Season 3: Get Your Spoons!

[cooksdelight]

I first saw Naomi on Top Chef Masters, and she's a James Beard Award winner. I would love to see her as a mentor on this show. She's definitely qualified.

[Drogo]

 

I first saw Naomi on Top Chef Masters, and she's a James Beard Award winner. I would love to see her as a mentor on this show. She's definitely qualified.

 

She had a great TV presence.  She also seemed a much better teacher than most of the other guest mentors.  

 

If you're in the Portland area, brunch at her restaurant "Beast" sounds like a good time.  

[Wouldofshouldof]

What's with all the wrist sweatbands? Do wrists really sweat that much?

[theatremouse]

I thought the point of wrist sweatbands was more so you could basically swipe your wrist across various parts of your face? (As opposed to just forehead, since you can already get a band for that specifically).

Edited December 21, 2014 by theatremouse

[Wouldofshouldof]

Ah, good point!

[Wishing Well]

The ones on Marcus's team are from last year, he gave them to Shehu and Sarah after Shehu got like 20 red stars to keep their morale up. It looks like it's a team tradition thing now.

[cee]

So Tony, Ludo, and Marcus gave gold stars to their own teams. And, Nigella chose the chewy short rib over PK's dessert. That was mystifying. It seems the chefs are smart enough to cook for their mentors. But for PK, it's a lost cause.

[CCee123]

Jen has been writing about her experience for the Boston Herald. http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/television_news/2014/12/exclusive_tales_from_the_taste_jen_faces  It's interesting to hear about the behind the scenes a little bit. 

[cooksdelight]

I'm sort of surprised she's talking about the show before her time there is over.

[GaT]

I'm sort of surprised she's talking about the show before her time there is over.

Me too, I would think they would want her to keep her mouth shut until the finale. Especially since she says this:

 

I won’t bore you with technicalities, but I didn’t make enough spoons. Let’s just leave it at that. There are certain rules to the show I cannot discuss but the bottom line is I screwed up and didn’t meet the requirements.

Why can't she discuss certain rules? I don't see any reason why we can't know the rules to the competition, it makes me think we're being scammed in some way.

[Kromm]

Me too, I would think they would want her to keep her mouth shut until the finale. Especially since she says this:

Why can't she discuss certain rules? I don't see any reason why we can't know the rules to the competition, it makes me think we're being scammed in some way.

An NDA won't discriminate.  The NDA is likely worded to allow them to discuss details that have (already) appeared ON AIR at the point they talk to the media or post about it. Discussions of on-set regulations don't EVER appear on air, so they likely can't discuss them ever.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Kromm

[MarkHB]

The way "reality" shows are allowed to be so opaque w/r/t the rules, etc. compared to conventional game shows is intriguing; that part about "I can't discuss certain aspects of the rules" struck me as well.  I actually once emailed the FCC to ask what the regulations were, but they never replied.

[bluepiano]

She's also been considered a non-traditional sex symbol all this time (during the midnight snack segments, there would be a lot of finger licking, opening mouth wide stuff) & so she has always dressed in very form fitting clothes. That's why her dress was so tight, they may have overdone it this time.

 

There's "poured into a dress," but that was "stuffed" in. The other word that came to mind was "bursting," as in "bursting at the seams."

 

Nigella is a beautiful and sexy woman, but she's not 22, and so you would think that along with maturity would come a certain amount of taste and self-knowledge. That dress had an air of desperation, like she was trying way too hard. Coupled with her dismal performance as a mentor (each season she actually seems to get more clueless) it perpetuates the idea that the only reason she is on the show is to be eye candy. I'm sure she sees herself as a role model for strong, young women who want a career in a male dominated field. But right now she seems to be conveying the unfortunate message that a woman can succeed based on her looks, even when she has very little else to offer.

 

As for Jen, she combines cluelessness with arrogance, because despite everything the judges were telling her, she kept insisting her only problem was not completing all four spoons. She refused to hear them saying there were issues with her food. I fear that this season's script is to make her the scrappy underdog who keeps narrowly avoiding elimination, much to the horror of her fellow contestants. She's already playing the role of the designated comic foil - an amateur cook (almost always) who annoys the heck out of the judges by being disorganized, sloppy, and oblivious to their criticism.

 

I don't think she has any chance of bumbling her way into the finals, but she's already been around too long in my book.

Edited December 22, 2014 by bluepiano

[In Pog Form]

Does Mia have some kind of mental condition? The way she slurs her words and distorts her mouth when she speaks is really weird.

[cooksdelight]

The way "reality" shows are allowed to be so opaque w/r/t the rules, etc. compared to conventional game shows is intriguing; that part about "I can't discuss certain aspects of the rules" struck me as well.  I actually once emailed the FCC to ask what the regulations were, but they never replied.

If you look up laws regarding U.S. Code 509, you'll get more insight. Many reality shows in which there is a competition of any sort, production cannot alter anything to allow one contestant to have an advantage over another. The question has come up numerous times in Survivor and The Amazing Race. Those things you see at the end of a show which hint that production has the final say in an outcome is a gray area I'm still not sure about. I think that's where the "reality" show part kicks in.

[In Pog Form]

She's also been considered a non-traditional sex symbol all this time (during the midnight snack segments, there would be a lot of finger licking, opening mouth wide stuff) & so she has always dressed in very form fitting clothes.

In what way is Nigella's sexiness "non-traditional"?

[Kromm]

In what way is Nigella's sexiness "non-traditional"?

It depends on when the tradition is from.  So maybe a better phrase would be Rubenesque? 

[Totale]

I think the nature of the competition is a major factor.  Jeopardy! or Millionaire is pretty much straight up competition (or game in Millionaire's case) with a minimum of judging.  Subjectively judged shows like food or fashion competitions are more like "juried" art shows and allow for a lot more fiddling.  Even something like The Taste where the judges supposedly don't have a clue who their judging leave gaps where "you can't dump her, she's good TV" can slip in.

[Totale]

It depends on when the tradition is from.  So maybe a better phrase would be Rubenesque? 

 

That's pretty much strictly a body type definition, though.  In almost everything I've seen her on, she actually usually dresses pretty demurely for women on 21st century TV.  Her deal comes from a deeper place.  If you want to see it in concentrated form, go stick "naughty Nigella" into Youtube sometime.

[Rapunzel]

The scream fest that they call a "Taste Off" this season definitely gives the mentors/production a chance to manipulate/influence things. If there are three or more people who received red stars, the mentors pick who goes to the Taste Off. The judging of it may be blind, but the fact that they can pick who competes openly and not blindly is problematic.

 

In my opinion, the two contestants that have been sent packing after the Taste Off should have stayed over Jen. The fact that Jen was the only one this last round to get two red stars should have automatically sent her home over another contestant who just got one. She would have been out because of this in either of the two previous seasons and I hate the fact that she thinks the only reason she was in the bottom is because she didn't put up four spoons. In the interview that was posted above, she seems to think she likely would have gotten a gold star if she had been able to meet the four spoons requirement. The woman doesn't even know what piece of cookware to use unless Ludo tells her and, while I could kind of live with Jake being eliminated previously (despite the fact that there was at least an appearance of him being selected for the Taste Off in order to help keep Nigella's team from being completely eliminated so quickly), I think Joe definitely deserved to stay over Jen.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Rapunzel

[MarkHB]

The scream fest that they call a "Taste Off" this season definitely gives the mentors/production a chance to manipulate/influence things. If there are three or more people who received red stars, the mentors pick who goes to the Taste Off. The judging of it may be blind, but the fact that they can pick who competes openly and not blindly is problematic.

I think it's intended to be an improvement over the previous seasons, where the "pick who goes to the Taste Off" was actually "pick who goes home." It at least adds a blind element to the final elimination.

[Rapunzel]

I think it's intended to be an improvement over the previous seasons, where the "pick who goes to the Taste Off" was actually "pick who goes home." It at least adds a blind element to the final elimination.

Good point, but I would prefer that they had everyone who got a red star cook in the Taste Off unless one contestant got more red stars than any of the others. The maximum amount of contestants that would be cooking would be 4, which is still manageable for judging, and I think that would better help keep the integrity of the "blind tasting/judging."

 

Even if they decided they really only wanted two contestants in the Taste Off, why not keep it blind and not tell the judges who made their least favorite dishes until after they came to a consensus on the two worst that should have to go into the Taste Off?

Edited December 22, 2014 by Rapunzel

[mlp]

 

Nigella is a beautiful and sexy woman, but she's not 22, and so you would think that along with maturity would come a certain amount of taste and self-knowledge. That dress had an air of desperation, like she was trying way too hard. Coupled with her dismal performance as a mentor (each season she actually seems to get more clueless) it perpetuates the idea that the only reason she is on the show is to be eye candy.

 

I agree.  I don't pay much attention to fashion usually and even I noticed that the white trim pieces on her dress were cut to draw your eye in and make her waist seem smaller - not that there's anything wrong with that.  She looks good when the camera sees her straight on but, a couple times, she was caught from the side and I could see every bulge.  None of that bothers me because I don't blame her or anyone for trying to look their best.  What does annoy me is the act she puts on in the judges' break room.  I've noticed that, when the other people in the room are all men, she lounges on that chaise and does her aging sex kitten bit but, when there's another female in there, she keeps her feet on the floor.  Last week she did manage to be sitting on an artfully draped shawl. 

 

I would love to see more of Naomi Pomeroy.  She'd be a much better judge and mentor than Nigella.

[Snarkette]

So what happens when two of Ludo's team are both in the scream-off?

[Rapunzel]

So what happens when two of Ludo's team are both in the scream-off?

Good question - I'm curious about this myself. If both contestants come from the same team which, in theory, could certainly happen (well, except for Nigella since she's down to one person), how would the Taste Off work? This makes the mentors' decision about who should be in it a bit more suspect to me. They already know who earned the red stars so there is at least the potential for some manipulation in order to keep a scenario like this from happening.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Rapunzel

[MarkHB]

I'm sure that the mentor-debate is driven at least in part by the desire to make sure that "both contestants come from the same team" doesn't happen.  Does that make it completely blind?  No, but it's more blind overall than almost any other show I've seen.

[RockShrimp]

Does Mia have some kind of mental condition? The way she slurs her words and distorts her mouth when she speaks is really weird.

I've been assuming she has a tongue ring.

[candall]

I don't understand how Jen didn't have at least three-and-a-half spoons.  Did she really build each spoon one at a time instead of first layer all the way across, second layer all the way across, etc?

 

I remember the first time I had a "Hot Brown."  The description sounded delicious but it was gluey and boring.  I can't imagine sending out the leftover turkey breast dish next to the richness and spices of the other holiday offerings.  A parmesan crisp topper is tasty, but it's not exactly The Christmas Miracle.

[cooksdelight]

Jen....efficient? She'd need a doctor for that. :)

[Drogo]

Or a turtle.

[MarkHB]

Btw, I checked and the show is back on next Thursday, New Year's night.

[cooksdelight]

Oh boy, I'm sure the ratings will soar that night. :)

[cooksdelight]

We've got a thread here called Discuss Your Hosts.... if you don't mind, please post there regarding general talk about the hosts, your likes and dislikes. We'll keep just episode talk here. Thanks!

I'll move some of the recent ones to keep the continuity going.

[chocolatine]

If I hear one more person say "marscapone" I'll stick a fork in my eye!

 

Naomi Pomeroy seems like a cool chick but I almost got a heart attack from watching how much salt and butter she used to make that roast. I always wonder how chefs whose specialty is super-rich food eat privately, because if they ate what they served in their restaurants every day, they would be morbidly obese and dead by 40.

 

Really bad choice on Nigella's part to make her team bake not only for a savory chef but also when at least one person on the team wasn't a good/experienced baker. And like someone said upthread, good cooks aren't necessarily good bakers and vice versa.

 

As for Nigella's dresses, I've noticed that she wears only two or three patterns of dresses, but in different colors so superficially it looks like a different dress every time. She's worn the exact same dress before, in plaid with black lapels and pockets, but the contrast there wasn't as pronounced as with the red/white in this episode, so the earlier incarnation of the dress was more flattering.

Edited December 29, 2014 by chocolatine

[cooksdelight]

If I hear one more person say "marscapone" I'll stick a fork in my eye!

It used to be a drinking game at my house when my friends and I would watch the various cooking competitions and people who should know how to say it.....don't. Then we decided we wanted to keep our livers.

[MarkHB]

Episode s03 e04: Happy New Year (1/1/2015)

 

It’s a new year and there’s a new battle brewing in the kitchen when the remaining cooks are tasked with making delicious dishes bursting with decadent and elevated flavors with ingredients like champagne, shellfish and caviar. Chef Michael Symon is guest judge.

[cooksdelight]

I wonder how Nigella will instruct them to make a cake with caviar?

[cooksdelight]

My eyes hurt. Marcus is wearing a PANTONE color swatch book as a shirt.

[Crucial]

Is Nigella's ego that huge that she cannot see her being a mentor on this show hurts the show.  Again, she's out.  There could be another mentor to add to the competition instead it's a 3 team race because of her.  Can she not be removed as an executive producer?  Or does she hold that much weight on the show?  She brings nothing to the show.  If she did she wouldn't be leaving again early.  I didn't want to see either person leave this time.  I was really hoping Jen would fail again.

[backgroundnoise]

Hee.  I see they added subtitles for Ludo during the scream off. 

 

I don't like the cook-off at all, not in concept or execution.  The guy with two red stars gets a pass?  Boo. 

 

At least it didn't seem like the time Natasha spent helping Jen was the reason for her dish being in the bottom.

 

 

[cooksdelight]

I'm hoping this season is Nigella's wake-up call. And she gracefully exits in lieu of another female mentor who is a chef.

[Mrs. P.]

Did any of Nigella's team even make it to the Taste Off? Weren't they all eliminated in the first round? I think that makes Nigella seem like an even more incompetent mentor.

[susannot]

I hate to keep ragging on Nigella but that white dress--oy.  Honey, do not wear tight white dresses.  You looked like you were wrapped in bandages.  As for the food, I wanted the Tom Kha soup.  I also love anything hot/shrimp.

[cooksdelight]

susannot, I hate to say this, but I kept thinking of the Bride of Frankenstein with that dress.

[whirlingdervish]

You know, I wonder if Nigella has just gone up a size, and didn't quite realize it until she's now seen the video back?  That happened to me this year, and I just HATE photos and video of myself.  Ugh! I kinda feel for her, because she really is a betty, but just needs one size up. Or, it could be that her stuff is more-or-less the right size, but it's pulling in unflattering ways because of the mic pack and stuff she's got to wear. 

 

I think I missed why Dan was spared the Taste Off...can anyone please remind me?  Having said that, I do think it was Natasha's time to go. Didn't Ludo discreetly spit her food out during the team challenge?

[susannot]

Wasn't it Dan's first red star?  I don't know either, as I thought his dish seemed very unappetizing and the worst.  Fish on top of a fruit salad? Ugh.  Happy that Tarik survived, as I do think he is talented.

[mlp]

 

My eyes hurt. Marcus is wearing a PANTONE color swatch book as a shirt.

 

I'm used to his weird and wild clothing choices I guess but what has he done to his hair?  Horrible.  And what were those horizontal stripes he appeared to have below his knees when he was sitting in the break room?  Boot tops?  Lines on his pants?  I couldn't tell from the quick shot.

 

One of my two wishes was answered - Nigella is out.  Either she's a very slow learner or she's so arrogant she just doesn't care about anyone else.  Maybe she's quite different with her team off camera.  Either that or PK is delusional or on something.  My other wish is to see Vanessa eliminated.  She is just childish and obnoxious.

 

I wonder why Jen gets so much air time.

 

It seems to me that anyone with two stars should automatically go to the scream off.  That's the second time the judges gave a two star person a pass.

Edited January 2, 2015 by mlp

[Guest]

I feel bad for Nigella in her ill-fitting dresses and her lounging like some goddess while the male judges get throne-like leather chairs.  And is she that pale or is she powdered like a geisha?  She just seems to be trying too hard to be some passe version of femininity and like her mentoring, it's missing the mark by about a mile.  

[candall]

I suspect Ludo knew that was Jen's chicken pot pie.  The cooks are only standing a few feet behind the judges and Jen was in paroxysms of joy--hugging, happy dancing, body extensions.  I bet a little audible squeeeee slipped out as well.

 

Dan was an idiot to choose "healthy/diet" for his New Year-themed bite.  It's a hook, like the tom yum hangover cure, but what are the chances the judges are going to say, "Oh, here's the most delicious taste of all"? 

 

That woman with the Bourdain fixation needs to rein it in.  What if he'd red-starred her dish?  Ritual seppuku?

[GaT]

Well, who would have guessed that Nigella would be the first mentor out? I mean besides everyone who ever existed in this universe. Once again she decided exactly what was going to be cooked (PK couldn't possibly have her own idea for a champagne sauce, could she?) & stood over her sucking all the oxygen up while PK cooked. If this show comes back for another season, are they going to go through this again, or will they have figured out a way to keep Nigella in the contest by then?