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Posted

An early review of the show, generally positive:

  Quote

As a reality cooking competition, Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown is perfectly adequate, but as a cultural statement, it’s unmissable. The show’s second season once again uses smoked brisket and pulled pork as the backdrop to a good-natured but significant rebuke to classism, ageism, and regionalism. It presents the barbecue pit as the great equalizer where everyone can belong.

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Read the rest of the review here:  Barbecue Showdown Serves Up Cooking Competition Staples in Its Second Season

 

 

Posted

I binge-watched all 8 episodes yesterday and pretty much agree with the review that I linked to above. The "make a cooker from junkyard finds" episode was unfortunate and while I get that mastering fire is key, I suspect we could have seen better cooking without all of that time spent on that and some of the "trench" episodes.  I found the contestants to be aninteresting mix in terms of experience and generally quite likable and the judging seemed fair, based on the edited clips we see in the show.  Melissa was kinda whiney about getting a hot bite in the chili episode and seemed to think Logan was too chef-y, "Ramen is NOT barbecue!" but also offered positive feedback to contestants who were struggling, which was nice to see.

Overall, I found it quite watchable. Even more than most cooking competitions, I really wanted to taste what they made.  I may have to re-watch and pull some of my ZEF-tovers out of the freezer to munch on!

I'll be curious if anyone else decides to watch and what you think.  

@Kim Shook, if you and BBQ-judge Mr. Kim have Netflix, I'd especially love to hear your take. 

  • Like 3
Posted

I watched the first episode yesterday (after having my „BBQ“ ), and found it entertaining. It focused on introducing the characters and I agree: they are all quite likeable. Of course I picked my favorites, and look forward to see how they‘ll do. 
I was a bit surprised how the older lady presented her German heritage, especially since the place she cited in the backwaters of the Palatinate forest is not far from here and I wonder where those traditions come from.

I do like the „cheffy“ guy, and also enjoy watching these „BBQ is in my DNA“ type of guys. I dislike the girl from NY, she pushes some buttons for me, but I guess that’s per design of the producers.

All in all entertaining, and I am looking forward to the „forced“ challenges …

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Posted (edited)
  On 5/28/2023 at 11:05 AM, weinoo said:

 

HEY!! Watch it!

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Don't be offended.  She's from Lawn-Guyland, not NYC! 

 

A quote from Michelle:

  Quote

Everything has to have a sawce....I tawk the way that I tawk.....it's sawce!

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Edited by blue_dolphin
to add quote (log)
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Posted (edited)
  On 5/28/2023 at 8:15 PM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

How else would one pronounce sauce than sauce?

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I tend to say “soss”  rhymes with cross

I have heard others pronounce it more like “source” rhymes with horse

 

The BBQ showdown contestant from Long Island pronounced it similar to this:

 

 

Edited by blue_dolphin (log)
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Posted
  On 5/27/2023 at 4:57 PM, blue_dolphin said:

I binge-watched all 8 episodes yesterday and pretty much agree with the review that I linked to above. The "make a cooker from junkyard finds" episode was unfortunate and while I get that mastering fire is key, I suspect we could have seen better cooking without all of that time spent on that and some of the "trench" episodes.  I found the contestants to be aninteresting mix in terms of experience and generally quite likable and the judging seemed fair, based on the edited clips we see in the show.  Melissa was kinda whiney about getting a hot bite in the chili episode and seemed to think Logan was too chef-y, "Ramen is NOT barbecue!" but also offered positive feedback to contestants who were struggling, which was nice to see.

Overall, I found it quite watchable. Even more than most cooking competitions, I really wanted to taste what they made.  I may have to re-watch and pull some of my ZEF-tovers out of the freezer to munch on!

I'll be curious if anyone else decides to watch and what you think.  

@Kim Shook, if you and BBQ-judge Mr. Kim have Netflix, I'd especially love to hear your take. 

Expand  

Mr. Kim says that he binge-watched the first season a couple of years ago and didn't realize that there were more seasons.  He really liked it a lot more than so many other cooking competition shows - particularly Pitmasters (with the ever irritating Myron Mixon).  He found Showdown more "real" and the judges and contestants more engaging and, like you, would really have loved to taste the food.  He said "thank you" for mentioning the second season since he didn't know it existed and will now watch.  

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Posted

I have to say the bromance between Tyron (Big T) and Logan (the chef-y guy) is pretty sweet.  

Also sweet that Tyron made a dessert in each challenge. 

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Posted

Just finished the second episode: she had it coming. Really.

 

I like that Logan guy. The tsukemen looked out of this world. I envy @blue_dolphin to be able to get stuff similar to this. Here, if you find people that have heard of ramen, you‘ll consider yourself lucky.

 

The lady from a city I will not mention out of respect to @weinoo is annoying me. Fake.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
  On 5/30/2023 at 12:26 AM, weinoo said:

 

That lady is annoying me too, and I haven't even watched it yet!

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She really butters my bacon - just finished episode 5 and I really, really get annoyed by her. She’s always playing the emotional card … aaaargh !

 

On the other side, both Logan and Thyron I’d invite over for a beer in an instant. Lovely guys …

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Posted
  On 6/8/2023 at 4:10 PM, Duvel said:


She really butters my bacon - just finished episode 5 and I really, really get annoyed by her. She’s always playing the emotional card … aaaargh !

 

On the other side, both Logan and Thyron I’d invite over for a beer in an instant. Lovely guys …

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Thyron seems like a gem and Logan is really a hoot.  I picked up some BBQ from them this past weekend and there were a lot of folks there for the first time, attracted by the Netflix show.  They wanted pictures with Logan and he was really gracious about it.  I think he generally enjoys people so it's not a stretch, but when you're busy in the kitchen, it's not always easy either.

  • Thanks 1
Posted
  On 6/8/2023 at 4:10 PM, Duvel said:


She really butters my bacon - just finished episode 5 and I really, really get annoyed by her. She’s always playing the emotional card … aaaargh !

 

On the other side, both Logan and Thyron I’d invite over for a beer in an instant. Lovely guys …

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She's like 50% of the women I grew up with!

  • Haha 1

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

Posted

Nice show. I watched 3 episodes so far and hoping to see and learn new techniques. 

 

It doesn't seem as well funded as Chef's  Table - like set design and resources being poured into make it and seem like a low budget show

 

But that's cool that Bludso is on here and he won the James Beard award for best book in restaurant 

 

 

  • Like 1
Posted
  On 6/10/2023 at 2:25 AM, Kim Shook said:

@blue_dolphin - Mr. Kim watched the whole second season and found it enjoyable, if a bit contrived.  He says based on the appearance of the whole hogs in the finale, he's convinced they picked the wrong winner.  

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Thanks for passing along Mr. Kim's professional assessment! I liked that the contestants helped each other out a didn’t seem out to trip each other up. I agree it was way more contrived than it had to be. They were all interesting to listen to and I would have been happy to watch straight up cooking without the file cabinets and clothes dryers!  

  • Like 2
Posted
  On 6/10/2023 at 2:25 AM, Kim Shook said:

@blue_dolphin - Mr. Kim watched the whole second season and found it enjoyable, if a bit contrived.  He says based on the appearance of the whole hogs in the finale, he's convinced they picked the wrong winner.  

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Agreed.

 

  On 6/8/2023 at 4:19 PM, blue_dolphin said:

I picked up some BBQ from them this past weekend and there were a lot of folks there for the first time

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Where was this, @blue_dolphin?

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

Posted

Apparently Netflix is opening a limited-time popup with chefs from some of its cooking shows. That's...interesting.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/13/netflix-is-opening-its-first-restaurant.html

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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