S20.E10: Thali Time

[FormerMod-a1]

Quote

The chefs have to cook with preserved fish for this week's Quickfire Challenge; the chefs must use six different flavor profiles to create their own Thali platter to impress a panel of chefs from India and judges Padma, Tom and Gail.

Original air date: May 11, 2023

[Bastet]

Well, fuck.  Victoire has been one of my favorites from jump.

I love a good Thandi, so I enjoyed the EC, and it’s cute they dressed the Stew Room when they could no longer film on location due to the funeral procession.  (And, while I don’t care about the British or any other monarchy, but I thought it a nice touch not just to explain the timing but to include that little memorial nod.)

The judges’ top three were my top three, so that’s always nice.  I most wanted Sara’s, especially because hers was a “put your own spin on it if you want” take that worked (when it can so easily go so wrong), so I wish she'd won.  But I’d have devoured all of them.  Amar was a hoot in the kitchen, getting giddy when something came out great, and “Thali by Ali” amused me more than it had any right to.

Buddha’s -- eh; one great thing, several mistakes, and several just okays.  But I knew he’d be safe based on the other two.

Victoire made me nervous from jump when she wasn’t down with the heat level at Flora Indica, so I hoped she’d heed Padma’s advice in the kitchen about cooking for people who want to eat that way.  But then we got to the seasoning and the rice, and I knew my fear would come to pass in a different way.

Gabri repeatedly burning shit really put him in the weeds, and he made quite a few additional mistakes.  He survived last challenge - yet again; he’s been on the bottom more than anyone - and then here he is again on the bottom.  I don't dislike him, but now I'm officially pissed he's still here.  If he'd been booted earlier, so the bottom three in this consisted of Buddha, Victoire, and Tom, I'd still be bummed she's gone, but I wouldn't feel this additional way about it.

I would never choose to order something with any of the QF ingredients, but I don’t outright hate them like some do, so I’d have liked to taste what the cheftestants did -- that was an interesting challenge.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Bastet

[Quilt Fairy]

The judges must have been stuffed after eating - even just sampling - everything on seven of those plates!

[CrazyInAlabama]

It was so amazing to see Asma, and her cooking.    An amazing episode, but I disagree with who they sent to LCK. 

[blixie]

I can not believe Gabri skated by again on the strength of a single component. I really like him but this is exactly like Lisa in S2, on the bottom consistently but somehow sticks around til finale. 

I thought this was a great challenge though, I love Indian food, and I was surprised by how inflexible Victoire was re: the spices. She took it well though and I hope she goes on to do great things. 

I am so glad Amar won and he did while having  a ball in the kitchen, it was so smart to use his time to taste all the spices and really figure out how to apply them best. I really think the top three tonight are the finale three in the end. I follow Sara on tiktok and, IDK man, she has a winners glow up.  

Oh look next week is right back to a team challenge, fuck me, it's ridiculous. Especially on a double There is NO way they are sending both team members home, they will probably still be judged individually which why even be a team challenge!!

[bosawks]

I thought this challenge looked incredibly hard but I loved it!

Any cut at this point is going to hurt but it that double elimination next week is going to be devastating.

Edited May 12, 2023 by bosawks

[Pandora]

10 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

It was so amazing to see Asma, and her cooking.    An amazing episode, but I disagree with who they sent to LCK. 

I love Victoire but she didn’t have one great dish, that made her stand out…and not in a good way. Also, I think not seasoning the cucumbers and onions was a huge mistake. You can’t just chop vegetables and serve them to the judges. 
 

I do agree that Gabri has consistently lucked out and sort of skated through so it’s kind of a bummer he didn’t go instead of Victoire.

[Thumper]

I had never heard of Thali, so this was both interesting and educational for me.  Tough challenge to get all those dishes right.

[mlp]

I liked Victoire a lot but I thought her elimination was the right decision.  It seems to me that she's been teetering on the edge for some time and has stayed a couple times because someone else was a bit worse.  She's probably expert when it comes to African and Italian cooking but she seemed less well-rounded than most of the others.

I don't recall being particularly impressed with Amar during his season but I'm really enjoying him this time around.  He knows food and technique but a lot of what he does is instinctive which means he's cooking with heart - which apparently shows.

I hate the idea of a double elimination this late in the game.

[Daisychain]

I am most surprised by the fact that I've eaten a truckload or 3 of Indian food and never had a proper thali, which was presented as a sort-of prototypical Indian presentation.  I am not eating at the right restaurants?

[marybennet]

1 hour ago, Daisychain said:

I am most surprised by the fact that I've eaten a truckload or 3 of Indian food and never had a proper thali

My local (excellent but tiny) Indian restaurant doesn't offer a thali platter, but a bigger, livelier, more elaborately fun restaurant in a nearby city does.  The city restaurant has the money and grooviness factor that makes it possible for it to teach the clientele (like me) who needed to learn about it what a thali is. 

Sometimes Top Chef makes me hungry; this would be one of those times.

Edited May 12, 2023 by marybennet

[Fukui San]

Oh, no. Buddha has strained his cooked rice! Uncle Roger has just put his leg down! IYKYK.

What a great challenge. Such a great range in which to work with. Most chefs did great, but oh that Ricepocalypse!

Like many of you, I've never heard of a thali despite being an avid Indian food eater. Sounds like it's the real stuff and not the stuff that's made it to the West.

I thought it would have been Gabri out. His was such a comedy of errors. But Victoire has not been very good for much of this season but has somehow persisted.

I didn't watch Amar's season so I didn't really have much in the way of expectation from him. But he's really killing it this season.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Fukui San

[wingsabre]

Buddha, Gabri, and Victoire all did not execute the rice well.  They all overcooked the rice, but Buddha over cooked it the least, while Victoire over cooked it the most.  In terms of seasoning the rice, Victoire over seasoned hers with saffron while the other two did not over season or under season their rice.  Victoire also made the error of under seasoning an item while none of the others under seasoned any.  In terms of protein, Buddha nailed his proteins, but accidentally left out one item for Padma.  Gabri had a forgetful protein and odd pairing of the protein but there was nothing wrong with the cook.  Victoire overcooked her lamb.  In terms of big picture, both Buddha and Gabri had memorable dishes and Victoire did not.  So by most of the metrics, she was the right person to go home.

What's sad is food from the Congo is well seasoned and will use spices.  So Victoire could have done what Sara and Gabri did, and just adopted her own food with the spices from India. 

I was also not impressed with Sara during her season of Top Chef, but she's really improved and is a real contender for the finals.  She's understood how the challenges work, and how the judges look at metrics.  Her and Buddha have really done their homework compared to the others.  Amar seem to be cooking just by instinct, in comparison.  Tom on the other hand is just doing what he wants and not really following the rules at times, so it's a mixed bag with him. 

 

[rlc]

This episode made me sad. And hungry. I love Victoire, and rationally I knew she would be out of the competition soon, but this still hurt. I knew she was going home when she made the choice to neither dress nor season the cucumbers in any way. That made no sense whatsoever. While Gail was absolutely correct in stating her assertion that Victoire had no good dishes, I wish Gabri had gone this week because he will likely be a liability next week in the double elimination team challenge. His manic energy often does not serve him well in these pressure situations.

Add me to the list of someone who has not been impressed with Amar in the past but have found him more likeable and impressive as he becomes more confident and relaxed. I figured he would win because he was cooking with joy in this challenge but would have personally liked to see the win go to Sara. I loved that she interpreted a thali to her palate rather than trying to make a dupe. I consistently want to eat her food. 

[Msample]

9 hours ago, blixie said:

I can not believe Gabri skated by again on the strength of a single component. I really like him but this is exactly like Lisa in S2, on the bottom consistently but somehow sticks around til finale. 

 

The difference though is Gabri is eminently more likable than Lisa’s permanent resting bitch face she wore throughout her season.

[Jodithgrace]

I too, have never had an actual thali, despite being a huge fan of Indian food. However I have had a rijsttafel (had to Google the spelling) in Amsterdam, which is the Indonesian version of a thali. Many small dishes all presented at once with rice as the center. It was an amazing experience. I’ll have to check my Indian restaurant to see if they offer Thalies. I usually just get the lunch special. 
 

Funny that Buddha got so thrown by his rice failure that he forgot Padma’s chicken. It’s not like him to lose his cool like that. Gabri, on the other hand, is a walking disaster! How could he burn his lentils, after burning his beans? You have to add enough water in a pressure cooker to start with because you can’t add it later. I was sure he was going, but when the judges said that Victoire didn’t produce one good dish, I knew she was a goner. 

[seacliffsal]

So, I am now planning to go to my local Indian Restaurant either today or tomorrow...

Loved Amar's joy during the challenges and it seems like all of the chefs are enjoying his enthusiasm this season.  

When they showed the memorials for the Queen, I will admit that a few tears appeared.  And I think the timing actually worked in the chefs' favor-I could not imagine the mayhem were they forced to work in a kitchen they did not know while having to produce 7 (?) different courses/dishes.  At least they knew where everything was kept and how everything worked.  To be clear, I am not saying that the Queen's death was for the best, I am saying that I am glad that with such a challenging challenge I am glad they were able to cook in a familiar environment.  The set decorators did a really nice job on the stew room with short notice.

[dubstepford wife]

Gabri is the Mr Magoo of Top Chef.  At this rate, he's somehow going to stumble his way to the finale just by virtue of him always being second-to-last.  How many times has that happened?  Like, four weeks in a row?  

 

[AriAu]

Quote

I can not believe Gabri skated by again on the strength of a single component. I really like him but this is exactly like Lisa in S2, on the bottom consistently but somehow sticks around til finale. 

I think you mean Lisa from Chicago-Season 4....who had the same "only have to out-run you" approach as Gabri without the manic personality and approach...and with a lot of not nice comments. 

It is exhausting watching Gabri run around like a whirling dervish and continually mess things up and/or over commit (a mole with 58 ingredients...in a short time!!), yet I cant believe he is still alive over clearly more talented chefs like Begonia....but sometimes the better chef loses out to the better "cheftestant".

I am rooting for Sarah, but her concept of "it's just like a southern dish known as...." schtick is getting over used. The dirty rice worked in the elimination worked, as did the thunder and lightning, but the SMAK in the quickfire didn't. She is a classically trained chef, with incredible skills and a refined palate, but it looks like she decided that would be her hook this time since I don't remember her doing it this much in Top Chef Kentucky.

It was time for Victoire to go home-she is a talented chef and a great story, but as a cheftestant, she has been barely hanging on for weeks.

I am shocked at how well Amar has done...and so is he. In his season, he was a solid cheftestant, but was actually eliminated and came back thru LCK. I think he has "matured" as a chef and is more confident and has decided to have more fun than TC California....and it has served him well.

Edited May 12, 2023 by AriAu

[VintageJ]

I’m sad Victoire is gone, but am very happy for both Sara and Amar.  I liked them both in their seasons and am loving them here.  Can’t remember how far Amar got, but Sara got really far (finals maybe) in her season.  I remember seeing Sara surprise herself and gain confidence in her abilities and you see how that confidence allows her to think through the challenges. Amar seems to be a student of food. He seems like he really enjoys learning about different cultures.  But it is his joy of life that allows him to really just enjoy the experience of being on Top Chef again and he doesn’t seem to stress over how far he gets in the competition. And I think that allows him to just relax and enjoy the experience.  He realizes that it is the experience itself that brings the joy and how special and unique it is.  How it absolutely changes your life.  

I’m rooting for both of them.  I like all of the chefs, especially Ali so all eliminations will be hard, especially next week’s double elimination. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by VintageJ

[buttersister]

Go, Amar! I loved watching his enthusiasm and skills put to this test. He wisely spent time familiarizing himself with the spices and then went for balance throughout--along with proper cooking techniques. He, Sara and Ali would make a great final 3 (if Buddha doesn't budd in).

I enjoyed a thali a couple of times at the one restaurant that offers them (many Indian restaurants but not ones to invest in that service). It was delightful. As was the rice table in Holland. Or the mezzo I create here🙂  Little, complementary dishes are my fave.

Thali by Ali 🤣

[susannot]

I loved Amar telling his buddy Ali that all he wants is a ham and cheese sandwich, French butter, and a baguette in Paris.  I hope those two make it to Paris.  The one outcome I would hate is an all American chef final 3.

[dleighg]

16 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

The judges must have been stuffed after eating - even just sampling - everything on seven of those plates!

I had the same thought! There was a lot of food put in front of them!

It was interesting that we found out EXACTLY when this was filmed due to London being essentially shut down for the Queen's death. I was at the shore in Jersey then so I know it was early September. 

I nearly always cook basmati when I do rice, and it's SO EASY! I can't believe Budha screwed it up.

I was having trouble understanding how "school canteen chutney" is a complement! Maybe it comes from a jar so tastes "exactly like it should every time"? I don't think most of us think fondly of school cafeteria food LOL.

16 hours ago, Pandora said:

Also, I think not seasoning the cucumbers and onions was a huge mistake. You can’t just chop vegetables and serve them to the judges

That was just plain weird. 

[Tess23]

Mr. Tess23 and I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Sara's restaurant this week. The food was fresh, inventive, and fabulous while staying true to her southern style. She dropped by our table to chat and was so fun and friendly. I may have gushed like the fangirl that I am. Team Sara!

 

[Rai]

Both Amar and Sara were the finale runners-up in their seasons against the winners. Sara's season had some pretty lackluster contestants on it IMO, but even so I was surprised she was in the finale. Amar similarly surprised me due to obvious superstars flaming out early (Kwame). So yeah, they were under the radar then and possibly under the radar now, but probably they shouldn't be underestimated.

I bet Sara has decided to lean all the way into her southern cook shtick partly because it's what she's cooking now, and partly because she knows how much Top Chef now favors "stories" and a clear culinary theme. She was beat by high-end dining spins on southern food. She's no dummy. So yeah, solid strategy on her part, but I agree, it'd be fun for her to pull out an old-school French dish just because she can.

[violet and green]

I am not sure but think it was the very first quickfire of this season, when Victoire made risotto and it was still hard. Since then, I have wanted her out - rather than better cooks like Begona, Nicole, May leaving the kitchen. So it was ironic she went out on rice.

I was astonished at her rudeness in barely eating the Thali in front of its chef, who also seemed nonplussed. Most people who don't enjoy hot spicy food can manage to eat more than a few mouthfuls, even if they break out in a sweat and need copious glasses of water. The lack of spices, heat, or understanding of the basics of Indian cuisine, and the refusal to in any way season her cucumber dish was to me odd.

[Quilt Fairy]

10 minutes ago, violet and green said:

I was astonished at her rudeness in barely eating the Thali in front of its chef, who also seemed nonplussed. Most people who don't enjoy hot spicy food can manage to eat more than a few mouthfuls, even if they break out in a sweat and need copious glasses of water.

That would have been me.  I can't take spicy food AT ALL.  To me it's ruder to assume that everyone has the same tolerance for heat.

[susannot]

It is never rude to decline food that makes you feel ill.

[violet and green]

They are chefs, on an international edition of Top Chef, not children at dinner. There were dishes on that Thali designed to cool the palate. The raita, the salad. It was a personal preference, a dislike of chilli, not food that "made her feel ill". I find it bizarre she had such limited understanding of the use of spices and could not approximate a basic Indian spice mix, even if not to her liking, for the judges.

I also cannot tolerate chilli, but I would not refuse to eat anything in front of the chef who cooked for me and would judge me later.

[Salacious Kitty]

1 hour ago, violet and green said:

I also cannot tolerate chilli, but I would not refuse to eat anything in front of the chef who cooked for me and would judge me later.

I wonder if this factored into judging? 

[IdEatThat]

I live within 20 minutes of the largest population of Asian Indians in the US and eat it at least once a week,  usually takeout or lunch buffet, and yet I’ve never even seen thali on a menu to my knowledge.   I need to correct that asap.  They all looked pretty good but I do agree with the judge’s assessments.

I was not a big fan of Amar on his season but I am on the Amar Love Train this time.   He’s making the best food of the group while being the most relaxed and most fun to watch.  Well done sir.  

[MerBearHou]

I had never heard of Thali either so today I decided to check the menu of our most acclaimed Indian restaurant nearby.  The owner Kiran was a judge on Top Chef-Houston last season.  They indeed do have two Thali options on their menu and they sound incredible.  

I was happy for Amar on his wins (love him) but I, too, was hoping for Sara to win this one.  

Edited May 13, 2023 by MerBearHou

[Souris]

3 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

That would have been me.  I can't take spicy food AT ALL.  To me it's ruder to assume that everyone has the same tolerance for heat.

I was totally feeling Victoire there. I don’t think she refused to eat anything, she just didn’t eat much. I also cannot tolerate spicy food. It is PAINFUL and one bite blows out my taste buds so I can’t taste ANYTHING, just like Victoire said. And then I have extremely unpleasant effects later, not to get detailed, so it can indeed make someone feel ill. I personally thought it was rude of Padma to call attention to it, especially given the serious allergic reaction Victoire had earlier. People have physical reasons that create limitations on what they can eat, like celiac disease or lactose intolerance.

Regardless, when she said she wasn’t going to season the kachumber salad, I knew she was a goner. That was inexplicable. I was sad to see her go, but it was probably the right call (at least based on what we were shown). But sheesh, Gabri has nine lives. He should have been gone by now..

That was a HARD challenge — so many dishes in only 2-1/2 hours. 

Amar was a rock star this week and had a blast doing it. Crazy how he won the QF flying by the seat of his pants without a plan. That was really smart and disciplined of him to take some of his extra time to familiarize himself with the ingredients. I think Buddha totally psyched himself out. 

I don’t want to see a finale with only chefs from the U.S. Top Chef, but I don’t want Gabri or Tom to sneak in. I really hope Ali is in there. My ideal finale would be Ali, Amar and either Buddha/Sara.

A double elimination in the final 6 of this group? BRUTAL.

Thali is such a fun way to eat. Like a personal buffet.

Really glad I made the decision to have Indian food while I watched this episode!

Edited May 13, 2023 by Souris

[violet and green]

So odd. We're not talking about eating the whole thing, emptying every little bowl. But to be sitting next to Padma and opposite the chef who'd cooked it and not tasting the dishes to the extent that Padma felt the need to remark on it and ask why, and to not have a more gracious response ready than "I don't like heat"... And then to demonstrate that - when specifically advised to dial it up for the sake of the judges...

[Yeah No]

On 5/11/2023 at 11:40 PM, mlp said:

I liked Victoire a lot but I thought her elimination was the right decision.  It seems to me that she's been teetering on the edge for some time and has stayed a couple times because someone else was a bit worse.  She's probably expert when it comes to African and Italian cooking but she seemed less well-rounded than most of the others.

I don't recall being particularly impressed with Amar during his season but I'm really enjoying him this time around.  He knows food and technique but a lot of what he does is instinctive which means he's cooking with heart - which apparently shows.

I hate the idea of a double elimination this late in the game.

As usual, I agree with you 100%.  I think some of the problem with Victoire is her strategy.  I agree with the poster that said that if she had just done her own cooking with Indian spices it would have been a better idea.

And same here with Amar.  I always liked him but was never so impressed with his talent in his first season.  I now think he is amazing.  He has a way of cooking cuisines he's never cooked before well enough to get high praise from judges that are experts in those cuisines.  This is not the first episode where that's happened.  Good for him, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy, seriously.

Gabri could as easily have been the one going home and I think his time might be coming soon.  Chef Tom was unusually quiet in this episode which was interesting.  A double elimination now is going to suck big time!  I was happy Buddha didn't go home but I never thought he would.  I hope he bounces back and makes it to at least the finale.

 

[Daisychain]

12 hours ago, AriAu said:

I am rooting for Sarah, but her concept of "it's just like a southern dish known as...." schtick is getting over used. The dirty rice worked in the elimination worked, as did the thunder and lightning, but the SMAK in the quickfire didn't. She is a classically trained chef, with incredible skills and a refined palate, but it looks like she decided that would be her hook this time since I don't remember her doing it this much in Top Chef Kentucky.

I've been watching this show since the AWFUL Season 2 - and earlier in its iterations there was a concept that if you cooked the "same kind" of food routinely you would get dinged for being repetitive.  This culminated in awfulness with that Texas season in which the Mean Girls criticized Beverly Kim for always "cooking Asian."  That is a continent with several billion people and probably several thousand separate cuisines.  I think since then the show has rewarded cooks with good skills in their area of expertise who are able to adapt to challenges and new flavors.  This happened in Sara's Kentucky season in which she excelled, but Kelsey Barnard Clark adapted the Southern food with ingredients of Macao even better.  So it makes me think Sara absorbed that lesson (the Macao matzoh ball soup?).

@Tess23, I'm just jellus!  Glad you had a great time.  

For myself, I love Indian food and Southern food, but I prefer spice levels before and not after my face melts.  Once I start sweating, crying and sniveling, I am not into it anymore.  I listed to the Pack Your Knives podcast again, when Kevin said he's sorry, he just has an Eastern European colon, or something like that!  My colon is Irish/German, so no joy.

Anyhow, to conclude, I am loving this season and the talented chefs, and whoever came up with a double-elimination for next week has committed a Crime Against Food and All Good Things.  Major bleh.

[buttersister]

It was Victoire's time to pack up (like it's well-past Gabri's shelf date). There was a moment when she and the guest chef bonded early and I thought, uh, but I believed the guest chef would be objective. The beauty of the Thali is in the balance, so one or two spicier dishes is all she needed (along with piquant, etc.). I would have loved an African-spiced version, and I think had she done it, Gabri'd be gone).

Quote

the Mean Girls criticized Beverly Kim for always "cooking Asian." 

Bitches.  I love Beverly and along with her cute husband, are very successful in Chicago's very competitive market. Beard Award-winner. Best revenge.

[Domenicholas]

Wow. Imagine going to London, expecting it just to be another exotic destination, only for the Queen to die during your season.

I'm glad Amar is doing so well here. I think his first season (12?) was a weak season overall, with only Kwame as a real stand-out, and even he was kicked out in the middle of that season. The only thing I remember about the winner, Jeremy, is that he taught his daughter that second place is the first loser. He hasn't appear on Top Chef since.

[BlackberryJam]

I’ll stand alone in loving Chef Tom, but you can see all of his stress in his face. I’m coming around on Amar, but I have a lingering memory of him sweating into his food. He’s much better now. I admire Sara for her tenacity and commitment, but I sometimes feel her food is ..I’m trying to find a way to explain, but it’s doesn’t challenge my palate. It’s always a guarantee. I want more risk. 
 

Not a fan of Buddha. Too much calculation, too little heart. Ali gives me food plus charm. Love him.

Gabri is well past his Best If Served By date.

[meep.meep]

Victoire was trying to eat, but like those of us who can't take spicy heat, she wasn't able to eat a lot.  She, out of all the chefs, has trouble expressing herself in English so had trouble explaining herself to Padma and Asma.  I don't fault her for what she said - she didn't complain about any dish, just the level of spice.  And she was the only chef who recognized Asma and thanked her for being such an inspiration.

Man, some of those judges were really tucking in!

[carrps]

Maybe I'm overly sensitive, but I get very offended when people tease me if something's too spicy for me.  And I hate bullies. And bullying is what it feels like. Also, as someone upthread delicately put it, spicy food for someone not inured to it can have later repercussions. I'd hate to have to spend the night purging myself when in the middle of a competiton that's enormously important to me.

 

[seacliffsal]

I used to be able to eat really spicy food-now, not so much.  So, now when I order a milder version of something (salsa, curry, etc.) friends I am with will usually deride me a bit and then tell me how much they love the hot/spicy and I always tell them how happy I am for them.

Not all of us can tolerate the same levels (and, yes, when younger I had Indian food while in India and I don't recall it being uber spicy/hot).

[Ms.Lulu]

I think the surprise on Padma's face was that Victoire wasn't eating much of anything. Yes, there was a spicy dish with some heat, but most of the dishes were heavily seasoned with other flavors-salty, sour, bitter, astringent, sweet and spicy hot. They were there to balance each other.

Perhaps Victoire might have tried the spicy hot dish first and lost some sense of taste so she missed basic things like adding seasoning to the cucumber salad.  Or maybe because of tasting the heat she opted out of truly experiencing the others. She might have been well-served taking the Sara route of adapting the Thali to her style of cooking.

Beyond that, I wish this had been the double elimination and Victor and Gabri had both exited stage left/sashayed away.

Edited May 14, 2023 by Ms.Lulu

[Chyromaniac]

They should have moved this challenge to the North.  Then the judges could have prepared to eat thali… in Hull.

[Ms.Lulu]

40 minutes ago, Chyromaniac said:

They should have moved this challenge to the North.  Then the judges could have prepared to eat thali… in Hull.

I lived in Hull for a year but never had Indian food. Please tell me, was that a huge mistake?

[Daisychain]

I must admit I don't know what happens in Hull, but wouldn't it be cool if they went northern England/Scotland before jetting off to Paris?

[Chyromaniac]

5 hours ago, Ms.Lulu said:

I lived in Hull for a year but never had Indian food. Please tell me, was that a huge mistake?

I was kidding- there’s a line near the end of Temple of Doom where Indiana Jones tells the bad guy to “prepare to meet Kali… in Hell.”

[ALittleShelfish]

I feel like eating spicy food in the US has become a competition.  Guys in my office are always trying to one-up one another with their spice tolerance levels and it's exhausting.  You ate ghost pepper oatmeal for breakfast and washed it down with a bottle of hot sauce? Okay?  Congratulations? Do you want a cookie? A medal? National recognition? I don't get it.  Let people like what they like, eat what they like, etc with no judgement. 

That said, I did think Victoire was missing a lot of flavor opportunities in her food.  I was also very surprised Gabri didn't make like 400 kinds of mole. 

Budda came off as SUCH an overdramatic attention seeker.  His "already planning the LCK strategy" bit was SO unnecessary.  We get it, you study the show, but dang, keep that shit under wraps until you DO get eliminated so you can look less crazy.  So dramatic.  I had him pinned for the finale, but after that, nah, give me less drama and an Ali/Amar/Sara or Charbel finale!

[Mellowyellow]

I found Buddha's lament about LCK very endearing and human. He lost me during picnic week but won me back last week and this week. 

Didn't think it was a big deal that Victoire didn't eat/didn't like spicy food but I think it was her (and Gabri's) time to go. She hasn't been very good in the last few weeks and doesn't seem to have the adaptability of the other chefs.

Gabri is a hot mess but he at least did have one component that they liked so going by the "judged based on this week only" criteria she was the correct person to go.

Amar is such a joy to watch. I loved him as a guest judge (he was always so enthusiastic and cheerful) but I blanked out on his season because I found the winner unpleasant. But his was the season with Karen and I looooove Karen (see her heaps on food network). She's a very happy and soothing person!

 

[nitrofishblue]

20 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

I used to be able to eat really spicy food-now, not so much.  So, now when I order a milder version of something (salsa, curry, etc.) friends I am with will usually deride me a bit and then tell me how much they love the hot/spicy and I always tell them how happy I am for them.

Not all of us can tolerate the same levels (and, yes, when younger I had Indian food while in India and I don't recall it being uber spicy/hot).

I have never been able to eat hot spicy food. I will instantly throw-up!!! My system can not handle it. That does not make me a bad person. People need to understand that not everyone can eat/tolerate hot spicy food. I know of some folks who will brag about how much they love hot stuff There are lots of other food stuff I do not eat because I do not like them. I will never belittle a person who does not like the same food I do. That is why there are so many soft drinks. It is all about free choice. My health and my system is far more important to me than how much hot stuff I can eat!!!!