Top Chef: California – Season 13

[gfweb]

Right.

 

I've long said that Tom is partially FOS and a bit of a bully.

 

By way of contrast, Padma is completely FOS.

[blue_dolphin]

Call me cynical but does anyone want to bet that when they get to San Diego they end up at Richard Blais' Juniper & Ivy restaurant? 

 

You would win that bet, Toliver.  From the San Diego Union Tribune:  "At the May 23 taping of the show’s elimination challenge at Juniper & Ivy, the judges held a lengthy conversation with the two San Diego beer experts about the craft beer explosion locally and nationwide..."  They don't say when the San Diego episode will air.

 

Also in that article, a comment about Chad White's decision to leave San Diego and move back to Spokane.

[Lisa Shock]

BTW, once you get caught up with episode 2, Last Chance Kitchen is back. First episode of LCK went well, I agree with Tom's decision.

 

And, I can't believe that Renee was complaining that she only had fish sauce for seasoning plus garlic, ginger, and lemongrass as flavors for her chicken.

[huiray]

Recaps from Grub Street:

http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/12/top-chef-season-13-episode-1-recap.html

http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/12/top-chef-season-13-episode-2-recap.html

 

Recaps from EW:

http://www.ew.com/recap/top-chef-season-13-premiere

http://www.ew.com/recap/top-chef-season-13-episode-2

 

[David Ross]

Grayson has a big attitude problem. Hope she gets over it.

I saw it yesterday and am watching again this morning.  At first I thought, "wait, I've seen Grayson before."  Yep, they brought back a train wreck so more viewers will run to watch the crash all over again.  Too bad that her bitchy, snarky attitude and facial contortions are her most notable traits rather than her food. 

[huiray]

Grayson did well in her first appearance on TC (season 9 - Texas). She lasted till episode 13, and won or co-won 2 QFs, 2 ECs, and was in the "top rank" 3 other times. That's not shabby at all. She was (and still is) one of the few with the balls to stand up to Tom Colicchio and his bullying. She doesn't lick Tom's or the judges' arses, which is a plus in my books, even if she puts herself at a disadvantage by doing so since the show is really a game show that should be called "Who Wants To Cook For Tom Colicchio & Friends". ;-) :-) 

 

I still remember her dish of the black chicken leg with claws and all for that Evil Queen challenge (episode 11) on TC Texas, and how Eric Ripert advocated for her dish. :-D

Edited December 5, 2015 by huiray (log)

[David Ross]

There's no dispute that Grayson racked up some impressive stats during Season 10.  Of course, I'm far from an insider, but I just have a sense that an attitude may not play well with the judges when it comes down to choosing to let someone go, especially in the cases where the dishes are close.   We've also seen great chefs, (albeit with attitude), get the boot in the past due to deplorable leadership and a nasty personality during "restaurant wars."   An aside to what they say is a cooking competition, is how these contestants portray themselves during the show.  Some are real idiots, yet they go on in their careers and outside of the show turn out to be likeable people.  Marcel and Spike come to mind.  I've seen them on television a number of times since they were on Top Chef and they appear to have tempered their self-imposed bad boy image. Of course, that could all be for "show" today.

 

I agree that Top Chef often seems like a game show. 

[gfweb]

I think that the Elves do a lot of editing to keep their narrative going. They need villains and bitches and innocent naifs.

 

I think judges might well be encouraged to let their inner a-hole out.  I think of that twit from the White House busting a Voltaggio's chops about whether tomatoes were fruit or veg.  He showed remarkable self control.  More than I would've.

[Shelby]

Just watched last night's episode.  Bummed that Frances got sent home.  I thought Angelina should have gone.  

 

Arrrrrgh, the beards on those guys are making me crazy.  I cannot look at them without imagining how many strands are falling into the food.  Wear a beard mask or whatever those are called.  

 

Sure are a lot of carrot dishes this year.  Carrot must be the new bacon?

 

LOL Padma didn't get any fish.  

[Shalmanese]

The photos on the Bravo website are atrocious. They look like they were taken with a flip phone camera.

[huiray]

1 hour ago, Shalmanese said:

The photos on the Bravo website are atrocious. They look like they were taken with a flip phone camera.

 

Maybe they "lost" their usual camera on the road-trip. :-)   I can't say I've seen wonderful photos of the dishes on past seasons/episodes before, but yes, these are bad.

 

They've been striking out on the photosets so far this season too in other ways - like leaving out MANY of the dishes on episodes 1 and 2, including at least one winning dish!

 

ETA: And for episode 2 they provided only 6 photos of the dishes, 3 from the losing (vegan) team and 3 from the middling (Korea) team and none from the winning (Persia) team!

Edited December 12, 2015 by huiray
Adding ETA comment (log)

[huiray]

I found this episode both somewhat boring yet somewhat confused. Or I was just sleepy (I had to re-watch the DVR recording of it the next day to get a better sense of what went on).

 

In the QF cheftestant Chad White brings up a situation I rarely think of - how to cook with wine or alcohol when you don't drink and can't taste any of the stuff yet still come up with a "perfect pairing" with whatever ingredient in whatever dish.  Off the top of my head I don't remember another TC season where there was a non-drinking chef forced to try to make a winning combination with an alcoholic beverage but I'm sure one or two will come up from a bit of digging. Are there many chefs in "normal Western/European" cuisines in the USA (or elsewhere) who are in the same situation?

 

Here's the Eater recap of episode 3:

http://www.eater.com/2015/12/11/9890800/top-chef-season-13-california-episode-3-recap 

Pretty detailed this week and says more than I can!

 

Grubstreet & EW recaps:

http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/12/top-chef-season-13-episode-3-recap.html 

http://www.ew.com/recap/top-chef-season-13-episode-3 

 

Angelina Bastidas does seem not ready for Prime Time yet. Needs editing in her cooking.

Frances Tariga-Weshnak being told to PPYKAG was the right choice although Angelina was a close next choice. She too needs editing and development in her cooking. IMO.

 

As for LCK? Glad Garret Fleming won. Frances - seemed a tad sneering and b*tchy. 

[huiray]

I think there is an "Angelina Curse".  Needless to say, she herself survived yet again. (Why???)

 

Enjoyable episode 4. Even Grayson Schmitz's constant kvetching was entertaining in a "wait for it...here it comes..." way.  Yes, I now am resigned to seeing her in this light this season. Still, she's still one of the few who dares to give attitude right back at Tom Colicchio, whether or not it is wise or totally justified. Giselle Wellman pouring cold liquid (water?) into the HOT glass tube of her solar oven - really, Giselle? Wesley True may be around for a while. Man-bun may be an awesome chef IRL but he still makes my eyebrows furrow with his antics and straight-from-the-outdoors shenanigans (remember the probably-dog-pooped-on dried grass he used?) ("Hay", he called it) Good win, Jeremy Ford. 

 

And...in LCK, Grayson just barely edges out Garret Fleming.  Good showing, Garret.

 

Some recaps from elsewhere:

http://www.eater.com/2015/12/18/10500572/top-chef-season-13-episode-4-recap-california 

http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/12/top-chef-season-13-episode-4-recap.html 

http://www.ew.com/recap/top-chef-season-13-episode-4 

 

[gfweb]

I'm surprised Grayson didn't just say F--k it / you   and blow off the LCK. Make a hot dog or something.

 

Padma needs to show some respect for these guys who actually have some skills and accomplishments. Oh? You say she wrote a cookbook?  So did Dinah Shore.  So what?  Very tired of her.

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

I thought Grayson deserved to go, although Angelina has definitely been very, very lucky so far and I can't wait for her to be sent home. I thought it was very telling that Grayson argued about the corn as she was shaking hands and leaving. It may have been a joint decision to have corn in the dish, however, someone needed to step up, either at the market or while cooking, and say 'this ingredient isn't up to par, we shouldn't serve it'. That's a really basic principle in the restaurant industry. They should have caught on at the market and looked for some fresher, better vegetable -or just omitted the corn, period.

 

Garret's run in LCK has been noteably good. I hope he does well and gets career boost from his few moments in the spotlight. IMO, he would be a good person to bring back in a future season. If things had just been a little different, I could see him making it further along in the competition.

[huiray]

On 12/19/2015 at 1:28 AM, Lisa Shock said:

I thought Grayson deserved to go, although Angelina has definitely been very, very lucky so far and I can't wait for her to be sent home. I thought it was very telling that Grayson argued about the corn as she was shaking hands and leaving. It may have been a joint decision to have corn in the dish, however, someone needed to step up, either at the market or while cooking, and say 'this ingredient isn't up to par, we shouldn't serve it'. That's a really basic principle in the restaurant industry. They should have caught on at the market and looked for some fresher, better vegetable -or just omitted the corn, period.

 

Yet Angelina made rubbery shrimp. In any other season and any other episode of TC that would have been immediate grounds for dismissal. Ruining the protein, and especially shrimp.  Maybe it's just me, but I can't see what the big hoo-ha is about corn - whether less-tasty or too-cooked or whatever, compared with ruining the protein, by TC's past track record. Grayson wasn't entirely off-base when she complained about it being corn - CORN - that sent her home.

[gfweb]

I really think that Grayson was toast from early on. Padma gave her the stink eye on the first show. Good for Grayson that she didn't disappear without a complaint about the decision.

[Lisa Shock]

I guess this is one of those 'you had to be there' moments. Maybe the shrimp was just a little bit overdone. Maybe not everyone's portion was rubbery. Up until they told Grayson to go, I really thought Angelina was toast. That said, Grayson has seemed whiny during every challenge and she never admits personal responsibility, she was always blaming something/someone else. Maybe it's editing. But, I never got the sense, this season, that Grayson was trying to work in the spirit of the challenges. I am still struck by her comments in the last challenge about how she couldn't really make a vegan dish, like her 'style' was so great she would never have to accommodate a vegan guest. (I like to think of the challenges, sometimes, as requests a restaurant guest would make.) I was sick of her eye-rolling attitude, maybe the judges and staff were as well. She complained louder, longer, and harder than anyone there -that seemed to be the main difference between her and the newer chefs. She certainly wasn't cranking out stellar food. It's fine, and she won LCK, but, she didn't make anything like that time a chef (sorry, forgot who) made the best soup Padma had ever tasted in a blindfold challenge where he got sausage casings as his main ingredient.

 

I have taken several classes with Albert Adrià. And, he talked about both of the issues I see with Grayson: only serving good ingredients, casting aside the bad, and, doing whatever it takes to make the guest happy.

BTW, they are casting for next season right now.

 

[Jaymes]

1 hour ago, Lisa Shock said:

I guess this is one of those 'you had to be there' moments. Maybe the shrimp was just a little bit overdone. Maybe not everyone's portion was rubbery. Up until they told Grayson to go, I really thought Angelina was toast. That said, Grayson has seemed whiny during every challenge and she never admits personal responsibility, she was always blaming something/someone else. Maybe it's editing. But, I never got the sense, this season, that Grayson was trying to work in the spirit of the challenges. I am still struck by her comments in the last challenge about how she couldn't really make a vegan dish, like her 'style' was so great she would never have to accommodate a vegan guest. (I like to think of the challenges, sometimes, as requests a restaurant guest would make.) I was sick of her eye-rolling attitude, maybe the judges and staff were as well. She complained louder, longer, and harder than anyone there -that seemed to be the main difference between her and the newer chefs. She certainly wasn't cranking out stellar food. It's fine, and she won LCK, but, she didn't make anything like that time a chef (sorry, forgot who) made the best soup Padma had ever tasted in a blindfold challenge where he got sausage casings as his main ingredient.

 

 

And, speaking of Grayson and corn, and remembering Padma's admonition that, "if you put a spoon into your mouth don't put it into my food," did anyone else notice Grayson stirring that corn with a big wooden spoon that she put into her mouth several times and with which she then continued stirring?

 

Eeew.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Jaymes (log)

[Okanagancook]

Yes, I did see that spoon in the mouth...no excuse for that.  

Let us see if she can prove her own hype in LCK.

[huiray]

2 hours ago, Lisa Shock said:

BTW, they are casting for next season right now.

 

Hmm, that appears to be a call for Season 13. what we are watching right now.  (The dates of the sites for the casting calls are also all earlier in this year (2015))

[amnotaho]

Ok..I love love Top Chef..Top Chef Masters...all Top Chefs...however I just have to say this for this season ...is it me or are there an awful lot of whiny, bitchy, not my fault chefs on here this time..Usually there's one, but omg..and they seem to think they are better than they are...There's about 5-6 that need to go quickly, must have been a small picking pool..I liked Grayson the first time, no idea wth happened to her, maybe her head got too big and she couldn't keep up. But as long as they keep sheering them off one by one and thinning out the ones that really don't belong this season...Ill keep my top four in my sights....Merry Ho Ho to one alls family....may it be be safe and a flippin blast...cheers. (Pardon my

 typonese and grammar errors) 

[gfweb]

Entertaining interview with John Tesar in which he says TC follows critics and social media and changes shows weekly in response.  I have to assume it is editing that changes since the shows are already shot. He also says nasty stuff about people.  

http://www.playboy.com/articles/john-tesar-interview

[huiray]

1 hour ago, gfweb said:

Entertaining interview with John Tesar in which he says TC follows critics and social media and changes shows weekly in response.  I have to assume it is editing that changes since the shows are already shot. He also says nasty stuff about people.  

http://www.playboy.com/articles/john-tesar-interview

 

Nice interview. I like John Tesar. Always thought he got the shaft in a way on his season of TC and thought Colicchio & Co.'s condescension towards him and the sneering by young whipper-snapper chefs to be unjust.

 

"A lot of the artsy fartsy food is beautiful in pictures and some of it is beautiful in its presentation, but it’s soulless in the eating of it. Because it’s composition, it’s not cooking." (from the interview)

--- True, IMO.

[huiray]

TC California episode 5 – Big Fat Gay Wedding.

 

The QF was cringe inducing. Ick. Please, Teigen, just stop. (And Kwame, get a grip on yourself.) Jason finally got a win, glad about that.

 

The EC and SSM wedding part was nice. Good to see Art Smith again. He looks very happy with his husband and his cake didn't fall down this time. :-)

 

Kwame Onwuachi got a well-deserved win. But - HOW was it that Angelina Bastidas managed to slip through AGAIN? Oh, that's right, she was carried on Jason Stratton's sails. Most of the dishes looked good. I'd liked to have been there to sample stuff! Wesley True is a nice guy, really; I don't mind his messiness anymore, and the others mostly also seem to be taking *that* aspect of him in stride.

Man-Bun --- Sigh.

 

Bye, Giselle Wellman – it was about time, I guess.

 

Grayson Schmitz pulls off the win in LCK so she still is in the running.

 

Some recaps of the episode from elsewhere:

http://www.grubstreet.com/2016/01/top-chef-season-13-episode-5-recap.html 

http://www.ew.com/recap/top-chef-season-13-episode-5 

http://www.eater.com/2016/1/8/10735172/top-chef-season-13-episode-4-hot-dates 

 

Edited January 11, 2016 by huiray
Oops - it's episode 5, not 4. (log)