S14.E11: Adiós Charleston, Hello James Beard

[SailorGirl]

11 minutes ago, Jamie Satyr said:

I should try that rice! My doctor took me off gluten since it binds me, but I hate making brown rice! Most of the time I end up burning it trying to get it cooked! The cleanup is awful as well trying to get it out of an old pan! ;-)

Prepare to have your world changed. I L-O-V-E it! I couldn't cook it better myself -- it really is that good. 

Edited February 10, 2017 by SailorGirl
pictures speak louder than words

[laffytaffy997]

13 minutes ago, SailorGirl said:

I love to cook and I am all about Trader's Joe's frozen brown rice and jasmine rice. It is the shit. Organic, nothing else added, three minutes in the microwave, and it is perfection.

I would use it ANY DAY over shelf-stable precooked rice -- all of those I've tried, and I've tried a lot, have weird tastes (at least to me). Even when it is supposed to be only organic plain rice, it doesn't taste right to me. Maybe its whatever is used as preservative. 

Thanks for not making me feel so bad about using frozen rice! I also use the Trader Joe's frozen rice and I think it tastes just as good as most rice I've had. For some reason I've never been able to make rice right (I know...), but their rice is just so easy and good!

[yourmomiseasy]

8 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Hey - did anyone know Padma was marketing frozen rice before seeing this ep?

I see it every time I go to Whole Foods, but usually end up looking at my cart and realizing I'm already spending too much and don't buy it.

 

6 hours ago, wings707 said:

I was struck by this, too.  A friend of mine fell I love with a woman whose family lives in Maui. They met in MA. They moved there and have been there for 5 years now.  He has the same vibe.  Everyone does not respond to Hawaii this way but when it is a fit for you it is magic. 

 

My brothers both moved to Hawaii and moved back within a year or two.  It didn't click for them and they hated it.  But we have family friends that live in the same area and love it.  I think you really hit the nail on the head.

 

1 hour ago, Blonde Gator said:

Seriously!  Frozen rice?  Who would buy that?  Isn't rice one of the first things anyone over the age of 15 learns to cook? 

 

I know how to cook rice, but don't always feel like it.  I especially don't feel like it if one of my dogs are sick and need it at every meal.**  It's nice to be able to just have the small amount needed in a couple of minutes rather than waiting 20-30 (also, if my dog is that sick, I'm probably tired and short on time from running around the to vet).  I also like it if I'm making a quick lunch.  I don't have time to spend in the kitchen during the day, but I can throw together a quick bowl out of crap from the fridge and frozen rice in under 5 minutes and get back to work.  Sometimes I'll make my own frozen rice out of leftover rice that I've cooked.

**My dogs have allergies and I home cooked all their meals for over a year while we were working to figure out what the deal was.  It is a time consuming PITA.  So I'm kind of over cooking for dogs.

Edited February 10, 2017 by yourmomiseasy

[ladle]

Did I miss the scene from the previews in which Brooke starts crying that she never should have come back?

[Jamie Satyr]

3 minutes ago, ladle said:

Did I miss the scene from the previews in which Brooke starts crying that she never should have come back?

I'm pretty sure I heard her say it, but it was self-serving and didn't have anything to do with disappointment or failure! She was just musing to herself; maybe after another chef was eliminated! I just don't watch or listen as hard as I used to; normally just playing in the background while I blog here and elsewhere! ;-)

[meep.meep]

1 hour ago, Blonde Gator said:

Exactly!  I have started to buy large quantities of staples (rice, flour, sugar) now that Ziplock makes those fantastic giant storage....but always keep a bit of easy rice (yellow, red, etc.) for a fast side dish.  Why on earth would anyone buy frozen rice?  I'm still baffled that not only did Padma think it was great....she actually got someone to market it for her. 

For convenience.  For the same reason people buy pre-cooked hard boiled eggs, or noodles, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  They have a different life than you and prioritize differently. 

I think the big loser this season was Charleston.  I can't think of one single place that this show has made me want to visit or a single food that it has made me want to eat.  That's not usually the case.  It was nice to learn about Edna Lewis.

[chiaros]

4 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

I think the big loser this season was Charleston.  I can't think of one single place that this show has made me want to visit or a single food that it has made me want to eat.

^^^ This.

[xaxat]

Once again, Gail looked great. (Like '50s pinup great at the judges table.)

I think its funny how often she manages to upstage the look of the model on the panel.

[weixiaobao]

6 hours ago, chiaros said:

What you say is true. However, there is a difference between having those feelings and harping upon them every chance you get. I'm Chinese myself by heritage. I don't go around publicly and weepily talking about my heritage all. the. time. and how my family is behind everything I do (and in fact they rarely figure in why I do something)

hmm being an Asian American and being an Asian (and that term is a rather broad) are two different experiences (and since I went through both experiences).  Especially someone who is older like Shirley Chung.  Even I am who isn't as old as her, who didn't stay in my country (which belong in the sinosphere culture) as long as she did (but a good 12 years of my life).  Such thing as filial piety.  Such thing as ancestor worshiping.  You comparing your own chinese-ness with her chinese-ness.  Totally two separate experiences.  That goes with Melisa King.  She can go ahead and try to be a lesbian in Asia, and that would be a different experiences.  My former country is more liberal than most Asian countries, and I am a gay person myself.  But being a gay Asian growing up in Asia in the 90s.  Is a different experience than that of Melissa King or say Kristen Kish.

I ask.  So you said you are chinese, do you every year, light up incenses for your deceased elders?  Like I do, like my mom do, like my grandma do?  Do you know what it like to know all of your neighbors like the way the villages set up back in the Asia of old??  (Something even the young chineses in China may not experience themselves consider the 1 child policy really destroy the large family structure).  Even my elderly grandma, who seemed to not cope with the time and feel like she limited her own self worth, by thinking the only thing she can shower people with affection is through her own cooking.  She too is a flaw person, both selflessly cooking for others, and yet selfishly when non grandkids eating them.  She is too affected by her own time, living on this earth since prior to WW2.

So why do you pretend to be superior to Shirley Chung.  Each people experience life differently.  Your is authentic just as her, but just as different.  Like mine is.

So good for you, when your family was never weighed into your decision.  But mine was, when I pursuit and get into pharmacy school, just as well as the weight of it all, when I drop all of that to join the military.  Good for you, to never have that disappointment weighted so heavily on your own shoulders.  When Sylva talks about his dad, I understood.  My mom and I escaped poverty, violence, and some of the most degrading things that she had to endure.  How proud she was when I get into a doctorate program, and how much time she had to come to term with when I dropped all of that to join the military due to my own life struggle, or the guilt that I had for that decision.  Good for you, I supposed, but don't pretend like your own experience, and more importantly your standard and taste is what everyone else should thrive for.

Having been watching top chef since season 3, and since then watching every season except the latter half of season 13, I feel like some comments on some contestants are just really weird.  Like the huge controversy when Travis Masar get eliminate when he had a tomato based sauce in a vietnamese dish.  Guess what, I had ate a Vietnamese tomato based sauce dish, multiple of time. 

2nd generation Asian Americans or Eurasians are sometimes strange with their identity.  I have encountered some who would totally offended at being called Asians.  And that being Asian Americans is their own unique identity.  So in this case, we got Eddie Huang, a Taiwanese, born in the USA, claiming expertise in Vietnamese cuisine (this was said of the guy, "the reviewer for the New York Times awarded the restaurant zero (out of four) stars, and wrote that "if Mr. Huang spent even a third of the time cooking that he does writing funny blog posts and wry Twitter updates, posting hip-hop videos and responding to Internet friends, rivals, critics and customers, Xiao Ye might be one of the more interesting restaurants to open in New York City in the last few months").  If Travis Masar made a bad dish, so be it.  But blatantly dismiss a guy who had healthy or unhealthy interest in certain regions of the world and had been there probably multiple times (and not in touristy areas either), as pretentious because he is white.  Then I guess I am too but a Viet pretender in this American culture.

But I would trust Hung Huynh's opinion on French cuisine since he trained in it over some American who is quarter French and has no background in such food.  Just as I trust an American manga enthusiast on their opinion about Japanese manga, over a native born japanese who don't have those interest and or a Thai American who think because that she is an Asian therefore is an expert on everything ranging from yoga, to Fillipinos cuisine, to what is sensitive or not cultural sensitive toward Mongolians, to Japanese art of origami. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I returned to Top Chef, since I am currently stationed in Charleston.  This season cast has been good, out side of Emily.  Even Katsuji has been an entertaining villain.  Brooke and Shirley by far are among some of the best female contestants (based on their records of both seasons that they are on) on top chef among the likes of Stephanie Izard, Mei Lin, Kristen Kish, and Nina Compton (all of whom I would love to see competing on a true all stars season of top tier top chef contestant males or females).  I guess a notch below are Carla Hall, Antonia Lofaso, Tiffani Faison, Jennifer Carrol, and (as much as I don't care for her) Sarah Grueneberg.

Edited February 10, 2017 by weixiaobao

[holly4755]

I am not in the john fan club just judging by this season - this is a bully because if something goes wrong, he is never responsible.  Never his fault, that disaster of expediting, not his fault. it was the servers, it was the cooks.  nothing ever his fault. 

 

As for Padma, cooking, is some way, I assume some of the food was prepared off site, heh. Ithink she takes crap for being a model and on one show she said she was a good judge because she eats a lot and because she is a foodie.  I think the whole cook thing was to wipe some of that not cooking accusations away. I only knew he not as a model but as a woman who always is in the company of rich men. 

[AttackTurtle]

I like Shirley, but if I didn't, it wouldn't be due to her referencing her ancestors on a regular basis.   She is clearly passionate about cooking and wears it on her sleeve.  Not liking someone for referencing and caring about thier heritage feels all sorts of wrong.  Women chefs have to fight hard to gain respect in the profession and she's kicking ass.  Go Shirley!  I still want Sheldon to win.

I think Brooke puts an enormous amount of pressure on herself.  I recall a guest judge from her first season stating that Brooke was considered a chef phenom when she started at a very young age in The LA area.  That in and of itself is a lot of pressure to win Top Chef.  I want her to come back because I think she is the best of the eliminated chefs and if one gets to come back it should be the best.  I still want Sheldon to win.

John is 58 years old and my understanding is that he was a big deal back in the day before he self destructed.  I give him a lot of respect for competing against young chefs and being judged by someone that was likely someone he shared equal standing back in the day.  He also seemed genuinely happy for my favorite, Sheldon, when Sheldon received the fantastic compliment about his future.  I still want Sheldon to win.

[Blonde Gator]

37 minutes ago, holly4755 said:

I am not in the john fan club just judging by this season - this is a bully because if something goes wrong, he is never responsible.  Never his fault, that disaster of expediting, not his fault. it was the servers, it was the cooks.  nothing ever his fault. 

 

As for Padma, cooking, is some way, I assume some of the food was prepared off site, heh. Ithink she takes crap for being a model and on one show she said she was a good judge because she eats a lot and because she is a foodie.  I think the whole cook thing was to wipe some of that not cooking accusations away. I only knew he not as a model but as a woman who always is in the company of rich men. 

Padma's written several cookbooks, as well as a memoir of "eating" (whatever that is)....as well as this book.  So she's not exactly an amateur.

[RealReality]

Was that before she was famous, because if it wasn't I wonder how much of that book was Judith Suttons work.

[rlc]

Am I alone in finding Shirley completely annoying? I have zero issues with someone referencing their heritage or history. My issue is that she must have 85 grandmothers due to the number of times she references these magical memories of hers that paint a romantic picture for the judges that completely influence their decisions. Combined with her 'awe shucks, I hope they like it' attitude, she's definitely a master games player.

[chiaros]

4 hours ago, weixiaobao said:

I ask.  So you said you are chinese, do you every year, light up incenses for your deceased elders?  Like I do, like my mom do, like my grandma do?  

So why do you pretend to be superior to Shirley Chung.  Each people experience life differently.  Your is authentic just as her, but just as different.  Like mine is.

I don't light incense etc for my ancestors each year.  As you yourself said, your experiences and mine are different.

I have not pretended to be superior to Shirley Chung. That's your interpretation. Don't put words in my mouth. Instead, I have described WHY I dislike her, personally. The post of mine you quote is part of my response to posts which suggested that "family" and "parental-disapproval/approval" were central to "Chinese" as a monolithic group.  Oh, BTW, it's also your interpretation when you stated further on in your post I was pretending that my experience, standards and tastes were what everyone else should strive for. Again, don't put words in my mouth.

In fact, your post proves my point - that there is no universal way in which people of Chinese heritage (NOTE the term) are expected to behave. 

 

4 hours ago, weixiaobao said:

Having been watching top chef since season 3, and since then watching every season except the latter half of season 13, I feel like some comments on some contestants are just really weird.  Like the huge controversy when Travis Masar get eliminate when he had a tomato based sauce in a vietnamese dish.  Guess what, I had ate a Vietnamese tomato based sauce dish, multiple of time.

Yes, this has been talked about before, and the existence of shrimp in tomato sauce as a Vietnamese dish has been mentioned.

...

[Squirrely]

7 hours ago, yourmomiseasy said:

 

**My dogs have allergies and I home cooked all their meals for over a year while we were working to figure out what the deal was.  It is a time consuming PITA.  So I'm kind of over cooking for dogs.

I made large batches of homemade dog food for one of my (big) dog's golden years (and it helped him tremendously), and made enough to last about 3 weeks at a time, and I have NO shame in owning a huge rice cooker. That thing is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets now. 

I also have zero shame in buying frozen convenience items. I'm so jealous of those who have a Trader Joe's close by. I schlep 45 mins to Costco once a month and have a Schwan's delivery about once a month. And I'm someone who does love to cook. But when you're the only one in your house who does, and you're a busy working parent, there's no shame in finding items that make your life easier, especially it's keeping you out of a damn drive thru. 

[Lillybee]

I think that Sheldon may be edging out Carla as my favorite top chef contestant ever...What is there to dislike about him? He is charming and sweet.

[Blonde Gator]

I just rewatched the episode, and the lady "with the big chin" is Rene Eriksson (well, that's what the screen said her name was).  I am not familiar with her, but she's apparently a Beard Award winner, as were the rest of the guests at the table.

When Tom complimented Sheldon, it looked like Sheldon was on the edge of absolutely losing it, bursting out in tears of happiness.  He will win Fan Favorite for sure, and I hope he wins the entire shooting match.  And Brooke knew before the judging started that she was toast.  And I don't think it was the editing, and the talking head comments filmed afterward, either.  She just looked like a whipped puppy, she knew her dish wasn't up to par, that it had a few too many flaws.

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, Blonde Gator said:

I just rewatched the episode, and the lady "with the big chin" is Rene Eriksson (well, that's what the screen said her name was).  I am not familiar with her, but she's apparently a Beard Award winner, as were the rest of the guests at the table.

She is absolutelykilling it in Seattle, if you ever visit you should visit one of her restaurants they are all fabulous.

[Snarklepuss]

Count me in as someone who doesn't love it when chef-testants keep using their heritage as a way to curry favor with the judges and are encouraged by them to do so.  I think it all started for me on "Food Network Star" when the judges insisted that anyone with an "ethnic" background cook from that POV with their "heart", play the dead grandparent card, etc., etc.  Just ugh.  I don't like how it puts other contestants at a disadvantage for not having a rock solid organic POV that they grew up with to come from.  Maybe it was me, but when the judges were glowing over Sheldon's and Shirley's dishes both John and Brooke had a similar almost-smirk on their faces like, "Here we go again with the heritage stuff".

As nice and sweet as Sheldon is, and as good a cook as he is, he is not above using an angle to get the judges right in their soft spots.  Using that rice to make the noodles was a totally calculated move because he knew it would speak directly to that male judge with the black glasses.  And it worked!   I have no problem with him doing this, but I just don't see him as above playing a card and using strategy to win.  I think he's certainly a worthy chef but I seem to not be as into him as the majority of folks out there.  He just doesn't do it for me.  Talk about the fix being in, I think it's in for him at this point.  I think TPTB know he's popular and want to give him that win so the audience is happy.

My preference is for John or Brooke, if she makes it back to the competition.  John because he seems to have grown a lot since his first stint on TC and Brooke because she came so close in her first season.  I actually like Casey too and wouldn't have minded her in the finale either.  Despite the culture stuff rubbing me the wrong way, I like Shirley too.  Her voice is annoying but some of that is just the type of tone and inflection she has from her native language.  So at this point I wouldn't be against any of them winning, even Sheldon because he certainly would deserve to.

Speaking of Brooke, I agree with those that said she got too far inside her head and that she was pressuring herself too much.  I agree that she and Casey seem to have something to prove to themselves and others.  Perhaps they felt slighted or gypped out of winning in their original seasons and have a complex about it now.  Perhaps they too feel like a "fix" is in for someone else.  I'm not going to get down on them for it.  I wonder if they have good reason to feel that way.

Count me in as not understanding how the chefs didn't know who they were cooking next to (other than Sheldon).  That partition was very flimsy and some of the people said more than just "yes" or "no" answers.  I know I have seen that very same format on another show.  Was it "Food Network Star"?  I can't remember but TC must have "borrowed it".

[Snarklepuss]

43 minutes ago, Blonde Gator said:

I just rewatched the episode, and the lady "with the big chin" is Rene Eriksson (well, that's what the screen said her name was).  I am not familiar with her, but she's apparently a Beard Award winner, as were the rest of the guests at the table.

Actually her name is spelled Renée.  Don't ask me how I know that or why I am compelled to point that out to anyone and everyone.  LOL

And no I have never heard of her but I would love to go to one of her restaurants.  I haven't been to Seattle in 15 years but on several trips there in the late 90s until 2001 I had some of the best food of my life, even better than NYC.

[ratgirlagogo]

4 hours ago, RealReality said:

 

Was that before she was famous, because if it wasn't I wonder how much of that book was Judith Suttons work.

 

No , it just came out a few months ago.    How much of the work is hers I don't know - but she actually IS a writer, not just a model (she didn't start modelling until she was out of college with a degree in English Lit - relatively old to start in that business) so I think she  likely did write a reasonable amount of it.  In her memoir (which disappointingly doesn't spend that much time on Top Chef) she does say that she considers herself a very enthusiastic home cook but is very aware of the knowledge gap between professional people like Tom and her. And how much she loves Kalyustan's (which BTW is pushing the hell out of this book - displays right up next to the checkout)!  I'd say her current gig would put her in a good position to have picked up a lot in the years she's been doing the show, and she'd already done a lot of world travel before she got on TC.

Edited February 11, 2017 by ratgirlagogo

[sportsgirl]

7 hours ago, weixiaobao said:

Brooke and Shirley by far are among some of the best female contestants (based on their records of both seasons that they are on) on top chef among the likes of Stephanie Izard, Mei Lin, Kristen Kish, and Nina Compton (all of whom I would love to see competing on a true all stars season of top tier top chef contestant males or females).  I guess a notch below are Carla Hall, Antonia Lofaso, Tiffani Faison, Jennifer Carrol, and (as much as I don't care for her) Sarah Grueneberg.

Stephanie Cmar and Marjorie Meek-Bradley also deserve strong female contestant props.

[yourmomiseasy]

4 hours ago, Squirrely said:

I made large batches of homemade dog food for one of my (big) dog's golden years (and it helped him tremendously), and made enough to last about 3 weeks at a time, and I have NO shame in owning a huge rice cooker. That thing is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets now. 

I also have zero shame in buying frozen convenience items. I'm so jealous of those who have a Trader Joe's close by. I schlep 45 mins to Costco once a month and have a Schwan's delivery about once a month. And I'm someone who does love to cook. But when you're the only one in your house who does, and you're a busy working parent, there's no shame in finding items that make your life easier, especially it's keeping you out of a damn drive thru. 

I was grinding my own meat and chopping a lot of crap, not to mention all the cooking.  It'd take me half a day to shop for their food and the entire next day to prepare it and package it up, so I'd make 3 to 4 weeks worth at a time.  It was really a pain when I traveled just because of time suck and planning involved in making sure I had enough of their food made and it was weighed out and packaged in individual portions.  I'm happy to have found a pre-made frozen option that I can just pick up at the store very week or two.  They'd always eaten a raw grain-free organic grass-fed human grade diet, but on top of that I had to find one made of pork and with limited ingredients and that didn't cost and arm and a leg.  

I swear, these dogs are as bad as that one time when Zooey Deschanel was on Top Chef and her list of restrictions was about 3 miles long.

[Jamie Satyr]

10 minutes ago, yourmomiseasy said:

I was grinding my own meat and chopping a lot of crap, not to mention all the cooking.  It'd take me half a day to shop for their food and the entire next day to prepare it and package it up, so I'd make 3 to 4 weeks worth at a time.  It was really a pain when I traveled just because of time suck and planning involved in making sure I had enough of their food made and it was weighed out and packaged in individual portions.  I'm happy to have found a pre-made frozen option that I can just pick up at the store very week or two.  They'd always eaten a raw grain-free organic grass-fed human grade diet, but on top of that I had to find one made of pork and with limited ingredients and that didn't cost and arm and a leg.  

I swear, these dogs are as bad as that one time when Zooey Deschanel was on Top Chef and her list of restrictions was about 3 miles long.

That always infuriates me; some lacto vegan goes to a steak house and expects a chef to come up with something special "on the fly!" I HATE 'EM! ;-)

[VintageJ]

3 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

As nice and sweet as Sheldon is, and as good a cook as he is, he is not above using an angle to get the judges right in their soft spots.  Using that rice to make the noodles was a totally calculated move because he knew it would speak directly to that male judge with the black glasses.  And it worked!  

From what I remember from season LA WITH Kevin and the Voltaggio brothers, cooking at the James Beard house is supposed to be super creative.  Using the rice to make noodles is exactly the type of inventiveness they expect and that's what ultimately sealed the win.  The fact that it was one judge's favorite rice helped, but it was the technique and result that sealed it.  

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, VintageJ said:

From what I remember from season LA WITH Kevin and the Voltaggio brothers

That was Las Vegas (LV). Sorry can't help myself. So they cooked at the James Beard house? Or was it a prize? I don't recall that.

[VintageJ]

3 minutes ago, dleighg said:

That was Las Vegas (LV). Sorry can't help myself. So they cooked at the James Beard house? Or was it a prize? I don't recall that.

Thanks.  It was a prize. And Kevin felt nervous because the Voltaggio brothers had lots of inventiveness and technique.  But he won with a simpler dish.  Can't remember the details. 

[dleighg]

8 minutes ago, VintageJ said:

Thanks.  It was a prize. And Kevin felt nervous because the Voltaggio brothers had lots of inventiveness and technique.  But he won with a simpler dish.  Can't remember the details. 

Thanks-- Didn't Kevin also win a challenge to potentially represent the US at that big fancy French cooking competition (which I *think* the US won recently under the direction of Thomas Keller? (Bocuse D'Or -- looked it up).

Edited February 11, 2017 by dleighg

[VintageJ]

So sorry.  Wrong challenge. It was the Bocuse D'or challenge.  

[SuburbanHangSuite]

Just had a chance to watch this morning and I'm really pleased with the outcome.  What hasn't already been said?  Sheldon=LOVE.  And I really like Shirley too--I don't  mind her energy & she and her hubby were too cute.  I've been kind of indifferent about John and Brooke--don't love or hate either but Brooke has seemed rather joyless these last few episodes.  I know it's stressful and tense but the others seem to find some joy in the chaos.  And is it me, or was she throwing an egg in EVERYTHING for the last few weeks??  Brooke, its not Top Egg...

[rlc]

I've done events at the James Beard House, and it's less about creativity and more about representation of place/style. If a Pacific Northwest chef is cooking, the ingredients are flown in and the wines are all from the same region, etc. 

After years of Top Chef putting creativity before flavor, it's nice to see that it seems to be getting back to flavor and away from tricks. They seem to be anti-sousvide and now reward people for actually knowing how to cook meat properly!

[spiderpig]

15 hours ago, meep.meep said:

I think the big loser this season was Charleston.  I can't think of one single place that this show has made me want to visit or a single food that it has made me want to eat.  That's not usually the case.  It was nice to learn about Edna Lewis.

I wondered "where was Charleston?" too.  I worked as a travel planner and arranged group events at Charleston, always wanted to go there, and oddly never had the chance.  The only significant exterior city time TC shot there was the scavenger hunt during what looked like a monsoon.  Otherwise they might as well have filmed the season in Bravo's New York studio and thrown in some stock tourist footage.

There is definitely something half-hearted about the show this season, as though the production staff is just going through the motions.  I'd like to see an energy boost for next season, wherever they decide to shoot it.

[cooksdelight]

There are some excellent restaurants and markets in Charleston, but we didn't get to see any of that. A plantation, the city during hurricane season, Whole Foods in Mt. Pleasant, a few shots of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, and that's about it. The charm of the city was lost in this haphazardly thrown together season.

Where was the Charleston City Market? Ft. Sumpter? Two notable landmarks were left by the wayside. 

[spiderpig]

Exactly, @cooksdelight.  My coworkers who were assigned to the Charleston events were charmed by it, and I was really looking forward to this season for location and cuisine.

[RealReality]

4 hours ago, Jamie Satyr said:

That always infuriates me; some lacto vegan goes to a steak house and expects a chef to come up with something special "on the fly!" I HATE 'EM! ;-)

I always get annoyed because if you can't eat food, don't go on top chef.  Every restriction on the chefs limits their ability to let loose and be creative.  Yes a few work better with strict parameters, but this show should be about creativity, not catering to every special snowflake with a tv show.

[biakbiak]

6 hours ago, VintageJ said:

From what I remember from season LA WITH Kevin and the Voltaggio brothers, cooking at the James Beard house is supposed to be super creative.  Using the rice to make noodles is exactly the type of inventiveness they expect and that's what ultimately sealed the win.  The fact that it was one judge's favorite rice helped, but it was the technique and result that sealed it.  

Sheldon's dish was clearly fabulous but that is how you make chow fun noodles which is a classic dish. 

[RealReality]

11 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

.  I don't like how it puts other contestants at a disadvantage for not having a rock solid organic POV that they grew up with to come from.  Maybe it was me, but when the judges were glowing over Sheldon's and Shirley's dishes both John and Brooke had a similar almost-smirk on their faces like, "Here we go again with the heritage stuff".

As nice and sweet as Sheldon is, and as good a cook as he is, he is not above using an angle to get the judges right in their soft spots.  Using that rice to make the noodles was a totally calculated move because he knew it would speak directly to that male judge with the black glasses.  And it worked!   I have no problem with him doing this, but I just don't see him as above playing a card and using strategy to win.  I think he's certainly a worthy chef but I seem to not be as into him as the majority of folks out there.  He just doesn't do it for me.  Talk about the fix being in, I think it's in for him at this point.  I think TPTB know he's popular and want to give him that win so the audience is happy.

My preference is for John or Brooke, if she makes it back to the competition.  John because he seems to have grown a lot since his first stint on TC and Brooke because she came so close in her first season.  I actually like Casey too and wouldn't have minded her in the finale either.  Despite the culture stuff rubbing me the wrong way, I like Shirley too.  Her voice is annoying but some of that is just the type of tone and inflection she has from her native language.  So at this point I wouldn't be against any of them winning, even Sheldon because he certainly would deserve to.

Wasn't it John who kept talking about his mother during the Edna Lewis challenge?  And his upbringing by the ocean when he recently did the crab dish?

Honestly, if either of them had a smirk on their faces, it would give me a deep, deep dislike for them both.  Because, even if you think its gameplay, you can't know that, and to think its ever okay to snark on someone's heritage or upbringing is a straight up asshole move to me.  And both of them should realize the ugly optics of two white people laughing at the upbringing and heritage and struggles of two people of color. 

This show has a long history of what I perceive as people making stuff up stories to justify their dish.  There was that guy who had like 10 stories about cooking 10 different things for his wife on their first date or something like that.  If Sheldon and Shirley are passionate about their upbringing and can use that as inspiration, more power to them.  If the two of them want a similar "advantage" then they should have thought about how to link their food to their upbringing too.

[Wings]

16 hours ago, RealReality said:

Was that before she was famous, because if it wasn't I wonder how much of that book was Judith Suttons work.

Judith Sutton is a cookbook editor and consultant, food writer and recipe tester. So I assume she has probably worked with many chefs whose skills don't include the details necessary to organize a book. 

[Wings]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

Sheldon's dish was clearly fabulous but that is how you make chow fun noodles which is a classic dish. 

The ingredients for making rice noodles.

Quote

 

1¼ cups rice flour

2 tablespoons tapioca starch (or cornstarch)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups water

1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing

 

Sheldon got creative using the Carolina rice instead of the usual rice flour.  

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, wings707 said:

The ingredients for making rice noodles.

Sheldon got creative using the Carolina rice instead of the usual rice flour.  

Sheldon made rice flour with Carolina Gold rice that is how you make rice flour, you take cooked rice, dry it some, grind it up and than dry it completely in a skillet or oven I make my own rice flour all the time because it's super cheap but it is also fairly typical to make your own. Sheldon had to make his own rice flour because he wanted to use Carolina Gold to tie the dish to Charleston.

[Wings]

1 minute ago, biakbiak said:

Sheldon made rice flour with Carolina Gold rice that is how you make rice flour. You take rice and grind it up into a flour,. I make my own rice flour all the time because it's super cheap but that is super standard.

Yes, I know. :^)  He wanted to do that to show case the local rice.  Cool idea bringing in a local ingredient.  

[spiderpig]

6 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Sheldon made rice flour with Carolina Gold rice that is how you make rice flour, you take cooked rice, dry it some, grind it up and than dry it completely in a skillet or oven I make my own rice flour all the time because it's super cheap but it is also fairly typical to make your own. Sheldon had to make his own rice flour because he wanted to use Carolina Gold to tie the dish to Charleston.

I've never had Carolina Gold.  Is there something to its texture or quality that distinguishes it from other rice?

I could Google, but I'm lazy and you're readily available. (/wink/)

[Wings]

Ta Da!!  The history of Carolina gold rice. 

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/05/carolina-gold-heirloom-rice-anson-mills.html

Quote

After listening to so many people sing the praises of Carolina Gold, I decided to order some for myself from Carolina Plantation Rice. It arrived in a yellow cloth bag, impervious to the light damage Roberts says is detrimental to rice's flavor. At first, I tried it plain and simple, preparing it in my rice cooker on a weekday afternoon. As I sat at my kitchen table waiting for it to finish, I could already tell it was different based on the smell alone.

Unlike grocery store rice, which just smells starchy, the Carolina Gold filled the room with a nutty, earthy aroma that had me craving white rice more than I've ever craved it before. Biting into my first spoonful, I could feel the firm texture of each and every grain in my mouth. It had the satisfying bite Shields told me about, the nuttiness, even a floral quality I hadn't quite expected. Yes, it was exactly what I wanted rice to taste like.

Edited February 11, 2017 by wings707

[biakbiak]

13 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

I've never had Carolina Gold.  Is there something to its texture or quality that distinguishes it from other rice?

I could Google, but I'm lazy and you're readily available. (/wink/)

Here's a good summary that also talks about why you haven't heard about it. Sean Brock is obsessed with it.

[spiderpig]

6 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Here's a good summary that also talks about why you haven't heard about it. Sean Brockton is obsessed with it.

Read it and want.  It ain't cheap - over $18 for 2 pounds on Amazon -but the description made me have to have it.  Thanks.

[VintageJ]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

8 hours ago, VintageJ said:

From what I remember from season LA WITH Kevin and the Voltaggio brothers, cooking at the James Beard house is supposed to be super creative.  Using the rice to make noodles is exactly the type of inventiveness they expect and that's what ultimately sealed the win.  The fact that it was one judge's favorite rice helped, but it was the technique and result that sealed it.  

Sheldon's dish was clearly fabulous but that is how you make chow fun noodles which is a classic dish. 

Thanks for the info. I wouldn't have a clue.  I love Top Chef but don't like to cook. Though I cook most of the time. ?

[biakbiak]

32 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Read it and want.  It ain't cheap - over $18 for 2 pounds on Amazon -but the description made me have to have it.  Thanks.

Brock did an entire episode about it on his season of Mind of a Chef which is worth a watch. Edited because I just noticed the video cost $2.99 and it's not worth that! They frequently replay his season on one of the PBS channels I get.

Interesting that it appears they told them exactly who the diners were going to be, I don't recall them doing that before unless it's a celebrity or the challenge requires it (ie when they each had to cook for a specific chef).

[dleighg]

Direct from the source it looks like it's under $10 for 2 lb. Didn't go far enough to see about shipping charges.

http://www.carolinaplantationrice.com/store/products/Carolina-Plantation-Gold-Rice.html

[spiderpig]

7 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Direct from the source it looks like it's under $10 for 2 lb. Didn't go far enough to see about shipping charges.

http://www.carolinaplantationrice.com/store/products/Carolina-Plantation-Gold-Rice.html

FedEx SmartPost is $10.86 to California.  Still want!!!