S13.E01: Stop The Presses

[bluepiano]

Too many fat guys with beards. They all blur.  

 

Are they trying to be Kevin Gillespie 2.0?  

 

I live in Seattle. Half the guys between 25 and 40 look like that.

 

From watching this show I've learned that chefs wherever they live are all (or largely) part of the same bearded, tattooed hipster fraternity. (Similar for the women, sans the beards).

[stacyasp]

I graduated from culinary school last year, and cleanliness of your station is a BIG deal! Part of every cooking test you take has cleanliness as part of the grading process. Plus you don't want to make anybody sick....would never eat at Wesleys restaurant. Can't believe he graduated CIA with sloppy skills like that!<br />

[phoenix780]

I just re watched a couple of parts.  At the end, Grayson says, well I could push myself, but that is not me, I want to stay true to myself.  She is not going to last long.  I wonder why she came back.

I wonder why they didn't pull her in as fodder in an All-Stars season, if she wanted to come back.

 

I wish this challenge didn't involve cooking for an event of that size.  They gave them total freedom otherwise, why not let us see what they could really do unleashed before making them translate their vision into something that works well when catering an outdoor event for 200 people?  I feel like it was a waste to let them do whatever cuisine they wanted in this kind of challenge.

[Kromm]

I've totally seen Karen on the Food Network before... I want to say on Beat Bobby Flay.

 

Looks like Grayson is going to fall victim to the repeat contestant curse--I loved her the first time around, and already I want her to shut her trap. Although part of me really wanted them to send gross Wesley home just because he is gross. I mean... yuck.

To some extent it may be subtleties of the edit either the previous one OR the current one, or both, coming through here. Because looking back at clips/coverage from before, she was already snarky and talked back to Tom, and even did the same "because that's how I do it" think (a straight line out of an interview she did at the time). There was just something that sounded more snippy or defensive or something in this first clip/instance this time.  Maybe collective exasperation that she, an admittedly literal minded person, did exactly what another contestant got lauded for last time (in her mind at least it was the same thing), and didn't get the results the other person got.  That's the whole thing with someone else being lauded last time for meatballs and her getting slammed for a chicken salad sandwich (then later eliminated, seemingly by Tom specifically, for portions that were too large and "mixing summer and fall flavors"). She's the same person it seems, just coming off even worse. She was grumpy last time too. She ever said she didn't even want to go into Last Chance Kitchen last time but kind of... had to (I guess they're contractually obligated). 

 

I think the flipside of that is that last time we saw a loveable side to her sarcasm/grumpiness.  I remember the wacky stuff on the bike and the big pan of chicken, for example. And I think her obtuseness could be funny and that came out last time.

[Writing Wrongs]

As soon as they said "food bloggers", I started thinking about the South Park "Yelping" episode. LOL

 

I can't believe Sloppy Guy left the stickers on his tomatoes and blended them. WTF?

[Kromm]

I know we got the "semi self aware" bit from The Pig, but I really DO wonder if he realized fully how gross he was coming off. And really what did him in was the combination of things. Not just the sloppy station. Not JUST the garbage tossed on the floor NEXT to his station. Not just the produce labels left on and included in the food. But THEN the crap with the tasting spoon.

 

Honestly, I don't know why Tom was so mild about it. Even seeing ONE of those things probably deserved a real reaming, but we got all four. 

 

Really we see people make silly cooking mistakes on this show all of the time. Very rarely does that make them unemployable afterwards. Even being stubborn or having a 'tude, people in the real world can and will get over it.

 

But The Pig may have done himself dirty for good, so to speak, with what we saw--I mean he's already dug a (filthy) hole so deep they're gonna need a HELL of a redemption arc. Or if he owns his own restaurant now (I don't recall which it was at this point -- EDIT - clarification - he HAD his own restaurant, lost it, went to Blais' old employer, got fired, and is now at another employer in Atlanta) it's even worse. Who's gonna be lining up to visit there now?  The local board of health? Talk about fucking yourself over. Maybe Tom hammering on him was edited out simply because the footage of Pig doing these things was enough and they didn't want to ruin his career and/or business in one shot.

 

Really it seems like he's been leaning on those two James Beard nominations, because otherwise (from his Yelp reviews and the way he got lambasted by the restaurant that recently fired him) he's not got much to recommend him.  Top Chef DOES cast "characters" sometimes, it's true, but I wonder if they were really expecting this of him (and just paid more attention to his James Beard noms). 

Edited December 4, 2015 by Kromm

[Wings]

 

 

I don't know why that would be any more subjective than deciding whose dish is worst. It's not as if the judges always agree that so-and-so made the worst dish

 

The Top Chef Conspiracy thread at TWoP was one of the more fun threads.  Though as time wore on, I recall more and more of that being discussed in the episode and judges thrads.

 

I believe that was Angelina

 

 

I wear my tin foil hat in Last Chance Kitchen.  See you there!  

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Top Chef Is Goin' Back To Cali
'My strategy is...really just give yummy food,' says one contestant. Let's see how that goes!

[Crucial]

Can't wait for Grayson and man bun to go home.  Grayson is just obnoxious and it's only one episode.  Every time I see Frances (is she the only sous chef)  I think of Katsuji Tanabe for some reason.  I can't wait to see more dishes from the critics top choices.  They look like some great chefs. 

[NYCFree]

I am curious about where Kwame actually comes from. In the beginning it says he is from The Bronx. Since we live there now, we said we had to root for him. Then, his wooden sign said he was from Queens. Both are two of the five boroughs that make up NYC, but are still actually different places.

Slob guy was really gross.

Grayson was just vapid. I loved the chef in the back who did an actual face palm when Grayson made the sparkle comment.

[Kromm]

Grayson was just vapid. I loved the chef in the back who did an actual face palm when Grayson made the sparkle comment.

I don't know if vapidity is the right criticism (not that she doesn't deserve A criticism of some type) for what I think was clearly (ill advised) sarcasm. "Surly", maybe.

[Wings]

I am curious about where Kwame actually comes from. In the beginning it says he is from The Bronx. Since we live there now, we said we had to root for him. Then, his wooden sign said he was from Queens. Both are two of the five boroughs that make up NYC, but are still actually different places.

Slob guy was really gross.

Grayson was just vapid. I loved the chef in the back who did an actual face palm when Grayson made the sparkle comment.

 

 

Now I have to go back.  I missed this!  So good.  Thanks. 

Can't wait for Grayson and man bun to go home.  Grayson is just obnoxious and it's only one episode.  Every time I see Frances (is she the only sous chef)  I think of Katsuji Tanabe for some reason.  I can't wait to see more dishes from the critics top choices.  They look like some great chefs. 

 

 

YES.  That is it.  I knew there was some memory there but could not place it!  Me too.   

[NYCFree]

I don't know if vapidity is the right criticism (not that she doesn't deserve A criticism of some type) for what I think was clearly (ill advised) sarcasm. "Surly", maybe.

Vapid

offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging.

"tuneful but vapid musical comedies"

synonyms: insipid, uninspired, colorless, uninteresting, feeble, flat, dull, boring, tedious, tired, unexciting, uninspiring, unimaginative, uninvolving, lifeless, tame, vacuous, bland, trite, jejune

"a tuneful but vapid musical comedy"

antonyms: lively, colorful

I accidentally picked a great word as Grayson offered noting stimulating or challenging. I meant vapid as in shallow and vacuous, but the actual definition works great.

[Bastet]

I can't believe Sloppy Guy left the stickers on his tomatoes and blended them. WTF?

 

Since he left the blended mixture somewhat coarse and just strained out the juice, I wonder if that was his internal justification for not taking the time to remove the labels.  But I didn't take a close look at what he was using to strain (cheese cloth, maybe, but I can't say for sure it wasn't something with larger holes that could have allowed through little bits of chopped up vegetable label).

[Kromm]

Hmm. Grayson herself reminds us (via Twitter--and when ARE we getting that upgrade to be able to add tweets here?) that she once told Tom "it's gonna be like sex in your mouth".  I remember that now too that she's reminded us.  That went over a lot better than any joke/sarcasm from her last night.

She also adds:

 

 

Fought for my life this episode of @BravoTopChef The tude is warranted, trust me

So it really does sound like the axe she's grinding is probably with Tom specifically.

[rozen]

Grayson's choice was so strange to me. Other chefs who've said they cook homey/traditional/rustic food have always had something unique to make the dish pop, even if it's an echo of some other traditional dish.Even if she'd executed it perfectly, it would have been so boring for a "show us who you are" type cooking challenge. I think she confuses staying true to herself with being stagnant. 

 

I don't think I'm going to like healthy, approachable perky chef, but damn if she didn't break down those chickens like a boss. People that perky and self-aware are a hair's breath away from coming full circle and being just sarcastic, I forsee her needling a bunch of people.

 

Interesting the judges like the sous chef's dish, but the trendy food critics put her in the bottom (along with every other woman). At least she had immunity.

 

It was kind of dumb to put the chicken in the oven with no hint for The Pig, but Wesley was also stupid for not checking it. There are only so many places your protein could have wandered off to, especially 10 min out from plating. Ugh, I know I've probably eaten delicious food cooked by equally filthy people, but his sloppiness was just so foul. I don't think I could have brought myself to try to food after seeing that spoon hanging out of his mouth.

 

Man Bun is cocky, but appears to know his business, so carry on. I liked Garrett for sniping at Isabella, but he deserved to be axed if for nothing else than not saving the best bits for the judges. Top Chef has been on long enough that everyone should know that by now. Contestants have won despite enraging the crowd by cooking/serving too slowly, but making sure the judges's portions were perfect. No one's ever won screwing up the judging dishes, but pleasing the crowd.

[tobeannounced]

I'm thinking Wesley is such a mess at his station because he has low-wage underlings to clean up after him, which makes me dislike him even more.

[elzin]

I didn't even know this was on until I checked the guide to see what was on because whatever Law & Order marathon I was watching had ones I had seen too recently to watch again. 

 

I really liked Grayson before, but I think she's going to flame out fast.

 

I'm giving the Sassy Chef a pass for the time being because I can chalk it up to verbal diarrhea and general camera nervousness. I'd be a hypocrite if I couldn't imagine myself putting my foot in my mouth too out of general awkwardness and social ineptitude.

 

Spoon guy has got to go.  I think I rant every season about someone doing it and it's gross.  It's not like he has to buy supplies or do dishes. Plus on Thanksgiving my mother was doing it too. Thankfully not to dishes that I was going to eat (or at least that I saw). She is chronically sick ... not sure if really sick or if it's real or even if it's contagious, but it kills me that the people in my family who have the most disgusting kitchen habits are the ones I might catch something from.

 

Most everyone else is one big hipster blur, as is usually the case for me for the first few episodes.... half of the season....

[anniebird]

God, I hate foam!  I thought that trend died its deserved death several years ago.  With the whole “you eat with your eyes first” credo, creating the impression you have hocked a loogie on my plate just boggles my mind.

 

I always said that anyone who put foam on a plate must have never had a cat.

[Mmazeo]

Can't believe no one posted Grayson's best moment...

[windfall]

Since I try to pretend that the Texas season never happened, I forgot about Grayson's meatball comment back at Tom. But now that I remember it, I'm totally on board with having her around if that means she gets another chance to call him out.

[candall]

Okay, now that I’ve paid more attention …

 

I got a chuckle out of Padma standing on the gel mat while Tom stood on the floor; I’d need a hell of a lot more help than that in those heels.

 

Also from “who doesn’t snore?” in selecting a roommate, as snoring makes me something just short of homicidal.

 

I still don’t know many names …

 

In terms of comportment based on this small sample, I like the sous chef who rocks bitter melon, which I love (Frances?), the sassy chef (Renee?), the guy who dissed the sassy chef but then gave her props when she was the first one done in the QF (ooh, this came to me – Amar), the “cooking saved me” Brooklyn (I think) chef, the chef who worked with Emeril for ten years, the chef who shut down “oh, I’d have won if I hadn’t squirted orange juice in my eye” and explained that prosciutto isn’t vegan although her sauce was, and the gracious James Beard Award loser. 

 

There’s no one I developed a visceral dislike of, but as I said, Mr. Man Bun annoys me, as does the eliminated philosopher (and I often enjoy people like him).  The messy chef, too.  I don’t care at all if friends or family taste the food, then stick that spoon back in the food before serving me.  And I’m not too riled up about its inevitable occurrence from time to time in restaurants, either, as I have a robust immune system.  But when people – and cameras – are right in front of you and you still do something like that?  That tells me it’s part of your routine, not the occasional slip.

 

There wasn’t much food I would have passed on.  For the QF, the green team’s chicken looked wonderfully moist.  The blue team’s dish looked even better, so I wasn’t surprised by that win.

 

For the elimination challenge, definitely not much food I’d have skipped.  Grayson’s meatballs wouldn’t have excited me, as I’m not much of a tomato sauce (especially Jersey pizzeria tomato sauce) or beef fan.  I think I’d have been all over Amar’s meatball.  I don’t much care for polenta, so Sassy Chef’s dish might not have been my favorite, but there wasn’t much and I love pork loin.  The salmon and apple tartare looked really good, as did the carrot soup with Middle Eastern flavors. 

 

God, I hate foam!  I thought that trend died its deserved death several years ago.  With the whole “you eat with your eyes first” credo, creating the impression you have hocked a loogie on my plate just boggles my mind.

Twinnies!  The snoring, the iron constitution, tomato sauce:no, carrot soup:yes, same same to everything. C'mere, big hug.  (Except we're not huggers, right?)

 

So the guy who spent $400 on crab and $100 on vegetables--without a dish in mind--and then went to all the trouble of ripping up grass from under his shoes (bleh) to smoke the crab, ultimately offered the 47 ingredient plate full of specks and polka dots.  Crazy, man.

 

The people who did the tartare apple cranberry dish and the simple winning fresh sliver of fish were smart.  "Refreshing" would stand out and be pleasing to judges who were slogging through 17 plates.  Even the amaranth puff next to the molecule of crab was a welcome respite.

 

I love the redhead and the blondie-top who are roommates--and I thought the wife photo moment was adorable.  But maybe don't pick bitter melon knowing you're going to have an uphill battle with all the people who find it BITTER.

Edited December 4, 2015 by candall

[toodles]

Can't wait for Grayson and man bun to go home.  Grayson is just obnoxious and it's only one episode.  Every time I see Frances (is she the only sous chef)  I think of Katsuji Tanabe for some reason.  I can't wait to see more dishes from the critics top choices.  They look like some great chefs.

Rubberband man needs to stfu now. Second episode in and he's getting on my very last nerve. Same goes for Grayson. This is her second time at the rodeo. Stop the bitching or go home. Just pick one. Please?

[Bastet]

Twinnies!  The snoring, the iron constitution, tomato sauce:no, carrot soup:yes, same same to everything. C'mere, big hug.  (Except we're not huggers, right?)

 

Bingo.

 

I love the redhead and the blondie-top who are roommates--and I thought the wife photo moment was adorable.

 

That gave me a good laugh, especially with how red Frances' face was. 

 

And to address something said upthread, Renee's "I'll sleep with one eye open" comment seemed good natured to me, and thus not offensive -- I can't imagine it being something she'd utter based solely on Frances' sexual orientation, but something that came up only because she bore such a resemblance to Frances' wife, and something delivered (and received) with nothing but good humor.

[larapu2000]

Jeremy can get it.

That is all.

[windfall]

I love the redhead and the blondie-top who are roommates--and I thought the wife photo moment was adorable.  But maybe don't pick bitter melon knowing you're going to have an uphill battle with all the people who find it BITTER.

 

I agree about the bitter melon. My family enjoys it but it's a huge turn off for me. Actually, that's probably why she ended up in the bottom of the critics list. 

[snarktini]

I can't help thinking that they have 17 chefs because they chose their usual 16 and then a producer forced them to take Grayson at the last minute. 

Or, it could be as simple as the producers wanting 4x4 teams for the popup challenge, so they had to start with the odd 17!

[easypeasy]

Ewww. During the immunity challenge, Wesley also licked his fingers after fondling the chicken on the grill that they used for the dish.

[breezy424]

Messy guy needs to go.  You don't taste and put your spoon back. Period.  I would never eat at any restaurant he works.  Yuck.

 

Second worst is you don't lick your fingers.  Even worse if you make that smacking sound when you do it.  Just gross.

 

I see Grayson for a few more episodes and then, ba bye.

 

I think Kwame is going to go far.  I don't why but he just seems under the radar talented.

[forum4idiots]

when i first saw it yesterday, i was gonna let it go.  but seeing the rerun again today, i can't......

 

padma was being a biatch throughout the ep.  isn't she pretty much famous for putting worse things in her mouth to get to where she is?

[RemoteControlFreak]

And to address something said upthread, Renee's "I'll sleep with one eye open" comment seemed good natured to me, and thus not offensive -- I can't imagine it being something she'd utter based solely on Frances' sexual orientation, but something that came up only because she bore such a resemblance to Frances' wife, and something delivered (and received) with nothing but good humor.

Maybe.

Edited December 4, 2015 by RemoteControlFreak

[tenativelyyours]

I wonder why they didn't pull her in as fodder in an All-Stars season, if she wanted to come back.

 

I wish this challenge didn't involve cooking for an event of that size.  They gave them total freedom otherwise, why not let us see what they could really do unleashed before making them translate their vision into something that works well when catering an outdoor event for 200 people?  I feel like it was a waste to let them do whatever cuisine they wanted in this kind of challenge.

 

This really bugged me.  Probably because I am enjoying the current season of Masterchef: The Professionals.  Why give them a signature dish challenge and then pile on what, to me, seem significant limitations by the venue and the amount of food needed. 

 

Grayson is annoying.  She always played the "its not me, its you' card her first season.  To me, nothing ever really seemed to be her fault.  Sure she would laughingly moan how she just didn't get it.  But, again for me, it seemed there was this underlying derision at the silliness of the show's parameters and judging on those parameters.  And she is still at it.  In fact the way she talked about the past season seemed even worse.  I cannot remember the exact wording but when she said why she left when she did the Texas season it never pointed out that Paul essentially handed her and the rest their collective asses when all was said and done.  Or that she simply had several moments in the season that she just wasn't the worst.  Again it comes off as a sort of revisionist history that her leaving was somehow this quirky but noble and free spirit that refused to bow to some silly convention over and over again. 

 

I do think that if this had been her first season she would have been the first person leaving.  I do think Colicchio is too invested in the show's perceived infallibility to bring someone back like this and then go "oops' you were a huge mistaken failure, weren't you?".  At least with Stephanie coming back it was after esstentially failing the entry process for the first episode.  She didn't get almost a whole season to then come back and try again.  Complete with odd self-admitted lack of awareness that competes with her self-congratulation over said lack of awareness.

 

Bun boy can leave the episode after unless Christmas comes a bit early and I get a two-fer.

[Bella]

Didn't the first chef eliminated in the first episode of the first season get cut specifically for dipping his spoon back in the pot after licking it? That's how I remember it, at least. I'm really surprised they let Spoon Chef stay, but maybe the standards have lowered. In which case, ick!

[tenativelyyours]

Didn't the first chef eliminated in the first episode of the first season get cut specifically for dipping his spoon back in the pot after licking it? That's how I remember it, at least. I'm really surprised they let Spoon Chef stay, but maybe the standards have lowered. In which case, ick!

 

I thought it was about him being so pissy after he was removed from Hubert Keller's kitchen line for not wearing the proper shoes?  But I do kind of remember him reusing a taster even though the kitchen had a perfect system of providing plenty and easy to access clean/fresh tasters. 

[Kromm]

Didn't the first chef eliminated in the first episode of the first season get cut specifically for dipping his spoon back in the pot after licking it? That's how I remember it, at least. I'm really surprised they let Spoon Chef stay, but maybe the standards have lowered. In which case, ick!

Did that guy have two James Beard nominations?

 

I think Wesley The Pig got a pass for that.  Unfortunately.  I mean he had a lot more than just one cleanliness violation (his station, the floor, making people eat paper and glue, and THEN the spoon thing).

[attica]

I didn't like 'sassy' Renee, and then I did (good cook, seems friendly!) and then she went and pronounced the place she runs as a 'reshtaurant.' Nails on a chalkboard; she's dead to me now.

 

Here's a fun piece from one of the Jezebel writers who was at the tasting that went up before the show aired, so no spoilers about who was who. It's fun to get a backstage peek. One of the money quotes:

In real life, Padma is the goddess I always believed her to be. Gail is a tiny, tiny person and is adorable. Because it’s Hollywood, everyone is shorter than you think.

 

[Kromm]

To me Gail is kind of like the anti-Nina Garcia.  She's that magazine person reality judging add-on who's actually pleasant and likable rather than annoying and superfluous. 

Edited December 4, 2015 by Kromm

[Pepper Mostly]

Padma's still a bitch, I see. "So, Renee, tell me about your reason for existence and why I should even deign to taste your flyover country food". Sorry, I know lots of people like her but I have never been a fan. She seems to be very insecure in the presence of another attractive woman and once someone's in her sights, she can't seem to be able to resist getting her digs in. Like that poor guy with the spoon. Yes, he was wrong, but he knew it and was mortified. Let it go already.

I don't like Tom either. Why do I torment myself?

 

I remember liking Grayson in her original showing, so I hope she can adjust her attitude! Me, I'm rooting for my homies, Karen and Carl! Boston, represent!

Didn't the first chef eliminated in the first episode of the first season get cut specifically for dipping his spoon back in the pot after licking it? That's how I remember it, at least. I'm really surprised they let Spoon Chef stay, but maybe the standards have lowered. In which case, ick!

Hahaha, I remember that! He stuck his finger in the sauce to taste it, and was summarily thrown out of the kitchen. Then he was the first to go anyway.

I thought it was about him being so pissy after he was removed from Hubert Keller's kitchen line for not wearing the proper shoes?  But I do kind of remember him reusing a taster even though the kitchen had a perfect system of providing plenty and easy to access clean/fresh tasters. 

That was another person--an older lady who was wearing sneaks. I cannot believe I remember that!

[attica]

Yes, he was wrong, but he knew it and was mortified.

 

I didn't get that from what I saw. I got that he was embarrassed to be called out on it, but cooking with a tasting spoon is clearly a habit he has long had. And that deserves being embarrassed over -- maybe the lesson will stick!  Anyway, the food must've been good, since both P&T were quick to praise it, even after knowing his cooties were all up in that pot.

[NYGirl]

I haven't watched in many years..maybe 5 or more.  There's not many shows that are must see TV for me so I decided to TiVo and see if I wanted to watch.

 

I forgot how the contestants talk back to the judges on this show.  I watch a lot of reality and have never seen that. That being said I didn't like Grayson at all.

 

At first I didn't like New Orleans guy Isaac but by the end if the episode he became may favorite.  I don't like sassy because she comes on too strong for my taste.  I like the guy with glasses and the one who was making fun of sassy when she introduced herself.

 

Gail and Padma look pretty good.  

 

I think I'm going to enjoy the season.

 

P.S. Wesley can go any time soon.

[Noreaster]

I know we got the "semi self aware" bit from The Pig, but I really DO wonder if he realized fully how gross he was coming off. And really what did him in was the combination of things. Not just the sloppy station. Not JUST the garbage tossed on the floor NEXT to his station. Not just the produce labels left on and included in the food. But THEN the crap with the tasting spoon.

Honestly, I don't know why Tom was so mild about it. Even seeing ONE of those things probably deserved a real reaming, but we got all four.

Really we see people make silly cooking mistakes on this show all of the time. Very rarely does that make them unemployable afterwards. Even being stubborn or having a 'tude, people in the real world can and will get over it.

But The Pig may have done himself dirty for good, so to speak, with what we saw--I mean he's already dug a (filthy) hole so deep they're gonna need a HELL of a redemption arc. Or if he owns his own restaurant now (I don't recall which it was at this point -- EDIT - clarification - he HAD his own restaurant, lost it, went to Blais' old employer, got fired, and is now at another employer in Atlanta) it's even worse. Who's gonna be lining up to visit there now? The local board of health? Talk about fucking yourself over. Maybe Tom hammering on him was edited out simply because the footage of Pig doing these things was enough and they didn't want to ruin his career and/or business in one shot.

Really it seems like he's been leaning on those two James Beard nominations, because otherwise (from his Yelp reviews and the way he got lambasted by the restaurant that recently fired him) he's not got much to recommend him. Top Chef DOES cast "characters" sometimes, it's true, but I wonder if they were really expecting this of him (and just paid more attention to his James Beard noms).

Wesley clearly has bad habits in the kitchen but he does have a pretty good resume. They don't just give out James Beard nominations for no reason. And I probably wouldn't just rely on one bad customer review (btw the earlier link is tripadvisor and not yelp, not that it matters since neither is particularly reliable) or the word of one employer that fired him.

[cpcathy]

I feel I only watch this show because it's just....on. It's just the same every week. I'm in California so I hope we get some delicious looking food from the coast.

Yes, Padma is still a bitch, Tom is still haughty and I kind of wish Gail was still a little chunky. I hope she lost weight only because she really wanted to and not because she felt inferior to Padma. I thought she looked good before.

[carrps]

Aw, I liked Grayson before, and I still like her, but. The 'tude at judges' table was really pushing it.

 

Wesley grossed me out soooooooooooo much. Why can't people on competitive reality shows realize it's essentially season-long free advertising for their businesses? I don't care how freaking good his food tastes, I'd never go to a restaurant he worked in. Also, are those tomato labels food safe? Even if the "tomato water" was strained out whatever ink or glue or whatever would be still floating around in that water.

 

I was kinda sad to see Gail so thin -- about the thinnest I'd ever seen her -- I'd always liked that she didn't seem to care that she was a few pounds above skeletal. Padma looked...different? Botox?

 

Manbun looked a little familiar, so I'm assuming I saw him on Chopped, though I don't remember him.

 

Don't like Renee. Perky people who tell other people to deal seem passive-aggressive to me. Off-putting. And she may not have meant it the way it sounded but the "sleep with one eye open" comment bugged me.

 

Frances seems like a try-too-hard. Bitter melon (any ingredient, really, that's an acquired taste) is not a good idea for an event where the public is picking the potential winners and losers.

[RCharter]

I graduated from culinary school last year, and cleanliness of your station is a BIG deal! Part of every cooking test you take has cleanliness as part of the grading process. Plus you don't want to make anybody sick....would never eat at Wesleys restaurant. Can't believe he graduated CIA with sloppy skills like that!<br />

 

Doesn't he have 2 James Beard Awards or Nominations?  You gotta wonder what they are thinking right about now.  I fear what is going on behind the scenes in his kitchen.  If this is what he is willing to do on TV.  But, his food was delicious.

Can't wait for Grayson and man bun to go home.  Grayson is just obnoxious and it's only one episode.  Every time I see Frances (is she the only sous chef)  I think of Katsuji Tanabe for some reason.  I can't wait to see more dishes from the critics top choices.  They look like some great chefs. 

 

What is her major malfunction?  They should have sent her home for that attitude alone.  You can have a shitty attitude or you can have shitty food....but you can't have both buttercup.  I didn't much care for Garret, since he seemed pretty pretentious, but its hard to maintain consistency when serving 200 people and at least two of the judges thought his dish was great.  Whereas no one thought Grayson, or Angela's dish was very good at all.

 

I think the redhead is going to get on my nerves, as are Grayson, and man bun...but so far its nice to have a reality show where I kinda like more than half the contestants.  I even like slob guy, he clearly makes good food, I would just never want to see him make it.

 

Frances seems like a try-too-hard. Bitter melon (any ingredient, really, that's an acquired taste) is not a good idea for an event where the public is picking the potential winners and losers.

I think any bitter ingredient is a bad idea when serving to the public, and people from the likes of Popsugar.

 

However, I may try some pickled since Tom likes it.

Should Emeril be a judge when one of his present or former employees is a contestant? No. They have a huge group of people to choose from to judge.

Still no explanation as to why Grayson was brought back. At first, I thought maybe she was a spy or something, but then she's going on and on about competing. And then the humiliating critique. She's in the bottom right off the bat which makes bringing her back questionable, in my mind, at least. Taking a spot from someone else who might have done better. And she does not look healthy.

17 is a weird number of chefs to start with.

I wonder if they are planning to go all double elimination at some point?

[tvfanatic13]

I really thought that one of the judges was going to find the tomato sticker in their food! He is just gross and can leave my screen any time! Happy to see the gang back though!

[BullInChina]

I liked Grayson as a person in Season 9, but even then she struck me as someone who is a good *cook*, but not a *chef.* That still seems to be true.

[GaT]

Crap, I didn't even know this show had started up again. I'll have to catch up now.

[archer1267]

Anyone from Boston here? I was puzzled when Carl (carrot soup) mentioned the Middle Eastern influence of his Boston neighborhood. Anyone know what that describes? Allston? Central Square?

[RCharter]

Anyone from Boston here? I was puzzled when Carl (carrot soup) mentioned the Middle Eastern influence of his Boston neighborhood. Anyone know what that describes? Allston? Central Square?

I thought that was interesting too.  The only real ethnic cuisine I remembered from Boston was the North End Italian cuisine.  And the pastries from Mike's.  Because I consider pastries their own cuisine :)

[Totale]

I thought that was interesting too.  The only real ethnic cuisine I remembered from Boston was the North End Italian cuisine. 

 

And Greek pizza.