S18.E07: Feeding the Frontlines

[carrps]

49 minutes ago, Ms Lark said:

I was really surprised and annoyed. I thought immunity was over for good. Seriously unfair Gabriel didn't get immunity for winning last week's QuickFire. Sucks, especially since he got kicked off for Nelson's mistake.

There was no immunity because of the set-up of that particular challenge. They were going to eliminate two, and if the bottom team had a member with immunity, that would be screwed up. Both team members had to go. That's why there was no immunity. I don't know why they couldn't have eliminated chefs from different teams, but that's how they had  decided to set it up from the beginning.

[weixiaobao]

2 hours ago, albarino said:

I disagree.  I think French food, prepared well, is delicious.  Italian food, other the other hand, is boring.

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. 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, albarino said:

I disagree.  I think French food, prepared well, is delicious.  Italian food, other the other hand, is boring.

I don't agree about Italian food, if done right.  Yes, I am Italian American and grew up around some absolutely amazing food.  The dreck that passes for Italian food in the US and around the world does not hold a candle to the real thing.  But not enough is made out of that because somehow other cultures seem to feel free to take Italian food and do whatever they want with it, to the point that to a purist the food is an abomination at best.  And yet they are ignored and in some cases ridiculed as if they should have no say in the matter, and people just do whatever they want anyway. 

[Yeah No]

On 5/14/2021 at 9:09 AM, sugarbaker design said:

Of course it wasn't predetermined.  Bravo would have nothing to gain and everything to lose by rigging competitions.  All the chefs played with the same rules.  The winner of the quickfire won $10K.  There was no immunity because there was a double eviction.  Sucks for Gabriel, but it was perfectly legit.

A double elimination doesn't necessarily mean that both members of a single team have to go home.  If one was more responsible for their poor results then that person could go home and one person from another team could go home.  Sending both members of one team home might be unfair to one of them.  And the editing did show Gabriel trying to warn his partner about certain things and those things were the very reasons they were sent home.  So it's obvious who was more deserving of going home there.  Also, a double elimination doesn't have to mean no immunity for the same reason as above.  The person with immunity won't be eligible for elimination, but if their partner was more responsible for any bad results they could still go home along with another single person from another team who was also more responsible for any bad results.  Just because they are working in teams doesn't mean they aren't being judged as individuals too so they could have done it this way with immunity and IMO it would have been more fair.

[carrps]

Yeah, they could have, but they didn't. It wasn't decided after the fact, so it wasn't like they had some kind of vengeance planned for Gabriel. Lots of other seasons have had particular eliminations that seemed unfair, too. I'm not especially perturbed. And Gabriel had what? two chances to get back in. I'm not crying for him.

 

[Yeah No]

On 5/13/2021 at 10:47 PM, llongori said:

Does anyone else think Byron looks a bit like Jim Carrey?  

I think he looks like the love child of Jim Carrey and Desi Arnaz, LOL.

 

[Yeah No]

On 5/14/2021 at 1:59 AM, HighQueenEB said:

Hey, editing monkeys - it's OHSU not OSHU.  Oregon Health Sciences University.  Not Oregon State HU.  

Just had to get that in there - my older niece works at one of their clinics in the PDX Metro.  

I was sad to see Avishar go.  I'd rather Chris went if we were going to lose one of them over Maria, who just grates on my every nerve.  And, can people here stop defending her calling Gabriel an asshole last week as affectionate or whatever other baloney, contrived excuse for her blatant dislike of him?  She made it clear, today, that she didn't want him walking back in from LCK.  She does not like him and there's no sugarcoating or excusing it.  And, frankly, if a man called a woman an asshole or bitch on national television, he would be, rightly, skewered, so let's stop excusing Maria for the same, inappropriate and unprofessional language.  

Thank you, I am tired of all the excuses, especially the one about power dynamics - these chefs are all on an equal playing field in this competition.  Any kind of power assumptions exist in the mind of the person making them because none of them have any advantages over the others whether by positional or perceived standing or power.  Unless they're insinuating that the judges are preferring chefs based on their backgrounds, which I think its patently false.  And I really don't think Gabriel was playing that card either.  He was just there to cook and hopefully win.  I didn't see him strutting his stuff around like he thought he was all that and everyone else was a peon or something.  No way.

And yes, can you just imagine what people would say if in response to Maria's "asshole" comment he retorted with, "Sure, BITCH"?  OMG he would have been skewered up one side and down the other while more excuses and justifications would be made for her.  I just hate double standards of any kind.  You don't right one wrong by supporting another.  Just my opinion.

[sugarbaker design]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

A double elimination doesn't necessarily mean that both members of a single team have to go home.  

It was clear to the teams that a complete two-person team would be eliminated, not individual members.

[Yeah No]

18 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

It was clear to the teams that a complete two-person team would be eliminated, not individual members.

I know it was clear to them - my point was that the rules didn't have to be structured that way.  I don't think making one person go home for another's mistake is ever fair in any competition, and there's no reason it has to be done that way.  Even in other team challenges it's always the person or people most responsible for the team's failure that go home, not other people that produced good work and weren't responsible for their failure.  I didn't feel that the judges made it clear why Gabriel was going home other than he just happened to be unlucky per the rules of that challenge.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Yeah No

[AnnA]

If anyone gave me a dish of smelt and rabbit or one made with fish heads, I would walk out as quickly as I possibly could and never look back.

Obviously, I'm not a suitable candidate as a contestant or a judge on Top Chef.

Edited May 16, 2021 by AnnA

[buttersister]

“Unfair” pykaging is a linchpin of the series. *Looking at Restaurant Wars victims running a bad FOH with horrible servers and a high-pressure dish collapsing in the kitchen.*

[seltzer3]

Double eliminations have always suck in top chef.

The worst one was the one with Nyesha and Dakota.  Dakota completely undercooked the meat, so served the judges raw venison.  Nyesha, you made an amazing sauce!   Welp too bad Dakota completely screwed the protien, so you are both going home :D. 

In all honesty from last week.  They should have done a sudden quickfire, then a regular elimination.

[ProudMary]

9 hours ago, weixiaobao said:

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.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with an Italian restaurant in Charleston but as someone local to the area, I can assure you that there are a couple of truly outstanding Italian restaurants here. The absolute best Italian restaurant in Charleston, Wild Olive, is not downtown but on nearby John's Island. Their food and service is outstanding and their polenta is like nourishment from the gods. Regardless of how the other restaurant billed itself, Wild Olive *is* the best Italian restaurant in Charleston and just earlier this week was again named Best of Charleston by the local Charleston City Paper. Should you visit the city again I hope you will enjoy a meal there.

[Norma Desmond]

4 hours ago, AnnA said:

If anyone gave me a dish of smelt and rabbit or one made with fish heads, I would walk out as quickly as I possibly could and never look back.

Yeah, me too. But real people's tastes are different from the fancy food chefs and high gastronomy critics tastes. I wouldn't want to eat most of the dishes these people present.

I like Gabriel and am still bummed about his exit. As soon as he got paired up with Nelson, I knew he was a goner.

Am sorry about Avishar too, he's so nice.

I am so ready for Maria to be PYKAG'd. Cannot stand her.

 

[Josiemae]

23 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think he looks like the love child of Jim Carrey and Desi Arnaz, LOL.

 

With a dash of Jerry Lewis.

[Nordly Beaumont]

8 minutes ago, Josiemae said:

With a dash of Jerry Lewis.

You're all wrong 🤭 - he looks like my next door neighbor! And he's a real sweet guy, so I can't help liking Byron!

[MelinaBallerina]

On 5/13/2021 at 9:47 PM, llongori said:

Does anyone else think Byron looks a bit like Jim Carrey?  

He makes me think of Jerry Lewis - the original Nutty Professor.

[Mstk3000]

On 5/15/2021 at 5:01 PM, Yeah No said:

I know it was clear to them - my point was that the rules didn't have to be structured that way.  I don't think making one person go home for another's mistake is ever fair in any competition, and there's no reason it has to be done that way.  Even in other team challenges it's always the person or people most responsible for the team's failure that go home, not other people that produced good work and weren't responsible for their failure.  I didn't feel that the judges made it clear why Gabriel was going home other than he just happened to be unlucky per the rules of that challenge.

I think you are forgetting Season 11 Stephanie's ouster when Nicholas insisted upon some sort of birds' nest thing in a team challenge when he had immunity.  The guest judge was Jacques Pepin and he directly confronted Nicholas, saying that he should give up his immunity since neither of his team members did anything wrong, only him.  He didn't, so Stephanie went home even though she tried to talk him out of the thing that tanked their team.  And then he went on to win the whole thing.  So it's not really a new thing that people are treated unfairly in team challenges; that's why they all hate them.

[Yeah No]

1 minute ago, Mstk3000 said:

I think you are forgetting Season 11 Stephanie's ouster when Nicholas insisted upon some sort of birds' nest thing in a team challenge when he had immunity.  The guest judge was Jacques Pepin and he directly confronted Nicholas, saying that he should give up his immunity since neither of his team members did anything wrong, only him.  He didn't, so Stephanie went home even though she tried to talk him out of the thing that tanked their team.  And then he went on to win the whole thing.  So it's not really a new thing that people are treated unfairly in team challenges; that's why they all hate them.

Wow, yeah that was so long ago now I didn't remember.  But it looked like the show had moved away from that kind of thing in recent seasons so it just sucks that they brought it back.  

[FinnishViewer]

On 5/16/2021 at 1:01 AM, Yeah No said:

making one person go home for another's mistake is ever fair in any competition

Gabriel could have decided to serve the properly cooked salmon without the crispy skin, but he preferred having the crispy skin.

[whinewithwine]

On 5/15/2021 at 8:24 PM, AnnA said:

If anyone gave me a dish of smelt and rabbit or one made with fish heads, I would walk out as quickly as I possibly could and never look back.

Exactly how I felt when Gabe used the catfish skin.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, FinnishViewer said:

Gabriel could have decided to serve the properly cooked salmon without the crispy skin, but he preferred having the crispy skin.

He was trying to make a choice between two imperfectly cooked pieces of fish after it was too late to do them over, plus he wasn't the reason why they were imperfectly cooked in the first place.  He wasn't the one primarily deserving of going home.  On other weeks without a double elimination on the same team he would have been the one to live to cook another day.

[Chyromaniac]

So on this week’s episode... I was a little surprised that the... “reheatability?” of the dishes didn’t come up more.  That seemed to be a big point in the challenge description- but since the judges got “fresh” portions, it didn’t ultimately wasn’t a huge deal. FWIW, there were a bunch of elements that could have been issues- for instance, breads and crispy things don’t tend to microwave well.  Getting the right amount of liquid for a microwave meal can be tricky too.  Also, the meals with lots of separate components seemed like they would be difficult to manage- just give me something that will taste good with everything smooshed together in a tray.  Basically, if it had been me, I probably would’ve been booted for serving the judges a soggy mess, that hopefully would have reheated better.

Edited May 17, 2021 by Chyromaniac

[dleighg]

14 minutes ago, Chyromaniac said:

So on this week’s episode... I was a little surprised that the... “reheatability?” of the dishes didn’t come up more.

I agree. I think those workers got freshly delivered meals (from the insulated carriers). I doubt anyone ate one that had sat in a refrigerator for 8 hours and was then microwaved. So that was a sort of silly "requirement" (which wasn't a requirement). Wasn't there an airplane food challenge some years ago where they really did have to serve it "warmed over"?

[Chyromaniac]

12 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Wasn't there an airplane food challenge some years ago where they really did have to serve it "warmed over"?

Yes- Season 3 in Miami, iirc.

[stewedsquash]

On 5/15/2021 at 9:57 PM, buttersister said:

“Unfair” pykaging is a linchpin of the series. *Looking at Restaurant Wars victims running a bad FOH with horrible servers and a high-pressure dish collapsing in the kitchen.*

Yeah, I was going to say Restaurant Wars says hold my beer in response to unfair eliminations.

Gabriel was shocked and hurt over the elimination but he understood it. He tried to fix the dish, Nelson tried to fix the dish but they both understood that both would be gone if it was the worst dish. I am taking another comment to LCK because I don't remember if something happened here or there. 

[AnnA]

4 hours ago, whinewithwine said:

Exactly how I felt when Gabe used the catfish skin.

Eww!  I forgot about that one.  

Maybe it's just me but I just can't imagine anyone putting those dishes on a menu and expecting customers to order them. 

[stewedsquash]

First quote is from @Josiemae

Quote

With a dash of Jerry Lewis.

 

17 hours ago, MelinaBallerina said:

He makes me think of Jerry Lewis - the original Nutty Professor.

 

Beat me to it! Add in that Avishar reminds me (personality and body movements) of Murr from Impractical Jokers! and I am always on the lookout for whacky hijinx this season between those two.

Edited May 17, 2021 by stewedsquash
wonky quote boxes so @ mentioned

[stewedsquash]

4 hours ago, Chyromaniac said:

So on this week’s episode... I was a little surprised that the... “reheatability?” of the dishes didn’t come up more.  That seemed to be a big point in the challenge description- but since the judges got “fresh” portions, it didn’t ultimately wasn’t a huge deal. FWIW, there were a bunch of elements that could have been issues- for instance, breads and crispy things don’t tend to microwave well.  Getting the right amount of liquid for a microwave meal can be tricky too.  Also, the meals with lots of separate components seemed like they would be difficult to manage- just give me something that will taste good with everything smooshed together in a tray.  Basically, if it had been me, I probably would’ve been booted for serving the judges a soggy mess, that hopefully would have reheated better.

 

4 hours ago, dleighg said:

I agree. I think those workers got freshly delivered meals (from the insulated carriers). I doubt anyone ate one that had sat in a refrigerator for 8 hours and was then microwaved. So that was a sort of silly "requirement" (which wasn't a requirement). Wasn't there an airplane food challenge some years ago where they really did have to serve it "warmed over"?

I remember the reheating requirement and that it reminded me of the airplane EC also. I had the reheat part in my head while they were cooking and then I promptly forgot about it after all the meals were served because it wasn't even mentioned (I don't think it was). I can't even remember if the chefs brought it up during cooking but I think they did. Now that I think about it, I think the requirement was they were going to hopefully eat it warm, as soon as it was delivered, but it had to be able to be reheated in case they weren't able to eat immediately. 

I bet Sara's yogurt sauce was nasty if it had to be reheated. Blech.

 

[carrps]

5 hours ago, dleighg said:

I agree. I think those workers got freshly delivered meals (from the insulated carriers). I doubt anyone ate one that had sat in a refrigerator for 8 hours and was then microwaved. So that was a sort of silly "requirement" (which wasn't a requirement). Wasn't there an airplane food challenge some years ago where they really did have to serve it "warmed over"?

CJ's sad sad sad broccolini.

[marybennet]

1 hour ago, stewedsquash said:

bet Sara's yogurt sauce was nasty if it had to be reheated. Blech.

I thought Sara’s was a dish you just didn’t at all have to reheat—a smart choice in a challenge like this. 

[carrps]

16 minutes ago, carrps said:

CJ's sad sad sad broccolini.

I just had to note that at this point in time my two "laughs" are from emmawoodhouse and mary bennett. How perfect!

[FinnishViewer]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

plus he wasn't the reason why they were imperfectly cooked in the first place

Didn't he cook the second batch of salmon after they noticed the first batch were overcooked?

[TzuShih]

On 5/15/2021 at 3:15 PM, weixiaobao said:

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. 

 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).  

As a huge fan of French food, I'll admit that even in NYC, it's a challenge to find a genuine French eatery that doesn't make your budget weep!  Only a few 'moderate, home-style' places still exist and you have to do some sleuthing to find them.  

The couple times I was in France, I COULD NOT GET OVER THE EXCELLENCE in almost EVERY place I ate in.  You could pull off the highway and find a rural cafe that would have you drooling.

As for your thoughts on BUTTER....I don't recall ever having 'bad' butter over there.  That said, I am one of those in the minority who almost always eat NON-SALTED butter...so perhaps THAT makes a difference.  I was constantly slathering creamy French butter over croissants for my breakfasts -- 😁!  (At home in NYC, I buy Danish and French butters...soooo good!  If only our croissants were just as deelish!)

[dleighg]

6 minutes ago, TzuShih said:

The couple times I was in France, I COULD NOT GET OVER THE EXCELLENCE in almost EVERY place I ate in.  You could pull off the highway and find a rural cafe that would have you drooling.

 

I've spent more time in Italy than France (weeks, not years, LOL) and I had exactly one disappointing meal in Italy.

[TzuShih]

1 minute ago, dleighg said:

I've spent more time in Italy than France (weeks, not years, LOL) and I had exactly one disappointing meal in Italy.

I agree, fer shure.  Food in Italy is A-ONE!  City!  Countryside!  Coastal regions!  You can't go wrong.  (The only really baaad eateries are reserved for those foreign visitors who go on one of those 'managed TOURS!"  Baaaad! ) 

[Macbeth]

I really liked this episode.  I am glad Jamie came back.  She gives good energy.  It was great to see Jose Andres.  It was a nice challenge to feed all the medical workers.  

Regarding the problems with the equipment, I am usually pretty cynical on this matter when it comes to Top Chef, but given what they were trying to accomplish - I really think they were trying to make do with what was available during Covid.

 

[Suzn]

Am I absolutely the only person who was glad to see Jamie go and take her idiotic sound effects with her?

While I'm taking unpopular positions, I liked Gabriel and was sorry he left and definitely don't feel that the double eliminations by way of a team is very unfair.

[catrice2]

Was Gabriel on this episode and I missed him?  This was taped a long time ago, so all the analysis of this elimination is baffling. This show has been on a long time and plenty of people have left while on a team challenge.  That's how it goes, and they know it is a possibility when they came in. As I recall, there was also some criticism of his dish as well even if it was not the main issue.  It's not like he made something that was "WOW!!!!" and still went home. 

[emmawoodhouse]

2 minutes ago, catrice2 said:

Was Gabriel on this episode and I missed him?  This was taped a long time ago, so all the analysis of this elimination is baffling. This show has been on a long time and plenty of people have left while on a team challenge.  That's how it goes, and they know it is a possibility when they came in. As I recall, there was also some criticism of his dish as well even if it was not the main issue.  It's not like he made something that was "WOW!!!!" and still went home. 

Gabriel wasn't on this episode. Jamie came back from LCK.

[Harry24]

4 hours ago, carrps said:

I just had to note that at this point in time my two "laughs" are from emmawoodhouse and mary bennett. How perfect!

The only problem there is that OG Mary has no sense of humor, and OG Emma is prone to losing hers.

Still ... awesome.

[catrice2]

41 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Gabriel wasn't on this episode. Jamie came back from LCK.

Thank you. I actually forgot to DVR it and I missed the every beginning and came in during the end of the quick fire. 

[Suzn]

42 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Gabriel wasn't on this episode. Jamie came back from LCK.

Gabriel was discussed on this thread as well as the double elimination.

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, Suzn said:

Am I absolutely the only person who was glad to see Jamie go and take her idiotic sound effects with her?

While I'm taking unpopular positions, I liked Gabriel and was sorry he left and definitely don't feel that the double eliminations by way of a team is very unfair.

I concur 100% with both of the above so I’ll join you, Suzn 

[emmawoodhouse]

1 hour ago, Suzn said:

Gabriel was discussed on this thread as well as the double elimination.

I assumed the person whose question I answered hadn't read the thread. 😁

[The Solution]

2 hours ago, catrice2 said:

Was Gabriel on this episode and I missed him?  This was taped a long time ago, so all the analysis of this elimination is baffling. This show has been on a long time and plenty of people have left while on a team challenge.  That's how it goes, and they know it is a possibility when they came in. As I recall, there was also some criticism of his dish as well even if it was not the main issue.  It's not like he made something that was "WOW!!!!" and still went home. 

This is what I wanted to post but didn't want to offend other delicate flowers.

[seltzer3]

Okay so Avishar said what I had issues with the judges critiques.  That not all curries required searing of the beef.  I was kind of annoyed when he got lectured in it, when searing meat for curries is definitely not a universal thing.

[AriAu]

I enjoyed the concept of the episode and it got a little misty as the front line workers thanked them (and vice versa), but I found this episode and frankly the whole season, very low energy. Maybe its the fact that they are not running around Whole Foods or the extra safety protocols, but it is all coming off as low energy....and even a little boring.

I think another factor is that these guys are all exec chefs and, to some extent, have made a name for themselves and are trying to not blow it and hence are playing it a little safer than others....or maybe they have just seen past seasons and know to cook proteins well and stay alive and then, hopefully, pull out the stakes later. That didnt happen in All Stars where the cheftestants kinda went for it from week 1, but we might be seeing it here.

And, yeah, I have had enough of Jamie's sound effect sh...tuff.

[Mellowyellow]

Are Jamie's noises caused by a nervous tic or does she think she's cute?

I don't want to diss her if she can't help the noises but if she's doing it to garner attention she needs to shut up!!!

[jpgr]

8 minutes ago, Mellowyellow said:

Are Jamie's noises caused by a nervous tic or does she think she's cute?

I don't want to diss her if she can't help the noises but if she's doing it to garner attention she needs to shut up!!!

I think it may partially be related to her being bilingual. I realize not all bi- (or multi-) lingual people do anything like this. I can imagine if you are trying to convey something and your brain is trying to sort through words in multiple languages but you want to get your point across, you may resort to sound effects. She's a fast talker, too, so she's not giving herself time to come up with the right words.