Comeback Kitchen

[cooksdelight]

We can discuss what's been aired here, but no spoilers if you know something that hasn't aired yet.

Personally, I think Dom should have been given the axe the minute he cussed on screen. No way would that fly if the bigger head honchos had been judging this.

[LexieLily]

Penny can go anytime now, thanks. Her spending the last five years trying to be warm hasn't worked, obviously.

[cooksdelight]

Penny was apalling in the room the way she was smack talking to the others. What does she think this is, WWF? I want both her and Dom gone as soon as possible. I am thinking of Lenny when I watch Dom now, with his language and his whole attitude, and that's not a good thing.

[Wings]

Well shit, Dom and Penny survive.  Brianna goes. 

1 minute ago, cooksdelight said:

Penny was apalling in the room the way she was smack talking to the others. What does she think this is, WWF? I want both her and Dom gone as soon as possible. I am thinking of Lenny when I watch Dom now, with his language and his whole attitude, and that's not a good thing.

I sensed that Valerie was not impressed with Dom.  Not only what she said but her facial expression and body language says she wants him gone.  I think she is seeing what we are.  Tyler out and out is pissed with his meltdowns and liberal use of the word fuck.  I think they are done with him, YAY!  No question Penny will not make it. 

[outtahere]

I didn't like these people when I saw them the first time!  I'm not going to stick around to view their obnoxious personalities again.  Are there no other cooks out there deserving of  a break into television?

[cooksdelight]

I wonder if they asked Linkie Marais back and she declined. She's all over the country as a rep for Big Green Egg, and she also does private chef work on yachts in the Bahamas. I'd love to have her life. She's beautiful and very personable onscreen from the videos I've seen. Also, Nicole Gaffney, another one I am surprised wasn't back. She does short video instructions of how to make the dishes she posts on her blog and she's very good.

[spiderpig]

At least only one gets to FNS.  How many new competitors will there be? (too lazy to look)

[candall]

13 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Penny can go anytime now, thanks. Her spending the last five years trying to be warm hasn't worked, obviously.

Her actual quote: "I did have a lot of trouble coming across as warm, but I've had five years to practice.  I'm here to finish what I started.  Buckle up!" 

ROTFLMAO

She spent five years practicing her technique for demonstrating fake warmth and then she blows it in the first 5 seconds.

[cooksdelight]

4 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

At least only one gets to FNS.  How many new competitors will there be? (too lazy to look)

There are 12 people already cast, this one will make it 13. 

[candall]

I don't love most of these people, but I'm kind of impressed they found a legitimate way to wring a whole new show out of one that's already a proven commodity.  Surprised the Top Chef/Masters/Dessert franchise hasn't thought of it.  I'd watch it!

[smiley13]

What a disappointment to send Brianna home instead of Penny, Dom or Michelle.  I really did not care for Michelle or Penny during their first attempts and see that they are no better this time.

I do wonder out of all of the contestants they have ever had, these were the best they could drag up to compete again, or were these the only ones willing to do this again?

[annzeepark914]

I watched this show for the first time tonight and wasn't impressed with any of the contestants.  Strange that Valerie is a judge on this show since she just got her first show this past year (although she does have experience in acting and I guess that's what these people are supposed to be doing when they're taping a video).

[BW Manilowe]

14 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

I watched this show for the first time tonight and wasn't impressed with any of the contestants.  Strange that Valerie is a judge on this show since she just got her first show this past year (although she does have experience in acting and I guess that's what these people are supposed to be doing when they're taping a video).

Valerie may have only gotten her own FN show in the last year or so (I'd swear her own show is already in S2... at least), but before (& since) that, she's co-hosted The Kids' Baking Championship, for 2 seasons so far, with Duff Goldman, & she's also guested as a Judge on other FN shows. Among those gigs, & her acting chops, I'd say she's qualified to host this show (her 3rd for FN).

[Lillybee]

I guess I should be grateful that Pie Styhl didn't comeback.

[spiderpig]

8 minutes ago, Lillybee said:

I guess I should be grateful that Pie Styhl didn't comeback.

and I thought I'd successfully put him out of my mind.  Thanks, Lilly!

[Percysowner]

They brought back lots of people that I didn't need to see again. Why not Marty With a Party? She was fun and entertaining. They probably thought she's not young enough for the show, but I liked her. Dom should have gone home for swearing, although Penny is really off putting as well. I liked Brianna better than either of them. Matthew always annoyed me. I liked Chris and Michelle but really there's no one I really wanted to see again.

[LexieLily]

8 minutes ago, Percysowner said:

They brought back lots of people that I didn't need to see again. Why not Marty With a Party? She was fun and entertaining. They probably thought she's not young enough for the show, but I liked her. Dom should have gone home for swearing, although Penny is really off putting as well. I liked Brianna better than either of them. Matthew always annoyed me. I liked Chris and Michelle but really there's no one I really wanted to see again.

Yes, Martie! I always liked her and thought she got shafted just because she was on Team Alton and the stupid teams-have-to-be-even gimmick (even though she did make a pilot)

[spiderpig]

Thanks for bringing up Martie.  I really liked her & thought she had more potential than any of these Comeback Kids.

(eta, though I do like Michelle)

Edited May 9, 2016 by spiderpig

[Viqutorious]

I wish they would pick someone with personality, humor and attitude! They pick the blandest people therefore very few go on to have success. I don't care if anyone in this group wins or loses.

[mlp]

I didn't see Brianna's season so I had no preconceived opinion of her.  She came across to me as one of those delusional people who tell you how wonderful they are with all sincerity right after demonstrating they most definitely are not.  I wasn't sorry to see her go.  However, Dom should have been kicked to the curb first for his poor performance and temper tantrum.  I'm more convinced than ever that FN really, really wants to bring him back.  I wasn't impressed with him the first time around.

The only one of those people that I actually like is Michelle Ragussa but I think she does herself in.  She always talks about how much she wants a show on FN but she shows up in grungy jeans with a ring in her nose.  The women on FN just don't look like that.  She should have figured that out by this time.  The show is (supposedly) a job interview.

[backformore]

I agree about Michele. I would like her, but she comes across too casual because of the way she dresses.  I'm not saying she has too wear dresses, but the faded ripped Jean, and men's t-shirt and flannel shirt over it - sloppy.  Her video was blah.

Matt's cocky attitude annoys me.  Dom needs therapy.  Penny is mean and arrogant and should not be on tv.  Brianna is boring.

There were other people too, but they made no impression on me.

[J-Man]

OK, this show is a mess. First up, they tell the contestants that they have to recreate and improve on the dish that "knocked them out" of the competition. Well, at least two of these guys (Michelle and Dom) were finalists and were not knocked out by food, but by their pilots. So that made no sense.

Then the second challenge was to do a video describing what they'd done in the time since their last appearance on FNS. This notion was barely mentioned by most of the contestants, if at all-- most of the content seemed to be more about what they'd do on their own shows, or were a presentation on one of those shows.

Why set up these things and then not bother to follow them?

[backformore]

@J-Man, I agree.  They could have NOT required them to cook, just do the videos.  

Matthew has the same goofy crooked smile as Andy Samberg.

[cooksdelight]

Oh gosh, I had forgotten about Martie!! Yes, she'd be perfect for a show. Great personality and I've tried several of her recipes and they were fantastic. Easy to make as well, without 30 ingredients.

I think these people are people production wishes had done better. Wishing ain't going to make them a star. And I agree about Michelle's attire, as much as I like her on other shows she's been on, she needs to dress nicer than a dockworker.

[Merneith]

3 hours ago, mlp said:

However, Dom should have been kicked to the curb first for his poor performance and temper tantrum.  I'm more convinced than ever that FN really, really wants to bring him back.  I wasn't impressed with him the first time around.

It's just bizarre that FN is so in love with this guy. He made spaghetti. There's millions of other guys in America (and, like, ten million other grannies,) that can make spaghetti. Some of them even live in NYC if that's the attraction. I'm sure FN could grab any one of those millions of guys making spaghetti on any given day and they'd be better on the air than Dom is. He's had years to practice for this. He's just so bad at it.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Merneith

[Snarklepuss]

My theory is that this show is for entertainment purposes only, and is a creative way to do what was said above - wring 5 more minutes of ratings based on what is essentially old, dead material.  FN is not really considering any of them for a real show, or they'd definitely have put different people on the show, like Martie.

Wow, Valerie has gained a lot of weight even since her FN show's season ended.  I feel for her, I'm in her age bracket and have a similar struggle.

I like Michelle but she was just blah in this.  I'm thinking some of these people know this show is just for entertainment and aren't putting everything into their performance anymore.  Some of them have clearly made their peace with not winning the first time and seem to have moved on - And it's showing.

It's clear to me that Dom is one of those people that knows he isn't really being considered for a show and hasn't really done anything to improve his performance despite saying he has practiced or whatever BS he spewed.  I can't believe they would be genuine about to giving him a second chance.  I wish he would have turned down this show because it's making him look even worse than before.  He clearly should have been the one to go home after that scary outburst on camera.

Matthew is just so deluded about himself.  I once thought that may have been partially an act.  It's beginning to look for real.  Tyler's face when he was doing his thing was priceless!  Some of these people are like caricatures.  In fact, the whole "Comeback" thing so far is playing out like a parody of "Food Network Star".  Even the sets feel retro like we've gone back in time a few seasons.

[smiley13]

After all of the flack that Jay Ducote got for his appearance, I am glad that some have commented about Michelle.  If you are auditioning for a role on TV, you should take a look in the mirror.  Her clothing looked like it came out of the dirty clothes hamper.

Even though her meat dish was not as tender as it should have been, Martita seems to me to be the front runner.  She was able to speak on camera clearly and she was very put together.

[Lamb18]

I guess I like Martita the best of any of them so far. I think Dom should have gone for swearing on camera like that. Besides being bad attitude, it's costly for production to do retakes and bad for the reputation if it happens live. Matthew's gestures during his first presentation reminded me of that girl on the Beezid commercials, kind of jerky and stiff. Poor Chris seemed so lifeless.

[Nutjob]

Good gravy, DOM. I just don't get it... the guy can clearly cook, but he also clearly does not hve the temperament to be on camera. I do not understand why they keep on insisting on bringing him and that abhorrent Penny back. Yuck. Matthew is just as bad, too. Gross.

[backformore]

1 minute ago, Nutjob said:

Good gravy, DOM. I just don't get it... the guy can clearly cook, but he also clearly does not hve the temperament to be on camera. I do not understand why they keep on insisting on bringing him and that abhorrent Penny back. Yuck. Matthew is just as bad, too. Gross.

Yes -   just because a person can COOK, doesn't  mean they could host a cooking show.  those are two different skill sets.  Maybe he could teach small classes on cooking, if he really wanted to do something like that.  In-person classes, NOT TV!

[cooksdelight]

Dom clearly shows no interest in teaching anyone how to cook or he would have done so after the show ended. Instead, he played around with Arnold on a couple of Arnold's paying catering gigs, and operates his mac & cheese food truck. The guy just wants to be on TV, period. 

[Wings]

I don't see Dom as an innovative cook.  He makes Italian food, big deal.  This is not cutting edge cuisine for starters and the FN has Batali, Simon and Giada; that is enough.  

Martita is the stand out to me; she is beautiful, smart, camera  ready and can cook.  Done, no others need apply. 

[Snarklepuss]

I agree about Martita being the best so far, I was thinking that myself.  She also seems to be the only one who isn't completely confused about why she's there and shows a real desire to win.  I don't remember being a fan of hers in her season, but she seems very appealing now.  I think she's come a long way, plus Marcella Valladolid is occupied with "The Kitchen" now so I think there is room for another Mexican cook.  IIRC, I remember Martita as the woman who lobbied so much with her community and blog people (or whatever she was on) for popularity votes that she was consistently the favorite by a mile in her season.  I like her so much better when Giada isn't calling her her "fiery Latina".  She'd better not start up with that crap should Martita make it back into the competition.

[Snarklepuss]

11 hours ago, mlp said:

The only one of those people that I actually like is Michelle Ragussa but I think she does herself in.  She always talks about how much she wants a show on FN but she shows up in grungy jeans with a ring in her nose.  The women on FN just don't look like that.  She should have figured that out by this time.  The show is (supposedly) a job interview.

Mr. Snarkle says she looks like she just stepped off a dock after clam digging with the Gorton's Fisherman in Cape Cod, LOL.  Or maybe she wants to look like that because it goes with her supposed New England Seafood "shtick".  I notice TPTB has them pick a look and stick with it.  I would doubt she dresses exactly like that every day.  I would never believe TPTB are really serious about her anyway.  I don't even believe she thinks they are.  She'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to have figured that out by now, LOL.

[cooksdelight]

Alas, Michelle does dress like that all the time. She will wear a chef's jacket or apron when she's in the kitchen, but in all of the various videos I've seen her do she is dressed just as we see her. Maybe she's never consulted with a marketing person to find out that a person's first impression of someone is the one that sticks forever.

[Wings]

Michele Ragussis lives on the Maine coast and her dress reflects her lifestyle.  I am fine with that; I like her.   I agree that FN probably requested she dress the way she does.  They didn't create the look but when she wore torn jeans, they said stay with that.  

Edited May 9, 2016 by wings707

[smiley13]

Ugh, Let's hope we do not have to hear "fiery Latina" again.

Edited May 9, 2016 by smiley13

[Wings]

Michele does not always wear torn jeans. 

[Gregg247]

I don't understand the point of this show.  If this were "Survivor" or "The Amazing Race" and they wanted to bring back past contestants who were fun and had a great chance of winning, if not for that one backstab, or bad taxi driver, or something, I'd get it.  But these people were all given multiple chances to cook and speak on-camera about food, and they were each eliminated.  Several (Matthew, Dom) have had multiple second chances on TFN.  Yet here they are again.

Each one says they learned from their failures and have become new people because of it.  First of all, people don't change.  Second, these contestants then prove the first point by making exactly the SAME mistakes that got them eliminated in the first place!  

When Dom started messing up on camera with "uh" and "um" and then cursing, I almost threw my remote control through my TV screen!  Last season, we had to put up with episode after episode of "will Dom be able to talk on camera this week?".  I got fed up with it!  ENOUGH OF DOM!!!  Melissa was a contestant I liked during her season.  She made it to the finals, and her POV was New England cuisine and seafood.  Her pilot was rejected.  Now, she gets her second chance, and what's her POV this time?  New England cuisine and seafood.  What's the matter with her?!?!

I've watched every season since S3, but didn't remember Briana at all.  When she got eliminated, as she headed out the door, she still insisted that she'd be back, because she's "a Star"!  No, Briana, you're not a star.  You're not even close to resembling anything like a star.  Go home and live your life, but leave the rest of us alone!

I think I'll wait until the "real" Food Network Star show starts in a few weeks.  I want to see new contestants, not these old retreads.

[TVFan17]

I had just been thinking about Food Network Star the other day, because I watch it every year and hadn't kept up with when it was starting this year.  I remembered that it got an earlier start during one Olympics year (I guess it must have been 2012, but maybe it was 2008?) and figured I'd better start checking the Food Network schedule to see if it was somehow already on and I'd missed it.  To my surprise I noticed that Comeback Kitchen had begun (thank you, On Demand!).  My first thought was, "Oh, this is a great idea!"  But that feeling quickly changed to, "Yeah... there was a reason why these people didn't win in the first place, and nothing much has changed now."

I purposely didn't want to read anyone else's comments in this thread first -- I am going to go back and do that right after I submit this reply.

So I will just say, not knowing if I am alone on an island in my thinking, that Penny was not warm and likable in her own season.  She is still not warm and likable.  I remember Penny talking about being sexy in her season, and once again she is referring to being sexy, how she could wear heels and a wife beater (or whatever she said), and how she thinks that's what Tyler and Valerie and the home viewers want to see.   Penny is fixated on thinking that she is wildly sexy, and that people need and want to see that, but that she is holding it back.  No.  I don't know or care if Penny is sexy.  I don't need to see stilettos and a tank top on her.  I just want her to be a likable, enjoyable presence on my TV screen, and make me think that I would want to cook or at least eat the dishes she makes.  Food-wise, that point of view and that type of cuisine IS missing from Food Network.  In my opinion, it's the right point of view/right cuisine and the wrong person selling it to us.  There needs to be another person on Food Network cooking up Middle Eastern food... but not Penny.

As for Dom -- his food has always looked amazing and I have no doubt that it is tasty.  He seems like a great guy to just hang out and shoot the breeze with.  He just cannot master that 'being comfortable in front of the camera and handling the stress' thing.

To me, it's obvious that Martita is the one who is most polished and ready to be on TV... and yet, I can't quite explain it, but she annoyed me on her own season and she is annoying me now.  She seems likable and energetic.  She seems like she is nice to the other contestants.  She seems passionate about her food and her heritage.  And, for some reason I think I just find her to be too bubbly and too perky.  There are some contestants who have no personality or charisma, and there are some that have too much personality for my liking... and the latter would be Martita for me. 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Sherry67
typo!

[spiderpig]

You summed it up nicely for me, Sherry.  Penny is extremely off-putting.   (I remember the whole Sexy Grill Next Door and thought "blagh" at the time.)  Dom doesn't have the temperament.  Martita is too over-the-top Sofia Vergara for my taste.

Looking forward to seeing what the newbies have to offer.

[Snarklepuss]

Here's Michelle cooking for a crowd at a Maine Mall event in 2012:

[Viqutorious]

It is not Martita's fault that I don't care for her. I blame Giada, all I can hear is her over pronouncing her name when I see her. 

[cooksdelight]

40 minutes ago, CheeseBurgh said:

It is not Martita's fault that I don't care for her. I blame Giada, all I can hear is her over pronouncing her name when I see her. 

Yes to this!!! Martita came in during her season and was doing just fine until Giada tried to mold her into the "fiery Latina".... instead of just letting her be herself. That's what I hate about this show, they won't leave well enough alone. They worked and worked and struggled with Dom and he still fell flat. Why is he back, because Giada wants to flirt with him some more? The best person won last season, Eddie's BBQ show was a good short season and I"m hoping for more shows from him soon. 

This is an attempt to copy Last Chance Kitchen from Bravo's Top Chef, but it's not working. At all. 

[Wings]

May sweeps is why this is on.  It is a throw away show but I am watching because I love all food competitions.  

[Snarklepuss]

This show should be renamed "Worst Food Network Stars in America".

[cattykit]

Why does Martita need to show her "unique family heritage?"  Please, Valerie, don't be LBH 2.0.  It's bad enough now that Martita has this accent that comes and goes; I think that started after LBH insisted on Mar-ti-ta the fiery Latina.

While I think good cooking skills are certainly important, on a show like this where they're looking for on-air talent, I have never quite understood how good cooking overrides good presentation skills.

Penny?  Feh.  If they had to bring back that famewhore, I wish they had also brought back Jill or MaryBeth with her, just so they could pull her wings off.

[Wings]

I have forgotten his name (zuckerman?).  He used to be on the final judging panel along with Suzi.   Anyway he said, we can teach them to cook, that is easy, we need a personality.  This makes sense to me. 

  I don't watch people cook; I am only interested in the competitions.  The few shows I have seen where a chef makes a dish, are boring and the food is not complicated to say the least.  It is cooking 101.  

If they are skilled enough to be cast, one can assume they can cook well enough.  

I would love to see the dishes from Top Chef prepared, though! 

Edited May 9, 2016 by wings707

[BW Manilowe]

44 minutes ago, wings707 said:

I have forgotten his name (zuckerman?).  He used to be on the final judging panel along with Suzi.   Anyway he said, we can teach them to cook, that is easy, we need a personality.  This makes sense to me. 

  I don't watch people cook; I am only interested in the competitions.  The few shows I have seen where a chef makes a dish, are boring and the food is not complicated to say the least.  It is cooking 101.  

If they are skilled enough to be cast, one can assume they can cook well enough.  

I would love to see the dishes from Top Chef prepared, though! 

"Zuckerman" was Bob Tuschman. He left Food Network earlier this year. I'm pretty sure the info's posted in the Media thread or somewhere else in the forum.

[Wings]

Thanks, BW.