S13.E12: Wok This Way

[SammieJay]

When I hear "Second place is the first loser," I immediately think of the No Fear T-shirts from the 90s.

[Kromm]

All in all, I think it was a pretty limited concept, even if you change the flavor of the waffle, it's always chicken and waffles. 

There are some clear ways to vary the dish, although yes there are limits to how much you can change the dish.

 

Cornmeal Waffles vs. Normal.  Cornmeal would have a distinctly different taste (whereas "Whole wheat" barely did compared to normal ones). So that's one "option" to let people pick between.

 

Different Protein:  I think Chicken, Duck, and Steak & Egg. Duck is a no-brainer. Steak clearly has a totally different mouthfeel, but I've definitely seen a Steak and Eggs as a unit piled on Waffles before. Not sure you could do any kind of seafood though--even a fleshy solid fish wouldn't seem to have the right feel.

 

A few logical sauce options. Including just a basic cheddar cheese option (this assumes the meat is shredded and not just sitting on top whole like with normal chicken and waffles).

 

The biggest problem, as you say, is that Chicken and Waffles really is normally just fried chicken literally sitting on, or even next to, a waffle.  Actually doing stuff to it makes it different--makes the waffle just a bread substitute for a normal sandwich. So while stuff like the above CAN alter variations, the big question is if anyone would want to buy them.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Kromm

[dewelar]

Has absolutely nothing to do with this episode, but I realized that if I close my eyes, Carl sounds exactly like Richard Blais.  Probably never noticed before since Carl has flown under the radar oh, pretty much the entire season until now.

I've liked Carl all season, and was glad to see him finally get a win. I think he's just the right amount of goofy that I could see myself hanging out with him. Rather than Blais, Carl reminds me of a toned-down version of one of my favorite past contestants (unpopular opinion coming, I think), Brian Malarkey. For me, Richard has always been the poster boy for Trying Way Too Hard To Be Quirky, where I think quirkiness is just who Carl (and MALARKEY!) is/are.

[PepperMonkey]

Taco Dudes. Really. How in the pixellated fuck is he still there?

 

I can't stand Marjorie, either. She's a good cook, has skills, but her personality completely ruins all of that for me. I wouldn't necessarily care if she wins, but then I really don't care who wins now that Kwame is gone. Although I'd almost like to see Jason come back and take the whole thing.

 

I still cannot get behind Carl. There's something squicky about him. Yeah, maybe it's the perfect story for every occasion thing. He seems much less genuine than Phillip to me, and that's actually kind of scary.

 

I do like Isaac, but I do also think he's putting on quite an act. It's the obvious salesman in him, which won't serve him poorly, even as a restaurateur. I wouldn't mind if he wins the whole thing either, but I can't see him taking the whole thing.

[bravofan27]

It's suspicious that Carl has a story for every challenge. I'm pretty sure that he pulls it out of his ass. All of his stories coincide with nature of the challenge perfectly.

 

Right? The lobsters reminded him of his FIRST JOB ever when he was 16, having to pull live lobsters out of the tank... shurrrrrrrrr

And the fish taco challenge reminded him of when he walked onto a beach in Nicaragua and said, "I must sell fish tacos here!" and then made a pop up on the beach selling fish tacos

And MC Hammer reminded him of when he first heard MC Hammer and bought his tape and spent alllllll night rapping. 

 

Isaac though, he sort of reminds me of my husband. My hubby was raised in a big family with A LOT of aunts and grandma's and his own mom is very close to him, so he is used to being hugged and kissed and loved on. Issac sort of seems like a mamma's or grandma's boy a bit, and does that batting eye thing to look cute and innocent. He is sort of endearing but he does use it to his advantage a bit. I think it's innocent though. My husband thinks he is just the cutest, sweetest thing ever, and it's just because he has spent so much of his life getting such positive attention from women.

 

Unfortunately, Marjorie works like she was raised in a sweat shop. But if her parents were missionaries, she probably didn't get too much attention. 

Edited February 27, 2016 by bravofan27

[MissEwa]

I feel like this is a really evenly spread top five - Isaac, Amar and Carl have one EC win each and the other two have two. Each person has one quickfire. I feel like usually there's a couple of chefs who have a bunch of wins at this stage. It's nice that it's unpredictable but on the other hand I'm not cheering for anyone on the basis that they seem like a really amazing chef. I think Isaac is my top pick to win but it's because a) his personality is fun and b) his food is in my wheelhouse.

 

Do I think he's the best chef? No. I don't think he's nearly as bad as Marjorie keeps implying though. I know it's probably selective editing to some extent but it's so tiresome and makes her seem really unpleasant and snobbish. It almost reminds me of the Texas girls and their comments about Beverly cooking Asian. 

Karen was probably kicking herself that she got kicked off right before the Chinese food challenge. 

 

Kwame was toast from so early on. You can't have the ingredient that is in the name of your restaurant be something you bought frozen from Whole Foods. You just can't. The chicken looked good though. 

 

ETA. I don't mind Carl but I can't get past the fact that he's the chef who served a milkshake, not even a good milkshake, for a Quickfire. He seems to have improved since then but come on. 

Edited February 27, 2016 by MissEwa

[windfall]

My hypothesis as to why we keep seeing Marjorie criticize Isaac is that the contestants have gotten a little too good at preparing for the show. They know how to behave themselves which leads to so little drama that criticism is really all they have to go with.

 

As for the remaining bunch, I'm honestly not excited about any of their cooking. Actually, now that I think about it, the same goes for everyone on this season. But, I would be disappointed if Jeremy won.

[pamplemousse]

Unsurprised that the founder of Umami burger was wearing a douchebro fedora that looked a little too small for his huge head. Shitty overpriced burgers, gross hipster atmosphere.

 

I'm sad to see Kwame go, but as soon as he said frozen waffles, I knew he was a goner. I'm hoping he can make it back through LCK. His touching and gracious parting remarks just reminded me how classless Grayson was and she has how many years on Kwame? Spoiled immature lout, so glad she wasn't one of the chefs they brought back as sous.

[biakbiak]

Oh because I was one of the only people who watched Million Dollar Listing: SF I will mention, Justin was in the background of several shots and spoke a word or two.

[mlp]

^^^ Who is Justin?

 

 

I can't stand Marjorie, either. She's a good cook, has skills, but her personality completely ruins all of that for me. 

 

That's exactly what I think.  She seems to have a nasty streak and also no class.  I think she dislikes men in general.  While Karen was still there, she acted like Karen was her BFF but she ignored her without a glance as soon as Angelina appeared as a helper.  I was surprised that the judges liked her concept so much because, besides having good food, the fast casual places were supposed to be practical/possible to bring into existence.  That kind of place succeeds by attracting the masses and keeping expenses down.  One way they do that is to employ people toward the minimum wage end of the pay scale.  I can't imagine depending on the level of people who cook at places like McDonald's to turn out excellent fresh pasta all day every day.  

[biakbiak]

Justin was one of the three real estate agents on Million Dollar Listing: SF. Here is a picture the first time you see him he eyes are clearly looking for the camera.

[In Pog Form]

When I hear "Second place is the first loser," I immediately think of the No Fear T-shirts from the 90s.

Which immediately makes me think of losers.

Edited February 27, 2016 by In Pog Form

[candall]

I like Marjorie.

 

First and foremost, she showed up with some dessert skills and some baking skills--which we always groan about when other contestants don't.

 

She hasn't punted or coasted or hidden in the back of the pack when someone needed to step up. Her strongest rapport has been with Angelina and Karen, but she's stayed low-key and affable with everyone through all the heavy-duty bro-ing.

 

I suspect her thing with Isaac is partly prompted and amplified through specific producer questions and partly genuine.  He likes to make stewy stuff; that's not her deal and she has shorthanded the difference in their styles with the word "refinement."  What is that?  One prefers to measure, one doesn't?  Doesn't really seem like a hanging offense.  She doesn't say he's a lousy cook or roll her eyes like "why is this guy still breathing my air?"

 

It's distressing that much of the dislike for her, based on the comments, has more to do with her appearance than her skillset--which is broad and, to me, the best of the bunch.

Edited February 27, 2016 by candall

[Julia]

And I think there have been excessive comments accusing people who have specific, delineated issues with Marjorie (or with Marjorie and Karen's unusual front of house attire) of being shallow enough to be responding solely to appearance. Because basically, what's being said over and over is that whatever opinion you say you have, I think you're lying, and your reasons are really cheap and base.

If there are specific comments which suggest that the problem with Marjorie is her physical person, please call them out. Otherwise, WADR, please stop being insulting.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Julia

[RCharter]

Marjorie was incredibly rude to him during RW, without any cause to be as he was very deferential to her.  To say that the dislike of her is based on her looks is annoying, because in my case, its untrue.  I do think she looked slovenly as FOH during RW, but that didn't prompt my dislike of her.  

[Browncoat]

I had to laugh when all the talking heads were saying "Not Phillip.  Anyone but Phillip." when Marjorie was choosing for them.  It made me think of Harry Potter and the Sorting Hat:  "Not Slytherin.  Anywhere but Slytherin."

 

Not that it really mattered.  As all y'all have said, Kwame sunk himself with the frozen waffles.  He should have known better.

[HunterHunted]

I kept wondering if there would be a way to make the concept work with Pancakes, but then realized it cant. The reason people use Waffles is because a Waffle is inherently crispy along most of it's surface area (because each nook/cranny presents more edges for the heated surface to crisp up), and a Pancake never can do that.

 

So really... they needed to just go with a total other concept the moment they couldn't find a Waffle Iron.

It's kind of funny because fried chicken sandwiches are having a moment. We've got Fuku and the chicken shack at Shake Shsck. Kwame could have retained his chicken and waffles idea as a breakfast option on his menu. If he had done an elevated fried chicken sandwich, he might still be in the game. I make one with harissa and preserved lemo mayo topped with pickled sweet onions and other with Thai green curry sauce and pickled carrots and radishes. He could have done a general Tso's fried chicken sandwich, chicken cordon bleu, classic southern. These are ideas that I come up with and I'm just some boring untrained chick. I'm sure Kwame could have up with something spectacular.

[Rockfish]

Isaac though, he sort of reminds me of my husband. My hubby was raised in a big family with A LOT of aunts and grandma's and his own mom is very close to him, so he is used to being hugged and kissed and loved on. Issac sort of seems like a mamma's or grandma's boy a bit, and does that batting eye thing to look cute and innocent. He is sort of endearing but he does use it to his advantage a bit. I think it's innocent though. My husband thinks he is just the cutest, sweetest thing ever, and it's just because he has spent so much of his life getting such positive attention from women.

You know, this seems like a good guess to me. Isaac reminds me a lot of an old boyfriend, who was also doted on by the women in his family and had an fun, aw shucks-type charm.

I guess I'm not paying too much attention because I don't remember any of Carl's stories or Jeremy's bro-dudeness (before this episode), so they're not bothering me. I actually like all of the cheftestants just fine, although I'm judging Jeremy and Amar a little more harshly because of their poor performances in Restaurant Wars.

As for Marjorie, I'm just assuming everyone gets asked about each competitor and TPTB are choosing to air her "Isaac isn't a refined cook" talking heads because they both make it to the end for the ultimate battle--just my impression, but most likely I'm wrong.

[Julia]

It's kind of funny because fried chicken sandwiches are having a moment. We've got Fuku and the chicken shack at Shake Shsck. Kwame could have retained his chicken and waffles idea as a breakfast option on his menu. If he had done an elevated fried chicken sandwich, he might still be in the game. I make one with harissa and preserved lemo mayo topped with pickled sweet onions and other with Thai green curry sauce and pickled carrots and radishes. He could have done a general Tso's fried chicken sandwich, chicken cordon bleu, classic southern.

Ooh, grilled chicken with gochujang topped with bibimbop-style vegetables.

1. I want to eat at your house

2. I think he could do any of those on a full-sized waffle. Every extended-stay hotel has a waffle machine in the lobby that shapes them into quarters. A whole waffle folded down the middle and cut in half would make a good, easy-to-hold sandwich.

[attica]

a douchebro fedora that looked a little too small for his huge head.

 

Not a fedora. A Trilby. [/hat pedant]

[ratgirlagogo]

 

And I guess Kwame's seen "Mildred Pierce."

BLESS YOU for knowing this plot point.  Although I would bet my next paycheck he hasn't - he never even saw Yan Can Cook, as he told us.  The frozen waffle thing made me wonder if he'd ever seen Top Chef.

 

NYC has a ton of pollo a la brasa places - Dominican, Peruvian, Columbian - and most of them are little local mini-chains.  I've often thought someone could make a go of this concept on a national level and Amar's idea of the shredded chicken as opposed to full/half bird the way it's usually done is actually pretty brilliant.

 

I also was expecting Marjorie to win handily UNTIL the Umami Burger guy said that pasta places have been hard to pull off as chain restaurants (can't remember exactly how he phrased it).  I wish someone had gone into more detail as to why.  I did immediately think of this famous failed pasta chain however:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/stick-day-jobs-failed-business-stars-gallery-1.986022?pmSlide=1.986006

Edited February 27, 2016 by ratgirlagogo

[mlp]

 

Justin was one of the three real estate agents on Million Dollar Listing: SF. Here is a picture the first time you see him he eyes are clearly looking for the camera.

 

Thanks.  Was he on Top Chef long ago?  I still don't understand the reference.  Not important; just curious.

[biakbiak]

Thanks.  Was he on Top Chef long ago?  I still don't understand the reference.  Not important; just curious.

He was one of the people in the crowd during this episode.

[Calamity Jane]

Gobsmacked to see Kwame eliminated, although he has been in a downward spiral since the "memories" challenge.  The saddest thing to me was that by the time they got back from shopping, he'd realized that not making the waffles himself was a bad mistake, but it was too late to fix that.  And I definitely got the feeling that he read Tom's and Other Guy's expressions correctly when he told them he'd used a frozen product, so he must have just had the most awful feeling going into judging.  I think he kept trying to be positive, but I'm pretty sure either somebody clued him in on the way back from the grocery shopping or he remembered the contestant who was eliminated for using canned beans (I've forgotten her name, sadly).  He's young, and I think in the end it showed in some of his decisions, although not at all in his demeanor or behavior.  

[fezini]

Kwame:  Frozen waffles?  'nuff said.  It's a shame because he is a great chef and he has a very broad range of experience.  He cooks a wide variety of cuisines and he is constantly looking to learn new techniques and flavors.  Sad to see him go.  He is a Blerd and has a tough childhood story, but he seems very sincere and likeable and I cannot wait for his new restaurant to open in DC.  And he has very little ego.

 

Carl:  I think he had a great concept.  Casual Lebanese can be reproduced and his signature dish looked delicious.  Any concept with soups and stews is good for fast casual because you can make large batches from recipes and keep churning them out all day long.  Add in gyros and bake your own breads and it's a hit.  Carl shows a real range of talents and cuisines.  He may be a little weird (quirky maybe?) but he is really enthusiastic and he definitely passes the "have a beer with him" test.

 

Jeremy:  Baja Fresh already does a reasonably good fish taco.  And they already have traction, although they have had severe financial problems and had to close a lot of stores.  They expanded way too quickly and had to really slash costs to stay alive. And why on earth use pork belly instead of fish? 

Also, his bro-dude is a little annoying.  I think he is pretty talented and he has a broad range of experiences and cuisines so I would not count him out.

 

Marjorie:  I think a lot of people are giving her a bum rap.  I think most of the anti-Isaac talk is prodded by the producers and used to make her look bad.  And she is correct in that Isaac, while a terrific chef, is limited to Cajun style and MEAT.  Marjorie is a pastry chef (don't forget that dessert is almost always the ticket to PYKAG) and has a really broad range of cuisines.  She adapts well to different challenges and seems to be pretty solid.

I think her use of assigning difficult partners to the other contestants was spot on.  That showed me a great depth of strategy because she sabotaged two of the best chefs remaining:  Jeremy got the gay dude who clearly doesn't like him and his bro-titude and Kwame got Philip, who clearly talks a better plate than he produces.

Finally, her fast casual pasta place could be mass produced.  Five kinds of homemade pasta, five different sauces and your choice of sausage or meatballs.  Handmade pasta would require some specialization, but you could train people who to do it.  And endless options to try different sauces periodically.  

She probably deserved the win here, particularly since she didn't just make a wimpy red sauce but really went upscale with the tuna dish.  It would have been easy to overcook that tuna and dry it out, so it was a pretty big gamble.

 

Isaac:  I love, love, love his personality.  Next time I am in N.O. you can bet I am heading to his place.  Someone compared him to Carla and I couldn't agree more.  He has a wonderful, sunny, quirky outlook on life and you would enjoy working with him.  He would shine with his own cooking show or as a fill-in on the Chew.  BUT, he is limited to one style of cooking and that is eventually going to catch up with him.   I think he is far more talented than Jamie, but eventually he becomes this season's victim of "it's Top Chef, not Top Scallop."  

His fast casual Cajun would likely be successful, since you could easily add red beans, jambalaya and a few other classics to the to go menu.  Everything over rice and with either biscuits or corn bread.  What's not to like?

 

Amar:  kind of a dark horse.  Early on I thought he might be kind of limited, then he blew away the classic French food.  He keeps coming up with new surprises and he seems to be able to move among many different cuisines.  He may sneak his way into the finals.

I liked his Dominican chicken concept.  Sure, there are some places out there already, but there is no real dominant chain in this space yet.  Really good flavors and the chefs raved about his sauces.  The only suggestion I would have is that he just move to leg or breast instead of shredding the chicken since it would be more consistent and easier to manage this in a working kitchen.

[RCharter]

Marjorie has been rude to Issac in the middle of a challenge, so unless she the producers are telling her...and no one else....to behave this way in the middle of a challenge, I don't see production being at fault.  

 

And by that logic, many people are giving ManBun a bad rap, because he could also claim it was all producer intervention that made him look like a giant douche.  

 

Yet, I see no one defending ManBun on the same basis.  

[SingleMaltBlonde]

 Chicken and Waffles have been around for a lot shorter time than any of those foods.

 

Chicken and Waffles is actually pretty old school, generally thought of as "soul food" but fried chicken for breakfast was very common in rural areas and was mentioned in the Little House book about her husband Alanzo.

[SuburbanHangSuite]

I may very well be the only person in America (or the world for that matter) who does not understand the appeal of chicken and waffles.  Personally, I want sausage with my waffles and mashed potatoes with my fried chicken.  So I just groaned  when I saw where Kwame was headed.   But I didn't like the winning concept either.  Mediterranean Chipotle.  Yawn.  I understand there's nothing new under the sun but, damn.  Blatant rip-off. 

[RCharter]

I may very well be the only person in America (or the world for that matter) who does not understand the appeal of chicken and waffles.  Personally, I want sausage with my waffles and mashed potatoes with my fried chicken.  So I just groaned  when I saw where Kwame was headed.   But I didn't like the winning concept either.  Mediterranean Chipotle.  Yawn.  I understand there's nothing new under the sun but, damn.  Blatant rip-off. 

I only understood it once I tasted it.  It somehow works wonderfully.  Now that I'm gluten free its something I don't indulge in, but its a great mix of sweet and salty and certainly fatty.  I almost feel like sausage is a little too salty for my waffles (but still tasty).  If you've had it and you find it unappealing, I get that.  My mom doesn't get Roscoe's either.  

 

But for my money, his problem was in the execution.  I think bite sized chicken n' waffles could be great, especially if you had options for different types of waffles (gluten free!) and different flavor combinations with the chicken.  I don't know what a sweet potato waffle is, but I kinda wanna try it!

 

I guess I could see the thing about not having a waffle iron as a reason to use eggos, but they seem to have so many things in the kitchen, not a waffle iron?  I wish he had just bitten the bullet and done what he needed to do to get a waffle iron.

[Brookside]

I was really expecting Tom to offer him a position at one of his places, whether short or long-term.

[RCharter]

I was really expecting Tom to offer him a position at one of his places, whether short or long-term.

It sounds like Kwame is opening up his own restaurant.  And I think that has to mean everything to Tom.  I would think, as a seasoned chef, you want to see your staff succeed and know that you've created this environment where they can take what they learn and go further and have their own success.  But maybe he and Tom will work together at some point.

 

I heart Tom.

[SteveAC10]

I just can't bring myself to dislike Marjorie. She is obviously a highly skilled, well rounded chef and does not suffer fools one little bit. She also wants to win, and she tends toward brusque as a default setting. Plus, a huge percentage of highly successful chefs are also highly renowned assholes. As LaShawn Beyond once said on RuPaul's Drag  Race: "This ain't RuPaul's Best Friends Race".

 

 

My hypothesis as to why we keep seeing Marjorie criticize Isaac is that the contestants have gotten a little too good at preparing for the show. They know how to behave themselves which leads to so little drama that criticism is really all they have to go with.

This has happened on most long running reality competition shows. The contestants have largely learned to game the system to the point the producers have to cobble together what they can to get some drama. It's readily apparent on this show, Project Runway, Drag Race and others

[ratgirlagogo]

 

I just can't bring myself to dislike Marjorie. She is obviously a highly skilled, well rounded chef and does not suffer fools one little bit

I feel like this too. I like her and while I don't quite get her deal with Isaac  I think it may just be that - well, we'll see what the editing wanted here.  I like Isaac a lot too BTW.

 

Also some have suggested she has RBF which seems unfair.  She may well be a raging bitch, I never met the woman.  Still,  I kept thinking the whole time I saw the Umami Burger guest judge that when he knew he was on camera he pulled his lips back into an aggressive smile but when he wasn't doing that he absolutely had Resting Bastard Face - like he was figuring out who he was going to kill.

Edited February 27, 2016 by ratgirlagogo

[The Solution]

In an episode where Kwame was sent packing, and unfortunately deservedly so absent the presence of a tool like Jeremy and his musciata tacos, Richard Blais was still by far the worst part of the episode. I believe I said "Shut the fuck up!" every time he said something. Out loud.

 

I don't understand how gumbo and elevated arroz con pollo were not the winning concepts. I was salivating for both. Something that sounded like a health insurance company and elevated tuna casserole... not so much.

[paramitch]

I don't mind Carl or his stories so much. To me they denote a kind of lovable enthusiasm -- he just comes across to me like he has a story for everything because that's the type of person he is. I find him kind of muppety and endearing.

 

I was surprised that the judges were so positive in reaction to Marjorie's pasta and tuna dish. While I totally think her rocking out the fryer as a pasta boiler was genius, I just didn't think the dish sounded appetizing from a mass-market standpoint. I can't see Americans lining up in a fast-casual environment for very raw tuna and oil over spaghetti (and I would totally eat that -- I just thought it sounded too insular and specific as a dish to market to the general public). I thought she should have picked a more creative but accessible sauce and protein.

 

So apparently being a really bad father means your kid turns out to be Jen Carroll.

 

Aw, I liked poor Jen despite that, and did even more later on after that half-season of Top Chef reality specials, where we saw her with friends and family, and she was pretty amazing helping to care for her mother (who was severely debilitated after a stroke). Jen totally owned the fact that she was a jerk on television when exiting that episode, and even talked candidly about the fact that Ripert had also expressed disappointment in her, and that she had learned a valuable lesson about herself and humility.

 

But Jeremy, on the other hand, is one of those who seems to use every opportunity not to change my mind about him but to reinforce some really unlikable traits -- he's been subtly sexist for a long time now (he definitely lives by the Bro Code), but this episode just took it from subtext to text. Combining that with some of his comments about winning and losing, I just really actively dislike Jeremy now.

 

The biggest problem, as you say, is that Chicken and Waffles really is normally just fried chicken literally sitting on, or even next to, a waffle.  Actually doing stuff to it makes it different--makes the waffle just a bread substitute for a normal sandwich. So while stuff like the above CAN alter variations, the big question is if anyone would want to buy them.

 

This is the thing that doesn't work to me about chicken and waffles. I've had it, and sure enough, it was a very pretty piece of fried chicken, bone-in, sitting on a big fat waffle. So I thought it was extremely odd to sit there trying to carve my piece of chicken on top of the waffle, and of course as it went along, the waffle was pretty destroyed by the whole thing. Weirdly enough, I actually liked the look of Kwame's bite-size versions because at least you wouldn't have to deal with the usual bone-in piece of chicken on top of the waffle. Which I just won't ever really understand or find appealing.

 

I'm sad to see Kwame go, but as soon as he said frozen waffles, I knew he was a goner. I'm hoping he can make it back through LCK. His touching and gracious parting remarks just reminded me how classless Grayson was and she has how many years on Kwame? Spoiled immature lout, so glad she wasn't one of the chefs they brought back as sous.

 

I thought Kwame's exit was one of the loveliest and sweetest in the history of the show, and agree that Grayson's was... not. ;-) However, if you watched LCK (no spoilers) Grayson not only owned some of that (and showed a ton of humor about herself), but she was incredibly funny and joyful to watch -- much more back to her previous Top Chef self.

 

Marjorie has been rude to Issac in the middle of a challenge, so unless she the producers are telling her...and no one else....to behave this way in the middle of a challenge, I don't see production being at fault.  

 

I respect Marjorie for the formidable skills she obviously possesses, but I have found her very difficult to like. She is one of those people who seems to only be polite to those she thinks are talented enough to respect, and I just think that's so classless. The repeated rudeness to Isaac's face, the constant "jokey" punching on the other contestants (that she does so often they were able to make it a montage!), the visible contempt and dismissiveness she has shown at several moments -- she's a jerk. Even the fact that she wouldn't pause for the micro-second it would have taken to stab the lobsters through the head to me says something about her disregard for others (I know lobsters are just big bugs, but I wouldn't torture any creature needlessly).

 

I do appreciate Marjorie's unwavering support for Angelina, but her kindness and enthusiasm toward Angelina in a way just further exacerbates her palpable coldness and rudeness toward other contestants she finds less worthy.

 

I may very well be the only person in America (or the world for that matter) who does not understand the appeal of chicken and waffles.  Personally, I want sausage with my waffles and mashed potatoes with my fried chicken.  So I just groaned  when I saw where Kwame was headed. 

 

Thank you! The allure of chicken and waffles totally eludes me. I like chicken. I like waffles. I like savory and sweet. But that... it just doesn't work for me. Weirdly enough, Kwame's was the first take on them that I've ever really found appetizing! Poor guy.

[biakbiak]

Americans lining up in a fast-casual environment for very raw tuna and oil over spaghetti (and I would totally eat that -- I just thought it sounded too insular and specific as a dish to market to the general public).

The tuna wasn't raw it was slow poached in olive oil, it's a pretty classic dish and clearly she executed it well and the judges liked it. She had other more approachable sauces on her concept board.

Edited February 28, 2016 by biakbiak

[bunnywithanaxe]

....Ok....one more..... What has happened to Tom?   He seems more relaxed and involved.  Maybe even emotional.  Especially with LCK.

 

Lol, I kind of like the look!  IMO he wears it well.

Heh, I agree. He seems to be actually having fun with the show, and is more encouraging to the cheftestants.

[Julia]

Aw, I liked poor Jen despite that, and did even more later on after that half-season of Top Chef reality specials, where we saw her with friends and family, and she was pretty amazing helping to care for her mother (who was severely debilitated after a stroke). Jen totally owned the fact that she was a jerk on television when exiting that episode, and even talked candidly about the fact that Ripert had also expressed disappointment in her, and that she had learned a valuable lesson about herself and humility.

I'm really not hating on her (although the Concrete Blonde mess didn't impress me). It's just that she was so defensive about not winning that she went full metal berserkergang over it. I don't think people with healthy ideas about competition behave that way.

[Brookside]

It sounds like Kwame is opening up his own restaurant.  And I think that has to mean everything to Tom.  I would think, as a seasoned chef, you want to see your staff succeed and know that you've created this environment where they can take what they learn and go further and have their own success.  But maybe he and Tom will work together at some point.

 

I heart Tom.

I didn't realize Kwame was opening his own restaurant. I hope he's very successful. And I hope he has an appetizer of fried chicken and mashed potatoes!

[SteveAC10]

 

I like Isaac a lot too BTW.

As do I. He's by far my favorite personality of the season. That said, I still am rooting for Marjorie for the win because she has shown herself to be the most focused and versatile chef this season. This is a competition and likability to the viewers is not a required skill on this show (unless the winner wants to be a chef with a TV show of his/her own). For me, the only season where anything outside the kitchen was, and rightly was, a factor in the outcome was season two.

Edited February 28, 2016 by SteveAC10

[meep.meep]

When I hear "Second place is the first loser," I immediately think of the No Fear T-shirts from the 90s.

When I hear it, I think of the jerk on the last season of The Amazing Race who managed to become The First Loser to the delight of many.

[archer1267]

Jennifer Carroll also mentioned it in All-Stars, as something her dad would tell her.

[jRoxy13]

In Southern California there is a fast casual waffle place (waffles that fold over the fillings) called Bruxie. It's not chef-driven, but it's very tasty.

[RCharter]

I feel like this too. I like her and while I don't quite get her deal with Isaac  I think it may just be that - well, we'll see what the editing wanted here.  I like Isaac a lot too BTW.

 

Also some have suggested she has RBF which seems unfair.  She may well be a raging bitch, I never met the woman.  Still,  I kept thinking the whole time I saw the Umami Burger guest judge that when he knew he was on camera he pulled his lips back into an aggressive smile but when he wasn't doing that he absolutely had Resting Bastard Face - like he was figuring out who he was going to kill.

 

I don't think RBF is a put down per se.  Its something you can't control and the nicest people in the world can have RBF.  To me, it means someone has judged you by your face, which is not indicative of your personality.  I suffer from a lack of RBF...which makes random people approach me because I look like a softie (and I kinda am).  My sister on the other hand....one of the nicest people you'll meet, and gorgeous, but totally has RBF.  

 

When I hear it, I think of the jerk on the last season of The Amazing Race who managed to become The First Loser to the delight of many.

 

You can say that again.  The look on that asshat's face was worth the price of admission.

In Southern California there is a fast casual waffle place (waffles that fold over the fillings) called Bruxie. It's not chef-driven, but it's very tasty.

I'm going to google this place now, and if they have a GF option I'm there like a bear!

[In Pog Form]

Chicken and Waffles is actually pretty old school, generally thought of as "soul food" but fried chicken for breakfast was very common in rural areas and was mentioned in the Little House book about her husband Alanzo.

But even Soul Food is much more recent (20th Century) than the other cuisines that the restaurants were based on, which go back hundreds of years or more.

Edited February 28, 2016 by In Pog Form

[cattykit]

 

and biatch, don't give that look when someone says "chick".  you're a chick.

Actually, no, she's not.  No woman is a "chick."  Sorry.

[Julia]

Soul food is as old as the practice of enslaving africans, even if they didn't call it that until the sixties. Chicken and waffles, on the other hand, is a Pennsylvania Dutch dish.

[biakbiak]

marjorie....pasta. never would have guessed that. he only works for an italian guy, mike from top chef.

Majorie has made more than one desseet, multiple breads, and several different cuisines and rocked them all. I get not liking her but the notion that she has only been one note or only made pasta is beyond ridiculous. Also, on this challenge her dish was much more difficult to get right. Gumbo, roast chicken and sauces,and lamb stew (ignoring and Jeremy because it was stupid) she had the most difficult dish to execute at service and she succeeded.

[theatremouse]

Also some have suggested she has RBF which seems unfair. She may well be a raging bitch, I never met the woman.

I don't think RBF is a put down per se.  Its something you can't control and the nicest people in the world can have RBF.  To me, it means someone has judged you by your face, which is not indicative of your personality.

It's not necessarily dependent on someone "judging", I don't think. It's more that whatever your neutral "I'm not trying to make any particular face at all" facial expression looks...harsh or annoyed or angry, when you're really just being neutral. It can lead to being easily misjudged, certainly. But agreed, it's not a put down.

If you actually thought someone were bitchy, saying they had RBF would be silly because it gets them off the hook. It implies they're not really, but their neutral facial expression looks unintentionally so. If one thinks Marjorie is cranky or angry or not nice (or a bitch) it makes more sense to call her that, than to mention RBF.

Edited February 28, 2016 by theatremouse

[In Pog Form]

Soul food is as old as the practice of enslaving africans, even if they didn't call it that until the sixties. Chicken and waffles, on the other hand, is a Pennsylvania Dutch dish.

Well, sure, its precursors are older (but still not as old as cuisines originating in Asia and Europe) - and waffles and their precursors have been around for many Centuries, during which they would have been served with chicken long before the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Edited February 28, 2016 by In Pog Form