Alex Vs. America - General Discussion

[eclectcmoi]

What's really nice about this show is no screaming, yelling or ridiculous nicknames.  Just good competition with blind judging.  

[Catfi9ht]

I didn't want to watch this show when it originally started because I can't stand Supermarket Stakeout and I was worried this show would devolve into trash talking.

 I kept seeing commercials for this show when I finally caught up on ToC so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did! I really like Alex and am glad she has a show that's pretty darn interesting. I like the fact there's not really any trash talking, there's a blind tasting, and Alex seems very genuine with her comments. I like the "behind the scenes" camera shots and editing.

I haven't watched the recap shows but from everyone's comments on here they sound delightful. I'm definitely going to watch them next.

ETA: Eric is so charismatic. I love him as host for this show and will gladly watch whichever shows he pops up on.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Catfi9ht
Forgot to add my compliments for Eric

[MagicEyes]

3 hours ago, Catfi9ht said:

Eric is so charismatic. I love him as host for this show and will gladly watch whichever shows he pops up on.

I didn’t know his name when I started watching the show, so I called him “Prince Sparklebeard.” 

[Bastet]

I liked in the chicken episode when one chef said it was foolish to make things harder on themselves by trying to make things harder for Alex, saying she's better at competitions than they are, so they're going to win by being their best, not by making things difficult for her.  "If you go home first, I'm going to remind you you wanted to make it harder" was great.

I thought Alex was the clear winner in both rounds, especially the second.  And obviously the guy who made gnudi for a chicken dish challenge was going to come in last.  (I might have liked his dish best, though, as drumsticks are my least-favorite piece of chicken.)

[Bastet]

Also, Alex's reactions to Eric's chicken jokes were fantastic.  I can't wait to see them watch this episode on the Chef's Cut edition.

Edited April 25, 2023 by Bastet

[mlp]

I actually watch this show more for Eric than for Alex.  I'm also looking forward to the Chef's Cut.

[Grizzly]

It always amazes me that everyone seems to know everyone else in the food world.

[Bastet]

I thought they made poor choices in the first round, starting with the maple bacon rather than the slab bacon which would have been so much more versatile depending on what the second cloche contained.  (And I was certain it was going to be something sweet.)  I also thought once they picked state fair food (which was the smart choice; I like Alex telling the guy who wanted state dinner he was out of his mind), they should have given themselves more time.

I would have been pretty stumped for what to do in the second round once Alex chose entree rather than late night snack. 

[Grizzly]

18 hours ago, Bastet said:

I would have been pretty stumped for what to do in the second round once Alex chose entree rather than late night snack. 

I was wondering how to make bacon bits and cereal into an entree. Silly me, they can use other proteins.

[Trey]

The runner-up made porridge out of his cereal - how is that an entree?  How could the judges have had to really consider that as a winner against Alex's beautiful entree?

[eclectcmoi]

9 hours ago, Trey said:

The runner-up made porridge out of his cereal - how is that an entree?  How could the judges have had to really consider that as a winner against Alex's beautiful entree?

Yes and his State Fair food, wasn't really fair food. He just cooked what he wanted to cook without following game play.  I don't think he should've been runner-up.  

[Bastet]

Alex comparing herself to the other chefs often makes me laugh, like when she said everyone who comes in there has more stuff (James Beard nomination, Food & Wine write-up, etc.) than she does, and when she surveyed the first round dishes and had a Why didn't I do that; I'm jealous! reaction to something on each of the plates.

I could already hear my maternal grandmother spinning in her grave, shouting "It's bread, not cake!" at Alex putting 1/4 cup of sugar in the cornbread, and then when she sprinkled some on top when it came out of the oven?  No!  Like the judges said, if she'd slathered some of that honey butter on top, they'd have been perfectly fine with the extra sweetness.  But, still, I wanted her dish far more than anyone else's in the first round (because what they were asked to make is not particularly my kind of food to begin with, and then what they each made).  I don't remember if it was Adrienne or Kelsey (both of whom I liked on Top Chef, so it was nice to have them together) who said of the meat and three chef's ridiculous version of picnic food "Maybe they live in the Hamptons and this is how they picnic there" but it cracked me up.

I thought all three money round dishes looked good, though (except I joined everyone in being rather puzzled by the sauce in Austin's).  Tam's French toast sounded very good, but used as buns for a giant fried chicken, cheese, egg, and bacon sandwich?  I could never eat that much for brunch!  (Love Kelsey saying this is why she wore a dress and Adrienne saying she's about to unzip.)  Similarly, I thought Alex's sandwich should have had smaller amounts of each component.  So I probably would have picked Austin's dish, too.

[Grizzly]

I did think Tam's dish with the mint jeulip everywhere would get dinged as too sweet. And then she poured on the powdered sugar and I was shaking my head.

[mlp]

I thought the judges made the right decision in the end.

The thing I like least about this show is the introduction. It's WAY too long and Alex's comments do her no favors.  

[Grizzly]

I get Shota's appeal. He's talented, creative, funny and so very humble. Food Network needs to put him on everything. Apparently there aren't time limits when getting nominated for a James Beard. The Alaska lady seemed out of her depth. But I was surprised the judges chose overcooked salmon over a not so sweet dish.

[Mellowyellow]

So happy to get new episodes of this show and loved seeing Adrienne and Kelsey as judges. They have great judging chemistry! I find them so witty, constructive and fun! 

Whoever thought of this concept is a champ! Amazing host (I adore Eric), Alex is a great chef and amusing as heck, blind judging, no sob stories, well known judges. This show has everything I love!

 

[MerBearHou]

I enjoyed tonight’s episode — love Alex vs America.  Eric is wonderful as host and is so great with Alex.  Loved seeing Shota!  The judges — Brooke and Fariyal — were so terrific together and they were playful with Eric.  

[rlc]

I adored the judges last night discussing Eric's sparkling beard. Also, I believe there was food.

[Bastet]

17 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Apparently there aren't time limits when getting nominated for a James Beard.

It seems odd one can be nominated as a "rising star" several years in a row, but at least it's not called "newcomer" -- that I'd have an issue with.

I like but don't love salmon, so while I'd have happily tried everything made in this episode, there was nothing I wished I could reach through the screen and taste.  

I did correctly predict the winner and loser in both rounds.  And I always love seeing Brooke.  The chat about how Eric receives endless beard questions was funny. 

I knew (and liked) Shota from Top Chef, and knew I recognized the other guy, but couldn't place him.  When Eric told Brooke at the end she knew all the chefs, it finally clicked, that he'd been on her team in Beachside Brawl.

Speaking of Shota, I don't remember him sweating while cooking on TC, but he positively grossed me out (and I'm hardly ever grossed out) on an episode of Tournament of Champions with how he had big fat drops of sweat dripping off his face (in the next round he donned a bandana to help), and I noticed him sweating some last night, too.  TC must keep its set cooler (which would be quite a task, between the lights and the cooking).

[RealityCheck]

On 5/15/2023 at 4:02 PM, Bastet said:

Speaking of Shota, I don't remember him sweating while cooking on TC ....

When Shota competed on Top Chef, he would tie a headband on before each challenge so his sweat was absorbed and not noticeable.  In this competition, Shota chose not to use a headband so his sweating was obvious.

[Mellowyellow]

Had a good chuckle at Alex saying (paraphrasing) to Eric: I've got to win because of I don't win we won't be on TV anymore.

This show is such a joy to watch. 

Alex's first salmon dish looked absolutely delicious. I'm someone who prefers my fish raw with fancy dressings and bits so that dish was right up my alley.

[mlp]

I enjoyed the Hawaiian episode although I thought Alex should have gone out first instead of Lee Anne.  Obviously, I couldn't taste the dishes but Alex's didn't look particularly Hawaiian and she barely used the Spam.  I loved seeing Sheldon again and I got a kick out of seeing Ippy all grown up and flourishing after being on NFNS years ago.

[Salacious Kitty]

Roy Yamaguchi doesn't age. Loved seeing him.

[Bastet]

I watched in bed last night, so have already forgotten some details, but the guy who won both rounds put out fantastic food!  I love Alex's acknowledgment this is the closest she's come yet to going out in the first round, and I think it was really close.  But in the second round I thought Lee Anne was a pretty clear choice to go.  It was nice to see her again, at any rate.

When the contestants were introduced, my first thought was "Where's Sheldon?" and then he realized me must be a judge.  Nice to be correct, as I always enjoy seeing him.

I don't care for Spam, but I bet I would have loved the sprinkles Alex made with it in the final round.  In the first round, I like kampachi but I probably would not like ‘ulu as I hate potatoes and heard someone in the episode draw that comparison.  (I just looked up ‘ulu and found this: "You can eat and enjoy ‘ulu at any stage. When it’s green and hard, it tastes like an artichoke. When it’s mature, it tastes and cooks like a potato or other root vegetable. When very ripe, it’s sweet and is enjoyed like fruit or dessert."  So I would not like it mature, but might very well like it at its two end stages.)

Edited May 24, 2023 by Bastet

[Bastet]

Alex's reactions to the challengers' credentials often crack me up, so I particularly liked tonight's "Here we go with the 14 cookbooks all before the age of 20" before Eric even started and kept laughing from there -- "I'm gonna go for 90 Under 90" was my favorite.

While I will happily eat many pastries if served to me, I am not excited enough by them to order them, generally, and hardly ever bake them.  So this wasn't my wheelhouse, and I definitely didn't understand the wondering how they'd combine summer with dark chocolate -- summer = fruit, fruit + chocolate is everywhere, and I don't notice it being mostly milk chocolate instead of dark (in fact, I'd think dark would work better, rather than so much sweet & sweet, but again, I may be missing something here).

In the first round, I really liked everyone's flavor combinations, but once the judges dug in I thought there were a surprising number of mistakes that made Alex the clear winner so I'm not at all surprised by the elimination or win in that round. 

I found all the final round dishes interesting, but was surprised only Jordan added a touch of green, which I thought the other two dishes needed to get full presentation points (not that it's broken down as a specific category, like onTournament of Champions, but it's always a factor in judging).  That time he seemed the clear winner, although Alex's dish was a quite respectable second.

[Catfi9ht]

It was really easy to tell which dishes were Alex's this episode, pastry, and the last episode, Hawaiian. I like this show, but it's more enjoyable when Alex's dishes aren't immediately obvious. I do like the variety of themes for each episode this season; it's not just about an ingredient or specific style.

[mlp]

I finally got around to watching the pastry episode.  I'm always happy to see Sherry Yard and Stephanie Boswell and I agreed with their decision both rounds.  They were both all dressed up and I got a kick out of Eric saying he felt underdressed.  Jaleesa was terrible on her season of the baking championship and didn't deserve to win so I don't know how she landed a spot on this show.  I was quite happy that she was eliminated first.  OTOH I liked Jordan on his season so I was glad he won.  The other woman seemed pleasant and talented but I wasn't familiar with her at all.

[Mellowyellow]

14 hours ago, mlp said:

I finally got around to watching the pastry episode.  I'm always happy to see Sherry Yard and Stephanie Boswell and I agreed with their decision both rounds.  They were both all dressed up and I got a kick out of Eric saying he felt underdressed.  Jaleesa was terrible on her season of the baking championship and didn't deserve to win so I don't know how she landed a spot on this show.  I was quite happy that she was eliminated first.  OTOH I liked Jordan on his season so I was glad he won.  The other woman seemed pleasant and talented but I wasn't familiar with her at all.

Omg I'm so happy to hear someone voice this because as soon as Jaleesa was eliminated I was feeling all vindicated since she was a crappy baker who should not have won her season!!! I was all "Ha! Sherry and Stephanie agree with me that she's a crappy baker, wooooohoooooo!!!!"

[Bastet]

I thought the tostada was going to be the eliminated dish in the first round; I guess I'm so conditioned by Top Chef that I hear "underseasoned" and figure, well, they're going home.

I am a huge fan of appetizers, so "game day food" was a fun episode for me.  I wanted to eat everything in both rounds.  Especially the second, where I knew Alex was going to win because hers was so much more "owner's suite" than the mac & cheese.  Yes, I know, she put lobster and crab in it.  She serves it in the owner's suite at her stadium.  I'm not saying she served a hot dog or anything.  But when they both taste great, Alex's presentation is going to win all day long against a giant bowl of pasta.

[mlp]

41 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I thought the tostada was going to be the eliminated dish in the first round;

I did too, partly for seasoning and partly because it wasn't exactly what they were told to make.  I agree with the rest of your comments.  It killed me that Beau and Antonia didn't eat the lobster on top of their pasta.  I wanted to reach in and grab it.

 

 

 

 

[Grizzly]

There was actual cheering here when Carlos was eliminated first.

[Guinnessgirl]

Same here.

 

[schnauzergirl]

And here.

[Bastet]

Discovery+ has two new episodes up with yesterday's date, so I guess that's how it aired on FN.

First up: Potatoes.  I can't stand them, so this was definitely not a mouth-watering competition for me.  I like potato chips if they're flavored or slathered in dip, and will eat fries if they're thin-cut, crispy, and dipped in ranch dressing -- basically, if the potato is a vehicle that no longer tastes like potato, I'll eat it.  Otherwise, nope.  And barbecue sauce is not at all a favorite, so I really wasn't into the first round ingredients. 

The second round?  Nope squared.  I only like ground beef as a cheeseburger, and I don't like the other cuts, period, so whatever they picked was not going to be for me.  I could probably have been okay with the hanger steak the way Alex used it, but not those big slabs the other two did. 

The entire episode, there was nothing I'd have wanted to eat -- some things I could eat to be polite, and some I wouldn't eat with someone else's mouth.  

I enjoyed Alex telling R.J. she is here for his potato snobbery, and saying she thinks he won and that he should win.

Second:  California Cuisine.  Now this I love.  I wanted all that food -- every bite of both rounds.  I wish Sarah's fish tacos had actually been tacos; I love a good one, and hers looked really good.  Alex's winning dish in the final round screamed L.A. food truck, so was the clear winner to me. 

"Maybe you should clear the smog from your heads" about choosing 31 minutes was funny.  

And good grief; sometimes you can judge a book by its cover, and Carlos was everything his appearance suggested he was going to be. 

I don't think Eric had a terrible pun for Alex to react to in this episode.  Pity.

[Gramto6]

Yeah, I liked the California episode much better than the potato one also. I think they were both new, but could be wrong on the potato one. One thing I like about this show is that Alex doesn't always win and she is gracious to the winner.

[eclectcmoi]

I liked both recent episodes.  I am a spud queen so I would've eaten any of those those dishes in a heartbeat!  It was nice that RJ won on his birthday.  That was quite the gift. I hadn't seen this episode before so I think it was new too. 

The California episode and the dishes that were cooked was like home week.  Add me to the list of being so glad to see Carlos leave first.  He's so cocky in every competition he's in and his arrogance is so annoying.  You can really tell that he went to the Brian Malarkey school of cooking/mentorship. I really wanted that chicken and waffle and one of Alex's tacos.  It was cute that Eric wanted to eat one of them that Troy didn't taste during judging.  I think I need to eat lunch now!  

[Leeds]

On 6/11/2023 at 7:04 PM, Grizzly said:

There was actual cheering here when Carlos was eliminated first.

Here too, which surprised my cat, especially since I rarely react out loud to the TV, so she immediately thought she must have done something wrong.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Leeds