"Rocco's Dinner Party"

[Toliver]

Rocco DiSpirito is launching yet another food related show called "Rocco's Dinner Party" debuting on the Bravo cable channel on Wed., June 15th.

It sounds like a weekly Top Chef competition with some H&G channel thrown in.

According to this article, Rocco says:

"We also have a really cool design element. The chefs are going to be called upon not only to create a menu that will be appropriate for my guests and all their needs, but to create an atmosphere that will be visually stunning [and] materially add to the enjoyment of our guests. So you're going to get to watch my apartment transform from one thing to another."

So now you not only have to be a great chef but have to be able to channel Martha Stewart, as well?

The man continues not to cook. Is that a travesty? Or a good thing?

Will the show be a train wreck or something worth watching?

[JBailey]

and this host is a great: 1) chef? 2)designer? or 3) enabler?

[BadRabbit]

Though I've never eaten in one of his restaurants, I did watch "The Restaurant" and have tried several of his recipes. I have been decidedly non-plussed by his inability to lead and his ability to create a good dish. I think Rocco is just one more example of where one's good looks enable them to foil the Peter Principle.

[jsmeeker]

In a restaurant environment, does a chef need to be able to have design flair outside the kitchen?

But this show doesn't seem to be a restaurant type of "competition". Rather, it's a dinner party at home. So, in that context, yeah, I think the chef host ought to have some ability to deliver a complete package.

[StanSherman]

As we have all learned from Sandra Lee, tablescapes are important. I'll prolly watch it if it airs during news hours.

[jsmeeker]

LOL.. I knew someone would bring up Sandra Lee and tablescapes.

But seriouly, of you are hosting a full on dinner party, I don't think your responsibilities begin and end in the kitchen.

[BadRabbit]

The actual concept could be OK if they stick to making the room look nice as opposed to giving it some grand theme. If I showed up to a dinner party and my friend had turned his house into a French bistro, I would probably think he was trying too hard.

[Zeemanb]

Well, at least we'll be able to keep up with whatever new product Buitoni is shilling on any given week.

[chileheadmike]

I'll be watching, at least for an episode or two. This has the potential to be worse than Emeril's sitcom.

[StanSherman]

LOL.. I knew someone would bring up Sandra Lee and tablescapes.

But seriouly, of you are hosting a full on dinner party, I don't think your responsibilities begin and end in the kitchen.

Sometimes when a line is thrown at you, you gotta take it.

It would be great if someone did a good dinner party show. Lot's of people really stress over it.

[BadRabbit]

LOL.. I knew someone would bring up Sandra Lee and tablescapes.

But seriouly, of you are hosting a full on dinner party, I don't think your responsibilities begin and end in the kitchen.

Sometimes when a line is thrown at you, you gotta take it.

It would be great if someone did a good dinner party show. Lot's of people really stress over it.

There's a really good podcast that deals with the subject that I think would make an interesting show. They generally just touch on the food and drinks and focus more on ways to make the night enjoyable. They talk about strategies that make service smoother and even talk about interesting topics to bring up in the dinner coversation.

All that said, I can't think of the name of it and don't have my ipod with me to look.

Edited May 13, 2011 by BadRabbit (log)

[sundevilpeg]

Will the show be a train wreck or something worth watching?

I'd start calling the ambulances right now. . .

Seriously, though, it makes me genuinely sad to think about how Mr. DeSpirito's career derailed, and how it never did get back on the right track (to go wild with that train metaphor). He's not even a TV chef at this point - nothing more than a TV personality.

[chileheadmike]

The Cooking Channel had a show on this morning featuring a young Rocco and a very young Cat Cora. I think it was Melting Pot.

I was working so I didn't catch all of it, but I kept looking at thinking, "Who IS that?"

[theminx]

I got to see a preview of Rocco's Dinner Party and am surprised at how mean-spirited his comments are. He seems to think that because he's a household name he's better than the chefs competing for the $20K prize.

[Zeemanb]

Oh my dear sweet lord. DVR’d the first episode, and as my wife and I were watching it last night the consensus was that Rocco must be going for the “badgering, taunting, second-guessing A-hole” image. However, his inability to bring any semblance of a personality into that role makes it completely ineffective, so he’s just petty and uncomfortably annoying.

What they’ve done is taken a specific Top Chef style challenge and built a whole show around it, which I could TOTALLY enjoy, but instead of different chefs and food media personalities providing feedback and mixing things up during the initial judging, you’ve got: Rocco. And he mean-spiritedly rips on the food of all three chefs before narrowing it down to two...but fortunately they pick some pretty unlikable contestants.

But the BEST thing (and by best I mean most “oohhhh noooo, he’s not...oh God” inspiring) is when he rips off the Bachelor/Bachelorette rose ceremony and pours two glasses of champagne at the very end...then hands one to the winning chef.

[jakey]

Totally agree; but I found it to be too boring, even when he is being mean. I won't be watching again.

[David Ross]

Before I watched "Rocco's Dinner Party" I sensed my comments and the discussion of Mr. DeSpirito's latest foray in front of the cameras would probably end up in our "Worst Cooking Show Ever," topic. Then I watched it.

It would be too kind to the other recipients of title of "Worst Cooking Show Ever" to share the discussion with "Rocco's Dinner Party."

[Twyst]

I actually like the concept of the show a lot, but I really truly can't stand Rocco. I will probably continue to watch, but would get a ton more enjoyment if there was another host. Almost anyone in the food world would be a better choice. Ted Allen would have probably been an ideal choice since it blends a little cooking with a little decorating etc.

[David Ross]

I actually like the concept of the show a lot, but I really truly can't stand Rocco. I will probably continue to watch, but would get a ton more enjoyment if there was another host. Almost anyone in the food world would be a better choice. Ted Allen would have probably been an ideal choice since it blends a little cooking with a little decorating etc.

I agree, Ted would have been a better choice.

[merstar]

I find Ted Allen to be a bore. These two would have been perfect!

The Hearty Boys

http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-hearty-boys/index.html

[PopsicleToze]

This past week he about chopped off the head of the woman who made etouffee in 30 minutes and served it over saffron rice (way to go -- I always add a little saffron to crawfish etouffee, and it is a perfect fit). He told her that there is no way to do a roux in that amount of time, and in the end he let her go because he was disappointed in her discretion to attempt a dish in 30 minutes that should take four (4) hours to make. What?

Now, I wouldn't bash someone who just had a misconception about a dish, but he put himself out there as an expert on the dish, and that's just not the case. First of all, if it takes you 4 hours to make crawfish etouffee, then you're doing it wrong, unless you count peeling the crawfish. This lady had fresh Louisiana *peeled* crawfish tails shipped in (and the little packages contain the crawfish fat, which is what makes crawfish etouffee).

Then, he went on and on about a roux needs an hour to develop flavor in a dish. Okay, that may be the case for gumbo when you're using about a cup of flour, etc, but THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR AN ETOUFFEE!

Traditionally, an etouffee doesn't require a roux. "Etouffee" means smothered around Louisiana, and that doesn't necessarily mean a roux. In a nutshell, etouffee means smothered, and if it has a dark roux -- that is a stew. If it is a stew that contains cream, then that is a fricassee.

So, if one has peeled crawfish tails with the fat, chopped trinity, some seafood stock (preferred) or a good seafood base, then, YES, DEAR ROCCO, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE (AND PROBABLE) TO MAKE AN ETOUFFEE IN 30 MINUTES! If, dear Lord, el Rocco thinks it takes four (4) hours to make an etouffee, then he doesn't know what he's talking about.

---------

ETA: Bless his heart.

Edited June 25, 2011 by PopsicleToze (log)

[Twyst]

I was laughing at that too. He was totally clueless when it came to cajun cuisine but tried to appear to be an expert.

[TheTInCook]

So, is it better or worse tv watching then The Restaurant?

[Pierogi]

So, is it better or worse tv watching then The Restaurant?

Far, far, FAR worse.

"The Restaurant" at least had the (admittedly probably faux) drama of the meltdown between Rocco & Jefferey Chodorow, his alleged "backer". So you got the tsuris of that, which was really kind of fun to watch, in a true train wreck kind of way. Sort of like lookie-looing when you drive by a really bad wreck on the freeway.

"Dinner Party" is just all Rocco's ego and douche-dom, all the time. It truly could make me appreciate Guy Fieri.

[Twyst]

"Dinner Party" is just all Rocco's ego and douche-dom, all the time. It truly could make me appreciate Guy Fieri.

I had to laugh at the preview of the next episode when rocco tells one of the contestants "you have the nerve to cook meatballs for me?"

Rocco's "famous" meatballs were the signature dish of a restaurant that managed to stay open less than a year and had a tremendous amount of advertising behind it. I don't think that's a very glowing endorsement for rocco's "famous" meatballs.

As to whether or not its better than the restaurant, it looks like Cat deeley is going to be one of the guests at a future dinner party. I have a serious crush on her, therefore rocco's dinner party wins on that account

Edited June 28, 2011 by Twyst (log)