Top Chef starts tonight

Something else to keep up with!

[Jenise]

GREAT! Thanks a million for mentioning it, I saw the ads but never got around to setting my DVR for it. Great timing: Top Design just completed, and this will keep me from going through withdrawal.

It's one of the few things worth turning the tv on for.

Robert thank you for the reminder. I'm going to set the DVR right now to capture the season.
My favorite show.

I'm a Top Chef fan, too. I was disappointed in Season 4, though. Liked Season 3 better. Perhaps 5 will be the best one to date!

[Jenise]

I'm a Top Chef fan, too. I was disappointed in Season 4, though. Liked Season 3 better. Perhaps 5 will be the best one to date!

Deb, welcome to the group. And what disappointed you? I actually thought it was a pretty interesting season, though my favorite didn't win. And there were a few slimeballs among the competitors--I didn't think Spike was Top Chef material, for instance.

I also felt Spike had no business there! My overall feeling was that Season 4 lacked the level of passion that I saw in Season 3. Or rather, the passion was put into some of their problems and with a few, into overblown egos that didn't match the skill some thought they had, rather than being put into culinary accomplishments. I work with chefs and I can forgive the occasional egotistical display when the artististic level is indisputable. Like you, my favorite didn't win in 4, but that was also the case in 3. Looks like some interesting cheftestants this time around!

By the way, thank you very much for the welcome. It's good to be here and I look forward to getting to know all of you.

By the way, thank you very much for the welcome. It's good to be here and I look forward to getting to know all of you.

Welcome Deb! If you like to cooking, eating and enjoying wine, and especially like sharing experiences about all three, you have found a great hangout.

Thank you, Carrie. I'm enjoying the posts full of ideas and tips and knowledge. Not to mention some very interesting personalities!

Rats...I saw the shows as I surfed by, but thought they were just re-runs. Oh well, maybe they'll continue the practice of running last weeks show before the new one.

But I sure would like to see more maturity and professionalism ..and less childish behavior this time around. But that probably doesn't make for good ratings. Seems like they just go out of their way to throw in a few egos for the drama.

Richard

Agreed. Tempermental outbursts over artistic disputes is one thing. You'll always have that in a group of artists. But swaggering, swearing fights over whose is bigger are a turnoff for me. I think you're right, though. They like to boost their ratings and some viewers enjoy that kind of drama. Not me.

Not to mention some very interesting personalities!

That's a nice way of putting it.

Welcome to the board Deb!

Not to mention some very interesting personalities!

That's a nice way of putting it.

Deb pluralized it just to throw you off, Dave, but I know she is talking about you.

....kidding.

Thanks you two! I must say, I've been LOL over a number of comments/personalities as I've been surfing the board!

Not to mention some very interesting personalities!

That's a nice way of putting it.

Deb pluralized it just to throw you off, Dave, but I know she is talking about you.

Now look, sassy pants, I'm not the one with the avatar showing dogs mating. I think you are the one with the "interesting" personality.

[Jenise]

Agreed. Tempermental outbursts over artistic disputes is one thing. You'll always have that in a group of artists. But swaggering, swearing fights over whose is bigger are a turnoff for me. I think you're right, though. They like to boost their ratings and some viewers enjoy that kind of drama. Not me.

Nor me. Names are coming back to me: Andrew, although he had good credentials (Le Cirque) and the skinny-Italian Lisa who worked in her family's restaurant were also contestants clearly not up to the caliber of the others. A good thing about that season though was that in the end it came down to the two who had really stood out from the get-go, whose names DO escape me. Yes, there was a third contestant, but she was more lucky than good to get that far, and someone had to be that wild card. I recall an earlier season where the winner ended up being someone no one ever considered a top contender, he ended up winning because the better cooks choked (or got eliminated for behavior violations).

I think I know which season you're talking about. Top Chef doesn't always produce the true "top" in the end. It's weird because I've seen so many competitions where the final winner wasn't really the best, but various quirks throughout the competition paved the way for that person to rise to the winning spot even though they actually weren't the true "best" of the competitors. Have the same contest with the same contenders on a different day, and the results could be very different. I think some of the best competitions are swimming, running or downhill ski races where it's a matter of minutes and seconds on the clock. No personalities, no politics, just an honest race on the clock!

Welcome, Deb.
When it got down to the final 3, I thought Stephanie would win, but I personally thought Debra had better cooking chops. I really liked the way the season 5 opener started -- get rid of the light weights right off the start. I mean, you were done in by an apple (one male, one female) -- seems like historical (theological at least) poetic justice. I hope they have a couple more challenges like that.

Thanks for the welcome Jo Ann, and I agree about the lightweights finding out they're in over their heads and that fat being quickly trimmed. Now we can easier get down to serious business!

Now look, sassy pants, I'm not the one with the avatar showing dogs mating. I think you are the one with the "interesting" personality.

They are "spooning."

Finally got to watch the first episode. It was pretty good. I think the first (really second if you include the QuickFire) one to go was appropriate, plus I found his personality annoying.

I'm always surprised the contestants go out on limbs so far in their interviews to say things like, "I'm positive I won't be the one going home first." Ooops! She's going home first!

[Jenise]

Finally got to watch the first episode. It was pretty good. I think the first (really second if you include the QuickFire) one to go was appropriate, plus I found his personality annoying.

I'm always surprised the contestants go out on limbs so far in their interviews to say things like, "I'm positive I won't be the one going home first." Ooops! She's going home first!

I actually expected the judges to send the woman home (in the Elimination challenge). I judged her more harshly: first of all, her dish only consisted of two parts, so her failure rate was 50% where the kid seemed to have gotten his lacquered salmon and steamed bok choy portions right, so I thought his dish more balanced and no more egregiously un-Chinese in concept than her dish was un-Middle Eastern. But having been in the bottom on the Quick-Fire probably put him in firing range. I wonder, had he not been, if it would have gone the other way.

Finally got to watch the first episode. It was pretty good. I think the first (really second if you include the QuickFire) one to go was appropriate, plus I found his personality annoying.

I'm always surprised the contestants go out on limbs so far in their interviews to say things like, "I'm positive I won't be the one going home first." Ooops! She's going home first!

I actually expected the judges to send the woman home (in the Elimination challenge). I judged her more harshly: first of all, her dish only consisted of two parts, so her failure rate was 50% where the kid seemed to have gotten his lacquered salmon and steamed bok choy portions right, so I thought his dish more balanced and no more egregiously un-Chinese in concept than her dish was un-Middle Eastern. But having been in the bottom on the Quick-Fire probably put him in firing range. I wonder, had he not been, if it would have gone the other way.

I can't remember what the other component of her dish was... lamb?
Was his dish three parts? Salmon, bok choy and gummy noodles?
You know, Stefan's lamb chops looked overcooked to me. Anyone else think so? He is the one who's dish(s) came out the best. I'm sure it's hard to tell when you're not right up there at the judges' table.