Top Chef: Seattle

[David Ross]

I'm getting caught up on episodes--at number 7 right now, the "Foiled Again" show. I wanted to throw something at the television when I saw Josie pair Dungeness Crab and Sockeye Salmon with Raspberries. You don't have to be from the Pacific Northwest to realize that raspberries don't go with fresh, beautiful seafood. At least most of the time. (Years ago a famous Northwest Chef did a stunning dish of seared salmon with a raspberry sauce). Josie really mucked up stuffing the seafood into a spring roll and pairing it with a cloying mayonnaise sauce. Then raspberries.

She should have gone home, but alas, survived. Why did they ever bring her back? But she's just a symptom of a disease that's raising its ugly head as the season progresses--these Chefs haven't fully learned that sometimes less, (as in a fresh gooseberry), is better, as opposed to more, (as in gooseberries with chorizo), Chef John.

Why did they bring her back? I can only assume for the drama factor which she is playing full force

Yep, that's what I figure. Her cooking skills have been pretty woeful so far, so it's got to be the other stuff. The stuff that has nothing to do with her ability as a cook.

[gfweb]

My confidence is somewhat restored as I watch episode 8 and the quickfire challenge with fresh oysters. Micah did something very simple yet somewhat difficult--perfectly frying an oyster. It must be crispy, but it still should be basically raw in the center, just warmed through by the hot oil bath. And as fate would have it, I myself had fried fresh Pacific oysters for dinner last night. I have a bit more experience than Micah, having fried oysters for oh, about 40 years or so.

You bring up an interesting point. Many of these cooks are relative children with comparitively limited experience. It's easy for them to be confounded by a weird product or protein; or to be go down an unfamiliar path that leads to a mess. I wonder if age or variation in job experience correlates with success.

[David Ross]

My confidence is somewhat restored as I watch episode 8 and the quickfire challenge with fresh oysters. Micah did something very simple yet somewhat difficult--perfectly frying an oyster. It must be crispy, but it still should be basically raw in the center, just warmed through by the hot oil bath. And as fate would have it, I myself had fried fresh Pacific oysters for dinner last night. I have a bit more experience than Micah, having fried oysters for oh, about 40 years or so.

You bring up an interesting point. Many of these cooks are relative children with comparitively limited experience. It's easy for them to be confounded by a weird product or protein; or to be go down an unfamiliar path that leads to a mess. I wonder if age or variation in job experience correlates with success.

I think you've hit upon a very important issue that we don't discuss enough these days but one that is spotlighted so often on Top Chef--young, funky, trendy, Chefs with a laundry list of cooking jobs on their resume, yet without a lot of life experience or mentoring to be able to withstand the basic, fundamental challenges. One example--Colicchio slapping himself silly at the Judges Table when a Chef doesn't understand the subtleties of seasoning or what to pair with fresh seafood. Blueberry Gastrique with Smoked Salmon and Pickled Oysters garnished with Candied Elderflowers and served with a Bloody Mary Shooter may sound tempting to some, but I think a more experienced, as in life experience, Chef, may tell you a fresh oyster with lemon is much better. Chef John is a bit older and his experience is showing, (even though he's a pain in the rear).

[annabelle]

I still want Stefan to win. He was robbed in his season.

[lindag]

I want Stefan to win as well, but I always go for the nice guy. Josie can't be booted soon enough to suit me, she's such an ill-mannered yutz!

[David Ross]

I want Stefan to win as well, but I always go for the nice guy. Josie can't be booted soon enough to suit me, she's such an ill-mannered yutz!

An "ill-mannered yutz!" is quite simply, the best description of a shallow Top Chef contestant that I've ever heard. Bravo, (not the network).

[gfweb]

I want Stefan or John-the-most-hated to win.

I want Josie to be the secret ingredient on Iron Chef.

[Brown Hornet]

I didn't care for that challenge at all. If the scallops weren't good, I'm not sure what Liz(?) could have done to make a good scallop dish -- I guess she would have had to use something else as a "scallop" and explain why.

I was generally rooting for John, but his whining this episode was off-putting. You're never going to be cooking under ideal conditions on Top Chef -- that's the point! All the talk about sharing the pickles was weird too. When a contestant starts focusing more on gamesmanship than cooking (a la Spike) they're setting themselves up for failure.

[huiray]

I didn't care for that challenge at all. If the scallops weren't good, I'm not sure what Liz(?) could have done to make a good scallop dish -- I guess she would have had to use something else as a "scallop" and explain why.

I was generally rooting for John, but his whining this episode was off-putting. You're never going to be cooking under ideal conditions on Top Chef -- that's the point! All the talk about sharing the pickles was weird too. When a contestant starts focusing more on gamesmanship than cooking (a la Spike) they're setting themselves up for failure.

True, but I do feel that John Tesar did get the shaft this episode. Yes, he was somewhat of a dick this episode as shown and/or as edited but I did feel he got a raw deal. The "risotto curse" strikes again, at the least. (I do agree that his complaint of non-flat pots, where the burners they had were gas rather than electric, were not persuasive - but OTOH if all he had were "lumpy-bottomed" pots [the other cheftestants having gotten the better ones] then I would go along to an extent with his complaint...)

Barely edible/"food-poisoning category" scallops? Wow, I would have pushed that to the utter bottom.

Tesar, in his "talking heads", did not do himself too many favors - but in the scenes as broadcast of his actual working with others he certainly seemed like someone who was trying to get on with everyone else.

Joshua Valentine - now *that* is someone of the first rank of DICKINESS. What a piece of sh*t that one is. As for Josie - why is she even still there? (Ditto, why is Valentine still there)

[annabelle]

Any of these chefs who get on to the show and then spend a tremendous amount of time and energy grousing about the ingredients, the challeges and the other contestants while simulateously bragging about how they are So. Frackin'. Awesome! (I'm lookin' at you John) need to get smacked with a clue-bat. How many seasons are we into now? Send them off to the gas station vending machines for a challenge and let 'em whine.

[Judy Wilson]

Hi guys!

I thought you might be interested in the menu we served to the chefs in the web clip. We blogged about it here: http://modernistcuisine.com/2013/01/top-chef-seattle-visits-modernist-cuisine/

[David Ross]

Hi guys!

I thought you might be interested in the menu we served to the chefs in the web clip. We blogged about it here: http://modernistcuis...ernist-cuisine/

Wow, thanks for sharing. I think you really inspired the Chefs.

[gfweb]

Oh there's the video!

[lindag]

Fascinating!!!

[Shelby]

Damn. I wanted John to win.

Is next episode restaurant wars?

[Jaymes]

Damn. I wanted John to win.

Remember, that wasn't the end for him. He goes to Last Chance Kitchen. If he's good enough to win the entire competition, he'll be good enough to last through the Last Chance Kitchen challenges.

In case you (or anyone else) hasn't seen Last Chance Kitchen, I won't spoil it for you.

But I will say that all of John's bitching and moaning about the equipment definitely influences his Last Chance Kitchen challenge, which is: Cook Anything You Want - With Yard Sale Pots and Pans. At one point during the cooking, John's blender overflows and creates a mess. So Tom, obviously eager to rub it in, says, "That equipment sucks, right John?"

And I won't tell you who John goes up against either, but, after learning that the challenge is "Cook Anything You Want," and before the "yard sale pots and pans" part is revealed, that cheftestant says, "There's gotta be a catch, especially with John there. I'm sure he might have said something stupid that's gonna bite him and me in the ass."

Yup.

[David Ross]

As far as the last episode went, (sans Last Chance Kitchen), John's crappy attitude, (the true John I suspect), obviously clouded his abilities in the kitchen. No John, you don't get beat by a Chef who isn't as egotistic and less-talented than you are. You get beat because you put up a dish that wasn't worthy.

I don't think this guy is really capable of only focusing on the food and cooking. He's obviously got talent, but he has so many inherent roadblocks that I doubt he'll ever realize his true ability. Whether it's Top Chef or a restaurant venture, unfortunately for him he's always left people with a sour taste.

[David Ross]

It was laughable last week when John was giving Stefan the business for using frozen tuna. (As if tons of restaurants around the world don't use high-quality, frozen tuna). I seem to remember it's the top commodity at the Tokyo fish market. Either John is uninformed about tuna, which isn't likely, or he thought he could create a storm around another contestant and none of us would notice.

[Shalmanese]

It was laughable last week when John was giving Stefan the business for using frozen tuna. (As if tons of restaurants around the world don't use high-quality, frozen tuna). I seem to remember it's the top commodity at the Tokyo fish market. Either John is uninformed about tuna, which isn't likely, or he thought he could create a storm around another contestant and none of us would notice.

This seems like a bit of selective malicious editing to create drama. John made a comment during one of his talking heads that he knew frozen tuna could be of acceptable quality and that his main gripe was that bluefin tuna can not be sustainable sourced.

[pastrygirl]

It was laughable last week when John was giving Stefan the business for using frozen tuna. (As if tons of restaurants around the world don't use high-quality, frozen tuna). I seem to remember it's the top commodity at the Tokyo fish market. Either John is uninformed about tuna, which isn't likely, or he thought he could create a storm around another contestant and none of us would notice.

This seems like a bit of selective malicious editing to create drama. John made a comment during one of his talking heads that he knew frozen tuna could be of acceptable quality and that his main gripe was that bluefin tuna can not be sustainable sourced.

Is saku block bluefin? Google search says yellowfin, and Monterey Bay says there is some sustainable yellowfin (though hard to say what Stefan was actually using or where it came from). I'm sure John has talent in the kitchen, but he seems like a guy who would say anything to get ahead, I would not trust him with much. Glad to see him gone. And, as far as his BS "no-excuses" excuses about the pots available, I watched the last episode twice, and Josie was using a really nice stainless rondo. If only she had been in the bottom, she could have backed Josh up at judges table.

[huiray]

Lots of John Tesar hate around. Sad.

Well, although it's early days yet, Spoon Bar & Restaurant is doing OK to fine so far with a few pans.

http://www.pegasusne...ng/?refscroll=0

http://eatsblog.dall...ar-and-kitchen/

http://reviews.opent...633/reviews.htm

http://bigchomp.blog...ar-kitchen.html

Maybe someone might want to try out that risotto that the judges didn't like?

http://sidedish.dmag...-losing-recipe/

http://www.bravotv.c...carrot-emulsion

Edited January 7, 2013 by huiray (log)

[gfweb]

I've eaten his food. It was good.

[David Ross]

I'm not a hater of John Tesar. As a viewer, and someone who knows a bit about food, cooking and dining, I offer opinions based on what I've seen and I base my comments on the food first. The editing and snarky stuff that gets thrown into Top Chef amplifies personal traits that are already there--and that certaily doesn't endear someone like John or Josie to the audience. But as Tom always says, it's ultimately about the food.

What I saw with John was that he was one of the more experienced and talented Chefs in the competition, but his ungracious attitude and lack of professionalism built a self-imposed barrier that prevented him from moving forward. When I see it or sense it, I present the same criticism regardless of the contestant. On the other hand, look at Chef Kristen. She's not only talented, but she has an unassuming and likeable personality. She doesn't appear to be out to tear-down her fellow competitors, nor does she make intentionally rude and hurtful comments that lead to clouding her ability to focus. She's intent on cooking the best dish she can every challenge she faces--not tearing down her fellow competitors while stirring the risotto. If you look back at the history of Top Chef, those traits ultimatelyproduce the winners.The editing and drama woven into the show are just the window dressing that keeps viewers coming back, but it isn't the foundation of the show. It's the food.

I'm sure John is highly successful in his restaurant endeavors, and of course I don't know the true person, only what I see on Top Chef. For good or bad, what we see on Top Chef is what forms our opinions. So in the context of the discussion, I was glad to see John go.

[lindag]

Unfortunately, John seems to be one of those people who need to pump themselves up by finding fault with other people and other things. He comes off as a real ass.

[Jaymes]

It was laughable last week when John was giving Stefan the business for using frozen tuna. (As if tons of restaurants around the world don't use high-quality, frozen tuna). I seem to remember it's the top commodity at the Tokyo fish market. Either John is uninformed about tuna, which isn't likely, or he thought he could create a storm around another contestant and none of us would notice.

This seems like a bit of selective malicious editing to create drama. John made a comment during one of his talking heads that he knew frozen tuna could be of acceptable quality and that his main gripe was that bluefin tuna can not be sustainable sourced.

I certainly understand that these reality show participants can be the victims of "selective malicious editing" but, on the other hand, the producers/editors don't put words into their mouths. I thought it spoke volumes when, on Last Chance Kitchen, his opponent, upon hearing it was John, said (as I said above): "There's gotta be a catch, especially with John there. I'm sure he might have said something stupid that's gonna bite him and me in the ass."

That's not "selective editing." That's coming from someone that has had the pleasure of working with him all these weeks.