S13.E11: Hammer Time

[whirlingdervish]

Various folks have posted about Karen vs Jeremy.

 

I agree that Karen had the better dish. I ALSO think that the TC judges, as they have shown throughout the many seasons, can be shaky when they judge food that is beyond the usual USAmerican stuff, and even Lakshmi's opinions have to do with a specific notion of her idea about what she thinks of as "Indian" cuisine.  Colicchio, IMO, is not cognizant of really much else beyond American-Italian cuisine; he just likes to think he does.

 

The Chinese-influence-moving-into-Japanese makes perfect sense to me, and I make a lot of various regional Chinese (a lot of Cantonese, especially) as well as sort-of Japanese (Kanto vs Kansai regionalities included, amongst other things) food.  Lakshmi's opinion does not count for me, and even Simmon's opinion I find suspect, in this regard.

 

I get that.  For me, as a Japanese American, my perspective is that Japanese cuisine and Chinese cuisine, while they may share commonalities, is actually quite different (again, totally my personal perspective, YMMV). I think this is especially true during the time period that Karen was supposed to be representing.  Japanese cuisine was starting to be influenced by Chinese cooking, to be sure--and noodles are an excellent example of this--but the application of how noodles were used, and the overall flavor profiles were very, very different (also very different based on what region we're in as you've mentioned, and rural home cooking vs. the highly formal meals at court.  

 

I think that's why even though I really like Karen a LOT, I'm fine with Jeremy staying over Karen.  Jeremy's dish was a decent dish fit the general parameters, but was too fussy and skimpy; Karen's dish missed the point entirely, because she got swept up in the idea of Chinese influences and got carried away cooking the Chinese food she wanted to cook in the first place. (Also, that soup looked kind of gross to me, but of course I have no way of knowing how it ate).  I'm hoping she wins LCK, because I'd love to see her back in the competition. 

 

FWIW, unless I was seriously in-the-know on Japanese cooking, I mighta shied away from the Imperial Japan flag...that would have intimidated the hell out of me! I kinda assumed they were talking about imperial court cuisine, which traditionally would have been served in a series of small dishes balancing a variety of flavors and textures presented with refined, minimalist beauty and representing an overall harmony and balance over the course of the meal. To try to capture that in one dish? If you've never done it before? Whew! As soon as Karen chose the Japanese flag, after grumbling about not getting to cook Chinese food, I looked at my husband and said, "Karen's going home."  I think someone who is really into it could seriously knock it out of the park and win, because it's a reflects a lot of technique, refinement, restraint, and artistic presentation, but it was just not the right flag for Karen. 

Edited February 21, 2016 by whirlingdervish

[RCharter]

I LOVE the Golden Girls, I have every single season! I am such a dork!!!!! Now I'm in the mood for some kerflurkendurken or whatever.......

you and me both sister (brother)!  I literally have every season on DVD.  That show is a joy.

 

I've always imagined what those gerhoovenflooven krispies tasted like!  The ones that Rose made and it stank up the house but they were delicious.

Edited February 22, 2016 by RCharter

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I thought Jeremy's drumming was as excruciating as Craig's rapping.  

 

I normally don't go for "pretty but dim" but I think there is a producer to blame for this part of the episode...someone talked the restaurant into this...those drums belong to someone and most people don't let random people near expensive musical instuments.

[Bugfrey Von]

LOL....you know when I think of Scandinavian/Viking food, I almost automatically think of Rose on Golden Girls.

Many of you probably don't watch GG, but if you do, you know what I'm talking about!

For those of you who want a little GG food humor...the sound is terrible, but its still funny

https://youtu.be/Gm3es5jQMZQ

My God, I love this! RC Charter, are you me???

It was Jeremy's time to go. Why he hasn't been kicked out yet is beyond me. His flavorless risotto was enough to send him a-packin' IMO.

Marjorie is just so dang monotone and joyless. Talented but goddamnit girl, it's not your food vs the world!

Isaac is the twin of a guy I went to high school with. Mad into Pokemon and video games, very intense and opinionated about the stuff he really liked. Kind of a pill in the "geez dude, RELAX, you're talking about pikachu, not the assassination of the archduke Ferdinand, goddamn." kind of way, but a good guy overall. Fell head over heels in love with my friend and started calling himself her boyfriend before she even knew his last name, but again, a good dude. I like that he hasn't let the snobby bullshit snubs from the other chefs get to him. Shows lots of character. Team Issac!

[bravofan27]

Women's Studies never appealed to me. Now I know why. More into engineering. Men with dicks. 

 

Went to Ripple tonight. It was okay. Much different than I expected. Super small plates and tiny menu. Went somewhere else afterwards. hate eating in DC. Such a ripoff.

[Julia]

Went to Ripple tonight. It was okay. Much different than I expected. Super small plates and tiny menu. Went somewhere else afterwards. hate eating in DC. Such a ripoff.

Now now. Not super-small, tiny and a ripoff. Refined.

[Lamb18]

Did anyone miss Man Bun? Anyone? Bueller?

Unfortunately it looks like he returns as a not-so-helpful helper. I have had enough of that presumptuous, clueless jerk to last a lifetime.

Phillip's rap name: Snottin' Rock or maybe Strawberry Jam.

[sourpickles]

@RCharter Sister. For sure. There's even a Mr. Pickles. True story, back in the early 90s we had an exchange student from Sweden stay with us. Now, back then I wasn't even half concerned with food outside of pizza and stuff, but let me tell you, that gal made some odd stuff. If there was a much younger version of Rose, she was it. I don't know, or remember if what she made was super traditional or if I was just a culture snob, but I will never get the smell of some fish dish out of my head. Good gravy. No offense, Swedish friends!

Philip's rap name could also have been something along the lines of Yummy Gummy Potatoes, or Mashed Whipped Cream. I like Snottin' Rock though, sounds like a Garbage Pail Kid.

[Eliza422]

There was a big article in the paper today about making this episode and particularly the quickfire.  Apparently Isaac's dish won by a landslide and Padma had to coach MC Hammer on how not to make it obvious when they were tasting.  He did well.

 

This quickfire has finally put Marcel's "rapping" firmly in the Top Chef past.  Hooray!

Is that article on line? Link?

[still hoping]

Well I was delighted to see the pink haired nasty Karen go...good riddance

 

Pink hair was pretty edgy on the first season of American Idol when the now forgotten 3rd place girl rocked it..but she was cute and Karen sure wasn't LOL

Karen truly annoyed me - so full of herself, ready to throw anyone under a bus and thinking it is endearing to yammer about her "spouse" who would be unappealing if spouse was an overweight man dressed as Peewee Herman instead of an overweight woman dressed as Peewee Herman'

I also thought Karen's tats were atrocious and enough to ruin a meal in themselves

 

now - please lose in last chance. I would love to see anyone beat her - I don't mind Man bun. I also liked the cheerful girl Karen threw under the bus in the start of the show LOL.  Re the food - spoiled full of herself Karen wanted to cook Chinese and so she did ....bye and good riddance

[BullInChina]

I think I found the article here.

[jette]

Thanks, JanetLand - Geaux Isaac! So glad his flavors are being appreciated, even if we're not getting to see it on teevee

[bitchin camaro]

I'm so Team Isaac. I posted this in another thread, but I feel like I know him because he reminds me SO much of a friend of mine from Lousiana. My buddy has hair, but other than that, those two are practically clones. I'd love to see him take the whole thing because I guar-on-tee his food tastes exactly how I want food to taste.

[Talented Tenth]

It is interesting that Marjorie decided to make fried chicken and watermelon for the only(?) black judge of quickfire so far in the season.

[Rai]

Does feel a bit like no matter what, there are people who're going to come for Marjorie. 

[RCharter]

^^Not really, most people who don't like Marjorie can point to a reason why they don't like her, and it generally has something to do with her behavior/attitude.  If she was invested in those people liking her, she can change her behavior/attitude.  If she doesn't care (which is fine) than she shouldn't change at all, but that doesn't mean that people who don't like her don't have a valid reason for not liking her.  I think the fried chicken thing was incidental and not at all racist (who doesn't like fried chicken?). But the idea that people who don't like Marjorie have no basis for their opinion seems odd.

Edited March 14, 2016 by RCharter

[Julia]

I would go further and say that I don't particularly warm to the Marjorie presented on this show, but given that this show made a much bigger point of her relationship with Isabella than Marjorie chose to, I wonder how much her onscreen persona is like Marjorie and how much she tailored her behavior to be someone who the edit monkeys would keep.

 

I have no reason to disbelieve her that someone with her social awkwardness has confidence issues, but I also have a problem judging people for reacting to what she chose to present fairly consistently on national television.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Julia

[Rai]

Actually, I was mainly just quoting RuPaul's Drag Race to humorously agree with briochetwist that a particular criticism of Marjorie was completely over the top.  But I stand by my opinion that not all the criticisms of Marjorie are valid.  Her critics are free to disagree with me, of course.  Getting invested is what keeps the show alive, after all.

 

I suspect though this is starting to head towards a mod admonishment, so perhaps we can agree to disagree and call it all good? 

[Veruca Assault]

Yes, you are right- stop with the back and forths on Marjorie. Agree to disagree. Last warning!