S12.E08: Clean Up In Aisle 2!

[Tara Ariano]

The chefs must cook chowder. Later, an ultimate tasting party with fans of the series tests the contestants. Also: The face of the competition potentially changes when eliminated chefs return. Chef Jasper White makes an appearance.

[Uncle Benzene]

Special guest judge Freddy Quimby:

 

It's chowdah! Say it right!

[avecsans]

Ugh. If Isabella,Jr. is going to hang around then I'm going to need him to wash his hair and get rid of the comb tracks through it.

I don't think Adam deserved to go. People liked his dish and Melissa and Katsuji played it very safe.

Speaking of people, I hate when they invite "foodies" (a terrible word) because they trip over themselves to talk about the food as pretentiously as possible.

Padma, Beetlejuice is going to need his pants back.

[Bastet]

Were the opening credits insanely loud for anyone else?  The opening segment was at normal volume, then Padma's voiceover was just blaring out at me, and then it was normal again once the episode resumed.

 

Doug giving his menu board to his young fan was adorable.

 

On to the substance ...

 

I'm not much of a clam chowder fan, but I do prefer Boston style (as opposed to Manhattan) if I'm going to eat it.  Melissa's Thai style cioppino sounded interesting, and looked even better; it's the only one I'd have wanted to try.  Katie's sounded bad and looked worse, so it's no wonder she lost.

 

I understood the sentiment behind the chefs choosing George, but given that the prize for winning was re-entry into the competition, I'd have chosen Stacy who had made it further and went out with a dish that was merely the least great of the night.  Now he gets to come back in more than halfway through the competition without having to have gone through any of the challenges the others had to survive in order to also still be here at this point.  But I did like his attitude about the whole thing.  Anyone who voluntarily associates with Mike Isabella is still suspect to me, though.

 

I wanted Katie to win the QF, simply because while I don't think she'd make it past the next round or two, I think she has cooked well enough to deserve her spot at this stage of the competition and am thus rather tired of hearing her criticized by competitors who haven't been any more impressive than she has.   

 

Adam is exactly who I'd wish Richard on.  Padma's "I just made a big mess by behaving like a child and now expect some lowly employee to clean it up for me" gave me flashbacks to my teenage summers spent working retail. 

 

The food looked good overall.  Mei's lamb didn't look terribly under-cooked to me; I prefer medium rare, but would be fine with it more rare.  Had she cooked it off the bone, though, as she proposed as a hindsight fix -- no thanks.  Adam's dish just looked weird, and it seemed worth sending him home over.  Melissa played it safe again, but more than that her shrimp looked over-cooked, which is something I just can't stand (and what is her obsession with knife cuts?!).  Doug's mussel and chorizo dish sounded just delicious, but I'd have wanted a bit more.  George's lamb kabob and lentil side looked quite simple and almost plain, but I also really wanted to eat it. Gregory's dish also made me hungry (and I love jackfruit).  I'm not at all surprised they were the favorites. 

 

I don't watch programming online, so I don't watch Last Chance Kitchen, and don't much care that it's back.  But I guess I'm rooting for Stacy.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Bastet

[The Solution]

Can we eliminate Richard and have Adam back?

[elzin]

I don't get what was so groundbreaking about having the judges shop at WF. I mean, no, that hasn't been done before, but the contestants have been given entire mystery boxes before.  It wasn't THAT original to see the judges do it instead of drawing knives for a guest judge's mystery box. Same concept, just different execution.

 

Also, Richard tonight was in full Richard form.  In the vitamin aisle?  Claiming he got good stuff for everyone to use? Dude, not everyone cooks like you, nor should they.  Everyone needs to cook their own thing. STOP TRYING TO MAKE FETCH HAPPEN.

 

I teared up when so many of the eliminated chefs picked George, especially when he was clearly choked up by it too.  It was really sweet and touching.

 

Did I hear right that Katie finished culinary school herself just 7 years ago?  I had been giving her more credit for experience, but if she just finished 7 years ago, she couldn't have been teaching very long. 

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Adam was working my last nerve with the endless references to New York, especially with Manhattan clam chowder.  That being said, his chowder must have been pretty good for Jasper White to rate it as one of the highest.  And I don't know what Katie was thinking with the tea.  I was also annoyed that most of them did not include potatoes in their chowder - no potatoes, no chowder, in my view.

 

I missed the last five minutes, so I missed the bottom chefs and the questioning by the judges.  I am a little surprised that Melissa didn't go home.

 

 

[ShadowSixx]

Yay Dougie again. I'm so happy that he won the elimination challenge after being in the bottom for the quickfire. Good for Gregory to be in the Top 3 after not winning Restaurant Wars. He picked himself back up.

 

I was up and down with Adam and I really didn't want to see him go this episode. As he's grown on me some, he really is passionate about food and didn't blame him one bit for not being much of a fan of Richard's style of cooking and voiced it. I thought that either Mei or Melissa was going to go home. 

 

I knew Katie was going to go home during the Sudden Death and I wouldn't have voted for George since he got eliminated during the 1st sudden death and that was on him. He didn't get a raw deal as some may think he has gotten.

 

Padma's pants were a little distracting but she was able to pull it off.

[HappyDancex2]

Adam weeping at the end was heartbreaking.  He looked like he went somewhere when he got PYKAGed.  Poor dude.  He had way too many snarky talking heads this episode though.

 

Interesting Dougie in the bottom for the QF but then won the challenge.  Adam was in the top of the QF and went home.  I thought Melissa was going to be eliminated.  Shrimp and Salad?  Meh.  or Mei.  Speaking of Mei, she had an off day.

 

Gregory - This is Top Chef!  This is not Top Coconut Milk.

[Misslindsey]

I was worried they were going for a constant runner-up never the winner storyline for Adam, because I have seen that play out way too many times on reality shows. Then he got sent home.  I thought they were going to send Melissa home.

 

I could do without both someone who got sent packing coming back into the competition now and Last Chance Kitchen. Do we really need both? So George gets to come back and we have someone else from LCK coming back. I am so over LCK. I would also nix these Sudden Death QF's. Can we go back to the usual format?

 

My favorites are Gregory and Doug, so they will not win. My favorites rarely win.

 

When the judges asked the fans their favorite season I would have said season one and Harold. 

 

Small voice.....I like Richard. 

[ShadowSixx]

I don't dislike Richard at all, I think Richard is a decent person. I can just understand where Adam is coming from when he's not much a fan of Richard's style of cooking with the molecular stuff. You know he's not familiar with it.

[roctavia]

This episode kind of bored me... I don't know if it's the contestants or the challenges... or if I'm just sort of over Top Chef... but I find I'm paying less and less attention each week... and now I don't even know what half of the contestants made.

 

I will say, this whole coming back into the competition/ last chance kitchen bugs the heck out of me. It's one thing for a person to come back 1-2 weeks after elimination due to someone leaving for unusual/health reasons vs being eliminated... but to intentionally bring people back so many episodes later just bugs me. I know a lot of people think Kristen was unfairly eliminated in her season and are glad she came back via LCK to win, but it still bugs me. I know LCK is still challenges, but seems like a cheat to me, they don't do the same caliber of challenges that the people actually in the competition are doing, so getting to skip all of the elimination challenges and walk right into the finale irritates me. Once you are eliminated, you are eliminated, sorry... but that's how the game is played. 

 

So I guess it's obvious... I wasn't a big fan of tonight's gimmick. I agree that it was essentially a mystery box/mystery pantry challenge, just done in a different way. I am glad the chefs could pretty much make whatever they wanted, instead of having to create a super specific dish. But a lot of people did play it safe (probably why I dismissed and forgot the particulars of specific dishes almost immediately) I didn't dislike Adam, but I'm not heartbroken that he was eliminated. Undercooked seafood sounds very unappealing to me.

I hope I can get more invested in TC again... it used to be one of my favorite must see shows...

 

Edited December 11, 2014 by Jjrmt

[buttersister]

I would have said season one and Harold.

Amen.

Even though it probably should have been Melissa going, well, not home, but to LCK, all the Adam talking heads said it would be him. I didn't so much mind his emotional reaction as I did his going all If You Wouldn't Do This You're a Poser. Dude. All had been forgiven when you threw shade at Richard and his b.s. cart. The other shopper chefs tried to make their carts NOT about themselves. Dick.

[HappyDancex2]

I think Adam just had a crappy attitude about it starting when Blaise said "Hope you like the vitamin aisle!"  Doug had the same constraints and won.  It's not like they were required to use liquid nitrogen or powdered binding agents.  And god forbid if you look at bonito flakes as something so outside of your comfort zone?  Puleeze.

 

Upon replay Adam squarely says "ultimately i wanted to focus on the peppadew more than anything else."  He DID say that right?  Those are those little red peppers sitting in a jar in my fridge?  Why would that be the focus of anything?   He also said something that sounded similar to peppadew as the name of his dish...like it was a dish of some sort that I'm not familiar with.  Peparade?  Can someone who DVRed it see what they named his dish?  I know he defended that it was a flashed marinade on the shrimp.

 

I can imagine that people who ate that basically raw shrimp had some GI issues that night.  Most raw shrimp is not suitable as a crudo preparation.  And a flash of hot oil is not cooking it.  Portion size was about half of one though so...ate least not too much portion.  Ugh.

 

Super Fans is a much better description than Foodies.

 

Nice that Padma had enough chiles to "kill a village."  She did manage to render useless a bunch of fish who needless died so she could be flighty.

[GaT]

Ugh. If Isabella,Jr. is going to hang around then I'm going to need him to wash his hair and get rid of the comb tracks through it.

 

And the sweat/grease on his forehead. He was really grossing me out.

 

Does Gregory make curry every week?

[cooksdelight]

I didn't like this new twist of letting someone back in who's fresh, rested and hasn't been up late nights, competing, hustling, etc. That's a unfair advantage, to me. And now one mass LCK with everyone competing ONCE to get a second chance against Adam and Katie? That just seems so skewed.

Thinking of Adam half-way cooking his shrimp in oil and them being squishy in one's mouth almost made me gag.

I am now laughing at all the trash-talking Katsuji is doing with people. I met hm, he's an adorably nice guy and I think it's his way of having fun and dealing with the stress of the competition.

[phoenix780]

I didn't like this new twist of letting someone back in who's fresh, rested and hasn't been up late nights, competing, hustling, etc. That's a unfair advantage, to me. And now one mass LCK with everyone competing ONCE to get a second chance against Adam and Katie? That just seems so skewed.

 

Skewed is a good way to put it, but I think of it as bullshit- all of it.  

 

I'm mostly thinking it's bullshit because I don't believe in the beautiful coincidence of the first guy getting cut, who got cut in an exciting twist that's now not so relevant, taking out a woman who arguably should have been cut after last week's elimination challenge.  There's something too neat about that for me, like this return was designed to be executed in a way that was as sentimental and uncontroversial as possible.  He's a deserving returnee, she was on her way out anyway- no big deal, right?

 

I was also not a fan of references to his resume as a way of communicating that he may well have been there anyway (even though, y'know, he lost), or the comments about him not necessarily understanding how to work in the context of a challenge as though that creates a disadvantage he has to overcome, like he was weaker for not having had to fight through half the challenges.  The mentions of his sleepless nights similarly leave me unmoved.

 

In a strange way I hope he wins, though, because it'd be hilarious if someone took the victory competing in half the challenges.

 

On the plus side, there was a lot of cooking tonight.  And they could've had someone annoying come back...I guess. That whole deal really put me off for some reason.

Edited December 11, 2014 by phoenix780

[biakbiak]

I can just understand where Adam is coming from when he's not much a fan of Richard's style of cooking with the molecular stuff. You know he's not familiar with it.

 

The thing is Doug won the challenge using the same pantry and not doing anything remotely Richard like, yes he put some agar agar and liquid nitrogen in the mix but his pantry was chock full of other things that they didn't need to go molecular if they didn't want to and clearly the fact that Doug didn't do anything with those ingredients and won the challenge.

[candall]

It bugs the ever-livin' shit out of me when Gail calls that guy "Dougie."   There aren't any Greggie or Georgie or Ronnie endearments going around.  He's been decent with the cracks about his height and Adam literally patting him on the head last week, but he shouldn't have to put up with the Dougie diminutive from the judges.

[candall]

I was also annoyed that most of them did not include potatoes in their chowder - no potatoes, no chowder, in my view.

How'd you feel about the one without clams? 

[stopeslite]

 

I didn't like this new twist of letting someone back in who's fresh, rested and hasn't been up late nights, competing, hustling, etc. That's a unfair advantage, to me.

My feelings exactly. I could live with LCK because at least they were still working for it the whole way through, and whoever came back would have spent through some of their recipes etc. the entire time. But this? Booo-ooo-ooogus. And I thought it was a little too pat that Mike Isabella's protege just happened to be the one that all of the chefs wanted back - yes, he was the first knifed, but I wonder if there was some nudging behind the scenes to get them all to choose him.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

How'd you feel about the one without clams? 

 

I don't have a problem with that - fish chowder isn't uncommon, neither is corn chowder.  (I once read that what distinguishes a chowder from a soup is the inclusion of potatoes. I don't know if food historians agree with that or not). 

 

I didn't like this new twist of letting someone back in who's fresh, rested and hasn't been up late nights, competing, hustling, etc. That's a unfair advantage, to me. And now one mass LCK with everyone competing ONCE to get a second chance against Adam and Katie? That just seems so skewed.

 

 

I was surprised but I didn't hate this twist.  I do think that there are often one or two chefs who go out way too early because they aren't used to cooking competitively or what have you.  I suppose that is also behind the idea of LCK, but as a one time thing - where the person had to defeat someone who had gone through a number of challenges - I was okay with it.

 

It could also be argued that while George was rested, etc., he was also not used to the time constraints that come with TC challenges.  So I don't know that he had an automatic advantage over Katie.

[JTMacc99]

This episode kind of bored me... I don't know if it's the contestants or the challenges... or if I'm just sort of over Top Chef... but I find I'm paying less and less attention each week... and now I don't even know what half of the contestants made.

 

I was not particularly invested in this episode either.  I think it might be because I'm not overly impressed with this group.  I mean, I don't dislike them, but I don't love any of them either.  I need to really like one or two of the best chefs, and I'm not feeling it this year.

 

Padma, Beetlejuice is going to need his pants back.

Hee! Although... those might be the only two people in history in who looked good wearing them.

[Primetimer]

After two chefs get eliminated, the seven remaining chefs are reduced to six. Sorry, this is Top Chef, not Top Math.

Read the story

[MangoFed]

I don't dislike Richard at all, I think Richard is a decent person. I can just understand where Adam is coming from when he's not much a fan of Richard's style of cooking with the molecular stuff. You know he's not familiar with it.

Doug wasn't familiar with those ingredients either. He just didn't use them. I think it was a pretty decent basket. No one was forced to use ingredients they were uncomfortable with, and there were certainly good pairings in Richards basket, as Doug showed.

It bugs the ever-livin' shit out of me when Gail calls that guy "Dougie."   There aren't any Greggie or Georgie or Ronnie endearments going around.  He's been decent with the cracks about his height and Adam literally patting him on the head last week, but he shouldn't have to put up with the Dougie diminutive from the judges.

I could be wrong, but I believe he said to call him 'Dougie' in the first challenge.

[Julia]

He also said something that sounded similar to peppadew as the name of his dish...like it was a dish of some sort that I'm not familiar with.  Peparade?  Can someone who DVRed it see what they named his dish? 

 

Piperade. It's a dish with sauteed peppers and onions (and tomatoes, so I'm not sure why he called it one).

 

Um. Melissa? If someone else taking all of the clams was a dick move, you taking all but three of the clams wasn't appropriate assertiveness. It was a dick move. Especially since you only raided the clams from the one of the two people who got there first who wasn't standing over them at the time. 

 

Seriously, Melissa. Dick move. You just moved into the Top Chef asshole column for me. You can go home any time. ktx

[theatremouse]

I thought there were at least two people who admitted to taking "some" of the littlenecks from Mei's station? I also thought it was interesting that the people complaining she took them all, I think said something like "the whole bucket of", as if to imply the full size of the buckets were full of clams. In the shot of the "only three left" that thing was mostly ice. So once they showed it, well, a) I wasn't down with anyone taking things off her station at all anyway; she got there first, that's how this show works, you lose out, but b) there probably only were one or two chef's worth of stuff in there, as evidenced by two people taking some and leaving virtually none. So the two people whose TH were all "she took the whole bucket!" seemed really disingenuous to me since it was maybe a 10 inch deep bucket? With 7 inches of ice and only the top being clams? I'd definitely call that not a bitch move on Mei and a major bitch move on everyone else involved.

Edited December 11, 2014 by theatremouse

[Wouldofshouldof]

I could be wrong, but I believe he said to call him 'Dougie' in the first challenge.

Or if you're Katsuji, "Doggie."

[CoyoteBlue]

Seriously, Melissa. Dick move. You just moved into the Top Chef asshole column for me. You can go home any time. ktx

 

Yes, please. If I were Mei, though, I would have thrown an unholy fit and gotten my clams back. Sharing is one thing, raiding is another.

 

Doug wasn't familiar with those ingredients either. He just didn't use them. I think it was a pretty decent basket. No one was forced to use ingredients they were uncomfortable with, and there were certainly good pairings in Richards basket, as Doug showed.

 

Yeah, Richard even stated he was trying to get a little of everything so they'd have some real choice. You weren't required to use the whole freakin' pantry, Adam, so STFU. 

[roctavia]

Yeah, Richard even stated he was trying to get a little of everything so they'd have some real choice. You weren't required to use the whole freakin' pantry, Adam, so STFU. 

 

That's the thing... everyone was so worried about what they'd have to work with, but it looks like they had some prety full pantries with lots of options. All of the judges specifically said they wanted lots for the contestants to choose from, even if they were bent slightly in a direction that a particular judge liked/ was interested in. And there definitely wasn't anything saying that they had to use everything in the pantry... So getting all bent out of shape by the mere presense of molecular type stuff is kind of stupid. There was still a lot of produce, proteins and spices etc. to pick from.

 

Aside from Tom taking all the fennel and stealing away the lamb from Richard at whole foods, there was a huge choice in what they could make.

[Julia]

I thought there were at least two people who admitted to taking "some" of the littlenecks from Mei's station? I also thought it was interesting that the people complaining she took them all, I think said something like "the whole bucket of", as if to imply the full size of the buckets were full of clams.

 

Without getting into the semantics, Melissa walked away with about three times as many clams as the three she left, so if that's as many clams as Melissa believes it takes to make a single bowl of clam chowder, she effectively took all of them. So, yeah, pretty much dick move Melissa, I think.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Julia

[elzin]

I missed the first few minutes because I forgot it was Wednesday, so I missed most of the clam kerfuffle, but anyone taking a lot of clams is kind of ridiculous when you literally just have to make a bowl or two. You're not doing a buffet for 200.

[MangoFed]

On a somewhat unrelated note, is anyone rooting for Aaron to come out of LCK just to see what a clusterfuck it would be? He doesn't have the chops to pull it off, fortunately, but the reaction from the chefs would almost make it worth having to deal with him again. 

[potatoradio]

 

I could do without both someone who got sent packing coming back into the competition now and Last Chance Kitchen. Do we really need both? So George gets to come back and we have someone else from LCK coming back. I am so over LCK. I would also nix these Sudden Death QF's. Can we go back to the usual format?

 

Thank you - gah, LCK was bad enough, but that stunt last night was pathetic. Stop it, show. I can't even care that much about the cooking when you're so focused on contestant musical chairs. Once you're gone, you need to stay gone.

 

I'm completely ignorant because I don't like eating bivalves, but I'm curious - once in a soup, is there really that much of a difference between the types of clams or oysters in terms of taste or texture? I've thought that would be like insisting you can tell the difference between rail vodka and top shelf vodka in a long island iced tea.

 

I can see why people find Richard annoying, but I think there are way worse past contestants they could try to bring on and make happen *cough* Isabella *cough*

 

 

 

 

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I'm completely ignorant because I don't like eating bivalves, but I'm curious - once in a soup, is there really that much of a difference between the types of clams or oysters in terms of taste or texture? I've thought that would be like insisting you can tell the difference between rail vodka and top shelf vodka in a long island iced tea.

 

 

I think it is more in texture than in taste - some clams can be chewier than others.  Though personally, I think it is the bacon that makes New England Clam Chowder what it is, so I was a little surprised that no one really included bacon in their versions.

[PepperMonkey]

I didn't like the twist with George returning this late in the game. Also, Katie did not deserve that after the fighting she has had to do to get to this point. She's had some issues, yes, but so has Katsuji. Hell, so have they all. I wan't happy at all to see George with his Isabella connection coming in without having to have battled up. I mean, why is it so unfair he went home on the very first challenge? It could have happened to any one of them; it just happened to be him.

 

Go, Dougie!!!!!!

 

How does Gregory get by with doing a coconut curry like sauce in every challenge? Okay, almost every challenge.

 

Adam makes me weary but his heartbrokenness at the end made my heart break a tiny bit for him. I hope either he or Katie come back from LCK. If they must DO LCK, that is.

 

Melissa needs to be off my screen right now. And Mei actually thought of her as a friend??? Also, a SALAD for super fans? Really?? And she always says she was trying to have perfect knife skills or some such crap.

 

Amen redux on Season ONE and Harold. I can watch that over and over, even with Tiffany's heinousness. Heinosity? Pretty sure neither one of those are words.

[cooksdelight]

And she always says she was trying to have perfect knife skills or some such crap.

You can have master knife skills on a pile of dried dog crap, but it will still taste like crap.

[chiaros]

Regarding the "Sudden-Death QF cook-off" as well as LCK:  I found it interesting that Michael Patlazhan was NOT included amongst the cast of previously-eliminated cheftestants.  I wonder if his exit interview comments got him specifically barred by Colicchio or someone else, or if he refused to participate.

 

In any case I am pleased, in a way, that George Pagonis made it back into the main competition.  I think he deserves the second chance and quickly showed he can cook, both in the cook-off and in the EC.  Whether he was "fresh" (an advantage) or "unused to the time constraints or pressure" (a disadvantage) is subject to debate.

Edited December 11, 2014 by chiaros

[c8h10n4o2]

I think that I remember that Coco's! Was it by Ward Parkway? Ugh. I can't even imagine the horror of their food spoiled. You have my eternal sympathy and an offer of decent food on restaurant row if you're back in KC.

[hendersonrocks]

I found it interesting that Michael Patlazhan was NOT included amongst the cast of previously-eliminated cheftestants.  I wonder if his exit interview comments got him specifically barred by Colicchio or someone else, or if he refused to participate.

 

Interesting. I was trying to figure out if anyone was missing but didn't even remember him. (And I haven't watched Last Chance Kitchen yet...will be interested to see if he's a no-show there too.)

 

I thought this episode was pretty good. Thrilled to see Doug on top again (he, Gregory, and Mei seem so far out ahead of everyone else, holistically), eye rolled at Padma's Whole Foods prank that cost a case of fish, laughed at Stacy's candy line. I think most of all I was feeling for George--while I didn't entirely love the "twist" it seemed like he was painfully aware of how awkward the whole situation was as a newcomer to the group. And Adam's exit interview was about the best I can remember. He could certainly rock hipster annoying, but he has a lot of heart and I respect the heck out of that.

[Rai]

I will miss Adam, but I decided I'd root for Mei over him.  Close call though.  I actually liked him and his big mouth a lot.  Then again, well, I live in New York...

 

That said, New England chowder is vastly superior to Manhattan chowder.  I mean, what is that?

 

I figured Melissa was safe because while her dish was boring, it didn't have any lackluster components, particularly when it came to the protein.  She just didn't maximize their potential.  Also, also, Adam's big backstory reveal made me suspicious that he was doomed.  Sure, they did it for George, but I didn't get the sense it was so he could leave right away again.

 

I did feel incredibly sorry for him getting cut first, but I hope George steps it up with his creativity.  I don't doubt his food was tasty, but it seemed as boring as Melissa's dish in my eyes.  Doug seemed like the clear winner, classic flavors and all.

 

Lastly, I suppose Katie couldn't necessarily last too much longer, but I was hoping she'd at least stay past Katsuji and maybe Melissa.  She was an uneven chef, but when she was on, she really wowed folks, and I disliked how everyone just underestimated her no matter what.

[bluepiano]

I'm calling TOTAL BS on the show coming up with an entirely new plot twist to get Mike Isabella's protégé back in the competition. It's been obvious over the years that Tom C. and Mike Isabella have a close relationship, and now this kind of cronyism destroys what little integrity this show had left. That bit where the eliminated chefs pick who gets a shot at cooking their way back on the show was so obviously staged. Why would they pick the first guy to get eliminated, instead of a chef who at least made it to one of the later rounds? They want us to believe that all these chefs have just been dying to see what George can do. I don't buy it for a second.  

 

So a guy who didn't get past the first episode cooks one dish in a head-head completion and is suddenly in top 7, without even having to go through Last Chance Kitchen. That's outrageously unfair to every other contestant.  At least with Last Chance Kitchen, the earliest eliminated chef has to defeat the most number of other chefs to win his way back on the show.

 

It was also nauseating to hear all the contestants talk about how scared they were to have a Mike Isabella protégé in the competition, like he was Thomas Keller or something. I guess Isabella's been successful since his Top Chef days, but I can't get past what a backstabbing, sexist D-bag he was on the show. It also ticked me off when George said that he got a raw deal by being eliminated in the first week. How? Dude, you lost. It was no one's fault but your own.

 

After contriving a way to get him back on the show, George is obviously not going away soon. They criticized a couple of chefs for playing it safe, but George, a Greek chef, makes meatballs on a skewer? Wow, that's really pushing the envelope. And the judges fall all over themselves praising him. 

 

If anyone got a raw deal,  it was Adam. If, as the judges said, so many of the guests like his dish, the shrimp couldn't have been that undercooked. So he gets sent home instead of a chef who tossed some shrimp and threw it on top of a sa

 

Overall a horrible episode, and it may have ended the season for me. Just not interested in watching Tom Colicchio's hand-picked golden boy probably make it to the finals. Why not just be honest and say that Tom C, has a wild card pick and bring any chef back whenever he wants? Either way, it makes the whole competition a joke.

Edited December 11, 2014 by bluepiano

[Pepper Mostly]

It bugs the ever-livin' shit out of me when Gail calls that guy "Dougie."   There aren't any Greggie or Georgie or Ronnie endearments going around.  He's been decent with the cracks about his height and Adam literally patting him on the head last week, but he shouldn't have to put up with the Dougie diminutive from the judges.

 

Didn't he say "you can call me Dougie" to her at the MOS party? I think its cute that she always does call him that. I've loved him from jump. I hope he wins it all.

 

 

Um. Melissa? If someone else taking all of the clams was a dick move, you taking all but three of the clams wasn't appropriate assertiveness. It was a dick move. Especially since you only raided the clams from the one of the two people who got there first who wasn't standing over them at the time. 

 

Seriously, Melissa. Dick move. You just moved into the Top Chef asshole column for me. You can go home any time. ktx

I could not believe she was serious! Who does that?

 

I know its death to make a salad on Top Chef, so I know why Melissa was criticized, but I could not believe that returning hero George didn't get dinged for doing a lamb kabob with yogurt mint cucumber sauce. Jesus you can get that in every Greek diner from Augusta Maine to Key West. Talk about playing it safe!

 

Who is styling Padma? She looks like a cross between Beetlejuice and Elly May Clampett. And her antics in the store were ridiculous. Grow up Padma. You are not cute.

[candall]

I could be wrong, but I believe he said to call him 'Dougie' in the first challenge.

Good.  Thanks.  I'll dial back my righteous wrath on his behalf.  : )

[biakbiak]

Why would they pick the first guy to get eliminated, instead of a chef who at least made it to one of the later rounds?

 

I can totally see why chefs would choose the first one out if they thought he was talented and didn't get a chance to shine. People who made it to the later rounds had the opportunity to wow the judges and compete. 

[goddessintraining]

I'm calling TOTAL BS on the show coming up with an entirely new plot twist to get Mike Isabella's protégé back in the competition. It's been obvious over the years that Tom C. and Mike Isabella have a close relationship, and now this kind of cronyism destroys what little integrity this show had left. That bit where the eliminated chefs pick who gets a shot at cooking their way back on the show was so obviously staged. Why would they pick the first guy to get eliminated, instead of a chef who at least made it to one of the later rounds? They want us to believe that all these chefs have just been dying to see what George can do. I don't buy it for a second.  

 

So a guy who didn't get past the first episode cooks one dish in a head-head completion and is suddenly in top 7, without even having to go through Last Chance Kitchen. That's outrageously unfair to every other contestant.  At least with Last Chance Kitchen, the earliest eliminated chef has to defeat the most number of other chefs to win his way back on the show.

 

It was also nauseating to hear all the contestants talk about how scared they were to have a Mike Isabella protégé in the competition, like he was Thomas Keller or something. I guess Isabella's been successful since his Top Chef days, but I can't get past what a backstabbing, sexist D-bag he was on the show. It also ticked me off when George said that he got a raw deal by being eliminated in the first week. How? Dude, you lost. It was no one's fault but your own.

 

After contriving a way to get him back on the show, George is obviously not going away soon. They criticized a couple of chefs for playing it safe, but George, a Greek chef, makes meatballs on a skewer? Wow, that's really pushing the envelope. And the judges fall all over themselves praising him. 

 

If anyone got a raw deal,  it was Adam. If, as the judges said, so many of the guests like his dish, the shrimp couldn't have been that undercooked. So he gets sent home instead of a chef who tossed some shrimp and threw it on top of a sa

 

Overall a horrible episode, and it may have ended the season for me. Just not interested in watching Tom Colicchio's hand-picked golden boy probably make it to the finals. Why not just be honest and say that Tom C, has a wild card pick and bring any chef back whenever he wants? Either way, it makes the whole competition a joke.

 

Just out of curiosity, do you think Tom C. asked the eliminated chefs to vote for George? I can't see that being the case. If Tom went out of his way to get Isabelle's partner back on the show, he took a big risk in doing so. 100% Mike Isabella was a douche in his seasons but I don't get the same impression from George. I will say that being associated with Mike Isabella doesn't impress me at all. But it seemed to impress the elimintated chefs who voted him back in.

 

I was glad to see Katie leave. I didn't appreciate her attitude, inability to lead or overconfidence during restaraunt wars. Good riddance!

 

Like other posters, my interest in this season or the past 4 seasons for that matter, has completely dwindled. I feel it's due to a lack of all around talent in the cheftestants. Padma also annoys the crap out of me. Her stunt at Whole Foods left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

So the "foodies" or "superfan" favorites of all time are Fabio and TC Texas? No offense to Fabio but my answers would also have been Season 1 and Harold.

Edited December 11, 2014 by goddessintraining

[BusyOctober]

Every time I see "LCK" my brain reads it as "Louie C.K."  even though I know what you all mean.

 

I love chowder but I absolutely abhor Jasper White. There are so many other restaurants and chefs in Boston (and other locales) that have superior chowder IMO.  I'm kinda pissed the non-New Englander viewership is being given the impression that Jasper is the King of all of Chowderdom.

 

So glad Doug is doing well.  He was so sweet with that little fan-girl!  Loving Gregory still despite his obsession with coconut milk.  I've never had jack fruit, but now I really want to try it!

 

I knew it was going to be Adam going home since he got the big childhood flashback TH this week.  It was going to be him or George since they spent more time on them, but I figured it'd be Adam as soon as the judges called his shrimp "squeaky".  Not the accolades you want to hear for your seafood dishes.

 

Glad Katie out lasted some of the other chefs (NotReese Whitherspoon, A-hole Aaron to name the 2).  But she was circling the drain. Please , Top Chef Kitchen Gods, do not let either one of them win a spot back in the competition!

 

I still like Mei and I think she has real skills, but she has the most bitchy "resting bitch face" I've ever seen! 

[Rammchick]

eye rolled at Padma's Whole Foods prank that cost a case of fish

 

 

Did it look to anyone else like those fish were just basically heads and spines?  I could've sworn they had already been fileted.  If so, just a prank and not wasted food, at the very least.

 

Add me to the camp that is annoyed by the seemingly wet pants over George's Mike Isabella association.  There's a guy I absolutely can't stand, and can't forgive for his misogynistic and disrespectful behavior in his season.  He's occasionally on Unique Sweets on The Cooking Channel, and I almost throw things at the TV every time his stupid face appears.

 

I noticed that Aaron seemed to be playing it as low-key as possible.  He clearly looked like he didn't want to be there, didn't give a damn and just wanted to be anywhere else.  Suited me fine! 

[Rambler]

I thought there were at least two people who admitted to taking "some" of the littlenecks from Mei's station?

 

Adam asked Mei if he could have some of the littlenecks and Mei gave him some. At that point Melissa could have asked for some and maybe they could have split it three ways, but nooo she just has to steal almost all of Mei’s… and after they were such good buddies in restaurant wars. Nice way to stab a friend in the back. I’m surprised there isn’t a rule against removing stuff from somebody elses station after the whole pea pureegate incident a few seasons ago.

 

[backgroundnoise]

I wish more of the chefs would step out of their wheelhouse.  How predictable to get curry chowder (Gregory), Thai chowder (Melissa), etc.  At least Adam stepped out for both QF and EC.  I hoping he's the one coming back from LCK.  I like him.

 

Re Melissa and the clams:  That was a really sh*tty thing to do.  Even if she thought Mei had hogged a whole bucket, she had to know how few she left her after grabbing them.  Bad form.

Edited December 11, 2014 by backgroundnoise