Top Chef Vegas - starts 19 Aug

[RichC2]

I guess somebody showed Toby the clips from last season, he isn't nearly as annoying this season.

[Timber]

Poor Ron. Every week he starts out saying he has it and every week his food turns out terrible. He won't be missed.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

I had a couple of tweets with Toby, and I think he's alright.
He came on very strong at the start of last season

toadmeister: Yeah, I did come on a bit strong at first. In fact, first impressions have never been my strong suit. Glad you warmed up to me.

Glad Ron is gone, although all of the bottom 3 were weak, seems like in this ep a lot of failures...

That Pot Roast did look delicious though!

[LiquidSky]

Eli acted like a douche when he didn't win the quickfire.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

Agreed. I think that was an edit though..

And this answers a question I had last time

People ask whether the first to serve are at a disadvantage because they have less time to cook … or, conversely, whether the last to serve are at a disadvantage because their food’s grown old and cold

OK, while I know that in this episode we saw all the cheftestants walk into the kitchen together, and it seemed as though everyone started and finished cooking for the Elimination Challenge at the same time, in actuality, the cook times for the Elimination Challenges are often staggered to comport with the order in which the dishes will be served. In actuality, the cook times for the Elimination Challenges are often staggered to comport with the order in which the dishes will be served. This time, it took us a half-hour to taste, give a few comments, clear, and get ready for the next course, so we staggered the start times by forty five minutes.

[Big Boy Laroux]

yeah, I'm sure Robin having cancer changed Michelle Bernstein's taste buds.

And then Ash was bitter about it later. "i should just make a salad and an apple crisp" Dude, just make something that tastes good. The judges even said it last night. Had Ron not even remotely tried to deconstruct anything and just made a normal paella that tasted good, he wouldn't have been in there. Of course they consider the rules around the challenge, but taste is the most important thing.

[clckworang]

Originally Posted by Big Boy Laroux

yeah, I'm sure Robin having cancer changed Michelle Bernstein's taste buds.

And then Ash was bitter about it later. "i should just make a salad and an apple crisp" Dude, just make something that tastes good. The judges even said it last night. Had Ron not even remotely tried to deconstruct anything and just made a normal paella that tasted good, he wouldn't have been in there. Of course they consider the rules around the challenge, but taste is the most important thing.

Exactly. I couldn't believe there were cancer comments after she won that challenge. I thought that was pretty tasteless.

As for Ron, it seemed that nothing on that plate was cooked correctly. He spent so much time worrying about deconstructing that he forgot to actually cook something good.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

From what my concept of deconstructed is/was I do think Kevin nailed it.
All the pieces laid out that make up a mouthful.

Similar to how Brian showed mike I how to deconstruct the bearnaise.

Also Mike I did not know what Eggs Florentine was?

[Double_Oh_7]

Best line of the night...

PADMA: "I've had bull testicles before..."
PENN: "I'll bet!"

The one and only time Penn (or Teller) has ever made me laugh.

[Big Boy Laroux]

Originally Posted by clckworang

As for Ron, it seemed that nothing on that plate was cooked correctly. He spent so much time worrying about deconstructing that he forgot to actually cook something good.

Exactly what I was saying. I think if he just blew off the whole deconstruction thing and just cooked a regular paella that tasted good (a big IF seeing what he's done so far), he wouldn't have been sent home. It's possible that they may have docked him some points and kept him in the bottom 3, but the other 2 would have had worse sins (overcooked fish, undercooked lamb and NO MASHED POTATOES ON A SHEPHERD'S PIE?!?!?!?!?!?)

I do think the advice eli and kevin gave him was a good one. Have almost like a crispy rice cake under the seafood. He just didn't get it. But he was like that from the start - not getting things. "My Vice is the 30 days i spent on a boat." Great story, but um, that's not a vice.

[SexualPudding]

Ron sucked. I knew before the ep even started that, barring some catastrophic fuck up by one of the talented chefs, it was either he or Robin going home. Robin won immunity, so there you go. Ash isn't long for this competition, either. Ron seemed like an ok guy but was just so out of his depth here. I don't recall him once making anything good-I guess the closest would be his sweet ceviche last week, which still didn't get very high marks. Goodbye to him and his stupid fucking red crocs.

P.S. Michelle Bernstein is pretty damn cute.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

It was editing I'm sure, but I got a little worried about Jen last night.

Looked like she was having problems with her lasagne, and as Jamie points out on her blog that's the first time she hasn't cooked fish!

And Eli has done scallops twice now. Jamie used them 3 times in her season...
So Eli is going for the new Top Scallop!

[DRG]

Is "classically trained" a codeword for "inability to be innovative"? Jen and at least one other chef last night complained that they didn't know how to deconstruct food because they were classically trained. By season 6 shouldn't these people realize that creativity and the ability to think outside the confines of traditional cooking are just as important to winning Top Chef as pure cooking skill, if not more?

[Pharoh]

I wish the show took a bit more of a socially aware stand. I am not asking for much, but virtually all of the guest chefs are socially involved. Why not mention their cause? Give a donation to said cause? Or even revolve a challenge around it. I know they have done a few things in the past, including the Masters show, but not nearly enough. Having Michelle Bernstein on was a perfect opportunity; an opportunity missed.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

Eater Blog

Mike is so confused by Eggs Florentine, which is on every diner menu ever. He loves his joke that to him it's Eggs Foreign-To-Me. You should write these recaps with me, Mike. That's an open invitation. But I do not have a 2-way pager so I'm not sure how you'll reach me.

[LurkerDan]

Originally Posted by SexualPudding

I don't recall him once making anything good

His clam chowder was supposedly pretty good.

[Superboy]

I thought that this was by far, the most boring episode of this entire season. I felt this sense of fatigue from the contestants that tends to happen mid-way through the season (and Tom expressed on his blog how this season the chefs were going to go strong the whole way). I expected a whole lot more from this bunch.

Still, the challenge was incredibly hard. In previous episodes I try to play along and imagine possible ideas. The problem with a lot of the dishes they had to "deconstruct" is that a lot of them have components that are already deconstructed. Usually the winner of a challenge like this is the person that has flawless execution - and in this case, that person definitely deserved to win, going head and shoulders above his competitors.

It's nice to see the competition heating up though. This is usually around the time when it gets incredibly tense, because only the good chefs are left. I have a feeling that the final four will be Michael V, Bryan, Kevin, and Jennifer. And I think that Kevin might take this home.

[Superboy]

Originally Posted by Pharoh

I wish the show took a bit more of a socially aware stand. I am not asking for much, but virtually all of the guest chefs are socially involved. Why not mention their cause? Give a donation to said cause? Or even revolve a challenge around it. I know they have done a few things in the past, including the Masters show, but not nearly enough. Having Michelle Bernstein on was a perfect opportunity; an opportunity missed.

Remember Natasha Richardson in season 5? that was a great episode. I loved watching every minute of it. And contrary to Tom's assertion, I thought the food was really good. It was tragic watching that episode and then hearing of her death only a few months later.

[Superboy]

Originally Posted by clckworang

Exactly. I couldn't believe there were cancer comments after she won that challenge. I thought that was pretty tasteless.

You'll note that the chefs who complain about her are the ones that end up on the bottom. The great chefs just left her alone, and focused on their own food.

As for Ron, it seemed that nothing on that plate was cooked correctly. He spent so much time worrying about deconstructing that he forgot to actually cook something good.

True. He should have just made the rice, seasoned it, baked to get that crust, and made a saffron-crusted shrimp and a side of braised vegetables. Not totally deconstructed, but what can you do with Paella?

[Jadzia]

Originally Posted by Superboy

True. He should have just made the rice, seasoned it, baked to get that crust, and made a saffron-crusted shrimp and a side of braised vegetables. Not totally deconstructed, but what can you do with Paella?

I was wondering if he could have done something like use rice flour to make crepes and then stuff the crepes with the shrimp, etc.

[Big Boy Laroux]

ha ha, also from eater blog:

And luckily for no one Teller keeps up his character and doesn't talk the whole meal. Really? Maybe let him sit this one out. Or, you know, speak. It's not like people think Teller can't actually talk. We realize that's just a thing he does when on camera. But we can handle it. For example, if Penn took a break from dying his chin beard and being a loud jackass, we'd still believe he was a good magician.

[tofu]

Actually really surprised that Ash didn't go home today. He basically spent the entire show talking about his man crush on Michael and how he couldn't measure up to him. If he doesn't even think he has a shot at getting to the top, they should have dropped him and let Ashley move on.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

I thought it was telegraphed that he was going home from the get-go
however the Jen/Kevin team - hello. Win Squared is what that time is, a whole ball of win.

I really think ashley had picked it up in the last couple of eps, so I Was disappointed to see her leave.

[LurkerDan]

Originally Posted by tofu

Actually really surprised that Ash didn't go home today. He basically spent the entire show talking about his man crush on Michael and how he couldn't measure up to him. If he doesn't even think he has a shot at getting to the top, they should have dropped him and let Ashley move on.

I think the reason he didn't go home was because Eli and Ashley's dish was worse. Had Ash and Michael's dish been worse, no doubt he'd have been going.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

Blog Quote from Toby.

Before I sign off, I should point out how good Kevin and Jennifer’s BBQ kobe beef was, particularly Jennifer’s tomato and ginger broth, and Laurine and Bryan’s pan-roasted halibut on yellow corn cake. I’m not exaggerating when I say that both dishes were as good as the very best things we were served last season. This episode really brought home to me just how many great chefs we have on this season of the show.