I can't wait for the new season to start! I probably won't get to watch it tonight though, I'll DVR and check it out tomorrow.
I can't wait for the new season to start! I probably won't get to watch it tonight though, I'll DVR and check it out tomorrow.
I'm sad at last week's elimination although I agree with all the ones prior. I would've liked to have seen him stick around longer, although I knew he wasn't going to win. (Being cryptic about who "he" is in case anyone reading this hasn't seen it yet.
Karin
I would've liked to have seen last night's eliminated Cheftestant stick around longer, but also knew they wouldn't win.
Karin
I'm actually really quite annoyed with last night's Top Chef, and I hope there is some resolution to this issue next week.
AVP
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Colicchio claims that the judges had no idea about "Pea-gate" and that they didn't know about it until last night. He makes a comment in his blog that he wished that the producers had brought it to their attention.
The Bravo blogs are pretty interesting reading, in general, but especially when something like this goes down.
http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/blog...lit?page=0%2C0
I was annoyed, too, that it wasn't addressed, but don't think (after reading Tom's blog) that we'll get any resolution, unless the Cheftestants themselves bring it up to the alleged offender on camera.Originally Posted by AVP
It's sure to be brought up in the episode following the finale, the Wrap-Up or whatever they call it. I'm sure he'll deny it.
It won't keep me from watching future seasons, though, just probably not seeking out said Cheftestant's restaurant.
Karin
Yea, I was pretty annoyed about them not addressing it either. With the faces the top chefs were making when Art was praising the puree, and then when they announced him as the winner, I was fully expecting Padma to say something about the looks on their faces.
Cathy
I really don't like last night's winner and I haven't from the start. It's even worse now because I really like Ed! I really hope someone knocks Angelo down a peg pretty soon and that Amanda gets sent home!
Anyone watch last night's episode? I didn't want the person who was kicked off to leave yet! And the winner has started to grow on me, I didn't like their personality at first but I'm warming up to it. I also think the editing stinks this season, for the last 2 or 3 episodes it has started out with a chef saying "I haven't won anything yet, I really want to!" and viola they win the quickfire.
I agree with your comments about both the winner and the one kicked off. I liked the gal kicked off last week, but I think it was her time. She was a little too bitter about having done 'the mommy thing' for my tastes, but I do understand why she was. As AdrienneK would say: if you want fair, go to Pomona.
I was totally ready for the person who got kicked off to go. Their skills seemed lackluster at best, to me.
Does no one learn from seasons to season? No risotto! No rice! No dessert! Do your own food, not what someone else thinks you should do! Sheesh!
I also am glad the winner this week won.
Karin
This weeks elimination was a total surprise, but I'm kind of glad because that person's attitude was starting to get to me!
I was totally NOT ready for this week's eliminated cheftestant to leave. I totally expected this person to be in the final. I'm still reeling. I'm really in shock and can't talk to DH about it because he still has 2 more episodes to see before he gets to this one! Oh, and to do that I have to send him the DVDs.
Guess I should get on that.
Yes, their attitude was a bit much, but a lot of chefs are that way. Not an excuse, but it didn't bother me as much as it might bother some people.
Karin
I just think Alex was dang lucky he was on the winning team.
I was glad they didn't let the gal who did front-of-house go, even though her food didn't receive rave reviews - because I do think she did the front-of-house job well.
Cathy
I was too! I do think he is a good chef, I just wish he was a little more humble haha Same reason I didn't like last season's winner I think, I wanted the other Voltaggio!Oh he totally was lucky! I hope it's either him or Amanda next.
And I agree with Kelly too.
Agreed on all points.
Alex has been there waaaaayyyyyy too long. He's flown under the radar. While I'm glad the judges aren't told of the shenanigans going on in the kitchen and that it's not part of their decision, he's a mess.
Final prediction: Angelo, Ed, Kevin.
Karin
We ate at Tom Collicio's restaurant in LA last night!
Yesterday was our turn to FINALLY get to take the Disney Studios (the real one, not the WDW theme park!) and Archives tours! I tried all last year, when they had other chances to take the tours, but they "sold" (last year's tickets were FREE!) out quicker that I was able to get them for, even tho I always started waiting online before 10 am.
I bought (still think they should've let Charter Members who didn't have the chance to get tickets for their first visit last year go once for free this year!) tickets for my hubby and I for the last tour of the day, starting at 1:30 pm, since we come from San Diego and it takes a long time for us to get out there.
Even tho our tour happened at the hottest part of the day (it was 95 degrees out, when we got back to our car after it was over!) and I didn't realize so much of it would take place outside, we did end up having a nice tour, since our tour guide was Becky Cline, Dave Smith's recent replacement as head of the Archives. She had lots of great info to share and we had fun, even tho most of it was NOT wheelchair accessible, so we had to find other ways to enter the buildings we did enter and missed out on some of that info, until we were able to get caught up with the group once we were inside.
When we got to the Archives, we got to meet, chat and my hubby got his photo taken with Dave Smith, the recently retired Archives guy, as well as hold and get our photos with, just one of Disney's many Oscars they received over the years! We were both surprised, even tho most winners say something about it when they receive their awards, the Oscar really IS that heavy!!
Our $50 each "FREE" gift was an event patch, a replica of the Disney guards' uniform patch, which Becky quickly explained that even tho someone might sew one of them on a shirt, it would NOT give them entry to the studios!!
After our tours, we used the time between the end of our tours and before we went to dinner, to do a little sight-seeing in the area, so my hubby was able to park, get out of the car, walk around and take some photos of the exterior of the wonderful Gamble House, the Green & Green masterpiece that served as some of the inspiration for the Grand Californian Hotel, as well as the current Torrey Pines Lodge, down here in Torrey Pines! In the past, we've taken the tour of this place and we love the Arts & Crafts architecture of the house!
We had dinner in Century City, at Craft, Tom Collicio's restaurant in LA. We had a great meal and the service was impeccable. We started our meals with 2 kinds of bread - a sourdough and a Molasses-based dark brown, Ricotta Truffle Pasta (for my hubby) and Hearts of Palm with Avocado that came with 3 paper-thin slices of beet (for me - tho we shared our starters with each other and they were both yummy!), then my hubby had the Monkfish, I had the 24 hour braised Short Rib and we shared the Sweet Corn side order for dinner. For dessert, my hubby had the Sweet Corn Bread Cake with Sweet Corn ice cream and I had the amazing Chocolate Souffle, that came with a really yummy vanilla custard sauce. I don't usually order souffles, because they tend to be mostly tasteless dishes of air, but this one had almost a moist, mousse-like texture and was a nice, light end to my meal.
We were both surprised that the restaurant does NOT have a blender, so I had to come up with an alternative to my order of a Pina Colada or a Strawberry Dacquiri, so I ordered a White Russian (no ice, but chilled!) and our server was able to bring my hubby a taste-sized portion of the wine she recommended for his meal, since he wasn't sure if he would like it or not. Turns out he did, so he ordered a full glass.
The Amuse Bouche was a Yellow Watermelon, Lime and Salt Gazpacho Shooter, we were each given a Yellow Watermelon and Salt Granita as a palette cleanser between courses and 2 tiny bites of brownie, 2 tiny lime & salt "marshmallows" and 2 tiny oatmeal raisin cookies, on a very small plate after dessert.
When they brought the check, they gave each of us 2 tan colored with nuts of some kind biscotti (we both forgot what kind the server said it was and we haven't had them yet), each in a clear plastic "Craft" bag to (as our server told us) enjoy with breakfast this morning.
I couldn't help but think of this week's Top Chef "Restaurant Wars" episode when we ate there, because as we entered and were being seated, we passed several groups of servers and others along the way. Each group welcomed us to the restaurant on our way in, as well as thanked us for coming on our way out!
Last edited by KarenW2; 08-15-2010 at 09:54 AM.
Karen W2
Oh.Thank.GOD! It's about dang time.
Karin
As much as one of the other bottom 3 totally rubbed me the wrong way with his personality and cockiness, I do hope he gets back on his game. Like someone said, it's no fun to win over someone who wasn't on their own game.
Cathy
I'm good with this week's eliminated Cheftestant.
Karin
I agree, Karin. I don't think they could let anybody else go, though if there were more people, somebody else COULD have made a worse mistake. But nobody there did.
I thought the 2nd place of the quick fire was odd. I'm sure the flavors were good - but there's no way you could have done that as a frozen meal!
Cathy
I'm bummed about this week's elimination.
Karin
I was bummed too, Karin. But given that nobody really messed up, they were hitting the nuances in the elimination - and when they were talking to all 5 chefs, I don't think they had anything good to say about her dish. I think all the other contestants, even if someone didn't particularly care for the dish, there was another judge who REALLY liked it.
Normally they've had eliminated contestants 'help' on the final challenge(s). I'm guessing that might not be the case this time with the location?
Cathy
Agreed on all parts, Cathy. I'm curious as to *why* they've chosen not to have the finale in DC. Why move it and why there? Should be interesting watching the next couple of weeks.
Karin
But they've gone 'other places' for most of the final 4s - Puerto Rico, Colorado (one woman had a heck of a time with the elevation there), Hawaii - just usually not THAT far away!
Cathy
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