Top Chef

[Jujubee]

Mmm, actually on Harvard campus "business school kids" aren't held in very high intellectual regard at all.  So, insofar as cachet tracks perceived intelligence...

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Undergrads love to dismiss b-school students as money-grubbing intellectual lightweights. It was like that at Chicago. Just wait until a few years after graduation.

[Tess]

Anyone catch what they were drinking?

Looked like some sort of sparkling wine; but, I didn't recognize the label.

~Erik

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I watched for this on a rerun and couldn't even see the label. Product placement must not have been at work.

[chezcherie]

Anyone catch what they were drinking?

Looked like some sort of sparkling wine; but, I didn't recognize the label.

~Erik

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I watched for this on a rerun and couldn't even see the label. Product placement must not have been at work.

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it was cristal. first from glasses, and then from the bottle. stephen, stephen, stephen....

[hungryCAT]

Hey, y'all!! This is my very first post on this forum, and I am happy to be here.

My only regret is that I did not join the forum sooner, as Top Chef is about to

air its finale.

Of the 3 finalists, I believe that Harold is the top contender. True, he is quiet and

reserved at times, but in my opinion, he has the talent, the skills, the personality,

etc to run his own restaurant and go far in his profession.

Tiffani is a great cook, but needs some social skills. I've seen her at her compassionate moments

(few and far between, of course), but her insults

and thumbing her nose down at others will hinder her. I have worked for

holier-than-thou types, and they are not pleasant to be around.

Dave . . . he's so precious, so sensitive . . . gotta love him. I just don't

think he has what it takes to be TOP chef. He is endearing, though.

Just my 2 cents.

BTW, I, too, hated to see Leann go! She would've gotten my vote!!

Stephen - I have to admit he started to grow on me. Annoying as hell though.

Ken - I missed the very first episode, so I did not have the pleasure of seeing

him in action. I get the feeling I didn't miss much.

Candice - I think that if she sticks with it, she'll grow into it. She's just too

inexperienced.

[silentryan]

Mmm, actually on Harvard campus "business school kids" aren't held in very high intellectual regard at all.  So, insofar as cachet tracks perceived intelligence...

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Undergrads love to dismiss b-school students as money-grubbing intellectual lightweights. It was like that at Chicago. Just wait until a few years after graduation.

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Graduate students and professors join in on the fun as well, but you can chalk that up to envy if you like.

[Tess]

I think the original point wasn't that there is anything wrong with the B-schools, but that where you went to undergrad is extremely important to some people as a social marker. If you say you "went to Harvard" without qualifying that it was the B-school, the K-school or indeed graduate school in the arts and sciences, some people are going to think you're trying to deceive them.

[Holly Moore]

Bringing this back to food - and please let's do -

Stephen attended the Culinary Institute of America before going to the Cornell School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration. It is not clear whether he graduated from the CIA or merely transfered to Cornell. But in any event, it is an impressive pairing within the hospitality industry. That, and some work experience that shows he knows how to apply what he has learned and possesses an ability to play well with others, will get him a long way in the corporate world.

Fortunately, as playing well with others (translate to suffering lightly the fools that plague the corporate world) is not one of Stephen's strong points, the Cornell Hotel School also provides one of the best educations in entrepreneurial business skills. Stephen, again with some experience under his belt, is well prepared to follow his current dream of opening up his own business.

[TrishCT]

Bringing this back to food - and please let's do -

Stephen attended the Culinary Institute of America before going to the Cornell School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration.  It is not clear whether he graduated from the CIA or merely transfered to Cornell.  But in any event, it is an impressive pairing within the hospitality industry.  That, and some work experience that shows he knows how to apply what he has learned and possesses an ability to play well with others, will get him a long way in the corporate world.

Fortunately, as playing well with others (translate to suffering lightly the fools that plague the corporate world) is not one of Stephen's strong points, the Cornell Hotel School also provides one of the best educations in entrepreneurial business skills.  Stephen, again with some experience under his belt, is well prepared to follow his current dream of opening up his own business.

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I think Stephen has the right pedigree and the right attitude about pleasing customers, but he also seems to have a bit of OCD...and his on camera outburst with Ken shows he has a way to go still towards achieving professionalism.

[Tess]

I think Stephen has the right pedigree and the right attitude about pleasing customers, but he also seems to have a bit of OCD...and his on camera outburst with Ken shows he has a way to go still towards achieving professionalism.

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I'm not that big a fan of Stephen although I could come around. Some of his dishes were appealing-- like the dessert in the sex shop-- and he has an interesting skill set. They seemed to want people to make asses of themselves on that reunion show and most of the major players obliged. Edited to add: so I don't think his performace in that one instance is too damning and his apology was really pretty good.

As for Ken, I'm surprised someone hasn't killed him yet. What is with the shouting? I can't think of anyone I've seen act that bizarre on reality TV except for Puck from The Real World and he at least had a bit of a sense of humor.

Edited May 13, 2006 by Tess (log)

[coquus]

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.

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...and just what words was it he used? What were they again?

Besides that, and the Ken outburst, he redeemed himself quite a little bit, was it from the heart, only Stephen knows.

I liked how they cut Tom's reaction out almost completely during the finger tasting discussion. The one thing I'll say about this issue is that all sides are wrong and right at the same time. And Chef Tom, how do you overcook mushrooms?

[jgm]

After seeing that apology, I can't help but hope that life will teach Stephen the lessons he needs to learn, in time for him to use them. He has some real potential, and indeed could revolutionize the industry, as he claimed, if he can develop some social skills before everybody's had it with him.

[Shannon_Elise]

Stephen's apology did endear him to me a little more. And I am among those who thought it was great that he showed up in a t-shirt and jeans (it looked much better on him than any of those too high on the neck suits). Of the group, who do you think does not have a career in the food industry? If this show was more popular, I would love to see Ken get his ass kicked on "The Surreal Life" by Danny Bonaduce or some other has-been. How about a surgical special on TLC where he gets the stick removed from...... Seems Stephen had that done after the show (at least partially).

I hope that I get to eat at the restaurants opened one day by Harold and LeeAnn - really would have liked to seen what she could do in Vegas...but, like they ALL said, "It is what it is"

Shannon

[little ms foodie]

I think Stephen was totally drunk on the reunion show! Just watched my tape last night and he seemed very slurry and the whole bit to Candice was OTT. Very amusing to watch though.

Go Herold!

[Katie Nell]

I think Stephen was totally drunk on the reunion show! Just watched my tape last night and he seemed very slurry and the whole bit to Candice was OTT. Very amusing to watch though.

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On LeAnn's question and answer session on Bravo, she said that both Stephen and Tiffani were completely and totally trashed.

I finally got to watch the reunion show this weekend! I agree that it wasn't all that interesting... I would have rather them done the reunion after they had a winner... I thought that was the way it usually worked on these reality shows.

Dave got on my nerves this episode, and I'm normally a Dave fan all the way... he was really too angry and bitter for my taste.

Still a Tiffani-hater!

And, okay, I'll admit it... I like Stephen better now! He looked much less cod-like in his jeans and t-shirt!

[Anonymouze]

Back on May 4th I said: My next prediction is that Dave will go because he is nice but not "top chef" material, leaving Harold and Tiffani and Harold unless he screws up majorly (sand in all his food etc.) will most likely win.

How am I doing so far with my predictions? Pretty right or close to right so far!

Anyhow... if Harold opens up that Restaurant in NY I suggest we ALL go as a group of "groupies" when he opens it! I'd even travel from the DC area.

[Tess]

Nice job predicting!

I was worried last night, thinking Tiffani had lost it. I'm still fan of hers and I'm tired of watching D's facial contortions. More importantly, the final will be more interesting because Harold and Tiffani are a lot more comparable. I would travel to a place where either of them cooked (Lee Ann too) but would be afraid of a mob scene.

[LindaJ]

For this, I stayed up late?

I didn't know there was Finale Part 1 and Finale Part 2. Silly me thought something called the Finale would be, you know, the finale.

[ronnie_suburban]

Remarkable that even though she won none of the 3 rounds of the Quickfire challenge, and clearly lost 2 of them, Tiffani still advanced. In the third round, the tasters actively avoided eating her food.

I realize that Dave effed up when he only created 2 dishes for the final round of the QFC but he also clearly won a round too, which is more than Tiffani can say. And even in that final round, it was fairly clear that his beef dish was the most popular of the lot. I don't see forgetting a dish as that big a deal because it can always be sent out late . . . not great, but it happens from time to time. And late food is certainly better than lousy food, IMO.

The challenge was begun with a mention that the tasters' opinions would be the determining factor as to who advanced. But in the end, Dave was eliminated for forgetting something of which the tasters weren't even aware (until Tom mentioned it to them). It's pretty obvious at this point that the producers of the show wanted Tiffani in the finals and that she was going to get there regardless of how she actually performed in the challenges.

=R=

[coquus]

Disappointing, Dave could have made toast with 45 seconds left and still beaten Tiffani yesterday. I must admit I'm tired of his facial expressions and endless complaining about how hard it is to cook on short notice, but I'm equally, if not more, sick of Tiffani's tired, mediochre offerings, which aren't well thought out or well executed. She's a train wreck waiting to happen. Harold's best dishes yesterday were for the circus performers. I was like damn, I hope he pulls that off when he served first, mussel soup and second:chicken wings and onion rings. It's almost as if he's pinning himself the underdog for the finale or something, yeah right.

[RyuShihan]

You know but the show has stayed true to the fact that you had to perform what ever challenge was. You had to do every dish. On Iron Chef if you forget a dish you lose a ton of points, as well as any ACF sanctioned tournament and even Chaine Competitions.

Like one poster said he coulda made toast and won. If you could always use the cop-out of only send out great food, then their would be no need for a time limit to make things harder and more stressed out. With more time couldn't anyone put out better quality?

[Tess]

I was perplexed by the results too. According to Tom's blog, Tiffani came in second each time, but with regard to the last challenge that must have been because Dave was considered not to have finished.

Tiffani has (if I recall right) never come out with a single dish I considered unappealing throughout all the rest of this show, and she delivered several complete duds last night. The worst in my view was putting blueberries in seafood salad, but I know some people like that kind of thing. The food for the poker challenge-- what was she thinking?

Edited May 18, 2006 by Tess (log)

[coquus]

I was perplexed by the results too. According to Tom's blog, Tiffani came in second each time, but with regard to the last challenge that must have been because Dave was considered not to have finished.

Tiffani has (if I recall right) never come out with a single dish I considered unappealing throughout all the rest of this show, and she delivered several complete duds last night. The worst in my view was putting blueberries in seafood salad, but I know some people like that kind of thing. The food for the poker challenge-- what was she thinking?

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Not people that work and live in Las Vegas.

And once again, we don't get to taste the food. I doubt she even properly salts, and how does crab salad get fishy?

[Holly Moore]

A chef is as much a manager as he/she is a preparer of great food. Looking at the final three from the viewpoint of a line cook (which I was way back when) - Dave is the chef I would least like to work for. Too much confusion. Every time a piece of equipment broke, we ran out of a staple or the owner passed on a customer complaint, Dave would buckle. He strikes me as best suited for a one or two person kitchen.

I think I could work for either Tiffani or Harold. I'd probably prefer Harold because it would be a freindly, teamwork kind of kitchen. Tiffani would probably be tougher on me. There would be times I would hate her. But as long as that momentary hatred didn't evolve into my losing all respect for her, she might get the best performance out of me.

[Tess]

Not people that work and live in Las Vegas.

What makes it even more odd is that her last two jobs were in Las Vegas!

Something about that challenge must have freaked her out. I was watching this with my SO, who does play poker in LV and hang out in, well, medium-roller lounges. Every time I would say, "Honey mustard wings-- ew! Chocolate-dipped strawberries-- give me a break!" He would say, "No, that's perfect."

Agreed, either Harold or Tiffani would pobably be a pretty good boss. I think it would be cool to work for Tiffani. I liked her food best this season except for Lee Anne's. I can see that Harold's is good, just not my preference so much.

[TrishCT]

Caught "Finale Part 1" last night, and once again was bemused by the mean spiritedness fostered by the producers on this show.

The three contestants (and the audience) were led to believe they were the finalists but wrong, surprise, one of them was offed.

Come all the way to Las Vegas for a final humiliation.