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In some seasons, chefs usually openly talk about whether they are cooking for the judges or for the regular people that they had to serve for that challenge. And many of them very honest about they are trying to please the judge more. I would think good food is good food, and the opinions would be relatively consistent. But lol, no. Not the case at all. Which is why I am very glad that this season including a panel of very different chefs. In season 14 Charleston, in which i am rewatching. There is an episode where the superfans were able to give a score. Of 7 matches, he disagree with the superfans 4 times. 2 of those 4, the fans were overwhemingly favored on candidate. In this episode, all 14 chefs cook extremely well. There were no bad dishes. And even when all 4 judges had to share their opinion to break the tie due to the superfans score first. The judges were dead even. 4 of the 7 matches, the judges break 2 to 2. 5 matches Padma was able to judge, of which 4 times she agree with Tom. Richard Blais also in this episode. 6 matches he was able to judge, and he agree with Tom 1 TIME OUT OF 5. That is ridiculous. Of those 6 matches, he agree with the superfans 50% of the time. On one match, the fans prefer one contestant. But that contestant lost all 4 judge votes.

I am trying to do a demographic breakdown because despite a lot of criticism. I feel like Top Chef casting is extremely diverse and should be given way more credit than people give the show for. Even with early seasons. However, I ran into a problem with people like Gabe Erales. I can't tell if a person is a white Hispanics. If anyone is rewatching old seasons and stumble upon a person that is racially ambivalent by look, let me know because I can't watch all 17 seasons just for this project. I just want definite proof to defend this show integrity.

https://www.mashed.com/365480/the-best-dish-tom-colicchio-ever-ate-on-top-chef-exclusive/#:~:text=The dish Colicchio is referring,Top Chef in season 9 ( https://www.bravotv.com/blogs/best-thing-gail-simmons-ate-on-top-chef Gail in 2017 and Tom in 2021, after all these seasons of Top Chef still said Paul Qui's dishes are the best they ever had. If they had an all winner season, Paul inclusion is a must. I hope by then, he was able to genuinely and properly redeeming himself to his victims (if that what they want and to be honest, they matter the most and really can be argue the only people that matter). And then somehow genuinely portray to the people that need to see it that he is a changed person and working on improve himself and the society that he is in. I, personally, think Paul can and does have the heart to do it. Despite some of his comments didn't sit well with people. Growing up in a very abusive family (assault included), I don't know why a person like me believe in second chance and reformative justice more than others. But I do, I don't follow Paul's life so I don't know what he had done positively in his private life. Because people don't air everything they do. I hope his victims found peace, found strength through this rather be haunted by it. I hope his fans and former fans can believe in the guy again. And I hope that he do the right things. It sounds easy. But there is no manual to this. Sometimes, you don't want to push a person into a corner with no way out. A cousin of mine couldn't dig himself out of that hole, and now he is a vegetable.. A celebrity is still a human, much less Top Chef celebrity is probably on the lowest tier of celebrity anyway. Despite the charges are drop, he know he done it. But regardless, even the criminals need redemption.

Uproxxx pointed out Chris's dessert must be crazy good for Dale to want second even though it was the 14th dish he ate that night and must have been full. Hunger of course to me is one of the greatest ingredient out there for a good meal. Which is a factor on why going first tend to be better. I will give another example, on Top Chef duel, Marcel and Richard went head to head on making a dessert with a hot and a cold component. Richard serve second. And in that 3 to 4 minutes between the judges eating/criticizing Marcel dish to eating Richard's dish, the heat transfer between the two temperature making his component not very hot and not very cold to the point of not much of a temperature gradient. But despite this, he won that challenge due to Marcel messing up. It was Maria. Nice observation there. And I agree on that principle because I am part of the clean plate club. Even when I am on a diet, I just throw thing in the refrigerator and finish it later. The thing to point out is that why Gabriel/Nelson went home. They had the crispy skins in the menu. And by getting that part of the dish, Nelson over cook their fish. Gabriel redid it and cook the fish well but the skins ain't crispy. So they decided to use Nelson's fish because it fit the menu. And Gabriel thought about cutting the fish off and leave only the skins but he didn't want to waste food. Which ended up being the reason they went home. In the exit interview (upthread somewhere), Sara did say that she switch the protein during the process and ended up not having enough fish.

Read my reply to catrice, I do attribute this to Gabe that design the team to be almost independent of each others outside of plating really. He tried to make the team element of it into non existence. For what it worth Sara is the the most team player of the group. She, even with her insecurity of the front of the house, trying to push to got some of that stuffs (drink and what not) done 1 hour before service. Since everyone making 2 dishes independent of each others. Anyone taking their time decorating etc is wasting their own cooking time. Unlike the other team, the Penny team do their decoration first. And in that time, I see mostly Sara and Dawn were doing it. Which IS TERRIBLE. Since Dawn served first (and Gabe didn't really need to his extra dish, probably would have been better if he didn't) and Dawn didn't finished conceptualizing her dish. She should spent more time cooking. But being a TEAM PLAYER, she and Sara were putting up the decoration until the other two guys come and help. On the other side, Maria was doing it by herself for a bit. But since everyone has a hand in each other dish, they are really more responsible for each others. Let me said this, EVEN IF Dawn told them exactly what she gonna make. They will still lose. The way they set up their team and the loosely connected theme. At their best performance they cannot beat such a flawless performance from the other side. THEY WILL STILL LOSE ANYWAY. So the whole Dawn thing is a red herring. So then, the question is how much is she responsible for Sara going home. Is Dawn's decision either taking time out of Sara's cooking time or make Sara's dish taste worst. I said no. If anything, Gabe and Chris not helping with the decoration earlier would impact Sara more. AS for being a team player, after Dawn put out her first and third dish, she is done for the day. All the stuffs that she did after that, was for the TEAM.

Kokoson team, 5 of dishes are collaborated works. I think there is a reason why Gabe's team is the way it is. They stray awayed from collaborating. They strayed away from having a front of a house/executive chef. Just so that no one supposed to fall on someone else's sword. And that everyone supposed to own their own dishes whether it is success or failure. 7 dishes aren't divided by 4, hence Gabe had to do an extra dish to make the work load even and everyone is separate from each other in term of their food. I think they trying to beat the meta game, and all a while digging their own hole.

I hope my post merge and not double post :/ put can't seem to put quote into an already existing post. Anyway, past contestants did mention that for restaurant war challenge, going first is a big advantage. The Judges are probably hungry, whereas when they going to the second service they already more than half full. Especially in regular season with a larger amount of service. Where they could just focus on the judges then play catch up. Rather than fell so far behind due to services when the judges come. People serve second usually would have a line that very backed up by the time the judges come. *Mod if I broke the rule can you merge and or delete my post. Sorry.

I am thinking while watching the episode is that he (Brian Malarkey) pick Dawn to go base on the ranking on the episode avishar going home (right after Nelson/Gabriel) and that Sara is the winner of the competition based on wide range of cooking (not really, her range is about as wide/limited as all the top players of this season). So for Dawn to have that edit, and for Sara was the one that went home. Man, Malarkey got one two, two punches right there. Anyway, I do think Sara can cook back in. As for the discussion on Dawn, regardless of her, HER TEAM CANNOT WIN. The other team was flawless. So unless they could put up a more than flawless meal, they would lose, especially they got couple of dishes that were below average. And so if losing is inevitable then it only come down to who go home. We focus on Dawn a lot. But her course is 1st and 3rd. Meaning she is the first to serve, and her other dish isn't all that far behind. She had way less time than other in this format. So I don't ding her as much. Even if the food that come after her fell out of sequence. But if the dish was so so so so so perfectly executed and can stand on their own, then whoever that chef is. They wouldn't go home.

okay, shot fire. You should not apply to be a showrunner. What you advocating for is a gigantic budget for renting, shooting, manpower, food, scheduling for a one hour episode. May as well just toss the whole Restaurant War episode in the trash. I think you are looking for like Kitchen's Nightmare or something. Or a documentary of some kind. The reason why Restaurant War is absurd, it is because tv is absurd on its face. Look at other competitions. People hanging out on an Island and do weird stuffs and call it Survivor. It made for tv. The stresses bring out drama, which some folks like it (I am indifference). I kinda agree. But the whole team set it up to fail. They decided as a team to just do their own things. Didn't have a cohesive plan. And to be fair, by that rule, then whether they fall or not should squarely land on the individual. Because if they ignore the teammate and just dish out the best dish that they could make. Then they wouldn't be going home. I like Sarah. But had she just chunk out two strong dishes irregardless then she wouldn't going home. In fact Dawn's two dishes were the only thing that put the entire team on the map of even able to compete with the other team. The only comforting thing about Sara going home is that Brian Marlakey was so wrong, wrong, wrong about his smug prediction. I gonna miss her and Shota interaction with each others. Shota just lost his best bud Avishar and now his best girl, Sara. As for Chris vs Sara, I think he making the best dish on that team save him. He got a bad dish, and a really good dish. Sara got an okay dish, and a bad dish. So that is why she went home. Gabe had a bad dish that isn't part of the 7 courses (that save him a bit), and his other dish was okay. So many introverts on that team, I think Gabe was probably the only person who possibly could interact well with the guests. @biakbiak- I like that restaurant war episode for the team selection process between Dale vs Marcel. But to be honest s18 probably had my favorite restaurant war concept. My gosh, every single dishes on the winning team looks like art. Outside of Maria's dish, probably because of the bread that she used, but I am sure it taste great. I grow up on Banh Mi, but boy I love Mexican Tortas. Cabeza Tortas is my favorite, but Lengua Tortas ain't half bad.

Dale was arguably one of the forefront runners of both very competitive seasons that he was on. He was definitely top 3 in season 4 with Antonia Lofaso (love her) behind him, Richard, and Stephanie. Would you be happier if Lisa F (or Mike I) from that season be on there since she is runner up and even beat Richard Blais in the finale? In season 8, he kinda pretty dominating. Had probably the most wins of everyone before he got eliminated 6 solo wins and 1 team win. Not sure if he would be the strongest 3 in that competition. I would argue that he is, but there can be a good counter argument against that. I think despite his own inconsistency in that season which landed him on the bottom, of the final 6. I would say he is stronger than Carla (love her), Tiffany, and Mike I (who was pretty average until after Dale I got eliminated). He also had more wins than I would say all of them except to maybe Richard that season. So that is a very weird criticism that you have. Especially with this episode where people are highlighting about placement and cumulative performance.

I really really want to try more French food but unlike other cuisine. French is on the more expensive end, it is hard to able to try too many dishes. I had 4 dishes so far. Even escargot, I like the Asian preparation more. I hope I am able to try a lot more French food. As for Italian, I had try what claimed to be the best Italian restaurant in Charleston with people speaking Italian, the food taste like cafeteria food even worst than Olive Garden. But I used to live in Little Italy in Chicago and had try the food there. Their pizza is well interesting but probably not for everyone especially people who prefer the more Americanized higher calories food. The food in Little Italy was way better than what I had down South. But that Polenta dish I had was delicious. And coming from an Asian background, it reminded me of congee. Which I could totally see how Melissa was able to combine Italian and Chinese into her food in the last few episodes in Italy. As for the French food (only in one restaurant so it is more reflective of that restaurant than the French cuisine), all the cookery was perfect. All the texture was correct and desirable. But the butter that they use that they had to import. Had this weird weird weird either sour or bitter taste (don't remember for sure and I know those two are on the opposite end of each other). So all of the food had this weird sour/bitter butter aftertaste (all the while lacking salt). I had tried other cuisines (Lebanese, Irish, Italian, Turkish, Mexican, Peruvian, Indian, Bengalese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Ethiopian, Southern Soul Food). Of all the restaurants, that only one French one was lacking on salt. But like I said their dessert was so memorable even years and years later. I remember every texture, every temperature, and different level of sweetness. It was one of the more complex and probably the most delicious dessert I ever have. As for savory, I could have order the wrong dish, the dish could have not prepare correctly, and or the restaurant was the wrong choice.

Hmm, this is a crackpot theory because I haven't go over the data and especially we have a few contestant that trained in classical French and do pretty well (and win). But Chris, like Nicholas Elmi had always been criticized for under salt. Likewise, Hung, back in the day, had food that was (at time unfairly) consider as soulless. And in either this or the last episode, it seemed like they meant salt when they say soul XD. But yah, Chris is a very technically sound chef. His protein was cook masterfully while completely bland. As far as my very limited exp with French cuisine (and by that I meant I only eat at a famous French restaurant once), the food is severely lacking seasoning (outside of their probably the best dessert I ever had in my life). Also, some of these chefs seemed to mess up their homey background food. A running theme of Avishar and South Asian cuisine. Of course we have Kiki. And then there is Chris when he tried to cook Haitian food from time to time. Avishar tends to do well every time he breaks out that molecular gastronomy. I feel for Shota this episode in regard to want to but fail at cooking good food for the front line workers. However, reading between the lines (and I hope I am wrong), he said the ingredients are lacking for his 6 to 8 dishes that he want to cook this episode. I wonder if this is the range problem that Brian Malarkey was talking about. But then again, Shota was pretty adaptive in episodes prior.

I saw some weird reddit post accusing Tom of favoritism and gave Gabriel an immediate chance to come back to the competition. And then another LCK chance after he lost the first one. Here is my response. . When Last Chance Kitchen first came to be, there are some obvious flaws. 1) Early eliminate chefs had no way in hell to actually come back to the competition. 2) And in the event that they did, they could literally miss 90% of the seasons and win it all. Which would make the fans outraged. LCK came to be in the first place to the fandom always had chefs that they think unfairly eliminated and or eliminated too early. Later on, there are couple of adjustment. One of which was that you actually have two chances of coming back to the competition. The first is earlier in the race, and the second is toward the finale. Though, I think later implementations are good. Since there is always that one or two chefs who never really had a "second chance." So take season 17, when Kevin G actually had to competes against contestants that still in. Meaning all of the contestants had a second chance and or able to deny someone a second chance. I think this is rather fair. Brian Malarkey for example wasn't able to have his second chance in Season 17. However, he was able to cook against Kevin G during Keven G's last chance kitchen in order to put in effort to deny Kevin G to re-enter the competition. So, was it a coincident that Gabriel's elimination coincide with a contestant re-enter the competition. NO, this is perfectly correspond with the first re-entry. . You notice, that there are challenges that require divisible by 2 or by 3 or whatever (sometimes the team are uneven). The structure of the season already been layout. Although this week episode don't really have a team challenge, so an odd number due to someone coming back is fine. The year prior, the LCK contestant was able to comeback following a double elimination (in this case Karen was part of double eliminated and basically back the following episode). Nini who lost to Karen in LCK, was able to have another go at LCK against who ever eliminated next which was (Eric). If following this logic, Gabriel should have an automatic shot to fight against who ever got eliminated at the cooking for frontline worker challenge. But that didn't happen, if Tom was pro Gabriel, he would just follow this format. Instead, he use the excuse that Nelson was medically separate and allow all of the remaining to have another shot. I think the original plan was to only eliminate Nelson and or Gabriel, and or just let those cook against each other for the next spot. But since Nelson is out, Tom allow Roscoe, Kiki, Sasha, and Brittany another shot. If anything, then it feel like Tom is pro Roscoe, Kiki, Sasha, Brittany than he is pro Gabriel who by the way did well for his part of the elimination challenge. And They could have very well keep the immunity in which would save Gabriel and this happen before when only one teammate go home due to the other have immunity. And beside, it isn't like that isn't fair especially because Gabriel did cook his portion of the dish very well. However, it seemed like they want 2 people to go, and another 1 to comeback to have 9 contestants. Because the next episode is restaurant war where they do need an even number. Mindblow isn't it. Either way, it seemed like they planned out that the eliminate chef is to return an episode prior to and or on the episode of Restaurant war to make sure there are 8 contestants.

Allow me to grate your nerve some more. If you rewatch the series, Maria happened to bump into Gabriel quite often. Team up with him in the very first challenge and had cook directly against him couple of times. Gabriel grates on her nerve just as much as she grates on your nerve. And I like Gabriel, I do buy that his asshole-ness is just him being assertive after years of not feeling self confident due to being overweight (at least that is the explanation that he gave). That also explain the many many non meat dishes that he cook too (also his salad in last chance kitchen). Many chefs did show one way or another, verbally and physically, over the many episodes that they are hesitated to work with Gabriel. Last episode, Gabriel tried to pair up with Shota, and Shota rejected him to go for Sara. Either way, Maria's problem is that she is too honest, just like Gabriel. That is why some don't like Gabriel, and other don't like Maria. Thinking of someone of an asshole, doesn't meant she hate them. At least no where NEAR the level that you hate her. Also don't know what television you are watching, what is this new conservative identity politics I am seeing here. BECAUSE plenty of guys call women bitch and asshole. COME ON, especially this show. Are you calling yourself a fan? When the famous quote, "I am not your bitch, bitch." Where do you think that from? And who saying to who. Tiffani Faison was called a bitch by all the fans, and people only change their opinion of her after her second appearance. I also like Tiffani Faison the first time around and I also can explain her behaviors in that season away too. If you look up at the comments from the recent Tournament of Champion,, many Top Chef season 1 watchers still dislike Tiffani Faison and routinely brought that up in their heavy dislike of her. I think Tiffani Faison's assholeness is also her being assertiveness in a man dominated profession, pre me too movement that taking down many chefs including many Top Chef associates. She was okay as a team player. People openly called her an asshole. None ALSO WANT TO WORK with her. To the point, people thought that her partners may have sabotage her in the final. She reaps what she sows. But but but like Maria, Gabriel, I also think Tiffani Faison is a complex person. They all has things I like. They owned themselves (Maria didn't make an excuse for her failure this episode, she didn't mentioned the lack of equipment or spaces to the judges. She was just completely down for what she thought failing the people she feeding). . I guess I am more tolerate of people in general. I tolerate Jamie's quirk. I don't think Sara as being fake like Uproxxx. So on and so forth. The only thing this tell me is nothing about Maria to Gabriel. Beside whatever feelings Maria has to Gabriel, it should be more valid than whatever you have since they at least interact multiple times in real life. All this tell me is your bias against Maria, because from that same episode. The people who already bias against Gabriel (the podcast people) didn't really like the fact that Gabriel throw his food into Sara's fryers after she refused him the first time (and that they think it could contaminating Sara's food). That is more noticeable to them because they dislike Gabriel just like Maria's comment is noticeable to you because you dislike her, hence Gabriel's action completely flew under your radar. While for me, who is okay with him can be totally charitable to Gabriel. Because he said he just want to share the fryer and it may have seem Sara is okay with it. . Secondly, Why would she wants Gabriel back as opposed to Nelson who she like (and Gabriel called him the perfect gentleman). Or Jamie, who is universally like by the cast (not on here). Gabriel in specific is quite a threat. His cooking of the tatertot was probably one of his rare downfall. Gabriel consistently do very very well, even when he eliminated, he cooked his part of the dish extremely well. That meant anyone but Gabriel would give Maria and everyone else left on the show a better chance of winning (Hence none of the 3 talking head said they want Gabriel to come back in one way or another). . Man, love this cast. I was somewhat ding Dawn on her reaction to Jamie on the first episode (even if it was Jamie's fault). But every single episode including the first one, there is something about her to love. And I think she maybe my favorite contestant this season by this episode. There are plenty more entertaining and stronger personalities. But Dawn gave me plenty to root for.

Like usual, a lot of self projection of the posters on the people on screen. But then again, even the most lovable people like Shirley Chung had her own haters (for the weirdest of reasons) so of course that magnify 20x for someone like Gabriel. One thing is for sure, without him, there would be way less tension in the first few episodes. In season past, there are seasons where everyone are lovely (probably molded by the backlashes of other contestants in season past), and some viewers had complained how boring those seasons were. We are in the 18th seasons. Gone are the contestants that said "I am not here to make friends." People, by now, know winning isn't everything. Asked Hosea, Nicholas Elmi and the likes. And losing isn't all that bad. Ask Carla, Fabio, and the likes. But the image on screen is everything. Tiffani Faison and Dale Talde learned it the hard way. The things you see on screen is but a fraction of the overall time a contestant spent on this competition. And the competition is but a very tiny fraction of their overall resume and personal stories. The only thing that is constant is that we are always prejudices as h***. But now, there is even a new breed who rambling about it all about personality now and not the cooking (see a post above). The same sort of folks who think Dawn shouldn't have won in the pan African challenge and Brittanny shouldn't have gone home for the same challenge. These same critics are so blinded by their own identity politics to the point not knowing their very own personal opinion is colored by their own bias. Maybe, just maybe, Dawn did make the best dish of the night. And why should there be any doubt of that when she is consistently making wonderful food even when the challenges aren't even in her wheel house? REALLY REALLY loving this season so far. There is a moment in this episode where I got nervous. In which someone ask the host about how they would prefer a dish layout would be. But the host correctly pointing out that the contestants are chefs and they should do whatever they need to do to honor the food. And I am glad for that. Or else, many of the dishes tonight would not have worked out well. The best thing about this season is that there isn’t one or a few dominant. Almost everyone shine at one point or another. Feeling like Avishar maybe the best performed contestant that worked with Wylie Dufresne. Even Wylie, himself, didn’t do all that hot on Top Chef Master.