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Top Chef: Boston

huiray

By huiray
in Food Media & Arts

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  • 1 month later...
huiray

huiray

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Some chit-chat about Padma-Tom-Gail-Hugh sightings in town.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2014/06/10/top-chef-judges-are-here-filming-and-dining/ObWZj591hav0qXtvH3xdFI/story.html

http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/06/16/take-a-look-at-where-top-chef-judges-have-been-dining-in-boston/

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lindag

lindag

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I don't 'get' Hugh Acheson.  I saw him as a contestant on one of the Food Net cooking shows a couple years ago and then all of a sudden he's a judge?   I've obviously missed something here.  And the reason I even care is that I've always thought he was über creepy.

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huiray

huiray

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Hugh Acheson has been around for a few years and has some experience and some chops, IMO.  Two-time James Beard winner (for a cookbook as well as Best Chef SE; also a Food & Wine Best Chef)  He has 4 restaurants and is opening has just opened a new one in Savannah.  Etc etc.  

 

I also find his blogs on Top Chef to be amongst the best blogs on the show around.  Droll.  Dryly hilarious.  Creepy?  Not in the least, to me anyway.  He is also not afraid to challenge and contradict Tom Colicchio on TC - a definite plus, IMO.

 

:smile:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Acheson

http://hughacheson.com/

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Brown Hornet

Brown Hornet

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Just wanted to add a voice in support of Hugh. I'm admittedly biased as I've been a longtime fan since he opened his first restaurant Five and Ten in Athens GA.  I like his offbeat and slightly urbane manner and the fact that he's not all the way up Tom's backside.

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  • 1 month later...
huiray

huiray

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The cheftestapants (Silvestri's term, from a previous season, which I am copying) have been revealed.

 

http://www.bravotv.com/blogs/the-dish/first-look-at-top-chef-season-12?cid=show_dish_blogs

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-12

 

Opening episode Oct 15, 10 PM ET.

 

Richard Blais is to be a recurring judge!! :shock:

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huiray

huiray

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It seems there was a kerfuffle with the Teamsters.

 

http://deadline.com/2014/08/padma-lakshmi-boston-teamsters-attack-top-chef-820137/

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2014/08/20/source-close-bravo-confirms-account-teamsters-harassment-during-top-chef-taping/CPgggD1JbQZPO5cDDOUjtK/story.html

http://eater.com/archives/2014/08/21/was-padma-lakshmi-attacked-by-the-boston-teamsters.php

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huiray

huiray

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Impossible.  The Teamsters would never do anything untoward.

 

Riiiiight.

 

Still, the deadline report also noted complaints about Bravo's failure to deal with the situation properly or at least in a better way.

 

I also note that according to the Boston Globe report the TC production team actually changed some of the locations for the show because of threats from the Teamsters.

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huiray

huiray

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As the show gets nearer (Oct 15) I'm starting to look at the bios and backgrounds of the contestants as posted on the Bravo website.  The very first one (Aaron Grissom) I thought curious - the website bio says that he "has a passion for Asian and new American cuisine" but when I look at the menus of the restaurant for which he is the chef I see no identifiably "Asian" dish (Lunch & Dinner) whether E/SE/S/W Asian, although those menus are from June 2012.  Well, OpenTable's listing identifies it as (still) "Latin/Spanish" and lists Grissom as EC.  Perhaps he is compelled by the owners to put out that style of food and his "Asian" cuisine passion is strictly on his own time?  Wouldn't an EC often have some influence on what goes onto a menu of a restaurant even if he is not the owner?  Curious.

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huiray

huiray

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The shadow of Mike Isabella falls across TC Boston! :smile:  George Pagonis carries the torch onwards...

 

p.s. Did anyone ever try that (in)famous pepperoni sauce?

 

p.p.s. ...and will be judged by the person who edged out the pepperoni sauce in that particular finale!

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Toliver

Toliver

Posted
Posted

Top Chef is a joke from the top down.  Padma Lakshmi has absolutely no credibility. She knows zero about food, but spouts off like a pro. Another useless reality celeb.

She may be a reality celeb now, but she used to be a chef. So to call her a "Pro" could be considered accurate.

In the early days of the Food Network (back when they actually had shows on with chefs who taught you how to cook), she was one of the chefs in rotation on "The Melting Pot" which showcased different cultures and cuisines.

You may not agree with her, which is your prerogative, but more often than not I'd say she knows what she's talking about when it comes to food. 

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“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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Jaymes

Jaymes

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She may be a reality celeb now, but she used to be a chef. So to call her a "Pro" could be considered accurate.

In the early days of the Food Network (back when they actually had shows on with chefs who taught you how to cook), she was one of the chefs in rotation on "The Melting Pot" which showcased different cultures and cuisines.

You may not agree with her, which is your prerogative, but more often than not I'd say she knows what she's talking about when it comes to food.

And, I have, and have used, two of her cookbooks.

So, gkas, you may well not like her. But that particular insult is unfounded.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Jaymes

Jaymes

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I bet her cookbooks were ghostwritten.  ;-)

Well, I'd say they're more like 'recipe collections' than comprehensive cooking books. And there aren't hundreds and hundreds of recipes. She says they're from the many countries where she's worked, and India of course, but that they are reduced-fat versions that models eat.

Although do have to add that, even after eating several of the dishes, I still don't look like she does.

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I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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huiray

huiray

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Couple of articles in The Boston Globe today.

 

Some behind-the-scenes details (plus a wee, wee bit of vaguely spoiler-y stuff about the first episode and etc).  Info about the Top Chef kitchen.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/11/showcase-for-excess-and-for-city-chefs/lugbQ3LwbuIpy59KotrKaK/story.html

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/11/bring-boston-leave-baked-beans-bravo-new-season-shows-off-city/7zPKXt60u3VZQjkaGL8uiL/story.html

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huiray

huiray

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Regarding the financial arrangements...(I imagine *some* might be passingly interested)...the second article from the post above has this tid-bit in it:

 

(Bravo partnered with the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau for the season. The details of the arrangement are swaddled in nondisclosure agreements, but CEO and president Patrick B. Moscaritolo spoke with counterparts in past “Top Chef” cities and said: “I know what they had to raise to be on the show, and our partnership was much more heavily structured on the in-kind services than it was on any kind of financial contribution. That’s about all I’m really allowed to say. It was a great business deal for Boston and our visitor industry.”)

 

(From here)

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Shelby

Shelby

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That petroleum shrimp looked SO unappetizing.  I think the guy needed one more ingredient (I jest, I jest).

 

Katie's broccoli salad....the judges kept saying they didn't think the bacon component fit with it.  Around here someone always brings a broccoli salad to picnics, dinners etc.  It has broccoli, shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, red onion, red wine vinegar, sugar and mayo.  It's pretty good and the bacon goes well.  I'd be interested to know the rest of her ingredients.

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