Rachael Vs. Guy: Kids Cookoff - General Discussion

[ari333]

Editor's Note:

Discuss Rachael Vs. Guy: Kids Cookoff Here!

 

Is anyone watching this with me? I gave it a try. I had seen the Rachael vs Guy show before but I think it was celebs instead of kids. This one is kids. Yes, some are cute and yet still annoying. And still I watch. Actually it wasn't that bad and I kind of liked it.

Edited January 9, 2019 by kariyaki

[Violet Penner]

I watched!  I thought Finn and his little accent (speech impediment?  I've never heard a Canadian accent that strong) were pretty adorable.  So far, no one has annoyed me ALL that much, unlike last year when there were a couple kids who really grated on me.

 

I don't watch Rachael Ray's show, but she looked like she has gained a lot of weight.  I thought maybe she was pregnant (but I'm guessing not).

 

I liked that a lot of the kids were supportive of each other.

[zillabreeze]

I'm watching. I like the kids cooking competes because they are more civilized than adults. I loved how the one little boy jumped in when the little girl got frustrated and started to cry.

I am so far crazy about the little girl with the mouthful of braces and the giant glasses. She seems comfortable in her own skin. The big kid, Gibson?, seems okay, but he's trying too hard.

Hate, hate hate the way that Finn kid talks. He is trying to sound like a baby and be adorable. Yech. He forgot a couple of times and dropped the baby act. That speech affect is like nails on a chalkboard. Can't stomach Cawowine on the ehawmony commercials for the same reason.

Was watching the last season over the weekend and really wanted to hear what others thought about that little boy that swiped the cilantro out of the little girls shopping cart. WTF? Why wasn't he shown the door right that second?

[BensBritches]

I'm watching too and actually enjoy the show. I watched last season and so far I like this group of kids better. At least as a whole. As for Finn and his accent (aka speech impediment), I'm not sure it is an affectation. There was a clear accent mixed in with difficulty pronouncing r/l sounds. I felt like he was actually trying to slow himself down when he talked so he could be intelligible and that the times his impediment seemed to drop out was when he was truly focusing on his oral motor skills. I am not sure who would think a 10 year old boy talking like that was "cute" but then again, one of the girls said she found his "accent" cute. My 11 year old daughter did not... I'm not sure if Finn's accent (as there was a hint of one) is a mixture of Kiwi and Canadian, or if it's more like a Newfoundland type accent (which seems like a hybrid in and of itself). But otherwise, I didn't hear the "typical" Canadian accent that I'm used to in Finn's speech.

I felt sad for Helen when she started to cry about not being able to finish her dish and I loved that one of the boys (was it Gibson?) came over to console her. I hope the kids continue to get along. I also really liked Luis and his breakdancing (or was that another kid?).

My only hope is that the judges don't tell these kids everything they do is wonderful and forego constructive criticism. I know they are kids, but if they really want to grow and learn the culinary arts, they will need "real" feedback. Last night the judges gave very, very little in the way of helpful feedback, instead saying only positives (maybe the negatives were edited out).

Wolfgang Puck's kids did not seem like they were thrilled to be there and didn't seem to eat a lot of the food they were given. Are they twins? I know nothing of his personal life!

[ari333]

I felt bad for the kid who had trouble with the Rs, especially at his age.

 

The little chick who is a rocker won my heart.

 

The Asian dude is going to be gorgeous when he grows up and is super cute as a kid.

 

Amber with the internet show.... jury is still out imo on whether she's going to be annoying. Or perhaps that ship has sailed.

 

Liked the dude who comforted Blue Hair when she started to lose it.

 

The young girl who made the mad burger thought she blew it b/c of the bacon, but they still liked it so SELL IT!

 

I'm liking Luis, but cant recall what he cooked. :)

[Psychobunny]

So glad we have a topic!.  As somebody who still has the difficulty with "R"s despite years of speech therapy, I do feel for Finn.  It's a speech defect, not an accent.  Like the others here I was surprised that nobody was too annoying yet, although Amber may be pushing it.  Also, like the others, I adore Lauren the rocker chick, even though she apparently made the worst dish.  The parents don't seem too bad yet.  I wonder how Finn will do if he can't grill everything.  Overall, they're all so happy to be there and not too intense. (BTW, I thought it was Sean who was the breakdancer.)

[Fostersmom]

Little Finn is going to drive me nuts. He's got it written all over him and I'm not a fan of (edited) kids. That's a pretty significant speech impediment he has and I do think there's an accent going on too. Dad had a slight accent when he was talking about something Finn was cooking. I liked the blue haired girl and felt bad when she was overwhelmed. I felt bad for which ever girl got the smack down about her ring pop by Guy. First, if you don't want them to talk with suckers in their mouths, don't give them to the kids, and second, she's a little girl and he was just rude to her. The one with the "Mr. Guy and Mrs. Rachel" just needs to stop though. The kids all seemed very supportive of each other and more than willing to jump in to help. Cute group and so far, none of them are too over produced like some of the kids from last year.

[tomorrowgirl]

It bugged me that Helen didn't clip her hair back when she was cooking, the longer blue hair on one side.  I think that all the other girls had pony tails or braids, or somehow kept their hair back.  But Helen's was hanging down.  It was in her face, possibly obscuring her vision, and hanging  over the food.  I get that she's trying to be cool/edgy with the blue hair, but she could probably see better and it would certainly be  more hygienic if her hair wasn't dangling down like that. 

 

So far, I don't find any of the kids annoying, but that likely will change.

[mlp]

So far I like all the boys and none of the girls.  That could change.  Meanwhile, I'm just grateful there's no one who reminds me of Hunter.

[Lamb18]

I like Omaha girl (blue hair) so far because she reminders me of my niece in appearance (except for blue hair).  Finn has a touch of an accent as well as a speech impediment.  I thought it was Irish at first.  I don't think he is faking anything.  I know a girl who has had a similar speech impediment well into high school and I always wondered why her parents didn't have her work with a speech therapist.  Overall I like the kids so far.

 

I watched the Season 1 marathon, too.  I'd forgotten about Hunter stealing the cilantro.  His dad wasn't too pleased with that.  Hunter showed up on a Chopped kids competition and I think he might have won that.  I can't remember. 

 

What I really like about this competition is that none of the kids are eliminated.  Instead the one with the highest point total wins.

[MarkHB]

I didn't realize this had come back (I did watch S1 and all the celebrity versions so far).  Did it just start this week?  (Wondering about being able to catch up)

[Violet Penner]

Yes, the premiere was this last Sunday.

[gingerormaryann]

I enjoyed the premier of RvGkids far more than the entire season of NFNS.  Rachel and Guy were positively restrained considering their manic personas and I found nothing wrong with their comments or behavior.  I also like the "no one eliminated" format because we can actually see them grow and improve instead of getting a head chopping for one stupid mistake.

 

Here's how I'd handicap them:

 

8)  Helen.  Poor Helen.  She got the favorable nod from Guy saying that her Tacos were the most intricate and complicated dish of all the kids but she couldn't compensate for her lack of ease in front of the camera.  She also slouches a lot which detracts even more from her camera presence.  Despite her tears and sincerity, she can't connect with the audiences.  At one point, Gibson called her "Ellen", which sums up her presence.  Forgettable.

 

7) Finn.  He has that Freddie Highmore thing going on in that he is unnaturally cute.  But his poor speech will leave him no chance.  He is totally charming and engaging in the confessionals but stiff and unsure in the presentations.  Food Network says he's from Vancouver, publicity says he's from Boston but the first time I heard him, I thought he was hearing impaired.  You can always tell when he's doing a scripted VO because it sounds like he's reading the script with his finger on every word.  I also wonder how far a child food expert can go being just a grill specialist.

 

6) Madison.  She's done two very basic dishes for kids, burgers and chicken wings, which were both very well received by the judges.  Can she branch out or does she need to?  Her problem is her shyness.  She seems like a lovely young lady but got some bad advice to amp it up so when she tries, like on her ill-fated miming of chicken wings, it comes off as unnatural.  The worst advice she got was to come out and talk about how the other competitors better be wary of her because she has no weakness.  It seems in contrast to her sweet, diffident persona.  So while I agree that she is too timid to win the show, it's also a mistake to mold her into something she's not.  She has the sob story that she didn't milk but her mom did.

 

5) Gibson.  He reminds me of Peter Billingsley from "A Christmas Story."  He has a definite divisive personality and that might work for adults (like Guy and the cowboy who won NFNS) but it is a hindrance for kids.  I think his rating might be all over the place.  He was way too overeager in the camera challenges although he did well in the actual cooking.  He can come off as a bit condescending ("good for the kids, sophisticated for the adults") but he seems like a really good kid who's trying to find himself.  His growth on camera will be the most interesting to watch.  I wasn't surprised to hear him say he was bullied but it also informed why he treated Helen so gently when she was having problems.

 

4) Luis.  He has it all.  Looks, charm, presence, cooking ability.  He was also probably the best at explaining his cooking.  Why so far down?  His voice.  He sounds like he's already going through puberty and by the time his show would start, he could be a baritone.  He was also a bit monotone in his delivery and tended to go flat towards the end.  However,his anecdotes were really funny (he had the best line of the night where he said of Puck "He makes good canned soups") and he had a friendly, familiar tone to his presentation.  He was a year late for this competition.  Speaking of which, Brandon's commercials have aired during this show and he would have struggled to get to the top half in the camera challenges in this group.

 

3)  Lauren.  I think she's the adult's choice.  Great charm, personality and smarts.  Wonderful, offbeat looks.  Excellent presentation.  Great, great quotes. But would she be the kid's choice?   She'll still be the most fun to watch.

 

2) Sean.  Maybe too much of a professional kid for some but his polish and enthusiasm during his presentations were second to none.  Great friendliness and eye contact.  Watch him lock eyes with the camera but his specialization of Asian cuisine could go either way.  It says something when a 12 yo kid does better on the camera challenges than any of the adults on NFNS.  A total natural who we'll be seeing one way or another.

 

1) Amber.  I don't like this choice but I think she's the clear frontrunner.  She's good at everything and is also cute.  She struck me as decent, though not exceptional on camera, which was said to be her strength.  I felt she was nowhere near Sean or Luis in presentation.  While her personality may be too chipper for some (she reminds me of the brown nosing kid in grammar school), her emphasis on healthy foods and visit to the White House will be very tough to beat.

Edited August 24, 2014 by gingerormaryann

[cooksdelight]

I am holding my tongue until tonight's episode is over, but I got pissed off in the first five minutes...

[cooksdelight]

OK, this is what made me mad... the blue-haired girl saying that Finn was clinically insane. That was not only rude, it was mean, in my opinion. The kid has a speech impediment, he gets picked on enough as it is, I am guessing. I'm glad she didn't win a star, for that reason alone.

[Ms5h]

She said he was insane because he liked snails and all the other kids were going on about them being gross. It was a gentle poke.

I love how supportive and honest the kids are with each other. Even the two boys who went head to head high-fived each other after finishing their presentations. It's nice to see the kids look like average kids and act like good kids. It's a fun show to watch.

[cooksdelight]

It was the "clinical" part of her statement that bothered me. I know kids, and adults, will say "he's so crazy!" and stuff like that, but it just hit me wrong.

I liked the challenges they had to do. And Alex was great with them, with her compliments and criticisms. I died laughing at the blind challenge, they were all afraid something alive would be on the plate. And Guy freaked them out, totally hilarious!

[ari333]

I don't know any kids who say, "clinically." Maybe BlueHair heard it from a parent or perhaps someone scripted it? IDK.

 

I'm going to hell, but that Finn kid with the R's is just too much for me. If he were 3 years old, it'd be adorable. However, if the family did give him therapy and it didn't take for some reason, then I should shutty because at least they tried (if they did.) But not to address that speech issue before someone is 10 is just wrong, imo. And it's going to get less cute the older he gets. Bless his heart.

 

IDK why exactly, but I wondered if Gibson and Amber were sharing answers aka cheating on that 5 senses challenge.

 

I can't stand Amber and I'm not even sure why, so she'll probably win.

 

How old is the youngest one? The oldest are 12, Gibson, Madison, Luis and I can't recall the others' ages. Somehow I was thinking one was 8, or maybe I made that up. If so, that's a huge difference in kid years.

 

I'll be in hell if you need me. :)

Edited August 25, 2014 by ari333

[Ms5h]

Eh, as a former Girl Scout leader I've heard precocious kids talk like that (clinically insane!). She seems like a sweet kid.

I'm not a huge fan of Finn's accent, but all the kids seem really nice, so far. I am so happy Gibson's doing well, especially if he's been picked on in school. I hope he doesn't get arrogant. I'm impressed how resilient the kids appear.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Ms5h

[ramble]

I'm watching this but with only partial attention & as the show progresses I'll quit watching certain sections. It's hard not to snark on these kids but then I feel bad because they're kids so I've found divided attention helps me in that regard. I have little patience for precocious children when they have a smart attitude along with that. Some of these kids are beginning to veer into that territory for me. The talking heads are the worst. They feel fake & designed simply to make the child memorable. I'm already skipping most of those.

Is Gibson the one that Guy loves & keeps winning? I call him Guitar because, well I'm weird. He seems to have a knowledge level that is quite a bit greater than the other kids. Do y'all think it's real or is he the designated chef-kid?

The parents don't seem as bad this year. Although I feel like I should say they don't seem as bad yet. I'm sure that can change in a single moment. Hopefully they'll edit away the worst of the stage parenting so we don't have to see it. I can't help but let the parents idiocy influence my dislike of a kid.

[DeLurker]

Finn's speech can be a bit much, but given how self-conscious most kids with speech impediments are, I think it is pretty cool that he's competing in such a public forum.  I had a very mild problem with "s" off and on as a kid and I spoke as little as possible as a result.

 

Something about Luis kind of grates.  I think there's been a few statements about his attractiveness and I find that self-awareness of looks to be very unappealling.

 

I like Madison but hope they don't drag out the sad stories about these kids' lives (she learned to cook from Dad and now Dad's out of the picture through divorce I think).  Didn't watch the first season so if that starts happening on a regular basis, I'll be out. 

[gingerormaryann]

Last night should have been called the Finn show since he was the clear star.  His excitement/disappointment over the snails, his hilariously bizarre answers in the blind challenge to his inexplicable victory in the camera challenge.  I wouldn't doubt he gets teased over his speech, but he seems definitely more resilient in that aspect than Gibson, who is extra sensitive.  Speech impediments didn't stop Baba Wawa, but I wish they had.  Then again, Wawa admitted she still is upset over the Radner impersonation which was 40+ years ago, so who knows.

 

Because of Gibson's superior skill in cooking (both episodes noted that his food was high end cuisine), he might be being set up for an appearance on a grown up FN show.  He won't win this show but perhaps his appearance will help him out at school. 

 

Very glad Alex told Amber to stop saying "yummy".  If they can stop her from being so precious on camera, she might be good.  It also appears like she's being given the underdog edit so I'd say she's still the favorite.

 

Sean won't be beaten on the camera challenges.  He might not get all the stars, but he's the pro amidst the other kids who are doing book reports in front of their class.  He understands camera technique but within those parameters, he has great freedom and that's impressive.  Right now, the only other ones who have shown some camera savvy are Amber and Lauren but they're far away.   I don't think Sean will win either but this will be a nice piece for his reel.

 

Have to say I'm loving the show but I could have dealt without seeing the parents at all.  I read a story about Madison and her dad sounds like a real piece of work.  Thankfully he's not on.

[Fostersmom]

I'm going to hell, but that Finn kid with the R's is just too much for me. If he were 3 years old, it'd be adorable. However, if the family did give him therapy and it didn't take for some reason, then I should shutty because at least they tried (if they did.) But not to address that speech issue before someone is 10 is just wrong, imo. And it's going to get less cute the older he gets. Bless his heart.

 

I'll be in hell if you need me. :)

 

I think Finn is the youngest at 10 (his FN bio says 9, but I swear the show said 10), but what annoys me is he acts like a baby compared to the other kids. I have a feeling his speech issue hasn't been fully dealt with because someone thinks it's cute. And he plays it up. The maturity difference between him and the other kids is huge, but given he's a good 2 or 3 years younger than most of them, he's got some great cooking skills. I can totally see why he's on Rachel's team and not Guy's though, I don't think Guy would be able to deal with the cutesy cutesy all the time with him. 

 

All I could think last night was all those over the top, look at how great I am, talking heads Gibson gave aren't going to help with the whole getting bullied in school thing. There's something about that kid that makes me think he's a smug little brat at school and that's the reason he gets bullied. Not that that makes the bullying excusable, but it could be other kids are just fighting back against his mouth. 

 

I hope Madison gets herself a win soon. I like her the best out of all of the girls

[cooksdelight]

I get the feeling these kids had acting classes with Rachael and Guy before taping began, so they could do these talking heads, give the "OMG!!" reactions, and come up with all the over-the-top responses.

[zillabreeze]

ari333 - I'll join you for cocktails in hell.  I don't buy for a minute that Finn has either a speech impediment or an accent.  When you watch his mouth he is trying to maintain a smile and force dimples.  I think someone carried on about his "cuteness" for years and he's learned how to work it.

There's a "talent" coach in his past that probably said "Sparkle, Baby, Sparkle".   Yech.

 

I really wish Gibson would dial it back.  He seems very talented.  If you are getting bullied at school, trying too hard will only make it worse.

[Uncle Benzene]

all those over the top, look at how great I am, talking heads Gibson gave

 

I could not agree more with every single word of your post, Fostersmom.

 

Gibson is clearly "performing" and it's like nails down a chalkboard. Jazz hands. Guh. I'd wager he's "on" 24/7. There's no excuse for bullying, but there's a difference between being bullied and just not being very well-liked because you're obnoxious. And while I obviously don't know one way or the other, just judging by what I've seen, I know which one I'd put my money on. And of course the mom is going to frame it as the former rather than the latter.

 

Also totally agree with your take on Finn. I'm not sure I buy the whole "speech impediment" thing. In my experience, it's a short-term phase that a lot of (North American) kids go through... at like 4 or 5. And in my opinion, more often than not, it's just an affectation. Deliberate preciousness. And in my experience, they tend to abandon it pretty much the minute they realize it's no longer getting them the cute points they crave. I'm willing to give Finn the slightest benefit of the doubt because it kinda sounds like his dad might be British, and the thing with the Ls and the Rs and the TH=FF seem to be pretty common things among certain Brits. So perhaps he comes by it honestly. I'm under no obligation to not be annoyed by it though.

 

Not a big fan of Sean or Luis either. Too polished. Too rehearsed. Too professional child actor with a well-considered hook being relentlessly sold to us.

 

Love Amber, Lauren and especially Madison. Those three strike me as the most genuine, the ones who least come off like they're working an angle. All three of them seem to be approaching it more like an academic competition, rather than an opportunity to get themselves their 15 minutes. I appreciate that.

[Fostersmom]

I could not agree more with every single word of your post, Fostersmom.

 

Gibson is clearly "performing" and it's like nails down a chalkboard. Jazz hands. Guh. I'd wager he's "on" 24/7. There's no excuse for bullying, but there's a difference between being bullied and just not being very well-liked because you're obnoxious. And while I obviously don't know one way or the other, just judging by what I've seen, I know which one I'd put my money on. And of course the mom is going to frame it as the former rather than the latter.

 

Also totally agree with your take on Finn. I'm not sure I buy the whole "speech impediment" thing. In my experience, it's a short-term phase that a lot of (North American) kids go through... at like 4 or 5. And in my opinion, more often than not, it's just an affectation. Deliberate preciousness. And in my experience, they tend to abandon it pretty much the minute they realize it's no longer getting them the cute points they crave. I'm willing to give Finn the slightest benefit of the doubt because it kinda sounds like his dad might be British, and the thing with the Ls and the Rs and the TH=FF seem to be pretty common things among certain Brits. So perhaps he comes by it honestly. I'm under no obligation to not be annoyed by it though.

 

 

I forgot about the jazz hands. I did want to smack him when he started his little dance about going to New York. And how inappropriate was that prize for kids? That's not an event for children, especially with how much wine was sure to be flowing. That's a parent prize. 

 

I don't doubt there's a true speech impediment in there somewhere, just not to this level without some purposeful practice. All 3 of my nephews needed speech therapy. I started telling my sister when the oldest was 3, but she kept brushing me off. Well, then she had another baby who taught the first how to talk. By the time she did something, the oldest was 5 and the 2 year old was just as bad. By the time the third rolled around, the other two were 7 and 4, and guess what happened to the third? Worst speech out of all of them. He was practically 9 before I could understand him 100% of the time and the other 2 had long since been speaking clearly. Finn's just strikes me as a little bit family encouraged, which is a total shame and complete disservice to their child. 

[cooksdelight]

I've noticed that when a parent talks to their children in an adult voice and manner, the kids take up proper speaking a lot quicker. I cannot remember which one is Finn's parent on the show, but I'll be paying more attention from now on.

[ari333]

Holy crap on a cracker. I am ambivalent and here's why. I actually enjoy the show. Now, having said that, there are numerous things that bug  me to no end. And I don't need to even list them since they have been mentioned in the posts above. I totally agree on all points. Yet, I will continue watching because I love to come here and read the snark. Yes, I said it; and I will be in hell with the cocktails -- hee. Join me!

Edited August 25, 2014 by ari333

[ramble]

And how inappropriate was that prize for kids? That's not an event for children, especially with how much wine was sure to be flowing. That's a parent prize.

Oh I completely forgot about that! What a stupid prize for a kid or really for any adult who doesn't live nearby. Tickets to the event & a hotel room, but what about transportation? If you're not local that's not a prize so much as a burden to purchase plane tickets. Couldn't they give the kids something fun for kids?

[backformore]

OK, this is what made me mad... the blue-haired girl saying that Finn was clinically insane.

 

I work with kids and teens, and it's pretty common for kids to describe themselves and others as Anorexic, OCD,  Bipolar, suicidal, and clinically depressed or insane, as a way of exaggerating.    It's a dramatic way they have of expressing things.  Like, kids can't have a favorite color any more, they have to say they're OBSESSED with that color.  When they're upset, they talk about "going emo" and cutting themselves.  If someone yells, they're "going completely psycho."  

I recently had to stay late at work  because when a kid told me she was "LITERALLY suicidal"  I had to do an assessment to verify that she didn't  mean "literally". 

So - I don't think blue-hair (who has a name, but I forgot it)  was being mean.  I think she was just using the term the way kids have been doing recently.  

i also think she was a little annoyed that he may not have been taking the contest seriously.  

 

I agree about Gibson.  he's probably a great kid, but he's being coached to do his little "victory dance" type of thing that makes him come across as a self-centered brat.  We've seen him be nice to the other kids, but I guess that's not as entertaining.  

 

A couple of moments in the show made me uncomfortable.  I don't like to see kids cry.  Kids need more time to do stuff, to learn by trial and error, to practice more.  When there's a time constraint and unfamiliar ingredients, kids get overwhelmed.  These are kids - they're a product of their environment, and don't have the choices to buy ingredients and experiment in the kitchen like adults do.  I like that there aren't eliminations to crush their little spirits. But I don't' want to see kids cry on TV.    It makes me worry about their friends and classmates watching.  

[KitKat]

Having grown up mostly in the south (army brat) I have a southern accent.  When we moved north the first thing the school did was put me in speech classes.  It did not help, I became shy and and afraid I would not talk like everyone else around me. I can not say certain words, anything with el, without a heavy accent on the el. Imagine having to recite She sells seashells down by the seashore.

I have to stop and think how other people want to hear me.....so long story short I finally said fuk it and now I embrace the fact I do not sound like everyone around me.

It is funny how people fall in love with Italian accents (NFNS) and make comments about a child.

[gingerormaryann]

I think we're seeing 100% Gibson.  The second I saw him, I knew he was going to be controversial because of his "flamboyant" behavior.  It is who he is and that can also be seen on social media as well as the few videos he's posted of himself.  I think all of us know that this type invites bullying and it has nothing to do with his personality.  I don't doubt all the kids have been told to pump up the volume, but where we see him trying to do that is during the camera challenges, where his words fall over each other and he becomes so manic that you start wondering if he'll get through it without having a heart attack.  His words and behavior in the confessionals and kitchen seem to reflect who he is.  It's HIGHLY unusual to see a 12yo like this on TV, so maybe it's a learning experience for us all. 

[spanana]

I only tuned in to this show because I happened to see Sean Lew in the promos and I've followed the kid for quite some time as he's a ridiculously talented hip hop dancer.   He's danced on Dancing With the Stars and Queen Latifah's talk show, as well as other places.  I'm pretty sure he also plays the piano and by all accounts from people in the dance world he's a very sweet kid.  It's not really shocking to me he's more polished and maybe comes off more like a polished child actor since he's a performer by trade, even if it's mostly in terms of his dancing background.  

 

This is my favorite Sean video that went somewhat viral about a year ago.  The kid has no shortage of talent.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3n22Z7HQSM

Edited September 1, 2014 by spanana

[cooksdelight]

How did kids in a sandwich challenge who didn't make a sandwich win a star?

[Lamb18]

There was a little inset about the kids making breakfast dishes with fruit and what did I see?  Kenny's breakfast parfait! (toned down a bit)  I hope Helen gets it together with her presentations.  She's my favorite because she reminds me of my niece and my sister when she was a little girl.

[biakbiak]

I refuse to believe anyone, even his family after he has been gone a month, would be that excited to see Jeff Mauro.

[mlp]

 

The only one who really annoys me all the damn time is Lauren.  I mean, there's embracing your dorky self, and then there's amplifying it thirtyfold for the cameras.  She is on my last nerve.

 

I totally agree.  She's really unpleasant to watch.  I don't care much for the girl with blue hair either.  Or maybe it's really her mother I don't like.  The child is what?  11?  And she's allowed to have a punk haircut dyed blue?  She's actually quite pretty but that "look at me" hair style is way too old for her IMO.  I like all the boys.

 

I wish Rachael and Guy would stop talking to them all like they're toddlers.  And fawning over everything they do.  It also annoys me to death that they keep calling the kids "chef."  None of them have even approached earning the right to be addressed that way.  Gordon Ramsay, of all people, was much better at dealing with kids on his MC Junior show.

[almiqui]

It was my understanding that they were supposed to make an entrée based on the sandwich, NOT another sandwich.

[cooksdelight]

Ah, OK, then that explains it. See, that's what happens when my attention wanders off to something else when this show is on.

[backformore]

I love Lauren. I've known kids like her, I think she's just being herself. Actually I like all the kids. The show isn't all that interesting though.

[jcbrown]

 

It also annoys me to death that they keep calling the kids "chef."  None of them have even approached earning the right to be addressed that way.  Gordon Ramsay, of all people, was much better at dealing with kids on his MC Junior show.

Could not agree more. And I may be going to hell for this, but Finn's speech impediment gets on my last nerve. 

 

Was it Lauren who chastised her mom for being dramatic and then proceeded to amp up the drama by a factor of 20?

 

Sean FTW.

Edited September 1, 2014 by jcbrown

[howmanywords]

Last night was my first time watching this season and my immediate thought was no one really grated on my nerves unlike last year where there were at least 2 kids who were off the charts obnoxious, but then the more and more I heard Finn I was going nuts.  I feel awful for even judging the poor kid for his voice and lord knows he must get picked on enough for it but I couldn't help it.  He does seem to be a good little cook so I'm going to try and ignore his speech issues.  So far I think Luis is my favorite. What a charming young man and his food looked great.  I thought Jeff Mauro was a really good judge.  He's always the most appealing to me with his son on Sandwich King so I think he interacts well with kids.

[gingerormaryann]

Amber's comment "I don't have any stars and that's just not me" encapsulated everything I don't like about her.  However, when she did her camera challenge, it was like "Whoa, where did that come from?"  Absolute perfection in delivery and tone.  The first episode had a preview of her later in the contest describing her dish with big time professionalism so the contest is still hers to lose.

 

For the first time, we got the suggestion that Helen could be good on the camera challenges.  Her start during her rehearsal was actually well done and she relaxed enough to give us some charm.  I'd like to know what's going on because she says she needs notes but the kids are definitely using teleprompters.  Luis has a bigger problem in that when he tries for more energy, he starts sounding aggressive.  He begins leaning on his sentences, almost like he's attacking.  That probably comes from his sports mentality but it's offputting for a contest like this.

 

Sean was clearly not the star last night but he also got a bad edit.  He was the only kid who had a couple of seconds of face time during the actual camera challenge with the entire rest of the time being long shots and reaction shots of the judges.  I think he's the only one who can challenge Amber and this week suggests he's due for his redemption in the next episode.

 

If anyone's seen Brandon's web show, you understand that the kids are auditioning for a web show about cooking, not a cooking show on the web.  Skill at cooking is very secondary to how you come across on camera.  That lack of awareness is what makes Brandon's show so hard to watch, even at three of four minutes.  And his Cindy Brady lisp gets super tiresome so Finn, take note.

Edited September 1, 2014 by gingerormaryann

[tomorrowgirl]

Since Helen's camera challenge was the worst of the group, and she would never have won a star for that, I wondered if they gave her a star for cooking even though her dish might not have been the best.  It seems like they wanted every kid to have at least one star at this point.

 

Don't they supply the kids with oven mitts or pot holders?  Lauren lost her grip on the cooking sheet by trying to grab it with towels.  I think she would have been able to hold the pan better with oven mitts.  I hope the oven door didn't have any cleaning residue on it, since the meatballs may have picked up some of that when they dropped on it.

[gingerormaryann]

I think Helen got ripped off in the desert challenge last week so I'm okay with her getting a star she didn't deserve this week.  But yes, the contest does seem intent on giving all the kids at least one star, so now that everyone has one star, the actual contest begins.  If you'll remember, in the first episode, we didn't see Guy and Rachel pick teams.  We just sort of heard it.  I guess they didn't want it to be like the old sports, pick teams issue.  "I was the last one picked.....sob."

[Fostersmom]

Does it make me a bitch to say I'm really sick of watching Lauren aggressively dork out like that all the time? She;s practically a cartoon at this point.

I watch the entire show every week thinking she has no idea what "rock and roll" actually is and is probably at home listening to 1Direction. It's like her Dad told her one little catch phase when she was 2 and she's just beaten it into the ground. I'll go one bitch step farther and add, she's the kind of kid I would just always want to smack and tell her to knock it the hell off if I was around her. I don't do this and my nephews all learned early behavior like that would be tolerated for like 3 seconds before I gave them the stink eye and told them to act like a normal human being. I did feel bad when she burnt herself, why did she only have one pot holder? These kids should all have two, I barely have the coordination to pull a giant pan of something out of the oven using towels.

All the dorky little names they are obviously telling the kids to call their dishes is beginning to grate. Luis is the only kid who makes it seem natural and you can literally see most of the rest say their dorky name and then stop so people can laugh. So very unnatural. Also, I'm over all the Gibson, Gibinator crap from Guy. Try to make it less obvious who your show pony is.

Amber's comment "I don't have any stars and that's just not me" encapsulated everything I don't like about her. However, when she did her camera challenge, it was like "Whoa, where did that come from?" Absolute perfection in delivery and tone. The first episode had a preview of her later in the contest describing her dish with big time professionalism so the contest is still hers to lose.

I'm not an Amber fan. I find her a bit smug. She completely blew Helen off when Helen was worried in her camera practice "oh, you'll be fine", now move out of the way so I can be the star I was born to be. She has her own webshow now, she damn well better be more polished than the others.

[Rick Kitchen]

Since Helen's camera challenge was the worst of the group, and she would never have won a star for that, I wondered if they gave her a star for cooking even though her dish might not have been the best.  It seems like they wanted every kid to have at least one star at this point.

 

 

This.  When they gave out stars last night my cynical self thought that they were awarding participation stars.

[cooksdelight]

Well, once I found out they were supposed to transform sandwiches into entrees (because I was getting irritated by these kids and zoned out) then everyone suddenly has a star.... the side of me that dislikes snotty kids came out in full force. Go ahead, make them think everyone's a winner, everyone gets a trophy... don't make them cry or understand that not everyone is cut out for this and not everyone will win a prize.

 

/rant over.... and I'm not serious, just having a kid visit me a while ago who thinks life owes him a living.

[Fostersmom]

I will give them this, they let it get to week 3 before they all got stars. Even I started feeling bad that only 2 girls still didn't have any stars and I'm not one for everyone needs a trophy kind of thinking. They are still kids and this is a stupid TV show, no need to completely crush them on a national level for a show with completely subjective scoring. Hell, they even do that kind of ohh… it's all tied up scoring on shows with adults. Anyone who watches Hell's Kitchen can tell you, it always is tied at whatever up until the very final person has their meal tasted and then it's a big dramatic tie breaker, winning dish. It would just be cruel if one kid had 8 stars and another had 0, especially since they are all making completely different dishes.