Comeback Kitchen

[Nutjob]

I can't help it--I've grown to love Danushka. When she was interacting with Joy, you could see that a lot of her apathy is an act and that she's probably a pretty great person if she likes you and you get to know her. But I love her on-camera demeanor and would watch her show.

 

I groaned out loud at them bringing back Matthew. Again. Some more. He has NOT grown on me and never will.

[cooksdelight]

Danushka said there will be more of her in this upcoming episode! YAY!

[spiderpig]

3 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Danushka said there will be more of her in this upcoming episode! YAY!

Does more Danushka mean less Matthew (she asked hopefully)?

[buttercupia]

I still can't get over Josh with that rice flour eclair.  hey idiot, gluten free does not equal healthier unless you're celiac or allergic. and rice flour does not a choux dough make.  dumbass.

[cooksdelight]

53 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Does more Danushka mean less Matthew (she asked hopefully)?

She didn't say. I think she feels the same way about him we all do.

[Totale]

Which reminds me that I forgot to mention that in one of his presentations the gold plated 5 star flaming asshole referred to himself as "Chef", which is not only technically wrong but disrespectful.

[Destiny74]

So Josh reinvented himself from metro sexual sushi chef to "doesn't look like he's washed his hair since he was kicked off the last competition" Dad?

[Lura]

Josh and Matthew have one thing in common  They still haven't grown up.  They're both still little boys trying to figure out what they want to be.  A few years ago, Josh saw himself as a famous rocker or a celebrity chef, whichever happened first.  Now, he's playing Daddy, at least for a while.  (Poor kid.)  Matthew has a clearer vision of proving himself as featured star and president of the Food Network.  He'd smirk his way right up the ladder if he could.  Danushka is the only person who seems to know who she is and what she wants.  Here's to Danushka!

BTW, guess who's missing from the Comeback lineup?  Everybody's favorite sexpot, Martita!  Thank heaven she stayed home this time around.

Edited May 27, 2017 by Lura
ETA

[backformore]

22 hours ago, buttercupia said:

I still can't get over Josh with that rice flour eclair.  hey idiot, gluten free does not equal healthier unless you're celiac or allergic. and rice flour does not a choux dough make.  dumbass.

Yes - that was stupid. You can't take a recipe, substitute rice flour for wheat flour, and expect it to turn out the same.  making gluten-free baked goods takes experimentation and adjusting ingredients, and for what purpose? 

In the words of the late comedian John Pinette,  "Gluten is what makes stuff taste good."

[spiderpig]

1 hour ago, Lura said:

BTW, guess who's missing from the Comeback lineup?  Everybody's favorite sexpot, Martita!  Thank heaven she stayed home this time around.

Heaven forbid that I presume to correct a fellow poster, but I think you left several dozen Rs out of Mar(...)rtita's name.

Wonder what she's up to nowadays.  No, I really don't.*

ETA:  *Maybe she's hanging out with Penny Davidi.

Edited May 27, 2017 by spiderpig

[J-Man]

At least they didn't subject us to Dom again. Although I half-expected to see Damiano again ... but then Giada's not involved in this show, is she?

[Destiny74]

Damiano is too busy being a terrible judge on other FN shows.

[Skyfall]

The only FNS season being marathoned this year is the one with Matthew and Emilia. My money is on one of them (Matthew) winning hits and joining the other hopefuls.

[Lura]

Spiderpig, how kind of you to remind me to roll those R's when I talk about Mar-r-r-r-r-r-tita!  I stand corrected, and my tongue is sore!  :D

I'm surprised by the ad that's running with Tyler Florence and Danushka.  I missed what Danushka said to Tyler, but his response to her seemed a bit rude to me.  That he didn't realize she was so sensitive, or something like that.  Anyone see it?  Tyler was super rude to a nice contestant on that food truck race show, so maybe I'm still thinking about that incident.  He seems to be getting crabbier and more sarcastic in his old age, and I've always liked him.

BTW, I've often wished that Ree Drummond ("The Pioneer Woman") would enter the Food Network Star competition.  I'd like to see whether she would be the first or the second to be sent home.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Lura

[cooksdelight]

Thank goodness Emilia is gone and I no longer have to hear about her cultural food from DC. 

[whinewithwine]

On 5/23/2017 at 2:16 AM, Tyrone Biggums said:

I've seen Jamika on a lot of the Cooking Channel shows (Sugar Showdown, etc.), and she seems to have a lot of credibility there.  Now she's on here as slightly-less-fleeky Tregaye, and she can get gone.

There's not a person here who has a shot in hell of having me watch them, except for Danushka.  It's not that Danushka's any great personality, but she seems to be hate-participating in this as much as I'm hate-watching it.  

I'd actually be happy to see them bring back someone, eliminate them the first week, send them to Star Salvation, have them win that, then come back to the main show and eliminate them in their first week back.

Reading my mind.

[Irlandesa]

On 5/22/2017 at 0:52 PM, wings707 said:

Danuska has a fabulous dry wit.  If she presented herself that way without trying to smile or be personable, there is a place for her on FN somewhere as the snide chef.

I didn't love her on her season from what I remember but I do feel like she's auditioning to be the next Kevin Rauch should they ever reboot Iron Chef America, especially after her running commentary last week.  They'd flip to contestants baking but she'd be standing next to someone making entertaining comments. 

And that's a good plan because unless you're a celeb (Trisha or Valerie) or long time FN chef (Ina, Bobby or GIada), it's unlikely any of these winners are going to end up hosting a cooking show.  Maybe a game show.  Or judging a lot.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Irlandesa

[StaceyNotStacie]

They seem to be sending the correct people home. Josh was awful and Emilia couldn't leave soon enough. 

Right now I think it's between Matthew and Jamika. Danushka has the a dry wittiness to her, but otherwise seems bland. It's amusing at first, but her tone would get old really fast. Depending on how bad the current crop of finalists are, I wouldn't mind a twist where they brought back both Matthew and Jamika to throw everyone off. 

[smiley13]

So close, but unfortunately Danushka lives to be rude another week.

[Skyfall]

4 hours ago, Lura said:

Spiderpig, how kind of you to remind me to roll those R's when I talk about Mar-r-r-r-r-r-tita!  I stand corrected, and my tongue is sore!  :D

I'm surprised by the ad that's running with Tyler Florence and Danushka.  I missed what Danushka said to Tyler, but his response to her seemed a bit rude to me.  That he didn't realize she was so sensitive, or something like that.  Anyone see it?  Tyler was super rude to a nice contestant on that food truck race show, so maybe I'm still thinking about that incident.  He seems to be getting crabbier and more sarcastic in his old age, and I've always liked him.

BTW, I've often wished that Ree Drummond ("The Pioneer Woman") would enter the Food Network Star competition.  I'd like to see whether she would be the first or the second to be sent home.

I don't recall the incident.

[cooksdelight]

16 minutes ago, Skyfall said:

I don't recall the incident.

It happened in tonight's episode. When Danushka said she couldn't concentrate while hearing Tyler talk.

[bluepiano]

On ‎5‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 0:46 PM, Nutjob said:

I can't help it--I've grown to love Danushka. When she was interacting with Joy, you could see that a lot of her apathy is an act and that she's probably a pretty great person if she likes you and you get to know her. But I love her on-camera demeanor and would watch her show.

I believe in "real life" she probably is a warm person. The contestants on these shows who have the big, bubbly personalities are the ones I suspect of being cold and calculating off-camera. That's how I felt about Tregaye.

Jamika was toned down this week from her initial Tregaye 2.0 act, but she still seems forced to me, and I'm turned off by all the "hey girlfriend" stuff. (Though as a middle aged guy I obviously would not be the demographic for her show).

Danushka's obviously never getting a show, but if she started appearing as a judge or commentator it might make me watch some of the contest shows that I now totally ignore. Or they could pair her with Guy Fieri.  Great comedy teams are composed of polar opposites.

Last week Josh was the obvious person to go. This week it was Emilia. The judges said she was miles better than in her original season, but to me she was exactly the same. She still has no on-camera presence. It's only ego that makes her think she should be on TV. (Nothing wrong with ego, but half the battle in life is knowing your limitations).

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 11:42 AM, Lura said:

BTW, guess who's missing from the Comeback lineup?  Everybody's favorite sexpot, Martita!  Thank heaven she stayed home this time around.

The surprise twist on this season's Food Network Star will be Martita or Dom showing up and getting a free pass into the finals. 

Edited May 29, 2017 by bluepiano

[Snarklepuss]

Danushka continues to grow on me but why do I think she signed her eventual walking papers by being "insubordinate" to the great Tyler Florence?  He should get over himself.  I always thought he was a snotty twit and he proved that tonight.  Danushka had a point.  I didn't like the way he told her she should be able to tune him out or whatever he said.  It's hard enough for anyone to concentrate on their presentation in a competition like this without him being one huge distraction.  If the point of the challenge was to be able to perform over a distraction maybe he would have a point, but he was just being a twit saying that, IMHO.  I have always liked his recipes but have found his personality a little off putting.  I even don't dislike Bobby Flay and he can be snotty too, but something about Tyler goes over the line a bit for my taste.

What I can't shake is how the show is trying reeeaaally hard to make Matthew likable.  Just who the heck is the real Matthew, anyway?  That he can go from his own brand of insufferable twit to being a front runner in this is unbelievable, and I think that's the point here.  He's unbelievable.  Are we just supposed to suddenly shake all we saw about him before and believe that he's seen the light and is now up for Food Network Star sainthood?  Uh uh, show, not happenin'.  I think they just hire him to be whoever they want him to be in any particular season.  "Hey, Matthew, we need you again, only this time you're going to act more like your real self and not some immature hashtag freak, OK?"  It's kind of like they tried to do with Penny Davidi, and that didn't really work either but I think it was their idea of entertainment.

Thanks, @spiderpig for reminding me of all the rolled r's we heard LBH utter in saying MarrrrrTEEETa's name!   And yes to whoever said her original season being before LBH's time on the show.  Man, I do miss those days, actually.  I love all the colorful summer tops and large statement necklaces that seem to be a tradition on this show. 

Jamika seems to be quite impressive on this so far.  I forget why she was originally sent home in her season, I would love a refresher on that.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Snarklepuss
Grammar corrections due to late night writing!

[biakbiak]

I loved how they all had to disparage gelatin and saying it wasn't versatile because they used that as a generic word when they were clearly using jello and what makes it sucks is the sugar/artificial sweetners and the crappy flavorings that make it problematic not the gelatin. It just amused me because they barely even mentioned it was flavored.

[pinguina]

I'm sorry - I just can't stand Matthew!! He sounds like a snotty brat to me who has been indulged and praised over any and all accomplishments.  I want him off.

Jamika doesn't bother me so much and I liked her presentations.

I really enjoy Danushka's dry humor and slightly sarcastic tone. That's like my whole family!!  But I don't know if I could watch her all the time.

I never understood the need for a story about every single dish they make.  This does not happen in real life.   Sure, sometimes organically a story comes out as you explain/share something with another person but not every single time!!  I watch a channel that has a few cooking shows and I noticed that they just tell what they are cooking, explaining why they do something, suggest alternatives for some ingredients, and sometimes offer a tip or two.  I haven't heard a story about "My grandma...."  "My friends....."  "My family...." etc.  And I don't miss the stories.  Although to be fair I have heard, "My mother would..." OR "Sometimes my --- ..."

[Snarklepuss]

1 minute ago, bluepiano said:

The surprise twist on this season's Food Network Star will be Martita and/or Dom showing up and getting a free pass into the finals. 

I actually believe FN has finally stopped trying to make Dom happen.  I don't even think Dom wants to make Dom happen anymore either, not even enough for another go on this show.  I think he probably realized he wasn't cut out for TV.

[bluepiano]

On ‎5‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 6:39 PM, Totale said:

Which reminds me that I forgot to mention that in one of his presentations the gold plated 5 star flaming asshole referred to himself as "Chef", which is not only technically wrong but disrespectful.

I'm not a Matthew fan, but I don't understand what would be wrong with him saying that he's a "professional chef." Isn't  anyone who cooks and get paid for it a "chef," at least here in the U.S., where we don't have rigid classification system like in France. Maybe someone who cooks in a diner isn't supposed to call themselves a chef, but I think there's a hint of snobbery in that. I've eaten some great food in diners.

Edited May 29, 2017 by bluepiano

[cooksdelight]

6 hours ago, bluepiano said:

I believe in "real life" she probably is a warm person.

She is. Very down-to-earth and funny as heck. She'd be a great addition to Chopped as a judge.

6 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

Jamika seems to be quite impressive on this so far.  I forget why she was originally sent home in her season, I would love a refresher on that.

She was a quiet person back then, who'd jump if you said BOO. She's either gotten super-confident, or it's all an act.

6 hours ago, bluepiano said:

I don't understand what would be wrong with him saying that he's a "professional chef."

He is, he graduated from the CIA. He just doesn't act like one. My sister texted me last night "Why is that arrogant asshole back again?"

[Totale]

9 hours ago, bluepiano said:

Isn't  anyone who cooks and get paid for it a "chef," at least here in the U.S., where we don't have rigid classification system like in France.

The term comes from France, short for chef de cuisine, the "chief" or "head" of a kitchen.  It's a specific term that doesn't mean something different because we are in the US. #asshole has never been the head of a kitchen, supervising staff and designing menus.  He shows no visible sign of ever having worked in a kitchen, or for that matter at a job.  He'd collapse in a restaurant.  He hasn't earned it, as hasn't Jamika who picked up on it and started calling herself "chef" last night.  They both want to be seen on television.  Nigella, who is far more successful as a food writer and television personality than either of these two airedales will ever be, has always been clear that she is not a chef, and barely a cook.  I'll bet it burns Tyler (who has done all those things and knows better) up inside to have to treat him with a modicum of respect because that's what the script says.  In the real world, Ty would squash him like a bug.  Instead he has to suck it up and praise someone who made "his take on" beef burgundy that wasn't a stew and didn't have wine in it. 

[cooksdelight]

I can't stand the little shit, but he got his first job as a chef at Elements under executive chef Beau MacMillan in AZ after he graduated from the CIA. He has earned the title of "chef", but it's still got an asterisk by it as far as I'm concerned because he certainly doesn't act like one.

[smiley13]

I would take Matthew over Danushka.  Her little act was sad the first time around and it is worse now.  

[Joe Blow]

I never liked Danushka the first couple of times she was on the various Food Network shows, but she's either refined her character to be a lot funnier or I've changed, because I find her really funny and entertaining this time around.

I've watched every season of (The Next) Food Network Star, from the Hearty Boys until now, and I can't remember if Jamika was the one who wanted to have celebrities on her show to interview them while she cooked or not.  It's hard to remember a lot of the people, and she was obviously imminently forgettable...but whichever contestant came up with that "celebrity" angle was incredibly prescient, since all of the new actual cooking shows aren't real chefs, they're "Remember this person from a sitcom 20 years ago?  Ever wanted to know which washed up Hollywood actors they've invited over to spread cheese on toast?"  I mean, we're supposed to pretend that Valerie BertandErnie is a food authority.  It's sad.

[cooksdelight]

My fiance last night asked "Who's that woman with the dark hair?" I told him it was Valerie and he said "Wow, she's really changed, and not good. What's she doing judging a cooking show?"

[bluepiano]

6 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

She was a quiet person back then, who'd jump if you said BOO. She's either gotten super-confident, or it's all an act.

Probably some of both. People can grow and change, but doing a complete 180 is very strange. My guess is that she was watching how much the judges loved Tregaye and thought "I can do that."

12 hours ago, pinguina said:

I never understood the need for a story about every single dish they make.  This does not happen in real life.  

When Joy went into the "summers at the lake with my family" spiel I rolled my eyes, because I just don't care. Thankfully, Food Network Star has dialed back the demand for the personal stories since the departure of Bob and Susie, who were almost pathological about it. A contestant could make a perfect dish, but if they didn't say that it was a recipe they learned at the knee of their dead grandmother they got the "we don't know you are" criticism. The demand for heart-warming, folksy stories got ratcheted up even further if the contestant was "ethnic," to the point where it was embarrassing.

On the other hand, Taylor and Valerie did praise Joy for telling a story, and it's probably why she won over Danushka. So as a tactic it's not completely dead.

41 minutes ago, Joe Blow said:

I mean, we're supposed to pretend that Valerie BertandErnie is a food authority.  It's sad.

Food Network changed years ago into being a channel of "food-related entertainment," so it's natural they would go for people who made their name in the entertainment industry. By their current standards Guy Fieri is a big time food authority, since he did actually run a couple of restaurants before his break through on "Next Food Network Star."

Edited May 29, 2017 by bluepiano

[StaceyNotStacie]

The main thing with Comeback Kitchen is that they don't go very far back with their contestants. It seems like they only go back a season or two. I'd love to see them grab someone from one of the earlier seasons to see how much they have changed. They have so many former contestants that they could probably do an entire season of Food Network Star with former contestants (they could choose one person from each season). 

[Destiny74]

It's all about commenting and judging food now.  They make a big deal about their contestants creating good food then park them in a show about visiting state fairs and never let them cook.  Hell, I could travel the country and tell people whether the food I eat is good or bad (not to mention that taste is so subjective, what is good to one is terrible to another).  I can judge whether food has too much salt, or paprika or whatever.  I would love to see a show about someone who really knows what they are doing (is trained) in a food style actually cook the food they know.  That's why they have the Cooking Channel, I guess.

[mlp]

I don't understand what they're doing wrt choosing someone to return to the main competition.  They started out with 7 or 8, eliminated two during two episodes and have 5 or 6 left but the finale is next week.  Are they going to just pick one from the remaining bunch?  I guess they'll have to but why would they do it that way?

I'm thinking the people left are Danushka, Matthew, Jamika, Rob and Joy but I thought they started with an even number so I must be forgetting someone.

[Sew Sumi]

Jamika is from Season 5.

[Totale]

3 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I can't stand the little shit, but he got his first job as a chef at Elements under executive chef Beau MacMillan in AZ after he graduated from the CIA. He has earned the title of "chef", but it's still got an asterisk by it as far as I'm concerned because he certainly doesn't act like one.

I'll take your word for it that he's earned the job title of cook.  I worked for a summer at an ice cream chain which involved making burgers, too, but I'm not Chef Totale. 

1 hour ago, mlp said:

I don't understand what they're doing wrt choosing someone to return to the main competition.  They started out with 7 or 8, eliminated two during two episodes and have 5 or 6 left but the finale is next week.  .

Did they say the finale of Comeback was next week?  I assumed they'd be dragging it out through the first few weeks of FNS.

[cooksdelight]

Final show is this weekend.

I had to do a search, Totale, but if he worked for Beau, he's earned it.

[Totale]

19 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Final show is this weekend.

That seemed odd, so I went and looked, they have actually scheduled 3 new episodes in a row of this next weekend in the hours before FNS starts.  That's a gauntlet I can't run, I'll read about them here.

[akr]

I only see one new one scheduled - this is the summary from TV Guide (indicating two cuts, one from five contestants, and then a final challenge with however many survive the first cut):

Quote

 

Food Network Star

Comeback Kitchen: Passing the Bar8:00 PM on FOOD, 1 hr 2017 TV-G

The final five competitors hack a classic salad bar, harvesting ingredients to create a dish while telling the entire tale in an Instagram Story. Then, for the final challenge, the remaining competitors battle it out by creating their own dinner party and a video invitation to attract potential dinner guests. Co-hosts Valerie Bertinelli and Tyler Florence attend each dinner party and determine the ultimate winner.

 

[Psychobunny]

What I don't understand is that they are looking for somebody viewers can relate to and who feels like an old friend they are chatting with yet they keep pushing Matthew who is totally unlikeable. What is sad is that the only cooking show I like is Trisha's and I think it's because she seems so down to earth and like somebody I'd like to hang out and cook with, so unfortunately they may be on to something.

[Christina]

As an aside, since you are talking about cooking shows in general, both the ION and VICE channels have cooking shows. Mario Batali's show Moltissimo is on VICE. It wasn't great, he cooks for a few people while talking, but it wasn't awful either. The show about cooking with marijuana is actually interesting, even though I have no desire to cook with it. I've seen enough episodes that it is becoming repetitive, though.

ION has two newer shows, one is called Scraps and the chef goes to a location and shows how to use the entire part of a food. They did one with shrimp and using the shells and another using the grain left over from making beer. I enjoyed that one more than the other, but can't remember the name of it. Food Porn maybe?

Danushka's voice would make me not be able to watch her show. It's why I can't watch Ree Drummond and Katie Lee, too, and Katie is just awful. Melissa D'Arabian(sp?) on Guy's Grocery Games was also nails on the chalkboard to me. I think my television doesn't air some women's voices very well, because people I've never noticed having a screechy voice now do, except for Katie, who has always had one.

[Snarklepuss]

3 hours ago, Totale said:

That seemed odd, so I went and looked, they have actually scheduled 3 new episodes in a row of this next weekend in the hours before FNS starts.  That's a gauntlet I can't run, I'll read about them here.

Comcast is showing already aired episodes as new so perhaps that's what you're seeing.  I see only one new and final episode of this next Sunday at 8:00 p.m., where the final five get pared down to the final four, who then battle it out and one is chosen as the winner, although we won't see who the winner is until the first episode of regular FNS which airs at 9:00 p.m.

[backformore]

3 hours ago, Psychobunny said:

What I don't understand is that they are looking for somebody viewers can relate to and who feels like an old friend they are chatting with yet they keep pushing Matthew who is totally unlikeable. What is sad is that the only cooking show I like is Trisha's and I think it's because she seems so down to earth and like somebody I'd like to hang out and cook with, so unfortunately they may be on to something.

I think they're looking for an audience of young hipster foodie types, people who watch more youtube videos than TV shows.  That's why they keep trying to make Matthew happen - it's about the audience they think he would bring to the network. 

[JTMacc99]

Danushka is good TV. And I'm okay with her because of that. 

[Totale]

32 minutes ago, Snarklepuss said:

Comcast is showing already aired episodes as new so perhaps that's what you're seeing.  I see only one new and final episode of this next Sunday at 8:00 p.m., where the final five get pared down to the final four, who then battle it out and one is chosen as the winner, although we won't see who the winner is until the first episode of regular FNS which airs at 9:00 p.m.

Right you are.  Never mind...

 

23 minutes ago, backformore said:

I think they're looking for an audience of young hipster foodie types, people who watch more youtube videos than TV shows.  That's why they keep trying to make Matthew happen - it's about the audience they think he would bring to the network. 

Just like Tregaye brought the crowd who were on fleek.

[theatremouse]

7 hours ago, Totale said:

I'll take your word for it that he's earned the job title of cook. 

Chef<>cook.

Chef: ran the kitchen, not just someone who is paid to prepare food

Cook: paid to cook (or not even necessarily paid, I'd be ok with any of the contestants calling themselves "cook")

An imperfect analogy: chef is more like captain of a boat, with a cook being any sailor.

[Whimsy]

11 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I can't stand the little shit, but he got his first job as a chef at Elements under executive chef Beau MacMillan in AZ after he graduated from the CIA. He has earned the title of "chef", but it's still got an asterisk by it as far as I'm concerned because he certainly doesn't act like one.

I'm currently at CIA going through orientations for my daughter, who is starting this week, and it's odd they haven't once mentioned him. They usually toot all their horns. I wonder if that means anything...  (i.e., even they can't stand him).