COOKING UNDER FIRE from PBS: April 27 premiere

[FabulousFoodBabe]

For someone who really and truly wanted to work for Todd English, wouldn't it have been easier, cheaper, less time-consuming and (in some cases) less publicly humiliating, to just go to one of his restaurants, beg for a stage, and then see if you got a job -- or wanted it?

[RyuShihan]

I did it for the competition, there is something exciting about competing I love.

For it me goes back to my karate competition days and wresting. once the bug bites, you never let go.

[Michael Ruhlman]

katie won because her food was the best and because she was judged to have the most definitive leadership skills for Todd's kitchen. Autumn's food, Sara's food, and Katie's food was all good, they were all cooking at pretty much the same level.

I'm told that, yesterday, Katie was officially introduced at Olives, where she was made a sous chef.

[BryanZ]

That she was given a sous chef position is perhaps a better "prize" than simply getting put on the line, as I had previously thought. The show initially made it seem that she would be given some type of chef's position. Therefore, I was kind of bummed when the last episode made it seem like she would just be working the line. Thanks to Michael, this has been cleared up.

[BuzzDraft]

katie won because her food was the best and because she was judged to have the most definitive leadership skills for Todd's kitchen. Autumn's food, Sara's food, and Katie's food was all good, they were all cooking at pretty much the same level.

I'm told that, yesterday, Katie was officially introduced at Olives, where she was made a sous chef.

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I don't doubt her food was the best. It just seems that the other competitors' dishes might have been the best if they were granted the advantage of having an extra half hour more than all the others to prepare the food, or of ignoring using the local ingredients presented which was supposedly part of the Miami test, or only having to produce two dishes when everyone else was preparing three.

The others seemed to put themselves at a disadvantage by constraining themselves to following the rules and guidelines. Either there's a two hour deadline or a three dish minimum for everyone, or there's not. I have no doubt the response I would get from a professor when I was in engineering school if I turned in an exam 30 minutes past the deadline... I would be given a big fat ZERO (eliminating me from that competition) no matter if my answers were the best!

It may not have altered the outcome, but having seen the footage selected for broadcast, making exceptions to the rules certainly seems like the outcome was wired - which is English's right as the ultimate employer. I have no interest in who actually won - doesn't impact me in any manner since I'll never get to eat at Olive's

... but if this was a real competition, the extra indulgences provided Katie went against my sense of fair play.

Just my onion.

Edited to show the complete Ruhlman quote and correct for spelling and clarity.

Edited July 15, 2005 by BuzzDraft (log)

[JayBassin]

Michael Ruhlman's earlier message said she had, "...the most definitive leadership skills for Todd's kitchen." Of course he must be right (it's his kitchen, after all); as Michael pointed out several times earlier in the thread, the 1/2 hour viewers got to see could not portray everything that happened during the episodes. However, I think I'm perhaps too old to work in a kitchen where the sous is bouncing off the walls and doesn't listen.

[BuzzDraft]

Michael Ruhlman's earlier message said she had, "...the most definitive leadership skills for Todd's kitchen." Of course he must be right (it's his kitchen, after all); as Michael pointed out several times earlier in the thread, the 1/2 hour viewers got to see could not portray everything that happened during the episodes. However, I think I'm perhaps too old to work in a kitchen where the sous is bouncing off the walls and doesn't listen.

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Well, since the job is sous chef, the outcome makes a lot more sense. She certainly wasn't afraid to take charge of other cooks in the kitchen, and her slowness won't be an issue like it would be on the line. However, leadership requires respect from the led... has she displayed to them the chops to merit the appointment over them? Is she organized enough to orchestrate the timing of the tickets and plates?

I hope she does well - hell of an opportunity.

[Timh]

In my experiences, its awkward to bring in an "outsider" as sous, as opposed to promoting from within. The learning curve is steep, and someone is sure to feel slighted. And the fact that they were on a tv show is extra burden to bare.

[Michael Ruhlman]

she's gonna get her ass kicked for the first two months, but she's tough and smart and she'll figure it all out eventually.

the chef de cuisine there is really solid, so I have no doubt she'll ultimately thrive.

[Keith Talent]

Echoing Buzzdraft here. I felt somewhat cheated at the end that I had invested as much time watching a supposed competition that was as rigged as wressling. In retrospect it was obvious who the annoited one was, why bother with the "competition". Pretty much all the advice given by the judges was ignored by Katie, followed by everyone else, yet her personality seemed to win her the job. Bit of a scam, I'd say.

[Mnehrling]

Echoing Buzzdraft here. I felt somewhat cheated at the end that I had invested as much time watching a supposed competition that was as rigged as wressling. In retrospect it was obvious who the annoited one was, why bother with the "competition". Pretty much all the advice given by the judges was ignored by Katie, followed by everyone else, yet her personality seemed to win her the job. Bit of a scam, I'd say.

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I hate to disagree, but... just like any job interview, personality plays a lot in the selection process. A manager not only has to account for your technical competencies but also your fit in the team you are being hired.

I don’t feel ripped in the least.. I trust what Michael has said regarding she did cook the best food and had the best leadership skills. He was, after all, right there. I would take his word any day over how the perceptions caused by a video editor.

How do we know all the others didn't also have problems with time or following directions but the editors chose not to show that?

[Keith Talent]

Absolutely I agree Mnehrling, it was a good show if you understood that you essentially were watching a long form job interview, only it was sold as a competition, which it clearly wasn't.

[Michael Ruhlman]

if she couldn't cook for shit, she would have been among the first to go. her food was always really tasty, even the liquidy terrine was really flavorful.

but when we got down to equally talented cooks, personality became a major factor.

the show was not rigged, and I wouldn't have participated in it had it been.

I am, after all, a pillar.

Edited July 15, 2005 by Michael Ruhlman (log)

[BigboyDan]

Michael,

Rigged? No.

But as you know, all we viewers had was what we saw. Katie is a New Yorker, the job was in New York... her personality wouldn't get her in the back door of most places outside of the Northeast.

By the way, you're taller than I thought.

[BuzzDraft]

Michael,

Rigged? No.

But as you know, all we viewers had was what we saw. Katie is a New Yorker, the job was in New York... her personality wouldn't get her in the back door of most places outside of the Northeast.

By the way, you're taller than I thought.

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Back when PBS interrupted the series for all their pledge break activities... I laughed when it ocurred to me they might be cutting Katie extra slack over the others since she already lives in NY, and PBS wouldn't have to pay any moving expenses from the west coast!

I don't believe there were any bad intentions, but it would be human nature for English to lock in on the personality type he was looking for early in the process and rationalize eliminating the other candidate every time she got called on the carpet for the 86 pan runoff (which was more than any others, BTW), so she could live to hopefully redeem herself and survive to the end.

"Cooking Under Fire" was the wrong title for this show since cooking wasn't the deciding factor... it was more "Personality Under Fire" because her cooking wasn't getting done following the rules laid down by the judges all the time. But there was the transplanted NY attitude English wanted.

I DID enjoy the series, and I'll no doubt replay my dvds (for personal use only, any rebroadcast or retransmission without the express written consent of the NFL is prohibited) again.

Edited July 16, 2005 by BuzzDraft (log)

[Michael Ruhlman]

One of the producers of the show, John Reiber, whom I respect and admire, the guy who did most of the work in creating, organizing, filming and editing the show, has occasionally checked in here to read comments. He really cares about this show and it's driving him crazy that people think the show was rigged or that Katie was the predetemined winner.

"I really don't like the suggestion she was favored at all," he wrote to me, "because she wasn't. Nobody ever was. They were admired for what they achieved during the course of the competition.

"Katie was on the firing line in both episodes 7 and 9. She changed her style by becoming more communicative, by adding local flavors, by focusing on great taste and beautiful presentation. It was a very close contest, but to disparage her because she perservered is unfair to her and to the show.

"And to suggest any unfairness on the part of the show toward any finalist is also completely unfair and totally against what we tried to do: celebrate the art of cooking great food in a tough environment: a professional kitchen. Celebrate the accomplishments of all 12 finalists, and wish the ultimate winner the best: that's what her fellow finalists did."

[BuzzDraft]

Michael

As for my perception, please don't take offense. My apologies if you did. My perceptions were driven by what was broadcast, not what was left on the cutting room floor. Each episode was pretty short - so we witnessed only a small fraction of what you saw during filming, and only what the director chose to show. Maybe longer episodes with more footage in the kitchen or final deliberations amongst the judges could help next time (ammo for a full hour)? I tried to write my onion respectfully and non-confrontational and I wasn't trying to stir up trouble... the perception was Katie was indulged for not following the guidelines set for the competition, and that the qualities English was looking for could become apparent in candidates after only a couple episodes and merit more observation time for her. Probability and statistics is one of my specialties, so I know my perceptions are insignificant here; I'm only participating in an interesting discussion about the show as an amateur.

FWIW, tell Mr. Reiber I enjoyed the series, and continue to, as I re-watch it. Although I don't know you personally, from what I've read and seen of you and Tsai (I had no exposure to English before this show) I respect and enjoy your work and look forward to seeing and reading more.

And I do hope Katie weathers the most difficult first couple months as the new person on a staff. Gotta be tough, but she certainly displayed toughness in the footage that was broadcast. I also hope the exposure gave others' careers a boost, too. It seems like it will.

Take care.

Edited July 16, 2005 by BuzzDraft (log)

[chefzadi]

What about the description "decomposed lasagna"? she probably wanted to kick herself for using

that term instead of "deconstructed."

I thought it was mean at the end when they held up the pan and made both agonize over the

final outcome, it seemed to last an enternity.

Congratulations to Katie - nice swig on the champagne bottle! You deserved it! A hui hou.......

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Sort of like beauty pageants, I can't watch, the last minute suspense just kills me!

[Sara Lawson]

For "oneidaone"

I CANNOT BELIEVE I SAID DECOMPOSED! And what kills me is that I didn't even notice when I watched the finale. I read what you said and had to go back and watch the show to see it with my own eyes. I feel like such an idiot... At least Ming knew what I meant. I don't think the judges even noticed when it happened. Talk about embarrassing!!!

Thanks for pointing it out!

Sara Lawson

[therese]

For "oneidaone"

I CANNOT BELIEVE I SAID DECOMPOSED! And what kills me is that I didn't even notice when I watched the finale. I read what you said and had to go back and watch the show to see it with my own eyes. I feel like such an idiot... At least Ming knew what I meant. I don't think the judges even noticed when it happened. Talk about embarrassing!!!

Thanks for pointing it out!

Sara Lawson

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I've actually seen it written on a menu, so don't beat yourself up too much. Very cool watching the show---much thanks for participating.

[Mnehrling]

Welcome to eG Sara. Congrats on being in the finals. I hope this helped your career. As you can tell by the comments here, you had a lot of fans.

As for 'decomposed'.. don't worry about it.. My wife is a professional classical singer and uses that term to describe modern art-styled music. She laughed when she heard that because she didn't think of decomposed in the 'rotting' style but in the musical composition style.. As the joke goes.. old musicians don't die, they just decompose.

Edited July 16, 2005 by Mnehrling (log)

[Rebel Rose]

Welcome to eGullet, Sara! Don't worry about the slip. We have entire threads here on blunders by the best. Just my onion.

[Louisa Chu]

perhaps afterwards i can be persuaded to reveal the identity of culinarycathexis...

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cathexis (ca·thex·is) (k[schwa]-thek'sis) [Gr. kathexis] in psychiatry, conscious or unconscious investment of psychic energy in a person, idea, or any other object.

Michael, what can be done to persuade you?

[oregano]

the perception was Katie was indulged for not following the guidelines set for the competition,

For what it's worth, I had the same exact perception.

[Shelley G.]

I enjoyed this show immensely, though I thought it was too short. I shall make an invidious comparison here by saying that unlike HK, which seems pretty orchestrated and absurd, I learned things from this one. I thought that the show had integrity, and the judges were mostly thoughtful and balanced when delivering their respective critiques. Sara was my hands down favourite, but I admired Katie for her attitude when she goofed. No self-justification or excuses, just an impressively steely resolve to do better. I wish her lots of success in her new gig. Having said that, despite Sara's failure to scrub the truffle, I thought that being almost half an hour late was pretty bad on Katie's part. In fact, it would be inexcusable during service. Whether or not she's a sous now, where slowness is less important, I still think it was a big problem. She was constantly tardy throughout the series. It's my fond hope, that should they do this show again, they'll show more of the cooking.

Edited July 16, 2005 by Shelley G. (log)