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"The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 2

Gustatorian

By Gustatorian
in Food Media & Arts

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ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted
... the "average" couch potato or Lowest Common Denominator (obviously their target market) to which I was referring.

Well! After a year of lurking, someone finally addresses me directly!

Bwah! :laugh:

Thanks for the great post and welcome :smile:

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
Posted

Buzz:

You are so NOT the LCD I was addressing that it doesn't even hit the same radar. The very fact that you've spent time in a professional kitchen cranking out 700 salads disqualifies you by definition. The fact that Kitchen Confidential spoke to you in a way that made an impression deep enough for you to self-define by it disqualifies you.

As the self-proclaimed "King Spud" I appreciate what you're saying. But you seriously underestimate yourself and your experience as it relates to the target I was aiming for with my earlier comments.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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marcus11

marcus11

Posted
Posted

I was really hoping this show would be more about the day to day operations of running a restaurant. Like when yiur kitchen crashes for an hour and you as th manager have to talk to all the tables to explain why the food has taken 45 minutes to arrive and when it does it is cold. Or when a server comes to you and says "I forgot to ring this tables food in for at least 20 minutes and its a well done steak. Could you go talk to this table". Now that would make for really good TV.

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jhlurie

jhlurie

Posted
Posted

Oh come on folks. Don't tell me that not even ONE of you reacted with enough disgust to complain about my lame badly thought-out comparison to "Alice's Restaurant" in the Daily Gullet Hot Topics this week? :biggrin: I spent all of five minutes thinking of it! FIVE MINUTES people. That's more time than Rocco spent in the kitchen for the whole run of this show!

Jon Lurie, aka "jhlurie"

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BuzzDraft

BuzzDraft

Posted
Posted
WELCOME...Cool commentary...but do you feel really like a lowest common denominator...???

Depends on the topic:

Engineer? I'm the BEST!

Foodie? Average now, but very keen to learn here every day.

Dancer? Spaz.

Snappy dresser? Errr, needs a lot of help from Carson. Stripes and plaids looks ok to me. Even on the same garment.

But as a TV VIEWER (the area in question)? Defintely LCD. Let me put it this way. I believe Curley Howard was the greatest actor of the 20th Century.

There's no malice in my post by accepting it. Don't mistake me for having an ego - especially in contrast to those scamps on The Restaurant. I'm just a schlub really. My secret is that I'm actually the greatest guy walking the planet. Telling myself I'm LCD keeps me humble... -ish.

Thanks for the warm welcome. I respect what all of you "bring to the table". 18 more posts and I get an avatar! WooHoo!

TomH...

BRILLIANT!!!

HOORAY BEER!

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TrishCT

TrishCT

Posted
Posted
But as a TV VIEWER (the area in question)? Defintely LCD. Let me put it this way. I believe Curley Howard was the greatest actor of the 20th Century.

Nope, if you were LCD you would have said Shemp....

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ingridsf

ingridsf

Posted
Posted
Oh come on folks.  Don't tell me that not even ONE of you reacted with enough disgust to complain about my lame badly thought-out comparison to "Alice's Restaurant" in the Daily Gullet Hot Topics this week? :biggrin:  I spent all of five minutes thinking of it!  FIVE MINUTES people.  That's more time than Rocco spent in the kitchen for the whole run of this show!

It's alright, Jon, we're all here. Please come in off the ledge and we'll talk about it.

I would LOVE to complain of your lame-itude but where's this thing in the Hot Topics???

PS I'm afraid we're out of time for today but let's pick this up again next time, 'kay?

My fantasy? Easy -- the Simpsons versus the Flanders on Hell's Kitchen.

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TrishCT

TrishCT

Posted
Posted
Oh come on folks. Don't tell me that not even ONE of you reacted with enough disgust to complain about my lame badly thought-out comparison to "Alice's Restaurant" in the Daily Gullet Hot Topics this week? :biggrin: I spent all of five minutes thinking of it! FIVE MINUTES people. That's more time than Rocco spent in the kitchen for the whole run of this show!

Very good Jon, very funny! :laugh:

(BTW, that's more than anyone said about my lyrics to Kitchen Confidential, The Musical...)

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pjs

pjs

Posted
Posted
Oh come on folks.  Don't tell me that not even ONE of you reacted with enough disgust to complain about my lame badly thought-out comparison to "Alice's Restaurant" in the Daily Gullet Hot Topics this week? :biggrin:  I spent all of five minutes thinking of it!  FIVE MINUTES people.  That's more time than Rocco spent in the kitchen for the whole run of this show!

Jon, I thought your "Alice's Restaurant" Hot Topic reference was most excellent.

A slightly less known ditty of Arlo's--"The Motorcycle Song"-- would of also been suitable for a rewrite:

"I don't want to cook the risi,

Just wanna ride on my Moto Guzzi."

PJ

"Epater les bourgeois."

--Lester Bangs via Bruce Sterling

(Dori Bangs)

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SKinCA

SKinCA

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

First time poster and my heart is in mouth...not bad, needs salt, but not bad.

(just trying to warm up the crowd with a little joke...very little).

I just returned from the IACP Conference in Baltimore and one of the seminars was: "How Does Your Brand Grow?"

Rocco was on the panel.

I quote from the Conference Agenda "Topics addressed will include the importance of defining your brand and what it stands for, formulating a "brand plan" and assembling the right team to realize it, and learning how to evaluate opportunities against a strategic timeline and your brand's core values."

Howwzat?!! :blink:

Is it just me or does Rocco seem to be completely unqualified to speak on this subject? Before the restaurant I had an impression of him as a good chef with a successful restaurant, pretty cute and personable when seen on FoodTV. I might even have leafed through the cookbook.

But after last season of The Restaurant? After all the negative commentary I've read here? If someone gave me his cookbook as a gift, I'd re-gift it!

Or does the fact the everyone knows who he is matter more than what they think about him? Or do the opinions expressed here reflect a radically different sensibility than the rest of the public?

Perhaps out there (meaning anywhere not in here) the prevailing opinion is that poor cute Rocco and his saintly Mama are the unwitting victims of the evil, hirsute limo-riding Chodorow? I haven't found anyone who isn't a foodie who watches the show and all foodies seem to share the same opinion. Has anyone had a different experience?

Well, I had to jump in somewhere. Be kind, all.

Stephanie Kay

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Barb48

Barb48

Posted
Posted (edited)
I missed the first season, but sofar the 2nd is entertaining, even if its not much about the reality of running a restaurant.

Well sure glad someone else likes Rocco! Yeah! It is first and foremost entertainment.....and about the food business to boot! It's fun, fun, fun till my daddy took my T-bird away!

We may have some qualms about Rocco's style, ie, even his ethics, but we are still learning about the resturant business, good or bad...

Edited by Barb48 (log)

Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to make the whole picture beautiful and unique."-Anon

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dccd

dccd

Posted
Posted
What I find frustrating is a show about a restaurant and the food has nothing to do with it. Seems like Momma is the only one doing any real cooking.

The double dip on the plate Eww! Has this guy ever heard of a HACCP plan. Yikes.

Two brief points...

1) Re: Momma only one cooking...you know, there ARE several poor schlubs back there actually sweating over the ovens set to 550 degrees, in front of the grill set to HELL, and under the broilers set to EYEBROW-BEGONE...These are the guys and girls that nobody ever remembers ... (who incidentally, probably have the most heart in that place)

2) HACCP? - Let me guess, culinary student right? or you work for some major hotel or something with a huge budget? Double dip, eww? - you are RIGHT - uncool Roc ... but HACCP as a reference? Why don't you suggest the CDC's beard, hat-less "MAMA" and no one having worn gloves for RTE foods as CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS, too. Pleease ...

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Barb48

Barb48

Posted
Posted (edited)
It's fun, fun, fun till my daddy took my T-bird away!

Or...

Fun, fun, fun, till Rocco takes the Vespa away....

YOU GO GIRL.........................lol (Just love it!)

Edited by Barb48 (log)

Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to make the whole picture beautiful and unique."-Anon

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zilla369

zilla369

Posted
Posted

Maybe i'm mistaken, but looking at the tv listings for both tonight and next Monday, i don't see "The Restaurant" in its usual time slot, 10 PM EST. I see that Bravo is replaying this season's first two episodes, but even though NBC's website says "Mondays at 10!", i can't find it on NBC by searching upcoming TV guide listings. If the reason for this has been posted elsewhere, please forgive. Or perhaps it's only blacked out in my local tv market?

Hmmm...

Marsha Lynch aka "zilla369"

Has anyone ever actually seen a bandit making out?

Uh-huh: just as I thought. Stereotyping.

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Lady T

Lady T

Posted
Posted

:cool:

Noooo...you ain't alone. Here in Chicago we're getting the last hour or so of "10.5" before the evening news. Sweeps month, after all: all logic is hereby cancelled, to the extent there was any to be found on network TV in the first place.

:rolleyes:

Me, I vote for the joyride every time.

-- 2/19/2004

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ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted
It's not on this week- check in next week on Monday.  I don't know why.

Lady T is correct. NBC is showing (the 2nd?) part of 10.5 tonight in Rocco's slot...and no, that isn't the total number of hours he's actually spent in the kitchen at Rocco's 22 :raz:

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

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Mabelline

Mabelline

Posted
Posted

SKinLA--Welcome and you are raising a valid point about criticism...but he makes it so easy it's like being at a controlled hunt with an Uzi. I mean, come on, take a bathe, clean up your 'act' with female customers, use some integrity...oh well...

In the meantime, I have to watch tonight to see if California's still there tomorrow :smile:

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Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

Posted
Posted
It's not on this week- check in next week on Monday.  I don't know why.

Lady T is correct. NBC is showing (the 2nd?) part of 10.5 tonight in Rocco's slot...and no, that isn't the total number of hours he's actually spent in the kitchen at Rocco's 22 :raz:

=R=

FWIW, even though 10.5 is an unbeleivably stupid miniseries, I generally find it to be an entertaining distraction, and am looking forward to when they set the nuclear bombs off. If they could somehow get Rocco and Jeffrey into the action, it might have been the Biggest Television Event of all time.

Here's my pitch -- instead of the characters played by Luke Duke and that cute little blonde, we replace Rocco (as the cute blonde) and Jeffrey (as the dad) and send them on a road trip. I think the sinking into the sandy abyss scene would have been especially touching.

Or, we replace the female seismologist character with Rocco, who is constantly whining that nobody accepts his theories about the superfaultline, and Jeffrey is that Remo Williams dude reporting to the President.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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herbacidal

herbacidal

Posted
Posted

Yea, gotta admit I was strangely engrossed with it.

Did notice 2 things that perturbed me:

That sacrificing yourself thing got old as soon as Bruce Willis did it in Armageddon, so it was annoying when FEMA head guy did it.

The playing of music during the action sequence

(when during the last earthquake the doctor, who I think was on Jack and Jill for its brief run, ran through everybody to save the little girl)

has been used a lot more lately, hasn't it?

I first remember it in Face Off, but I'm sure I've seen it lately in a bunch of different stuff.

Just to keep on topic, I'm actually watching the show more than last season.

I think I liked it better when I was just reading the thread here.

Herb aka "herbacidal"

Tom is not my friend.

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Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

Posted
Posted
Yea, gotta admit I was strangely engrossed with it.

Did notice 2 things that perturbed me:

That sacrificing yourself thing got old as soon as Bruce Willis did it in Armageddon, so it was annoying when FEMA head guy did it.

Oh my God. Right before the FEMA dude (who apparently as part of his on the job training also knows how to arm nuclear weapons) went down into the hole, I told Rachel "Not only is he going to sacrifice his life, but he's gonna get caught underneath the bomb and set it off at the very last second"

Rachel: "No, it can't be that stupid and cliche'"

Me: "Oh, yes, yes it will be!"

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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Mabelline

Mabelline

Posted
Posted

Also, female seismologist's name was Hill--Sam. Hill...egads

I also thought it rather peculiar about a FEMA official knowing that procedure, when they usually can't figure out what is or isn't a natural disaster when it comes time to ante up FEMA claims.

Rocco would've stood back and let someone else go in the hole with the bomb while he was picking up gals to party with in Barstow!!

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