Chopped 2020: A Year Without Chopsticks ... Please??

[dmeets]

So this is kind of random, but has anyone noticed the weird speedy frame rate when they film the cooking scenes? Combined with the shaky cam, it’s like watching a Guy Ritchie movie or those special theater releases of The Hobbit trilogy, and I’m finding it’s actually kinda nausea inducing. No idea when they started filming like that.

[ZoqFotPik]

Scott, microwaves DO NOT cook from the inside out.

[Rammchick]

9 hours ago, ZoqFotPik said:

Scott, microwaves DO NOT cook from the inside out.

LOL That was also not a cuttlefish 😉

[mlp]

Scott is a self-absorbed PIA.  Good-looking but a PIA nevertheless.

My DVR cut off just as Ted started to lift the cloche so I didn't see who won.  ???

[KayVeeTeeVee]

On 2/17/2020 at 10:24 PM, awaken said:

And of course, we have undercooked risotto, and seized-up polenta!  Not to mention, mar-scapone!  When will they learn?!  

You forgot panna cotta!  It never sets in time, yet they keep trying.

I actually noticed some 'voting' ballots on the judges' desks, I think it was last night, and I think it was a relatively new episode.  Why don't we ever hear about those?

[Rammchick]

On 6/7/2020 at 12:37 PM, mlp said:

Scott is a self-absorbed PIA.  Good-looking but a PIA nevertheless.

I held my breath when this week's competitor added raw red onions to her dish, with Scott in attendance.  The nerve! 😉

[Grizzly]

1 hour ago, Rammchick said:

I held my breath when this week's competitor added raw red onions to her dish, with Scott in attendance.  The nerve! 😉

I knew she was in trouble as soon as she said red onions. I don't like them myself but dude, lighten up.

[ZoqFotPik]

I'm glad they are doing away with the pretense of judging when they can't eat the food and just saying "Yeah, you're out."

[RealityCheck]

Food Network Introduces CHOPPED FAN FAVES MARATHONS On Monday Nights

Quote

Food Network is inviting fans to vote for their favorite Chopped episodes each week for a chance to have them air as part of a special Chopped Fan Faves marathon on Monday nights.  Chopped Fan Faves marathons begin Monday, June 29th at 10pm and 11pm ET/PT.

 

[mlp]

Interesting.  ^^^^  I have to give them credit for coming up with something novel to fill air space while production is halted.  I wonder if they'll run Lance's episodes.  

WRT this week's episode............... You would think that any chef planning to appear would have watched the show and would know not to use raw red onions when they see Scott sitting there.  Gah.  I liked the guest judge whose name I didn't catch and I was very happy that Nemo won.  

[xaxat]

On 6/25/2020 at 12:18 AM, ZoqFotPik said:

I'm glad they are doing away with the pretense of judging when they can't eat the food and just saying "Yeah, you're out."

I don't know if I would have had much of an appetite for any of the dishes that round. There was so much blood in that glove it looked like a crime scene. 

[libgirl2]

On 6/27/2020 at 7:36 PM, xaxat said:

I don't know if I would have had much of an appetite for any of the dishes that round. There was so much blood in that glove it looked like a crime scene. 

It did look awful. 

[RealityCheck]

CHOPPED: BOBBY FLAY Five-Part Tournament Premieres Sunday, August 9th at 9pm ET/PT

Quote

Bobby Flay joins a rotating panel at the Chopped judges’ table, including Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Tiffani Faison, Amanda Freitag, Marc Murphy, Christian Petroni, Marcus Samuelsson, Chris Santos and Geoffrey Zakarian.

 

[libgirl2]

11 hours ago, RealityCheck said:

CHOPPED: BOBBY FLAY Five-Part Tournament Premieres Sunday, August 9th at 9pm ET/PT

 

so he is judging and not cooking? 

Oh wait, I read, he is doing both. i wonder who will win the whole thing against him? Blech. 

Edited July 10, 2020 by libgirl2

[buttersister]

LOL, hey, Food Network, ask me again why I only regularly watch a couple of your shows? Featuring solo cooks! Female solo cooks.

Perhaps Bobby Flay is a perfectly lovely man in real life. But we're in quarantine, so I won't be running into him anytime soon. And for me, he's unwatchable on TV.

[Sew Sumi]

From all accounts I've heard, Flay is a grade A asshole.

[buttersister]

Sew Sumi, I was trying to take a compassionate approach. But the hell with that, I'm totally not surprised. And still haven't forgiven him for jumping up on the cutting board/counter during the IC battle with Morimoto. Or for anything about himself, really. Ah, feel better now.

[Stardancer Supreme]

I am also tired of Bobby Flay. Surely FN can find someone else to feature in these shows. 

[xaxat]

I wish the show would film an at home version of Chopped After Dark (the quarantine edition). The webisodes where the judges did their interpretation of the episodes basket. There wouldn't be any judging, but they could send four judges some themed baskets and have them film what they did with them.

Edited July 15, 2020 by xaxat

[Grizzly]

Did anyone see the bourbon episode? What the heck, Geoffrey and Ted put ice in their bourbon while Maneet and guest judge drank theirs straight.

[Rammchick]

On 7/10/2020 at 8:42 PM, buttersister said:

Sew Sumi, I was trying to take a compassionate approach. But the hell with that, I'm totally not surprised. And still haven't forgiven him for jumping up on the cutting board/counter during the IC battle with Morimoto. Or for anything about himself, really. Ah, feel better now.

Oh boy, I can hardly wait...not.  And yes, I'm with you about the cutting board incident.  I suspect he's grown up some since then, but I still hold that against him.

[xaxat]

What the hell is going on this season? It feels like a contestant cuts themself every other episode.

[libgirl2]

On 7/25/2020 at 3:02 PM, xaxat said:

What the hell is going on this season? It feels like a contestant cuts themself every other episode.

It is happening a lot. 

I watched last night and it seemed that the judges didn't like any of the food. I was thinking this should be the episode that they throw up their hands and say "no one has won". That guy with the raw egg yoke (and too much egg white!). He could have lightly fried or poached it. 

[Rammchick]

On 7/29/2020 at 4:24 PM, libgirl2 said:

I watched last night and it seemed that the judges didn't like any of the food. I was thinking this should be the episode that they throw up their hands and say "no one has won". That guy with the raw egg yoke (and too much egg white!). He could have lightly fried or poached it. 

This is when I say that the "least worst" chef won 😉

[Gramto6]

I also fricking tired of GZ and the chopsticks! Please stop, just stop!!

I should have switched  back to Monk on Sundance....

Edited August 5, 2020 by Gramto6

[TexasTiffany]

3 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

I also fricking tired of GZ and the chopsticks! Please stop, just stop!!

I should have switched  back to Monk on Sundance....

GZ was trying to eat the ice cream dessert with those chopsticks. I burst out laughing. Is there a ban on SPOONS that I'm not aware of? 

[cooksdelight]

GZ is that annoying neighbor who has to have the newest lawnmower, state-of-the-art mailbox... and the entire family eats every meal with chopsticks. He somehow thinks it sets him apart from the others.

All it does is make him look as dumb as a box of hair.

[nitrofishblue]

GZ is nothing but a pompous ass. He looks like a fool trying to eat food with chopsticks that really need a fork or spoon. He had the nerve to sit there and criticize the chef because the food was hard to eat. It was hard to eat with chopsticks, the other judges had no issue but of course they were using fork like normal people.

[mlp]

Scott Conant even made a crack about the chopsticks.  LOL  I was a bit surprised that the editors left it in.  Geoffrey looked more ridiculous than usual using them on that dish.

The young woman from Chicago who came in second was a character but I liked her.  She looked and sounded familiar so I wondered if she's been on some other show.

[Sew Sumi]

I fell asleep. Who won? 

[Maverick]

2 hours ago, mlp said:

Scott Conant even made a crack about the chopsticks.  LOL  I was a bit surprised that the editors left it in.  Geoffrey looked more ridiculous than usual using them on that dish.

The young woman from Chicago who came in second was a character but I liked her.  She looked and sounded familiar so I wondered if she's been on some other show.

 She was on Guy's Grocery Games a couple of times.  I'm pretty sure at least one of them was a Super Bowl/football themed episode too.

 I was glad that the Chef booted first didn't make it past the first round.  He was one of those that sneered "I don't work with processed foods" when pulling things out of the basket.  He just generally sounded like a pompous ass (not as bad as GZ though).   

 

[libgirl2]

5 hours ago, mlp said:

Scott Conant even made a crack about the chopsticks.  LOL  I was a bit surprised that the editors left it in.  Geoffrey looked more ridiculous than usual using them on that dish.

The young woman from Chicago who came in second was a character but I liked her.  She looked and sounded familiar so I wondered if she's been on some other show.

Didn't he try to pick up a taco with the chopsticks? I heard Scott's remark and had to laugh. Of course some things are hard to eat. They aren't meant to be eaten with chopsticks! If its a tostada or a taco, they don't use chopsticks in Mexico! Pompous idiot! 

I liked that woman too. I was kind of pulling for her. 

Edited August 6, 2020 by libgirl2

[sharifa70]

Geoffrey: “You need to cut this up into little bites because it’s kinda hard to eat.”
Scott: “Especially with chopsticks.”

Aaaaaaand, Scott is my new favorite.

[Gramto6]

On 7/14/2020 at 12:28 PM, Stardancer Supreme said:

I am also tired of Bobby Flay. Surely FN can find someone else to feature in these shows. 

I would maybe have agreed with you until tonight's Chopped:Beat Bobby Flay. Twice he called out GZ on using chopsticks!! Twice! He moved way up on my "like" meter for that. GZ semed a bit miffed on the call outs. Loved it!

Edited August 10, 2020 by Gramto6
typo

[Ashforth]

36 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

I would maybe have agreed with you until tonight's Chopped:Beat Bobby Flay. Twice he called out GZ on using chopsticks!! Twice! He moved way up on my "like" meter for that. GZ semed a bit miffed on the call outs. Loved it!

I came here to post about the same thing. The first dish of the first round, Flay looked at GZ with confusion and said, "You're using chopsticks?" and then after GZ tried to blow him off, laughed and said, "Of course you are." It was so funny. Then he did indeed drag him about it later in the show (that's when GZ seemed really ticked off). Unlike many, I like Flay already, but this was truly funny.

I noticed that Adriana and the male chef who was eliminated second both had bandages on their fingers in the second round that they didn't have in the first. I'm glad that Chopped didn't play up the OMG! I'm CUT! drama the way it usually does.

I thought Adriana should have won, but I was influenced by disliking the winner's huge ego. But he did overcook the red shrimp in the first round (which GZ pointed out by picking one up with his chopsticks and waving it around) and it was mysteriously never mentioned again. I guess her dessert tasted awful - not unexpected because her cake was based on the sprinkles-laden confetti banana pudding that Molly Yeh apparently contributed to the basket.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Ashforth

[mlp]

I loved the chopsticks cracks too.  Geoffrey was not amused after the second one.

Stephen is apparently a good cook but I couldn't stand him on the grilling competition and I liked Joe who won that one.   I was hoping Joe would beat him again.  Stephen has the kind of face you just want to smack.  He reminds me a lot of Chris Coombs when he was first on the show - egotistical and smirking.

I do not like it when a judge (or Ted) goes over and talks to the chefs while they're cooking.  Those people are under a lot of pressure and have severe time constraints.  They shouldn't have to deal with that too.

 

[Koalagirl]

I was wishing Stephen Coe would be the first to be chopped. I don’t care if he’s the greatest chef to have walked this earth (a legend in his own mind) but I wanted his stank face and pissy attitude off of my screen.  

[schnauzergirl]

I really wanted to smack Stephen -- he wants to bring his food to "the masses."  How patronizing can you be?  I thought Adriana's first two rounds were outstanding and Stephen's entree was criticized by all the judges, yet somehow he won.  Disappointing.

[xaxat]

I was so sure the Stephen was getting the loser edit. . . and then he won. Disappointing.

Also, did they hire a producer from mixed martial arts to do the chef intros? I've seen UFC and boxing weigh ins with less ego and trash talk than that.

I was intrigued by the fruit sandwich. But why white bread? It seems like it would be better on a brioche or croissant. 

[ArtFossil]

22 hours ago, Ashforth said:

I came here to post about the same thing. The first dish of the first round, Flay looked at GZ with confusion and said, "You're using chopsticks?" and then after GZ tried to blow him off, laughed and said, "Of course you are." It was so funny. Then he did indeed drag him about it later in the show (that's when GZ seemed really ticked off). Unlike many, I like Flay already, but this was truly funny.

I love Bobby Flay as he always brings the flavor. (And the snarky humor.) I'm looking forward to all the episodes in this challenge, but especially the finale.

Edited August 11, 2020 by ArtFossil

[sharifa70]

I can’t stand Bobby Flay, but bless him for mocking Geoffrey’s chopsticks. 

[chabelisaywow]

So now even on Chopped - they let Bobby Flay win for a dish he didn't know how to cook.  To chop Chef Seis for his rice (because it had no flavor?) - when his steak (a basket item) was better than Bobby's was bullshit. 

Bimbimbap - the "toppings" are the main components of the dish served over rice. SMH

[Rammchick]

I had a lot of ambivalence going into this one because I don't particularly care for Bobby Flay, and I wasn't even going to watch.  But now that Stephen won, I'm in it to see someone -- anyone -- rip his head off and crap down the hole in the next rounds.  Nice that someone has come along to enliven this board, even if I can't stand the sight of him.

[Ashforth]

In regard to Flay and Zakarian and the chopsticks tension, I know I have too much time on my hands and am watching way too much Food Network (I often keep it on during the day as background while I work from home) but it has occurred to me that this may be a longstanding rivalry from Iron Chef America. Flay was one of the original IC's, Geoffrey was one in later seasons.

Flay went on to have multiple shows that star him, while GZ is on... The Kitchen. It must sting to have Flay make fun of his pretentiousness. I enjoyed it.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Ashforth

[libgirl2]

6 hours ago, Rammchick said:

I had a lot of ambivalence going into this one because I don't particularly care for Bobby Flay, and I wasn't even going to watch.  But now that Stephen won, I'm in it to see someone -- anyone -- rip his head off and crap down the hole in the next rounds.  Nice that someone has come along to enliven this board, even if I can't stand the sight of him.

I wanted Chef Holland to win. He is always my favorite when he is on. I think he would be a big threat to Flay. 

[Grizzly]

Why is it when they have 4 returning chefs and I like 3 of them, the 1 I can't stand wins? If Demetrios shows up, I'm throwing something at the tv! Agree with the poster who thought Seis was robbed first time around.

Bobby questioning Geoffrey about the chopsticks was hilarious! Wonder if Bobby will have some on hand next time GZ is on Beat Bobby Flay?

[mlp]

10 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Bobby questioning Geoffrey about the chopsticks was hilarious! Wonder if Bobby will have some on hand next time GZ is on Beat Bobby Flay?

Hah!  That would be hilarious.

[letusprocrastinate]

On 8/12/2020 at 8:57 AM, Ashforth said:

In regard to Flay and Zakarian and the chopsticks tension, I know I have too much time on my hands and am watching way too much Food Network (I often keep it on during the day as background while I work from home) but it has occurred to me that this may be a longstanding rivalry from Iron Chef America. Flay was one of the original IC's, Geoffrey was one in later seasons.

Flay went on to have multiple shows that star him, while GZ is on... The Kitchen. It must sting to have Flay make fun of his pretentiousness. I enjoyed it.

GZ has also been selling GZ-branded products on QVC, and viewers are regularly reminded during his appearances that he's an Iron Chef.

I dunno, could some Chopped contestant be a bit of a snot and make something that he or she demands must be eaten using toothpicks, just to see what GZ does?

Edited August 14, 2020 by letusprocrastinate

[xaxat]

I just can't get excited about the Bobby Flay challenge. Like the judges challenge earlier this year we know that Bobby's friends are going to vote for him and his victory is essentially inevitable.

[mlp]

I've said this before but I don't remember where so I may be repeating myself.  Some years ago, I read Marcus Samuelsson's memoir.  In it, he says that Bobby Flay is one of the best chefs in New York.  If Marcus says that, I'm inclined to believe it.  I like Bobby, on TV anyway.  I'm not sure that I'd like him if I actually knew him based on things I've heard about his ego.

I liked all three of the men last night all of whom I remembered from their previous appearances on the show.  I couldn't stand the woman when she was on the grilling show so I was glad she got chopped.  I would have been happy with either Lee or Andre winning.