S13.E05: Big Gay Wedding

[JES004]

I'm Canadian, so we only get an 1-hour episode. Our dollar is running at $0.70 to the US dollar, so I guess it's the same episode, once you factor in the exchange rate.

Fewer commercials?

I think Jason is kinda dorky cute. I will give him a pass on his interjecting commenting regarding the gummy potatoes, since I smell the editing monkey's unscrupulous juxtapositioning of comments in that segment.

[biakbiak]

Fewer commercials?

I think Jason is kinda dorky cute. I will give him a pass on his interjecting commenting regarding the gummy potatoes, since I smell the editing monkey's unscrupulous juxtapositioning of comments in that segment.

I actually thought the editors were supportin Jason by showing his recollection was much clearer than Phillip's.

Not to defend Jason too much because I actually don't care one way or not her but the reason he called it his dish is because it was the dish he said he was going to do and others said he needed help to execute it and that is when Angelina came aboard.

[holly4755]

well, you all covered that topic pretty well, I watched it but have nothing to add. thanks. Yum, got to make me some gummy potatoes - that sounds so appetizing, not.

[bitchin camaro]

Jason looks like a serial killer to me.

Isaac reminds me so much of a buddy of mine from Louisiana - same look, same accent, same sense of humor - so I'm pulling for him. Plus I love that he just made some down home dirty rice instead of trying to make some sausage risotto foam nonsense.

Giselle - if you have to keep telling folks how nice you are, maybe you're just not that nice.

Chrissy Teigen has bulimia face.

I can't decide if I like to hate or hate to like ManBun.

[Muffyn]

In another episode we saw the cheftestants making fun of manbun's poster of himself at his restaurant. I get the feeling he's the one they like to snark on because he provides so much fodder with his pretentious way of presenting himself and of course his model/actress wife. He does not seem to have a very good understanding of how people react to him. It's as if he doesn't really hear what is being said. So when Kwame told him the potatoes were "gummy", he heard something positive rather than "fix it before the judges and wedding guests gag." When he's says whatever overly pretentious thing and the cheftestants give him the side eye, it doesn't occur to him that they are put off by what he said. The problem is snarking and thinking he's a fool can turn into a nasty situation. A lot of the early interactions on Marcel's season were like this, and then they got drunk and tried to shave his head.

With that said, yeah, manbun comes off like a clueless douche. I enjoy snarking on him. But I don't have to compete against him or live with him. I oddly enjoy seeing what clueless thing he'll do next. I have to go now. I'm making gummy potatoes on a heated rock with burnt dog-pee covered grass. That's world class dining!

[weixiaobao]

O__________________O

"Normally, the entirety of the judges table is TWO TO THREE HOURS of standing there. They go through everybody's dish. They'll punch a hole in some of the best dishes and they'll praise some of the worst. What you do learn is what the judges like in particular and how they're judging the competition."

http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2016/01/top_chef_competitor_isaac_toup_1.html

[Maysie]

For some reason, I've lost the option for a quote box, but Muffyn above said something that is interesting: Muffyn noted that Kwame tasted Man Bun's potatoes and said they were gummy. It made me realize that generally, when one chef tastes another's dish, they don't say "that sucks!" From what I recall, they tend to stick to the fact at hand, which in this case was gummy potatoes. And really, that's what they need to do because otherwise they're in the position of potentially undermining or helping a competitor's position. And the really interesting thing is that Man Bun was okay with the "gummy" which tells me that's what he's going for. I'm guessing that later, after it's all said and done, the other chefs are like Isaac in his recap saying "wow, those potatoes pretty much sucked!" That's different than just calling them gummy, at least to Man Bun (though I think he would have argued that they didn't suck if Kwame had said "they're gummy and they're really awful."

Two to three hours at the judges table - holy moly. I bet they do have to pee. That's a lot of time to learn about the judges and for them to learn about the chefs, too.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Maysie

[Jesse]

One thing to remember about the potatoes -- it was not a failed experiment. He talked about how he has them on the menu at his restaurant(s), and they came out exactly the way he wanted.

[Julia]

The thing is, though, even if he knew he screwed the pooch, would he admit it on camera? He doesn't strike me as someone who's very good at backing his mouth under pressure, but he also doesn't seem like someone who admits to mistakes. And, predictably, Tom took him at his word that he meant to make a crappy dish and he was bravely owning it and let it drop, so it turned out to be a pretty good strategy.

Maybe that's who you have to be to be a young turk chef.

[RCharter]

For some reason, I've lost the option for a quote box, but Muffyn above said something that is interesting: she noted that Kwame tasted Man Bun's potatoes and said they were gummy. It made me realize that generally, when one chef tastes another's dish, they don't say "that sucks!" From what I recall, they tend to stick to the fact at hand, which in this case was gummy potatoes. And really, that's what they need to do because otherwise they're in the position of potentially undermining or helping a competitor's position. And the really interesting thing is that Man Bun was okay with the "gummy" which tells me that's what he's going for. I'm guessing that later, after it's all said and done, the other chefs are like Isaac in his recap saying "wow, those potatoes pretty much sucked!" That's different than just calling them gummy, at least to Man Bun (though I think he would have argued that they didn't suck if Kwame had said "they're gummy and they're really awful."

Two to three hours at the judges table - holy moly. I bet they do have to pee. That's a lot of time to learn about the judges and for them to learn about the chefs, too.

When I saw that, I saw it more as ManBun asked Kwame to taste the potatoes just as something that was expected of him to do. I don't think he was ever going to hear any negative feedback about those potatoes so I'm not even sure he heard Kwame say they were gummy. If I had to guess I think ManBun's brain translated "gummy" to "yummy" and he went on about his business. I think he was super set on his idea and was absolutely certain it was genius. I think Kwame could have had a 20 minute discussion with him and it would have looked the way it did when Charlie Brown's teacher spoke to him and he only would have heard what he wanted to hear....which was that his mashed gummy potatoes were absolutely genius and tasty and he would be lauded as a culinary genius for being the first to come up with gummy potatoes.

[Maysie]

Oh, I'm sure Man Bun thought those potatoes were genius. Didn't he use a whipped cream dispenser to plate them? I'm sure to him, that meant they would be light, airy and potatoey (??? - you know what I mean). I mean, he used a "fancy" tool to plate his potatoes (kind of like Wesley's stencil back in the beginning), which I'm sure elevates any dish in his mind.

Snark aside, I was curious about the potatoes so I went to Scratch Bar's Yelp page for some help. I didn't read all the reviews, but the three I read mentioning the potato puree were very positive (If you consider licking the plate positive!). So either something went wrong with the dish or Man Bun and at least a few of his customers have their heads up their asses and/or have a very different palate than the people at the wedding. (It could be that Man Bun is so used to raves for the dish that he dismissed Kwame's comments because they were from a competitor). But the judges and Kwame all pronounced them gummy/gluey and Isaac said something similar in his interview, so I'm thinking at its heart it was a bad dish (maybe the type of potato he used???). Man Bun either didn't taste them (BAD idea, imo), was going to defend them til he died, or has a very different idea of what's good what isn't, which means he won't be around long.

Not having seen him on other shows, it's hard for me to believe he's all his publicity says he is. From the talk in the first episode, I expected him to be the guy to beat but between the oysters on the rocks, the crappy pudding and now the potatoes, it's kind of like the emperor has no clothes in this setting.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Maysie

[RCharter]

Oh, I'm sure Man Bun thought those potatoes were genius. Didn't he use a whipped cream dispenser to plate them? I'm sure to him, that meant they would be light, airy and potatoey (??? - you know what I mean). I mean, he used a "fancy" tool to plate his potatoes (kind of like Wesley's stencil back in the beginning), which I'm sure elevates any dish in his mind.

Snark aside, I was curious about the potatoes so I went to Scratch Bar's Yelp page for some help. I didn't read all the reviews, but the three I read mentioning the potato puree were very positive (If you consider licking the plate positive!). So either something went wrong with the dish or Man Bun and at least a few of his customers have their heads up their asses and/or have a very different palate than the people at the wedding. (It could be that Man Bun is so used to raves for the dish that he dismissed Kwame's comments because they were from a competitor). But the judges and Kwame all pronounced them gummy/gluey and Isaac said something similar in his interview, so I'm thinking at its heart it was a bad dish (maybe the type of potato he used???). Man Bun either didn't taste them (BAD idea, imo), was going to defend them til he died, or has a very different idea of what's good what isn't, which means he won't be around long.

Not having seen him on other shows, it's hard for me to believe he's all his publicity says he is. From the talk in the first episode, I expected him to be the guy to beat but between the oysters on the rocks, the crappy pudding and now the potatoes, it's kind of like the emperor has no clothes in this setting.

For better or worse, I think there is somewhat of an emperors new clothing element with the sort of cooking ManBun does. But its the sort of thing I associate with people who use gimmicks. Like the gimmicks are there to fool you into thinking the food tastes better than it does. Like, you give me some plain looking dirty rice, my mind isn't going to play those games on me. Its either going to be tasty, or its not. But you give me some whipped frothy foam, now its so fancy looking maybe I'm trying to convince myself it tastes better than it does. I think a there are a few places/areas in LA where the hype can overshadow the actual food, I call it the Pink's effect. If everyone is waiting in line for food, you're convinced it must be good but then you actually taste the hot dog you've been waiting 45 minutes in line for, and its gross! But you think, "well, maybe its me, I mean, I just waited 45 minutes in line for this hot dog, it must be delicious" but no, the third time you've waited in line for the hot dog you realize "no, its not just me, this hot dog is gross."

I certainly consider licking the plate a positive review, especially if he is plating stuff on dirty rocks (just kidding man bun!)

I think no matter what, he was going to defend those disgusting gummy potatoes. I truly don't think he was trying to throw Kwame under the bus, because the judges were VERY clear that Kwame wasn't going home and that they knew exactly what Kwame made on the dish and that it was the only part of the dish that they considered successful (I don't remember them saying anything one way or the other about the meat). So, it didn't seem to me like ManBun was trying to attach himself to Kwame's sauce, or say that Kwame had any part of those potatoes. Tom gave him a look that said Tom knew he was full of it in trying to defend those potatoes, the same way he seemed to think Grayson was full of it when she tried to defend that corn. Sometimes better to just say "mea culpa, I thought that would work and it didn't" rather than to stand by gummy potatoes and insist thats what you were going for.

[Muffyn]

"Do not defend the shoe." Tim Gunn to Wendy Pepper

"Do not defend the potato. " Everyone to ManBun.

[AriAu]

Given all the shit ManBun took on the gummy potatoes, including Tom nailing him with something like "So, it turned out like you wanted and we hated it", can you imagine how bad Giselle's must have been? Art said it was no "wedding food", which was the only time we heard anyone being criticized for not sticking to the one requirement of the challenge ("cater a wedding"), AND it must have been terribly underseasoned.

I think the reason ManBun survived is that the rest of the dish, including the cooking of the protein...a Top Chef must, was strong and strong enough to overcome undercooked, underseasoned non-wedding food, sorta made by someone trying to skate by!

Glad Isaac is doing well since I think he has a great attitude and approach for the show. I did see him shaping the portion that went onto people's plates and I think that attention to detail will carry him far.However, does anyone know if Dirty Rice is really a wedding reception dish in Louisiana or was he BSing his way to cook a dish he is good at?

They are certainly getting rid of the chaff so far and pretty soon (i.e. after they get rid of Angelina) we will see what these Chefs are really made of, especially Amar, Chad Carl etc who has sorta blended into the background so far.

ETA: Jason can go home any time now. Having immunity already (in this season of Top Carrot) there was no reason for him to be ordering Angelina around. In addition, I have watched every season and I can't remember ever seeing someone from the peanut gallery add the type of comment at Judges Table that he did . ManBun's description was not a blatant lie, and was to me pretty close to the truth, and at that point it was just "piling on" to a dish that was getting pounded. In addition, even if you viewed it as a lie, it is not one that disparaged another person's dish and instead was only helping himself.

Edited January 10, 2016 by AriAu

[MissEwa]

Yeah I'm sure Phillip will say the potato thing was intentional forever and ever but unlike adjectives like 'salty', 'spicy' or 'crunchy' that can be either good or bad, 'gummy' is unequivocally bad unless you're making gum or a gummi-based candy product.

[Julia]

Whose her mother?

 

This is her mom. As far as I know, she's pretty much just known for being her mom. 

[ratgirlagogo]

 

 

"Do not defend the shoe." Tim Gunn to Wendy Pepper

"Do not defend the potato. " Everyone to ManBun.

Much worse.   He Defended the Glue.

[biakbiak]

This is her mom. As far as I know, she's pretty much just known for being her mom.

Yes I wasn't suggesting her mother was famous just that her face doesn't shout eating disorder but rather just what her face looks like because of genetics. Edited January 11, 2016 by biakbiak

[Rai]

Although Phillip doesn't really bother me much, I found it very interesting that a good number of the chefs seem to find him annoying and were quite happy to join in on the criticisms.  When Wesley is dissing your technique, that's not a good sign.

 

I suspect Isaac might become a little hard to take on a daily, intensely exhausting reality show production basis, but as a viewer, I find him amusing, and his food sounds good.  I wasn't at all sad to see Giselle go, but I really hope Karen steps it up from here on out.

[GoMocs]

Foams? Was that Marcel?

 

Also, even if they were already married, the Padma thing somewhat de-legitimizes their marriages if you ask me. Whether you agree or disagree with gay marriage, having Padma say she had been "ordained" to do this for the show really turned my stomach. First definition of "ordained" when googled: make (someone) a priest or minister; confer holy orders on. Padma's comments about this were flippant and like she thought it was a joke. Well, Padma, it was a joke and you made a joke out of these people's weddings.

 

Oh yeah, Padma signing something online and putting her credit card number in really qualifies her to do marriages (sarcasm). I am not overly religious, but I find that an insult to religion and to those who believe. Legally can she do marriages? Yeah, but it makes a mocery of religion.

Edited January 11, 2016 by GoMocs

[GoMocs]

I feel like Whole Foods would be the sort of place where you could get away with that.  I feel like I was either in a Gelsons or a Whole Foods and I was wandering around trying to find the biggest and tastiest Pink Lady apple and some employee came over and actually cut me slices of what he thought would be a good apple. He was right, and so I asked him to pick me a few more since my method of "squeeze, squeeze, pass" may do more harm than good. I feel like my local Ralphs would take a dim view, but these high end places seem okay with it.

 

My local Publix where I shop would probably be suprised if you did it on your own, but they do have a sign up saying if you want a sample of any of the produce to ask an employee.

[Special K]

Regarding Jason piping in at Judges' Table, I have a feeling that happens more often they they show.  They probably showed it to set up some petty rivalry between those two we'll be seeing moving forward.  It could play out like a Roadrunner/Wiley E. Coyote thing:  Jason is Just. So. Irked by Phillip and Phillip is just a blithe doofus, going about his business, undeterred.

 

I didn't dislike Giselle before, but I had a major eyeroll at her exit and all that talk of dignity and integrity and niceness.  I might be old fashoined, but those used to be things you let others ascribe to you.

 

I think it's funny that Art Smith seems so much happier now that's he's fat again.

 

I don't think Padma was "ordained" as in now she's a religious leader, but as in "justice of the peace for a day" kind of thing.  Is it offensive for people to be married in secular fashion?  (I hope not!)

[GoMocs]

 

I don't think Padma was "ordained" as in now she's a religious leader, but as in "justice of the peace for a day" kind of thing.  Is it offensive for people to be married in secular fashion?  (I hope not!)

 

She clearly said she had just been "ordained"...and no, not offensive to married in secular fashion IMO, but these people who claim to be spiritual leaders and ordained because they went to a website, as she said she did if memory serves, and puts in a credit card number is offensive to people who believe IMO.

[Julia]

Well, you could look at it as an indictment of how easy it is to create a legal 'religion,' but it's also (glass a bit better than half full, JMO) a reassuring reminder that the US government by and large stays out of the business of deciding which religious beliefs are valid. It might be a better world if that was more common among governments.

[Special K]

She clearly said she had just been "ordained"...and no, not offensive to married in secular fashion IMO, but these people who claim to be spiritual leaders and ordained because they went to a website, as she said she did if memory serves, and puts in a credit card number is offensive to people who believe IMO.

 

Assuming she was ordained by the Universal Life Church (I might be wrong), I went to their website just now and I have to say it is kind of offensive in how it presents ordination, even to this atheist.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Special K

[GoMocs]

Bravo/Top Chef in their attempt to make

 

Assuming she was ordained by the Universal Life Church (I might be wrong), I went to their website just now and I have to say it is kind of offensive in how it presents ordination, even to this atheist.

 

 

That is the church, or better said website, that was mentioned. Seems to me that Bravo/Top Chef in their gesture towards the gay population insulted the religious population, albeit probaby unintentionally. I am not religious, but what got under my skin was Padma laughing about it like it was a joke...it was to her anyway.

 

NOTE: I stand corrected, you dont' have to pay....doesnt' make it any less of an insult to religion.

Edited January 11, 2016 by GoMocs

[chiaros]

I thought it was fine for Jason to pipe up at Judges' Table. I don't share the distaste others here have for his doing so, and in fact rather like that he spoke up to shoot down Phillip's delusional statements, if not mendacity. I would subscribe to the view, expressed by some others, that in what must have been much more extensive "discussions" on his dish at JT (than we saw) he - Phillip - may well have said stuff that either alienated the others even more than usual or maybe stuff that ascribed support from all of them for his dish. Certainly he wasn't the only one who piped up that we saw - the editors left in that snippet of Marjorie joining Jason in laying it on Phillip.  

 

As it turns out, there is a definite suggestion of this in Gail Simmon's blog on this episode, where she said, as part of an entire paragraph devoted to the incident: 

 

I was surprised at how readily the other chefs spoke out against Philip. This was a very controversial judges table. All we had to do was sit quietly and wait for them to do all the dirty work for us. We didn’t even have to ask questions. But this had clearly been building, this had clearly been an issue with Phillip for some time, you could see it over the course of the last few episodes. (snip)

 

 

Note she (Gail S) referred to "the other chefs" (plural).

 

In her preceding (even lengthier) paragraph she also said this:

 

(snip)   Regardless, the potatoes were overcooked and then the process of putting them through the iSi made them gummy and sticky and gloopy. There was no way to argue it otherwise so I guess he felt like he had to defend it with all of his might, to us and to his fellow chefs. This seemed to alienate them. Standing up for himself meant stretching his intentions for the dish into very grey territory, and he wouldn’t own up to the fact that it wasn’t a good dish.  (snip)

 

Edited January 11, 2016 by chiaros

[DarkRaichu]

My top 3 cheftestants are Kwame, Isaac, and Wesley.  As long as any 2 make it to the finale, I am good.  At least keep Isaac for his sense of humor to balance out the f-ing "drama".

If Kwame does not make it to the finale, he is an easy #1 pick for chef-sistant for one of the finalists

[chiaros]

ETA: Jason can go home any time now. Having immunity already (in this season of Top Carrot) there was no reason for him to be ordering Angelina around.

 

Why not? It *was* his dish, as another poster pointed out above, laid out by him; and after the others commented he needed help with executing it Angelina was "brought on" and then seemed to start messing with it whereas he was clearer in his mind about what he wanted to achieve in the dish, it appeared to me.

 

 

In addition, I have watched every season and I can't remember ever seeing someone from the peanut gallery add the type of comment at Judges Table that he did .

 

 

In TC Season 12, episode 5 ("It's War"), at Judges' Table, Gregory Gourdet, the favorite of many folks here and elsewhere stuck his mouth in unbidden (he even raised his hand, to catch the attention of the judges, then opened his mouth) and criticized Adam Harvey for "allowing" Aaron Grissom to make what he (Gregory) also slammed as a bad dish, then further blew his own horn by stating that HE (Gregory) would NEVER have allowed such a dish to ever be made if it was HIS team, etc etc. Personally, I view Gregory's interjection as far more objectionable than anything Jason could have done.

Edited January 11, 2016 by chiaros

[beaker73]

The "iSi" that Philip mentioned is the whipped cream dispenser that Phillip used for the potato "sauce."  I don't think he ever had any intention of making mashed potatoes as we think of them.  He described them to the group as mashed potatoes, but his intention from the start was to make that fancy whipped potato foam sauce.  I think he knew that was what got him in the bottom so he was quick to tell the judges' that the foam was his plan all along rather than him screwing up conventional mashed potatoes.  He's a little twit, but an entertaining one. 

[jette]

Ugh, Jason. When you feel out of sync with a group, it's probably not a great idea to pipe up and start talking smack to / about people in front of the diners and judges. Tool. 

 

This, in the same episode where affable Isaac says he doesn't play well with others. Isaac for the win!

[AriAu]

In TC Season 12, episode 5 ("It's War"), at Judges' Table, Gregory Gourdet, the favorite of many folks here and elsewhere stuck his mouth in unbidden (he even raised his hand, to catch the attention of the judges, then opened his mouth) and criticized Adam Harvey for "allowing" Aaron Grissom to make what he (Gregory) also slammed as a bad dish, then further blew his own horn by stating that HE (Gregory) would NEVER have allowed such a dish to ever be made if it was HIS team, etc etc. Personally, I view Gregory's interjection as far more objectionable than anything Jason could have done.

 

Gotta admit that I had forgotten about that one. I just did not feel like Jason's comments were appropriately timed in the situation because it did not matter whether it was a sauce or mashed potatoes since they sucked, and the comment felt like unrequested piling on to a bad dish. Obviously, YMMV...and does

I am no fan of ManBun and he can go home anytime now (and it seems like the other Cheftestants agree), but as Beaker73 said above

He's a little twit, but an entertaining one.

 

Not surprised that he is not well liked-he is a loud mouthed know it all, that has not performed all that well, especially since he is obviously just turning out dishes from his restaurant.

[sourpickles]

I didn't get to comment on Frances' somewhat surprising elimination or Grayson's graceless exit (will we ever learn why she was there?) but I will say this about this week.....they got one right. I am glad Giselle is gone and I cannot wait until Angelina's nine lives run out. Philip will stay around just to provide arrogance and annoyance, though I truly hope he gets a few more set downs. I don't find him so bad in small doses but every now and then..........I'm rapidly becoming a Kwame fan, so I'll root for him now. Carrots are one of the things I hate in life, so I'm not looking forward to the rest of the season if it does become Top Carrot. Ick.

[RCharter]

Carrots are one of the things I hate in life, so I'm not looking forward to the rest of the season if it does become Top Carrot. Ick.

Finally, a person after my own heart.  I have a passionate hatred for the carrot.  I only find it marginally acceptable in a cake.  Carrots are the worst.

[savannah1985]

I love carrots. Unless they're in cake.

[In Pog Form]

Legally can she do marriages? Yeah, but it makes a mocery of religion.

What's wrong with that?

Marriage is a legal institution. It doesn't require religion. Are you saying that the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of non-religious people who are allowed to certify legal marriages are making a mockery of religion? Should only religious people be allowed to wed?

I agree that Padma makes a mockery of everything she touches, but it's not because of anything to do with religion or marriage.

Edited January 12, 2016 by In Pog Form

[RCharter]

Why not? It *was* his dish, as another poster pointed out above, laid out by him; and after the others commented he needed help with executing it Angelina was "brought on" and then seemed to start messing with it whereas he was clearer in his mind about what he wanted to achieve in the dish, it appeared to me.

 

 

 

In TC Season 12, episode 5 ("It's War"), at Judges' Table, Gregory Gourdet, the favorite of many folks here and elsewhere stuck his mouth in unbidden (he even raised his hand, to catch the attention of the judges, then opened his mouth) and criticized Adam Harvey for "allowing" Aaron Grissom to make what he (Gregory) also slammed as a bad dish, then further blew his own horn by stating that HE (Gregory) would NEVER have allowed such a dish to ever be made if it was HIS team, etc etc. Personally, I view Gregory's interjection as far more objectionable than anything Jason could have done.

I remember that, and I felt it was so strange and out of character for Gregory, who seemed to just be a quiet nerd who got along with everyone.  I really liked Gregory and he had never shown any other behavior that I found objectionable so I let it slide.  And even when Gregory said his piece I was like "huh? where did that come from?"  But, I can't remember that Adam was getting read the riot act already by the judges.  In this case, ManBun was already being torn to shreds for those terrible potatoes and he was going to be the only one to take a hit for that dish.  The judges, to me, made it clear Kwame wasn't going home, and that they loved Kwame's sauce.  I didn't see how ManBun was going to throw Kwame under the bus in that situation since he didn't have anything to do with the successful sauce and Kwame had nothing to do with those gummy potatoes.  I can't remember the particulars of the situation with Adam/Aaron and if one of them was being wrongfully blamed.

[Lamb18]

When I saw Chrissy I thought "cheek implants." Her face was so puffy.

 

As I said in my first post, I think having more time to complete dishes is hurting Phillip. He is used to the 30 minute challenges on Food Network where it's all you can do just to finish something that tastes good. On Top Chef he has more time so he thinks up all these extra things to make his dishes fancier or unique, like a rock or dried grass, and it ends up hurting him. In his restaurant he would develop and test a new dish before adding it to the menu, so in Top Chef he's got enough time to make a good dish bad. I thought he was going to make more of a foam when I saw the canister, something light and fluffy, which if it had a good potato, butter and garlic taste would be kind of good.

 

Regarding the contestants speaking up at Judges Table, I think they usually have the classroom mentality of not ratting out your fellow classmate to the teacher, but once in a while that mentality switches around so that the class will pile on one person in order to make themselves look good to the teacher, if the teacher is already criticizing that person.

[RCharter]

^^But I would think he would shine during a quickfire, and he really hasn't.  In fact that was when he made snot on a rock....so I don't know.  Maybe he doesn't feel the same pressure on the Food Network.  I mean, I think because Top Chef is still able to attract such talent it still seems like a much tougher prize to get than something on the Food Network. 

[Wings]

Marriage has nothing to do with religion, it is a legal contract.  Judges, court clerks, ship captains, justice of the peace and many others, it varies by state, have the power to marry.  Buying a licence from a website is fine as long as it is recognized by the state courts.  It is a contract, not a belief system.  
 
 

Edited January 12, 2016 by wings707

[snarktini]

Pretty sure the mockery ship -- if there ever was one -- sailed once you could get married same-day by an Elvis impersonator at a drive-thru chapel! Even Padma can't touch that.

 

I kinda like all the carrots! Only recently discovered they can be good, because most are prepared poorly. But it is weird that apparently California had no other vegetables during show taping. I live here, there's always something else. (Ok, to be fair, we just saw sad asparagus, the veggie I personally loathe. There is no good asparagus.) I'll have to start watching restaurant menus, maybe carrots are in fashion the way endive and kale have been in the past.

[Bastet]

I'll have to start watching restaurant menus, maybe carrots are in fashion the way endive and kale have been in the past.

 

That's what is puzzling to me about this season's carrot craze -- I don't see them popping up on menus the way they are on the show.  With the way a bunch of chefs from different parts of the country are focusing on carrots, I would expect it to be part of a trend.

[RCharter]

I still hate carrots.  If carrots were a person, I would punch it in its dumb carrot face.

[Julia]

Carrots are easy to store, and even the organic ones are fairly cheap. If restaurants aren't trying to make them trendy, I can't imagine why.

 

I think people don't put much effort into carrots, because they're so easy, but moroccan carrots or curried cashew/carrot soup can be really good.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Julia

[ratgirlagogo]

 

moroccan carrots or curried cashew/carrot soup can be really good.

Yes, those are good.  I grew up eating raw carrots, but always hated them cooked, because they're so sweet when cooked.  In more recent years I've realized this is a valuable quality in a vegetable if you're going to mix it with other things that may be very acrid (like collards and turnip greens and such) or spicy.

 

Jamie from season five got shit from Fabio about her heavy scallop use of course (it's Top Chef, not Top Scallop!), but she also was an early Top Carrot contender - she used carrots a LOT, and basically that's how she was using them - she did a vadouvan carrot soup IIRC.

[kittykat]

I still prefer raw carrots the most but when cooked I prefer an al dente texture.  My childhood hatred of cooked veggies stemmed from family members cooking them to practically mush.  Once I learned how to cook them correctly it was a different story.  But carrots are definitely the new fennel in this season and fennel has still made plenty of appearances.

 

 

Certainly he wasn't the only one who piped up that we saw - the editors left in that snippet of Marjorie joining Jason in laying it on Phillip.

 

The chefs were clearly perturbed at Phillip's delusions, as many said above.  I also wonder if the others spoke up because they thought the judges were going to knife Karen.  She had a number of execution errors but beside this ep she's done better than both Phillip and Giselle and the others thought it unfair if she were to go before either so they made conscious efforts to make Phillip look worse.

 

I too thought Karen was gone.  The judges have been pretty unforgiving in the past with a bad dish from a strong contender.  I was happy when Gail made her case against Giselle and with a strong, cohesive argument.  Tom seemed to be lobbying for Karen and his word is usually law so I was relieved when Giselle got the boot.  It does seem like they're determined to get rid of the floaters early on this time.

[Julia]

Yes, those are good.  I grew up eating raw carrots, but always hated them cooked, because they're so sweet when cooked.  In more recent years I've realized this is a valuable quality in a vegetable if you're going to mix it with other things that may be very acrid (like collards and turnip greens and such) or spicy.

 

I absolutely hear you. I add a shot of espresso or a dash of cocoa or some bitters (because bitter tempers sweet) to mine, just because I can't really adjust to sweet vegetables.

 

I still prefer raw carrots the most but when cooked I prefer an al dente texture. My childhood hatred of cooked veggies stemmed from family members cooking them to practically mush. Once I learned how to cook them correctly it was a different story. But carrots are definitely the new fennel in this season and fennel has still made plenty of appearances.

 

Calvin Trillin said that the vegetables he grew up eating were designed to make guests comfortable in case they forgot their teeth. I know just what he meant.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Julia

[Wings]

That's what is puzzling to me about this season's carrot craze -- I don't see them popping up on menus the way they are on the show.  With the way a bunch of chefs from different parts of the country are focusing on carrots, I would expect it to be part of a trend.

 

I think the carrots were a crop that just became ripe for the picking.  They are all about using in season vegetables.  I love carrots any way but not in cake.  Love them.  Steamed with just butter and salt and pepper is the best, they are delicious and sweet.  

[sourpickles]

See now, I think carrots were just the product of Pilgrims who were really hungry. I appreciate all you carrot conversionists, but I will not eat them, Sam I Am. I don't care what you do them, cake them, bake them, etc. No way. This probably isn't the time to bring up that I also hate peppers, maybe next season. Anywho. If they lay off the carrots, I'll be a happy gal. I have to chime in on the Gregory thing, that totally made me root against him, the minute he spoke up there. Now, I get that judge's table is going to be long, and we get editing, etc., but that particular cut set wrong with me. Kwame reminds me of him, in the sense that they are very good, heading the pack. I had no issues with the skills. And,enough with the celebrity "ministers" or whatever. Marriage isn't a joke. Far to many people, on TV and elsewhere, focus on the wedding and not what comes after. Lecture done. Off to FACE OFF!

[ratgirlagogo]

 

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