S10.E04: Something's Fishy

[Drogo]

Anne Burrell and Rachael Ray are replaced with two surprise culinary giants who don't "kid" around as they mentor the recruits through the skill drill of making unconventional pizzas.

For the main dish challenge, the recruits have to get their hands dirty and face their fishy fears by learning to fillet and prepare a fish dinner.

[spiderpig]

As a lifelong pacifist I have to ask:  Why didn't anyone tell Lexi to shut up?  There's cute and there's precocious.  Isabella was cute.

Brain trust Mandy said Anne was a "stiffler" on presentation.  :eyeroll:  I replayed it to make sure I heard correctly.

After only a few weeks in, I thought filleting a flounder was a pretty difficult assignment for novice cooks.

Edited January 23, 2017 by spiderpig

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, spiderpig said:

Why didn't anyone tell Lexi to shut up?  There's cute and there's precocious.  Isabella was cute.

I thought Isabella was much better in the kitchen demo, Lexi's egg and ricotta mixture was so not being mixed and then Rachel kept doing everything else where Anne let Isabella do her measuring, mixing and even putting things in the pan! Neither were  complicated but the one who hasn't been on a cooking show seemed much more confident. 

[needschocolate]

6 hours ago, spiderpig said:

After only a few weeks in, I thought filleting a flounder was a pretty difficult assignment for novice cooks.

And something that most people never do in their lifetimes.  

[HunterHunted]

38 minutes ago, needschocolate said:

And something that most people never do in their lifetimes.  

This has always been my issue with this show. They give the contestants tasks and challenges that are far beyond even most experienced home cooks and the contestants are novices. Except for knife skills, this show does a terrible job of educating.

They sometimes talk about the fundamentals that they are teaching the contestants. I wish every episode was structured around a specific theme and fundamental cooking skill or technique. That way you can credibly say that the winner has actual improved cooking skills.

[Amarsir]

True. The skill these cooks need to know is the difference between ordering a steak and ordering a fillet at the butcher.

But that's how it always is during seafood week. I didn't see the previews, but presumably next week or the one after has them making their own pasta. It's part of the "My Fair Lady" story that the final winner can present as a chef.

(And then prior winners came back to compete on Chopped, proving quite effectively that they can NOT.)

[LexieLily]

8 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I thought Isabella was much better in the kitchen demo, Lexi's egg and ricotta mixture was so not being mixed and then Rachel kept doing everything else where Anne let Isabella do her measuring, mixing and even putting things in the pan! Neither were  complicated but the one who hasn't been on a cooking show seemed much more confident. 

Probably because Isabella is Anne's niece?

Speaking of Anne, something has to be going up with Daniel that we aren't seeing other than him being a dick to his teammates especially Mandy. (That could be enough, now that I think about it). Anne seems to dislike him immensely all of a sudden and made it a point to say that it was obvious to her that Kayla, the eliminated girl that got saved, may have had a weaker dish but Anne knew she wanted to be there.

[steven T]

I feel bad for Matt.  It seems like Anne cared more about him than his own coach Rachel.  Anne tried to help him when he was struggling and Rachel could care less.  I don't see how Anne is thinking Daniel cares less about being there than anyone else.  I guess caring means clowning around and acting dense, crazy and stupid.  I'm curious who Rachel is going to save, even though she should've use it for Matt, but for some reason she doesn't care for him.  I agree with others that asking these cooks to filet fish every season is crazy.  That would scare me.  I've never done it, when you can already have it already done for you at the fish market.

[Amarsir]

1 hour ago, steven T said:

I don't see how Anne is thinking Daniel cares less about being there than anyone else.  I guess caring means clowning around and acting dense, crazy and stupid.

I figure she knows that he's better than the average here and thus sees his performance as coasting. Although he's also lower energy and I know that can come off to some people as not caring.

[sofaslug]

Is the save something new?  I don't ever remember seeing done for anyone in the past  (then, of course, I have to remember what I'm watching.)

[meowmommy]

Ugh, I wouldn't have cared if those little girls were the second coming of Julia Child; if they had talked to me like that, I would have put them both in time out since drowning children is, alas, currently illegal.

And just once I would like Anne not to pile all the food on top of each other.  Honestly, not everyone wants to eat their food that way and if a chef constantly did that, I would be so annoyed.

Edited January 23, 2017 by meowmommy

[mlp]

Quote

I don't see how Anne is thinking Daniel cares less about being there than anyone else.  I guess caring means clowning around and acting dense, crazy and stupid.  

I've been thinking the same thing.  It seems to me that Anne has been sniping at Daniel since the beginning when he's the one who has been taking everything seriously.  Maybe his personality isn't the best fit for this goofy show but she should be judging him on results not whether or not he "cares" enough in her opinion.

If I had been a contestant, I would have considered bowing out rather than be bossed around by little kids.  That was my idea of disrespectful, not amusing.

[Fostersmom]

10 hours ago, needschocolate said:

And something that most people never do in their lifetimes.  

My question is, can Rachel? I'm asking in all seriousness. I feel like every time we see a fish challenge, the other chef teaches the group and checks their work. 

 

5 hours ago, sofaslug said:

Is the save something new?  I don't ever remember seeing done for anyone in the past  (then, of course, I have to remember what I'm watching.)

I don't even remember it being mentioned as a possibility of happening before Anne hit the button in the episode. Did we know this was coming? 

[mlp]

Quote

 Did we know this was coming? 

The Save^^^^^^^^^^^  Yes.  They announced it as something new at the beginning of the first episode.

[LexieLily]

5 hours ago, mlp said:

If I had been a contestant, I would have considered bowing out rather than be bossed around by little kids.  That was my idea of disrespectful, not amusing.

Especially considering the nine year olds (!!) were encouraged to talk to the recruits the same way Anne, and to a lesser extent Rachel, do. ("Kayla! *screams* Is that how we cut a tomato?")

[needschocolate]

6 hours ago, mlp said:

If I had been a contestant, I would have considered bowing out rather than be bossed around by little kids.  That was my idea of disrespectful, not amusing.

Based on what I have seen from their talking heads, I don't think the contestants have a lot of self-respect. 

[spiderpig]

7 hours ago, mlp said:

If I had been a contestant, I would have considered bowing out rather than be bossed around by little kids.  That was my idea of disrespectful, not amusing.

Food Network's gone overboard with the kid thing.  It seemingly coincided with the management turnover.  

Personally, I'm turned off by the kiddies because I don't see them as cute little whippersnappers trying to plate a meal, but seasoned performers with stage parents coaching them from the wings.  I just can't take that authoritative "I have a very sophisticated palate" coming out of a 9-year-old.

FN has dedicated entire shows to juveniles, but they keep popping up in grown-up programs before I can grab the remote.

No wonder Daniel was extra grumpy this episode.

[Snarklepuss]

Yeah, count me in as not loving the kids as experts/adults as needing direction from them angle.  I get sick of stuff on TV that makes kids think they have a right to boss around adults.

And count me in as not understanding what Anne has against Daniel.  Both Mr. Snarkle and I can't figure that one out as I don't think his food has been as bad as she makes it out to be.  Plus just because he's an introvert and a non-expressive one doesn't mean he isn't as invested in winning as anyone else.  Yet another thing that irks me about extroverts who assume this about introverts, as much as I like Anne.

Mr. Snarkle and I both think Rachael's wardrobe gets worse every week.  Obviously no one cared what she wore on this show so she came dressed in anything.  We froze the frame of her full length - WTF was up with those horrible shoes with that awful skirt?  Was she trying to look 30 lbs. heavier?  I honestly never thought I'd think Anne Burrell would outclass her in the style dept. even while wearing a chef's white jacket and clogs.  Anne has been looking/dressing better and better to Rachael's worse and worse.  That said, Rachael dresses a bit better on her daily show, but she has a stylist dressing her there.

[Maya]

5 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

And count me in as not understanding what Anne has against Daniel.  Both Mr. Snarkle and I can't figure that one out as I don't think his food has been as bad as she makes it out to be.  Plus just because he's an introvert and a non-expressive one doesn't mean he isn't as invested in winning as anyone else.  Yet another thing that irks me about extroverts who assume this about introverts, as much as I like Anne.

I bet she's the type of annoying person who would say to a random introvert going about their day, "Smile!!"

[Amarsir]

18 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

Yeah, count me in as not loving the kids as experts/adults as needing direction from them angle.  I get sick of stuff on TV that makes kids think they have a right to boss around adults.

It also ruins the concept that had been tradition on this show. It started with "Let's see how you do without a mentor to ask questions." Not unreasonable in the guise of teaching.  Then it was "let's get prior contestants" or someone else who knows just slightly more than them. OK, walking a line between helpless and guided.

But kids parroting what the mentors are telling them to say? Are they there for reference or not? Are the kids graded on a curve because they're good for their age, or graded as experts because that's their role and they have the backing of Rachel & Anne? And most importantly, what are the Worst Cooks contestants supposed to gain from this experience other than the moral that reality shows are not good for your self-esteem?

[buttercupia]

That pizza tppings on eggs thing was about the most disgusting thing i've ever seen on this show, and that's saying something.

[jcbrown]

3 hours ago, buttercupia said:

That pizza tppings on eggs thing was about the most disgusting thing i've ever seen on this show, and that's saying something.

It was weird, too. They did not explain why they didn't have them make pizza, instead of a weird frittata-pizza and a cauliflower-crust pizza. I also found it laughable that one of the idiots claimed not to know what cauliflower was, nor to ever have tried it, and another idiot claimed not to have heard of "gluten-free." Even if you don't exactly know what gluten is, you'd have to have been unconscious not to have heard the term.

[phantom]

Count me in as another not sure why Daniel is getting the heat from Anne about not wanting to be there. It's clear to me that as an attractive guy with a photography career (i.e. what models get into when they no longer get regular modeling gigs) he wants to segue into commercials or TV or something, hence being on this show. But being a low-key guy who pays attention and doesn't shriek and cackle makes him somehow not worthy of a ridiculous cooking show? Yikes.

The lawyer lady really needs to chill out. Of all the people on this show she's the one who could actually afford to have a nanny who cooks or one of those services that ships you the food.

[Eliza422]

2 hours ago, jcbrown said:

It was weird, too. They did not explain why they didn't have them make pizza, instead of a weird frittata-pizza and a cauliflower-crust pizza. I also found it laughable that one of the idiots claimed not to know what cauliflower was, nor to ever have tried it, and another idiot claimed not to have heard of "gluten-free." Even if you don't exactly know what gluten is, you'd have to have been unconscious not to have heard the term.

I made exactly this point earlier. These fools may not cook, but they still eat!!! 

[biakbiak]

5 hours ago, jcbrown said:

It was weird, too. They did not explain why they didn't have them make pizza, instead of a weird frittata-pizza and a cauliflower-crust pizza. I also found it laughable that one of the idiots claimed not to know what cauliflower was, nor to ever have tried it, and another idiot claimed not to have heard of "gluten-free." Even if you don't exactly know what gluten is, you'd have to have been unconscious not to have heard the term.

At least cauliflower pizza crust is a thing because it mimics a thin pizza dough well and is vegan and gluten-free that thing Rachel made was just a goopy frittata even hers spread out everywhere. 

[JeanneH]

7 hours ago, phantom said:

Count me in as another not sure why Daniel is getting the heat from Anne about not wanting to be there.

Part of it may be that at least once (maybe more) he hasn't followed direction of what the "challenge" is supposed to be. Don't recall the episode, but Anne demonstrated something then the contestants were supposed to do their own original variation of it. So his creation used an ingredient combo Anne had demo'd previously. He even TH that he was doing what she'd shown them before, so it was a deliberate decision. She didn't like that, and got on him for copying what she'd done (taking short cuts), so he had to start over. He didn't like that.

Edited January 26, 2017 by JeanneH

[mlp]

Quote

 So his creation used an ingredient combo Anne had demo'd previously. He even TH that he was doing what she'd shown them before, so it was a deliberate decision.

That's all true but................. I had the impression that he thought Anne would be impressed that he'd learned what she taught him and/or he didn't understand that he was supposed to do something original.  I didn't think he was being belligerent which is how Anne seemed to interpret it.  

[Amarsir]

8 minutes ago, mlp said:

That's all true but................. I had the impression that he thought Anne would be impressed that he'd learned what she taught him and/or he didn't understand that he was supposed to do something original.  I didn't think he was being belligerent which is how Anne seemed to interpret it.  

She did come by his table and say "Are you sure that's original enough?" and he continued on anyway, arguing that her pico de gallo on some chips made for an original nachos dish. I see her objection.

[grisgris]

I'm joining in on the what gives with Anne vs. Daniel?  I honestly think he'd kind of creepy and sullen, but as other have said, he might just be an introvert. Anyway, he seems very intense and he seems to engage enough to trash talk with Mandy (dumbish blonde's name, right?) The only straw I can grasp is that Anne thinks that Daniel has a lot of potential to go to the end and is pushing him.  IIRC, it seemed like he did fairly well early into the competition and I had him pegged as going to the finale. Now I am not so certain.  I am glad that Anne saved Kayla.

Yeah. I think that "Rach" is just phoning it in. She must be stuck doing this show due to some type of long-term contract with FN or something.  It's pretty obvious that she doesn't want to be there. I also noticed that Anne goes down to the floor to help people and Rachael doesn't very often.  It also kind of struck me as off that Rachael chose for her team to filet a fish and Anne took the easier route with the shrimp. (It's usually the opposite.) Anne has had her team in the past perform some pretty difficult challenges like cleaning squid. And right, a lot of those tasks are nothing the regular at-home cook is going to do.

Couldn't they find another male or anybody else to challenge Anne? Eddie Jackson, who won FNS a few season ago, would probably be good.  Unfortunately, all we've seen of him since has been in a competition judging capacity, but I know he can cook and he has an engaging personality that would be a good foil to Anne's trademark abrasiveness.  Curtis Stone would be good, too.

I don't care for kids, but I didn't mind Lexi and Isabella. I laughed at Isabella being Chef Anne's "mini-me." The pizza challenge was odd. While there obviously wasn't time to make pizza dough from scratch, skills and creativity could have been tested by giving the contestants ready-made pizza dough and tasking them with creating a sauce and choosing a combination of toppings.  I wondered if the fritatta-pizza is a new mash-up or something.

[mlp]

I sort of think Daniel is going to redeem himself and end up as a finalist but I've been really, really wrong before so he'll probably get sent home this weekend.

I too wish they'd replace Rachael.  A male would be good as long as it isn't Robert Irvine.  I like Eddie or, if they want someone goofy, there's always Jeff Mauro.  He can cook.  

[Gam2]

I really can't stand Rachael on this show. Always love Anne-she knows what she's doing, is helpful to her crew and encouraging to them also. I think R is so unhappy with herself, her weight gain and her career at this point. 

[Snarklepuss]

Rachael really looks so much better (and a bit thinner) on her own show but yeah, she has gained weight over the years.  I could pass for her sister (same ethnic mix and body type).  I'm 10 years older than she is and the same thing happened to me at her age.  It's hormones and heredity.  She does seem happier on her own show too.  I got the impression a couple of years back that she wasn't happy with FN anymore but I couldn't find any information to support that except one story told on this board by someone who supposedly had inside information that she refused to host that kid's competition with Guy after she thought he was cheating.  She pretty much faded out of FN after that except for this show, and perhaps is only doing it for contractual reasons as speculated above.

[Brookside]

On ‎1‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 3:34 PM, grisgris said:

 

Yeah. I think that "Rach" is just phoning it in. She must be stuck doing this show due to some type of long-term contract with FN or something.  It's pretty obvious that she doesn't want to be there. I also noticed that Anne goes down to the floor to help people and Rachael doesn't very often.  It also kind of struck me as off that Rachael chose for her team to filet a fish and Anne took the easier route with the shrimp. (It's usually the opposite.) Anne has had her team in the past perform some pretty difficult challenges like cleaning squid. And right, a lot of those tasks are nothing the regular at-home cook is going to do.

I don't care for kids, but I didn't mind Lexi and Isabella.

Both teams had to filet a fish, I believe (remember the guy who'was totally obnoxious about getting a date?).  Anne's contained the shrimp as well.

I hate the whole kid thing.  Those girls added nothing in terms of knowledge or skills, they just repeated what Anne and Rachel said.