No problem Pacer =o)
Just glad we could clear things up. My husband is a Chef, he has been in the industry for about 16 years and I also worked in the industry for a long long time! We both agree that being an excellent chef has nothing to do with being arrogant and thinking that you are better than everyone else. A chef needs to be able to manage his/her crew and exert the best out of them and not because you can scare them into it or you can create a military-like atmosphere, but because they share your same vision and passion for food and for your business... and they will only share your vision when they know they are treated as equals and respected as an intrical part of the team.
You go into the industry becuase you love what you do, you love to create excellent food and love people to try your creations, because you love your clientele and you could not live without doing what you love for a living.
If you don't love what you do and do it because you love it, it gets old, people will notice, creations will get old and I think that's when a business fails.
I think some of the Chefs on the show need to realize this and learn to be a little more humble (a lot more for Stephen!). They need to get back to the basics and realize they are in an industry where pleasing your clients is one of the most important, if not the most important, aspect.
Full Version: The Chefs
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Last nights showed really revealed what a loser Stephen is, he absolutely lied about the use of fresh herbs. Outright lied when he was confronted on why he had used them. This guy would sell his mother to stay in the game.
Lee Ann has a good chance of pulling this whole thing off,I hope she continues to do well.
I was sorry to Candice get chucked out, but she does lack experience, but she gave a great effort.
It was very entertaining to see Stephen brought in to the room to find out he was one of the three worse of all the chefs, the look on his face was worth the pain of listening to his babble during his presentation to the ladies, thank god we only got the edited version to see.
I am very sure that Tiffany will enter the next challange with a bloated head, this will make her very sustiable to finally getting trashed.
We can only hope
Lee Ann has a good chance of pulling this whole thing off,I hope she continues to do well.
I was sorry to Candice get chucked out, but she does lack experience, but she gave a great effort.
It was very entertaining to see Stephen brought in to the room to find out he was one of the three worse of all the chefs, the look on his face was worth the pain of listening to his babble during his presentation to the ladies, thank god we only got the edited version to see.
I am very sure that Tiffany will enter the next challange with a bloated head, this will make her very sustiable to finally getting trashed.
We can only hope
i think you should forward your very observant and articulate reply to the bravo folks. you are right on about the absence of creating a soup dish/recipe. sheesh, i can barely open up a can of soup and wondered about that myself.
like many other reality shows, the network clearly wants the viewers to be entertained first and educated last. meaning; let's dummy down the show, it's intent, it's content, and it's contestants.
sadly, i believe the majority of the t.v. viewing audience has become addicted to this silly soap opera format.
bravo has become just another commercial, network channel and they should've stopped at queer eye and called it a day.
ugh, don't get me started. ;-)
like many other reality shows, the network clearly wants the viewers to be entertained first and educated last. meaning; let's dummy down the show, it's intent, it's content, and it's contestants.
sadly, i believe the majority of the t.v. viewing audience has become addicted to this silly soap opera format.
bravo has become just another commercial, network channel and they should've stopped at queer eye and called it a day.
ugh, don't get me started. ;-)
I’m starting this thread for people who are fans of Stephen. Please be considerate, and post negative comments elsewhere.
Who am I? I’m a 45 year-old computer professional who lives and works in Montgomery County, Maryland. My kitchen is terrible. I never cook. I don’t even boil water. I just nuke things.
Even if I was a great chef, I wouldn’t want to eat anything I made because, for me, the smells and tastes of cooking would preempt the enjoyment of eating the final product. I don’t want to smell my dinner until it’s on the plate in front of me.
But for some unknown reason, I have become hooked on “Top Chef”.
I admire a number of the contestants - but the one who really inspires me is Stephen. He possesses vision and creativity that’s on a higher level. His creations are amazing! Jaw dropping! He’s turning me into a bon vivant – which is unfortunate because gourmet food isn’t cheap, unless you cook it yourself. And like I said before, I don’t want to cook for myself.
So now I’ll be searching for the best chefs in the area. Chefs who have vision and creativity. I see that Stephen is going to launch a quick-service gourmet restaurant, called “FoodReal”. I wish he’d open one here.
I’m sorry so many people don’t like Stephen’s personality. Many think he’s being highbrowed and abrasive. Well, I don’t think he regards HIMSELF as being better - I think he regards his VISION as being better. And I totally agree. Sure, he’s a bit eccentric, but that makes him more interesting. (He reminds me of some English friends.) The competition makes ALL the contestants edgy. Under different circumstances I think Stephen would be more than happy to share his vision with the others - to help them rise above simply being great - to help them to become SENSATIONAL – which is what you have to be if you want to be a “Top Chef”.
Who am I? I’m a 45 year-old computer professional who lives and works in Montgomery County, Maryland. My kitchen is terrible. I never cook. I don’t even boil water. I just nuke things.
Even if I was a great chef, I wouldn’t want to eat anything I made because, for me, the smells and tastes of cooking would preempt the enjoyment of eating the final product. I don’t want to smell my dinner until it’s on the plate in front of me.
But for some unknown reason, I have become hooked on “Top Chef”.
I admire a number of the contestants - but the one who really inspires me is Stephen. He possesses vision and creativity that’s on a higher level. His creations are amazing! Jaw dropping! He’s turning me into a bon vivant – which is unfortunate because gourmet food isn’t cheap, unless you cook it yourself. And like I said before, I don’t want to cook for myself.
So now I’ll be searching for the best chefs in the area. Chefs who have vision and creativity. I see that Stephen is going to launch a quick-service gourmet restaurant, called “FoodReal”. I wish he’d open one here.
I’m sorry so many people don’t like Stephen’s personality. Many think he’s being highbrowed and abrasive. Well, I don’t think he regards HIMSELF as being better - I think he regards his VISION as being better. And I totally agree. Sure, he’s a bit eccentric, but that makes him more interesting. (He reminds me of some English friends.) The competition makes ALL the contestants edgy. Under different circumstances I think Stephen would be more than happy to share his vision with the others - to help them rise above simply being great - to help them to become SENSATIONAL – which is what you have to be if you want to be a “Top Chef”.
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I’m sorry so many people don’t like Stephen’s personality. Many think he’s being highbrowed and abrasive. Well, I don’t think he regards HIMSELF as being better - I think he regards his VISION as being better. And I totally agree. Sure, he’s a bit eccentric, but that makes him more interesting. (He reminds me of some English friends.)
I'd have to respectfully disagree. I actually was surprised with the humility I saw from him as he exited the "board room" last night, but immediately after they showed him giving Candice a farewell hug and apologizing for giving her a "hard time" earlier, they cut to a clip of Stephen basically saying that Candice had to go because of her youthful inexperience. I believe that Stephen and Candice are roughly the same age, with maybe a year separating them.
Stephen is completely blinded by his narcissistic arrogance.
Sorry Burton but I have to disagree. The only thing jaw dropping about Stephen's creations would be for me to spit them out. I'm still baffled by some of the combinations he did for his fruit plate. Ugh!
I'm a big Harold fan. I especially appreciate how he shows that he's learned from personal experience -- in his case, travel in Southeast Asia. Sure, he may sound off on how he feels about some of the challenges, but he does so in a genuine way -- not really complaining about doing the work, but about the concept. Tiffani, especially in the challenge involving cooking for children, conveyed the impression that the entire task, including the work she had to perform, was beneath her. Harold may complain, but he always steps up. I'm sorry his soup didn't score him a win at the chefs' table last night. But he did win at the very first chefs' table, and so they probably give Tiffani this one (her first, apart from a quickfire challenge).
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OK, so I am a head chef at one of the nicest restaurants in New York City (check your Zagat), and the only reason why I am logging on to this board is because I wanted to see what everyone thought of these "chefs." First of all, I think that it is horrendous that the network considers such challenges as cooking monkfish for children (after showing them the raw fish), and making dessert for sex shop clientele to be a true measure of culinary ability.
The ONLY chef who I consider to be of any true caliber is Stephen. I also find it quite amusing... blah blah blah...
My guess is, the quote that comes to mind regarding Stephen probably also applies to you as well:
"An ounce of pretention is worth a pound of manure."
Yes, there are those who will be wildly impressed by Stephen. Then there's the other 99.99% of the population who care about food. Real food, that real people will eat, and that real people would even consider making.
And before you ask, yes I worked 20 years in professional kitchens, and I'm now happily retired. I can respect Tiffani, in spite of her "in your face" attitude, because she most respects the medium she's working in (and seems flexible enough to respect her customer, when pushed), and has enough talent to back up the bravura. In stark contrast -- Stephen may be able to BS his way through this show, but in the professional world, he'll eventually doom himself with his own preciousness if he doesn't get real. And I'm not sure he's constitutionally capable of doing that.
I was not really sure about this show at first.Then I caught the episode with the "Sexy" food and the challange was really interesting.So, I watched the first episode and have been hooked so far.The Irish chef was extremely full of himself.The sommelier Stephen, had me talking to the t.v.
because of his arrogance,lol. Then there was Tiffanie,at first she caught my attention, because of how much she looked like the Italian chef Mario,on that "other" cooking show.Then her attitude made me dislike her more and more.The kitchen should start to heat up,as the chefs are voted off.
because of his arrogance,lol. Then there was Tiffanie,at first she caught my attention, because of how much she looked like the Italian chef Mario,on that "other" cooking show.Then her attitude made me dislike her more and more.The kitchen should start to heat up,as the chefs are voted off.
stephen is sort of like the santino of the show...santino, though, has real talent and creativity; stephen is simply a jumble of culinary jargon with not a lot to back him up. arrogance gets you nowhere but fall from grace
I must respectfully disagree with those who believe Tiffany and Stephen to be cut from the same (cheese)cloth. Unlike KitchenGuy, I'm NOT a professional chef; however, as someone who dines out at fine restaurants several times a week, I *do* know the difference between excellent and mediocre or lousy food. Obviously, there's a certain amount of subjectivity that comes into play, but this series gives us the opportunity to see not only these chefs' culinary skills, but their ability to interact (and play well with) others. I see Tiffany as someone who, as she's stated many times, is here ONLY for the competition. Stephen, on the other hand, believes that there IS no competition. His arrogant, know-it-all and thoroughly condescending attitude more than disgust me; it almost makes me want to change the channel. There's a big difference between *confidence* (like Harold's) and *arrogance*. KitchenGuy might be a great chef, but he suggests that it's perfectly okay to be arrogant and condescending to others as long as you can cook. Like others who've posted before me, if I ever find out that Stephen is anywhere near a kitchen where I'm contemplating dining, I'd leave that restaurant in a heartbeat (and let the management know why, and that I won't even consider returning as long as Stephen's on staff).
I took great pleasure in seeing Stephen knocked off his self-imposed pedestal in the recent microwave battle and to a lesser-yet-notable extent, in the "sexy food" battle. He's a sommelier (AKA Master Bullshitter), not a top chef, yet he chose exactly the wrong wine to include in his dessert. He includes ingredients in his dishes not for flavor, but for his misassumption that piling on the complex equals great flavor.
I took great pleasure in seeing Stephen knocked off his self-imposed pedestal in the recent microwave battle and to a lesser-yet-notable extent, in the "sexy food" battle. He's a sommelier (AKA Master Bullshitter), not a top chef, yet he chose exactly the wrong wine to include in his dessert. He includes ingredients in his dishes not for flavor, but for his misassumption that piling on the complex equals great flavor.
To continue, several years ago I took my family to a restaurant here in San Francisco called Alain Rondellet (sp?). It was touted as one of the best restaruants in the City, so I was eager to find out for myself. Using the "food-as-art" concept similar to Stephen's, we were "treated" to five courses. Each plate that came out was appealing to the eye, but each plate had about a bite's worth of food on it. When all was said and done, I had paid more than $700 for 6 people, and we all left quite hungry. KitchenGuy and others might argue that it's more important for food to *look* good, but I'm of the belief that taste and hunger satisfaction are as important, if not more so.
I'm not surprised (and was admittedly quite pleased) that Mr. Rondellet went out of business shortly after my visit, and I'd love to see the same happen to Stephen both on the show and in real life. With all due respect to KitchenGuy, in the end, it's the customer who truly counts, not the self-aggrandizing idiots working in the kitchen (the judges hammer that point home every time a chef doesn't appeal to the customer first). As long as we diners refuse to put up with that kind of highway robbery, we'll keep inching closer back to the days when taste and overall customer satisfaction were worth more than the overinflated egos of the people in the kitchen.
I think Stephen, KitchenGuy and all the other egomaniacs out there should open a restaurant just for themselves. That way, they can spend all day and night boasting and putting each other down and let the rest of us focus on good food at reasonable prices.
Who's with me?
I'm not surprised (and was admittedly quite pleased) that Mr. Rondellet went out of business shortly after my visit, and I'd love to see the same happen to Stephen both on the show and in real life. With all due respect to KitchenGuy, in the end, it's the customer who truly counts, not the self-aggrandizing idiots working in the kitchen (the judges hammer that point home every time a chef doesn't appeal to the customer first). As long as we diners refuse to put up with that kind of highway robbery, we'll keep inching closer back to the days when taste and overall customer satisfaction were worth more than the overinflated egos of the people in the kitchen.
I think Stephen, KitchenGuy and all the other egomaniacs out there should open a restaurant just for themselves. That way, they can spend all day and night boasting and putting each other down and let the rest of us focus on good food at reasonable prices.
Who's with me?
You know Chef I was on your side until you strated talking about Stephen listen really look at the stuff he makes yes it looks good but come on who in there right mind will just get crush dry peas? He used that as a garnish. Chef I've worked for many years as a cook, chef, supervisor what ever the food service industry has to offer i pretty much have done it and yes I went to school, so I do know what's going on in the kitchen and I don't know what resturant you work at but if you are anything like him how many people do you have working for you and how many walked out on you. Because like somene said it is about the food and making people HAPPY. Not feed your ego.
And you of all people should know that CHEF.
And you of all people should know that CHEF.
Sure Your Right
Okay. While he's not as over-the-top snooty and self-delusional as Stephen, Harold seems to be just as unpleasant and narcissistic. In fact, even Tiffani is starting to look good in comparison.
ChefG I must apoligize to you I was reading the other person quote and not yours you are absolutely correct. The chef that showed repect for his workers will last longer than the [expletive deleted] who thinks he is king. It's funny have you ever seen a "King" run an entire kitchen by himself?
Sorry, ChefG please except my apology.
Sorry, ChefG please except my apology.
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I’m sorry so many people don’t like Stephen’s personality. Many think he’s being highbrowed and abrasive. Well, I don’t think he regards HIMSELF as being better - I think he regards his VISION as being better. And I totally agree. Sure, he’s a bit eccentric, but that makes him more interesting. (He reminds me of some English friends.) The competition makes ALL the contestants edgy. Under different circumstances I think Stephen would be more than happy to share his vision with the others - to help them rise above simply being great - to help them to become SENSATIONAL – which is what you have to be if you want to be a “Top Chef”.
I'm somewhat of a Stevie fan myself, partly 'cause I find his obliviousness to how he comes off somehow a bit endearing...I just wanted to say that I find your comment interesting that it's his vision, not himself, that Stevie thinks is above and beyond. He's kind of tunnel-vision, laser-focused, and--awful young! (:
-dylann
I didn't know Stephen had a brother.
The Scrapbook photo of Stephen standing in front of the bathroom door in his skivvies kind of shatters his hoitie-toitie image.
There is no way you are who you say you are. Based on presentation, recipes, knife skills, and balance of flavors LeAnn, Harold, Miguel, and Tiffany far superseed Stephen's skill, talent, and single-minded deconstructed constructs. Can he put any food together? Even his deconstructed flavors are unpalatable.
But I'd love to have him cook a meal for me.
--dylann (:
...seriously...I mean, I love to cook, but I bet he could make something that would be great compared to a lotta my stuff.
--dylann (:
...seriously...I mean, I love to cook, but I bet he could make something that would be great compared to a lotta my stuff.
My take based on my and my friends' viewing habits...
Ken...opinionated, rough, and dangerous...always a turn-on;
Andrea....Heck yeah, the people of the world definitely need more organic and natural foods in their diets (the gods know I do);
Miguel...annoying;
Stephen...someone needs to shove an eggplant up his pretentious, pompous a**;
Harold... a "chef, and not and entertainer", unless the Junior League is involved - then it's all but a Chippendales lap-dance;
Tiffani...the "also ran" finally won a challege (probably the only one if future challenges involve families or children);
Dave...frankly, my friends and I don't have the time, supplies, or medication to maintain him;
Brian...I hope the "stars" don't put carrots on their menu;
Lisa...she knows what she is doing, but is not being aggressive enough;
Candice...she nailed Stephen dead-on (Tool, douche-bag), but she was also inexperienced;
Cynthia (sp?)...reminded me of Ms. Paula Dean (Wild, Wacky, and Wonderful)...
Ken...opinionated, rough, and dangerous...always a turn-on;
Andrea....Heck yeah, the people of the world definitely need more organic and natural foods in their diets (the gods know I do);
Miguel...annoying;
Stephen...someone needs to shove an eggplant up his pretentious, pompous a**;
Harold... a "chef, and not and entertainer", unless the Junior League is involved - then it's all but a Chippendales lap-dance;
Tiffani...the "also ran" finally won a challege (probably the only one if future challenges involve families or children);
Dave...frankly, my friends and I don't have the time, supplies, or medication to maintain him;
Brian...I hope the "stars" don't put carrots on their menu;
Lisa...she knows what she is doing, but is not being aggressive enough;
Candice...she nailed Stephen dead-on (Tool, douche-bag), but she was also inexperienced;
Cynthia (sp?)...reminded me of Ms. Paula Dean (Wild, Wacky, and Wonderful)...
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My take based on my and my friends' viewing habits...
Ken...opinionated, rough, and dangerous...always a turn-on;
Andrea....Heck yeah, the people of the world definitely need more organic and natural foods in their diets (the gods know I do);
Miguel...annoying;
Stephen...someone needs to shove an eggplant up his pretentious, pompous a**;
Harold... a "chef, and not and entertainer", unless the Junior League is involved - then it's all but a Chippendales lap-dance;
Tiffani...the "also ran" finally won a challege (probably the only one if future challenges involve families or children);
Dave...frankly, my friends and I don't have the time, supplies, or medication to maintain him;
Brian...I hope the "stars" don't put carrots on their menu;
Lisa...she knows what she is doing, but is not being aggressive enough;
Candice...she nailed Stephen dead-on (Tool, douche-bag), but she was also inexperienced;
Cynthia (sp?)...reminded me of Ms. Paula Dean (Wild, Wacky, and Wonderful)...
(
: Yeah, Cynthia is Paula Deen-as-sailor-from-Brooklyn-on-shore-leave.... (; (; ...I love Paula Deen and Cynthia both, and hey, continuing with my Diction theme (see above--no don't, it's too boring), anyway, as I was saying, if Cyn got re-dictioned so she could speak with the Southern vibe and snapped herself with a wrist-band for a month in advance every time she swore, in order to prepare, you understand...I can see it--she could sub for Paula,--who would, of course, be trolling the mean streets of Manhattan cooking up that Eastern diction!! (;--dylann
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Lee Anne is not the only Asian. I may be mistaken but Candice may have some Japanese blood in her. But what did I miss? How can it be determined that a female contestant is not wearing a bra or panties while dressed in a chef's jacket?
I believe the person was referring to Candace's "bra and panties" choice for the sex challenge.
"Stephen....argh...you just knew he was the kid everyone picked on in school. If I could buy him for what he's worth and sell him for what he thinks he's worth I would never have to work again."
That has to be one of the funniest things I've read (right up there with whoever it was on the PR board pointing out that Santino was the spitting image of General Zod).
Stephen reminds me of a great number of young, inexperienced, arrogant trader-trainees who I had the [dis]pleasure of training during my 20 years on Wall Street.
That being said, my food/restaurant experience comes not from the kitchen, but from the side of the restaurant that lines the pockets of the better chefs I've had the good fortune to have met and experience the food of.
One in particular is not only an excellent chef, but also a charismatic, charming and pleasant man. Stephen would be hung on a spike in his kitchen (metaphorically speaking), as a reminder of how NOT to behave.
Let's remember that as much as food preparation, creativity and the understanding of the palatte, the food industry is very people-oriented and a service industry. Stephen should be hard-pressed to come to that realization.
And for Stephen, a personal message (as I said regarding Santino on the PR board): The hand you bite today may belong to the ass you kiss tomorrow.
I have hope that he'll turn his attitude around, but as it stands right now, he's barely worth a glance, in my book.
That has to be one of the funniest things I've read (right up there with whoever it was on the PR board pointing out that Santino was the spitting image of General Zod).
Stephen reminds me of a great number of young, inexperienced, arrogant trader-trainees who I had the [dis]pleasure of training during my 20 years on Wall Street.
That being said, my food/restaurant experience comes not from the kitchen, but from the side of the restaurant that lines the pockets of the better chefs I've had the good fortune to have met and experience the food of.
One in particular is not only an excellent chef, but also a charismatic, charming and pleasant man. Stephen would be hung on a spike in his kitchen (metaphorically speaking), as a reminder of how NOT to behave.
Let's remember that as much as food preparation, creativity and the understanding of the palatte, the food industry is very people-oriented and a service industry. Stephen should be hard-pressed to come to that realization.
And for Stephen, a personal message (as I said regarding Santino on the PR board): The hand you bite today may belong to the ass you kiss tomorrow.
I have hope that he'll turn his attitude around, but as it stands right now, he's barely worth a glance, in my book.
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I'd have to respectfully disagree. I actually was surprised with the humility I saw from him as he exited the "board room" last night, but immediately after they showed him giving Candice a farewell hug and apologizing for giving her a "hard time" earlier, they cut to a clip of Stephen basically saying that Candice had to go because of her youthful inexperience. I believe that Stephen and Candice are roughly the same age, with maybe a year separating them.
Stephen is completely blinded by his narcissistic arrogance.
You are harsh in criticizing Stephen's people-skills, just as Stephen can be harsh in criticizing others' cooking-skills. That's fine. Tough love. He'll learn that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. I know I've mellowed-out a lot since I was 24, and I'm sure he will too.
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Sorry Burton but I have to disagree. The only thing jaw dropping about Stephen's creations would be for me to spit them out. I'm still baffled by some of the combinations he did for his fruit plate. Ugh!
In this competition it seems as though Stephen is putting adventure ahead of sustenance. Wine is an adventure. Food far more so. Maybe that’s why he left his Sommelier job. I’d be willing to risk any of his creations for the adventure of it all. Life is short.
What risk? Food poisoning? No way. There's no risk since he isn't tasting what he is plating. The only possible risk is the chance that the judge can get past the visual and actually sample the artwork.
I suppose eating a pile of rocks would be an adventure. Maybe it is just me but I think food should taste even better than it looks.
"You are harsh in criticizing Stephen's people-skills, just as Stephen can be harsh in criticizing others' cooking-skills. That's fine. Tough love."
It is one thing to demean another human being, and that behavior deserves every ounce of harshness that it has engendered. It is another thing entirely to be an inexperienced, even not-so-skillful chef. Candyce doesn't deserve one iota of harshness for simply being at a certain point in her career/life, yet stephen treated her to enormous helping of 'harshness' (or assholery more specifically). And what "tough love"? Do you honestly believe that stephen had any goal but, as she said, to "diminish" candyce? The 'man' himself stated pretty plainly that (i paraphrase) she wasn't good enough to educate. So what was the purpose of this fine young man's 'discussion' with young Candyce, hmm? On another note, I would very much like to know how you respond to the multiple commentsby judges and patrons of the off-taste of many of stephen's dishes- e.g. the 1st nights lamb had mixed reviews, his fruit cups sounded awful and he didn't taste them himself, and of course both his quickfire and elimination dish on episode 4 were absolutely murdered by the tasters. You obviously have the idea from somewhere that he cooks tasty food- and I would genuinely like to know where that notion comes from.
It is one thing to demean another human being, and that behavior deserves every ounce of harshness that it has engendered. It is another thing entirely to be an inexperienced, even not-so-skillful chef. Candyce doesn't deserve one iota of harshness for simply being at a certain point in her career/life, yet stephen treated her to enormous helping of 'harshness' (or assholery more specifically). And what "tough love"? Do you honestly believe that stephen had any goal but, as she said, to "diminish" candyce? The 'man' himself stated pretty plainly that (i paraphrase) she wasn't good enough to educate. So what was the purpose of this fine young man's 'discussion' with young Candyce, hmm? On another note, I would very much like to know how you respond to the multiple commentsby judges and patrons of the off-taste of many of stephen's dishes- e.g. the 1st nights lamb had mixed reviews, his fruit cups sounded awful and he didn't taste them himself, and of course both his quickfire and elimination dish on episode 4 were absolutely murdered by the tasters. You obviously have the idea from somewhere that he cooks tasty food- and I would genuinely like to know where that notion comes from.
I would let Harlod cook anything form me. After the cooking, that I would use him for the dish.
Yummy
Yummy
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I would let Harlod cook anything form me. After the cooking, that I would use him for the dish.
Yummy
You have the option to preview your messages before you post them (I do with mine); you might want to take advantage of that, since your missives take deciphering to be understood.
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You are harsh in criticizing Stephen's people-skills, just as Stephen can be harsh in criticizing others' cooking-skills.
Thankfully, in this last episode, Stephen has finally received some direct and harsh (and, in my opinion, overdue) criticism of his OWN cooking skills. Maybe he'll be a bit more gracious to his colleagues from now on -- but I doubt it.
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I would let Harlod cook anything form me. After the cooking, that I would use him for the dish.
Yummy
You have the option to preview your messages before you post them (I do with mine); you might want to take advantage of that, since your missives take deciphering to be understood.
do you understand that I woulndt mind using Haold as the plate for the dish he cooks...a living plate
I thought Candace was really easy to relate to, since we are the same age. Stephen, though, is outta this world. He's like the kind of guy that gets laughed at behind his back. As far as Tiffani goes, I'm getting sick of seeing her. Her attitude is totally annoying.
Episode 2 is history.
ag, i don't want to offend, but dog has a point- we WANT to understand you, but you need to proofread, as do we all. your response is nearly as indecipherable as your original post.
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ag, i don't want to offend, but dog has a point- we WANT to understand you, but you need to proofread, as do we all. your response is nearly as indecipherable as your original post.
Thanks, supershrinky! I'm very fond of this crazy language we speak and write, and I think it's always worth a tiny bit of extra time to respect it and use it thoughtfully.
After all, language is a communication tool, and using it judiciously and well will always reap the best results.
We are well met dog, and furthermore, this venue offers us the invaluable ability to EDIT ourselves, one I wish I had IRL, and I think we should all use it extensively. (just to stay on topic- don't know if you've seen the mess I created on another thread in that vein) but someone please speak to me about the taste of Stephen's food. I've asked the stephen fan among us, and nothing so far. The lamb in epi one look delish, but ever since, nothing I'd go near. Is it just me? I'd love for someone more knowledgeable to take me dish by dish and tell me how you think it'd taste. Well, my daughter is churlishly whining for her bottle, so 'night all.
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but someone please speak to me about the taste of Stephen's food.
My husband, who is not addicted to Top Chef as we are, wandered into the room when Stephen was describing his Quickfire fruit in the teacups. As Stephen outlined his ingredients, Schmoogie (that's what I call the old man) made a terrible face and said, "Yuck! Is he kidding? Why would anyone want to eat that?" Precisely my reaction to everything Stephen has prepared since the lamb in episode 1.
To paraphrase Billy Crystal's Fernando, Stephen's culinary philosophy seems to be: "It's better to look good than to taste good!"
doggy: ( I know thats creative license, but I just donwanna call you dog): Schmoogie, I love it, am totally going to use it on mine when he gets home Sunday! As for your comments, agreed! Although, someone at some point who sounded much more knowledgeable than I said that olive oil and fruit was delicious, well I'm just too pedestrian to get it I guess. Anyone else? I think the judges were conclusive about the confusion tamale. How about his gas station ensemble? Or his sexy dessert? etc. etc. Just to disclose, I am neither a foodie nor a cook, too pickie for the former ( 40 year old that wont eat veggies- I lied to my 11 year old when she was little and told her I was allergic to green veg- so she wouldn't use me as an excuse not to eat them- it worked! She has wonderful eating habits. Don't know what I'll do with the 9 month old- big sis will blow my cover in a minute) I love to eat of course, but I'm more a reality tv junkie, so I'm lost with the gastronomic esoterica.Comments on the other dishes would be fascinating. One poster said Tif's octopus and angel hair gave them shivers. Elaborate please? (octupus of any stripe gives me shivers) Thanks for any comments.
I'm fine with Dog, Doggy, or even Mother Hubbard (went to the cupboard to get her poor—). I'm a fairly picky eater myself. I love most veggies, but strangely enough, I don't like a lot of fruits. Can't stand shellfish in any form, and while I tolerate most fin fish, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat any.
However, when one of the chefs really hits it, the sound of a dish can be enough to make me put aside my dislike of the ingredients. For example, I have no desire to eat octopus (I have tried it; didn't like it), but some of the preparations (Lee Anne's, for one) almost got me interested.
Nothing Stephen has put together has ever hit me that way. In fact, even when he uses ingredients I like, his combinations put me off. And I hate artsy-f@rtsy plating. If I want to look at paintings, I'll head for the art gallery!
However, when one of the chefs really hits it, the sound of a dish can be enough to make me put aside my dislike of the ingredients. For example, I have no desire to eat octopus (I have tried it; didn't like it), but some of the preparations (Lee Anne's, for one) almost got me interested.
Nothing Stephen has put together has ever hit me that way. In fact, even when he uses ingredients I like, his combinations put me off. And I hate artsy-f@rtsy plating. If I want to look at paintings, I'll head for the art gallery!
Okay so this is my first post. I'm familiar with most forums, but if I'm doing anything wrong, obviously let me know.
Basically, my take on the chefs:
Andrea: I'm not exactly a health freak, but I like her. I dunno, I just like her personality and attitude throughout these past four episodes. I think her constant talk about organic products and moving your bowels with produce and so on is a little much, but it would be interesting to see her make it further. (I didn’t really want to see her go in the sex episode) Not to mention, I think she's really pretty. I mean, especially for 37.
Brian: I was so upset when he was eliminated! Granted, I thought he was a little too happy most of the times, but I really liked him. I would've liked him to make it further, if not, get to the final 3. Not to mention, his food (on the individual challenges) looked and sounded really good.
Candice: I'll admit, I was somewhat sad to see her go, but really, I didn’t care for her that much. I guess I was sad to see her go more because there wouldn’t be anymore sparks or fights between her and Stephen. (I don’t believe that people who fight are in love, but ya gotta admit, Stephen/Candice did look really cute together. that hug was the highlight of episode 4) I wasn’t too keen on her presentations or ideas for her dishes and she wasn’t exactly my favorite type of reality TV personality so... I dunno. I would’ve loved to see her win a challenge if she and Stephen were in the top 3. Not to see her win that much though. More just to see the priceless expression on Stephen's face.
Cynthia: I don’t know how many times I screamed at the reruns for her to go home. She did the right thing in the third episode and I’m glad. She wasn’t my favorite on the show, but she was humorous with her constant cursing (reminds me of myself). I guess I kinda miss her, but she did the right thing IMO.
Dave: I think he’s probably my least favorite guy. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dave, but there are aspects of him that I’m not keen on. I dunno exactly what but he bothers me. It was kinda sad that it took me so long to figure out he was gay. I mean, I figured by the voice but I knew it was wrong to stereotype (we all do it anyway). When he said the thing about Harold/Stephen making out, I pretty much knew it. I mean, most straight guys don’t say that two other straight guys should go make out somewhere. But anyway, I actually am surprised Dave made it passed this episode. IMO, he’s going soon. I won’t be that upset though. (Just like when Nick was eliminated in Project Runway. He should’ve been gone instead of Andrae, like Dave to Brian.)
Harold: I like him, but like Dave, he is irritating me. I would love to see him make final 3 though. His flavors seem to be on and I guess he’s impressing the judges. I do have to say, like him to Stephen, I do not get hungry looking at Harold’s food. (or his body. I actually disagree with him being hott. Or attractive really.) As well as that, how many times does he have to announce that he’s a chef? I think I’ve counted over four times. When he said he was a chef in his introduction, I needed to pause TiVO just to yell “NO S**T!” at him. You’re not on Top Chef if you’re a lawyer.
Ken: One, call me crazy, but for a 31 year old man, he is FINE. Two, I was really sad to see him go. He was hilarious with his yelling in the kitchen and everything else ridiculously obnoxious he did in the first episode. Not to mention, his accent was pretty sexy too (I’m not even that obsessed with Irish accents). So yeah, I liked him. Too bad he got the boot on the first episode, but I guess it was deserving?
LeeAnne: The second she said “Asian is sexy”, I had immediate respect for her. She’s completely right! (Yeah, I’m Asian as well.) I’m sad she hasn’t won an elimination challenge yet, but she’s won two Quickfires so I think she’s a good contender for final 3. I think she has the best personality out of all of the girls, and overall, I think she’s a pretty cool person.
Lisa: She doesn’t strike me as one of the final 3 contenders, but I like her a lot. I don’t think she’s making much further in the competition though. Sad, but what can you do?
Miguel: He’s one of the three people who made the commercials interesting, not to mention, one of the two that I wanted to see win from the commercials. He’s the funny guy. I love him. A lot. I think he should win more challenges because he deserves to. I think he should’ve been in the top 3 of the signature dishes instead of Tiffani (but no, let’s base things on originality. Whatever.) So in a nutshell, I’m pulling for Miguel all the way. I want him to take the title of Top Chef mainly because of what was shown on the second episode, he has the whole package.
Stephen: I’m probably the complete opposite of everyone, but he was the other person who I was rooting for from the commercials. The second he said “Being the bad guy is necessary at times. Extremely necessary. You need to exploit the weaknesses of others.”, I paused TiVO, pointed at his picture, and said “I love you.” Disagree all you want, but IMO, the majority of the best reality TV stars happen to be arrogant, somewhat egotistical a**holes. (Hello, Boston Rob from Survivor?) I completely agree with Stephen’s statement about being the bad guy and it was a turn on for me. Honestly, the only thing personality-wise I’m not keen on when it comes to Stephen is the fact that he can be all-talk-no-action. But otherwise, I love him. Do I want him to win? Not unless Miguel does not win. I definitely want him in the final 3. And even though he’s arrogant and all that, he can be a sweetheart like Miguel as well, and this past episode proves it. (I don’t think he was really sorry for being hard on Candice. If you know what I mean that is…) I think I dislike his hair and clothing style more than his attitude. I swear, he needs to keep his hair ungelled and wear casual clothes for just ONE episode. But I’m rooting for him because, IMO, he is the F****in man. He just doesn’t have the full package that Miguel has to win. I do have to say though, he looks hott in a wifebeater. (another highlight of Eps 3 and 4. <exaggeration> That image steamed up my TV screen </exaggeration>)
Tiffani: I’ve never liked her. Her pitch about “not being there to make friends” irritated me from the start. Of course, if you’re in a competition, you’re not there to make friends. Why are you going to state the obvious? She’s a b*tch. That’s usually not a bad thing for me, but she kinda takes it too far. She calmed down a little bit in ep 4, but not that much. If you don’t want people like Miguel or anyone else to copy your ideas, don’t let people know about them. Seriously. I loved her idea for the sex challenge, but in general, she’s my least favorite. She just pisses me off.
Soo…I said a lot. Don’t bash me for my opinions! And if I’m doing something wrong on this forum, let me know. (I don’t like feeling like a newbie too much >.<; )
Basically, my take on the chefs:
Andrea: I'm not exactly a health freak, but I like her. I dunno, I just like her personality and attitude throughout these past four episodes. I think her constant talk about organic products and moving your bowels with produce and so on is a little much, but it would be interesting to see her make it further. (I didn’t really want to see her go in the sex episode) Not to mention, I think she's really pretty. I mean, especially for 37.
Brian: I was so upset when he was eliminated! Granted, I thought he was a little too happy most of the times, but I really liked him. I would've liked him to make it further, if not, get to the final 3. Not to mention, his food (on the individual challenges) looked and sounded really good.
Candice: I'll admit, I was somewhat sad to see her go, but really, I didn’t care for her that much. I guess I was sad to see her go more because there wouldn’t be anymore sparks or fights between her and Stephen. (I don’t believe that people who fight are in love, but ya gotta admit, Stephen/Candice did look really cute together. that hug was the highlight of episode 4) I wasn’t too keen on her presentations or ideas for her dishes and she wasn’t exactly my favorite type of reality TV personality so... I dunno. I would’ve loved to see her win a challenge if she and Stephen were in the top 3. Not to see her win that much though. More just to see the priceless expression on Stephen's face.
Cynthia: I don’t know how many times I screamed at the reruns for her to go home. She did the right thing in the third episode and I’m glad. She wasn’t my favorite on the show, but she was humorous with her constant cursing (reminds me of myself). I guess I kinda miss her, but she did the right thing IMO.
Dave: I think he’s probably my least favorite guy. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dave, but there are aspects of him that I’m not keen on. I dunno exactly what but he bothers me. It was kinda sad that it took me so long to figure out he was gay. I mean, I figured by the voice but I knew it was wrong to stereotype (we all do it anyway). When he said the thing about Harold/Stephen making out, I pretty much knew it. I mean, most straight guys don’t say that two other straight guys should go make out somewhere. But anyway, I actually am surprised Dave made it passed this episode. IMO, he’s going soon. I won’t be that upset though. (Just like when Nick was eliminated in Project Runway. He should’ve been gone instead of Andrae, like Dave to Brian.)
Harold: I like him, but like Dave, he is irritating me. I would love to see him make final 3 though. His flavors seem to be on and I guess he’s impressing the judges. I do have to say, like him to Stephen, I do not get hungry looking at Harold’s food. (or his body. I actually disagree with him being hott. Or attractive really.) As well as that, how many times does he have to announce that he’s a chef? I think I’ve counted over four times. When he said he was a chef in his introduction, I needed to pause TiVO just to yell “NO S**T!” at him. You’re not on Top Chef if you’re a lawyer.
Ken: One, call me crazy, but for a 31 year old man, he is FINE. Two, I was really sad to see him go. He was hilarious with his yelling in the kitchen and everything else ridiculously obnoxious he did in the first episode. Not to mention, his accent was pretty sexy too (I’m not even that obsessed with Irish accents). So yeah, I liked him. Too bad he got the boot on the first episode, but I guess it was deserving?
LeeAnne: The second she said “Asian is sexy”, I had immediate respect for her. She’s completely right! (Yeah, I’m Asian as well.) I’m sad she hasn’t won an elimination challenge yet, but she’s won two Quickfires so I think she’s a good contender for final 3. I think she has the best personality out of all of the girls, and overall, I think she’s a pretty cool person.
Lisa: She doesn’t strike me as one of the final 3 contenders, but I like her a lot. I don’t think she’s making much further in the competition though. Sad, but what can you do?
Miguel: He’s one of the three people who made the commercials interesting, not to mention, one of the two that I wanted to see win from the commercials. He’s the funny guy. I love him. A lot. I think he should win more challenges because he deserves to. I think he should’ve been in the top 3 of the signature dishes instead of Tiffani (but no, let’s base things on originality. Whatever.) So in a nutshell, I’m pulling for Miguel all the way. I want him to take the title of Top Chef mainly because of what was shown on the second episode, he has the whole package.
Stephen: I’m probably the complete opposite of everyone, but he was the other person who I was rooting for from the commercials. The second he said “Being the bad guy is necessary at times. Extremely necessary. You need to exploit the weaknesses of others.”, I paused TiVO, pointed at his picture, and said “I love you.” Disagree all you want, but IMO, the majority of the best reality TV stars happen to be arrogant, somewhat egotistical a**holes. (Hello, Boston Rob from Survivor?) I completely agree with Stephen’s statement about being the bad guy and it was a turn on for me. Honestly, the only thing personality-wise I’m not keen on when it comes to Stephen is the fact that he can be all-talk-no-action. But otherwise, I love him. Do I want him to win? Not unless Miguel does not win. I definitely want him in the final 3. And even though he’s arrogant and all that, he can be a sweetheart like Miguel as well, and this past episode proves it. (I don’t think he was really sorry for being hard on Candice. If you know what I mean that is…) I think I dislike his hair and clothing style more than his attitude. I swear, he needs to keep his hair ungelled and wear casual clothes for just ONE episode. But I’m rooting for him because, IMO, he is the F****in man. He just doesn’t have the full package that Miguel has to win. I do have to say though, he looks hott in a wifebeater. (another highlight of Eps 3 and 4. <exaggeration> That image steamed up my TV screen </exaggeration>)
Tiffani: I’ve never liked her. Her pitch about “not being there to make friends” irritated me from the start. Of course, if you’re in a competition, you’re not there to make friends. Why are you going to state the obvious? She’s a b*tch. That’s usually not a bad thing for me, but she kinda takes it too far. She calmed down a little bit in ep 4, but not that much. If you don’t want people like Miguel or anyone else to copy your ideas, don’t let people know about them. Seriously. I loved her idea for the sex challenge, but in general, she’s my least favorite. She just pisses me off.
Soo…I said a lot. Don’t bash me for my opinions! And if I’m doing something wrong on this forum, let me know. (I don’t like feeling like a newbie too much >.<; )
wow. i totally agree with you on basically every single one! especially stephen and tiffany. tiffany such a [expletive deleted], she just gives off the aura.
and i personally love stephen, i think he has the talent to make it to the top 3, and he has the right to be arrogant. he has more experiece at a young age than any of them! if can't take the heat...remove yourself from teh kitchen. its as easy as that..
plus it helps that i find stephen very attractive. dont hate haha.
and i personally love stephen, i think he has the talent to make it to the top 3, and he has the right to be arrogant. he has more experiece at a young age than any of them! if can't take the heat...remove yourself from teh kitchen. its as easy as that..
plus it helps that i find stephen very attractive. dont hate haha.
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Sorry Burton but I have to disagree. The only thing jaw dropping about Stephen's creations would be for me to spit them out. I'm still baffled by some of the combinations he did for his fruit plate. Ugh!
In this competition it seems as though Stephen is putting adventure ahead of sustenance. Wine is an adventure. Food far more so. Maybe that’s why he left his Sommelier job. I’d be willing to risk any of his creations for the adventure of it all. Life is short.
The thing I can't quite figure out about ol' Stepho is that he's a sommelier: part of whose job is pairing wine with food so that they complement each other. Um, then why aren't his dishes using complementary flavors? He puts crap together but has no idea if it'll taste ok...I don't get it.
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ag, i don't want to offend, but dog has a point- we WANT to understand you, but you need to proofread, as do we all. your response is nearly as indecipherable as your original post.
No, it isn't. But eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, somethings are best left unexpressed in public.
Ok, I actually posted this on the episode four discussion by accident, so I'm kind of RE-posting it where it belongs, with one or two slight modifications where I stand corrected:
Hey Kiddos! long time first time here. With the exception of Project Runway, I don't even watch reality shows, but I am just becoming so engrossed in this series! I'm surprised there isn't more talk on the board about who the winner will be or who is the next person to pack their knives. Maybe it's because everyone is playing the cookoff game and they don't want to "lose their edge." I have seen every episode 2 or 3 times except "food on the fly" so I've had plenty of opportunity to analyze. This is what I've come up with:
Stephen: Stephen's dishes always look fantastic, but he is often criticized for the poor combination of flavors. The taste of his food, not his attitude, is the reason he will not be named Top Chef. In his bio, though, it says he plans to open a restaurant in late 2006. I think he was hoping to use the $100,000 prize to open his own place, but I still don't think he wins the whole she-bang. I live in Vegas too, so if he does open a restaurant, I am dying to see how the food tastes!
Cynthia: I think Cynthia was the chef the judges wanted to send home on the "foods of love" challenge. Her food seems to have great flavor, but the judges don't appreciate her lack of planning, presentation, and professionalism. The reason they sent Andrea home instead was because Cynthia gave the spiel at the judges table that her head was elsewhere. Even though the judges didn't expect Cynthia's performance to improve, they couldn't ask her to pack her knives because it would look cold and unfair given the circumstances (that they knew her father was dying.)
Andrea: I think that's one reason they brought Andrea back. They hadn't really chosen to eliminate her that round, but they had to send someone home. They gave Andrea a second chance because Cynthia was the chef who really should have packed her knives. Also, I think that Andrea was included in the show to add diversity, or "flavor" to the show because she cooks for health value more than taste. She never was a real competitor for Top Chef because the judges are looking for restaurant quality chefs. When the general public eats out, usually presentation and taste are the main selling points, not nutrition. Just for the record, my diet most closely resembles Andrea's menu because I am always trying to eat nutritious food. That's why I notice at many restaurants there is hardly anything healthy on the menu! So, Andrea, keep up the good work! You're cooking the right stuff, you were just on the wrong show!!!
Candace: Candace is a total sweetheart, but Stephen was right about one thing. She just isn't in the same league as many of the other chefs, and she couldn't compete. Who could blame her, she's only half way through culinary school! I think Candace was also on the show to add diversity (eye candy?) Anyway, Stephen was absolutely wrong when he told her she would fail horribly. Candace did just fine for a beginner. In addition to being beautiful, she is intelligent, motivated, and she has a positive attitude. She will definitely move on to better things. Go Candace!
Lee Anne: Lee Anne is a talented and skillful chef! She's good, but maybe not quite as good as a couple of her competitors. The competition on this show is pretty stiff (lol- get it "Stiffany?") I do think she should have gotten a couple extra minutes on the challenge when her oven was turned down. That wasn't fair, and I even suspect that Tiffany might have been the person who caused it. At the very least, she should have been able to finish even though time was up, because even at a restaurant, accidents happen and sometimes food preperation takes a little longer than planned. Then you just go out to the customer, apologize for the wait, and serve them the food as it should be prepared, not half-cooked. I wasn't there, so I can't make any accusations, but I will say this: Tiffany seems to feel most threatened by Lee Anne. The one little thing about Lee Anne that I think is funny is she fries so many of her dishes. Everything tastes better fried, right, Lee Anne? Anyway, I think Tiffany will edge out Lee Anne, but not by much.
Tiffany: I am surprised Tiffany did not put meat in her signature dish! However, her performance seems to be consistently excellent, and I think she will make the top 3. Probably not Top Chef because I think Harold will win.
Harold: Harold is my pick for top chef. Here's why: 1. He won the signature dish challenge, which I think is a lot more important than some of the other challenges, like "foods on the fly" or "foods of love." 2. His cooking style and personality seem to match the head judge, Tom Colicchio the best. 3. Everybody seemed to think Harold should have won the fruit challenge because it displayed his knife skills, but Stephen won because the guest judge liked his presentation in the teacups. I think Tiffany was the person who said the combinations of flavors in Stephen's dish weren't quite right. It was a mistake. Harold should have won. His performance in the "foods of love" challenge wasn't top 3, but many of the chefs bombed that one. Miguel won that challenge, and I think if anyone gives Harold a run for his money, it will be him.
Miguel: Miguel's signature dish with the beef was one of the best and he has performed consistently well on every show. He's a great chef! Miguel is my final pick for top 3. He did win the "foods of love challenge," but again, I don't think that weighed as heavily in the judges' minds as the signature dish challenge. I think he won because he was enthusiastic and stepped up to the plate for that challenge, but I think his idea of sexy (for example the outfit he wore) was more raunchy than sensual. Also, Madame C had that dominatrix aura, and kissing her butt was a show of respect in a way... submission to her. Slapping her butt, on the other hand is degrading, so it totally undermined the a$$ kissing! That's why I think it was so funny! I don't think he even realized it was inappropriate to slap her butt! He just did it without thinking! Anyway, his food has been consistently good, but I don't think it's quite as good as Harold's. Plus I do think he copied Tiffany's idea for pudding from the gas station.
Dave: Dave has shown his skill in some challenges and bombed some others like not using salt with the octopus and his banana nipples in "foods of love." Dave has some skill, but again, he's not in the same league as Harold, Miguel, Tiffany, Lee Anne, and Stephen. The contestant pool in Top Chef is extremely talented. Competent chefs like Ken and Brian were sent home early, so I think Dave will be going home soon, too.
Lisa: I really like Lisa's personality. I think she is very pleasant and professional attitude and she does a good job. Unfortunately, her dish wasn't up to par on the microwave challenge, where she should have excelled since she uses the microwave quite a bit at home. Again, her food is usually good, but she can't compete with "seasoned" chefs like my top 5 (Lee Anne, Harold, Tiffany, Miguel and Stephen.)
Brian: I see why Brian is popular as a personal chef. He is just so darn likeable! Even though his technical skills might not be quite as refined as some of the other chefs on the show, most of his appeal is his "warm Brian character" as one of the other chefs commented on the show. His food was generally good, but it's his personality, the relationships he builds with others that really sell Brian.
So, that's it for now, Top Chef fans! Let me know what you think, if you agree or disagree about my analysis of each chef. Does anyone still think Stephen might win? Or Tiffany, Lee Anne, or Miguel? If so, why? By the way, Stephen does not bother me that much on the show, but I'm sure if I met him in person, he would rub me the wrong way if he can't even get along with sweet little Candace. I thought he was sexy in his wifebeater and boxers, though...
Hey Kiddos! long time first time here. With the exception of Project Runway, I don't even watch reality shows, but I am just becoming so engrossed in this series! I'm surprised there isn't more talk on the board about who the winner will be or who is the next person to pack their knives. Maybe it's because everyone is playing the cookoff game and they don't want to "lose their edge." I have seen every episode 2 or 3 times except "food on the fly" so I've had plenty of opportunity to analyze. This is what I've come up with:
Stephen: Stephen's dishes always look fantastic, but he is often criticized for the poor combination of flavors. The taste of his food, not his attitude, is the reason he will not be named Top Chef. In his bio, though, it says he plans to open a restaurant in late 2006. I think he was hoping to use the $100,000 prize to open his own place, but I still don't think he wins the whole she-bang. I live in Vegas too, so if he does open a restaurant, I am dying to see how the food tastes!
Cynthia: I think Cynthia was the chef the judges wanted to send home on the "foods of love" challenge. Her food seems to have great flavor, but the judges don't appreciate her lack of planning, presentation, and professionalism. The reason they sent Andrea home instead was because Cynthia gave the spiel at the judges table that her head was elsewhere. Even though the judges didn't expect Cynthia's performance to improve, they couldn't ask her to pack her knives because it would look cold and unfair given the circumstances (that they knew her father was dying.)
Andrea: I think that's one reason they brought Andrea back. They hadn't really chosen to eliminate her that round, but they had to send someone home. They gave Andrea a second chance because Cynthia was the chef who really should have packed her knives. Also, I think that Andrea was included in the show to add diversity, or "flavor" to the show because she cooks for health value more than taste. She never was a real competitor for Top Chef because the judges are looking for restaurant quality chefs. When the general public eats out, usually presentation and taste are the main selling points, not nutrition. Just for the record, my diet most closely resembles Andrea's menu because I am always trying to eat nutritious food. That's why I notice at many restaurants there is hardly anything healthy on the menu! So, Andrea, keep up the good work! You're cooking the right stuff, you were just on the wrong show!!!
Candace: Candace is a total sweetheart, but Stephen was right about one thing. She just isn't in the same league as many of the other chefs, and she couldn't compete. Who could blame her, she's only half way through culinary school! I think Candace was also on the show to add diversity (eye candy?) Anyway, Stephen was absolutely wrong when he told her she would fail horribly. Candace did just fine for a beginner. In addition to being beautiful, she is intelligent, motivated, and she has a positive attitude. She will definitely move on to better things. Go Candace!
Lee Anne: Lee Anne is a talented and skillful chef! She's good, but maybe not quite as good as a couple of her competitors. The competition on this show is pretty stiff (lol- get it "Stiffany?") I do think she should have gotten a couple extra minutes on the challenge when her oven was turned down. That wasn't fair, and I even suspect that Tiffany might have been the person who caused it. At the very least, she should have been able to finish even though time was up, because even at a restaurant, accidents happen and sometimes food preperation takes a little longer than planned. Then you just go out to the customer, apologize for the wait, and serve them the food as it should be prepared, not half-cooked. I wasn't there, so I can't make any accusations, but I will say this: Tiffany seems to feel most threatened by Lee Anne. The one little thing about Lee Anne that I think is funny is she fries so many of her dishes. Everything tastes better fried, right, Lee Anne? Anyway, I think Tiffany will edge out Lee Anne, but not by much.
Tiffany: I am surprised Tiffany did not put meat in her signature dish! However, her performance seems to be consistently excellent, and I think she will make the top 3. Probably not Top Chef because I think Harold will win.
Harold: Harold is my pick for top chef. Here's why: 1. He won the signature dish challenge, which I think is a lot more important than some of the other challenges, like "foods on the fly" or "foods of love." 2. His cooking style and personality seem to match the head judge, Tom Colicchio the best. 3. Everybody seemed to think Harold should have won the fruit challenge because it displayed his knife skills, but Stephen won because the guest judge liked his presentation in the teacups. I think Tiffany was the person who said the combinations of flavors in Stephen's dish weren't quite right. It was a mistake. Harold should have won. His performance in the "foods of love" challenge wasn't top 3, but many of the chefs bombed that one. Miguel won that challenge, and I think if anyone gives Harold a run for his money, it will be him.
Miguel: Miguel's signature dish with the beef was one of the best and he has performed consistently well on every show. He's a great chef! Miguel is my final pick for top 3. He did win the "foods of love challenge," but again, I don't think that weighed as heavily in the judges' minds as the signature dish challenge. I think he won because he was enthusiastic and stepped up to the plate for that challenge, but I think his idea of sexy (for example the outfit he wore) was more raunchy than sensual. Also, Madame C had that dominatrix aura, and kissing her butt was a show of respect in a way... submission to her. Slapping her butt, on the other hand is degrading, so it totally undermined the a$$ kissing! That's why I think it was so funny! I don't think he even realized it was inappropriate to slap her butt! He just did it without thinking! Anyway, his food has been consistently good, but I don't think it's quite as good as Harold's. Plus I do think he copied Tiffany's idea for pudding from the gas station.
Dave: Dave has shown his skill in some challenges and bombed some others like not using salt with the octopus and his banana nipples in "foods of love." Dave has some skill, but again, he's not in the same league as Harold, Miguel, Tiffany, Lee Anne, and Stephen. The contestant pool in Top Chef is extremely talented. Competent chefs like Ken and Brian were sent home early, so I think Dave will be going home soon, too.
Lisa: I really like Lisa's personality. I think she is very pleasant and professional attitude and she does a good job. Unfortunately, her dish wasn't up to par on the microwave challenge, where she should have excelled since she uses the microwave quite a bit at home. Again, her food is usually good, but she can't compete with "seasoned" chefs like my top 5 (Lee Anne, Harold, Tiffany, Miguel and Stephen.)
Brian: I see why Brian is popular as a personal chef. He is just so darn likeable! Even though his technical skills might not be quite as refined as some of the other chefs on the show, most of his appeal is his "warm Brian character" as one of the other chefs commented on the show. His food was generally good, but it's his personality, the relationships he builds with others that really sell Brian.
So, that's it for now, Top Chef fans! Let me know what you think, if you agree or disagree about my analysis of each chef. Does anyone still think Stephen might win? Or Tiffany, Lee Anne, or Miguel? If so, why? By the way, Stephen does not bother me that much on the show, but I'm sure if I met him in person, he would rub me the wrong way if he can't even get along with sweet little Candace. I thought he was sexy in his wifebeater and boxers, though...
Stephen, Tiffani and Harold are on the wrong show. They should have been on "Hell's Kitchen". That was about working in a 5 star restaurant.
This show is called "Top Chef". This show is about being able to create and cook in any situation that you come across.
The way the 3 of them downplayed cooking for children (in other words they were too good to cook for them and interact with them). It showed how obnoxious they are. This is going to be their downfall. Tiffani commented on how bad Brian's carrots were; yet her applesauce wasn't so good according to the children and how can you make bad applesauce.
I think Miguel is going to pull this out because he has shown that he can and will cook in any situation that is thrown at him and he also believes in making the customer happy. He comes off to be very charming and he seems to appreciates people enjoying his food.
Tiffani, Stephen, and Harold need to remember that no matter what the situation is: "The customer is always right".
This show is called "Top Chef". This show is about being able to create and cook in any situation that you come across.
The way the 3 of them downplayed cooking for children (in other words they were too good to cook for them and interact with them). It showed how obnoxious they are. This is going to be their downfall. Tiffani commented on how bad Brian's carrots were; yet her applesauce wasn't so good according to the children and how can you make bad applesauce.
I think Miguel is going to pull this out because he has shown that he can and will cook in any situation that is thrown at him and he also believes in making the customer happy. He comes off to be very charming and he seems to appreciates people enjoying his food.
Tiffani, Stephen, and Harold need to remember that no matter what the situation is: "The customer is always right".
apicius, no WHAT isn't WHAT? maybe its just my tired old brain, and not the postings? Anyway, amen to the 2nd part of your post, and while I've got you on the to line, I've found your stuff to be sharply insightful, keep it up (s'il vous plait)
WoW, grltwins, I totally agree with your analysis of the condescending trio of Stephen, Tiffani and Harold!
Does anyone else see a sameness to Stephan's presentations? I'm beginning to get really bored with him. And, to me, his octopus presentation looked like slide specimens from a lab!!!! Yuk!
Gotta say that I'm pulling for Lee Anne to take it all but only time will tell.
Miguel has been impressive in several challenges, his food is appetizing (at least to me) and he's an engaging and mostly happy man. I love him!
Tiffani has great presentation. Her food looks good and most probably tastes great. That being said, she has the personality of an asp and is condescending to the max and I think the judges are looking for a better temperment.
At this point, I think Miguel, Lee Anne and most probably Tiffani will be in the top three. I really don't care for Tiffani but I think she, not Stephan, will end up being the Wendy Pepper/Santino of Top Chef's top three.
But again, only time will tell!
Does anyone else see a sameness to Stephan's presentations? I'm beginning to get really bored with him. And, to me, his octopus presentation looked like slide specimens from a lab!!!! Yuk!
Gotta say that I'm pulling for Lee Anne to take it all but only time will tell.
Miguel has been impressive in several challenges, his food is appetizing (at least to me) and he's an engaging and mostly happy man. I love him!
Tiffani has great presentation. Her food looks good and most probably tastes great. That being said, she has the personality of an asp and is condescending to the max and I think the judges are looking for a better temperment.
At this point, I think Miguel, Lee Anne and most probably Tiffani will be in the top three. I really don't care for Tiffani but I think she, not Stephan, will end up being the Wendy Pepper/Santino of Top Chef's top three.
But again, only time will tell!
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