24 in 24: Last Chef Standing - General Discussion

[Irlandesa]

On 5/7/2024 at 1:59 PM, schnauzergirl said:

Just saw on Michael's fb page that FN has renewed 24 in 24 for a second season.

I wonder if they'll have some repeat chefs. 

[MerBearHou]

13 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I wonder if they'll have some repeat chefs. 

I bet they do.  And it will be a big advantage to those who’ve participated in this 24 hour thing before.  I hope to see some of these chefs again and feel sure several will want to improve their showing and how long they lasted.  

Edited May 13 by MerBearHou

[HappyDancex2]

This was a fun binge watch over the weekend!  It’s way too long live but I was very much intrigued at the concept.  I’m still confused by the casting since Marcel and Chris Oh and maybe Carlos could have been on the judging side.  At the same time the other Added Demographic chefs didn’t seem to have quite the personality or cooking chops to hang with seasoned TV competitors.  And also it would be so hard for the producers to build stories around them not knowing how they will react on TV.

Season 2 using just no name chefs and everyone in their talking heads complaining about how tired they are will make me want to jump off a cliff LOL

[HappyDancex2]

Other thing that just popped into my head was that this show is also another version of Food Network Star….play your cards right with some cooking chops and personality that is funny, intriguing or something that the viewer wants and you can be the next Aarti or Damaris or Carlos Anthony.  Heck Guy’s shows have also populated the network with new faces!

I found it endearing that both guys burst into tears at the end of the final cook.  I found the relief and emotions genuine and the moment felt like respect of the sheer will needed for cooking and that was really cool to me.  We all know how scripted and fake these shows can be but that moment was quite nice.  Marcel was humble and even acknowledged his younger self was so showy and molecular and look at me and how smart I am and as he has grown up he just wants to cook tasty food with great technique and inspiration.  Good for him….nice redemption arc.

[susannot]

Agree.  Endearing; emotional.  I always thought the finale would be Marcel vs. Carlos.  Great chefs.  I am so, so happy that Marcel won.  I hope we see a follow up sometime about his Mom's cochlear implant surgery.

[tv echo]

Happy that Marcel won. I didn't like him when he first appeared on Top Chef but he's certainly matured and evolved since then.

I also think that, for Season 2, either they cast all unknown chefs or they switch to blind judging. 

Edited May 13 by tv echo

[nitrofishblue]

I certainly hope that for season 2 they drop the most over used statement ever, how this was something never done before and how tired all the chefs were. This got so old so fast!!!!

They have to make changes for season two, like blind tasting. All these chefs know each other. How can they not let personal feelings sway their decision. I really like the shows that have BLIND tasting, making things more fair.

They must come up with 24 more chefs that do not have a personal connection with any of the judges. Feature more unknowns. I am getting tired of seeing the same chefs on show after show after show!! Let the young blood shine!!!

To be honest, I really wasn't cheering for any of the two finalists. I remember Marcel from Top Chef where he was a complete A##. Never saw Carlos and I never could warm up to his attitude. OK people can change over time but memories linger from their past.

I think the problem is that right now there are far too many competitive shows. The pool of talent gets very diluted over time just from over exposure.

Edited May 13 by nitrofishblue

[potatoradio]

Thank you, show, for NOT trying to make Carlos happen. WHEW. I thought for sure, with the prize being a trip to Hawaii, that he was being set up. Dear Carlos, have a watch of this show and listen to Marcel, the winner, who talks about how he grew up. The faster you grow up, the better, OK? I know you mentored under Malarkey and maybe think you have to imitate him, but on teevee competitions, "high energy" doesn't always translate to a win. 

Yay for Marcel. I didn't watch his TC season until years after it aired and even then, although he gave a distinct obnoxious vibe, he seemed easily ignored, so I never understood all the rage-stroke vitriol directed at him. He handles himself with grace and humbleness that's really appealing. 

A little too much time for "show us your sob story" at the end and I wish the ending hadn't been crammed into an hour, but still, I enjoyed this far more than I expected to and am glad it will be back. And I hope it's back with blind judging. That would improve it immensely. 

 

Edited May 13 by potatoradio
BLIND JUDGING NOW!! :)

[Ancaster]

I wonder whether Carlos will mature and mellow the way Marcel has?

I do know I'd rather give $50,000 to someone who wants to help get his mom cochlear implants than someone who thinks he and his girlfriend deserve a fancy honeymoon.  How about putting it towards a down-payment on a house/restaurant space?

[Liddy52]

I think I would have appreciated Marcel's win more if it has been blind judging. I am sure that he is a very talented chef and he seems to be a nice person.  But with Carlos and him being the final two, I couldn't help but have a nagging doubt about whether judging was completely unbiased.  This is not a question of the judges integrity, but when you know those you are judging, it is hard sometimes not to look at their efforts more favorably. And I do think that the producers are really trying hard to make Carlos happen, but it's not working for me. 

[lavenderblue]

It seemed pretty obvious the final two would come down to Carlos and Marcel, with the way Mika and Chris Oh have been flagging. So happy Marcel got the win!

The funny thing is I had never actually watched Top Chef until a couple months ago, when I started on some of the old seasons on Peacock. My exposure to Marcel over the years has been appearances on Food Network shows, where I've generally liked him. I still haven't watched his initial TC season, but am currently on the All-Star season 8, and very coincidentally watched the ep he went home on right after 24 in 24. (Not a spoiler since he kept saying this was his first major competition win!) And....yeah, he's definitely grown since then, haha. Though even back then, he really just seemed like a guy who needed to mature a bit.

Carlos has gotten on my nerves here and elsewhere, but I did feel sincerity from him at the end when he presented. He seems like a talented guy who just desperately wants to prove himself, but that will have to come with learning when to rein it in, too. Completely by further coincidence, I also just rewatched an Alex vs. America he did last year, where he drove Alex up the wall by talking constantly, lol. He seems to have a bit of a reputation for that at the moment.

[janeyjay]

The right chef won -- even without blind judging. I am now a full-fledged Marcel fan and I am not ashamed to admit it. 

I laughed when Stephanie Izard told Carlos he was no longer Mini-Malarkey to her because that's a nickname I can get behind. He is a darn good chef but that's overshadowed by his thirst to BE NOTICED. 

7 hours ago, nitrofishblue said:

I think the problem is that right now there are far too many competitive shows. The pool of talent gets very diluted over time just from over exposure.

Excellent point. The market for competitive cooking shows is very over-saturated at the moment -- are you listening, Food Network??

[mlp]

I've always liked Marcel so I was thrilled to see him do so well and then win.  Every time his name has come up, for years, the conversation has gone to his season of Top Chef.  People forget that that was TWENTY YEARS ago.   He has matured and become successful since.  I was happy to see that he had the respect of other chefs.  

I think Carlos is a nice guy at heart and a very good cook but his mini-Malarkey act is highly annoying.  He was on Wildcard Kitchen and toned it way down and came across much better.  He needs to cook and calm down.

8 hours ago, nitrofishblue said:

I think the problem is that right now there are far too many competitive shows.

Not in my book.  Competition shows are pretty much all I ever watch - all the food shows, Legomasters, Alone and so on.  Bring 'em on.

[meowmommy]

4 hours ago, mlp said:

I've always liked Marcel so I was thrilled to see him do so well and then win.  Every time his name has come up, for years, the conversation has gone to his season of Top Chef.  People forget that that was TWENTY YEARS ago.   He has matured and become successful since.  I was happy to see that he had the respect of other chefs.  

I never rooted for Marcel in any competition before this one, and it could be said, sadly, that what happened to him on Top Chef is what made him famous for all the wrong reasons, but damn if he hasn't grown up.  Carlos should take a few lessons.

And when it comes back for another season, as some have suggested, blind judging such as it was on ToC (although it's been credibly argued that chefs who cycle the TV circuit, like Maneet, all have recognizable cooking styles) is a must. 

Also, hyping the 24 in 24 but getting rid of 12 people in the very first challenge was a real letdown for the chefs and for the viewers.  And they weren't the 12 worst, just the loser in a 1:1 challenge.  Find another way if you don't want your judges eating 23 dishes.  Put them in groups of eight with their own judge or something like that and then merge the groups as the field narrows.

[HappyDancex2]

5 hours ago, mlp said:

I've always liked Marcel so I was thrilled to see him do so well and then win.  Every time his name has come up, for years, the conversation has gone to his season of Top Chef.  People forget that that was TWENTY YEARS ago.   He has matured and become successful since.  I was happy to see that he had the respect of other chefs.  

I think Carlos is a nice guy at heart and a very good cook but his mini-Malarkey act is highly annoying.  He was on Wildcard Kitchen and toned it way down and came across much better.  He needs to cook and calm down.

Not in my book.  Competition shows are pretty much all I ever watch - all the food shows, Legomasters, Alone and so on.  Bring 'em on.

20 years??  Yikes.  Well I would have to say I’d hate to be judged for the rest of my life for actions I did 20 years ago, especially if I was in my 20s.  Reality TV never forgets though LOL.

Carlos is getting better each year and we are all kinder gentler TV forum commentators now so I expect him to flip the switch from loud and obnoxious to….delightfully energetic!  That was weird to see that obnoxious Matt guy reappear on the first episode….it’s been awhile and he was so cocky before….would have loved to see how that smirk has transformed.

[mlp]

1 hour ago, meowmommy said:

Also, hyping the 24 in 24 but getting rid of 12 people in the very first challenge was a real letdown for the chefs and for the viewers.

That was the one part of this show that I disliked.  (Well, except for Scott Conant that is.)  It came across as a nasty trick to play on a bunch of working chefs who had made arrangements to do the show and arrived feeling enthusiastic.  They need to start with fewer chefs or devise an early elimination round that feels less unfair.

[pythonite]

Well done, Marcel. So happy he won.  From the infamous TC season 2 to Marcel's Quantum Kitchen to the marathon of cookery 24 in 24.

I really enjoyed this show, even with an obvious Winner's Edit towards the end.

A lot of the food looked good too.

I'll have to admit Carlos was giving me uncomfortable Ilan Hall vibes for a bit. Glad he got better, lol. There is a cure. 

I can't believe it was 20 years ago. Did Betty steal Marcel's fish...? Why did TC elves re-edit the already aired episode to obscure the fact that Ilan & Elia shaved their heads after they ganged up on a sleeping Marcel? I remember the raging discussions in a forum like this...

I joined a small web chat with Marcel just after the TC2 finale. Maybe 30-40 people. He was very humble and down to earth. He brought his (super sweet mom) on to say Hi. He was very serious about his love of food & being a chef. It's worked out great for him.

Correction- my memory just sharpened. It was his mom, not dad, who chatted with us. She was super sweet. I hope the implant works out for her.

Edited May 14 by pythonite

[meowmommy]

9 hours ago, pythonite said:

Well done, Marcel. So happy he won.  From the infamous TC season 2 to Marcel's Quantum Kitchen to the marathon of cookery 24 in 24.

If FN can try to rehabilitate the actual assaulter, Cliff Crooks, this is the least Marcel deserved after all this time.

[Ancaster]

22 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

 

Carlos is getting better each year and we are all kinder gentler TV forum commentators now so I expect him to flip the switch from loud and obnoxious to….delightfully energetic!  That was weird to see that obnoxious Matt guy reappear on the first episode….it’s been awhile and he was so cocky before….would have loved to see how that smirk has transformed.

He's been on other things?  He was worse?

[jcbrown]

22 hours ago, Ancaster said:

He's been on other things?  He was worse?

1000% yes. He has been on a number of food network shows that I have successfully blocked from my memory (though Tournament of Champions was among them) and he has always read as an entitled jerk.

[lavenderblue]

I don't think Matt's ever been on Tournament of Champions, if we're referring to Mathew Grunwald/Jordan. But he gained some notoriety on Food Network Star and Cutthroat Kitchen about a decade ago, before flying under the radar for a few years and returning (with honestly a more subdued demeanor, I've thought) in shows like Chopped and Guy's Grocery Games.

[meowmommy]

10 hours ago, lavenderblue said:

I don't think Matt's ever been on Tournament of Champions, if we're referring to Mathew Grunwald/Jordan. But he gained some notoriety on Food Network Star and Cutthroat Kitchen about a decade ago, before flying under the radar for a few years and returning (with honestly a more subdued demeanor, I've thought) in shows like Chopped and Guy's Grocery Games.

I think the only way he'd ever get into ToC would be to go through the qualifying rounds.  He's not good enough, despite his self-love, to get an invite on his own record.

I was definitely confused when I recognized that face attached to that name I did not recognize.

But I think the poster was talking about Carlos Anthony, and he was just as annoying on ToC as he was on 24:24. 

[lavenderblue]

Ah yes, sorry for misreading! Carlos has definitely been on ToC and definitely been irritating there!

[HyeChaps]

Both Carlos and Matt have been on GGG

[Salacious Kitty]

17 minutes ago, HyeChaps said:

Both Carlos and Matt have been on GGG

Probably a better venue for them. 

[tinkerbell]

On 5/12/2024 at 10:28 PM, MerBearHou said:

I bet they do.  And it will be a big advantage to those who’ve participated in this 24 hour thing before.  I hope to see some of these chefs again and feel sure several will want to improve their showing and how long they lasted.  

I think all the chefs who were eliminated in the first challenge should be invited back.

[meep.meep]

I don't know if I'll watch this again.  I don't think any of the dishes were memorable and watching people just be miserable isn't a lot of fun.

I honestly don't see why one challenge couldn't be long enough to do a braise to show a few more skills that they all have.  Then they could sit down at least.

[mlp]

I didn't have a problem with the chefs being without sleep/rest for 24 hours plus however long it took for set up before the cameras rolled.  All of them were in the 20s to 40s age range and, assuming decent health, I think most people in that age bracket could tolerate the stress and fatigue once in a great while if motivated to do so.  I also think they were encouraged to complain about being tired because some of them were "exhausted" at the 6 hour mark which made no sense to me, especially from working chefs who are on their feet daily for much longer.  

I hope some of the chefs who were eliminated come back next season.  I liked the tall guy who was a fireman.  I also would like to see Viet and Martel get another chance.  And Chris Oh.

[TexasTiffany]

Yay! for Marcel! I'm glad he won.

I'd definitely watch this again. There were new faces to me who ended up doing well. You never know who will step up. 

5 hours ago, mlp said:

I hope some of the chefs who were eliminated come back next season.  I liked the tall guy who was a fireman.  I also would like to see Viet and Martel get another chance.  And Chris Oh.

I'd like to see Viet come back. It was such a shock that he was eliminated the first challenge. He usually wins. I wonder if Chris Oh would come back. He was so exhausted. The prize money is usually increased when the producers have a hit show. Good incentive for Chris Oh, and the others to come back. 

One person I don't want to come back is Josie. The challenge was to make a burger without having already ground protein available and no buns either. Josie served a whole mushroom on a leaf of lettuce and called it an "abstract" burger. Also, the chefs had to include a fried side dish without using the fryer. Josie had some sauteed veggies, but nothing was crispy to tell if it was "fried". I didn't like Josie's attitude when she was eliminated. She said she got sent home "on a plating error". No, you loser, your mushroom on lettuce was least like a burger amongst all the other chefs. I liked everyone else's side dish, too. I don't need to see her again. 

[MsMalin]

Thrilled that Marcel won. I've rooted for him ever since the bullying in TC