Top Chef watchers -- What are your thoughts? (Spoilers)

Okay, I definitely think they made the right decision this week. Danny really needed to go. What was that business about him adding mushrooms at the last minute to Carla's dish?? I would have been really ticked if I were her. I admired her not speaking up and throwing him under the bus, but the judges thought she should have spoken up about that and that whole cluster creation they came up with. (And what was "new" about it? The whole concept made no sense to me.) Speaking of Carla, I think she is about to really kick it into high gear and will do something wonderful next week. Fabio gets points in my book for just being utterly charming, and I actually thought the "sea" play on "blue" was quite brilliant and inspired. I'm still scratching my head over why the judges had such a problem with it...(probably because they needed two teams to head into judges chambers as possible losers.)

And maybe it's on the cutting floor of the editing room, but I would have liked Arian to have spoken up to say that her perfect lamb could never have been possible without the help of all the other contestants. The three of them never would have been able to plate everything in time once they decided to allow it to cook to the proper temperature.

What are your thoughts so far?

I've seen the show, but... Holy shit! Padma Lakshmi hosts it? That in itself may be enough to get me to watch it

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

I've seen the show, but... Holy shit! Padma Lakshmi hosts it? That in itself may be enough to get me to watch it

Mark Lipton

She's repsonsible for the fact that a lot of men watch it, no doubt, and I can't blame them. She's pretty hot!

[Jenise]

Okay, I definitely think they made the right decision this week. Danny really needed to go. What was that business about him adding mushrooms at the last minute to Carla's dish?? I would have been really ticked if I were her. I admired her not speaking up and throwing him under the bus, but the judges thought she should have spoken up about that and that whole cluster creation they came up with. (And what was "new" about it? The whole concept made no sense to me.) Speaking of Carla, I think she is about to really kick it into high gear and will do something wonderful next week. Fabio gets points in my book for just being utterly charming, and I actually thought the "sea" play on "blue" was quite brilliant and inspired. I'm still scratching my head over why the judges had such a problem with it...(probably because they needed two teams to head into judges chambers as possible losers.)

And maybe it's on the cutting floor of the editing room, but I would have liked Arian to have spoken up to say that her perfect lamb could never have been possible without the help of all the other contestants. The three of them never would have been able to plate everything in time once they decided to allow it to cook to the proper temperature.

What are your thoughts so far?

Danny's total cluelessness about why what they did was wrong was enough to get him ejected and rightly so--if his judgement's that bad, he has no place there.

Carla--she has some good chops. But I have to make a totally superficial segue here: what makes her so bug-eyed, any idea? Is that natural, or do you think she has one of those diseases like Graves that kind of makes you do that?

Arianne--she broiled some meat, big deal. Her lamb wouldn't have been half so sensational without the rest of the dish around it--Jamie's carrot puree, for instance. I thought it was unfair to give Arianne the win by herself, and for that matter I'd have given the win to Jeff. He took a chance--even his teammates didn't like his idea much--but he persisted and it was a perfect choice. For all of that, I think he deserved it the most.

Fabio--isn't he adorable? If the execs at the Food Network have any smarts, they'd already be planning a show for him.

Carla--she has some good chops. But I have to make a totally superficial segue here: what makes her so bug-eyed, any idea? Is that natural, or do you think she has one of those diseases like Graves that kind of makes you do that?

I'm not sure. It's almost like she just opens her eyes really wide. What scares me though, is her hair. The eyes combined with her hair just give her a really wild look! She seems like a really neat person though and I cracked up about that hooty call she and her husband do when they are in public places and can't find each other.

Arianne--she broiled some meat, big deal. Her lamb wouldn't have been half so sensational without the rest of the dish around it--Jamie's carrot puree, for instance. I thought it was unfair to give Arianne the win by herself, and for that matter I'd have given the win to Jeff. He took a chance--even his teammates didn't like his idea much--but he persisted and it was a perfect choice. For all of that, I think he deserved it the most.

Agree with you 100% on all counts.

Regarding Padma. She is so cool. Gorgeous, and she EATS. What a concept. At first I didn't like the way she spoke but I got used to it. (Kind of a "too cool for this crowd" delivery.) Len watched an episode with me a few weeks ago, and while I'm sure his eyeballs were loving the segments she was featured in, he said, "What's with the way she talks? It bugs me." I had never said anything to him about that...
Wonder what happened between her and Salmon?

[Jenise]

The eyes combined with her hair just give her a really wild look! She seems like a really neat person though and I cracked up about that hooty call she and her husband do when they are in public places and can't find each other.

I like her too. In fact, if I had to choose my new BFF from among the group, it would be her. Last would be the girl from Colorado whose name escapes me, and it shoould because she never does anything remarkable unless it's remarkably bad.

She is so cool. Gorgeous, and she EATS. What a concept. At first I didn't like the way she spoke but I got used to it.
Wonder what happened between her and Salmon?

I think it's just her way of speaking, some combination of whatever is just her combined with English as a second language (presuming she's not American born and raised, which she could be). However it came to be, I find her voice very unique and appealing. It's a voice you'd recognize anywhere.

Okay, I definitely think they made the right decision this week. Danny really needed to go. What was that business about him adding mushrooms at the last minute to Carla's dish?? I would have been really ticked if I were her. I admired her not speaking up and throwing him under the bus

Agree on all counts. Except, I think Carla should have thrown him under the bus. This is a competition -- if there is any possibility that the mushrooms might have detracted from her dish, she should have shown a light on the reason.

and that whole cluster creation they came up with. (And what was "new" about it? The whole concept made no sense to me.)

That is the reason I think Gene will not be long for the show. He may know how to cook, but he has no culinary creativity. And what was the idea that you can save rice by throwing some chopped up bits into it?

Speaking of Carla

I think she is the love child of Diana Ross -- she looks alot like Tracee Ross to me.

Tracee_Ross.jpg

Fabio gets points in my book for just being utterly charming, and I actually thought the "sea" play on "blue" was quite brilliant and inspired. I'm still scratching my head over why the judges had such a problem with it...(probably because they needed two teams to head into judges chambers as possible losers.)

Yes, Fabio is charming. But, what is it with Italian chefs (except Mario), believing they can get by on charm? Anybody seen Nick Stellino (he really bugs me with his constant Sicilian chatter)?

And maybe it's on the cutting floor of the editing room, but I would have liked Arian to have spoken up to say that her perfect lamb could never have been possible without the help of all the other contestants. The three of them never would have been able to plate everything in time once they decided to allow it to cook to the proper temperature.

Ditto. And, I'm not convinced that she's all that talented.

I have not watched since I had to decamp suddenly to Georgia before Thanksgiving. We've been so busy since returning home that we haven't had a chance to catch up on DVR'd episodes of Top Chef or the others we recorded. Don't worry about the spoiler part on my account.

Jo Ann you may be onto something with that "love child" thing. There is definitely a resemblance.

Regarding Gene, I don't know what the deal was with his rice idea. Do you think maybe he didn't have time to make a new batch of rice? And then, how can you possibly have cooked, deconstructed sushi without rice???

Agree with you about Arian. I think she's just been getting lucky and hasn't prepared anything remarkable as far as I'm concerned. She's had three weeks in a row of successes, but I still have no idea about her talent because has stayed so "safe." Roasted turkey breasts, watermelon and feta salad (pretty run of the mill IMO), and roasted rack of lamb. All easy.

Well, I hadn't watched this before, aside from switching through it once in awhile, but I'll certainly take a more serious look even if the recommendations in this thread do come out sounding more than a bit like a soap synopsis.

As for Padma Lakshmi, while undeniably ornamental (but marrying Rushdie? What's up with that? Serious daddy issues?) I had assumed that she was just a talking head with no talent other than the obvious. Is this incorrect? Does she have any cooking chops that aren't ghostwritten? The fact that a search engine turns up many items, about half of which involve her parading about in the nude always gives me pause and makes me thing that this may be her most significant talent, but I'll keep an open mind.

And yes, Carla (thanks for the name, I had just referred to her as 'Bugeye' when I told my wife she should look at the TV) does rather resemble frog on a lilypad, but it ain't about looks (see above re host), it's about talent, and she looked interesting.



PS to Jenise - I think I need one of these for the garden!

[Jenise]

Well, I hadn't watched this before, aside from switching through it once in awhile, but I'll certainly take a more serious look even if the recommendations in this thread do come out sounding more than a bit like a soap synopsis.

As for Padma Lakshmi, while undeniably ornamental (but marrying Rushdie? What's up with that? Serious daddy issues?) I had assumed that she was just a talking head with no talent other than the obvious. Is this incorrect? Does she have any cooking chops that aren't ghostwritten? The fact that a search engine turns up many items, about half of which involve her parading about in the nude always gives me pause and makes me thing that this may be her most significant talent, but I'll keep an open mind.

And yes, Carla (thanks for the name, I had just referred to her as 'Bugeye' when I told my wife she should look at the TV) does rather resemble frog on a lilypad, but it ain't about looks (see above re host), it's about talent, and she looked interesting.



PS to Jenise - I think I need one of these for the garden!

Long long ago, Padma was chef-host of her on Food Network program devoted to Indian food, so yes it would seem she has good chops. I don't know anything about the rest of her career or parading about in the nude--I'll leave that to you.

As for the frog in the garden, could be dangerous if Les and David N see it before Barb and Nadine do!

Long long ago, Padma was chef-host of her on Food Network program devoted to Indian food, so yes it would seem she has good chops. I don't know anything about the rest of her career or parading about in the nude--I'll leave that to you.

As for the frog in the garden, could be dangerous if Les and David N see it before Barb and Nadine do!

I think that it ain't just good chops she has....and I prefer not to parade about in the nude, it tends to scare the horses.

As for the Froggie, you may have a point. Guess I better opt for this one instead, if I want to minimize the possibility of extracurricular osculation. I'll tell SWMBO you suggested it!

Arian made deviled eggs for an Am-Far, star-studded banquet?
SSSSSsssssss!! BOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!!
Don't let the door knob hit you.......

I need to catch up on my DVR'd episodes - a month's worth.