybe WASHED it? They had raw meat, so obviously there was something set up to wash. A sink or something? It reminded me of my great aunt who refused to use fresh vegetables because they were 'dirty'. Canned and frozen were 'clean'. So - am I missing something here?

[Pierogi]

OK, I had another WTF? moment in the last episode. Maybe I am again confused and someone can help. When Kevin's cauliflower falls in the grass, he decides (against other's advice) to not use it and get something else. It grew in dirt. Covered with organic matter (fertilizer). Couldn't he have...oh, maybe WASHED it? They had raw meat, so obviously there was something set up to wash. A sink or something? It reminded me of my great aunt who refused to use fresh vegetables because they were 'dirty'. Canned and frozen were 'clean'. So - am I missing something here?

Kim, as I recall the cauliflower was already cooked and semi-processed when it jumped off the table. I want to say it had already been pureed? In my mind's eye, it was in a large metal bowl, and certainly wasn't the whole head.

[Holly Moore]

My sense in the camera folk and the rest of the production staff rat out contestants to the judges. Whereas the cauliflower on top that didn't hit the ground would have been fine to use (or all could be rinsed off if uncooked), word would have gotten to the judges, one of whom would have asked something like, "any problems with prep once you got to the farm?" Later at Judges Table, a big black mark for using cauliflower that fell of the table.

[Dignan]

It was very fine bits of cauliflower, like if you just chopped through the ends of each head. It wasn't just minced heads of cauliflower. You'll see what he does with the broccolli substitute if you watch -- he just very finely slices of bits of the florets and uses that as the broccoli essence. I think it was featured fairly well. Angelo tried to help him damage control by suggesting that it might still be usuable. Instead he realized that he didn't know that they weren't cooking in the cow pasture and he wasn't going to try to salvage the cauliflower and take the risk that something nasty would end up on somebody's plate. It was the right decision, we've seen enough foriegn and semi-foriegn items throw the judges all the way off their gaits.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Dignan (log)

[NCSU Foodie]

I agree with both Holly and Dignan above me. While some of the cauliflower might have been usable, I think he made the right desicion by scrapping it. The judges would have flipped out on him after they heard about the incident, even if they couldn't notice it on the plate. Also, his switch to broccoli seemed to pair very nicely with, and provide a cooling effect for, the flavors of Kenny's spicy eggplant.

On a different note, I want to know is what was Stephen thinking. He clearly told the camera that his plan was to show the judges how many elements and ingredients he could include in a salad. I'm no chef, but I've seen enough Top Chef to know that more is almost never better for those judges. Any thoughts?

[Pierogi]

...On a different note, I want to know is what was Stephen thinking. He clearly told the camera that his plan was to show the judges how many elements and ingredients he could include in a salad. I'm no chef, but I've seen enough Top Chef to know that more is almost never better for those judges. Any thoughts?

As soon as that line came out of his mouth, I knew he was doomed. Not only from the judge's perspective, but from just about anyone who loves a good salad's. A salad is not a garbage bowl to throw in every ingredient you can lay your hands on. I flinched when he said that, because I knew his dish would be a disaster.

[GwennP]

I guess Kelly has no obvious flaw for the editors to feature. I picture a girl-next-door thing emerging for her.

Herpe girl will either get eliminated or have an affair within 3 episodes.

Who is Herpe girl - is that Kelly?