Top Chef: Boston

[Shelby]

Yeah, I've been wondering about Gail, too.  Maybe she's a vegetarian except for when on Top Chef?

[gfweb]

The villain has jumped the shark after watching this most recent episode. Enough! Give me some good cooking without the drama

Do people really like this crap?

I hate the arguing. Tedious, but Bravo thrives on trashiness.

[gfweb]

Keriann annoys me a lot.  Aaron, not so much, although he could use more finesse.  Hmm, flashes of "Jimmy Sears"...(skill set aside)

 

Katsuji would make me nervous too if I had him as a team mate at this point - I wouldn't be sure (from what has been shown so far) whether he will go overboard or pull it off.  As for his making red chile sauce - well, his background is heavy on the Mexican side...wouldn't some sort of chile sauce (usually in the red tones) be almost universal in all manner of regional Mexican cuisine?  Besides, it's just two episodes in.

 

Wrecking the main protein is shown again to be more fatal than other faults.

 

It also seems from Gail Simmons' blog on Episode 2 that an inference can be made that she does eat meat, at least at these judging tables on Top Chef - notwithstanding what she is reported to have said previously about being a vegetarian?

Gail is a vegan until it costs her money.

[Shelby]

Gail is a vegan until it costs her money.

[Lisa Shock]

I just realized that there's no 'Last Chance Kitchen' this year.

[Brown Hornet]

I suppose they could start LCK up mid-season, but it does seem like they are giving it a rest this year.

 

I'm enjoying the season so far -- it feels like they've streamlined the show in a good way.  I like the immediate feedback during tasting as well as having all the contestants present at the judge's table.

 

Also, Hugh is absolutely killing it on his blog/recaps on the Top Chef website.

[huiray]

I suppose they could start LCK up mid-season, but it does seem like they are giving it a rest this year.

 

I'm enjoying the season so far -- it feels like they've streamlined the show in a good way.  I like the immediate feedback during tasting as well as having all the contestants present at the judge's table.

 

Also, Hugh is absolutely killing it on his blog/recaps on the Top Chef website.

 

Hmm, I have the impression that they would start LCK up after 4-5 chefs have been eliminated?  Maybe, maybe not this year...let's see.

 

Yes, I like this season so far too.  I like the "instant feedback" from the judges also.  Not too sure about the sudden-death Quickfires, however, although the cook-off is an acceptable wiggle-out-of-it maneuver.

 

Hugh Acheson's bog is as acerbic and droll as ever.  But I think he doth protest too much about Aaron.  He's piling on him excessively.

 

BTW Richard Blais' blog on episode 3 on the Bravo TC website is nice too.

 

Lots of recaps of TC out there - some are quite amusing to read.  (Just do a Google search for them)

 

I don't have the vigorous reaction most people have to Aaron.  I have a little sympathy for him, even though he could do with more finesse and better manners as I have already mentioned earlier.  I was fine with his making it through both the QF and the EC.

 

Too bad, Ron, but perhaps this kind of reality TV cooking game competition is simply not the kind of thing for you to show what you can do, as you yourself sort-of said. Not your kind of food.

 

I was a little sad that Keriann didn't get the chop.

 

Katsuji does need to shut up too.

[Jaymes]

I was a little sad that Keriann didn't get the chop.

Boy, not me. In fact from the very first scene of Aaron sneering, "I'm not impressed" about her, it became my number one hope that, regardless as to what else happens this season, she outlasts him.

And if I were ever wavering in that hope, his douchebag, cowardly refusal to go head-to-head with her in the challenge (even after telling her, "I can cook you under the table, bitch") sealed the deal with me. I mean really, Aaron, you said you can cook her "under the table," but you don't even have the balls to try to prove it? Too bad your balls aren't as big as your mouth.

I would hope that lesson in baseless bravado would shut him up. But somehow I doubt it.

Katsuji may talk a lot but he's never petty or arrogant or hateful or disrespectful. I get a kick out of him.

As opposed to Aaron, who can't possibly pack his knives and go soon enough for me.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Jaymes (log)

[gfweb]

Kerrianne is pretty unlikable too. they can both PYKAG

[Jaymes]

Kerrianne is pretty unlikable too. they can both PYKAG

Fine with me.

But Arrogant Aaron Asshole first.

Please.

Although I fear it's quite likely he'll stick around far longer than he deserves.

This is a television show after all. And having a villain helps ratings. I'm not immune to the lure. One reason I keep tuning in is that I don't want to miss the episode where he gets his.

I'm sure I'm not the only one.

And I'm equally sure that fact is not lost on the producers.

[Shalmanese]

And if I were ever wavering in that hope, his douchebag, cowardly refusal to go head-to-head with her in the challenge (even after telling her, "I can cook you under the table, bitch") sealed the deal with me. I mean really, Aaron, you said you can cook her "under the table," but you don't even have the balls to try to prove it? Too bad your balls aren't as big as your mouth.

I would hope that lesson in baseless bravado would shut him up. But somehow I doubt it.

Katsuji may talk a lot but he's never petty or arrogant or hateful or disrespectful. I get a kick out of him.

As opposed to Aaron, who can't possibly pack his knives and go soon enough for me.

I don't see why his choice was cowardly. First of all, your experience as a viewer is informed by editing and the "I could cook you under the table" comment was cut in a way to make it seem hugely significantly. For all we know, Aaron might have told everyone in the house at that point that he could cook them under the table and legitimately not remember his supposed "beef" with Kerryann.

Secondly, regardless of anything else, this is still a game and it's still legitimate to try and play it smartly. Nobody knows what can happen during a head to head challenge and weaker chefs send much stronger ones home all the time. Aaron is still smart in picking who he perceives as the weakest chef to maximize his chances.

[Jaymes]

Ah, opinions. Aren't they wondrous things? Differing opinions keep the brain cells working. They keep life from becoming boring and tedious and facile and predictable.

They're one thing we're all allowed to have.

As the season progresses, my opinion about petulant, peevish, rude, boastful ("If my parents had had enough money to send me to the CIA I'd be Bobby Flay"), resentful ("I don't like her because she teaches at a culinary school and I never went to culinary school"), arrogant, cowardly, bully Aaron may be proven wrong.

But for now I'm sticking to it.

.

Edited November 2, 2014 by Jaymes (log)

[Shalmanese]

Oh, don't get me wrong. Aaron is totally an unredeemed, arrogant douchebag.

[huiray]

I would add that IMO both Aaron and Keriann are assholes but the difference is that Aaron appears to be aware of his failings and has declared that he would like to do something about it; whereas Kerriann seems oblivious of her being an asshole and gives no indication that she thinks there is anything about herself that might benefit from some adjustment.

[Jaymes]

Well okay then.

Let's talk about who we like so far.

I like pretty-much everybody else.

[huiray]

Of the remaining cheftestants:  I like Doug and James.  I have reservations about Gregory, notwithstanding his success so far.**  IMO Katsuji has a nasty side. Adam needs to lose some of his hipster arrogance (and get rid of his 'Murcan flag do-rag).  Mei Lin is a little "sharp" although she has skills.  The rest sort-of fall into "neutral territory" for now.

 

** I do think there was a whiff of his throwing George under the bus in the very first Quickfire, and his lying about his prowess with fish, amongst other things.  He also hasn't really actually *cooked* that many things - he has done various ceviches/tartare/similar stuff repeatedly - not to say that this isn't a valid way of doing things, but in the context of Top Chef the head judge has famously said in the past that various contestants didn't COOK the stuff they presented.

Edited November 2, 2014 by huiray (log)

[Jaymes]

I particularly liked how Boston local Stacy managed to sidestep the drama. And I got a huge kick out of her facial expressions as it was going on. Too soon to know how well she cooks, though.

[huiray]

Last Chance Kitchen will be starting up on December 10.

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-12/blogs/team-top-chef/last-chance-kitchen-is-coming

 

The timing is suggestive of several possible scenarios including being done with the eliminated chefs recalled to LCK just before the finale is shot (live?).  I imagine an immediate giveaway will be if they look slightly "different" (hair, skin tone, clothes, etc) from when they competed in the episode they were eliminated from. (I doubt the TC crew will exert themselves to make the cheftestants look "just like they did".  They never have in the past.)

[LindaK]

Some recent news of Aaron:

 

‘Top Chef’ contestant arrested on domestic violence charges

 

[lindag]

Some recent news of Aaron:

 

‘Top Chef’ contestant arrested on domestic violence charges

 

It appears that I had him sized up correctly.

[huiray]

Top Chef Boston Episode 4:  Some comments.

 

Cheers and Norm duly make their appearance.  Another "Boston cliche" struck off the list.  (((Sigh)))  Gregory drops his shit all over the floor.  Why didn't he simply spear his slider/mini-hamburger/whatsit with a cocktail/olive spear, long toothpick, whatever (it's being done in a BAR, for Chrissakes, those things are all over the place, or should be!)

 

EC - Aaron, Gregory & Katsuji do good.  Aaron shows again he has skills, and it was commented on in the "voice-overs" that they, as a group of ECs, knew how to write/put together a menu.  (Richard Blais in his blog on this episode also talks about putting together a menu that will appeal to the masses, not just chefs and rabid foodies)  Mind you, I thought Katsuji was a prick on this episode.  Stacy barely escapes elimination.  Again.  It seems that her cooking (with reference to Jaymes' post above previously) may not be consistently that good.

 

Sad to see you go, James.  But perhaps Blais (in his blog) described the issue suitably.

Edited November 7, 2014 by huiray (log)

[Jaymes]

It appears that I had him sized up correctly.

Yeah, sounds like the LA incident wasn't just a matter of unfavorable editing.

[huiray]

It appears that I had him sized up correctly.

 

 

Yeah, sounds like the LA incident wasn't just a matter of unfavorable editing.

 

Yet however badly he allegedly behaved in that alleged domestic abuse situation (who started it?) it is no worse or even better than any number of such similar situations involving US football players, baseball players, various chefs even hither and yon, AND including instances of FEMALE bashing of male spouses.  It is but to the "narrative" of whatever one is subscribing to that one points fingers at in "corroboration" of something or other.

Edited November 7, 2014 by huiray (log)

[Jaymes]

It appears that I had him sized up correctly.

Boy, I'll say.

[gfweb]

Not surprising.

 

A-holes tend to be a-holes.