Bravo's Top Chef Season 2

[C_Ruark]

They had two hours, if I recall correctly.

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Thanks, corrected my post.

[Swicks]

FYI, i think the quote AB said was "This dish looked like Betty Crocker and Charles mansion spawned a love child and he was cooking for me"

If I recall correctly...

Good quickfire challenge, though some of the choices blew me away. Why would you choose preparations that you knew required a lot of time when you only had 2 hours? Michelle Bernstein was a great judge, ditto C_Ruark about her thoughtful presentation.

Very disappointed overall in the performance on the lunch, I agree with Tom about the teams really not communicating at all on their dishes. Josie and Marisa's "intermezzo" was a terrible idea, just bad, Tom said it right, "Nothing was even cooked". Sad to see Josie go as she didn't deserve it but I suppose that's the way it be...

[Tess]

Sad to see Josie go as she didn't deserve it but I suppose that's the way it be...

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Maybe, but I think they have too many team challenges on the elimination rounds as it is, and this time Josie got hit with a double whammy because they had decided two people were going. I thought that was sort of jacked up.

[sheriffblalock]

Evidently, the walk-in was full of great ingredients, and they chose fennel, prickly pear juice, and pineapple to be their main ingredients. That's worthy of getting the boot all by itself.

[C_Ruark]

FYI, i think the quote AB said was "This dish looked like Betty Crocker and Charles mansion spawned a love child and he was cooking for me"

Sad to see Josie go as she didn't deserve it but I suppose that's the way it be...

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Thanks for supplying the missing words. I didn't quite catch the last part because I was already in stitches.

(deleted a bit of extra writing)

Edited November 16, 2006 by C_Ruark (log)

[Dave Weinstein]

Maybe, but I think they have too many team challenges on the elimination rounds as it is, and this time Josie got hit with a double whammy because they had decided two people were going. I thought that was sort of jacked up.

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I don't think they had decided that two people were going, I think they were certainly thinking about it. Obviously, had whichever duo included Sam lost, they would only be sending one person home, and I think if there had been a clear "this person made the critical mistake", only one person would have been sent home.

However, when you had the losing team insisting that the decisions were all jointly made, it was fairly clear that both of them would be headed out.

[Swicks]

Sad to see Josie go as she didn't deserve it but I suppose that's the way it be...

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Maybe, but I think they have too many team challenges on the elimination rounds as it is, and this time Josie got hit with a double whammy because they had decided two people were going. I thought that was sort of jacked up.

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Yeah, it made sense I suppose.

For the main dish of the lunch, I'll agree with Cliff in that the duck was pretty weak, and overcooked.

[C_Ruark]

Yeah, it made sense I suppose.

For the main dish of the lunch, I'll agree with Cliff in that the duck was pretty weak, and overcooked.

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If M and J had actually applied heat to something in their dish, I really think Bouncing Betty and Mia would be gone. Duck + pastry + red/b-vin redux? Ladies, step away from the station.

Unfortunately, "palette cleanser" was an obvious wrong sell. Unimaginative. Not a very pleasing visual. Didn't appear as if any component was crisp and/or tart (or herbal/aromatic save the fennel); which would have separated the (horrid) duck from the forthcoming dessert.

Just a humble observation from one who enjoys sorbet and unadulterated cheese as p/c nibbles.

(typos corrected)

Edited November 16, 2006 by C_Ruark (log)

[wawairis]

Last season, Tiffany, Harold and Louanne (?) appealed to me immediately. Harold seemed polished and honest as a judge and is easy on the eyes as well.

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[Jenny McClure]

The same with me, last season, I knew Tiffany, Harold & Leanne would go far from the beginning. This time I am going for Sam, Cliff and maybe Ilan (SP). Let's see.

[Jensen]

Ditto on the "who will go far this season" pronouncements. I didn't start watching the first season until some contestants had already been eliminated so I have no idea how the early shows were. I'm looking at these recent episodes as separating the wheat from the chaff.

As for last night's elimination, in the words of the Spouse, "thank god that snotty bitch is gone." We were definitely not Marisa fans. Josie did seem to take some collateral damage from her association but, as I don't think she would have made it too much further (definitely not to the finale), no biggie in my books.

Now if only we could get rid of the testosterone-poisoned chef, Frank.

[Claudia Greco]

[

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Edited November 16, 2006 by Claudia Greco (log)

[BryanZ]

Good episode this week. The offal challenge was very interesting, especially given the time constraints. That these elimination challenges have revolved around cooking small plates and the like seems to play into Ilan's hand, having cooked at Casa Mono and all.

The last three courses in the lunch looked pretty pathetic. What was more telling, however, was the entire group's inability to communicate to put together something of a cohesive menu.

As an aside, I'm pretty sure Marcel's prom analogy was taken from personal experience.

[KristiB50]

Well now Marissa can go back to bikini cooking

I watched with BF who in't very food savy. He I called it the "awful challenge".

It did look like Frank was buthering that salmon and the look on Tom's face was priceless!

Can't wait for AB next week!!

[dockhl]

FYI, i think the quote AB said was "This dish looked like Betty Crocker and Charles mansion spawned a love child and he was cooking for me"

Thanks for supplying the missing words. I didn't quite catch the last part because I was already in stitches.

Me, too.......and then, of course, they showed Marcel ! With his hair.........I was DYING .........

[wawairis]

I know they edit these shows to come out a certain way, but I am so glad Emily got the boot. Her snide comment (something along the lines of "you with your 4 teeth and fat ass" about the woman who said her ice cream was too sweet really pissed me off.

THANK YOU!! I thought that was particulary mean spirited too.

[brooklyncook]

Hello from my desk.

Good episode this week -- I had to explain to the gf who Jennifer Coolidge was ("...remember the secretary/assistant from 'A Mighty Wind'? Okay, how about Stiffler's mom?") and then Michael pops up with "...Stiffler's mom!" -- she looked better here than in other movies!

All around, a great episode. Like the judges said near the end, the walk-ins and pantry should have been a chef's dream. And it was! I don't, however, take points away for the ingredients that were chosen -- I do take points away for how they didn't work together. Betty's not one of my faves (a tad shrill after you've been in class all night) but she was right about getting together and determining what the groups would make. It would have given more flow to the meal, and might have actually saved some asses.

I do NOT understand the thinking of Marisa and Josie. Wait a minute.

YAY! MARISA'S OUT!

Okay, like I was saying: an intermezzo for the next-to-last course? WHAT? If NOTHING else, do a real palate cleanser: maybe not a sorbet, but perhaps a granita? They could have made very thin layers of something frozen (with all those flavors, pick SOMETHING) on sheet trays and then served it up. I didn't know if they had a blast freezer there (like they gave us an equipment run down, right? We knew it wasn't Kenmore.) but that would have helped in the process.

But juices and salad that far in? I just don't understand the rationale.

And it's a shame, because I really liked Josie. She was a wild card of sorts; I think she definitely brought something colorful and exciting to the table. There are many people I would have expected to lose before her.

And that's all I've got on the competition in general.

But I want to bring up a different topic: what the hell is up with Colicchio's sneering? Gail and Padma at least seem like they're doling out constructive criticism. Tom seems much crankier than he was last season.

And as a last note, I cannot. fucking. wait. for Bourdain's episode next week. Sir, I salute you in advance, even on your "love child" quote. Saaaaah-LUTE!

[Toliver]

But I want to bring up a different topic: what the hell is up with Colicchio's sneering?  Gail and Padma at least seem like they're doling out constructive criticism.  Tom seems much crankier than he was last season.

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I notcied that, too...he's Mr. Cranky Pants Chef this season. Perhaps he's disappointed in the overall output of the contestants or he's not happy about the babysitting he has to do in the kitchen since the "bottles of olive oil" cheating incident.

[Jensen]

Tom Colicchio discusses his new role as Mr. Cranky Pants in his blog:

If you’ve noticed I’m getting grumpy, you’re right. I guess I’m growing irked at how some of these chefs keep playing it safe, making uninspired choices that speak either of a lack of ideas, poor training, or some combination of both. When Thomas Keller creates small, distinct mouthfuls on the plate, he is leading the diner through a deliberate journey of taste and texture. It is carefully considered and flawlessly executed. I can promise you he doesn’t think, “I’m going to send out three little things instead of one! How cool will that be?”

The whole thing is here: I'm Getting Grumpy

[godito]

Tom Colicchio discusses his new role as Mr. Cranky Pants in his blog:

If you’ve noticed I’m getting grumpy, you’re right. I guess I’m growing irked at how some of these chefs keep playing it safe, making uninspired choices that speak either of a lack of ideas, poor training, or some combination of both. When Thomas Keller creates small, distinct mouthfuls on the plate, he is leading the diner through a deliberate journey of taste and texture. It is carefully considered and flawlessly executed. I can promise you he doesn’t think, “I’m going to send out three little things instead of one! How cool will that be?”

The whole thing is here: I'm Getting Grumpy

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That was a great blog entry, thanks for directing my attention to it. He's totally right. It makes no sence to plan a dish BEFORE looking at what ingredients you have available. We can´t see everything that happens, but it seems he has enough reasons to be cranky (or at least it reads that way)

[repoman]

I thought Josie was annoying, so I wasn't sad to see her go...her comments about "how damn talented" she was after she was booted just proved my case. Show some humility. Marissa never really belonged with this group anyways and I am surprised she made it this long. Though Marcel initially rubbed me the wrong way, I think he really has toned down his arrogance and I find him entertaining.

My guess for the next to go...I say Michael. He lucked out with his pairing with Ilan....though under the right circumstances I could see Frank or Betty gone as well.

[Swicks]

I thought the whole speech that Tom gave about not putting out good things, making changes, etc was interesting because it seemed very similar to what a lot of people were saying about some of his restaurants.

[brooklyncook]

I thought Josie was annoying, so I wasn't sad to see her go...her comments about "how damn talented" she was after she was booted just proved my case.  Show some humility.  Marissa never really belonged with this group anyways and I am surprised she made it this long. Though Marcel initially rubbed me the wrong way, I think he really has toned down his arrogance and I find him entertaining.

My guess for the next to go...I say Michael.  He lucked out with his pairing with Ilan....though under the right circumstances I could see Frank or Betty gone as well.

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Right now, I couldn't point at one particular person, though I'd narrow it to a group of Michael, Betty or Marcel. Though Tom's complaining about people playing it safe, I can understand why some would want to, and I think that's what Frank will do. I foresee him being in the middle, not winning OR losing this week.

However, I think in comparison to my final three (Cliff, Sam, Ilan), he's not going to be around long.

[Zeemanb]

I finally got to catch this week's episode, and while I'm still not blown away by this season, I do have a couple of quick observations...

First, I don't know if there is a word to describe how much more I like Padma than Katie Joel.

Second, whenever I hear Michael speak I can only think of Chris Farley doing "The Chris Farley Show" on SNL.....

"Hi, um, Tom, um........ so do you 'member back in New York when you had that one restaurant......in New York, and um, gosh, um....you called it CRAFT? 'member that? Then, um, you 'member that one time, um.....there was that OTHER place that was, um, a restaurant in New York too.....but it was called something like 'WICHCRAFT? 'member that? That was AWESOME!"

[psychobombshell]

Just a strange note I've noticed.. the camera-work!

Seriously.. Padma has a very large scar on her right upper arm, and the camera guys are geniuses! they keep shooting her at an angle or with a flower pot or tall full wine glass in front of her arm! It's bizarre! It's like when they are trying to hide a pregnancy on a sitcom with a large handbag!