Bravo's Top Chef Season 2

[Jensen]

It was interesting to read Tom C's blog on the Marcel hate-fest. I think he called them "sixth graders".

[Ling]

I liked Marcel more after this episode. I didn't see him being overly snarky to anyone, and I definitely think Betty has influenced the way others see Marcel.

They ragged on Betty for the unstrained soups--didn't we see her put it through a chinois? I'm 100% sure I did (or at least, she strained the red pepper/beet soup. She called the cone-shaped strainer a "china cap" and told Tom that she didn't put it through a chinois. Aren't those two terms interchangable? (And shouldn't Tom know that as well?)

Edited January 5, 2007 by Ling (log)

[tammylc]

I liked Marcel more after this episode. I didn't see him being overly snarky to anyone, and I definitely think Betty has influenced the way others see Marcel.

They ragged on Betty for the unstrained soups--didn't we see her put it through a chinois? I'm 100% sure I did (or at least, she strained the red pepper/beet soup. She called the cone-shaped strainer a "china cap" and told Tom that she didn't put it through a chinois. Aren't those two terms interchangable? (And shouldn't Tom know that as well?)

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Having spent some time yesterday wandering around a kitchen supply store, I can say that at least from the are labeled there, china caps have small holes in stainless steel, while chinois have a very, very fine wire mesh. Only a chinois would get the silky smooth texture Tom et al were looking for.

[tammylc]

Marcel can truly be a little irritating, but the response of Sam and Betty and Ilan to the irriatiation is really out of bounds. 

I mean, how many of us have a coworker that rubs us the wrong way, and how many of us could get away with dealing with it by screaming insults and shooting off personal attacks as a legitimate response?

If it really is a top chef cometition, then in addition to cooking, a chef has to be able to deal rationally with other people.

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But how many of us have to live with our coworkers 24 hours a day, with nearly no access to the outside world and no opportunity to do anything alone or unfilmed?

Yes, they signed up for it, but they're in a pathological environment, so we shouldn't be surprised to see pathological behavior.

[FoodMan]

Thank goodness no more Betty! She was the biggest pain in the a** on this show. Marcel can cook more than three Bettys combined. Yes he could be irritating and needs to lay off the damn foam, but he has more sense than most of them.

[rconnelly]

The question is: "Who would you want to be your boss?"

That is what a Top Chef is, isn't it?

And then if you've ever worked in a kitchen, yelling isn't rare. It's actually pretty common, but if you like your chef, yellingisn't a big deal.

I think Marcel's attitude is what bugs people. He really thinks he's the best. You don't see him congratulating the winners. I thing last week when he acted all pissy, when they won irked even calm Ilan.

[Ling]

I liked Marcel more after this episode. I didn't see him being overly snarky to anyone, and I definitely think Betty has influenced the way others see Marcel.

They ragged on Betty for the unstrained soups--didn't we see her put it through a chinois? I'm 100% sure I did (or at least, she strained the red pepper/beet soup. She called the cone-shaped strainer a "china cap" and told Tom that she didn't put it through a chinois. Aren't those two terms interchangable? (And shouldn't Tom know that as well?)

←

Having spent some time yesterday wandering around a kitchen supply store, I can say that at least from the are labeled there, china caps have small holes in stainless steel, while chinois have a very, very fine wire mesh. Only a chinois would get the silky smooth texture Tom et al were looking for.

←

Thanks for clearing that up. Anyway, I am glad Betty left--I thought she was one of the least talented of the bunch, and found her constant yelling/whining really annoying. And the idea for the soups in champagne flutes was awful--unwieldly, messy (who wants to see soup chunks in their glass?) and kind of pretentious. It's something I'd expect a Rachel Ray foodie to serve at her hoity-toity New Year's Eve dinner.

[brooklyncook]

I was really amazed by this episode.

Michael winning both challenges = awesome. And even Colicchio was in shock, obviously.

Marcel...I think the whole Marcel effect has been built up over time. It's like the ball was rolling from episode one, and by now, yeah, everyone's had their fill of him.

However.

Sam? I don't care if you're part Sicilian or full-on Don Corleone. You're in public, you're representing yourself AND a television show. Losing your temper doesn't help your case.

Ilan? Frankly put, I know he's a nice guy and all, but his attempts to bait Marcel into some sort of confrontation...they were actually pretty weak. He doesn't seem to be terribly good at the whole fighting/calling out thing. And so, it looked lame.

Betty? Christ almighty. Every time I see her in the opening credits, she's aggravating to me. Granted, so is Marisa with with her cocky smirk -- the same one she used on Otto during that elimination. Now they're both gone, and I can always fast-forward through the credits.

I understand all of these contestants are under duress, under pressure, with no contact from family members and all that. It's incredibly trying. I get that. However, they need to learn to rise above it, because it's only for so long, and it'll help them get that much further ahead.

I mean, for all the shit Michael's taken, he doesn't really get into it with anyone, keeps his head down and tries, and he's still here. Honestly, how many folks thought he'd make it this far?

[jende]

I liked Marcel more after this episode. I didn't see him being overly snarky to anyone, and I definitely think Betty has influenced the way others see Marcel.

They ragged on Betty for the unstrained soups--didn't we see her put it through a chinois? I'm 100% sure I did (or at least, she strained the red pepper/beet soup. She called the cone-shaped strainer a "china cap" and told Tom that she didn't put it through a chinois. Aren't those two terms interchangable? (And shouldn't Tom know that as well?)

←

Having spent some time yesterday wandering around a kitchen supply store, I can say that at least from the are labeled there, china caps have small holes in stainless steel, while chinois have a very, very fine wire mesh. Only a chinois would get the silky smooth texture Tom et al were looking for.

←

Thanks for clearing that up. Anyway, I am glad Betty left--I thought she was one of the least talented of the bunch, and found her constant yelling/whining really annoying. And the idea for the soups in champagne flutes was awful--unwieldly, messy (who wants to see soup chunks in their glass?) and kind of pretentious. It's something I'd expect a Rachel Ray foodie to serve at her hoity-toity New Year's Eve dinner.

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Well said. Betty is Rachel Ray with more wrinkles.

[scottie]

Marcel reminds me so much of this guy in my class at culinary school. We called him Douchebag.

DB ALWAYS had to do his own thing, and screw around with the recipes, and was never a team player. It was clear he thought his ideas were always the best. Mostly people just ignored him, until it got to be too much, and I ended up as the one who lost it on him during class.

So while I don't think Marcel deserved all the b.s. he received in the last episode, especially from Betty (hiss), I do empathize with Sam flipping out on him, as unprofessional as that was.

Ilan was way out of line with that comment to the guests. I was sorry to see him behave that way.

[BryanZ]

Ilan's, Betty's, and Sam's attacks on Marcel were disgusting. There's never the need to be so immature and inappropriate with another individual. One-on-one confrontation or debate is fine to an extent, but it was not as if Marcel actively sought to bring them down. Let him think that his ideas are better than yours, it's not hurting you.

Thankfully Elia and Michael generally stay quiet. Cliff seemed restrained after the debacle with Mia.

Marcel, your foams are useless. This is coming from someone who loves, makes, and serves them.

[robert40]

I did not get the impression that Marcel snapped at Betty at all. Seemed to me Betty had not heard the hold up on the plates and Marcel passed the information along.

Would love to see what type of kitchens Betty has been in if she considers that snapping.

[LEdlund]

Marcel reminds me so much of this guy in my class at culinary school. We called him Douchebag.

Was his name Stephen?

[GourmetLight$]

Marcel reminds me so much of this guy in my class at culinary school. We called him Douchebag.

Was his name Stephen?

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[chezcherie]

I did not get the impression that Marcel snapped at Betty at all. Seemed to me Betty had not heard the hold up on the plates and Marcel passed the information along.

Would love to see what type of kitchens Betty has been in if she considers that snapping.

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ha..i was flipping through los angeles magazine in the doctor's office yesterday, when i saw an ad for "grub", betty's restaurant in so Ca. (i'm not making this up") the slogan for the place was "if your ass can fit through the door, what the hell, order dessert!" classy, huh? but no more than we should expect, i suppose.

(edit to add: i suppose if your restaurant's name is "grub", you aren't really "going" for classy, but stilllllll...)

Edited January 6, 2007 by chezcherie (log)

[freshherbs]

tom c was hilarious this week. he finally seems to be having some fun on the show

[kathryn sossen]

This show is Sooo getting old- the cast has nowhere near the personality and integrity of season one. I was glad to see Betty go- and like many disappointed with Sam's and Ilan's behavior. Marcel is starting to play out as somewhat of a sympathetic character. Kudos to Mikey- he pulled it off. I'm gonna keep watching just to see how far Mikey can take it. Happy New Year to all.

[godito]

Did you all see Marcel's "poetry" video?

I thought it was hillarious. As I've said before, I know him. It's easy to understand how many people might think he's a deuchebag, and he IS arogant. However, he's just the funny kid that "free-styles" some stuff about his current situation. I know I would be up in the roof with him drinking a beer and laughing it off.

[dockhl]

Did you all see Marcel's "poetry" video?

I thought it was hillarious. As I've said before, I know him. It's easy to understand how many people might think he's a deuchebag, and he IS arogant. However, he's just the funny kid that "free-styles" some stuff about his current situation. I know I would be up in the roof with him drinking a beer and laughing it off.

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I think he certainly comes off as a bit of a jerk but, geez, don't you feel sorry for the guy, being ragged on and insulted on national televison? And he is just a kid........

[Matcha Eyes]

After this week's episode, I really admire Marcel more than ever. He did a great job of keeping his cool amongst all the mud-slinging. Intsead of stooping to Betty's low level(I can't believe grown adults behave like that), he defended himself the right way. And like most here, I'm also glad Betty is gone. I work with a woman that reminds me in so many ways of Betty. She's about the same age and acts sweet and perky one moment but she can also turn into a controlling, two-faced bitch the next. People like that are scary to be around because you never know what mood they will be in

[erin360]

To make her soups smooth, I think Betty would need to line her chinois with cheese cloth to get the desired consistency. Anyway, I agree with Tom that roasted red peppers and roasted beets don't sound good together.

[MissAmy]

God I am ever glad Betty's gone. In the beginning of the show, I thought she'd be cool, and a nice change from the typical cooking show contestant. I was wrong. Sayonara, whiny old lady.

I would bet good money that Marcel's about to do something REALLY egregious, and get kicked out next episode. Why else would they be painting him in such sympathetic brush strokes?

[johnder]

ack. I can't take all the product placement.

This message brought to you by Kraft.

[Holly Moore]

First time a chef/cook ever got canned for not spending enough money.

[brooklyncook]

I'm not sure what's more startling to me -- the selection of this week's ejectee, or the preview for next week.

I don't think Michael should have gone. I can't believe that they turned that into some let's-bash-Michael fest, ESPECIALLY after Colicchio gets done saying on his blog that the contestants are booted only for their work on each episode, not due to track record.

Michael KILLED that last episode. He busted his ass this week, cooking until Sam kept jumping in and throwing him off the line -- and to blame Michael for not buying dishes for olive pits? He wasn't blaming the list, as the judges said -- he was going off of a group decision on what to buy.

I mean, really: shouldn't there be a bigger issue with Sam and Ilan NOT BUYING RED WINE FOR AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT?

I think it was a poor decision by the judges.

To boot, I was reminded why Gail doesn't do anything for me on this show. I liked having the guests instead. Then again, it could just be the editing.

***

Next week...here's my prediction based on the preview.

Marcel gets royally fucked with; they obviously do something to him while he's sleeping. Something with his hair, most likely.

And when the other contestants come in? I bet they screwed with their own hair to "apologize." The whole "wait til you see them" comment from Padma.

Some of these guys need to grow up, it seems.