Top Chef

[Gruzia]

i think that stephen was drunk, or at the very least, buzzing, toward the end of the show! that was actually quite amuzing and made him seem a lot less of a pompous ass. also, you've got to give him credit for the apology...i think watching himself may have shown him how ridiculous he can be.

the dave and tiffani thing...i actually liked dave before this episode, but he seemed so intent on getting on tiffani every chance he got, that now my opinion of him has changed. yeah, she's a self-proclaimed bitch, but she does have a point - she's there to cook and be competitive, not to please everyone. admitedly, her style of competition is abrasive and not one that people like, but i don't think she deserves nearly as much hostility as she is getting. it seems to be hard for her to find the middle ground between letting her guard down and being herself and being a professional completely focused on winning something that is clearly really important to her.

also, the whole dave crying-i-really-love-this-competition-and-cooking-and-you shtick is getting to me.

[KatieLoeb]

I hope this is slightly on-topic:  Does anyone else out there find it odd that a 24year old is a "sommelier?"

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It's why he thinks he walks on water, in his own humble opinion. He's oh so impressed with himself for having accomplished so much in such a short time.

He's been a professional student for the better part of his life. Lots of academic cred and no ability to deal with people in a real life situation. Social quadruplegic.

[Tess]

the dave and tiffani thing...i actually liked dave before this episode, but he seemed so intent on getting on tiffani every chance he got, that now my opinion of him has changed.  yeah, she's a self-proclaimed bitch, but she does have a point - she's there to cook and be competitive, not to please everyone. admitedly, her style of competition is abrasive and not one that people like, but i don't think she deserves nearly as much hostility as she is getting.  it seems to be hard for her to find the middle ground between letting her guard down and being herself and being a professional completely focused on winning something that is clearly really important to her. 

also, the whole dave crying-i-really-love-this-competition-and-cooking-and-you shtick is getting to me.

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Agreed. I was not impressed with how Dave acted on that episode at all. Espcially from someone who made to the finals and hardly has a grievance here compared to some other people. Frankly, I can't help thinking they both would have been treated differently had the genders been reversed. I don't think Tiffani's behavior would have been considered that out of the way in a guy. In fact, I still like her. (She acted very dumb when she recommended Miguel get the boot and then lied about it, though.)

Stephen did a pretty good job with his apology, I thought. It necessarily came across as contrived but he knew he should do it and he sucked it up pretty well.

What is wrong with Ken?

[cocoagirl]

I hope this is slightly on-topic:  Does anyone else out there find it odd that a 24year old is a "sommelier?"

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It's why he thinks he walks on water, in his own humble opinion. He's oh so impressed with himself for having accomplished so much in such a short time.

He's been a professional student for the better part of his life. Lots of academic cred and no ability to deal with people in a real life situation. Social quadruplegic.

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lost of people have been students a good part of their life at 24. And school can be insulating. Was everbody fully evolved at 24? And he has accomplished at lot at 24- and fully thanked all his mentors last night.

[PopsicleToze]

Candice didn't appologize for calling him a douchebag or whatever she called him.

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She called him "a tool and a douche-bag." I would have called him a SOB. But Jason Perlow's statement that he would like to (and I'm going from memory), but something like --" kick him in the privates then put him in a wood chipper" really made an impression on me. Now, Jason, what's your real opinion of him? ROFL

And you're right about Harold.

Rhonda

[Jenny McClure]

As an Irish person watching the show all I could do was cringe every time Ken opened his mouth. Mind you, most of the show made me cringe. I also noticed that everyone (Ken in particular) seemd to have spent some serious time in tanning salons since the show. Either that or very bad lighting. I definetely think they ply them with drink beforehand. They know they'll loosen a few tongues that way and get some reactions, ever seen an episode of "The Real World"?

[JohnRov]

I imagine that shoot went on for a couple of hours, you could tell Lee Anne was more than slightly tipsy. I was surprised when Stephan apologized. I assumed it was a calculated PR move but surprised nonetheless. I missed the first episode but yeah, Ken appeared to be a jerk. Then Stephan's true colors came back when he yelled at Ken and called him "white trash". Oh, to be so priviledged as Stephen with his Ivy League education and nice suits and NO CLUE HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN THE REAL WORLD!

It's a decent show for what it is but it's still a reality show.

[mmm_chocolate]

Hi I'm new to egullet! I LOVE Top Chef and was so excited to see a thread about the show.

I have to agree with the many who feel that Lee Ann deserved a spot in the top three. I've worked extensively in the food industry and feel like there are more than enough Top Chefs With Attitude to go around. Both Lee Ann and Dave are great examples of the fact that you don't have to be arrogant and patronizing to be a well-respected and excellent chef.

I agree with JohnRov's comments that "it's still a reality show." Part of me thinks that the producers kept Tiffani in the final three because the animosity/tension between her, Harold and Dave would make for better television during sweeps. That's really unfortunate, because I felt like Lee Ann could go all the way to win.

-Michelle

[Toliver]

I agree with JohnRov's comments that "it's still a reality show."  Part of me thinks that the producers kept Tiffani in the final three because the animosity/tension between her, Harold and Dave would make for better television during sweeps.  That's really unfortunate, because I felt like Lee Ann could go all the way to win.

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Welcome, Michelle!

Your point about the producers keeping the grating Tiffani to help "stir up" things (no pun intended) makes complete sense. This also came up in the eGullet discussion about the PBS series "Texas Ranch House". The producers edited the episodes with an obvious slant towards showing conflict between the ranch members. It's as if they think the drama that arises out of the Man vs. Nature conflict wouldn't be enough to keep viewers interested.

"Iron Chef (Japan)" keeps the viewers' interest and there's no crying or name calling involved. But I guess if "Top Chef" left out all that crap, then they'd lose the non-foodies in the audience.

[dvs]

for whoever wanted that "i'm not your bitch, bitch" t-shirt:

http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.ph...729bbceaa82f50e

[jm chen]

I'm pretty sure that bottle that Stephen was holding was empty by the end of the show. And I'm glad, because otherwise he might not have made that apology to Candice, which is one of the few moments in which I've really respected Stephen.

Harold is... not available. Well, damn.

Lee Anne looked gorgeous. I don't know if it was different makeup or what, but she was HOT. Lisa, I didn't like her new hair. I agree with others who've said Dave did not come off well last night.

Andrea always annoyed me because of her obsession with... waste management, but I have to admit her joke about getting eliminated twice because she was "always so focused on elimination" was downright hilarious.

[jm chen]

Oh, and I thought Katie Lee Joel was surprisingly lifelike!

[Holly Moore]

My guess is that someone with press / PR savvy got ahold of Stephen and that his wardrobe and demeanor for the reunion was nothing more than image rehab. Like a PR photograph of VP Cheney hugging a warm, cuddly puppy.

A glimpse back to the real Stephen came when, at full snit, he called Ken "white trash."

[Toasted]

I think everyone but Andrea was drunk off their asses! Did that Ken guy actually throw a water bottle? What a debacle.

[KatieLoeb]

My guess is that someone with press / PR savvy got ahold of Stephen and that his wardrobe and demeanor for the reunion was nothing more than image rehab.  Like a PR photograph of VP Cheney hugging a warm, cuddly puppy.

A glimpse back to the real Stephen came when, at full snit, he called Ken "white trash."

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This seems entirely feasible. I can just picture someone holding him by his perfectly pressed lapels and shaking him while screaming in his face, "Loosen up, dammit!"

[BryanZ]

Oh but Stephen is so lovable. He stood up for Andrea when he said, "I would rather eat sand than shit." To be perfectly franks Ken was being a total ass throughout the show and Stephen had every right to call him whatever he wanted.

In general, the episode was not all that entertaining, however.

[KatieLoeb]

To be perfectly franks Ken was being a total ass throughout the show and Stephen had every right to call him whatever he wanted.

Calling him "white trash" might not have been the politically correct thing to call Ken, but if the garbage bag fits...

I think of Ken as a piker in the original sense of the word. He really is just a foul mouthed classless pig who leads with his mouth and his fists because he's completely socially inept, but in a different way than Stephen. I have to give Ken credit for standing up for the fingers in the sauce, because every chef I know does that, but otherwise he's just an asshole that undoubtedly took a spot away from a more deserving candidate. At least on Project Runway Santino had some talent and was able to interact with people for more than 5 seconds at a stretch.

Your point about the producers keeping the grating Tiffani to help "stir up" things (no pun intended) makes complete sense

To continue the Project Runway analogy, Tiffani was kept on for the same reason Wendy Pepper made it to the finals. Those two ought to meet each other. There's a SSSSSSSSSnake fight waiting to happen!

[Holly Moore]

Oh but Stephen is so lovable.  He stood up for Andrea when he said, "I would rather eat sand than shit."  To be perfectly franks Ken was being a total ass throughout the show and Stephen had every right to call him whatever he wanted.

In general, the episode was not all that entertaining, however.

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It wasn't that Stephen insulted Ken. No big deal. But out of all the great insults he chose the class insult "white trash," belying his humility charade.

Agree the episode sucked, but the reunion, before or after a winner is announced, is a reality cliche that no production company could ever pass up.

Edited May 12, 2006 by Holly Moore (log)

[Anonymouze]

It is what it is...

[ingridsf]

Turns out the reunion was a fun-fest that went on for TEN HOURS. They're lucky anyone was still conscious by the end.

Loved that not a soul went to hold Tiffani's hair while she yarked. But I maintain that Dave, much as I want to be in his corner, is in fact Tiffani's bitch.

Harold's going to win. He's already won...my heart. Sniff.

Lee Anne, like her beloved pork, rules.

[Grub]

It wasn't that Stephen insulted Ken.  No big deal.  But out of all the great insults he chose the class insult "white trash," belying his humility charade.

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Absolutely dead-on. They say into every life, a little rain must fall. Some get a lot and others just a little and Stephen falls into the latter category. Success can ruin a person's character just as easy as hardship -- methinks Stephen is in the unfortunate situation of being in desperate need of a few years in a pound-me-in-the-ass prison, in order to evolve into a reasonably agreeable human being.

[brooklyncook]

It took me a day longer to chime in on this one, since I ended up taping it and watching the reunion episode last night.

Observations/thoughts:

- I found it funny that Stephen and Lee Ann plowed through two bottles of wine. You can see he's got roughly half a bottle left in the first 15 minutes, and then shortly after Stephen's handing another bottle (full) to Lee Ann, who is about to chug it before they cut to someone answering a question. This, I think, partially explains his apology to Candace (which was a tad slurred, I thought, but nice) and his going after Ken.

- Ken was something of a dick, but at the same time, I found it hysterical that he called out Tiffani on not wanting Dave in the final three. "Bullsh*t!" It WAS awesome.

- Brian's eyebrows/eye makeup. Okay then.

- The whole Tiffani/Dave relationship...almost seems more like Tiffani plays the role of a demanding older sister than just someone beating on Dave verbally. That's how it struck me last night, anyways.

- Ken yelling at the three judges. Not for nothing, because Colicchio's a nice guy from all that I've heard over time, but that was relatively amusing. Ken caught them completely off guard, which made it all the more comical. Was he right? Eh, somewhat. Tom did validate Ken's statement by saying that he'd let "neither (plate go out to the floor)" when discussing sand on the plate versus something being overcooked. But whatever.

- Katie Lee...I don't think she's used to seeing tempers flare like that.

- Gail. I still have this fondness for Gail. Out of my league. Does anyone know what she does for Food & Wine? I thought she was an editor or something, but I saw no mention of her in the May 2005 issue -- does she write for the mag?

- Andrea, again with the "elimination" jokes. Enough already.

- Candice didn't say much. Honestly, I saw Mission Impossible 3 earlier this week, and Maggie Q (who played one of Cruise's cohorts) reminded me of Candice a great deal. If cooking doesn't work out for her (or even if it does), that girl ought to consider some sort of acting/public speaking thing, because she's attractive AND she can hold her own. 36+ minutes in an argument with Stephen? I was impressed.

Overall, the show didn't really shine light on anything I didn't know already (save for how long the Stephen/Candice argument actually was), but for sheer entertainment alone, fantastic.

It was what it was.

[TrishCT]

Amazing thing, alcohol.

The reunion was entertaining on one level but unsatisfying on another because it was so mean spirited. None of it had to do with cooking, it was all personal. Too much Tiffani bashing. It looked to me at times like Tom Colicchio was embarrassed. He's a chef..not Jerry Springer.

Stephen and Ken are two sides of the same extreme coin. Both are insufferable boors, but Stephen has a handler now, so he's working on his image. Choosing to call Ken white trash shows he is still out of control. It's not a slur a professional person should make on camera.

Stephen's calling is being on reality shows, same as Santino and Wendy (from PR). That's where they shine.

And Dave, sorry, you are Tiffani's bitch, she so has your number.

[mmm_chocolate]

Amazing thing, alcohol.

The reunion was entertaining on one level but unsatisfying on another because it was so mean spirited.  None of it had to do with cooking, it was all personal. Too much Tiffani bashing.  It looked to me at times like Tom Colicchio was embarrassed. He's a chef..not Jerry Springer.

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I agree with this.....I actually turned it off because it bored/annoyed me. It's not that I don't find them interesting people, it's just that without the food/challenge element, this reunion show was merely a bitch fest. I too think Colicchio seemed out of his element. It was too much of the "reality show" vibe with all the fighting and name calling for my tates. I much prefer watching these individuals interact and bitch and fight while under pressure in the kitchen!

I'm still mad about Lee Ann being kicked off too, which I'm sure added to my boycotting of this episode....

[finnfann]

I agree completely about this episode being a waste of time. I also have to say that while I can't stand Stephen, my opinion of him changed when I read in Lee Anne's blog that she thought he was a "stand-up guy" or something like that. It made me think that he was playing a role and the editors were having a field day with him.