Top Chef: Texas

[Florida]

I am suprised they didn't go to Central Market. Assuming organic isn't as important as food variety and quality, Central Market is my favorite by a large margin. To expand on the topic, CM has a robust selection of organic produce, but also an even braoder and often fresher selection of regular produce. CM has graded beef, including prime cuts, which Whole Foods doesn't. At least in Austin, CM has a much wider selection of seafood. Their cheese selections are much more diverse, their deli has a huge selection, I could go on and on.

Of course, I am not actually suprised, Whole Foods is listed in the credits as a sponsor. It is truely a shame that the chefs do in show commercials for the Toyota Crapola or whatever it is. I want chefs that want to make great food, not ones that want to do commercials. If I want commercial producing chefs, I'll just watch The Next Food Network Star.

Um, TC is and always has been heavily commercialized. Personally, I think part of TC's "charm" is everyone's willingness to whore any product that pays the bills.

[jsmeeker]

They have to cover all the production costs somehow. And pay for those cash prizes.

Looks like this year that they have Shiner beer as a sponsor. That's good. It's a solid Texas beer. Crazy popular here.

[Jaymes]

That cigar thing was disgusting looking. The remaining Team Moto guy doesn't look to be in for the long haul.

Right. Note to self. If you're trying to come up with a clever and attractive and appetizing food dish, probably best not to fashion it in the shape of something that's already pretty disgusting all by itself.

Like a half-smoked cigar butt.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Jaymes (log)

[Viktoria]

Was it me, or did Tom look unwell towards the end there? Or was he just really disappointed, do you think?

[pastrygirl]

That cigar thing was disgusting looking. The remaining Team Moto guy doesn't look to be in for the long haul.

Right. Note to self. If you're trying to come up with a clever and attractive and appetizing food dish, probably best not to fashion it in the shape of something that's already pretty disgusting all by itself.

Like a half-smoked cigar butt.

Plus, it seems like more appropriate after dinner than as an appetizer. If he was on the dessert team it might have made more sense.

[David Ross]

That cigar thing was disgusting looking. The remaining Team Moto guy doesn't look to be in for the long haul.

Right. Note to self. If you're trying to come up with a clever and attractive and appetizing food dish, probably best not to fashion it in the shape of something that's already pretty disgusting all by itself.

Like a half-smoked cigar butt.

It didn't come close to looking like a cigar--or cigar butt. It looked like the logs my dog leaves behind on the carpet when he's mad.

[David Ross]

Oh noes! No more Chuy's awesome dad stories. I'll bet Dakota would have had enough money to pay her traffic tickets if she hadn't spent it all on ink.

That cigar thing was disgusting looking. The remaining Team Moto guy doesn't look to be in for the long haul.

According to the folks that are watching "Last Chance Kitchen" (available online), wherein chefs booted from the main show get a cookoff with other booted chefs for a chance to return, Chuy bested the big guy, Keith. So Chuy isn't necessarily out of it for good.

Chuy wasn't the only one who could have gone, but he stood out in my mind for his utter lack of good judgement. I found his response to the Judges to be disingenuous. I have to wonder if he was really being truthful when he said he served the cheese/salmon/tamale type dish at his restaurant. If he does have it on his menu, one can only hope that he doesn't muck it up and serve over-cooked salmon with barely melted cheese like he did to the judges. Maybe it gave Tom gas and that's why he was in a foul mood.

Chuy is just another example in a long line of lower-tier contestants who pack their knives and go home in the early stages of the competition. It's that age-old problem that Chefs face--poor judgement in choosing ingredients and a dish that won't work within the confines of the challenge and the time limitations--then screw it up through poor execution.

My early favorite is Paul. I mean really, how can you not root for a guy who wins with Brussels Sprouts?

[annabelle]

If only Chuy could have asked his dad about execution, it would have worked out.

I want to see a lot of these chefs pack up and go. I don't like any of the girls except Lindsay, so far. I agree about Paul. He seems to be a nice, quiet, get 'er done kind of a guy.

[toolprincess]

Why do the Chefs have to be so snobbish about canned food? Granted it isn't haute cusine but they have to know that on Top Chef they want to see if you can really cook. My dad always used to say that it wasn't hard to do your best when you had every advantage at your disposal but it was notable to do outstanding in the face of adversity. Plus, judging from the grocery store shelves plenty of folks are using canned foods and these same people are watching Top Chef. another adage: Know your audience!

[annabelle]

I know what you mean, toolprincess. Did these chefs not know this was a contest when they signed up?

"I'd never use/eat/buy this crap", accompanied with a look of disgust. Well, no sh*t, Sherlock. Neither would anyone else if they had an unlimited budget, but they don't.

[Jaymes]

I know what you mean, toolprincess. Did these chefs not know this was a contest when they signed up?

"I'd never use/eat/buy this crap", accompanied with a look of disgust. Well, no sh*t, Sherlock. Neither would anyone else if they had an unlimited budget, but they don't.

Yeah...loved the Vienna Sausage win. "My daddy loves these." So she pulled up her big girl pants and did Daddy proud.

Instead of just standing there whining.

[toolprincess]

I know what you mean, toolprincess. Did these chefs not know this was a contest when they signed up?

"I'd never use/eat/buy this crap", accompanied with a look of disgust. Well, no sh*t, Sherlock. Neither would anyone else if they had an unlimited budget, but they don't.

Yeah...loved the Vienna Sausage win. "My daddy loves these." So she pulled up her big girl pants and did Daddy proud.

Instead of just standing there whining.

I know! My daddy loved them also and she made me proud.

[toolprincess]

Does anyone else think that scallops and shrimp are the most overused ingredients? If the contestants are not forced to pick a specific kind of protein I feel it's endless variations of shrimp and scallops. I know they have limited time but how about some lamb chops or chicken thighs or fish or anything besides shrimp and scallops. I like both but I'm developing an overexposure aversion just by watching the show. I can't imagine how Padma and Tom feel.

[Lisa Shock]

Does anyone else think that scallops and shrimp are the most overused ingredients? If the contestants are not forced to pick a specific kind of protein I feel it's endless variations of shrimp and scallops. I know they have limited time but how about some lamb chops or chicken thighs or fish or anything besides shrimp and scallops. I like both but I'm developing an overexposure aversion just by watching the show. I can't imagine how Padma and Tom feel.

I agree. I think there should be a season of the show where certain items are not allowed to be used and certain dishes (ceviche, bread pudding, carpacchio) are disqualified.

I saw an interview with one of the previous seasons' contestants and he said they used scallops a lot because they were readily available in the TC kitchen, were quick cooking and didn't need much prep work.

[Florida]

That cigar thing was disgusting looking. The remaining Team Moto guy doesn't look to be in for the long haul.

Right. Note to self. If you're trying to come up with a clever and attractive and appetizing food dish, probably best not to fashion it in the shape of something that's already pretty disgusting all by itself.

Like a half-smoked cigar butt.

Well, one of the signature dishes at Moto is called Road Kill.

http://egullet.org/p1645413

[annabelle]

Does anyone else think that scallops and shrimp are the most overused ingredients? If the contestants are not forced to pick a specific kind of protein I feel it's endless variations of shrimp and scallops. I know they have limited time but how about some lamb chops or chicken thighs or fish or anything besides shrimp and scallops. I like both but I'm developing an overexposure aversion just by watching the show. I can't imagine how Padma and Tom feel.

What gets me about the chefs is that they seem to have a hard time changing gears. If there are no lamb chops, scallops, wagyu beef available they freeze up and start whinging about how Chef B took all of "their" shrimp.

I'm just a homecook and I can switch it up on the fly when I'm unexpectedly out of something integral to the dish and make something else without making a trip to the market or bemoaning the lack of ingredient to my household.

And, frankly, I'm starting to get a shellfish allergy by osmosis or whatever the television version of that would be. And since when did cerivche and crudo start to qualify as "cooking"? Chef Sam in Season 2 got the boot for "not cooking anything" (said by Tom C.)when he served a ceviche going into the final three or four, I've forgotten which.

[David Ross]

What gets me about the chefs is that they seem to have a hard time changing gears. If there are no lamb chops, scallops, wagyu beef available they freeze up and start whinging about how Chef B took all of "their" shrimp.

I'm just a homecook and I can switch it up on the fly when I'm unexpectedly out of something integral to the dish and make something else without making a trip to the market or bemoaning the lack of ingredient to my household.

And, frankly, I'm starting to get a shellfish allergy by osmosis or whatever the television version of that would be. And since when did cerivche and crudo start to qualify as "cooking"? Chef Sam in Season 2 got the boot for "not cooking anything" (said by Tom C.)when he served a ceviche going into the final three or four, I've forgotten which.

I couldn't agree more with you. What's surprising, almost stunning, is that the Chef's don't get it--aka, "changing gears." I am so over seeing a seared dayboat scallop. While it may taste delicious, is that really innovative or creative? Is that the dish that will win you the title of Top Chef? Paul got it right with an innovative take on a maligned vegetable, "Fried Brussels Sprouts with Grilled Prosciutto." And he cooked something.

[Florida]

I'm beginning to think some of you take this show much too seriously.

[David Ross]

I'm beginning to think some of you take this show much too seriously.

Tragically, some of the Cheftestants don't take the show as seriously as we do.

[chezcherie]

What was on the judge's table--broken glass? Spilled ice? I found it so distracting, I had to replay the segment twice to get the gist of their comments. Kept wondering what the set design team was thinking?

[David Ross]

What was on the judge's table--broken glass? Spilled ice? I found it so distracting, I had to replay the segment twice to get the gist of their comments. Kept wondering what the set design team was thinking?

I thought the same thing. Maybe it was a metaphor for the "shattered" dreams of Chefs who presented an awful mess.

In my years of cooking steaks I've never heard of the "triple-sear" method. They started with rubbery -looking ribeyes that were cut too thin, then they mucked it up with that oddball cooking method-sear on a barbecue, (with a fire that was too hot and needed dousing with bottled drinking water), chuck the steaks in a vat of bloody water, re-sear on an indoor grill then mace the devils in the oven. No wonder Fearing got a medium-well steak.

And speaking of Fearing, he had that sh**-eating grin on his face when he chastised the Chefs with his biting criticism. Sort of "I'm smiling. I'm making you think your dish was great. It sucked, but I'm still smiling at you." I loved it.

[GordonCooks]

Looking forward to Mean heather getting thrown under the bus.

[David Ross]

Looking forward to Mean heather getting thrown under the bus.

How many more cakes does she plan to bake?

[Jaymes]

Looking forward to Mean heather getting thrown under the bus.

How many more cakes does she plan to bake?

I think maybe I need that recipe.

[gfweb]

And speaking of Fearing, he had that sh**-eating grin on his face when he chastised the Chefs with his biting criticism. Sort of "I'm smiling. I'm making you think your dish was great. It sucked, but I'm still smiling at you." I loved it.

Very Texan trait.