Top Chef: Duels

[Lisa Shock]

Looks like Bravo has a new addition to the Top Chef franchise: Duels, starting August 6. I'm torn about this one, it could be fun seeing previous TC contestants going one-on-one. Or the challenge rules could be so restrictive and convoluted that there won't be much for the chef's to do. I'm also wondering how much they're ripping off 'Knife Fight.'

[weinoo]

It's too bad some of those chefs don't just stay in their restaurant kitchens.

[Toliver]

Gail Simmons mentioned this new show in a radio interview she gave to promote "Top Chef: Boston".

Again, I question her value as a judge on this show since she is a vegetarian and won't be able to eat a lot of the dishes that will be prepared by the "chef-testants".

 

Though I think I may tune in for the first show, at least, since it's going to be a duel between Richard Blais & Marcel Nigneron.

Click here for a list of the dueling chefs on the show (scroll to the bottom of the article).

[IndyRob]

I thought the Blais/Vigneron matchup was a nice way to start, but after watching it, it seems clear that they didn't think this through.

 

I really had high hopes for this format since it would seem to afford an opportunity to zoom in on what was happening with only two contestants.  Unfortunately, they chose to focus on the verbal interactions of two non-entertainer personalities.

 

It's almost as if they thought sparks would fly between Richard and Marcel.  Unfortunately(?), neither is exactly a 'trash talker'.

 

My favorite parts of Top Chef: Regular are when Collichio walks into the kitchen and starts asking pointed questions.  Unfortunately, there was no television professional on screen at any point, or anyone capable of asking a relevant question.  It was just a Richard/Marcel bro-uppance.

 

Episode 102 (with even weaker characters), I found to be unwatchable.

 

I do hope that some of the later episodes will be better, because I do think that the TC empire has occasionally demonstrated that they can learn from mistakes.

[Toliver]

I floved the Antonia vs. her cousin Mike duel. Such a dichotomy of Italian food! Where Mike would put a new spin on a classic Italian dish, Antonia stood tried and true to classic Italian.  I also liked that their verbal jabs to each other were good-natured and not so much "macho posturing" (like the next episode is likely to have). 

Did anyone else see the episode?

 

edited for clarification

Edited August 25, 2014 by Toliver (log)

[ahpadt]

I've seen all 3 episodes so far and to me it's too much about arguments and too little about the food. The producers seem hung up on showing all the attempts the chefs have at winding the other up...

[Toliver]

I am so happy to put the CJ Jacobson vs. Stefan Richter duel behind me. Stefan just spewed hatred with every word. It didn't even seem like good-natured ribbing...it was just so dismissive of CJ.

 

The David Burke vs Takashi Yagihashi duel was fascinating. Andrew Zimmern was the guest judge and determined that the final duel would involve three unusual ingredients, one of which was armadillo. 

Uhm...do you think anyone on the show had heard about the relationship between armadillos and leprosy in humans? I'm taking that as a "No".

I was happy when that duel was finished. Just because Andrew eats that crap on his show doesn't mean I want to see it on this show. 

[Toliver]

The Tiffani-Dale duel was good. They were competitive and it was good-natured. 

The guest judges for the final dinner were metal rockers, including Rob Zombie, who is a vegan. So all of the dishes had to be vegan (don't even get me started on that subject).

When it came to eating Tiffani's dessert, Rob said he wouldn't even try it because he doesn't like to eat "soft desserts".    WTF?