S12.E04: 12 Chefs Walk Into A Bar...

[candall]

I think/hope Chef Schlow didn't specify "JUDGES' TABLE!!" when he was expediting, which is great, and resulted in Katsuji sending out that careless glob of goo.  I loved that someone snarked about him failing to realize he was blowing off the "beautiful, famous, guest judge" instead of some worthless anonymous diner.

 

I'd be willing to cut Aaron a little slack (because I admit part of my problem with him is his hat) except he knows people aren't lining up to work with him and he still had to warn his team:  "Just don't piss me off."  Telling your teammates to remember and accommodate your temperamental short fuse = special snowflake status = GTFO.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Re. allergy accommodations - Twenty years ago I went to an expensive upscale restaurant owned by a famous Boston chef. I was with a group of MIT PhD's and Board members. One of the women in our group had a severe sulfate allergy, so she asked the waiter if she could get a steak without any of seasoning salt/spice rub described in the menu.  Waiter said no problem.  When the food came out, it was obvious this lady's steak had the seasoning rub all over her steak.  Rather then send it back or make a scene, she ate the vegetables (served on a different plate), some bread and ate the rest of her husband's salad (no dressing).  The waiter noticed she didn't touch the steak and she said it wasn't a problem, they'd take it home for the husband or kids.  The waiter must have told Chef Superiority Complex because he came storming over and yelled "Who has a problem with how I prepare my menu?!?  Do you understand how expensive this cut is??? Or is this your first experience in fine dining?"  The husband tried to explain the allergy and this chef slammed his fist down & FLIPPED the table over, yelling that if we didn't appreciate his food we could "all get the F*** OUT!"  The dining room was silent and we picked up our things (covered in wine, food etc.) and walked out. We all sent dry cleaning bills to the restaurant and they were all paid, however I have never ventured foot into any of this Jackhole's properties again.

 

Was it Todd English? Honk if so.

[BusyOctober]

Was it Todd English? Honk if so.

No.  But I hear he can be an ass as well. 

[ChelseaNH]

I think/hope Chef Schlow didn't specify "JUDGES' TABLE!!" when he was expediting, which is great

 

Yeah, there was a comment later in the service, probably after the second order for the judges, with a chef speculating that the gluten-free guest was at the judges' table.  So the later teams got a heads-up about the twist.

[Veruca Assault]

Reminder-before posting in the episode thread, ask yourself "is this regarding the episode?" If no, find the thread that it in relation to. Thank you!

[BC Mama]

Poor Gregory in the EC, taking Stacy's place stuck between two bickering teammates.  It doesn't surprise me Aaron was less of a jerk with a male chef than he was with KeriAnn.

 

I have to give Gregory some credit! He did not whine about how an element of his dish fell off his plate to the judges, but just took the criticism given to the dish he served! So many times it seems like the contestants expect the judges to to critique based on the dish they were supposed to get.

 

They should?  I thought it was up to the diner to order a gluten-free dish.  I can't imagine a restaurant patron ordering a pasta dish and asking the server to tell the chef they're gluten-free.  That would be like ordering a filet mignon and telling the chef you're a vegetarian.

 

I think it is pretty reasonable to expect a one dish on a tasting menu to be made gluten-free upon request!

 

Also, it seemed to me that Katsuji was blaming Greg to a certain extent for what he (K) served as gluten-free. He didn't have to take Greg's suggestion, and it wasn't necessarily Greg's place to pull K's butt out of the fire. Makes me less impressed with K's skills. He only seems to do well when he's in his wheelhouse. 

 

I agree! Gregory had his own dish to worry about.

[JES004]

I thought I heard Rebecca mention 'Last Chance Kitchen' in her exit interview.  I haven't seen or heard anything about it, nor does the Bravo site say anything that I could find.  It seems odd that the editors would leave it in.  Does anybody know if there is going to be a LCK?

 

[LizDC]

LCK is coming back in December...

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-12/blogs/team-top-chef/last-chance-kitchen-is-coming

[Lura]

I had some kind of a problem with this show.  Maybe it was me.  The entire show seemed to lack good thought behind it.  I think it was my least favorite show in a long time.  IMO, Tom Colicchio is getting sloppy.  He's leaving out important details, and he's putting in some rather dull material.  Maybe that's a problem with the editing and has nothing to do with Tom.  In any case, who is Amy Rossem?  Why was she a judge?  Why did her opinion carry any weight at all?  I felt almost offended that she sat there making remarks about the food, nodding in agreement or disagreement with the other judges, when we were not given any qualifications that showed why she was there???  With so much history in and around Boston, why in the world did they wind up at Cheers?  And if they did, why was the event so "un-Cheers-like" except for cheerless Norm sitting there?  "Cheers," the show, hasn''t been on for so long that some people didn't get it. 

 

Why do they have to waste any more camera time on Aaron?  He's a sour pickle, and they made that point much earlier.  Stop hitting us over the head with more examples.  Considering the huge amount of money spent on this show, I'm surprised by such a sloppy show that looked to me like it was thrown together.  The one bright spot, for me, was learning who Chef Schlow was and enjoying him so much.  He really does seem like a great guy.  I liked his encouragement to the chefs, and I liked his remarks.  I wish I still lived in Boston and could enjoy a meal at his restaurant! 

[Julia]

I think it is pretty reasonable to expect a one dish on a tasting menu to be made gluten-free upon request!

 

I don't know that I think it's entirely reasonable to expect all of the dishes on a tasting menu to be made gluten free on request, particularly since these chefs aren't running a restaurant. They're cooking to meet a challenge where they were specifically asked to make pasta.

 

As nasty twists go, it's actually more realistic than a lot of their curveballs, but it was a nasty curveball.

[BC Mama]

In any case, who is Amy Rossem?  Why was she a judge?  Why did her opinion carry any weight at all?  I felt almost offended that she sat there making remarks about the food, nodding in agreement or disagreement with the other judges, when we were not given any qualifications that showed why she was there???  

 

I think her name was Emmy, and I thought she was lovely. Having celebrities who have no professional cooking experience is not new to the show.

[mlp]

In any case, who is Amy Rossem?  Why was she a judge?  Why did her opinion carry any weight at all?  I felt almost offended that she sat there making remarks about the food, nodding in agreement or disagreement with the other judges, when we were not given any qualifications that showed why she was there??? 

 

 

I agree.  I didn't have the foggiest idea who she was and I had the same questions.  I will say that she was modestly dressed and seemed pleasant unlike a lot of young actresses but those aren't credentials for judging food. 

 

 

With so much history in and around Boston, why in the world did they wind up at Cheers?  And if they did, why was the event so "un-Cheers-like" except for cheerless Norm sitting there?  "Cheers," the show, hasn''t been on for so long that some people didn't get it.

 

 

I am apparently the only person in the western hemisphere who never watched Cheers.  I know about it, of course.  One can't not.  But, if there hadn't been a sign saying NORM on the end of the bar, I wouldn't have known the actor's connection because I'd never seen him before.  I agree that more explanation was in order.  I also agree that there are many things in Boston of more historical importance than a TV show setting.

[paramitch]

I don't hate Blais, per se, but I just find that I can't relax when I'm watching him.  He's so nervous and self-conscious, and the effort is so visible with him that I find it distracting. And in this episode, I found myself really actively disliking him as a judge here, for the first time, because every time he said something nasty about someone's dish, or something 'witty,' he smiled. I get that it's probably a nervous tic, but combine that with the overeagerness to pile on the moment a criticism came up, I found him at his most unlikable here.

 

I always feel weird criticizing Richard because I feel a kinship with him -- I am very much the same personality type and I think he's probably a nice guy in real life. But I don't think he's a good fit personalitywise on TC, ESPECIALLY as a judge. He's just not comfortable to watch. He makes me irritable and antsy and on edge.

 

Meanwhile, I liked the episode overall -- it was fun to see the homage to "Cheers" and since it remains a favorite of mine still over the years, I was happy to see George Wendt and didn't mind the gentle callouts. (Besides, the show itself really did try to localize itself, to bring in Boston locals and sports figures, which they did on a fairly regular basis, so it did seem to have a Boston heart to it.) I thought the Quickfires for the most part looked really tasty, too.

 

Although by the EC challenge, I found myself really disliking Katsuji in this and thought he was showing some serious stealth assitude. I also found it interesting to watch him with Aaron because I saw more similarities there than I was expecting, and thought neither one came off especially well (poor Gregory, though, having to spaz-wrangle the whole night).

 

I'm also very distracted by the fact that Aaron's eyes seem to hang at half-mast -- is he drunk for all of his THs? Then the interstitial that showed that Aaron is an absolutely filthy chef was so off-putting to me. Why would anyone hire this guy? If Top Chef is a perpetual job interview (which is how I tend to look at all of these things), Aaron has now shown that he cannot work with others, that he's not especially skilled, that he is persistently sexist, rude, and unprofessional, and now add to that list the fact that he is a filthy chef who can't keep his station clean (it would be worth it to see Gordon Ramsay's reaction to that absolutely disgusting work area they showed just for the yelling and vein-popping). Worst of all, he visibly kept trying to blame everyone around him. ("Where are my tasting spoons? Who moved my pots?" etc.)

 

I couldn't understand how Gregory got stuck with the two loudest, pushiest cheftestants, but I was glad he still distinguished himself. But I was floored when Schlow (who came off like a lovely person) said there were no problems between teams in the kitchen, but right then, I knew Purple had won. I figured otherwise he would have said something about the real team dynamics he'd witnessed.

 

I liked Emmy Rossum and she seemed to come off like a genuine fan of the show. I think she's fairly poised and articulate IRL, and felt downright sorry for her when she was served that bowl of gelatinous green pureed gunk as her "gluten-free" course. It looked inedible to me. The other teams showed that they were far better chefs simply by creating fairly lovely alternatives -- the polenta, risotto, zucchini pasta, etc. Most were not that difficult or time-consuming to make, either, and Rossum was so visibly pleased to get nice food for those courses.

 

So I really thought Katsuji should have gotten a speech from Tom about his choice there--it was the most egregious use of the "save" by the contestant I've seen. He used the fact that he was safe to pretty much insult a guest judge--he didn't have to care, so he didn't. And that's very telling to me, and honestly it means I wouldn't want to eat at his restaurant in real life.

 

I was kind of sorry to see Swayze go home, as he seemed like a guy who has a point of view and who can cook. The Boston chef meanwhile who admitted that her veggies were absolutely destroyed then would not admit it at Judges' Table? Drove me nuts.

 

Next week, Hugh Acheson evidently snarks at Aaron? I'm so there.

[wovenloaf]

I am apparently the only person in the western hemisphere who never watched Cheers.  I know about it, of course.  One can't not.  But, if there hadn't been a sign saying NORM on the end of the bar, I wouldn't have known the actor's connection because I'd never seen him before.  I agree that more explanation was in order.  I also agree that there are many things in Boston of more historical importance than a TV show setting.

Nope, not the only one. I've never seen a single episode. So the Cheers references didn't mean much to me either... But I did think it was cute that Gregory has a crush on Woody Harrelson.

Edited November 8, 2014 by wovenloaf

[WickedTuna]

Re. allergy accommodations - Twenty years ago I went to an expensive upscale restaurant owned by a famous Boston chef. I was with a group of MIT PhD's and Board members. One of the women in our group had a severe sulfate allergy, so she asked the waiter if she could get a steak without any of seasoning salt/spice rub described in the menu.

After a story like that you gotta tell us the name!

I love peas but Katsuji's gluten-free dish almost ruined them for me. Looked like someone found Alex's pea puree after all these years.

I was glad to see Rebecca go. She never seemed to be able to back up all her bragging. Plus, she seemed to be another one with PBF.

[Julia]

Taking the Richard meta to the media thread.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I couldn't understand how Gregory got stuck with the two loudest, pushiest cheftestants, but I was glad he still distinguished himself. But I was floored when Schlow (who came off like a lovely person) said there were no problems between teams in the kitchen, but right then, I knew Purple had won. I figured otherwise he would have said something about the real team dynamics he'd witnessed.

I was kind of sorry to see Swayze go home, as he seemed like a guy who has a point of view and who can cook. The Boston chef meanwhile who admitted that her veggies were absolutely destroyed then would not admit it at Judges' Table? Drove me nuts.

 

Re: James (Swayze) - maybe he is a point of view who can cook, but I am rewatching last week's Fenway episode, and he whiffed on that EC dish, too, while Stacy's dish was highly regarded.  I know that the judges make their decision based on each dish, but I am not sure we've seen much evidence that James is a better cook than Stacy.  Plus, in this episode, not only was EC dish not good, he was in the bottom for Quickfire. (According to Blais's blog, James dish was the first one out. Stacy's olive emulsion saved her because there was nothing on Rebecca's plate that stood out).

 

With regard to Michael Schlow and his comment about the team work - I think that they edited the show to highlight the conflict between Aaron and Katsuji, but in the grand scheme of things, they were really only sniping at each other, as opposed to going into a full meltdown.  And if they stopped once Schlow told them to settle down, I can understand why he would say that overall, the teams worked well. 

Edited November 8, 2014 by eleanorofaquitaine

[cooksdelight]

Some of the sniping between Aaron and Katsuji seemed to be forced/joking, to me. I thought they were messing with us.

[twilightzone]

I don't hate Blais, per se, but I just find that I can't relax when I'm watching him.  He's so nervous and self-conscious, and the effort is so visible with him that I find it distracting. And in this episode, I found myself really actively disliking him as a judge here, for the first time, because every time he said something nasty about someone's dish, or something 'witty,' he smiled. I get that it's probably a nervous tic, but combine that with the overeagerness to pile on the moment a criticism came up, I found him at his most unlikable here.

 

I always feel weird criticizing Richard because I feel a kinship with him -- I am very much the same personality type and I think he's probably a nice guy in real life. But I don't think he's a good fit personalitywise on TC, ESPECIALLY as a judge. He's just not comfortable to watch. He makes me irritable and antsy and on edge.

 

I couldn't understand how Gregory got stuck with the two loudest, pushiest cheftestants, but I was glad he still distinguished himself. But I was floored when Schlow (who came off like a lovely person) said there were no problems between teams in the kitchen, but right then, I knew Purple had won. I figured otherwise he would have said something about the real team dynamics he'd witnessed.

I think Richard Blais would have been better suited for a mentor role, like Tim Gunn on Project Runway.  Just because Blais is a good chef, doesn't make him a good judge.

 

IMO, the Gregory/Aaron/Katsuji paring was a Red Flag.  Greg has been a star so far, and I would think he would be first pick for any team.  I wonder if there was producer manipulation - to heighten the drama.  It reminded me of the beans Tom Colicchio spilled about Paul Qui - that he was such an obvious standpoint, that they had to play it down at times.

Edited November 8, 2014 by twilightzone

[stafford]

I was diagnosed with Celiac disease three years ago. I would never expect a restaurant to accommodate my dietary restrictions without calling ahead to make sure they had gluten free items on the menu. It's not just about turning something into a GF item because preparation is equally important. Using a skillet, grill or pan that has been used to cook food with gluten in it can and does cause cross-contamination and for people, like myself, causes serious problems. The hardest part was that I had to give away my grandmother's cast iron skillet because no matter how thoroughly I cleaned it--after using it I become ill.

People with severe gluten allergies or celiac disease are taking a huge risk by assuming the chefs and the kitchen know how to prepare GF items. Expecting a chef fixing pasta to turn that into GF is crazy unless they stock corn or rice pasta.

I hate being that "person" demanding accommodations so I always call ahead to make sure they have GF already on the menu. If they don't then I don't eat there. Springing GF restrictions on the chefs was unrealistic and dangerous for Emmy. The chefs that were most successful made a new meal.

By the way the best chain restaurants IMO serving safe GF foods are P.F. Changs, Qudoba, and Chipotle. Sad but true.

[Kromm]

Seems like Wendt's appearance may be for the Quickfire, in which case, I am okay with it. I don't love it, but I'd like for them to not waste an Elimination Challenge on Cheers.

Personally I don't see how Wendt appearing is any worse than any of the other pointless celebrities these kinds of shows (Project Runway is even worse) march out.

I actually don't even think "bar food" is inherently a bad challenge. Having an actor judge it isn't ideal, but then again bar food is kind of food for the masses anyway and the criteria isn't that sophisticated anyway (unless someone pulled some kind of "elevated bar food" challenge--which wasn't really the brief here).

for a Quickfire, I didn't have that much of a problem with them using Cheers as a location, but it definitely caters more to a tourist clientele.

And I think that's totally why they used it. The show has some deal with the city to shoot there. Cheers is a tourist attraction, and so the kind of thing the city probably WANTS to boost. Meanwhile the locals are probably secretly happy this means they won't have more tourists invading their actual favorite watering holes. It's a win-win.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Personally I don't see how Wendt appearing is any worse than any of the other pointless celebrities these kinds of shows (Project Runway is even worse) march out.

I actually don't even think "bar food" is inherently a bad challenge. Having an actor judge it isn't ideal, but then again bar food is kind of food for the masses anyway and the criteria isn't that sophisticated anyway (unless someone pulled some kind of "elevated bar food" challenge--which wasn't really the brief here).

And I think that's totally why they used it. The show has some deal with the city to shoot there. Cheers is a tourist attraction, and so the kind of thing the city probably WANTS to boost. Meanwhile the locals are probably secretly happy this means they won't have more tourists invading their actual favorite watering holes. It's a win-win.

 

I don't have any particular problem with Wendt himself, I just didn't want an entire elimination challenge focused on Cheers.  And as a Quickfire Challenge, it was fine.  But as a local, I actually would have preferred more of a focus on one of Boston's many fine neighborhood bars than Cheers but since it didn't take over the entire episode, I am fine with it.

 

Oh, and I am now reminded that Emmy Rossum does have a somewhat small connection in that she had a role in Mystic River, which was filmed in Boston. And one of her most important scenes took place in one of Boston's most famous neighborhood bars, Doyle's in Jamaica Plain.

[BC Mama]

Springing GF restrictions on the chefs was unrealistic and dangerous for Emmy. The chefs that were most successful made a new meal.

 

I don't recall Emmy ever saying that she has a celiacs disease. I thought it was Padma who described Emmy's gluten intolerance as an allergy. I know a lot of people who avoid gluten for a variety of reasons, and just call it an allergy because they think they will be taken more seriously. 

 

I actually don't even think "bar food" is inherently a bad challenge. Having an actor judge it isn't ideal, but then again bar food is kind of food for the masses anyway and the criteria isn't that sophisticated anyway (unless someone pulled some kind of "elevated bar food" challenge--which wasn't really the brief here).

 

I think a bar food challenge is pretty relevant to the restaurant scene at the moment. There seems to be more and more bars opening up that specialize in craft beers, and have a small but carefully selected food menu to accompany the beers! Much of the menus I see popping are elevated bar food!

[theatremouse]

I don't recall Emmy ever saying that she has a celiacs disease. I thought it was Padma who described Emmy's gluten intolerance as an allergy. I know a lot of people who avoid gluten for a variety of reasons, and just call it an allergy because they think they will be taken more seriously.

She didn't say it on this episode, but has said so publicly on other television shows in the past. Rossum did mention on the episode she hasn't eaten gluten in 15 years, which, as others have pointed out, is well before self-diagnosed gluten "intolerance" became trendy.

People with severe gluten allergies or celiac disease are taking a huge risk by assuming the chefs and the kitchen know how to prepare GF items. Expecting a chef fixing pasta to turn that into GF is crazy unless they stock corn or rice pasta.

In the real world this is absolutely true, but on Top Chef, just based on history alone they should absolutely expect at some point to be given a challenge that purposefully makes them work around a dietary restriction of some guest judge.

 

I've also read in the past that we see the brief overview review of the challenge on screen, but then basically there's like an hour long off-camera deep dive in which all the nitty gritty details of the rules of the current challenge are explained, contestants ask questions, and so on. I have no insider knowledge but I imagine there was one of those as well regarding the "no serious, yo, this is an allergy", rather than just the one-off brief mention from the server to the kitchen. This wasn't a real world restaurant situation with someone randomly asking what they could make for them that would be GF. It was specifically part of the challenge. It was presented as a "surprise" but it's really just like when they give them "twists" mid-challenge. They still have rules that probably still have to be explained in depth.

[Texasmom1970]

Hunterhunted I totally understand the allergy frustration. We found out my daughter is deathly allergy to tree nuts after eating a cashew from trail mix given as an elementary school snack. I am still amazed how little schools and their staff know about food allergies.

I hope this episode helps bring to light how serious food allergies can be, many restaurants do not accommodate or even proprely list ingredients. And dont even get me started on cross contamination, one careless cook or server can cause big problems. I think having the chefs gave to alter a dish to accommodate an allergy is realistic and good practice.

Is any else wondering if Padma and George were smashed after the quick fire. There seemed to be a lot of chugging going on!

[Kromm]

I think a bar food challenge is pretty relevant to the restaurant scene at the moment. There seems to be more and more bars opening up that specialize in craft beers, and have a small but carefully selected food menu to accompany the beers! Much of the menus I see popping are elevated bar food!

"Elevated" is a phrased tossed around sloppily in the restaurant industry, and even worse by a show like this.

The thing I was saying though was that they weren't specifically instructed to make an "elevated" dish, so the best odds with top Chef (where they can nitpick at you for not following a brief) is to not do it. It means adhering to a few basic rules in my opinion--hand-held food over fork and knife food. No fancy plating. No molecular gastronomy. Cheaper ingredients (done well) over more expensive ones (the exception might be a Lobster Roll--if only because it's bounced around between being cheap and expensive food in it's history). Hearty dishes over frou-frou. Stuff like that.

Elevating would mean fancier plating (including far less adherence to it being hand to mouth food), more expensive ingredients, probably a lot less frying of things, perhaps even pair-able with wine over beer.

[stillshimpy]

I don't hate Blais, per se, but I just find that I can't relax when I'm watching him.  He's so nervous and self-conscious, and the effort is so visible with him that I find it distracting.

 

paramitch, this comes really close to why I have a difficult time enjoying Blais and am really not enjoying him as a judge.  He just seems to be trying to approximate something and not quite getting there.  Trying to approximate comfort in front of the cameras, a casual style with a sort of effortless ease in his fashion choice and he just isn't quite getting there.  He's not comfortable to watch for me and there were a couple of times he made me wince slightly.  When he said, "It's tasty!" he had the oddest inflection and expression.  

 

I've been struggling like crazy to try and pinpoint how to describe it and I think I finally have it:  so much of what Blais does shows the strain of artifice.  Most people who dated as adults at any point had this happen to them:  A well meaning friend tries to set you up with another friend of theirs and it is just not happening. No way, no how, but this is your friend's friend, so you're just trying to be delightful the entire time, while in your head, counting down the seconds until you can excuse yourself for the evening without causing great offense...and worse still....you are pretty freaking sure the friend-of-a-friend is in the exact same head-space the entire time.  So you end acting like you, but to a brittle and forced degree.  There's a shrill or maniacal edge to it all.  

 

Watching Blais is like witnessing that date from afar.   He's the embodiment of that social discomfort combined with a near desperation to be "on".   Since I suspect he's just a geek at heart, I don't want to dislike him.  Then I read a piece wherein he defends his judging style and I officially give up on trying to give the guy yet another chance.  He combines socially awkward mannerisms with a lot of pretension and he makes me wish James Oseland was on in his stead, which is almost certainly a sign of the apocalypse.  

 

Oseland at least has a lot to say about the food that at least has merit.  Not "It's not a bad little salad.  It's tasty!"  for whatever reason Blais is leaving out specifics that need to be in there to give his judging merit.  Like rather than saying, "Radicchio is a tough sell"  he might want to add to that something that explains why (it's got a bitter edge that can sometimes overpower any other ingredients...or whatever made him say that) or "it's not a bad little salad because _______ makes it tasty." 

 

He's weirdly lack in specificity while making me feel uncomfortable.  Speaking of:  

 

 

 

Although by the EC challenge, I found myself really disliking Katsuji in this and thought he was showing some serious stealth assitude.

 

I didn't think it was all that stealthy.  I also don't think he was just playing with Aaron, because I've got no doubt in my mind now: Aaron's the real deal when it comes to jackasses.  He's not getting a bad edit.  He's not there to play the villain role.  He's a jackass and whereas I doubt Katsuji is anywhere near as bad, Katsuji deciding to poke Aaron's rather real bear was only something he could get away with because he knew he had immunity and wasn't risking his own neck on any level.  

 

I don't dislike Katsuji, but I had been vaguely fond of him up until this episode. 

 

I think a lot of restaurants have a Gluten Free menu item or two these days.  There's a whole big long thing about how cross-breeding and developing wheat to be able to tolerate industrial processing for kneading, etc. has actually contributed to the rise in people not being able to digest gluten as easily as they used to, but it does appear to be a real thing for people, even if it isn't interchangeable with Celiac's Disease.  Just saying, usually someone who is gluten free either calls ahead, or chooses solely from the menu options that are GF.  

 

I liked the actress, found she made good comments and I think it was also pretty clear that Schlow had stocked the pantry in order to give the chefs viable alternatives when he announced at the beginning of the night that they would have a GF diner.  I don't think most of the challenges on this show very accurately reflect real-life "this is absolutely how it would be in the restaurant world" because we've seen goofy stuff like having to make Thanksgiving Dinner in microwaves on this show, or on masters they had to cook on a tour bus once.  

 

I didn't mind the quickfire at all, and I like George Wendt.  I think it's always difficult for people from the hometown where a show is shot, because you guys know "Nooooo, there are so many much cooler things about my city!" and I'm sure you're right,  but for people watching from other places, I think it's nice to have something that feels inclusive to them too, like Cheers, which even if people haven't seen it, they've heard of it.  

 

I've been enjoying this season, even if there's one chef I wish was already gone (Aaron) and one judge I just sort of have to willfully ignore when he shows up.  

Edited November 9, 2014 by stillshimpy

[BC Mama]

"Elevated" is a phrased tossed around sloppily in the restaurant industry, and even worse by a show like this.

The thing I was saying though was that they weren't specifically instructed to make an "elevated" dish, so the best odds with top Chef (where they can nitpick at you for not following a brief) is to not do it. It means adhering to a few basic rules in my opinion--hand-held food over fork and knife food. No fancy plating. No molecular gastronomy. Cheaper ingredients (done well) over more expensive ones (the exception might be a Lobster Roll--if only because it's bounced around between being cheap and expensive food in it's history). Hearty dishes over frou-frou. Stuff like that.

Elevating would mean fancier plating (including far less adherence to it being hand to mouth food), more expensive ingredients, probably a lot less frying of things, perhaps even pair-able with wine over beer.

 

I don't think my understanding of elevated is the same as yours. I would not say that all of the dishes made at the QF would be considered "elevated bar food," but some were to me. For an example, the winning dish - Katsuji's tostada with ceviche was a step above what i would expect to see on a bar menu.

[Macbeth]

I have no problem with using Cheers as a locale.  (Disclaimer - I loved the show and am a life-long Bostonian.  However I never went to the bar as it is a tourist trap - and I live on the other side of Beacon Hill from it.)

 

It is a locale that the national audience could relate to - so it makes sense.  Cheers was an extremely popular show and it is in syndication.

 

Keep in mind that Bravo is an affiliate of NBC which aired the show.  It would have been shocking if the location had not been used.

 

Also Emmy Rossum was there to promote another NBC related show.  She was pleasant and pretty to look at.  The fact that the show could use an allergy of hers to add a twist is to be expected.  The chefs could use the restaurant's pantries and gluten-free is not that unusaul these days. 

Edited November 9, 2014 by Macbeth

[tpplay]

 

We all sent dry cleaning bills to the restaurant and they were all paid, however I have never ventured foot into any of this Jackhole's properties again.

 

Tell us who did this, I beg of you.  I am anxious to cease patronizing his restaurants.

[biakbiak]

Also Emmy Rossum was there to promote another NBC related show.

 

Shameless is on Showtime, not NBC.

[Macbeth]

Well there must be a tie in somewhere to Bravo as Rossum has been on 2 Bravo shows.  Or Showtime is paying for the promotion.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Macbeth

[Kromm]

Well there must be a tie in somewhere to Bravo as Rossum has been on 2 Bravo shows.  Or Showtime is paying for the promotion.

I doubt it.  It's probably as simple as someone working on Top Chef knowing someone who works for Shameless.  Bravo isn't behind every last thing. Although it may seem like it from the way all of their so-called "Bravolebrities" appear on each other's shows--but Rossum, while hardly A-list Hollywood--is a bonifide celeb outside of that incestuous Bravo circle of faux-celebs.

[paramitch]

I've been struggling like crazy to try and pinpoint how to describe it and I think I finally have it:  so much of what Blais does shows the strain of artifice.  Most people who dated as adults at any point had this happen to them:  A well meaning friend tries to set you up with another friend of theirs and it is just not happening. No way, no how, but this is your friend's friend, so you're just trying to be delightful the entire time, while in your head, counting down the seconds until you can excuse yourself for the evening without causing great offense...and worse still....you are pretty freaking sure the friend-of-a-friend is in the exact same head-space the entire time.  So you end acting like you, but to a brittle and forced degree.  There's a shrill or maniacal edge to it all.  

 

Watching Blais is like witnessing that date from afar.   He's the embodiment of that social discomfort combined with a near desperation to be "on".   Since I suspect he's just a geek at heart, I don't want to dislike him.  Then I read a piece wherein he defends his judging style and I officially give up on trying to give the guy yet another chance.  He combines socially awkward mannerisms with a lot of pretension and he makes me wish James Oseland was on in his stead, which is almost certainly a sign of the apocalypse.    

 

Beautifully put. You just described why watching Blais is so uncomfortable far better than I did. (Also, even sadder: That is me on GOOD dates. Hee.)

It's interesting you bring up Oseland--I actually think he'd be a good fit here, although I really miss Emeril the most. I occasionally found Oseland pompous as a judge before, but he did have a way of beautifully describing the food (so important when it's our only real insight into what the dish must be like). But then on one of his stints on Top Chef Masters 3-4 years back, he blogged that he'd just learned that his cat was terminally ill and only had a week or two left. The post was very eloquent about what his cat meant to him, and since I'm a pet person, I e-mailed him a note of sympathy. Oseland e-mailed me back a really kind and appreciative note of thanks within a few hours and I've always liked him for that--he certainly had a lot on his plate, so I've always been touched that he responded personally.

 

Meanwhile, I forgot to add that my absolute favorite moment of this episode was when Gregory shyly admitted his crush on Woody Harrelson, and George Wendt chuckled and basically said, "Who didn't?" So cute.

[Bella]

Wading into the Rossum debate, I actually liked the challenge, and I wondered if she might have been brought in because a) she knew someone in the Top Chef hierarchy and b) they wanted to try to last-minute, gluten-free switch-up. I thought it was interesting to see how the chefs responded.

 

Here's my question, though: do fine dining restaurants really ever move that quickly to make a change for a guest who has allergies? It's one thing to have a gluten-free item or three on the menu, and if the guest calls in advance, I think a top kitchen should be able to have something available. But "oh, by the way, I'm allergic to gluten" as she's placing the order? How realistic is that?

 

I know TC doesn't replicate real-life situations in all of its challenges, I'm just wondering about this one.

[kakiphony]

I can tell you that (as someone with relatives with celiac disease and as someone who has worked food service) if someone showed up without calling ahead to the restaurant where I worked and requested gluten free I would apologize, buy them a drink, and send them on their way with a recommendation for another restaurant. It is flat-out impossible for an unprepared restaurant to prepare a TRULY gluten free product without advance notice and/or a long-standing commitment to serving truly gluten free foods. I would recommend the local vegetarian/vegan/gluten free restaurant because I KNOW they have the proper ingredients and properly segregated work stations, pans and utensils.

 

Frankly, I think the government should require restaurants even advertising options as GF on their menus to have a disclaimer on their menus stating that they are prepared in a facility with flour -- like the disclaimer on prepared foods and candy stating that they are packaged in a facility which also packages or processes nuts. True celiac disease is that sensitive and that bad. 

[paramitch]

While I did think it was a bit unfair (real-world-wise) for them to spring Emmy's gluten-free requirement on them, as a Top Chef challenge, I loved it. It beautifully showed several sides of the chefs at once while presenting them with a terrific and cerebral challenge on the clock.

 

So I thought it was very disappointing, yet telling, that Katsuji half-assed the gluten-free dish, literally glopping pureed green ingredients (seriously?) into the bowl and saying, "It's good enough," yet the other chefs used it as an opportunity to truly spotlight their creativity. Their gluten-free dishes made the Purple team look that much worse, as they were thoughtful and lovely and light and almost all were praised and got to showcase the chefs' talents -- the risotto, the beautiful zucchini "pasta," the polenta cake -- and Rossum appeared truly appreciative.

 

I definitely think GF diners should do their research before dining out, but I really liked the inclusion of it in this season's Elimination Challenge. It was a sneaky, smart way to ask chefs to step up their games on the fly.

[Bastet]

Wading into the Rossum debate, I actually liked the challenge, and I wondered if she might have been brought in because a) she knew someone in the Top Chef hierarchy

 

Padma said twice in the episode that Emmy Rossum is her friend.

[Bella]

Padma said twice in the episode that Emmy Rossum is her friend.

 

I remember that, but I wondered how literally she meant the word "friend." I've always assumed that the word gets thrown around pretty loosely in TV-land.

[Kromm]

Padma said twice in the episode that Emmy Rossum is her friend.

Anyone famous is Padma's friend, I think.

 

I don't think it's impossible, but they don't seem to have much in common.  Padma is old enough to be Emmy's mother (even if she'd never admit it).  

[Bastet]

I'd never heard of Rossum prior to the episode, and I know nothing about Padma beyond TC, so I have no idea the extent of their acquaintance.  But Padma has not made a habit of introducing celebrity judges as her friend or referring to them that way at the dinner table that I can recall, so I'll go ahead and assume Padma is, indeed, a connection between Rossum and the show as was being wondered about.

[RealityGal]

Wading into the Rossum debate, I actually liked the challenge, and I wondered if she might have been brought in because a) she knew someone in the Top Chef hierarchy and b) they wanted to try to last-minute, gluten-free switch-up. I thought it was interesting to see how the chefs responded.

 

Here's my question, though: do fine dining restaurants really ever move that quickly to make a change for a guest who has allergies? It's one thing to have a gluten-free item or three on the menu, and if the guest calls in advance, I think a top kitchen should be able to have something available. But "oh, by the way, I'm allergic to gluten" as she's placing the order? How realistic is that?

 

I know TC doesn't replicate real-life situations in all of its challenges, I'm just wondering about this one.

Most of the better places I've gone to have a gluten free alternative ready (except for bread).  And generally the biggest problem is the pasta/pizza dishes.  Most of the other starches are potatoes and rice.  So all you have to do is carry gluten free pasta and pizza dough really, and most better places I guess figure thats easy enough to do.  Now for someone with celiacs its probably much harder because of the potential for cross contamination, and most restaurants will generally say "gluten free pasta available upon request" at the bottom, I'm imagine to avoid some liability for cross contamination.  I don't cook, but I would imagine if you just order a breast of chicken and a rice dish it wouldn't come into contact with any gluten, but I really don't know.

 

Now, I was recently forced into a Shakey's and I will tell you, that place has no gluten free options, so watch out.  And don't go for the salad bar, it looks like a breeding ground of contamination period.

[joanne3482]

I don't cook, but I would imagine if you just order a breast of chicken and a rice dish it wouldn't come into contact with any gluten, but I really don't know.

 

Theoretically, yes, but actually not so much. They may use a marinade on the chicken that may contain gluten or a sauce that contains it. They may use 'flavor enhancers' that contain it. There are a ridiculous amount of ways gluten can get introduced into food and that's not even taking into consideration cross contamination. For example, scrambled eggs should be straight forward and GF, but not at iHop who puts pancake batter in the eggs to make them fluffier. 

 

I was diagnosed with Celiac back in the 90s before the internet took off and before I had the ability to do my homework easily.  Even today, I would never walk into an Italian restaurant without checking on their GF menu possibility, but I have gone into other types without checking. I know certain cuisines are much more difficult to get a good GF option than others so those are the ones I do my homework on. I also never presume that a restaurant (especially one like Italian which is so wheat heavy) without a GF menu can accommodate me. 

 

The only reason I didn't like this episode was because I have always wanted a true GF challenge. I've always wanted to see the chefs create a full meal that was completely gluten free - including dessert - for everyone they were serving that day. 

[turbogirlnyc]

Colicchio insists that this has never happened, and that he would have quit if production had ever tried it. They take this very seriously. Suggesting that Colicchio was perhaps not being completely forthcoming was grounds for the banhammer on TWOP under Bravo management. 

 

I'd love to believe this but I just rewatched TC Las Vegas on Esquire yesterday. You can't tell me that Robin almost made it to the finals based on her cooking skills alone. There was way too much talent that season for someone like her to skate by. Drama, drama, drama.

Edited November 12, 2014 by turbogirlnyc

[questionfear]

I liked the episode really, but the only thing I actually came away with was, 'There's only twelve left now?  Didn't we just start the season?'  Hm.  

 

I am waiting for the day when their female celebrity guest judge tells them that they only eat vegan raw gluten free organic free range sprouts or something.  It seems like most of the female celebrity guests have very demanding diets and for some reason that irritates the crap out of me. I would so much like to see one say 'Meat! Big ol slabs of meat! For every course!'  

Isn't that what Anna Faris basically asked for when she and Chris Pratt were on the Seattle season? They both emphasized how much they loved game meats. 

[Padma]

Jesus, did Blais run over everyone's puppies or something?

 

He's a judge. Sometimes, his insight is useful, sometimes it isn't. It's not worth getting an aneurism over, and I don't see him as being any worse than the other judges. 

I don't think I'd like him just based on how he acts here, but having seen him in so many TC incarnations through the years, I really can't stand him at all.

 

 Richard is so full of himself. Sure, some other chefs can be arrogant douches, too, but (usually) I don't like them either. Just because he's "hard on himself" and "insecure" doesn't excuse his obnoxiousness, imo, or make it tolerable to see him judging others. I don't know why they like to have him on various TC shows so often. There are so many other alums who would bring so much more to the JT.

[HappyDancex2]

We should have a gluten free thread! We've been celiac for 18 years...well before fads and calling ahead is just the first step. Regardless of whether Emily is gf or celiac though I really enjoyed her as a judge. She was pleasant, smart and articulate. If she has sprue then I would imagine that the chefs got the off camera smack down of cross contamination. No fun poisoning the guest judge.

I will say restaurants want the gf revenue though. The person answering the phone says they can handle gluten free, does not hear or understand the words celiac sprue and just books the order. We just experienced this yesterday at Sheldon's Migrant. Tons of GF options but not sprue ready. He was nice enough to accommodate a fish dish with new pan and utensils, simply prepared and modified sauce and veggies. But we never want to put the kitchen in that position. If it wasn't Sheldon himself on property we probably would have left and we called ahead.

I like Blais. I really do.

Puréed frozen peas...mmmm baby food!

This episode did feel oddly edited for the quick fire but the menus were interesting to watch. Who knew people liked scallops so much? I for one, never order them! Now I think I'm going to go out of my way to order radicchio. /hellasnark

The zucchini pasta was a nice alternative and very on trend with paleo being so popular. Our hotel is doing cucumber noodles prepared similarly and they taste like pasta.

[Special K]

For someone with true celiac, even vinegar is a problem -- most vinegar (not balsamic, I think) uses grain gluten in its production.

 

It's not just avoiding bagels and pasta.

[Special K]

Michael Schlow FTW!!  Oh, wait....

[RealityGal]

For someone with true celiac, even vinegar is a problem -- most vinegar (not balsamic, I think) uses grain gluten in its production.

 

It's not just avoiding bagels and pasta.

Yeah, I don't have celiac's, but I think I have a gluten problem (since I stopped eating gluten, I have felt better).

 

I was dying for thai food last night, and my favorite is pad say eew.  In reading up on it, the noodles are rice noodles, but the soy sauce apparently has gluten, but the gluten may be so degraded so it may not make a huge difference.  The whole thing was confusing, and I ended up getting an In n Out burger protein style.