The Shows of 2014: Because They've Been Pureed in a Blender

[picklesprite]

On the amateur rerun yesterday, it was funny to see amateur #1 annoy #2 who annoyed #3. It reminded me of how pros have to work amidst so many other people, and chaos.

[Totale]

I hope star-catering chick and divorced (no kidding, really, who in her right mind would ever let a gem like him go?) Dad who aces everything he touches and refuses to lose found each other backstage and ran off together to some far Tahitian-area island, never to return - at least not to my screen.

[anonymiss]

I was surprised that Jeremey won it instead of Albert, it seemed like they were leaning more towards him, but I'm OK with it. I didn't find it a very interesting show tonight.

 

They were pulling for him, as was I, because he seemed like a genuinely contrite and humble kid with promise. Too bad he was noticeably out-cooked in the dessert round but I'm grateful to the judges for their integrity. If Albert's dessert were just a little bit better it would have secured him the win I think.

 

Maneet has never looked better than this episode with her cute half up-do. I've always liked her as a judge and was glad to see that she was moved by Albert as I was.

[Drogo]

 

They were pulling for him, as was I, because he seemed like a genuinely contrite and humble kid with promise. Too bad he was noticeably out-cooked in the dessert round but I'm grateful to the judges for their integrity. If Albert's dessert were just a little bit better it would have secured him the win I think.

 

His heavy-handedness with the spices was his downfall... if the Chopped judges, who need more seasoning on everything, ask for less seasoning - you're using the wrong measuring spoons. 

 

Sorry Maneet... Thumbs down to any woman who shapes her hair to look like a massive head tumor.  I did enjoy her disgusted expressions at sick Chris like "Bro.. take a vacation day." 

[cooksdelight]

Sorry Maneet... Thumbs down to any woman who shapes her hair to look like a massive head tumor.

Maybe she was trying to honor the gland? :)

[NikSac]

I'm not sure where this question belongs but since the unbelievably hot trash thing has happened a lot on the 2014 season I'll just put it here.  Does anyone know where Chopped gets their trash bags?  I just watched yet another chef throw burning food plus oil that looked like it was about to ignite into the trash, which looked like it was lined with a plastic bag.  My trash bags and probably kitchen trash can, also plastic, would melt if I did that! I know it's a silly thing but I'm seriously impressed with those trash bags.  Either that or I feel really sorry for the people who have to clean up the aftermath.

Oh, and I must say, thank goodness for no "smell-o-vision."  I really didn't need to smell burning fishcakes in nearly burning oil.  eww.

[cooksdelight]

I think it's a case of feeling sorry for whoever has to clean up after these people. She should have taken it to the kitchen and dumped it in the sink for safety's sake. One day, someone will dump flaming burned food into the trash and it will engulf the set in flames.

The guy who won -- were his parents drunk, abusive, what? Don't give me a sob story and leave me hanging, dude!

[GaT]

So glad that Chef Todd didn't win. He was really obnoxious thinking he should be getting more awards & fame than he had.

[cooksdelight]

Yeah, he was getting into Christopher Coombs territory, the chef from Boston with all the various stars and awards, to whom Mark (I think) said "Let's get back to the food, please" and Alex gave him the best stink eye.

[NikSac]

Probably right, Cooksdelight. I definitely feel bad for the cleanup crew... hopefully they have time to let the burning stinky stuff cool off before they have to clean. I mostly prefer watching the cooking but it might be an entertaining episode when the flaming food lights the set on fire.

 

Chef Todd annoyed me only because he was so cocky about deserving to win, get more, etc. I was glad he didn't win. He might be a really good chef but (in my opinion) he needs to stop with the entitlement thing.

 

Alex has the best stink eye of any adult I've ever seen!  I don't know if she has kids but if she does, I can picture her kid(s) going "uh oh, the look!"

[backformore]

The most recent episode was really over the top with the "dead relatives"  thing.  In the second round all three had a dead parent or grandparent "watching from heaven". 

 

ffrom one cook -  Why are you here?  Because my grandfather died when I was 16 and he's the only family member that didn't see me cook.  WTF?  

  dead grandpa has  never seen you cook, but now that you're on TV, he will be happy watching you?    WAIT!    Heaven has TV?????????????? 

[cooksdelight]

Why yes, heaven has big huge flat screen TVs on every cloud. Didn't you know that? LOL

[Totale]

Why yes, heaven has big huge flat screen TVs on every cloud. Didn't you know that? LOL

 

That's the good news.  The bad news is that they're all tuned to the Food Network.

[Julia]

That's the good news.  The bad news is that they're all tuned to the Food Network.

What a horrifying idea. "So there I was, resting in peace, and then I saw my grand daughter get chopped in the appetizer round. Now not only are the other dead people laughing at me, I feel like her career choice is totally invalidated..."

[backformore]

The things I learn from this site!  Ok, so my dead grandma is probably wondering what happened to my life.  Now I have to learn to cook!

 

(she might just have to wait till I get to heaven myself)

Edited July 13, 2014 by backformore

[blackwing]

Just saw the episode with Owen who presented an unintentionally deconstructed cake clump and left his caramel on the stove top for the dessert round.

That's the same Scott Conant who hates raw red onion, right? What has happened to him? He grew a beard, got glasses, grew his hair and slicked it back? He looks awful. Like he put on 50 pounds.

[cooksdelight]

Scott, Aaron and Chris Santos have all porked out.

[cooksdelight]

I wasn't paying close attention, but were these all food truck owners at one time? I heard the sob story from the guy who's truck burned up. Then the Girl In The Orange Knit Cap said something about coming here with $70, 2 suitcases, an alcoholic father, and she had three locations now. She impressed me, but bless her heart I don't think she was either 1) understanding English or 2) giving a damn about sharing the ice cream machine. I think it was a lack of communication as she was concentrating on what she was doing and he kept on and on and on. Plus, he's playing for his family ad naseum.

Nong was a very sincere chef and even though she broke down a couple of times, it didn't put her in the same class of sob story that I usually see on this show. To me, anyway. She's had it tough and made no excuses. And Amanda gave her a big hug.

What, Ted!!!! No asking production to clean the ice cream machine out? No asking the girl to clean it out since she was the one who got it dirty? I just hate inconsistencies on this show, and it's full of them.

[GaT]

I wasn't paying close attention, but were these all food truck owners at one time? I heard the sob story from the guy who's truck burned up. Then the Girl In The Orange Knit Cap said something about coming here with $70, 2 suitcases, an alcoholic father, and she had three locations now. She impressed me, but bless her heart I don't think she was either 1) understanding English or 2) giving a damn about sharing the ice cream machine. I think it was a lack of communication as she was concentrating on what she was doing and he kept on and on and on. Plus, he's playing for his family ad naseum.

 

 

Yes, they all had food trucks, & we heard the girl's "$70 & 2 suitcases" 3 or 4 times, which was 2 or 3 times than I cared about.

 

 

What, Ted!!!! No asking production to clean the ice cream machine out? No asking the girl to clean it out since she was the one who got it dirty? I just hate inconsistencies on this show, and it's full of them.

Seriously, they need to make a decision & treat everyone the same when it comes to the ice cream machine. 

[Drogo]

Not only did she not have to clean the ice cream machine, she also didn't have to take her own ice cream out of it. 

 

Was a fan of Mr. Gorilla Cheese.

[picklesprite]

I did get the feeling Nong (yes?) heard him and chose to ignore him, whether from wanting that fiercely to win or for some reason we never witnessed. Maybe he'd pissed her off in some way. But whatever the truth about her behavior, I was more interested in his. I've seen so many chefs get frustrated (for may different reasons) by the ice cream machine and the best ones are the chefs who quickly jump to Plan B, which they usually have to invent on the spot. I like that, and admire that attitude. No stopping for anger, or resentment, no making demands of other people.  Instead, a moment of panic, and then quickly into the next best idea which often turns out to be an even better one and sometimes a winning one.

 

I loved The Girl in the Orange Cap, even though she might well "chop" anybody who gets in her way. Survival skills--based on what sounds like one hell of a tough growing-up.  I can imagine her as the orange-cap-clad heroine in a dystopian novel. Hunger Games meets Chopping Games.

[rujasu]

Yeah, a common sight on the show is "I'm making an ice cream.  What's that, the other chef got to the ice cream machine first?  Like I said, I'm making bread pudding."

[cattykit]

I had to wonder about the guy with the burned food truck.  No insurance?  And then not even trying to get a job in a restaurant?  I think Scott was right to give him grief.

 

And I'm beyond tired of seeing them having to fight over one ice cream machine, or one fryer or one blender.  The ingredients are enough of a handicap.  I don't blame Nong for not stopping what she was doing to get her ice cream out.  If I want to see cheftestants handicapped by equipment I can watch that abomination Cutthroat Kitchen.

Edited August 23, 2014 by cattykit

[Julia]

Doesn't cleaning the ice cream machine involve turning a knob? Because if so, not turning the knob afterwards was kind of a churl move.

[cooksdelight]

Somebody, I don't remember, put his ice cream in right after someone else and there was a bit of residual taste from the first batch. I also don't remember it it was a good thing or a bad one.

[LazyToaster]

It seems like I have seen them pour water through it when cleaning. Didn't seem complicated. But, even so, to me it is ridiculous to not have adequate equipment for the contestants.

[picklesprite]

I'm watching the Coolio episode. Wow. I guess he really wanted to leave.

[chessiegal]

I think the reason they don't have enough ice cream machines or whatever is because this is teevee- they need to create DRAMA!!!!!

[theatremouse]

The whole exchange about "are you done with the ice cream machine", rather than making me think "wow she's ignoring him/being a jerk" etc, made me think they were setting up for a "she's totally overchurned and ruined hers and his repeated asking should be a good reminder not to leave it in there so long."

 

Man, this show has me conditioned.

[Lola16]

No more Carnie Wilson period.  In any show.

[ZoqFotPik]

First of all, I've eaten at both of the Portland carts.

 

I had to wonder about the guy with the burned food truck.  No insurance?  And then not even trying to get a job in a restaurant?  I think Scott was right to give him grief.

I'm not 100%, but I believe he did have insurance and used the money to finance a restaurant, but that fell through for some reason. And just as an update, he reopened with a new truck earlier this month.

[cooksdelight]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news....

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chopped/photos/chopped-ultimate-champions-meet-the-competitors.html

[Totale]

I think this actually belongs here, since it's now in an episode thread from last year

 

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news....

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chopped/photos/chopped-ultimate-champions-meet-the-competitors.html

 

God, how uninspiring.  Unlike the kiddie tournament I'll probably at least half watch this one, but there's nobody there I'm rooting for.  I forget half if not more of them.  Can the kids from Rachel and Guy capture, cook and eat the Wilson chick before her episode is filmed, please?  I've never watched that one, but that might convince me to give it a try.

[Bella]

Moving my comment over...

I didn't see Danushka's picture in that group, though, so it will all be fine.

 

Still, too many familiar faces. Is this like Survivor, where they were bound and determined to have Boston Rob win no matter what, so they kept casting him and casting him until he finally won? And they did it with some other guy, too. Ghastly.

 

Who is it that FN wants to have win this stinkin' thing, anyway? And why don't they save themselves the trouble and just give him or her the money without doing a whole show around it? 

[cooksdelight]

I recognized grandma Elda. And the firefighters.

[Totale]

I think I've seen almost every episode of Chopped so I undoubtedly saw all these people.  But I don't care about watching heroes or amateurs so I sleepwalk through those unless someone's itching for a bus ticket, and I remember the celebrities without being impressed by them. That leaves the pros (who are all I've ever wanted to see cook on Chopped), and the only one I vaguely recognize is the girl on the left and even her I don't actually remember, so I don't care.

[Bastet]

I don't care who wins the whole thing as I haven't seen most of the episodes whence these competitors came, but if there is any good left in this world Carnie Wilson will go out in the appetizer round when they do the celebrity match-up.  She is unbearable to watch.

[cooksdelight]

I just saw the promo commercial for this show,

and Granny Elda is in a physical tug-of-war with a firefighter over a grill pan. Seriously!! Go Granny!

[Julia]

I feel like Carnie Wilson is their celebrity Alex Guarnaschelli, and they're not going to stop until she totters convincingly from third base to home and the audience clasps her to their collective canned-food-eating bosom. I think, though, since a guy who's best known for the serial misadventures of his penis kicked her ass on RvG with steak stuffed steak, this could take a while.

[cooksdelight]

I never disliked Carnie until she discovered Food Network. Now I can't stand her.

[Julia]

I was predisposed to cut her a lot of slack, since her family dysfunction is kind of legendary to the point of being a cultural touchstone, but the people who run TFN have a real genius for piling on the unearned advantages until their chosen winner just pisses me off.

[mlp]

I'm glad it's not just me.  I've watched every episode of Chopped at least once and most more than that and I don't recognize at least a third of those people.  I do think that's Fatima in the top row.  I can't even recall now whom she beat in the dessert round but I do remember that I thought it was entirely the wrong decision and I was mad every time I thought about it.  I hope she loses this time around. 

Edited August 25, 2014 by mlp

[Drogo]

Carnie never really bothered me, but her Chopped charity bothers me.  Thousands of children go to bed hungry every night in the U.S. but she wants to give grants for one of the most dangerous surgeries- to solve a lifestyle-related issue- when she clearly still eats crap everyday and should not in any way/shape/form be the poster child for it.  I'm sorry.  I can't.  Don't hate me.

 

Holy crap though, I do love that Korean/Italian woman.  She was adorable. 

 

http://dinahsurh.com/staten-island-advance/

Edited August 25, 2014 by Drogo

[Fostersmom]

No hating here. I thought the same thing about Carnie's charity and maybe it's not the best choice for her since her surgery hasn't exactly stuck. Or rather, either one since she had gastric bypass and then lap band surgery too. And I say this as a fat woman who used to weight at least 330 pounds (not sure how accurate my $7 Walmart scale was). I've managed to lose 80 pounds and keep it off by this amazing thing called stop shoving shit down my throat all the time. I have MS and PCOS and that makes weight loss harder, but if I managed, there's very few excuses that fly with me. 

 

I could possibly get past her ridiculous charity choice if she didn't feel the need to act like a complete and absolute fool every time she see a s camera pointed her way. OMG, just stop. You aren't cute, you aren't funny, and your frazzled i'm so confused routine makes me want to run you over with a truck. 

[Bastet]

your frazzled i'm so confused routine makes me want to run you over with a truck.

 

This is exactly why I'm disappointed to hear she'll be appearing again.  I don't know enough about her as a person or her chosen charity to like or dislike either one.  But as a presence on a televised competition, she is horrible due to the above.

[Julia]

It's not that I have an ideological problem with weight loss surgery, as long as people can afford the expensive lifetime dietary supplement regimen they'll need to stay healthy afterwards. It's just, her appetizer in the finals on Rachel v Guy was individual eight ounce portions of canned tuna and jar mayonnaise "dip" (roughly half and half) served with supermarket tortilla chips. Which is to say, nothing fresh and more calories than a full sized grown man should have in a day. Which she says she serves all the time to her friends. Which, seriously, is not cuisine, it's pathology.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Julia

[joanne3482]

3 rounds of amateurs and one of pros? No thanks. In general I don't enjoy the amateur shows. I feel like they are well, amateur. They just don't bring the same level of creativity and skill I see in the pros. So if the pro wins in the big finale that's like the big football kid beating the underdog. If the pro loses in the finale well that's bad for them and their fancy restaurants. Are the celebrities playing for charity while the other 3 groups playing for themselves? 

[cooksdelight]

Vito, with a big sweat drop on the end of his nose, has spent the last hour weeping about losing his restaurant, his wife being pregnant, and he needs this money or he's going to be a failure. One of my all-time top 10 Sad Sacks of Chopped.

[Rick Kitchen]

Jet lag being what it is, I watched the Dads on my DVR. Show of hands... who didn't foresee Dead Wife Dad winning after his breakdown during the appetizer round??

He was back again for the tournament of champions and spent all of his time crying about Dead Wife.

[fliptopbox]

I can't even watch Chopped anymore because it's all gimmicks and shit now. I wish they'd bring back - and stick with - the original format. 4 chefs, 3 rounds...1 winner. How hard is that?! Maybe occasionally a Champions miniseries. But I don't give a shit about celebrities, "special servicemen", moms, dads, teens, amputees, or any other group in the Chopped kitchen. I just want to watch chefs!