S11.E04: 4th of July Cookout

[ari333]

Did Alex think that the 30 second mark sign meant that HE had 30 more seconds ..when really he was eating into Eddie's time?

I cant stand Michelle. Go away.

I hated the grocery switch. I think it blows.

Wow Jah-da pulls the corners of her lips back like she wants to reach her ears. HATE. That red skirt and boob peeky hole. no words.

I thought Emilia said "my pube-ee is spicy" I thought, alrighty then. Good to know, but a little TMI for me. She actually said, upon rewind, "my p.o.v. is spicy " heh

[JTMacc99]

I just wanted to say Venn Diagram in a way that demonstrates that I waste WAY too much time analyzing this show.

[needschocolate]

I don't watch any "here's how to cook this" shows, but I am very confident that Bobby Flay has never walked onto the set ready to cook spareribs and had the producer say "We have taken away the ribs and everything else you requested and you are now cooking with the food Giada selected for her show this week."

 

Add me to the list of people who were sure Dom was gone.  

 

Michelle reminds me of Melissa, but she also reminds me of someone who was in the cast of Saturday Night Live - not sure of the name (Cheri Otari maybe?)

 

Emelia was creeping me out during judging. She seemed really pale and had on that red lipstick and was smiling like the Joker.

 

I think Emelia has finally figured out that the judges want her to smile more and now she smiles all the time - and wears the bright red lipstick to make sure the judges see her smiling.  

Edited June 29, 2015 by needschocolate

[Snarklepuss]

I just wanted to say Venn Diagram in a way that demonstrates that I waste WAY too much time analyzing this show.

 

ROTFL!!!  Actually, I can dig it, which sadly probably means that I too spend way too much time analyzing this show.  But the Venn Diagram would illustrate my earlier point about whether being a good competitor on this show has much to do with the characteristics a good TV star should have.  Probably not much.

I can't recall a season where I found literally every one of the contestants so utterly boring. How ridiculous is it that FN is constantly coming up with new shows being hosted by existing personalities, yet can't find one prime time show for the winners of this debacle.

 

That's because they can't seem to pick genuinely interesting people and instead choose clowns, villains or total train wrecks that end up biting them and the network's reputation in the ass.

[JTMacc99]

I think Emelia has finally figured out that the judges want her to smile more and now she smiles all the time - and wears the bright red lipstick to make sure the judges see her smiling.  

Boy, I really don't like the red lipstick on her. She looks so much nicer in the talking heads without it.

 

Actually, I can dig it, which sadly probably means that I too spend way too much time analyzing this show. 

I'm very proud of myself for not acting like a stalker fan-boy when I met Bob in a business setting last year.  As far as he knew, I was just another guy who was familiar with him from TV but was more interested in talking about the business we were there to talk about. (He was a really smart, really nice guy in person by the way.)

Edited June 29, 2015 by JTMacc99

[HyeChaps]

I still think they should have a camera challenge every week.  Also, bring back some of those gimmicks from previous years where something goes wrong.  The winner has to be able to gracefully roll with the punches.

[howmanywords]

From what Jeff Mauro & other winners have said, the actual filming of their "prize" show only takes a couple of weeks, and the bulk of their first season with Food Network IS public appearances, TV shows and live demos.   That is, IF they make it that far past the win.  Amy Finley only did 6 episodes, Justin did a single show, and Lenny has done nothing.  

I attended a couple of NY Food and Wine Festivals and every year the new winner has to do a food demo which includes lots of bantering with the large crowd. Well, everyone has done that except Lenny who was wiped from the networks memory. All of the networks hosts do these demos during the festival so I can see why its something they want you to be able to handle.  Yep, TV appearances as well. The winners who have actually done well have had appearances on live morning shows where they cook and stuff.

[phoenix780]

From what Jeff Mauro & other winners have said, the actual filming of their "prize" show only takes a couple of weeks, and the bulk of their first season with Food Network IS public appearances, TV shows and live demos.   That is, IF they make it that far past the win.  Amy Finley only did 6 episodes, Justin did a single show, and Lenny has done nothing.  

 

Regardless, these folks have to hit the ground running and don't have the luxury of being cajoled and developed over the course of several months.  Dom just isn't cutting it.  Unless it's a producer put-on to provide some sort of "miracle personality" emergence, he needs to just go. 

I think they do have time to be developed- that's what this show is, right?  Besides that...how long do they have between the end of filming and the launch of the new star?  With Damaris, for example, I felt like she was off somewhere for quite some time, and when she came back she was more polished.

 

That aside, I hadn't really thought about live demos but I guess they do have to do that.  I tend to think of FN stars as people who need to host game shows, play game shows, eat food, talk about eating food, and sometimes cook on camera, so I that's what I tend to think this show's challenges should be about.

[Nutjob]

I barely remember what happened during judging because I was so busy trying to figure out how Giada kept her boobs "just so" in that boob window. Tape? Did the cut of the dress naturally push them together like that? And yes, it made them look like little buttcheeks. Whoever thought that dress was a good idea needs to be flogged.

 

Also, while I like Dom, I'm really not sure what he's doing on this show. He clearly doesn't like being in front of crowds or talking to the camera, and I keep wondering why he signed up for this fiasco in the first place.

[cooksdelight]

Filming for this season ended in March. So, if the new winner's show premieres this fall, as Damaris' show did, they have months to get it ready.

[dahling]

Jumping straight to "sexism" isn't normally my thing, but Giada swooning that Dom had a special quality "for a man on Food Network" and then eliminating Rosa, was  squicky. Dom hates the camera and hates people, sure let's keep him around. And I'm bitter because I liked Rosa. She was funny and self-aware and not like anybody else who's been on this show.  

 

This show ranks up there with Celebrity Apprentice for shows I can't quit, but really should. But never will. 

[Gregg247]

I think the producers missed an opportunity to push their episode POV by giving the contestants a red, white, and blue car, rather than 3 white cars.  Don't they know POV is paramount on this show!!!!???

 

I liked this episode because it showed the contestants having to prepare good food, speak live at an event, and work in teams.  I THINK these are things TFN stars have to do a lot of, in various shows around the country when they're not on TV.  Because of this, I have no sympathy for contestants who can't seem to to cook (Mommacita was 0-4 on food when she got cut last week) or who are too scared to talk in public (Dom needs to grow some balls or leave the competition).

 

I also love when they trot out the "dial of doom".  It's like the 2-on-1 date on "The Bachelor" each season; garraunteed stress and awkwardness for the contestants!

[backformore]

Giada:  In her judging outfit her boobs looked like an ass-crack, and not in a good way.  Another Stacy & Clinton pet peeve feature.

Yeah, it looked like she had a baby's butt sticking out of her dress.  What the heck is that called?  a boob window?  A cleavage window?    I've seen that weird style on a lot of women, but only on TV, and I've NEVER seen it look good on anyone.  

It just kind of screams "LOOK!  BOOBIES! RIGHT HERE!  are you staring at my boobs?  why not?" 

[xaxat]

Based on the rest of her wardrobe I think she would proudly rate that statement as being "Mission Accomplished!"

Edited June 29, 2015 by xaxat

[bluepiano]

Yeah, Emelia bugged me with her "true story"  about her brother.   Really?   Until he was 21 he thought the 4th of july fireworks were for his birthday?   It's a believable story if she said until he was, say, 12.   But 21?  Is your brother stupid? 

 

On this show you always get points for telling a story involving family members, no matter how lame or unbelievable. Extra points if the story is about your grandmother. If Emilia had said that her grandmother was born on the 4th and thought the fireworks were for her until she was 80, she would've won the episode then and there. If she said it was her Italian or Mexican grandmother (even though she's neither) it would've put her straight into the finals.

 

In addition to other things people have mentioned about Alex that bug, there was his "every time I'm in Tokyo..." opening. Maybe he thought he was establishing his "food authority," but it sounded pretentious and elitist. Since he apparently jets off to Tokyo the way some people drive to the mall, you wonder where he'd get the time to shoot a TV show. Emilia started out the season also using the "I'm a world traveler" shtick, but has thankfully dropped it.

 

Other contestants have tried this angle over the years, and it never seems to work. It definitely does not make you "relatable." Knowing about food from other cultures is cool, but the "last week when I was in Sri Lanka I had the most amazing yadda yadda" bit gets old fast. Leave that stuff to Anthony Bourdain.

Edited June 29, 2015 by bluepiano

[bobbyjoe]

With Bobby and Giada hammering away at the "food authority" bit, it was astonishing to that they rather loudly claimed, more than once, that they couldn't pronounce chicken katsu. (I forget the last word, but it also wasn't hard to pronounce) Seriously? Giada's from the west coast where katsu is pretty standard Japanese fare, and Bobby's an iron chef. Whether or not they faked their cluelessness,they just lost a lot of their food authority with me.

 

Giada and Bobby literally dripped with condescension for the viewers with their "duhhhhhhh, those are big words, we can't pronounce that" act. 

 

It's called a "Katsu Sando."  I'm just guessing, but I think that most people can look at those words and easily pronounce them.  But Giada and Bobby had to do this "duh, ohmigod, that's so hard" shuffle like they think their core audience is Cleetus the Slack-Jawed Yokel.

 

I can't wait until someone uses a little Sriracha sauce in their recipe and Giada pulls on a pair of patched up overalls, blacks out one of her front teeth, puts her hair up in curlers, and starts saying "Sir-Ahhh-Klaaa-sauce what? Shreee-ooooo-kra sauce?   Huh?  Wheeee, doggies, you them there city-folks with your great big foreign words make me just want to go jump in the cement pond!"

[Snarklepuss]

Yeah, it looked like she had a baby's butt sticking out of her dress.  What the heck is that called?  a boob window?  A cleavage window?    I've seen that weird style on a lot of women, but only on TV, and I've NEVER seen it look good on anyone.  

It just kind of screams "LOOK!  BOOBIES! RIGHT HERE!  are you staring at my boobs?  why not?" 

 

My favorite boob window was worn by Cristina Hernandez on "What Not to Wear":

 

 

Freeze the frame 12 seconds in.  I remember Stacy & Clinton gave her a hard time about that particular top in the full episode like all she needed was a pole or something.  One of my all time favorite episodes!

[cooksdelight]

But Giada and Bobby had to do this "duh, ohmigod, that's so hard" shuffle like they think their core audience is Cleetus the Slack-Jawed Yokel.

These are the same people who adored Lenny, remember....

[Aquarius]

But Giada and Bobby had to do this "duh, ohmigod, that's so hard" shuffle like they think their core audience is Cleetus the Slack-Jawed Yokel.

They're wrong, of course. Even Cleetus had enough sense to move on from this trainwreck.

[stanleyk]

Giada and Bobby literally dripped with condescension for the viewers with their "duhhhhhhh, those are big words, we can't pronounce that" act.

 

 

This was driving me nuts. In addition to calling into question their own "food authority" by repeatedly claiming that they couldn't understand anything he was saying, aren't they always on about how they want to learn something about cuisines they don't know well? Isn't that what they criticized Rue for? Alex could perhaps have chosen a different approach, but he was attempting to educate the audience about Japanese food. For them to be like, "just call it a fried chicken sandwich" doesn't really advance the ostensible "education" purpose of FN. They acted like he was talking about something super-exotic and crazy, rather than a cuisine quite easy to find in much of the country and familiar to a lot of Americans (after all, not all Americans eat only Italian or Southern food, as FN seems to think). And compared to Dom's "uh, and some other Asian spices...," Alex at least appears to know something about food. 

 

I root for no one. Except for myself, to stop watching this show, but apparently I'm not even rooting that hard for that, since I keep coming back for another beating from TV cooks who seem to be skilled at neither cookery nor tv-presenting.

[Snarklepuss]

 

Cleetus the Slack-Jawed Yokel.

 

This thread is cracking me up today!!!!

[WickedTuna]

My favorite moment was Eddie running back to the meat counter to return Arnold's meat and him running back - totally looked like he was running down the field with the football :).

I´d forgotten about that..funny stuff. i would have liked to see Arnold try it just because of the theatrics Ive seen from him.

I wanted to watch the rerun last night but forgot all about. I don't know if that says more about my attention span or how forgettable the episode was.

[GaT]

Filming for this season ended in March. So, if the new winner's show premieres this fall, as Damaris' show did, they have months to get it ready.

Or they have months to bury the winner where their name is never seen or spoken again.

Edited June 29, 2015 by GaT

[CMH1981]

This entire episode was dedicated to Rosa and her defeatist attitude, so you just knew she was done.  

 

I kept wondering what the twist would be when they were grocery shopping.  In years past I remember some teams went over budget so they put back an important ingredient for an team member, or they leave a bag behind, or some shenanigans like that.  I was thinking before they said the twist that wouldn't it be funny if they had to use another teams ingredients.

 

I swear if we had to hear/see Dom and his sad puppy dog eyes over that ribeye one. more. time...  Grow up dude, just grow up, life throws you curves (competitions more so).  I'm surprised he didn't pout and jump up and down.  I was ready for the judges to bounce him over the ribeye pouting, but then we got the bolting from the stage.  If this was any other season they would have sent him packing after that right there.

 

I agree w/ the poster upthread that mentioned why Rosa had to be stuck w/ the mushrooms.  She needed to stand up to the others and say share the protein.  To be honest though, she was going to make chicken parmigana b/c it's the perfect picnic food?  Um....okay.

 

So you can marinate chicken in yogurt and then throw it on the grill and not get sick....other than the chicken being undercooked.

 

How can anyone, Arnold, not have a shrimp cooked through?  My issue w/ Arnold and where I think they will run into a problem was from the very beginning it seemed like Arnold wanted to do his show as his drag persona.  Is America ready for that?

[TiffanyNichelle]

Dom's nonstop complaining about losing the steak has made me stop rooting for him. God, what a baby. Everybody lost their stuff. Suck it up and move on.

 

Rosa had to go. She couldn't make a sandwich?? And was originally going to serve chicken parm at a picnic? And Arnold can't even cook shrimp all the way through?  I can't.

Edited June 29, 2015 by TiffanyNichelle

[cooksdelight]

 

To be honest though, she was going to make chicken parmigana b/c it's the perfect picnic food?  Um....okay.

 

I will answer this in Star Salvation...

[GaT]

To be honest though, she was going to make chicken parmigana b/c it's the perfect picnic food?  Um....okay.

 

 

With the food switch, I forgot that this was her original intent. I can't remember how she was going to serve it (sandwiches or plated) but either way, who serves chicken parm at a picnic? What are you supposed to do when it gets cold? Was she planning on serving it with spaghetti? It really is an incredibly strange thing to want to serve at a picnic, if she felt she had to make something Italian, she should have made meatball subs, which can be eaten cold, or some kind of orzo salad with chicken or shrimp. Not a dish that has a layer of cheese just waiting to congeal. 

[Jesse]

 Alex could perhaps have chosen a different approach, but he was attempting to educate the audience about Japanese food. For them to be like, "just call it a fried chicken sandwich" doesn't really advance the ostensible "education" purpose of FN. They acted like he was talking about something super-exotic and crazy, rather than a cuisine quite easy to find in much of the country and familiar to a lot of Americans (after all, not all Americans eat only Italian or Southern food, as FN seems to think). And compared to Dom's "uh, and some other Asian spices...," Alex at least appears to know something about food. 

 

It was frustrating to me because the "right" FN approach is so obvious to me -- "Who doesn't love a fried chicken sandwich??? Here's one with a twist! It's called Sando Katsu blah blah blah," rather than "Every time I'm in Tokyo, I have to have a Sando Katsu blah blah blah."  Did he ever say "chicken sandwich" at all? I think no. 

[LakeGal]

My husband walked in the room and looked at what I was watching.  Then he asked if that woman (Giada) wasn't a little old to be a cheerleader.  She really did make a fool of herself in that short little skirt.  Just because you have the body for something doesn't mean you should wear it in public.

 

I don't like when they make them switch up their ingredients.  The weak shoppers get the good luck and the smart ones are punished.  Would they have still done that if Eddie had not been fast enough getting back with the meat?  One team would have really been punished if they had to take their groceries.

[Pallida]

I was thinking Alex could say something like "they serve these great fried chicken sandwiches on the bullet train in Tokyo called katsu.  You might find them at your local Japanese restaurant.  But if not, you can make them from ingredients found at your local supermarket."

[Surrealist]

The food sounded really good but didn't look so great to me. That's what happens when you have a dumb challenge. I don't need a host that can think on their feet...it's not going to be a live show.

 

I'm so glad you mentioned this because I don't understand the point either. Unless I'm missing something? The hosts don't do live shows, so does it really matter? Assuming, of course, the winner gets a show.  ;-) I know (s)he'd need a personality for live demos, but the main prize is the winner's own show.

 

I was glad to see Emilia take control of the presentation. It's too bad that her teammates were boring.

 

I think Dom's a cutie pie, but he behaved like a petulant brat in this episode. Also, the way he walks off stage almost immediately after talking isn't endearing, it's rude. Sorry, but shyness isn't an excuse if you're going to compete in a food competition where the prize is getting your own TV show.

 

He and Rosa should have been eliminated.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Surrealist

[CMH1981]

 

Then he asked if that woman (Giada) wasn't a little old to be a cheerleader.  She really did make a fool of herself in that short little skirt.

 

When the episode first started and they showed Bobby and Giada my eyes were drawn to those tiny red daisy duke shorts.  I really think Bob and Suzie, hell screw those two bring in Brooke Johnson, need to reign that woman and her libido in.  I understand she is on the market again after her divorce, but damn woman dress your age.  

Edited June 29, 2015 by CMH1981

[cooksdelight]

The hosts don't do live shows, so does it really matter?

As has been stated above, Jeff Mauro and other previous winners have said that the winner will spend about two weeks taping their 6-episode show. The rest of their year is doing personal appearances, live cooking shows at festivals like Food & Wine Fests around the country, TV live cooking appearances on Today, etc.

[Surrealist]

As has been stated above, Jeff Mauro and other previous winners have said that the winner will spend about two weeks taping their 6-episode show. The rest of their year is doing personal appearances, live cooking shows at festivals like Food & Wine Fests around the country, TV live cooking appearances on Today, etc.

 

I realized that after I posted. I edited my post. I guess, for me, the gist of the prize is the winner's own cooking show. The live demos, etc. are kind of secondary in the prize package. At least, the way I'm understanding the prize package.  :-)

 

Someone mentioned "given up" with regard to Rosa and I started thinking of Gordon Ramsay. Who, by the way, would have sent Michelle packing for raw chicken and probably Dom for continually walking away during presentations.

[Bella]

I am increasingly convinced that people like Dom are cast in order to have warm bodies.

 

He's had a few moments. I'm not telegenic and I have an edge, and I'd have a few moments. Anyone would have a few moments.

 

Walking off the stage was what made me decide that he's got to go. Who does that? Isn't the problem usually camera hogs? I'd rather see that than someone who's like "this is the food, eat it, bye."

[CMH1981]

Well if Dom had his magical ribeye to serve he would have spent the entire time talking about what a great piece of meat it was and all he did w/ it.  I bet he would have  even eaten into the other team members time.  I think his issues was still the stage fright, the dial of doom, and pouting about the ribeye.

[Calamity Jane]

Have to say, all the comments here are far more entertaining than the actual show.

 

Jay is evoking way too much Lenny for me.  I'm one of the ones who were completely fooled by Lenny, so anyone who brings him to mind makes me nervous. 

 

I had the strongest feeling during Bobby and Giada's discussion that the winner is already picked, although I didn't get a clear read on who that will be.  Just that they already have their minds made up. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

Everyone has pretty much already said what I thought of the episode.  I wasn't sorry to see Rosa go, but I would have been just as happy to see Michelle eliminated.  I just don't care for either one.  I'm glad that Dom was not eliminated.  He seemed like a little kid whining about the rib eye, but he seems like a nice guy with decent cooking skills.  When the judges mentioned how well Jay did with the rib eye, I expected Dom to turn to Jay and say "you're welcome" in a sarcastic tone.

 

The editing was somewhat interesting in this episode.  They made it look like everyone either had bad food or a bad presentation and that any of them could be eliminated.  I'm guessing that if the one team had not won the coin challenge, Arnold or Alex would have been in the bottom 3.  I was also surprised that Bobby Deen didn't stay around for the final segment; the other guests have stayed around for the elimination segment.

[cooksdelight]

When the judges mentioned how well Jay did with the rib eye, I expected Dom to turn to Jay and say "you're welcome" in a sarcastic tone.

Just as Rue might have done for suggesting octopus last week. It seems to be a prevailing theme. Let's watch to see who gets zinged next week.

[Jodithgrace]

Was there any rule that each person had to do one "protein?" Rosa and Jay could have shared the rib eye and portobello mushrooms, since they were on the same team. They could have done two completely different dishes with them. Heaven forbid they should think outside the box like that. 

 

Dom was really quite a pill about the rib eye. I had really liked him up until then, despite his poor presentation skills. 

 

Jay really does remind me of Lenny. But right now he does seem like the forerunner. 

[leighdear]

Jay sprinkled some seasoning on good meat and slapped it on the grill for a few minutes.  He didn't butcher the meat, he did what that millions of people do on Saturday night.  Then he sliced up some okra pods, dumped in CANNED TOMATOES, probably some seasoning and heated it up. I think he did some strange basil "pesto" with pomegranate molasses  That's it. 

 

That's not a star to me.  That's a whole lot less conception, prep and cooking than almost everybody else.  

 

Ok, I don't like him, he creeps me out.  I can't be unbiased. 

[smiley13]

For me, the mushrooms are not a substitute for meat at all.  When did this whole annoying "protein" thing start anyway?  It is meat.

 

I did not care for Rosa, but felt like she got shafted having to cook mushrooms.

[cooksdelight]

I'd have used the portobellos as a saucer to hold a tasty grilled veggie mix, with some cheese on top (cannot remember if cheese was there) because if those mushrooms are grilled properly, they taste meaty. It's called making lemonade from lemons. But she chose to stuff them inside of a huge roll instead.

[Clanstarling]

 

The Finalists are split into teams of three, tasked with creating and presenting a cohesive menu to a crowd of hungry families at a 4th of July cookout. Guest judge Bobby Deen joins Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay to determine which team is safe, and which Finalist will be sent home.

 

Did anyone else expect the teams to put together and present a menu they all contributed to (instead of individual takes on cookout food)? I didn't see much point in having a team, or insisting they shop together if they were going to cook individually. (well, okay, it made switching the groceries as part of a car ad easier, but still). Maybe it's just me.

 

I didn't worry too much about Dom whining about the meat - I figure they had plenty of footage of the others complaining, but Dom got the whiner edit.

[Surrealist]

Walking off the stage was what made me decide that he's got to go. Who does that? Isn't the problem usually camera hogs? I'd rather see that than someone who's like "this is the food, eat it, bye."

 

I was able to give Dom a pass the first and even second time around because I understand how someone (who isn't used to being on TV) might get camera jitters, but now his abruptness comes across as dismissive and I'm ready for him to be gone. Like you, I'd rather put up with a camera hog.

[Pallida]

Not everybody thinks of poultry or fish as "meat," so I think that's where the "protein" comes from.  Portobello mushrooms don't have much protein, so they don't really qualify though.

[jumper sage]

Rosa had to go.  At least Dom can cook.  She didn't even scrape off the gills of the mushrooms.  She should have scraped them, rubbed them in olive oil and grilled them whole and then made some sort of grilled onion topping, some cheese and cut the bread lengthwise and made a vegetarian sandwich.  Anything but what she did.

[smiley13]

Did anyone else expect the teams to put together and present a menu they all contributed to (instead of individual takes on cookout food)? I didn't see much point in having a team, or insisting they shop together if they were going to cook individually. (well, okay, it made switching the groceries as part of a car ad easier, but still). Maybe it's just me.

 

I didn't worry too much about Dom whining about the meat - I figure they had plenty of footage of the others complaining, but Dom got the whiner edit.

That would have made sense to me.  I am not really sure why they had them as teams when they did not really perform as such.

[RockShrimp]

I'm just saying if Eddie had tackled Alex to shut him up, he would have won the entire season.

[needschocolate]

Yeah, it looked like she had a baby's butt sticking out of her dress.  What the heck is that called?  

 

Tacky