The Judges: They Think You Need More Salt

[Wings]

I agree, but I also want to respect that person's page that nothing be copied/pasted by me. I wouldn't want someone doing the same from my page. :)

 

 

Oh.  I didn't understand that you were a friend on whatever page you are talking about.  Now your post makes sense. :>) 

[Lillybee]

I have been watching Top Chef Masters. I we think that the judges on Top Chef are tough, they are easy compared to the judges on Top Chef Masters.  Jay Raynor seems to be impossible. He even asked a chef why he didn't make gluten free pasta from scratch.

[Kromm]

By private, it's only seen by people on that person's friends list.

Ack. Mean of you to post a link making us think we'd see the juicy bits!  Boooo!

 

(kidding) 

 

Still, I think the problem is that it seems even worse than it might ACTUALLY be when it's just a leak that's now been spread but nobody can see it.

[Julia]

I have been watching Top Chef Masters. I we think that the judges on Top Chef are tough, they are easy compared to the judges on Top Chef Masters. Jay Raynor seems to be impossible. He even asked a chef why he didn't make gluten free pasta from scratch.

Which was nonsense, because it's extremely rare for any restaurant to make their own artisan hard pasta, because that's not what they're artisans at. And seriously, Jay Rayner is going to school Michael Chiarello about italian food? British wanker, please.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Julia

[JES004]

Don't like Hugh Acheson much. I think he's like Michael Kors in Kors's last few seasons on "Project Runway" - more interested in a good 'zinger' than encouraging the chefs with constructive criticism. And I think he's oversold on himself.

 

That so perfectly encompasses my feeling about Acheson.  Thank you for this!

 

My own humble opinion, and without any evidence at all, is that Tom Collichio is why Top Chef succeeded in the first place.  His own stature as a chef, plus the ones he brought to the show, leant a credibility to the competition for me.  As a general rule, I don't watch reality tv. TC is my big exception.  I've watched bits and pieces of other reality shows (mostly the cooking ones), but it isn't must see tv for me.  

[Calamity Jane]

To return to the topic of salty/too salty/undersalted -- I would greatly prefer to have my food undersalted than oversalted.  You can add some salt to the final product, but you absolutely cannot take it out.  And individual tastes for salt vary dramatically.  Even in my own family, my kids tend to prefer a lot more salt than I like.  So -- I am always baffled when a judge criticizes something for having too little salt.  I would guess that someone sitting next to him/her thinks it just fine or even too salty.  No way for a contestant to win that one!  

[Bastet]

I halve the salt called for in most recipes from professional chefs, and I've watched contestants sprinkle in more salt than I'd use be called out for "under-seasoned" food, so I'm sure the judges would sneer the same thing at me.  But those for whom I've cooked are quite complimentary about the flavor of my food, and I don't roll with a crowd that would blow sunshine up my ass.

 

I've eaten at a couple of Tom's restaurants, and while the food is top notch (and the service impeccable), it's also as salty as the ocean.  I order things "light on the salt" and there are still dishes I just won't eat.  So any time he's the one to criticize a dish for inadequate salt, I just roll my eyes; although he's an infinitely better chef, on that particular point of contention I take his feedback about as seriously as I would Paula Deen saying something needs more butter. 

Edited December 27, 2014 by Bastet

[cooksdelight]

I cannot eat over-salted food either. Not only is it untasty, it's also unhealthy. I feel the same way about pepper or other spicy seasoning. I prefer to add my own than have the chef figure it out for me. Southern sausage gravy is one thing I like real peppery, tho.

[Lura]

In the culinary world today in which every chef has to up the seasonings, especially the heat, it makes me feel good to know that there's one other person who can do without all those condiments and spices!  I didn't grow up eating those things, so they really cause my digestive system to go haywire.  It amazes me when I watch people like Emeril or Bobby Flay throwing in chili peppers with abandon, and it surprises me even more that some people crave their heat level.

 

Aside from personal preference, we read article after article about how those hot peppers cause throat and stomach cancer.  It's become almost a contest to see who can eat their food the hottest.  I can tolerate a little bit of heat, but let me decide how much instead of piling it on to show me how hot it should be!  Even waiters in some establishments have a way of looking down their noses at you if you tell them you don't mind it hot, but not "too hot."  It's as if you've broken the cardinal rule of the restaurant by requesting a toned down version of their specialties.  You can almost hear them thinking, "Chicken!"  If you don't know the difference between a jalapeno, a Serrano and a Scotch bonnet, you're way behind times!  No, thank you, chef.  You can burp all night while I get a good night's sleep!                                                                                                              

[scarynikki12]

My grandma had three mini strokes within a 15 month period a few years ago.  After the first, her doctor told her to cut out her salt intake and she only started listening to him after the third.  Low and behold, she didn't have any more strokes, mini or otherwise after she stopped adding salt.  That's not to say that there was no salt in her diet, just that her health vastly improved once she stopped pouring it onto her food each meal. 

 

After her health scares we all stopped adding more salt than absolutely necessary and it really does make a difference in how the meals taste.  I can't even eat at restaurants anymore because of how much salt they use.  If I'm at a restaurant these days, I only order salad to avoid the salt.  That's why I rarely take what the judges say seriously.  They get pissed when dishes aren't overflowing with salt yet I probably can't even eat what's being prepared (and that's not taking into account my vegetarianism and shellfish allergy).  The part that annoys me most is that I think most of what's prepared probably would taste great (even, dare I say it, better) without the massive amounts of salt yet we'll never know given how the judges act.

[Wings]

I have a hunch that when the judges say things need more salt they really do.  I have eaten in Craft twice and nothing was close to being too salty, nothing.  I even added salt to my steak.  Cheap restaurants over do the salt but I have never experienced too much salt in high end restaurants.  They also tell them when things have too much salt.  

[Lura]

I have watched Chef Hubert Keller season his food (on PBS), and he seems to be generous with the salt.  Yet, I've eaten in his restaurants a number of times, and his food doesn't taste that salty.  I would think this would be very confusing to young chefs.  Look at the Top Chef contestant Ron Easely (sp?) from this season.  He was sent home for not using enough salt.  Tom Colicchio is the arbiter of the salt levels on the show, and he frequently comments that something is too salty or under seasoned.  All of the contestants want to get it right, but how do they know how much salt pleases Tom?  Though I had no personal preference for or against Ron, I thought that his departure was unfortunate.  He'd hardly gotten there, but he was supposed to know how much salt would please Tom?  Not easy!

[chiaros]

I think it is a common observation that professional chefs tend to be heavy-handed with the salt.  Here's one article that talks about how salt is needed for flavors to bloom, yes, but also talks about the phenomenon of over-salting that goes on in professional kitchens.

 

As for myself, I have definitely eaten the food of esteemed chefs (or the food put out by their kitchens) in high end restaurants that were DEFINITELY over-salted.  Here's a post of mine (yes, I am the author of that post) relating to the subject.

[RockShrimp]

On the subject of best guest judges - non-chef category, I'd submit Anna Farris & Chris Pratt. They were gung-ho, adventurous eaters and had a fantastic attitude about everything. I want to be their kid. 

[HyeChaps]

Tom's new venture:

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/tom-colicchio-wont-serve-msnbc-viewers-anthony-bourdains-recipe-for-cnn-1201436420/

[Julia]

Good for him. 

[biakbiak]

That is great for him but the writer of that piece clearly hasn't watched Bourdain's CNN show if they think that what he does is wax poetic about dishes and doesn't get into larger issues on his show.

[cooksdelight]

My love for Hugh just went up 100 times.

http://www.eater.com/2015/5/15/8611479/kris-jenner-nacho-recipe-kardashian-nicole-simpson

[ExplainItAgain]

My love for Hugh just went up 100 times.

http://www.eater.com/2015/5/15/8611479/kris-jenner-nacho-recipe-kardashian-nicole-simpson

 

Holy shit! "If you're ever going to memorialize somebody who was brutally murdered, I think it's through their nachos." Damn, Hugh! I didn't want to laugh. But I did.

[rollerblade]

Oh goodness, where did you even find that video? I want more Hugh and his sarcastic puckered lips!

 

"Then we're going to, in the meantime, slice our olives; and.... the other glove is in the driveway."

[Wings]

That was hysterical!  He is cooking with one rubber glove on and casually says, almost under his breath, other glove is in the driveway!!!  I came to really like him after a first negative impression.  And it was his sense of humor that sucked me in.  

 

ETA.  That was a very unappealing nacho recipe.  Very much so.  Canned olives, pickled jalapenos and white meat chicken?  No, just no. 

Edited July 4, 2015 by wings707

[MissMel]

This man generally irks me but after watching that? I'm in. "The Mexican cheeses... oops. I just dropped a little on the floor for "my homies".

Dare I say it? He, and his unibrow, were even attractive in that video! I'm a sucker for a man that can heat up drunk people food and make me laugh.

[cooksdelight]

When this show starts a new season, and Hugh is on.....I cannot help it, I will snicker and laugh out loud if he drops even one word from that video.

[MissMel]

http://www.eater.com/2015/6/26/8851053/hugh-acheson-takes-a-fantastic-voyage-cooks-coolios-pimp-my-shrimp

He's got another one out now. Coolio's "pimp my shrimp". Oh man.... :)

[cooksdelight]

LMAO!! OK, all Hugh needs to do is say "glove" or "dime bag" from that video and I'll be on the floor.

[Lovecat]

"I think Coolio's envisioning that these pimped-out shrimp will be served with a nice salad...maybe some iced tea...and a massive spliff, I don't know."

 

Ah-hahahahahahahah!!!!  I do love me some Acheson snark.

[Wings]

I look forward to seeing Hugh this season.  I like all the judges, all of them.  I adore Tom and Padma.  This is such a good show; it is my favorite.  

[Lillybee]

Can't they hire Emeril on as a permanent judge? I just love him. His judging is on spot but he is not too harsh.

[RCharter]

My love for Hugh just went up 100 times.

http://www.eater.com/2015/5/15/8611479/kris-jenner-nacho-recipe-kardashian-nicole-simpson

But on a serious note, did Kris Jenner really use the komedy k for the phrase "kollection of recipes?" Or is this a thing in the cooking world?

[Julia]

I guess she figured her family hadn't profited enough from Nicole Brown's death.

Anyway, I think Kardashian-branding 'collection' is unique to the redoubtable Mrs. K/J.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Julia

[RCharter]

I guess she figured her family hadn't profited enough from Nicole Brown's death.

Anyway, I think Kardashian-branding 'collection' is unique to the redoubtable Mrs. K/J.

I just can't see how that isn't an asshole move....all things considered.

I don't watch the Kardashians, but is she popular for doing things like this that are clearly in bad taste? I mean, even if you were friends and even if you liked her Nachos or whatever given the fact that your husband defended the man who (allegedly) murdered her it just seems in such obvious poor taste. Does she not have any other friends she can bum recipes from? She can't just use Google and steal some....recipes aren't copyrightable from what I remember.

[Major Bigtime]

A good friend of mine who is a chef told me about his most recent experience with Richard Blais. Richard was in town for some type of big culinary expo, and had hired my friend and his sous chef to help out.. More like, do all the work. A huge shopping list, recipes that didn't work, and then Blais breezes out as soon as taping of their segment finishes with his liquid nitrogen tank and not one word of thank you. No one to help them clean up. Nothing. I think success has really gone to his head.

[The Solution]

I love Padma (do we have an Unpopular Opinions thread? If so I'll go over there). I've enjoyed watching her gain confidence and voice, and seeing the other, more experienced judges come to respect her a little more. Her relationship with Colicchio is adorable. And she is so damn stunning. I don't know if she's stoned at work or not. I like her enough that I don't care (apart from professionalism issues).

 

Since we're most of the way through another season, I had to come over here again and express my love for Padma. I think she grows in confidence, knowledge and beauty each season and love watching the growth. There are few things I love more than watching a Padma takedown. She's so matter-of-fact about it. And I do believe she's genuinely sad when she tells some of the cheftestants to pack their knives and go.

[RCharter]

Since we're most of the way through another season, I had to come over here again and express my love for Padma. I think she grows in confidence, knowledge and beauty each season and love watching the growth. There are few things I love more than watching a Padma takedown. She's so matter-of-fact about it. And I do believe she's genuinely sad when she tells some of the cheftestants to pack their knives and go.

I'm not a fan, but I can't completely hate her after seeing her on 30 Rock where she poked fun at herself.  She was so different!

[Darian]

Padma's got a memoir coming out in March called Love, Loss, and What We Ate. I'm on the mailing list of several local indie bookstores and one sends me update through Shelf Awareness. That site has a link to enter and win a galley copy of Padma's book. I'm not affiliated with that site, and can't vouch for what the company giving out the books will or won't do with your info, so I'm not directly linking to the survey (the clickable ad is on the page). 

 

 

[Wings]

I love Padma and always taken back by the severe criticism she gets here.  She is knowledgeable, relevant, current, skilled and beautiful plus an asset to this show.  She is the anchor for me; the glue that holds it together.  Without her I don't think this would be the success that it is. 

[ratgirlagogo]

 

I love Padma and always taken back by the severe criticism she gets here.

I don't hate her either but when she comes out with whopping bloopers like " "San Francisco is the town where venture capitalists are abound" it's awfully hard to defend her.  Effective line delivery is one of her jobs as the host of the show.

Edited February 27, 2016 by ratgirlagogo

[NowVoyager]

On Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at 11:40 AM, Darian said:

Padma's got a memoir coming out in March called Love, Loss, and What We Ate. I'm on the mailing list of several local indie bookstores and one sends me update through Shelf Awareness. That site has a link to enter and win a galley copy of Padma's book. I'm not affiliated with that site, and can't vouch for what the company giving out the books will or won't do with your info, so I'm not directly linking to the survey (the clickable ad is on the page). 

 

 

Seriously juicy! Did anyone else read It?

[Wings]

4 hours ago, NowVoyager said:

Seriously juicy! Did anyone else read It?

I read some reviews on amazon.  Some hated it.  Did you read it?  

[ratgirlagogo]

I did.  My main surprise/disappointment about it was that she talks so little about Top Chef. No amusing anecdotes about Tom or Gail.   It's well written, and unlike most of these kinds of books I believe she did actually write the whole thing herself.  I liked that she acknowledged that her career as a food person is largely a matter of luck ( and talked about her anxiety about this) - she says she is an enthusiastic home cook but of course has no professional experience or training.  Like me she's a huge fan of Kalustyan's!  Unlike me she has had the dating experience of choosing between a series of millionaires, some of whom were nicer than others.  The Salman Rushdie stuff is all at the beginning of the book, which I think is partly her being a shrewd judge of her public and partly a dig at her ex.

If you have looked at her earlier cookbooks you won't be surprised that mostly the recipes are for simple Indian street/comfort food.  I liked that she said that when she was growing up that "no Indian restaurant with four walls and an ounce of self-respect" would have served the kind of chaat (street food) she is so fond of.

It's enjoyable  reading, but you should borrow it from the library like I did rather than buying it.

Edited May 30, 2016 by ratgirlagogo

[NowVoyager]

I bought the book & I read it from cover to cover.

I agree with ratgirlagogo's assessment. If you read it as a "Top Chef" fan, you'll be sorely disappointed--- the show rates only an occasional, appreciative mention.

The book is a memoir  (legally less binding than a biography) about Padma's life. If you are a fan of Padma's--- a supermodel who's held court with wildly rich men & dined at establishments all over the world--- you'll love it.

She talks a lot about her feelings: growing up as a fatherless child in India, with her grandparents taking care of her, while her mother scraped to bring her to the States; feeling like an outsider in the States & modeling in Europe; her relationships with Salman Rushdie, Adam Dell & Teddy Forstman (all rich, complicated men); and of course le scandale  surrounding the paternity of her daughter.

I loved the immediacy of her book--- what she thought & felt & ate & smelled at those particular times in her life.

I read it for the reason I tend to favor biographies--- to read in detail about how rich, famous, beautiful, successful people struggle in life just like the rest of us.

[ProudMary]

Heading into my 14th season of watching Top Chef, I go back and forth as to how I feel about Tom Colicchio but boy did he put some brownie points in the "Pro" column for me with his tweet early this morning! :) 

[savingsanta]

@ProudMary Oh my gosh, I had no idea he was so active/funny on Twitter! Time to follow. Thanks for sharing.

[ProudMary]

Graham Elliot joining Top Chef S14 as a rotating judge.
http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/graham-elliot-joins-the-top-chef-season-14-judges-table?cid=soc_dg_fb_topchef

[Darian]

Interview with Gail Simmons in Boston Magazine.

[marybennet]

I miss Dana Cowin.  I always enjoyed her uptown New York version of nerdiness and expertise.  And she had a tiny speech habit--something about the way she pronounces the letter l--that reminds me of an old friend I never see anymore.  And I really liked her as editor of Food and Wine Magazine, which I started getting a while back with some about-to-expire frequent flyer miles.  

By contrast, I'm not so fond of Nilou Motamed.  I keep remembering that episode where she said something about how every summer, she spent time in the south of France, and Tom said he spent time every summer in the south of New Jersey.  I had the same response he did.  What she said seemed, at best, tone deaf; not many of us got to summer in the south of France as children.  My own summers were in the south of Bronx.  And Food and Wine under her editorship has fewer recipes (or at least it seems so) and more stupid little stories.  I read an interview with her in which she said that the previous editors cared more about F&W the magazine, while she cares more about F&W the brand.  As a reader of the magazine, I'd like to see her caring about it a little more.

But really, I don't mean this only as a negative about NM post.  I'd love for Top Chef to have Dana Cowin come back.  I enjoyed her enthusiasms and even her dislikes when she appeared.

Edited March 4, 2017 by marybennet

[biakbiak]

1 minute ago, marybennet said:

I keep remember that episode where she said something about how every summer, she spent time in the south of France, and Tom said he spent time every summer in the south of New Jersey.  I had the same response he did.  What she said seemed, at best, tone deaf; not many of us got to summer in the south of France as children. 

Nilou grew up in Paris after her family fled Iran from the Iranian Revolution. Her spending time in the South of France is the same as Tom going down the shore. People grow up in other places that doesn't make her tone deaf. A lot of French families leave the city to go to the shore during the summer because they have a month off and it csn be stiffling hot with many apartments not having air conditioning, I thought Tom's "joke" was lame.

[marybennet]

2 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Nilou grew up in Paris after her family fled Iran from the Iranian Revolution. Her spending time in the South of France is the same as Tom going down the shore. People grow up in other places that doesn't make her tone deaf. A lot of French families leave the city to go to the shore during the summer because they have a month off and it csn be stiffling hot with many apartments not having air conditioning

Thanks, biakbiak, for that perspective.  You've made me realize my response was narrow.  Can I still miss Dana Cowin, though?

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, marybennet said:

Thanks, biakbiak, for that perspective.  You've made me realize my response was narrow.  Can I still miss Dana Cowin, though?

Oh of course and I didn't particularly think Nilou brought that much to the table on either episode that particular moment with Tom just really annoyed me because she was just recounting a childhood memory and described it in similar terms to how Tom has described his summer memories but we think about the "South of France" differently then we think about the Jersey Shore or Cape Cod but just because she mentioned a place in the country where we she was raised that doesnt meant she was being prententious or tone deaf. For the record even if it turned out she spent her childhood summers on a yacht that doesn't change my point. 

[JeanneH]

Sometimes guest/judge John Besh is out at Besh Restaurant Group. It's the result of an investigation into sexual harassment allegations published over the weekend in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Harrah's New Orleans casino is terminating their contract with BRG as a result, which means Besh Steak is being replaced.  (other links: CNN - John Besh, famed New Orleans chef steps down from his company amid sexual harassment allegations, NY Post - Top chef John Besh steps down from company amid sexual harassment allegations)  Anthony Bourdain tweeted The beginning of the end of institutionalized Meathead Culture in the restaurant business