S13.E12: Wok This Way

[Tara Ariano]

A showdown includes woks when the chefs visit San Francisco's Chinatown. Later, they must create a fast-casual restaurant concept. Foodies Martin Yan and Adam Fleischman make appearances.

[Lassus]

Marjorie ain't no idiot.  

 

Also, Kwami proves he has NEVER EVER EVER watched the show.  FROZEN waffles?  That's it for Kwami.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Lassus

[Lassus]

I hate to be negative, but I dislike this challenge.  It's boring boring boring.

[cooksdelight]

Love Martin Yan, met him many years ago and I still slice my bell peppers the way he showed me. :)

Somebody smack Padma. "San Franciso is the town where venure capitalists are abound." (I rewatched 3 times to be sure)

Either the person writing her cue cards is stupid or she is. I hate shitty grammar.

I love Isaac. Period. He makes me laugh at the same time of thinking of how good his food would taste. And Carl, bless him.

I bet Tom knows all about late nights and a couple of doobies.

Fast casual landscape..... wtf is that? Cows and chickens skipping across the field wearing cardigans? Maybe they are playing in the grass with Kwami's frozen mini-waffles.

I want some Pasta Mama right now.

Jeremy.... go back to smoking whatever it was.....even Jeremy seemed underwhelmed with his own food. But Kwami leaving for frozen waffles... dude.... you know better.

[Lassus]

Meh.  That was ball four called a strike on a 3-0 count for the dude who won.  Marjorie's seemed better.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Lassus

[Bastet]

Damn, Marjorie; those poor lobsters.

 

I continue to like her (and continue to marvel that she sounds exactly like my friend who grew up and still lives a town over from where Marjorie grew up) and would have given her the win for making pasta a successful fast casual concept; that I haven’t seen, while Carl’s food - which looked just as good – I can go get at three local fast casual places.

 

Frozen waffles?!  This episode made me mad all over again that Karen went home instead of Jeremy, but frozen waffles?  Bye, Kwame. 

 

As an aside, I love Umami Burger.

 

And, yeah, Padma said, "... are abound."

Edited February 26, 2016 by Bastet

[HunterHunted]

Frozen fucking waffles! Kwame should know better, but I think that what really sunk him is that he was convinced that his chicken and waffle bitelets were great. If he had indicated that he had only done that for the competition, he might have had a chance. But even still, frozen waffles!

[bitchin camaro]

WTF was Kwame thinking?!?!?!?!?!? He tanked that fair and square and didn't even need Phillip's help to do it. A dirty rock is only a slightly worse concept than frozen waffles.

Edited February 26, 2016 by bitchin camaro

[Rai]

Hey, um, Amar, there's this chicken place in New York called Pio Pio.  I'm actually a little surprised Tom didn't call him out on that.  It just seemed so...familiar.

 

Also, about three years ago, there was a Greek Chipotle-style place called Medi near my midtown office.  It was decently tasty, and I was sad it didn't work out.  Same with the nearby Indian Chipotle-style place.  It's a great model, but it's not necessarily new anymore.  I don't know that pasta's all that new either, and I don't entirely begrudge Carl the win, but since I'm fully in the tank for Marjorie, I guess I was pulling for her.

 

Who I was really hoping would go home was Jeremy.  He hasn't impressed me in so long.  I guess Kwame's decision not to focus on the whole key part of his dish -- the waffle -- does make the difference, but man.  What a terribly sad decision.  Both Tom and Padma looked really emotional about it.

[rustyspigot]

Carl just keeps on trucking along even with Padma's "Did you intentionally omit more vegetables" or whatever she said.

 

Kwame, Kwame, Kwame! 

[dbell1]

I think I saw a tear in Padma's eye when she PYKNGed Kwame. But as soon as he said "frozen waffles", he was done.

And what the hell was Marjorie doing to those lobsters? Trying to snap them in half? I'm not a vegetarian, but show some respect to the creature you're killing.

[Bastet]

What a terribly sad decision.  Both Tom and Padma looked really emotional about it.

 

Padma looked pretty sad to be calling Karen’s name last week, too; I think once they offed Philip, they reached the point in the competition where no matter how badly a cheftestant stumbled in any given challenge, they’d have an emotional tug at letting them go because they’re all pretty damn good.

[bitchin camaro]

I felt like they were grasping at straws to make it look like it wasn't a foregone conclusion that Kwame was a goner. If you think about it, Taco Dude didn't make his own tortillas and we would never have a problem with that, but there's something just different about calling yourself Waffle Me and not even making the damn waffles. Waffle House even makes them fresh, for chrissake.

[MerBearHou]

Someone needs to quickly sign up Isaac for his own show. That man can cook and he has one of the best personalities to come along in ages. I get the hugest kick out of his humor and his dead-pan expressions. And whoever runs Isaac's show better not change one bit of his Isaac-ness.

Kwame, I hated saying bye to you but my gosh, frozen waffles -- come on! This is Top Chef where if it CAN be made from scratch, you must do so. When he said his comments to Tom about starting 4 years ago as a waiter at Craft, I got so teary for Kwame. I hope he finds his confidence and has an incredibly strong career and future. With the difficulty we know about with his father and childhood, I root bigtime for Kwame.

I'm not such a Marjorie fan -- she's just fine but not my fave at all -- so I'm really glad Carl won.

I like seeing how much these chefs enjoy each other -- without Philip, there is a great camaraderie. It's refreshing in a competitive show.

[racked]

Really hoping Kwame pulls it out in LCK. He was my favorite even though he had the curse of starting off strong and losing steam midway through. He has so much potential and is really likable.

Still he deserved to go home for that. Waffles aren't even that hard to make from scratch! Aw Kwame. Jeremy is up next.

[Julia]

I think Kwame's concept could have been successful if he'd used baby waffles to make fried chicken (or fish or whatever) sliders. And made them from scratch.

It was unkind of Marjorie to stick him with Phillip, but I don't think it mattered in the end.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Julia

[awaken]

Awwwwww kwame was my pick to win from day 1. Maybe they're trying to do a redemption arc with the youngest chef and former Craft waiter fighting his way back in LTK. I can only hope.

Why did you have to go and do frozen waffles, kwame?!

I thought Marjorie would win- hers was a simpler, more broadly translate-able concept I thought, even if Carl's was very tasty.

[Archery]

As much as I was rooting for him, I don't think Kwame was ever gonna be Top Chef. He just didn't have the breadth and depth of knowledge to pull out the meal of his life in the finals. I would love to see some established chef take him under his or her wing and help him to become great. His parting TH was so gracious.

[SteveAC10]

 

As much as I was rooting for him, I don't think Kwame was ever gonna be Top Chef. He just didn't have the breadth and depth of knowledge to pull out the meal of his life in the finals.

Yes, there were too many gaps. Ultimately, this season seems headed for a Marjorie - Amar showdown

unless the shockingly transformed Jason comes roaring back from LCK with all cylinders still firing (including the socks and red patent shoes)

.

Edited February 26, 2016 by SteveAC10

[HunterHunted]

I thought Marjorie would win- hers was a simpler, more broadly translate-able concept I thought, even if Carl's was very tasty.

I think the reason they pointed out that pasta was tough to do was because Marjorie was planning on doing fresh pasta. If you have a rush and use all of your pasta and dough, that puts you behind as you have to make new dough. So your fast casual turns into medium speed casual. And if you don't get nearly enough customers, your fresh pasta sits and gets less fresh by the day.

[SteveAC10]

 

And if you don't get nearly enough customers, your fresh pasta sits and gets less fresh by the day.

To be fair, that's not much different than fries at a burger joint. And properly stored, fresh pasta can keep for a few days without much change in taste.

Edited February 26, 2016 by SteveAC10

[hoosiermom]

Padma is starting to sound like some of the Kardashian (sp) women when she talks. Not a good thing IMO.

[Christina]

Phillip tells Kwame, "I have a waffle recipe." and Kwame responds that he is going to buy them, because they are "his jam." He lost that one all on his own. smh

[what]

Kwameeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! Frozen?!?! That's such a rookie mistake.

The more I see Jeremy, the less I like him. Also, ever since a poster commented that Carl has a story for everything I can't help but notice that now!

[Merneith]

I can't forgive Marjorie for ripping the lobsters in half. I know they're just bugs but that makes no difference. They don't deserve such a traumatic death.

[dewelar]

Phillip tells Kwame, "I have a waffle recipe." and Kwame responds that he is going to buy them, because they are "his jam." He lost that one all on his own. smh

 

Yeah, that surprised me, but at the same time I was glad that Kwame didn't lose because of 47 Specks. I don't think Kwame ever really recovered from the disaster that was the "where were you ten years ago" challenge, so he's kind of been a dead man walking for a while.

 

Also, tonight's episode made my decision for me that this is my favorite season of Top Chef to date (I've been watching since S2). For one thing, I have absolutely no idea who's going to win this thing, and it feels like all of the remaining chefs have a legitimate shot at the prize. Also, everyone left seems to be enjoying themselves, especially having fun in both of tonight's challenges -- except maybe Kwame, which probably contributed to his loss. I can't remember that ever being the case in past seasons. Finally, every single one of the people remaining has been fun to watch at some point, if not all the way through (Isaac). I could point to Jeremy as someone I like a bit less, but honestly that's only because we don't have Philip around to make him look less douchey :), and I have liked him at times anyway. Even Philip was entertaining to watch, partially because I was quite sure he would never win the thing.

 

So, I'll say it. Best season ever.

[snarktini]

It's starting to feel like Jeremy is this year's Lisa... on the bottom but saved by a worse failure. Every time.

Edited February 26, 2016 by snarktini

[some1105]

At this point, I really have to wonder when Isaac pissed in Marjorie's cornflakes.  I'm aware of selective editing, but then I'm not sure what the narrative motivation would be for depicting Marjorie expressing such a dismissive view of one chef in particular, over and over, when we a) haven't seen anything to support a rational personal animus, and b) Isaac is hardly the only chef left who mainly cooks within a limited preferred wheelhouse and has managed to do that so successfully as to make the final six (now five).  She just really hates things that are cooked slowly?  Because two weeks ago it was that Isaac's food isn't sufficiently refined, last week it was too many stews and braises, and now this week she seems to suggest that Isaac is her own personal hangnail for not proving to her that he can make anything other than gumbo.  Like, I don't know, his very well received non-gumbo dishes last week that, combined with his undisputedly excellent running of the lunch service, gave him the win in Restaurant Wars?  

 

This is the same person who still thinks the sun shines out of Angelina's ass.  Her apparently wonky metric for which of her competitors deserve respect is making it harder to root for her, and I really want to.

Edited February 26, 2016 by some1105

[SteveAC10]

 

This is the same person who still thinks the sun shines out of Angelina's ass.

She said she was a demon at prep, not that she thought she was a great chef. She didn't need Wolfgang Puck this week, she needed someone quick with a knife who took instructions well. It worked out pretty well for her.

 

As to her attitude towards Isaac - we don't know she's the only one saying it. It could well be foreshadowing. And she's not wrong, really. Isaac is probably the least versatile and technically skilled chef left. He just hasn't made anything that didn't taste great yet - but he does not take risks. His success stems from his ability to adapt his own narrow wheel house to challenges. And it IS narrow. It's apparently tasty, but he has yet to step out of his bulky protein/southern Louisiana box.

Edited February 26, 2016 by SteveAC10

[some1105]

As to her attitude towards Isaac - we don't know she's the only one saying it.

 

As I noted above, I'm aware of selective editing.  I also stated plainly that I'm having a hard time seeing what the purpose would be (foreshadowing or otherwise) in selectively showing footage of Marjorie critiquing Isaac over and over each week on basically the same issue--to be clear, I specifically question that purpose if perhaps she has similarly critical views toward other contestants who have shown relatively limited range or if others are also somehow really rankled by Isaac's presence.  Because if so, this is the least "shadowy" and most "anvily" foreshadowing they've done in a while, and that's a high bar.

 

As for Angelina, Marjorie's statement of tonight was, like her critique of Isaac, part of an ongoing string of commentary about Angelina by Marjorie--the totality of her comments about and toward Angelina do, I believe, support my contention that she has and continues to think the sun shines out of Angelina's ass.  If you'd like me to dig up her exact (and often strangely unsupported by what we were seeing on screen) comments about Angelina's fierce talent over several episodes, I can do so.  But it's hardly been contested.  The only question for me is whether Marjorie has now questioned Isaac's credibility as a chef as many times on screen as she praised Angelina in tones so frankly reverent that I suspect massive over-identification with Angelina as a proxy for younger Marjorie and/or attraction issues.  It was uncomfortable to watch when Ash did it with Mike Voltaggio in Season 6, and I hope we can at least all agree that Angelina is no Mike Voltaggio.

Edited February 26, 2016 by some1105

[GaT]

Well, the only chef of 2 (Philip was the other) whose name I remember is gone. Now I don't know who any of these people are.

[Duke Silver]

Personality-wise, I don't like Marjorie...at all.  She's got severe RBF, IMO.  I also think she caught herself before going full-on smirk when Kwame was sent packing by Padma.  However, her skill as a chef cannot be questioned either, so she'd be a very deserving winner.

 

Yeah, Bro-Dude Jeremy should've been gone..but damn, frozen waffles by Kwame saved his lame ass.

[gryphon]

In the car while the chefs were going to the store--Jeremy was describing what he wanted to make..."I have a 2 inch dish," he says demonstrating with his fingers.   So, maybe he's trying to compensate for his 2 inch....dish. 

 

Frozen waffles?  Damn, Kwame.  

 

Shut up, Padma.  

[In Pog Form]

"If you're second, you're the first loser" - what a horrible message to teach your daughter, Jeremy. That couldn't possibly backfire and cause self-esteem issues.

[In Pog Form]

Only who can make your favorite waffles?

You pressed "you," referring to Waffle Me. That is incorrect. The correct answer is you.


 

[Ellee]

"If you're second, you're the first loser" - what a horrible message to teach your daughter, Jeremy. That couldn't possibly backfire and cause self-esteem issues.

I cringed too when he said that. Wonder what he will say when he ends up going third, fourth or fifth?

[Wings]

"If you're second, you're the first loser" - what a horrible message to teach your daughter, Jeremy. That couldn't possibly backfire and cause self-esteem issues.

 

 

Yes, a terrible thing to say and it sounded exactly like my father!  And yes, this does create self esteem issues.   

 

I like Marjorie and think her relationship with Angie is sweet.   

 

Issac is a nice guy but I agree with Marjorie in that his focus is not only narrow but boring and very limited. Cajun food is not all that creative and has more limitations than other genres.  Gumbo? no.   This will catch up with him, he cannot win.   I think production is behind her mentioning him so often in her THs.  With Phillip gone it is the only contrary opinion they have and they are milking her.  They love to get them talking about each other but this group gets along too well for any drama.   

 

Too bad we knew who was going to be eliminated when still in Whole Foods!   He has only been cooking for 4 years; he is going to have plenty of time to shine.   

 

I loved the critique Jeremy got for his concept.  Funny. 

 

I am rooting for Marjorie, I like her.  And damn I miss Karen.  

[Lizzing]

"If you're second, you're the first loser" - what a horrible message to teach your daughter, Jeremy. That couldn't possibly backfire and cause self-esteem issues.

That seems disturbingly close to taking parenting advice from Ricky Bobby.  I hope it was a joke.

 

I know none of the restaurant ideas weren't really 100% original, but I want to point out that Issac's concept is already a restaurant chain, albeit one limited  to SE Louisiana (so he's right that it isn't everywhere).  There's even a knock off of the main chain (used to be a franchise, lost the license, and went independent under a new name) that advertizes on it's website that it is "fast casual". This isn't a ding to him, because, like I said, all of the ideas were all pretty much similar in execution, or style of food (tacos, again, really?) to existing restaurants.  It just may not be known that fast casual Cajun is an existing genre, right down to the detail of selling in large family style buckets of jambalaya, gumbo, red beans, and white beans to go.  Inasmuch as I love Cajun food, I don't see it being a huge seller outside the southern region.

 

This season is a mixed bag for me.  I like that the last 6 or 7 contestants all seem to be the most evenly matched group as far as I can remember, but OTOH, they all seem to play things safe, so the excitement of seeing unusual cooking is greatly diminished.

[cooksdelight]

It's starting to feel like Jeremy is this year's Lisa... on the bottom but saved by a worse failure. Every time.

  

Perfect comparison. I liked Jeremy in the beginning....then I got to know him.....sort of like that bad boyfriend you dump after a summer fling.

Then, there's this:

"If you're second, you're the first loser" - what a horrible message to teach your daughter, Jeremy. That couldn't possibly backfire and cause self-esteem issues.

The best part, it's on film for all the world to see. And watch again and again. And again.

[Julia]

Inasmuch as I love Cajun food, I don't see it being a huge seller outside the southern region.

I have no idea how accurate it is a cajun street food, but Popeyes is marketed as cajun food, and that's pretty popular.

[some1105]

Jeremy, Success Academy is on the line.  They would not only like to offer your daughter a place at your local Success school, but to make you lifetime president of its PTA.

[BullInChina]

Someone needs to quickly sign up Isaac for his own show. That man can cook and he has one of the best personalities to come along in ages. I get the hugest kick out of his humor and his dead-pan expressions.

 

I keep hoping Carla Hall will show up because I would love to see them together, it would be hilarious. Maybe he could guest on The Chew.

[Lamb18]

In the car while the chefs were going to the store--Jeremy was describing what he wanted to make..."I have a 2 inch dish," he says demonstrating with his fingers.   So, maybe he's trying to compensate for his 2 inch....dish. 

 

Frozen waffles?  Damn, Kwame.  

 

Shut up, Padma.  

One of my favorite lines was when someone in the back seat said, " A two and a half inch what?"

 

I knew Kwame was going to lose when he chose to use frozen waffles. I wonder why he didn't even consider making his own. He could have made one of the spiced-up ones on his concept board, like the coriander waffle. The chicken sounded really good. I wish Jeremy had gone instead; he messed up Restaurant Wars for his team - what's worse, he didn't seem to care.

 

I'm cheering for Marjorie, but yes, she does seem to have something against Isaac.

[Empress1]

I'm so mad at Kwame for breaking my heart like that. I was yelling at the TV - "Why would you use fucking frozen waffles?" I think he's better than Jeremy overall, but he deserved to go home. Tom looked pretty sad, and he's clearly impressed with Kwame. He'll go far.

Jeremy just seems like a tool. That bro-y type isn't for me, at all.

[KCinKC]

I agree Kwame was destined to leave for the frozen waffles.  But, I did have to take exception to Tom and the guest judge saying something about how small the chicken and waffles were and so no one would ever go buy 40 of them to take to the office.  Has he never heard of White Castle?  People buy 40 or more of them to take to the office or home or wherever all the time.

[beaker73]

Hey, um, Amar, there's this chicken place in New York called Pio Pio.  I'm actually a little surprised Tom didn't call him out on that.  It just seemed so...familiar.

 

Also, about three years ago, there was a Greek Chipotle-style place called Medi near my midtown office.  It was decently tasty, and I was sad it didn't work out.  Same with the nearby Indian Chipotle-style place.  It's a great model, but it's not necessarily new anymore.  I don't know that pasta's all that new either, and I don't entirely begrudge Carl the win, but since I'm fully in the tank for Marjorie, I guess I was pulling for her.

 

Who I was really hoping would go home was Jeremy.  He hasn't impressed me in so long.  I guess Kwame's decision not to focus on the whole key part of his dish -- the waffle -- does make the difference, but man.  What a terribly sad decision.  Both Tom and Padma looked really emotional about it.

There's chicken place called Pio Pio a few blocks from my house and I'm in NoVa.

 

I won't say anything more about Kwame and the damn frozen waffles. Stupid, stupid, stupid.  

 

I think Marjorie should've won, but Carl hadn't won a challenge yet and had also done well so they decided to throw the win to him.  His food did look good.  

 

Marjorie seems to genuinely like Angelina. Maybe she sees her younger self in her - who knows?  Marjorie keeps saying she's a beast and again tonight said she's a beast with prep, so maybe she's one hell of a sous chef and just hasn't refined her chef skills yet.  It reminds me of some designers on Project Runway who are killer sewers, but aren't very creative with designs and vice versa.  

 

I wonder how many chef's will be in the finale? Don't they vary it from year to year?  I could see a final 3 of Marjorie, Isaac and Amar.  

[attica]

Did Tom's gimlet eyes actually glisten when Kwame gave his post-PYK benediction?!?! Well, will wonders never cease!

[Pepper Mostly]

And what the hell was Marjorie doing to those lobsters? Trying to snap them in half? I'm not a vegetarian, but show some respect to the creature you're killing.

 

Never, ever watch the Japanese Iron Chef is my advice. I've seen more lobsters torn apart on that show than I can count.

Really hoping Kwame pulls it out in LCK. He was my favorite even though he had the curse of starting off strong and losing steam midway through. He has so much potential and is really likable.

Still he deserved to go home for that. Waffles aren't even that hard to make from scratch! Aw Kwame. Jeremy is up next.

Likeable as Kwame is, he does not have what it takes to win. He should have waited a couple of years. He's talented but not seasoned. The instant the word "frozen" escaped his lips I knew he was doomed.

 

I keep hoping Carla Hall will show up because I would love to see them together, it would be hilarious. Maybe he could guest on The Chew.

Can I just say that I would give a kidney to see this? Carla was my favorite in her season and I adore her on the Chew. I don't think Isaac will win, agree with others that he's great at what he does but that its limited. But he has a great personality and is camera ready!

 

Glad to see Carl get the win. I love how excited he was to meet Martin Yan! I like Marjorie and think its cute that she and Angelina get on so well.

[biakbiak]

I love them showing all the footage of Chinatown and than cutting to M.Y. China which is in a mall on Market street. But I like Martin Yan so I'll forgive it.

I can't believe Kwame went with frozen waffles for a concept called Waffle Me! I get the reason for doing it because they might not have had the proper equipment to execute but that means you should rethink the concept. As for the size, sliders are easy to eat these were not and I don't think they would travel well.

[SFoster21]

That chicken Pio thing was on "Looking" last season. And I guess Kwame's seen "Mildred Pierce."