S13.E07: Beat Bobby Flay

[Whimsy]

The finalists take on the hit Food Network show, Beat Bobby Flay! In the first round of cooking, the finalists go head-to-head to determine who will take on the master himself, Bobby Flay, in round two. Anyone who can beat Bobby is safe from elimination, but those who are not up to the challenge may lose their spot in the competition. Special guest Anne Burrell helps determine which finalist will not be moving on.

[cooksdelight]

I wish Bobby had given Matthew a harder time for not knowing what coq au vin is. The kid calls himself a chef, graduated from one of the premier schools....and doesn't know what it is? He's no food authority, he's no personality. I want him gone.

Amy cannot speak to a camera. Why is she still there? However, her steak and Bobby's looked the same in the middle to me. I thought people preferred their filet mignon rare?

Bye David. I barely remember anything you cooked.

[parrotlover]

I haven't been reading or posting on this show so sorry if this is old news but is Jason the pre-ordained winner? Its felt like that all season but especially tonight it seemed like 98% of the THs were him. I know Bobby and Giada love him and fall out over everything he says but I feel like he way overdoes the folksy bit. A little bit of that goes a long way.  To me he's not that funny just corny. And both Amy and Matthew need to be gone.

Edited July 17, 2017 by parrotlover

[rustyspigot]

Oh CALM DOWN Giada. They aren't trying to kill you during a tomato challenge.

[hula-la]

1 minute ago, rustyspigot said:

Oh CALM DOWN Giada. They aren't trying to kill you during a tomato challenge.

From the way they were acting, I thought there was glass or something dangerous in their food. 

[rustyspigot]

I'd be more worried about the contact high from whatever Anne puts in her hair.

[catrice2]

I cannot believe how much this looks like a setup. I don't watch the show that closely over the years and I've missed some Seasons, but I don't ever remember seeing a contestant miss a whole Challenge and then come back. Then Bobby mysteriously takes the skin off of his duck and messes up on brussel sprouts? If they wanted David to go home they could have just done that another way. This was such clear sabotage from Corey putting the spice on the tomato and not admitting to it to how Bobby just somehow messed up during his challenge with Corey and Amy can cook raw meat and still beat David?

[suebee12]

I had to laugh when I saw Matthew's face when Jason said he was presenting...the team leader took charge! Also Rusty and Jason did not let Matthew run over them....he got his way with dish but was over ridden in some of the things he wanted to add and they even took  the cracker off the plate. He should have been happy that he was somewhat controlled...that put him on the winning team and I think it was Jason's presentation that won it for them.

As for the coq au vin....I cannot believe he didn't know what it was. Maybe he was playing dumb for a reason? But I knew his goose was cooked when he was bragging about how fast he was! That was a huge mistake on his part.

I will miss David because I like his personality better than Rusty's and maybe even Cory's but I don't think he was ever going to win so really no big deal in the scheme of things.

[TomCorps]

Instead of "Beat Bobby Flay," this episode should have been called "Beat Giada"....like, with a stick.  I wonder if she actually annoyed Bobby as much as she annoyed me annoying Bobby.   I think he showed remarkable cool and good humor.

Is Anne Burrell turning into a cockatoo right before our very eyes?  

Also, while I know it's more popular to pick on Giada's outfits around here, Anne's mylar tank-top didn't do a thing for me or for her boobs.

In what kind of bizarro world is Amy still in the competition?  She can't string together two sentences without babbling like an idiot.  Enough, already!

Matthew seems more than ever like a calculated FN stunt to me.  His arrogance has become so cartoonish, I just can't invest anymore.  And could he really not know what coq au vin is??  Just not making sense anymore...

In spite of the fact that I've come to believe Matthew is nothing more than a shill, I thought the moment of Jason sandbagging him by taking on the presentation in the pre-heat was beautifully staged. 

[smiley13]

So I don't believe that Amy's dish scored closer to Bobby's than David's shrimp and grits.  David's dish looked delicious.  Amy's vegetable side dish looked like mush.

And we were subjected to Gee-Ah-Da hanging on Bobby with her dress unbuttoned almost to her navel.

And why was Cory allowed to skate through with missing the first competition?

[cooksdelight]

There have been other shows where a contestant was ill and allowed to come back. One miss only, though. 

[TomCorps]

Just now, smiley13 said:

And why was Cory allowed to skate through with missing the first competition?

I wondered about this myself, but I guess since it didn't count towards elimination (I.e., it only could have benefited him to compete) they let him take a health break.

[smiley13]

Why are there two topics for tonight?  

I really do not understand the appeal of Anne Burrell.  I am not sure which looked worse, her ridiculous hair do or her Astronaut silver top.

[HappyDancex2]

16 minutes ago, TomCorps said:

 

Is Anne Burrell turning into a cockatoo right before our very eyes?  

 

Dies.

[HappyDancex2]

Anne's top came from the tin man collection.   And it did make her chest look like it was in a weird place.  Jadda was painfully covered up so she released all the buttons down to her navel.  Good times.

OK they tried to trick everyone but Matthew is a horrible actor and they went too far.  Not a chance in blazing ass HELL that he didn't know what Coq au vin was....and then the corny mispronunciation of it over and over?   Child please.

[mlp]

There is no way that Amy did anything better than David.  IMO The only reason they saved her was because she was the last female standing - which should have nothing to do with anything in a cooking competition.  Even if David and Amy were exactly equal wrt cooking skills, Amy can't present and has demonstrated that time and again.  

I loved the way Jason didn't argue with Matthew about who would present and just announced that he would.  Matthew's expression was amusing to see.

[HappyDancex2]

Amy's hair is also ridiculous.  Why does she take a section of it and knot it on the top of her head like a teletubby?  If she doesn't want to style it or wants to keep it out of her face while cooking then just put it in a nice ponytail.   The dye job is not being kept up during filming....I have no clue what she/they are thinking.  If they can keep Anne Burrell's hair from showing roots, then it CAN be done.  She has the most high maintenance dye job ever.

[xaxat]

Man! Giada was determined to get herself some camera time when Bobby was cooking. I laughed when she had such a violent reaction to what was probably a grain of rice sized bite of Cory's pepper. ("Did he ever fess up to that being his?)

58 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

As for the coq au vin....I cannot believe he didn't know what it was.

As a CIA graduate, he knew what it was. And even if he had forgotten the specifics, he would have learned enough "kitchen French" to know the basics.

This episode was a mess over all. Amy got to stick around only because she was the second worst screwup in the challenges.

[lavenderblue]

Watching the show while only semi-paying attention, after the spice fiasco when Giada asked David what he had in his hand, I wondered in the moment if it was possible he'd put dried peppers of some type into the dish, mistaking them for sun-dried tomatoes, and that Cory was somehow covering for the group. I guess not, but that would've been one reason to send him home if they were really going to hang onto Amy (terrible presentations vs. very poor judgment as a food authority).

[Brookside]

2 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Anne's top came from the tin man collection.  

I was going to say I thought she was an extra from Bowie's Space Odyssey.  She can get a lot of mileage from it. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by Brookside

[Brookside]

I used to have some sympathy for Matthew (I have no idea why), but pretending he doesn't know what coq au vin is has taken him beyond the pale.

[BabyVegas]

23 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I wish Bobby had given Matthew a harder time for not knowing what coq au vin is.

But seriously. Coq au vin is a total mainstay classic. And even if he hadn't already known what it was, the name makes it pretty easy to guess. Rooster with wine. Riff from there.

Quote

Matthew seems more than ever like a calculated FN stunt to me.  His arrogance has become so cartoonish, I just can't invest anymore.

Yeah, I'm thinking this more and more. Between his arrogance and not knowing a basic cooking school dish, I have to assume that he was brought back purely to get a rise out of viewers. 

[Wings]

Two threads,  @GenL.  Can you delete one please?  Thanks

[GaT]

Matthew “I’m a professional chef” Grunwald doesn’t know what coq au vin is? I have trouble with boiling water & I know what it is, where did he go to culinary school, Burger King University?

Anne Burrell’s fake bake with her white, Gumby hairdo make her look like a cupcake.

And once again, Matthew decides what the group will do, & then thinks he should be the one to present. He better not win this thing because he is on my last nerve.

Why did David have to get eliminated, why couldn’t it be Matthew?

[HappyDancex2]

"Jadda likes to see me...sweat."  Ugh.  Get a room.

Who's David?!  He was decidedly unmemorable...which is bad for a FN personality.  Matthew is memorable...thus cook cockroach will continue to show up on FN shows as the antagonist.

amy needs to go like yesterday....she's awkward, let's move on.

[Catronia]

Yeah, there is no way Matthew went to the CIA and wasn't at least familiar with coq au vin. And what was with putting a bunch of chipotles in adobo in there AND bragging about taking only 20 minutes? Good for Jason for cutting him out of the presentation! I've been waiting for him to come up against Jason or Cory, who wouldn't take much of his nonsense.

Bobby taking the skin off the duck baffled me. Score the skin, season, into the pan. There's a whole hour to cook it, and it just sits there and cooks. Check on it every now and then, remove the fat if it's getting deep. The gravy is made separately, so can be done in the meantime.

Amy survives, despite her proven inability to talk on camera? Hmph. Also, she was an idiot not to think of chili-flavored meatballs.

I'm rooting for Cory, but he has to chill with the heat and/or salt. First, the chilis freaked them out, then his duck dish was too salty. I don't mind Rusty.

David? Don't care.

[Snarklepuss]

Oh puhleeze, with Matthew feigning ignorance about the coq a vin.  I wouldn't blame his teachers at the CIA for wanting to slap him for making them look bad.  This guy's whole life is food and he never would have gotten through the CIA without not only hearing about it but cooking it, I'm sure.  What is he trying to do, dumb himself down to appear more "relatable"?  He must remember back when Kermit and Medusa used to slap people on the wrist for using too many uppity French culinary terms.  I am betting that whoever said he was someone at FN's annoying nephew is right given that I just found out he has worked for Scripps since 2013.

I was so hoping it was Amy going home this week and her very rare steak and horrible presentation certainly made her a prime candidate for that, so of course what do they do?  Send David home.  Typical.  I knew he would not be long behind her if she went home anyway and who cares, so whatever.

Giada trying to be cute annoying Bobby while he was cooking was not entertaining.  There's something creepy about their relationship, especially from her to him.  Just ewww.

I love the jokes about Anne's hair.  It's actually less bizarre than it used to be.  Amy's hair is wild just because she's always running in 50 directions, and she  looks like she's suffering from adrenal fatigue.

I'm not so sure that in past seasons being sick for a segment would have been handled so leniently.  Like put him in the "Beat Bobby" segment to give him more to overcome or something.  I still think he may be getting the winner's edit, but I like him so I'm OK with this.

[lanter]

Quote

Yeah, there is no way Matthew went to the CIA and wasn't at least familiar with coq au vin.

Hell, I knew what that was and my "culinary expertise" comes from following the directions on a Hello Fresh recipe card. With the edit Matthew is getting there is no way he wins this.

[spiderpig]

Whoa!  New production crew or what?  This episode was much better thought-out than those we've seen this season.

On a completely superficial level - regarding Amy's top-notch, anybody remember the old comic book Li'l Audrey?

Coq au vin, fer Dawg's sake.  As if he couldn't be more irritating.  Yes, we notice you.  We hate you.  Go away!

The "Cory is ill" thing was odd.  How did they know he'd be well enough for the rest of the episode?  It sounded that way.

Oh, that's right - I liked this episode for the most part.  The challenges were interesting.  Matthew looked like an idiot (yay!).  Bobby getting down and dirty with the contestants was fun, regardless the outcome.

We're winding down.  When is the next food fight (any network) scheduled?  I can't help it.  I have no life.

[Evangeline]

Matthew they're obviously keeping around for entertainment value, it seems none consider him a serious contender and Giada doesn't hide her annoyance at him -- there's no way he's getting a winner's edit.  Knowing that, I don't mind him sticking around, because the others would be too boring without a villain. 

Amy they're keeping around because she's the last girl, and it would look bad to have all men. Plus, her food has been pretty consistently good it seems (which is impressive). The only flaw in her steak was that it was rare, but that is how many eat steak. I was served way too rare steak when I ordered a medium rare steak at a Jean Georges restaurant, so I agree with her assessment that it's better to go with undercooked than overcooked.  I also had a filet served to me at another Jean Georges restaurant (Jean Georges in New York) that didn't have the appearance of Bobby's filet, the last time I saw a steak with a similar appearance was the one time I ate at The Sizzler. (Needless to say, I'm not a Jean Georges fan, but many are, so these anecdotes are on point.) Plus, she knew how to cook steak (or could have known) -- it was an accident that caused the problem, not the result of a lack of knowledge.  I find myself rooting for her, I actually like her personality - I find her funny, somebody I'd be friends with. Given her difficulties with presenting, she's not likely to win this -- but I want her to stick around.

Cory has an ego and I think his talking heads are sometimes mean, but I'd probably date him. Not sure if I'd watch him. 

David was forgettable and I find Rusty forgettable too. Jason is memorable but not in a particularly good way.  Glad they corrected Rusty's Bongiorno this time -- I was quite shocked they didn't the first time.  I think he should have been criticized more for that -- if you sound like an idiot, you won't come across as a food authority. 

I wondered what they'd do if all 3 beat Bobby Flay. They would either send nobody home and send 2 home the next week, or it was rigged.

I met Giada in person once and she managed to piss me off in the 5 seconds I interacted with her. But I do find her entertaining on this show.  The contestants really ought to learn how to pronounce her name before coming on the show. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by Evangeline

[LennieBriscoe]

Incompetent Amy will remain for several  more weeks, being the lone woman standing. 

Cory might be next to go,  what with tonight's partial absence and his fiery chilies followed by his excess salt. 

Jason's "reward" of team captain for winning the stupid "hand-held" challenge was very lame.  (And why should  Amy have thought  of making meatballs? Do people eat  meatballs in one hand?)

Giada's teeth would scare off a Great White.

So basically this episode was a commercial for BF's show? All-righty, then. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by LennieBriscoe

[cooksdelight]

3 hours ago, spiderpig said:

The "Cory is ill" thing was odd.  How did they know he'd be well enough for the rest of the episode?  It sounded that way

They most likely edited it two ways... he'll be back, or he's ill and won't be returning. To cover their asses either way.

I remember when Angelo Sosa got ill when they were in Singapore for Top Chef. He couldn't do anything but curl up in bed in pain. His sous chef did most of the pre-prep work and Angelo pulled it together enough to do the final cooking, but he was eliminated. So, it does happen on these shows and production gives them every opportunity to get better quickly.

[smiley13]

They probably filmed the two segments of this show on different days, so Cory was better for the second day with the elimination challenge.  I wonder what would have happened if he had been unable to film the second part though?

[smiley13]

4 hours ago, Evangeline said:

I met Giada in person once and she managed to piss me off in the 5 seconds I interacted with her. But I do find her entertaining on this show.  The contestants really ought to learn how to pronounce her name before coming on the show. 

Her name was always pronounced Gee-Ah-Da until recently when some seem to try to soften and blend the first two syllables together.  

[cooksdelight]

He would have been eliminated.

[Hotel Diva]

Ok, so episode 69 of Bratty Matty: Matthew guesses what coq au vin is, then finds out and gets a poor score on his food. Interesting.

I'm sorry, but letting a contestant lay in bed ill during a competition is a stupid idea. Very stupid.

Amy should have been sent home instead of David.

[Whimsy]

6 hours ago, wings707 said:

Two threads,  @GenL.  Can you delete one please?  Thanks

Hey guys.  Just so you know- I have all the threads started they're just hidden so you can't see them.  I know I didn't unhide it before the show started, but I did before it was over.  It's locked until it's over anyway.  Thanks to @cooksdelight for having my back, but no need to start the episode threads for the rest of the season! 

[Whimsy]

8 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Amy's hair is also ridiculous.  Why does she take a section of it and knot it on the top of her head like a teletubby?  If she doesn't want to style it or wants to keep it out of her face while cooking then just put it in a nice ponytail.   The dye job is not being kept up during filming....I have no clue what she/they are thinking.  If they can keep Anne Burrell's hair from showing roots, then it CAN be done.  She has the most high maintenance dye job ever.

So, the weird knot thing on top of the head is a current fashion trend.  I have no idea why.  I just think it's typically on younger girls.  My daughter is 23 and she and her peers wear their hair like this.  I also think that her hair is an ombre or a balayage.  In other words- I think she's making purposeful decision to have her hair look like that.   

[Wings]

I said, to Amy, NO! not a fritter! make little fried or baked dough cups to hold your chili!  She ignored my suggestion.  They always do.  

 This has been a predictable season but they all are.  I don't see that anything is rigged for Jason, he is the best one there and has the most to offer the network with his baking skill and ease on camera.  He would never fail enough to be below the others even if on a losing team.

The tomato challenge was pretty silly and boring.  With only 20 minutes, of course they were going to make salads.   

I despise Ann. 

Edited July 19, 2017 by wings707

[AZChristian]

My favorite part was when Matt was insisting he should make the presentation, up to and including the smug look on his face when the team was asked, "Who will do your presentation?"

Jason:  "I will."

Cut to Matt, trying not to look incredulous.

[Gbb]

26 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

My favorite part was when Matt was insisting he should make the presentation, up to and including the smug look on his face when the team was asked, "Who will do your presentation?"

Jason:  "I will."

Cut to Matt, trying not to look incredulous.

I still think Cory could bring something really valuable to FN long term, but Jason became my front-runner and favorite in that moment. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

4 minutes ago, Gbb said:

I still think Cory could bring something really valuable to FN long term, but Jason became my front-runner and favorite in that moment. 

I like both of them. The only thing that bugs me about Cory is his beard; it's too thick. As for Jason, he's doing well, but that voice and his sayings seem more like a schtick and he comes off as a caricature. I can't take him seriously because of it. 

[cooksdelight]

Jason is starting to bug me, with "honey" this and "honey" that. I am a southerner, we just don't talk that way. Unless we're drunk.

[Gbb]

14 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Jason is starting to bug me, with "honey" this and "honey" that. I am a southerner, we just don't talk that way. Unless we're drunk.

No, we don't.  I do know a couple of guys who talk a lot like that but they're the kind of person who's always "on." It's tiring in real life. I suspect producers have to told him to dial it up. At least I hope that's what it is.

Edited July 17, 2017 by Gbb

[MortysCleaningLady]

I concur on all the "Coq au Vin" comments.   Seriously, without knowing French at all, I know au vin means with wine.   Coq is a pretty easy guess.   His deep fat fried chicken and veggies in a fried pastry looked terrible.   And, no it has no need for peppers.  I kind of thought the pot roast sandwich David was assigned was too easy compared to the chili con carne ball (yes, it should have been a meatball) or whatever Rusty had to make.

 

Was anyone else thrilled that the camera man got the shot of Giada spitting out food?  Sure, it was a pepper that 'may' have been too spicy for the dish, but  we all know what's going on!  

 

Can we start to give the contestants more time?   Fire roasted tomato salad and tomato carpaccio aren't really cooking.

[Snarklepuss]

5 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Jason is starting to bug me, with "honey" this and "honey" that. I am a southerner, we just don't talk that way. Unless we're drunk.

I know, when he talks I think he should be from the deep south 50 years ago, not Kentucky!  I know Jason puts that stuff on because Damaris is from Kentucky and the way she speaks seems believable.  I worked with a man from Kentucky and he sounded like Damaris a bit, but to my northern ear Jason seems like he's channeling Paula Deen!

[catrice2]

Oh I never thought David would win it or even stay around long, I just find it bizarre the way they did it.  it seems like they had another contestant similar to him just a few seasons ago.

 Bobby Flay taking the skin off the duck and then those sad looking vegetables? If they knew that he didn't have time to make all three of the dishes then that was a challenge that was not fairly presented . As far as Amy's food..... this show is so funny and manipulative how do we know how her food tastes? For the most part you have Bobby and Giada's word for that as well as the other Food Network stars who have their contract with the network so what does that mean?

Matthew is a joke but I thought that the first time he was on this show. He has one of those faces that you just would not want to look at everyday. For that matter I think Jason can cook but his voice and all his little sayings would get on my nerves for a full show. 

 now that I'm actually thinking about it I wouldn't want to see any of those that are left have a show.

If I had to choose it would be Amy or Cory. She is definitely getting the slow starter come back edit.

[Madding crowd]

I didn't have a problem with Cory taking the first challenge off. They don't want sick people around food and it's not something under his control. I imagine if he was not well enough for the elimination challenge he would be out but I just don't see penalizing people for being sick. 

I enjoyed this episode minus Giada acting ridiculous and calling herself Bobby's 'towel girl'.I think Bobby left the skin off the duck because he just had too many things to do and he couldn't keep an eye on cooking the duck for a longer period. I was surprised Amy wasn't the one to go, but they probably wanted a woman to stay on and it was a toss up between her and David.

I wasn't a fan of Jason on the Baking Championship and don't much like him here, but I appreciate the professional way he handled the team challenge and handled Matthew. I just don't believe he acts that way or talks that way  in real life so it bugs me. It's one thing to exaggerate a bit, but the constant southerisms and honey's come across as phony. Hope Cory wins.

[beverlyoc]

Please don't throw any tomatoes at me (carpaccio or roasted), but Matthew is beginning to grow on me.  His comments towards his fellow cheftesants are generally supportive and he seems pleased when they are doing well and/or improving.  I think he has an unfortunate face - that half smile that looks like a smirk may be his equivalent of RBF,  and he doesn't hide his emotions well.  Coq a vin aside, he seems to have a good knowledge of food, and cooks well.

[Totale]

59 minutes ago, catrice2 said:

now that I'm actually thinking about it I wouldn't want to see any of those that are left have a show.

Don't worry.  They won't.