Tournament of Champions - Season 5 Discussion Thread

[susannot]

She is a great chef for sure.  When I saw her just as a judge on Chopped I didn't respect her but now I do.  She has proven herself as great.

[Bastet]

The big finale:

Antonia wanted this so badly, and she got herself into the perfect mental space once she changed her mind about coming back, really getting into her groove and staying there, so I found myself wanting it for her something fierce.  (I've always liked her, and I like Maneet, too, but I was really rooting for Antonia and getting nervous as if she's a friend.)  Once Guy said it came down to one randomizer point, I knew it was Maneet because Antonia didn't use the cacao as effectively as she did.  I guess Antonia is indeed never eating it again. 

I felt so bad for her afterward, seeing how much it took out of her to try again and get within one point. 

But kudos to Maneet, in general and for being the first one to win two -- and for so dearly appreciating what this means to girls who look like her.

That was tough!  They had a lot of food to make, a lot of requirements to meet, and had to start by butchering a side of goat.  It was great how much they each respected the other's talent, knowing they were going to have to do the cook of their life to win.

The food looked incredible and I was practically drooling.  I'm not surprised it was a one-point win.  My dinner is going to seem so boring after seeing four fantastic dishes like that.

LOL at Eric Ripert having his first Sloppy Joe.  (I've never had one.)  And at him confessing he sometimes forgets to toast the bread.

Backing up to the West and East championship matches:

Antonia vs. Jet - I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see which name was revealed; I thought hers would edge him out, but needed to see for sure.  I loved them freaking out when they realized they'd just cooked fish for Eric Ripert of all people.  I came in at the commercial break, so didn't see all the details of their cook, but the end results looked terrific, especially hers.

Maneet vs. Britt - That randomizer combination was indeed an 11 on the 1-10 Suck Meter.  I'd have scored a zero on interactive.  I was going to be happy with either one here, too, but pulling for Britt since Maneet has already won a belt.  But once the judges dug into the food, it was clear Maneet's dish was the winner.  She knows how to pick up the points in addition to making great food (see, e.g., her winning the whole shebang because of one more randomizer point).

Fundamentally: 

Blind judging and five out of five tournaments being won by women is not a coincidence, and more competitions need to get on the ball with this.  And a whole lot of executive chefs need to examine themselves for subconscious bias in their hiring, promotion, and pay decisions.

[bad things are bad]

As soon as he said the randomizer was the determining factor,  I knew Antonia had lost. Bummer 

 

[susannot]

Bastet your last paragraph is the truth. Conscious or subconscious bias against women chefs means that you are missing out on the very best of chefs.

[desertflower]

I really wanted Antonia to win! But obviously Maneet is super talented and knows her flavors, so congrats to her. So I guess next year she’s going to be carrying two belts around everywhere. 

[susannot]

I think Maneet's method is that she really plays to the randomizer.  She always cooks and displays randomizer ingredients at least two ways if not more.

Edited April 8 by susannot

[MerBearHou]

I realized how very badly I wanted Antonia to win when I saw Maneet’s name.  Just so disappointed for AL.  

[DEL901]

Is this the first season Guy has explicitly mentioned the fact that women keep winning, first when Jet lost (the Star Wars joke that Jet was the men’s last hope) and then before Maneet and Antonia started cooking.  

Also, it is more than just 5/5 female winners…men aren’t even consistently reaching the semi finals other than Jet.  Besides him, only two other men have gone that far in 5 seasons.  Makes you think…

[Bastet]

12 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

Is this the first season Guy has explicitly mentioned the fact that women keep winning,

No, in last season's finale he noted that women were consistently much better represented among winners and finalists than they typically are, and clearly took great pride in that (as he should; the truly blind judging - judges don't even know who's in the tournament, let alone the round they're judging - is what sets this show apart).

Edited April 8 by Bastet

[susannot]

5 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

Is this the first season Guy has explicitly mentioned the fact that women keep winning, first when Jet lost (the Star Wars joke that Jet was the men’s last hope) and then before Maneet and Antonia started cooking.  

Also, it is more than just 5/5 female winners…men aren’t even consistently reaching the semi finals other than Jet.  Besides him, only two other men have gone that far in 5 seasons.  Makes you think…

Makes you think....that women are by far better chefs.

[DEL901]

With 3/4 qualifiers won by men, I think that there were more men than women in the round of 32.   Didn’t help.  

[Infie]

Both sets of dishes looked amazing.  I wanted Antonia to win SO much - I remember how lovely she was with Shota last year and similarly this year with Kevin. 

That being said, I could see how Maneet deserved her win.  She's saavy and clever and plays to the natural weaknesses in the game.  Taste and presentation tend to be more subjective and therefore less of a lever for a chef to pull to control their scores beyond cooking well, but use of the randomizer is like having an explicit rubric to the score, and she's very good at pulling every point possible out of that section.  Of course, it wouldn't matter if she wasn't also an excellent chef with technique, taste, and the ability to construct a beautiful dish, but at this level really everyone can do those last three things. 

Congratulations, Maneet.

[SHERMDOG]

SORRY...FUCK MANEET...BOOOOO!. Can't stand her. Yup...come at me. Sorry.  NOT SORRY! LOL. Anyone but ger for the win. 

Won't watch next TOC if she is in.

[Salacious Kitty]

Why wouldn't she be back? She has no reason to bow out, unless she's magnanimous and wants someone else to win. 

But that doesn't seem to be Maneet's style. She seems uber competitive.

[Infie]

On 4/6/2024 at 7:13 PM, cameron said:

No, it was when he was facing Manett that he said that remark.  Back it up and look it up.

I actually went back and watched the whole battle.  The ONLY comment that he made that even peripherally referenced race was in interview - not in front of Maneet or anyone else - where he said that  "[winning] would mean so much to me and to [people] who look like me."  Statements like this aren't game playing, they're just fact.  

There wasn't any 'playing of the race card' at any point by Tobias that I could see.  I'm sad that you think there was.  From my perspective, Tobias seems to be a lovely person and an excellent chef who is gracious in both victory and defeat.

Now, it is possible I missed something. If so, please feel free to be specific.  

[Stardancer Supreme]

Episode 8: "And the Winner is..."  Maneet Chauhan! 

I was rooting for Jet. I can imagine how painful it must be to miss the prize so many times. Will he have the heart to come back next season? I hope so.

But I was also rooting for Maneet as she entered the finals!! Say what you want about Maneet and her temperament, you cannot deny that she is a beast in the kitchen. I just happened to watch her win her episode of Wildcard Kitchen against Marc Murphy and Shenanigans Malarkey earlier today. BM was as extra as usual and she took all of MM's money! 

So how did we get to the first 2-time Champion of TOC?

The judges: Michael White, Cat Cora, Michael Mina, Lorena Garcia, and Eric Ripert. I really enjoyed the finalists losing their composure upon seeing ER.

Matchup 1: Jet Tila vs. Antonia Lofaso - Antonia Lofaso wins!  She edged him on Taste and Presentation. The judges probably didn't like the halibut being 2 ways and how it was presented on the plate.  Anyway, Jet went out a winner and still the only male chef to make it to the semifinals.

Matchup 2: Britt Rescigno vs. Maneet Chauhan - Maneet Chauhan wins! Britt had a solid cook! Maneet is simply too good at utilizing the Randomizer multiple ways in her dishes, so she won this battle handily. Britt will make a fine #2 Seed in TOC 6.

The Final Matchup: Antonia Lofaso vs. Maneet Chauhan - Maneet Chauhan wins! This battle tied on Taste and Presentation. The winning point went to Randa and as soon as Guy said that, I knew Maneet had it in the bag.  Again, no one utilizes the Randomizer like she does. I got that as soon as Guy asked Antonia if she put the cacao pods in anything besides the goat cheese sauce. She should have put it in other aspects of her dishes!  After this historic win, Maneet should now be called the Master of Spices. (Do it Guy!) What also made the win even sweeter for her? It was her birthday! Happy Birthday Maneet! I know that prize money made an awesome gift.

It was a very emotional win and I cried, too!  What I did not like was the cameras staying on Antonia while she was deep in her disappointment. They lingered a bit too long and I was so glad Hunter didn't intrude upon Antonia in that moment.

Hopefully the restaurant industry is taking note of this competition and changes the way women chefs are treated. Blind judging in competitions should be the way to go so we can really see who is the best in the kitchen. (Gender Wars! Yes, I am instigating. Heh.)

Edited April 8 by Stardancer Supreme

[MerBearHou]

I’m sad for Jet and I’m sad for Antonia.  I would have been joyful if either of them had won.  

This conclusion doesn’t give me any joy, but congrats to the Randomizer queen and talented chef that is Maneet — she is formidable in competitions.  

That group of 5 judges was impressive, with a special fondness for Eric Ripert.  

Edited April 8 by MerBearHou

[HappyDancex2]

I still team jet but would have been happy with any of the 4.  Seeing Antonia cry after her loss made me tear up…that’s what makes this show so good.  I’m glad to see them all so invested.  I like Britt too…she’s got that nice blend of cocky badass while still being humble and respectful of her opportunity.  Maneet is just a baller….results don’t lie.

[Yeah No]

I was rooting for Antonia or Jet but I'm not unhappy that Maneet won.  I don't see her as "arrogant" or whatever it is that bothers some people about her.  She has certain qualities that are traditionally "male" that usually go along with being good at competing.  The way she acts is nowhere near the type of cocky behavior I've seen from some men in competitions.  I just think some of her qualities are often seen as particularly repugnant coming from a woman, especially a petite, feminine looking woman.  It really offends some people (don't ask me how I know that, LOL).  And that's regrettable, in my opinion.

I think she deserved this win and I don't mind that she might come back and win again.  That's what sports stars do.  I mean, look at sports like Tennis and golf.  So what if they compete against the same people year in and year out?  There's as much to root for there as if they mixed it up.  Like if Antonia comes back next year we'll all be on the edge of our seats rooting for her to see her finally get her win.  And if Britt comes back better than ever and slays everyone that would be great TV too, to see a newbie take down the "old guard".

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

Blind judging and five out of five tournaments being won by women is not a coincidence, and more competitions need to get on the ball with this.  And a whole lot of executive chefs need to examine themselves for subconscious bias in their hiring, promotion, and pay decisions.

So true.  I wish everyone in every interview or competition of any kind could have a blind judging.

Years ago I used to feel that "Guy's Grocery Games" had biased judging in favor of the men.  The women always seemed to go home in the first round with few exceptions.  I feel like it's much fairer now that he does the scoring on the point system over 2 rounds even if they aren't done blind.  I bet if they were blind judgings even more women would win.

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, Infie said:

That being said, I could see how Maneet deserved her win.  She's saavy and clever and plays to the natural weaknesses in the game.  Taste and presentation tend to be more subjective and therefore less of a lever for a chef to pull to control their scores beyond cooking well, but use of the randomizer is like having an explicit rubric to the score, and she's very good at pulling every point possible out of that section.  Of course, it wouldn't matter if she wasn't also an excellent chef with technique, taste, and the ability to construct a beautiful dish, but at this level really everyone can do those last three things. 

And this is why Maneet is the first ToC cheftestant to win two championships.  She's like Brooke in not just making terrific food but having the right skill set as a cooking competition chef to win a number of battles, and she's particularly skilled in nailing the randomizer requirements to do so well in this one.  Britt said in their semi-final match something along the lines of Maneet uses each required ingredient 20-something ways, and of course the number was hyperbolic but the underlying statement was spot on -- Maneet is crazy good at maximizing the randomizer points. 

[sugarbaker design]

I'm heartbroken for Antonia.  I still maintain they should have champions retire, especially for instances such as this.

Does this mean Maneet will be lugging around two belts next season?

[Ancaster]

On 3/4/2024 at 1:56 PM, mlp said:

 

I wish they'd stop making the previous winners walk around with those ridiculous belts.  I get it when the whole group first walks in.  After that, it just looks stupid.

 

This - I keep wanting to like this show, but every time I see that stupid belt I want to barf.

13 hours ago, Stardancer Supreme said:

 

The Final Matchup: Antonia Lofaso vs. Maneet Chauhan - Maneet Chauhan wins! This battle tied on Taste and Presentation. The winning point went to Randa and as soon as Guy said that, I knew Maneet had it in the bag.  Again, no one utilizes the Randomizer like she does. I got that as soon as Guy asked Antonia if she put the cacao pods in anything besides the goat cheese sauce. She should have put it in other aspects of her dishes!  After this historic win, Maneet should now be called the Master of Spices. (Do it Guy!) What also made the win even sweeter for her? It was her birthday! Happy Birthday Maneet! I know that prize money made an awesome gift.

How about something like Spice Guru?  After all, as plenty of people have already said, there's enough sexism in the industry and these competitions without perpetuating it by have a woman be a "master."

 

[mlp]

All four of the Final Four deserved their standings but I really wanted Jet to win or, if he didn't, Antonia.  Both of them wanted it so much that I hated to see each of them lose.  Having said that, I can't argue with Maneet's win.  She earned it.  Britt is very good but she's a relative newcomer so she'll have plenty more chances and I'm sure her successes have helped her career.

It was great to see Eric Ripert and to see all the contestants react to his appearance when he walked out.

Edited April 9 by mlp
Correct typo

[DEL901]

38 minutes ago, mlp said:

All four of the Final Four deserved their standings but I really wanted Jet to win or, if he didn't, Antonia.  Both of them wanted it so much that I hated to see each of them lose.  Having said that, I can't argue with Maneet's win.  She earned it.  Britt is very good but she's a relative newcomer so she'll have plenty more chances and I'm sure her successes have helped her career.

It was great to see Eric Rippert and to see all the contestants react to his appearance when he walked out.

Same with Kevin Lee.  He wasn’t even supposed to be in the qualifier.  He was an alternate and got the call 2 days before filming started.  He made it to F8, so if he plays his cards right, this will definitely help his career, same as Britt.  

[schnauzergirl]

My heart broke for The Warrior Princess.

[Stardancer Supreme]

10 hours ago, Ancaster said:

This - I keep wanting to like this show, but every time I see that stupid belt I want to barf.

How about something like Spice Guru?  After all, as plenty of people have already said, there's enough sexism in the industry and these competitions without perpetuating it by have a woman be a "master."

 

Master doesn't really need to have a gender connotation. After she bulldozed through her battles using spices and effective Randa management, she deserves a higher station nickname than "Dancing Spice Queen".  If I am not mistaken, didn't one of the judges say that her dish resulted from a Master of Spices? So Maneet can go by the nickname she earned in competition.

[HappyDancex2]

I love the fact that Jet and Antonia studied together to get better on this show!  The margins for points is so thin…maneet’s use of the randomizer is just so naturally on point.

Maneet’s nickname”dancing spice queen” comes from the way the Indian spices she uses bloom in a pan, particularly when heated in oil as the spices tend to pop and jump around like they are dancing in the pan.  At least that’s how Guy describes it.

[kirklandia]

I love Eric Ripert.  Unfortunately, my reaction when I see him walk out is another bit of heartbreak.
He will probably be forever linked in my mind to Anthony Bourdain.

[DEL901]

18 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:  I still maintain they should have champions retire, especially for instances such as this.

I’m okay with repeat winners.  No one ever told Tiger or Serena they were one and done in tournaments.    Also ,saying winners can’t repeat is almost like ensuring everyone gets a turn to win, reducing the prestige, imo.  

[Yeah No]

37 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

I’m okay with repeat winners.  No one ever told Tiger or Serena they were one and done in tournaments.    Also ,saying winners can’t repeat is almost like ensuring everyone gets a turn to win, reducing the prestige, imo.  

I agree.  I think viewers need to understand that these people aren't just doing this for our entertainment or so that everyone gets a win, but for their careers and the prestige associated with being a champion and potentially a repeat champion under the most competitive circumstances.  I don't think this would be as desirable to participate in from their perspective if things were arranged to promote more of them winning.  That's not why they're there. 

[OMom]

What was the item that Antonia paired with the Tartare in the final.

[Rammchick]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I agree.  I think viewers need to understand that these people aren't just doing this for our entertainment or so that everyone gets a win, but for their careers and the prestige associated with being a champion and potentially a repeat champion under the most competitive circumstances.  

And the money doesn't hurt either 😏

Those who participate next year and every year after would be wise to study Maneet.  You can't win with just good food.  You have to have good gameplay as well.

Edited April 9 by Rammchick

[eclectcmoi]

16 hours ago, schnauzergirl said:

My heart broke for The Warrior Princess.

Same.  I so wanted her to win and really thought she had it this year.  Heck, even Maneet thought the same from her comment when she was watching the judging in her dressing room.  Possibly it was the editing, but nothing bad was said about Antonia's dishes other than the cacao not being forward enough.  I did hear criticism though about Maneet's sauce.  I like Maneet and I know she won because she is a master of the randomizer, but I can't help but feel that Antonia was robbed.  

I've already told my hub that I want my birthday dinner next month at Antonia's Scopa Italian Roots restaurant in Venice, CA.  And I'm not even a huge fan of Italian food! 

[jcbrown]

On 4/7/2024 at 7:16 PM, MerBearHou said:

I realized how very badly I wanted Antonia to win when I saw Maneet’s name.  Just so disappointed for AL.  

Same here. I was sad for Jet and I was really sad for Antonia. Maneet won fair and square but I really wish the final two had been those two, instead (even though I know the bracket as currently constructed doesn't allow that).

[CriticalMass]

I am in the minority, but I am tired of Antonia’s attitude that she is the MOST competitive and wants it the MOST. They are all competitive and they all want it or they would not be participating. She is a great chef obviously, as is Jet who also wants it very badly. 

[dleighg]

No question that Maneet earned it. She is a master at the randomizer. I do wonder, however, how blind it truly is. The judges presumably know that one of the likely finalists is a former winner, who does Indian food pretty much all the time.

Until now I've never known that cacao flesh was something one eats. 

 

[msslg85]

tiffany Derry, Nyesha Arrington, Aaron Sanchez have they been considered as contestants?      how are contestants picked are or considered and I want to see Guy compete.  I wonder if he can hang

[Salacious Kitty]

5 hours ago, dleighg said:

No question that Maneet earned it. She is a master at the randomizer. I do wonder, however, how blind it truly is. The judges presumably know that one of the likely finalists is a former winner, who does Indian food pretty much all the time.

Until now I've never known that cacao flesh was something one eats. 

 

Well, the judges found out that they had crowned Maneet. At the very end, they were all onstage together. 

[dleighg]

37 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Well, the judges found out that they had crowned Maneet. At the very end, they were all onstage together

of course. I was suggesting that they probably knew who it was while they were "blind" tasting.

[DEL901]

2 hours ago, msslg85 said:

tiffany Derry, Nyesha Arrington, Aaron Sanchez have they been considered as contestants?      how are contestants picked are or considered and I want to see Guy compete.  I wonder if he can hang

Nyesha Arrington was on season 2.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tournament_of_Champions_(TV_series)

[Salacious Kitty]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

of course. I was suggesting that they probably knew who it was while they were "blind" tasting.

Agreed. 

[mlp]

12 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I was suggesting that they probably knew who it was while they were "blind" tasting.

For what it's worth, Guy has said that the judges don't even know which chefs are competing in the tournament much less who was in the battle they're judging.  That was probably true for the first and maybe the second season.  By now, they all know who the heavy hitters have been and who has kept coming back.  

By the Season 5 finale, when they got a dish expertly prepared with Indian flavors, I'm sure they all thought of Maneet.  Probably everyone on this board would even without actually knowing.  I imagine that dishes with no obvious "ethnic" slant are a lot harder to pin down.

[mlp]

https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/04/maneet-chauhan-toc-v-interview/

[paramitch]

I thought the last episode was incredible. I was so invested in all the outcomes. I love Jet and Antonia both, and it broke my heart that one of them had to lose. I hated watching Jet lose.

And hated watching Antonia lose in the finale (I may even have gotten a little teary at how devastated she was). 

I did think Maneet slightly edged her out -- Maneet is so amazing when it comes to creativity, and to maximizing the randomizer. It's just staggering to watch.

I hated watching Antonia lose -- I have adored her forever on TC and a variety of FN shows -- I loved her on GGG for years and especially on "Cutthroat Kitchen," and she and Alton were practically Roz Russell and Cary Grant, they had this zingy funny dialogue that was just wonderful. I was rooting hard for Antonia to win, she cooked incredibly, and you could just feel how much she wanted it. She was also, as always, so witty and smart and fun with her commentary (I have a weakness for funny chefs, which is why I also adore Alex, Jet, and Tiffany).

On 4/10/2024 at 8:41 PM, mlp said:

https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/04/maneet-chauhan-toc-v-interview/

Thank you for sharing this!

I loved the interview, and found Maneet to come across as very humble, appreciative, and genuine.

And honestly, TOC has really impacted my perception of Maneet. I always enjoyed her on "Chopped" and when she'd show up on GGG, but my perception was of a superb but limited chef.

Then on TOC, I've honestly been blown away by her creativity and breadth of ability. Yes, she loves Eastern Asian flavors, but she also intermixes or elevates them in gorgeous and surprising ways, and she has also frequently cooked French, Southern, and Asian techniques with complete ease and relaxation.

I've absolutely been blown away by Maneet's ability. I wanted Antonia to win, but I'm not unhappy that Maneet did, and I salute her talent -- she really did earn it. And I liked that we could see that she was elated to win but genuinely sad at Antonia's devastation.

For me, this was a hell of a year. But -- I absolutely agree that the show needs to depart from the regional heat approach and just mix them all up next year. It's frustrating and repetitive otherwise.

 

[Mondrianyone]

Don't know where else to ask, searched and didn't find. Does anyone know if there's a forum for 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing? I just watched the first episode and am curious to know other people's thoughts.

[Salacious Kitty]

You can request a forum to be started. 

[schnauzergirl]

30 minutes ago, Mondrianyone said:

Don't know where else to ask, searched and didn't find. Does anyone know if there's a forum for 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing? I just watched the first episode and am curious to know other people's thoughts.

I looked for a forum, too.  Interested in hearing comments.

 

[Bastet]

No forum has been created for that show yet, and I just checked the pending requests; no dice there, either, so if anyone is interested, go ahead and ask for one.

[Mondrianyone]

Thanks, all. I didn't want to ask for one till I was sure there wasn't already one somewhere.

[eelpout]

On 4/7/2024 at 8:48 PM, Stardancer Supreme said:

Episode 8: "And the Winner is..."  Maneet Chauhan! 

It was a very emotional win and I cried, too!  What I did not like was the cameras staying on Antonia while she was deep in her disappointment. They lingered a bit too long and I was so glad Hunter didn't intrude upon Antonia in that moment.

it was pretty clear based on Hunter's abrupt turn around in the background that the producer whose arms Antonia fell into shewed him away. Good call.

Maneet C. is a great chef, but... I will forever look slightly askew at the judging because based on the field of chefs, even with the large group this year, it's always fairly obvious when she is cooking.