Marcel's New Show On SyFy

[weinoo]

OK - I gotta get a life. Did anyone else see this tonight?

I don't know about you, but I was hoping the tiger would attack the whole crowd of them.

[Chris Hennes]

I saw the commercial in which it appeared they were claiming that a carbonated mojito sphere was something no one had ever done before. Yeah, right. No one except say, Jose Andres in 2006. Or hell, ME, a couple weeks ago. I'm fine with Marcel claiming that he's showing people techniques that are new to them, but is he giving credit where it's due?

[weinoo]

The simple answer, Chris - no.

[AaronM]

This show is SO bad.

[weinoo]

How many episodes do you give it?

[gfweb]

The biggest tool in the history of top chef ... now on syfi channel.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[jsmeeker]

Have not seen it. But just set the TiVo to record it. I'll report back later.

[Jeffery C]

The biggest tool in the history of top chef ... now on syfi channel.

I second that. Did he lay claim to the carbonated sphere or was it the show's narrator? TV is stupid like that.

[Dakki]

I remember when SyFy was SciFi and all about Star Trek reruns and terrible, terrible original movies.

Let it be known I refuse to watch a cooking show on this channel unless it involves James Marsters and an enormous shark.

[Borgstrom]

Quite annoying, really. I had such high hopes for the show, but I've removed it from my TiVo Season Pass after the first episode. I don't know if it is his horrible people-management style, his seeming lack of knowledge or just how the program is edited, but something really bugs me about it. Their approach is everything is going wrong in the beginning, none of the techniques are working, oh the drama, and in the end everything is great, whew! Without really explaining anything or providing any educational value. Why not try spend and extra 10-20 seconds to explain why something didn't work, how you figured out a different approach? I don't think this show will do the modernist cuisine movement any favors with the general population.

I'm getting so tired of food-related TV programming. I think I'll just sit back with MC and figure out what I'm going to make this weekend...

[Jenni]

Let it be known I refuse to watch a cooking show on this channel unless it involves James Marsters and an enormous shark.

I have nothing important to add, just wanted to say that I would watch that show.

[weinoo]

Quite annoying, really. I had such high hopes for the show, but I've removed it from my TiVo Season Pass after the first episode. I don't know if it is his horrible people-management style, his seeming lack of knowledge or just how the program is edited, but something really bugs me about it.

Right - I liked the way they showed the "tension" between Marcel and his alleged employees. As to his catering skills:

if it's a cocktail party, you're supposed to make bite-size food. That can be eaten in one bite. At least that's what I always attempt to do. People are standing up, theoretically holding a drink and trying to eat, which is enough of a trick without having something exploding into your face. But most of the time, when they were eating, there was NOTHING to drink, so...

when he was instructing his "cook" how to make the apple butter, why did she have to slice those apples up like that before they went into the VitaPrep? And he was upset that they were taking so much time. Peel, core and throw 'em in the machine, dopey.

STOP TOUCHING YOUR HAIR, MARCEL. IT'S FOOD THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH. OR YOUR BEARD.

This may be a new low for food programming on TV, but since I don't watch TFN any more, I can't say for certain.

[Jeffery C]

What surprises me is that the producers knew going in what this guy's personality was like. If they expected his poor people skills to add a dynamic that would make the show like a train wreck or NASCAR race to watch, they had better make the rest of the show interesting and informative. I couldn't stand this guy either time he was on Top Chef and neither could ANY of the people I would talk to after each episode aired.

However, as Dakki said...

I remember when SyFy was SciFi and all about Star Trek reruns and terrible, terrible original movies

...SyFy is maintaining their precedent of airing B rated content. (mind you I am a Trekkie)

Edited March 23, 2011 by Jeffery C (log)

[johnder]

I give it 4 episodes, maybe 5.

[Lisa Shock]

I found also found the show to be annoying.

Marcel isn't actually familiar with a lot of modern techniques, as most of the show involved him taking suggestions from others, and then trying to use the method or ingredient for the first time. Most techniques attempted were things that have been commonplace in more advanced kitchens for at least a decade. (I saw the 'egg' demoed at a tourist hotel in 2005, and it was old then.)

I was surprised by Marcel's lack of knowledge and experience. For example, the bit with the cheese snake seemed like students messing around in a basics class. I honestly thought they were going to make the high quality processed cheese covered in Modernist Cuisine. -Or something like it. Or maybe something better. But, no, that wasn't going to happen. I understand that failure is an important part of success, but this was just embarrassing.

I don't see anyone on that show as being qualified to present the topics -especially since they appear to be learning all of this as they make the show. There's no actual expert doing any teaching here, and the ideas and techniques seem to be self-generated, so the business of them chasing their own tails becomes very tiresome very quickly.

Future Food was a lot more fun to watch, and the team at Moto clearly knows a lot more about ingredients and tools.

[weinoo]

The cheese thing was such a disaster. Why didn't they just use Parmesan and make it like you make frico - it's totally bendable when warm?

[IndyRob]

I haven't seen this yet. In fact, I wasn't even aware of it until this thread. My DVR has committed to me that it will record the next airing no matter how bad it is. But the description on the guide seemed to say nothing that would imply that any sort of useful information would be involved.

Does anyone think it works on the let's-get-this-trainwreck-on-film-for-our-own-amusement level?

[Lisa Shock]

The pacing is too slow and labored for that...

[Dave the Cook]

How many episodes do you give it?

It sounds like a not very good show on the wrong network. How many episodes did "Blais Off" last on the Science Channel?

[chriscook]

Apparently it's just a six episode season, so they've probably all been produced already.

[IndyRob]

How many episodes do you give it?

It sounds like a not very good show on the wrong network. How many episodes did "Blais Off" last on the Science Channel?

I only found two. Were those pilots? But there was some promise. I bet if someone gave all the footage to the right people it could be made into something good.

[David Ross]

Nearly as bad as Bitchin Kitchen on Cooking Channel. Nearly.

[jsmeeker]

I was disappointed in the dishes he presented. Not nearly what I expected out of the guy based on him going on and on about his awesomeness while on Top Chef.

[AaronM]

When he was working the mozzarella in the hot water and his friends were all, "Damn Marcel, you're a fucking animal!" I just wanted to punch him in the face.

[chiantiglace]

Its amazing how few people realize he doesn't know what he is talking about. He screwed up so much on Top Chef, we picked him a part viciously, but he is amazing at bullshitting his way out of his faultiness. There are so many talented intelligent people out there who truly do understand food on the molecular level, I doubt he has even glanced at a chemistry book.

Appalling.