S13.E10: Who Wants a Pilot?

[Blonde Gator]

4 hours ago, smiley13 said:

Actually the feedback on the Food Network Facebook page was very pro Matthew.  Perhaps he is not as disliked as posters here seem to think.

I wonder how much he pays for "fake followers".  Lots of that crap on Social Media. 

[TomCorps]

1 hour ago, snowydaze said:

I don't see Jason's folksy personality helping the image of southerners.

Not sure if you were responding to my previous comment, and I certainly see your point, but I would make a fine distinction.  Kentucky is southern like Louisiana in the same way that Maine is northern like Connecticut.  With its mountainous regions and proximity to the Midwest, I sense that Kentucky is closer in spirit to West Virginia than to Alabama or Mississippi.  Of course, I'm not only no authority on all this, I'm a freakin' New Yorker, so what do I know?  

I guess what I was trying to say is that Jason could shed light on the food and culture of those border states that, while justifiably "southern" to most people, have a unique identity that isn't Paula Deen's South.  Would most people see the difference?  Probably not, but that's what I was thinking, anyway.

[MortysCleaningLady]

So, in the final two, we get the hated contestant who, aside from boring us with a personal story/ lie about a food item, did an excellent presentation and a weepy yeller, who breaks down over a story about sausage balls and chow chow.   The yeller, who happens to have a very personal connection to Zac Brown and can get him for a personal phone call wins.   Is my tin foil hat showing?  

 

P.S.  The soap operas will not be calling Matthew for any crying scenes anytime soon.  I was genuinely disappointed for him until he had that crying thing.   Poor little millennial.

[Blonde Gator]

2 hours ago, snowydaze said:

I think Jason was better on the baking championship.  Now it seems as though he found out his little persona helped him win, so he is overdoing it.  It seems a bit forced and like it's so exaggerated.

I don't see Jason's folksy personality helping the image of southerners. If anything, like Paula, he is acting like a stereotype.

Even Damaris with her nasal, twangy voice at times can be irritating.  

I also find Damiano who is everywhere now annoying.

I know FN likes people who "stand out", but sometimes it's nice to just have a good chef who    is good on camera, and stop with the little gimmicks.

Exactly.  That's why I'm an Ann Burrell fan.  She rocks it in the kitchen, I've cooked several of her more complicated recipes (the Hawaiian pork was out-of-this world), she's always spot-on, and it's very apparent she also writes her own recipes.   I don't care for her yelling (Worst Cooks), but she is not only an excellent chef, she's a great teacher as well.  I want to watch a chef who can TEACH me things. 

I want to learn how to make Cory's dish from last night (and several others he's done).  He's got kind a unique take on the traditional La. cuisine, less Cajun/Creole and more of a regional take.  Slightly different.  AND interesting.   But I don't think he's judge material....I want to see him Stand & Stir.  Or, like last night, go on DATES and talk about food.  "Date Night With Cory".  There's a show!  Heh. 

[Blonde Gator]

21 minutes ago, TomCorps said:

Not sure if you were responding to my previous comment, and I certainly see your point, but I would make a fine distinction.  Kentucky is southern like Louisiana in the same way that Maine is northern like Connecticut.  With its mountainous regions and proximity to the Midwest, I sense that Kentucky is closer in spirit to West Virginia than to Alabama or Mississippi.  Of course, I'm not only no authority on all this, I'm a freakin' New Yorker, so what do I know?  

I guess what I was trying to say is that Jason could shed light on the food and culture of those border states that, while justifiably "southern" to most people, have a unique identity that isn't Paula Deen's South.  Would most people see the difference?  Probably not, but that's what I was thinking, anyway.

You're pretty intuitive for a New Yorker (sorry, SoFla bias here, we have "issues" with many New Yorkers, LOL).  Things vary all over the south, there's Pee-Can pie, and Puh-cahn pie.  As well as different bbq sauces within the carolinas....sweet, tomato based vs. vinegar & mustard based.  "Southern" is not a one style-fits-all cuisine, as you pointed out.

I was also impressed with the picture of Jason's farms, and wanted to hear more about how he farms the nuts.  I think it was Giada who said "oh, so Nuts and Bourbon are an important flavor combo for Kentucky",  OWTTE, which was an on-point observation for Jason's dish and presentation.  I'm not a Jason fan, BTW, but I'd give that dessert a try, it was unique and different. 

[Hockeymom]

28 minutes ago, MortysCleaningLady said:

Poor little millennial.

Why does everyone hate millennials? 

[larsonb]

1 hour ago, bad things are bad said:

My avatar is the picture of Elaine answering Jerry about whether she faked "it": 

JERRY: What about the breathing, the panting, the moaning, the screaming?

ELAINE: Fake, fake, fake, fake.

I think this show is fake, fake, fake, fake. 

ITA!   The last few winners have done nothing..  Where is Aaron McCargo?   Before they would at least get a show for a few weeks, now it's maybe judging some competition.   

Also, the FN has hired that new woman  - Hart??.   She is doing a new show. I saw her on Kelly and Ryan, she was demonstrating some recipe and was horrible!   She said she got it from the Food Network, but seemed to know nothing about it! 

I think FN star used to really be a show to find a new host of a cooking show, now it's just a reality show, complete with weird characters and drama. 

[Amarsir]

4 hours ago, parrotfeathers said:

Also, more than one person has mentioned the immaturity and know it all personality of Matthew.  

That reminds me: a prevailing theory on Matthew not knowing coq au vin and loco moco was that they asked him to play dumb, right? Well what if that was his idea? What if he was told he was coming off as a know-it-all and that was his "trick" for correcting it? It has that level of clumsiness to it, and that's much more in keeping with reality tv: producers don't tell people to lie so much as suggest what they want and look the other way when participants craft their own lies.

[smiley13]

37 minutes ago, Hockeymom said:

Why does everyone hate millennials? 

I just hate the term millennials.

[Pallida]

This episode showcased the stupidity of the "story" emphasis. Matthew is 24 and appears to not have had to struggle in life. He doesn't have life experience to have the sappy stories, but that doesn't mean his food can't be good. 

I liked how happy Cao and Cory seemed when they were paired up. That was personality that neither seem to show on camera during the challenges. Once again, I think it's the format of the show that's destroying their chances for success on camera. 

I'm glad Jason didn't get overly dinged for the alcohol not being burned off. I'll believe the above poster that the flames didn't need to be so high, but Suzanne still removed it from heat long before he was ready for it to be off. She clearly didn't know how to burn off alcohol, but was too scared of it to follow directions. 

If Rusty can get over his nerves, I think he could be a good host for shows where he doesn't have to cook. (I don't have an opinion about his food.) I think a music and food show could be nifty. But probably too expensive....

[larsonb]

Ultimately,  Jason was responsible for his dish,  even if Suzanne was an idiot and turned off the flame.    

I agree that the 'story' aspect is so ridiculous.   How can you present a dish and tell a story in one minute or a few minutes?   I would like to see any of the hosts do that!  They all have half hour shoes.   Not to mention, Bobby and Giada were both horrible on camera when they began.     Maybe it might be more important to pick a good chef, and teach them to be on camera if you can do that.  It's ridiculous that they expect them to be ready to not be on camera, but to be doing a millions things in an impossibly short amount of time, something that would never happen for a real FN personality.

[spiderpig]

15 minutes ago, larsonb said:

It's ridiculous that they expect them to be ready to not be on camera, but to be doing a millions things in an impossibly short amount of time, something that would never happen for a real FN personality.

This.  I wonder how many takes are required to make it look like Giada is actually putting food in her mouth.

Not that we get to see her chew and swallow.

[Lura]

I was so excited when Corey stepped out tonight!  Talk about an hour of pressure for all of them!  I felt so sorry for Jason, stuck with Mizz Detroit for a sous chef.  I wanted him to skin her alive for overriding him and turning the burner off under his sauce.  I thought for sure he'd request a different sous.  My heart bled for Rusty when he went brain dead during his presentation.  But how about that happy ending?  Instead of Rusty going home, it was Matthew, the same way as last time!  I would be lying if I said I was sorry, but I did feel sorry for him.  His heart was set on winning this thing, and apparently he was oblivious to all the hard feelings he caused during the competition.  Or he is one brilliant actor.  I told myself all along that if he lost, he'd make a scene of it.  In a way, he's a very sad case.  I am so very happy, though, that the final three are the ones I liked the most and the ones I felt deserved to be in that position.

Speaking of Matthew, though, I do have to say that I think the REAL losers are the people who tweet him now, after his loss, telling him how glad they are to have him gone.  It seems a little bit low to me to kick a person after he's down.

One more hurdle for all of them...!  As bad as this show was this season, I'll miss it.  I blame that on the lack of good programming.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Lura

[catrice2]

I'm sorry, Matthew is no more annoying than some previous Food Network personalities.  This show is so fake that it is hard to watch.  It was clear that they wanted Matthew to go far, but not win, and that Rusty s being pushed along.  Corey is so bland, Rusty screams and his food doesn't look that great to me, and Jason just seems to be limited in what he can make. 

I would take Matthew over Jason and Rusty. Rusty with his screaming and Jason with his fake sayings.  No one, and I mean no one I know from the South talks like that in every sentence.  Also, does he have a lazy eye?  Hard for me to tell behind the glasses.   Matthew just seemed to be playing the role that they assigned him and seems to have difficulty displaying a real emotion. 

I don't know why I watch this show. I like the competitive reality shows .  I don't, however, watch any cooking shows.  They had an old Giada episode playing in the doctor's office the other day....lord, her teeth are really too much.   I also felt as if she could have washed her hands or wiped the knives with a different towel.  Just no. 

[SoCal Mema]

5 hours ago, snowydaze said:

I think Jason was better on the baking championship.  Now it seems as though he found out his little persona helped him win, so he is overdoing it.  It seems a bit forced and like it's so exaggerated.

 

I dunno, maybe it's just me, but isn't he supposed to try to win?  If over-exaggeration does it, then I say go for it.  It's really no different than others who have forced stories down our throats, or pushed "catch" phrases or behaviors.  Like Tregaye.  He may not be everyone's cup of tea, but he (and anyone else) should capitalize on what is working for him to be the winner.

[Madding crowd]

I agree that Matthew, while unlikable was way better at everything than Rusty. I guess they didn't like him not coming up with a grandpa story. I thought I would be really happy when Matthew was eliminated but now I'm just scratching my head because he did way better than Rusty. As for Jason, I thought he was completely fake on the baking show and I still feel the same way. No one talks like that in real life. As for his food: he is very good at making desserts but none of his regular food seem all that creative. They could probably have him on some kind of dessert show. I don't mind Cory. I didn't like him at first, but he is first rate chef and you don't have scream or talk about buttering your butt to be good at presenting information. 

I assume Jason will win due to his Foghorn Leghorn personality.  Calling a Chef you don't know honey numerous times on the air should be criteria for firing, but the judges eat that up. And what about his personal stories: I grow hazelnuts on my farm so I added it to my dessert. Really anyone could up with something like that. 

[hula-la]

2 hours ago, Pallida said:

 

If Rusty can get over his nerves, I think he could be a good host for shows where he doesn't have to cook. (I don't have an opinion about his food.) I think a music and food show could be nifty. But probably too expensive....

That would be a cool premise for a show--the sorts of food that chefs/caterers prepare for bands or other performers when they're on tour. I'm assuming that they probably do it on the tour bus, which could also be framed as "hey, look what you can do in your smaller kitchen".  I'd watch that show, even if it hand on a performer I'd never heard of.

[backformore]

I didn't like Matthew in previous seasons.   But, he's grown and made some changes, and I liked him on this show.  I felt bad that he wasn't going further, because I can see a market for his videos.  He seems pretty intelligent, and he is a lot less annoying than he used to be. 

Rusty, on the other hand, doesn't seem very bright, and I can't stand his YELLING.  But I guess seeing him with Guy F, I guess some people will watch a show where  a guy yells about food.  

[Hockeymom]

I know I sound like a broken record, but, I truly hate the stories!!!! I could not possibly care less why a dish is personal to anyone. The fact that you and your dad bonded over fishing is only relevant if it gave you the opportunity to learn how to cook fish.  Even then, just casually work it in. The story should enhance the presentation, be a little tid-bit, not the starring role. An actual, organic story is fine. Making them tell one every time just forces a disingenuous interaction.

You don't need to have a deep personal connection to Lasagne to show me how to cook it properly. If this recipe is your favorite, you can tell me, but only if explains why this version tastes better. Don't tell me it reminds you of your grandmother, her kitchen, your childhood, etc. I don't know her. I don't share your memories. I don't even know if she's a good cook!  I just want a recipe that tastes good. If this recipe is delicious because of something your grandmother did, then sure, let me in on it. But if it's just a warm and fuzzy "story", let's move on.

They have always told stories to personalize the food and it never bothered me like it does now. I remember Rachel Ray telling a story of how her dad loved the crunchy parts of the stuffing. So she developed a way to maximize the edges by cooking the stuffing in a muffin tin. That was a great story because she made it relevant to me. It was, "this is why I do it, this is how I do it, and here's how you can do it". We still cook our stuffing that way to this day!

So I guess I don't mind a story with a purpose. I just don't want the obligatory trip down memory lane.

Someone upthread mentioned that if they don't have a personal story about the dish, they could tell a little bit of the history of recipe. Perhaps some interesting fact. I would be all for that! I watch these cooking shows to learn. It's supposed to be all about the food, right?

[hula-la]

18 minutes ago, Hockeymom said:

I know I sound like a broken record, but, I truly hate the stories!!!! I could not possibly care less why a dish is personal to anyone. The fact that you and your dad bonded over fishing is only relevant if it gave you the opportunity to learn how to cook fish.  Even then, just casually work it in. The story should enhance the presentation, be a little tid-bit, not the starring role. An actual, organic story is fine. Making them tell one every time just forces a disingenuous interaction.

You don't need to have a deep personal connection to Lasagne to show me how to cook it properly. If this recipe is your favorite, you can tell me, but only if explains why this version tastes better. Don't tell me it reminds you of your grandmother, her kitchen, your childhood, etc. I don't know her. I don't share your memories. I don't even know if she's a good cook!  I just want a recipe that tastes good. If this recipe is delicious because of something your grandmother did, then sure, let me in on it. But if it's just a warm and fuzzy "story", let's move on.

They have always told stories to personalize the food and it never bothered me like it does now. I remember Rachel Ray telling a story of how her dad loved the crunchy parts of the stuffing. So she developed a way to maximize the edges by cooking the stuffing in a muffin tin. That was a great story because she made it relevant to me. It was, "this is why I do it, this is how I do it, and here's how you can do it". We still cook our stuffing that way to this day!

So I guess I don't mind a story with a purpose. I just don't want the obligatory trip down memory lane.

Someone upthread mentioned that if they don't have a personal story about the dish, they could tell a little bit of the history of recipe. Perhaps some interesting fact. I would be all for that! I watch these cooking shows to learn. It's supposed to be all about the food, right?

That reminds me of this review of Osteria Francescana, which is considered the best restaurant in the world (according to the 50 best restaurant list). https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/dec/03/best-restaurant-world-hype-osteria-francescana-tanya-gold. Basically, as the chef, Massimo Bottura, bases so many of his dishes on memories, the reviewer felt that it was useless for anyone who didn't share said memory. Having said that, I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to eat there!

[Thalia]

2 hours ago, larsonb said:

Ultimately,  Jason was responsible for his dish,  even if Suzanne was an idiot and turned off the flame.    

 

During the show, I wasn't sure what Jason could have done to stop Suzanne, short of setting her on fire and putting the pot on her head.  They showed him tell her multiple times to leave it be.   

But, having given it more thought, I guess he should have walked over to Suzanne, looked at the pot and, in a calm manner, told her that things looked good and explained that the fire would extinguish itself once the alcohol had burned out.  Jason was clearly in a hurry AND frustrated with being saddled with her as a helper, and that didn't help matters.  

[Pallida]

17 minutes ago, Thalia said:

During the show, I wasn't sure what Jason could have done to stop Suzanne, short of setting her on fire and putting the pot on her head.  They showed him tell her multiple times to leave it be.   

But, having given it more thought, I guess he should have walked over to Suzanne, looked at the pot and, in a calm manner, told her that things looked good and explained that the fire would extinguish itself once the alcohol had burned out.  Jason was clearly in a hurry AND frustrated with being saddled with her as a helper, and that didn't help matters.  

They had the pressure of putting out a dish that would presumably require two people to complete in 45 minutes. I think all of the contestants and helpers were or should have been in a hurry, but he was stuck with a dead weight.  I'm cynical.

 

54 minutes ago, Hockeymom said:

I know I sound like a broken record, but, I truly hate the stories!!!! I could not possibly care less why a dish is personal to anyone. The fact that you and your dad bonded over fishing is only relevant if it gave you the opportunity to learn how to cook fish.  Even then, just casually work it in. The story should enhance the presentation, be a little tid-bit, not the starring role. An actual, organic story is fine. Making them tell one every time just forces a disingenuous interaction.

I'll harmonize with your broken record! I think Cory did a decent job of working it in without the story being the total emphasis. I was left wondering though if he cooked this dish out in nature since it seems like it could be done over a campfire. That's the kind of story I would enjoy. 

[Thalia]

I haven't watched Top Chef in a few years, but I seem to recall that when they bring back former chefs to work as sous chefs in a final, they bring contestants who last until near the end of the competition.  You sometimes have the drama of a finalist being saddled with someone he or she couldn't stand, but at least that person had basic skills and had seen a vanilla bean. 

[whinewithwine]

I'm glad Cory made it back as he's the only one I think is a well rounded chef.  I can't stand the direction that FN has taken....I don't travel and don't want to watch ANYBODY who just travels around, shoveling food. ....looking at you, Guy/Rusty.  

And yes, I'm old (66 this month), so the constant begging for attention on facebook/twitter/instagram, means nothing to me.  Like another poster, I always enjoyed Anne Burrell's "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef", because I always learned a new technique.  And for the life of me, I can't remember a single time she rambled on with a stupid story about every dish, and I'm glad, because I don't give a rat's ass.

Looks like the Bieber wannabe has a different hair color for the finale.

Me need wine.

[Catronia]

I really hope Cory wins. He's a real chef, whose food looks delicious (duck with red eye gravy! Mmmm). Easy on the eyes, too, and his presentations are steadily improving. AFAIK, FN doesn't have a Louisiana cooking show, and Louisiana cuisine is quite distinct from any other cuisine, including that of the traditional South.

Rusty is just another Big Guy blowhard.

I can barely endure Jason's ridiculous and excessive "folksy" sayings. I'm not very interested in baking or putting bourbon in everything I make. And doesn't FN already have enough "country home cooking" shows? They could just stick Jason's "Kentucky Country Cookin', Honey" between Pioneer Woman and whatever the Tricia Yearwood show is called (if it's still on?).

ETA: I would've liked to see Jason work with country ham (much more interesting than the ubiquitous bacon), but I guess they didn't supply any in the pantry. Also, Jason, not everything is special to Kentucky. Bourbon, yes. Bacon, hmm, pretty popular across the U.S. These days, they're making "artisanal" bacon in Brooklyn. Nuts, no. Traditional French bourgeois cuisine, very much no. Is there something wrong with "this is new to me, but slap my ass and call me spanky, I can't wait to try it!"

Edited August 8, 2017 by Catronia

[Psychobunny]

Rusty mentioned he was on Guy's Big Bite twice.  I thought that was an actual cooking show.  Does that mean they knew each other before?

[SingleMaltBlonde]

I would actually watch a Jason baking show....but I am not interested in the existing shows where people travel around eating large food.

It all depends on who you ask if Kentucky is "southern"...it's probably more accurately Appalachian and was in the Civil War considered a border state.  I don't find Jason's folksiness as forced as some.  But I am getting tired of the plethora of contestants who seem to think they came up with a unique idea because the cook "southern" or add bacon to everything.

[Pallida]

It looks like Rusty was first on Guy's Big Bite because of the Zac Brown Band Eat and Greet Tour: https://www.fastcompany.com/1792293/zac-browns-eat-greet-tour-serves-fans-grits-hits

http://tasteofcountry.com/zac-brown-band-chef-rusty-hamlin-guys-big-bite/

[Catronia]

50 minutes ago, SingleMaltBlonde said:

It all depends on who you ask if Kentucky is "southern"...it's probably more accurately Appalachian and was in the Civil War considered a border state. ...  But I am getting tired of the plethora of contestants who seem to think they came up with a unique idea because the cook "southern" or add bacon to everything.

Now, that might be interesting if Jason were willing to angle that way. "The Appalachians define a mountainous territory ranging through the "border states" of the Civil War. I'm from mountain country in Kentucky, and I'd like to tell you about our food, honey." He could add a little more history of Appalachia with each new dish. (Sigh, I just realized I'm dreaming. FN would never do something that interesting.)

[Gbb]

5 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

As for Jason, I thought he was completely fake on the baking show and I still feel the same way. No one talks like that in real life. 

As a Southerner, I can tell you that while most of us definitely don't talk that way, there are people who talk a lot like Jason. That doesn't mean he isn't laying it on a little thick; I tend to think he is. But he's not so far removed from a few people I've known that he seems unreal to me  

 

2 hours ago, whinewithwine said:

Looks like the Bieber wannabe has a different hair color for the finale.

 

You mean a different wig? ;)

[Lura]

As if it isn't already obvious, I'm a Cory fan, but I'd LOVE to watch a baking show with Jason.  I've always liked Jason since I saw him on the baking show.  IMHO, Jason is highly intelligent, and he doesn't miss a trick.  I mean that in a good way.  Again IMHO, he's crafty, sly like a fox.  He takes everything in.  I feel that his sayings, like his shirts and his stories, are part of a loveable act he's put together to gain attention and to cause people to remember him.  That's not a fault unless he carries it too far, which he's been known to do.  I'm sure he talks with a lot of expressions, but not to the extent that he does on this show.  I don't feel that he's overdone his talk about Kentucky.  Look at Demaris!  I thought she couldn't get two words out without bragging about where she's from!

Whether Jason wins this show or not, I think the FN would be passing up a great opportunity if they didn't hire Jason for his own show.  He has a bag of baking tricks unlike any I've seen another baker have, and I think he'd be a very good teacher.  I'd love for Cory to have his own cooking show, especially with his new laid back style, but what are the chances of the FN supporting a serious cooking show these days?  Zero.  And I think if they relegated Cory to a show like GGG, he's be sadly underutilized and frustrated.  With shows like NFNS, the network purports to be looking for serious cooks, but their lineup of fluff tells a different story.  They'd be better hiring Rusty, putting him in a clown suit, and inviting kiddies to participate. 

[LittleIggy]

Will I be shot for saying I like Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives? He really seems to be enjoying himself. I love seeing all of those awesome establishments.

[biakbiak]

6 hours ago, Thalia said:

During the show, I wasn't sure what Jason could have done to stop Suzanne, short of setting her on fire and putting the pot on her head.  They showed him tell her multiple times to leave it be.   

He could have said she could just turn down the heat not turn it off, there was absolutely no reason to have the flame be that high, it's very easy to burn off the alcohol without the huge flames.

[Surrealist]

9 hours ago, catrice2 said:

I'm sorry, Matthew is no more annoying than some previous Food Network personalities.  This show is so fake that it is hard to watch.  It was clear that they wanted Matthew to go far, but not win, and that Rusty s being pushed along.  Corey is so bland, Rusty screams and his food doesn't look that great to me, and Jason just seems to be limited in what he can make. 

I would take Matthew over Jason and Rusty. Rusty with his screaming and Jason with his fake sayings.  No one, and I mean no one I know from the South talks like that in every sentence.  Also, does he have a lazy eye?  Hard for me to tell behind the glasses.   Matthew just seemed to be playing the role that they assigned him and seems to have difficulty displaying a real emotion. 

I don't know why I watch this show. I like the competitive reality shows .  I don't, however, watch any cooking shows.  They had an old Giada episode playing in the doctor's office the other day....lord, her teeth are really too much.   I also felt as if she could have washed her hands or wiped the knives with a different towel.  Just no. 

 

I don't understand how people seem to think Matthew's the most annoying contestant this show has ever had. I could write a list of the show's annoying contestants. Like the three finalists this season.

Well, Cory isn't so much obnoxious as he is a snob. I'd eat his food though. At least he has the talent aspect down. He's improved somewhat in his presentation skills, but still comes across as wooden.

Jason seems like a decent guy, but his Southernisms are over-the-top and come across as forced. I think if he laid off the "honey" bit and sounding as if he just came off the Steel Magnolias set, I'd like him better. His savory dishes are inconsistent, but his pastries look pretty damn good.

Rusty is pretty loud, but he seems pretty nice and goofy. However, his food seems inconsistent as well. What confuses me about Rusty is that he's the chef for the Zac Brown Band. Isn't that gig enough for him? Why does he need to compete on Food Network Star? If he wants more exposure or to broaden his base, wouldn't the easiest way to get that done be to use his connection to the band? I would think that being a band's chef would be a great networking angle, so why go on this ridiculous show, which is more about cultivating reality show personalities than giving an up-and-coming chef/cook a show?

Matthew performed better than Rusty. Hell, I'd argue he performed better than Jason. Not one of them hit all their marks in the first challenge.

I like watching cooking shows. Even to the point of where I put up with a show like this, but I couldn't care less about people's personal stories. It's the same with how game show hosts ask the contestants about their personal lives. No one watching genuinely cares that much about a contestant's backstory. The audience doesn't need that extraneous information. Some people's family backgrounds are full of dysfunction, and perhaps, that's why they don't have stories to give. Maybe that's why Matthew doesn't use personal stories to describe his dishes. At any rate, I would rather focus on watching the contestants cook and give food preparation tips. I don't need to hear about their father/grandfather/mom/etc.

Unless it's set up like this: "Today I'm going to make a sweet potato pie because it's something I used to help my grandmother make when I was a child." That's it. No extra details. Just get right to the recipe. 

I'm thinking of Julia, Jacques, Lidia, et. al. and how I can't remember any particular stories they've told the camera. They just talked about the ingredients they were using and gave tips.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Surrealist

[TDT]

18 hours ago, TomCorps said:

All of which leaves only Jason--who I like very much, and enjoy watching in spite of his being "Honey One Note."  I think, out of the realm of this increasingly dumb show, he'd bring greater diversity to his on-air persona, and could teach us about a wide variety of ingredients and techniques.  There's an ugly stereotype about the region he hails from: Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia...  Think Deliverance.  

 

15 hours ago, Hockeymom said:

The first thing he said when he saw Guy was " well butter my butt and call me a biscuit".

 

That "WTF" look on Guy's face was priceless..

The proposed sitcom idea i had mentioned with Jason as a supporting character..what if they did the obligatory"character(s) get sent to prison due to a misunderstanding" episode,and Jason says that line..

Lead character:"Umm,i don't think you should be saying that in a place like this..."  LOL

Edited August 8, 2017 by TDT

[SoCal Mema]

I know Jason isn't everyone's cup of tea, based on  many comments here throughout the season about his over-done Southern accent/commentary.  I thought this article shed a little more light into who he is and I found it endearing how he treasures having learned how to cook while hanging with his grandmother.  I'll be rooting for him.

https://www.kentuckyliving.com/lifestyle/uniquely-kentucky/lord-honey

I do agree with many posters up-thread that during the competition, I could care less about stories.  Just cook really good food, show me some interesting dishes/tips, and dispense with all the over-mugging (Matthew) and elitist ingredients (Cory) stuff.  While I think both Matthew and Cory have cooking cred and many dishes seemed tasty, I have zero interest in watching them on TV.   I'm surprised Rusty made it this far, as he seemed mediocre in both food and on-air challenges a lot.

[candall]

True story:  reading last week's posts, I couldn't conjure up a mental picture of Rusty, even though I've been watching all season. 

 

Naturally, Cory "fought his way back!" and the mustache-twirler villain is out.  They kept the unremarkable Rusty for the early elimination spot in the finale and the only question is whether they've decided to go with 'folksy eccentricity' or something more standard.

Could this show POSSIBLY be more engineered?  Pffft.

Edited August 8, 2017 by candall

[roseslg]

11 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Will I be shot for saying I like Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives? He really seems to be enjoying himself. I love seeing all of those awesome establishments.

Yeah, I've visited some of the places he's been to because I saw them on DDD (awesome taco place in Queens and other NYC places).  I don't like him, but I like the show.  I also don't mind GGG, since I loved watching Supermarket Sweep as a kid (I lead a very exciting life).  Guy seems like a douche though.    Because of the hilarious review in the NYT, a group of friends and I went to his restaurant in Time Square to see if it was bad as described;  it wasn't that bad.  I think Guy Fieri >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Rusty whatever his last name is, and I don't even like Guy!

[Joan van Snark]

" He's got kind a unique take on the traditional La. cuisine, less Cajun/Creole and more of a regional take. Slightly different. AND interesting. But I don't think he's judge material....I want to see him Stand & Stir. Or, like last night, go on DATES and talk about food. "Date Night With Cory". There's a show! Heh. "

That's because Cory is from North Louisiana, which is like a completely different state. Louisiana really has 3 distinct regions---The northern part (which is roughly everything north of Baton Rouge) which is more stereotypically "Southern"--similar to Alabama or Mississippi (think biscuits, fried chicken, butter beans, etc). Southeast Lousiana contains the New Orleans/Baton Rouge metro area, is less rural and has a more cosmopolitan flavor. The classic cuisine purveyed by the grand old restaurants in New Orleans is Creole--which has a more direct link to classic Escoffier-style gourmet French food which was adapted to the raw material available in Louisiana (think Oysters Rockefeller, Trout Amandine). Southwest Louisiana is "Cajun Country". This is the part of the state where most of the true Cajuns (exiled out of Canada) ended up, and the food is much more rustic country French, one-pot, long-cooking type food (jambalaya, andouille and boudin sausage are good examples). Most people don't realize that not all people of French descent in Louisiana are Cajuns. There were French settlers arriving in New Orleans and other settlements in Louisiana for at least 100 years before the "Cajuns" came. The Cajuns were a specific group of people that had migrated first from Canada but were exiled from there and ended up primarily in Southwest Louisiana. I was born and live in Louisiana and although I have French ancestry, I am not Cajun. It's frustrating when everyone assumes otherwise. The differences within Louisiana itself is a great well of potential topics Cory could mine for 'stories' to satisfy Piano Mouth and Howdy Doody. Edited August 8, 2017 by Joan van Snark

[PamelaMaeSnap]

21 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

They could probably have him on some kind of dessert show.

I have pretty much assumed that if Jason DID win this, that's exactly what he'd be doing ... I confess I don't watch the channel 24/7 or enough to know if they already have a glut of baking or dessert shows, but it seems as if the winners of this show that have indeed gotten their own shows (or areas they specialize in), they've been based on that chef's speciality or strength rather than just shoehorning them into something that already exists.

Unlike some of the cooking reality shows, where the contestants have to be able to pretty much do everything, FNS seems to look for a variety of cheftestants with different areas of expertise (and occasionally pitting a few with the same ones head to head, kind of like southern boy meat cookers Rusty and Cory, I guess), all of whom could be going after a different show. 

Also ... in the past, around Top 4 or 5, didn't they used to sit down with each cheftestant and talk to them about where they felt they needed to improve ... usually before pilots, IIRC ... I didn't see them do that this year. I'd have figured they would ask Jason to tone it down just a smidge ... not enough to lose his charm (I do find him charming) but enough that he wouldn't overdue it when he is under pressure. He seems to take direction well and have a real comfort zone with the camera, and I think he could totally fit into a slot they could use, either with a regular show, or maybe guesting on shows that need desserts and for all their holiday shows, party shows, etc. 

For me, Eddie has been the lone winner who I think could really do ANYTHING. I bet Gordon Ramsey is kicking himself for booting him in Top 8 on MC.

[akr]

For my tastes, there's a glut of baking shows, but they're mostly nonsense shows, or competitions.  (The Texas cake couple they've been pushing during FNS, for example, and the whole genre of cake decorating challenges (ugh, I don't care, just make something that tastes good!  All that fondant and focus on structural integrity practically guarantees it's not going to be very good as food.), cupcake shows (are they still on?), etc.).  So, there probably is room for somebody to bake accessible things (and it's fine if he makes them look nice - but in an approachable way).  However, I gather the stand and stir type of show is more expensive to produce than some?  it doesn't look like he needs an excessive number of takes, though, but more likely it'll be the usual run of best thing I ever ate/made, judge on a baking competition, judge for a kids baking competition, etc. 

Eddie, Damaris, and Aarti are my favorites.

I think Rusty's potential (in their eyes) is as someone to take over a DDD type show if Guy doesn't want to do it anymore.  Have him tool around the south with such a show, maybe, or cooking for the band & eating on the road.  Not my thing, but I can see that some people might tune in.

I hope they put up Cory's fish recipe - not that we didn't basically get the recipe - it's free-form enough to figure out - but for timing etc.  It sounded good and pretty simple to do, at least if you have access to lots of fresh herbs.  I don't find him that awkward or snobbish so much as out of his element in some of these challenges - but most of the FN is like this.  How about he and Cao with Anne Burrell or something, or with a rotating stream of the existing FN stable of stars?  Chefs collaborating on the kinds of food they'd cook at home (the SF Chronicle had a great article with recipes on that years ago - my favorite go to from it was Charles Phan's Vietnamese caramel catfish - so, so simple, and tasty).  

I felt for Matthew.  In one of those articles posted earlier, he talked about how he'd geared his entire life (what training to get, etc.) specifically with the goal of winning this show!  That's a stupid goal, but still.  I think he is talented but a little socially awkward and immature, and that it's just not the right niche for him - and I agree with whoever suggested that they may have been doing him a favor, in that really the only way he could be on the FN now without annoying too many people would be to show up later in a sort of quiet redemption.  And - I think that "this would be great at a pool party" is a perfectly adequate story for a guy his age - although, as Rusty said, it sounds like he has a lot of pool parties.  So what - some of the others go on a lot of fishing trips.  

[Pallida]

2 hours ago, roseslg said:

Yeah, I've visited some of the places he's been to because I saw them on DDD (awesome taco place in Queens and other NYC places).  I don't like him, but I like the show.  I also don't mind GGG, since I loved watching Supermarket Sweep as a kid (I lead a very exciting life).  Guy seems like a douche though.    Because of the hilarious review in the NYT, a group of friends and I went to his restaurant in Time Square to see if it was bad as described;  it wasn't that bad.  I think Guy Fieri >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Rusty whatever his last name is, and I don't even like Guy!

I loved Supermarket Sweep! I miss that show... That's probably why the final race-for-the-money part of GGG is my favorite part. I also like that the show donates the food to local organizations. The people I've known who interacted with Guy didn't find him to be a douche, but they weren't working for him, so I can't claim knowledge on how he treats his employees.

[parrotfeathers]

7 hours ago, SoCal Mema said:

I do agree with many posters up-thread that during the competition, I could care less about stories.  

If the current FN chefs were so good at sharing their personal lives, we would have heard from [correction:  I meant to say the Neelys] -- Sunny and she and her husband and their impending divorce (they always looked SO happy); and from Giada and Bobby about their marital problems.    {insert names} for other examples.

Edited August 8, 2017 by parrotfeathers
substituting Neelys for Sunny

[GaT]

On 8/7/2017 at 9:55 AM, larsonb said:

I wonder why the judges neglected to tell honey boo boo Jason that his pastry almost got them drunk when they were eliminating people?  

Matthew was super annoying, but he was a better cook, and his presentation was better than Rusty or Jason.    I suppose that is why they didn't mention his boozy dessert.

 

On 8/7/2017 at 10:26 AM, Hockeymom said:

They totally called him out on the boozy dessert. All three mentioned it.

They definitely mentioned how much booze was in it, but I think they only did that for the drama. They didn't count it against him because he didn't actually make it, Suzanne did & she ignored what he asked her to do. I don't think that they wanted to risk the uproar they had when "she who must not be named" was assigned to Amy Finley & screwed her over & got her eliminated. 

[Totale]

On 8/7/2017 at 2:11 PM, Blonde Gator said:

Or, like last night, go on DATES and talk about food.  "Date Night With Cory".  There's a show!  Heh. 

Although not exactly the same, they made Damaris do "teach one member of a couple a menu for date night" at first and gave up on it because her show was better without it.  She still had to make up her story about cooking for some occasion, though.

[Psychobunny]

That article linked upthread made me like Jason a little more.  I always was a little confused about how "home baker" reconciled with somebody who cooked for a living in a school.  The story now makes sense.  I also agree that they are inconsistent about how much or what kind of personal information they want you to share.  Apparently, you always need to talk about grandparents and children but not spouses.  This got me wondering if any of the finalists were married and if Jason is gay or just Southern.  That led to me wondering if TFN has any out gay hosts, and the only one I could think of was Ron Ben-Israel.  That is when I realized that I would pay good money for a show-any show-featuring Jason and Ron interacting.  I would watch them cook.  I would watch them travel to bakeries and talk about them. I would especially watch them in a modern version of Green Acres where they get married, move to Kentucky and open a bakery while living on Jason's farm.  How do I make this happen?????? (And if it does happen and is successful I want a cut of the syndication rights).

[akr]

4 minutes ago, Totale said:

She [Damaris] still had to make up her story about cooking for some occasion, though.

Ugh.  Aarti was a lot better when she didn't have to throw a party, too. For that matter, so is Giada (who I've not watched much of, but enough to know that I preferred it when she stayed in her kitchen). 

4 minutes ago, Psychobunny said:

That article linked upthread made me like Jason a little more.  

Agreed.

[cooksdelight]

On 8/7/2017 at 1:50 PM, Blonde Gator said:

I wonder how much he pays for "fake followers".  Lots of that crap on Social Media. 

The people loving him on FN's page are his same followers on his page. 

 

19 hours ago, Psychobunny said:

Rusty mentioned he was on Guy's Big Bite twice.  I thought that was an actual cooking show.  Does that mean they knew each other before?

Yes, they do know each other.

The way I see it, Matthew couldn't win. He was fodder for us and many others. It's too bad that Rusty was the chosen one he had to lose to. Rusty sucks. I've spent many fun days at the Farmer's Market, it's next to CBS studios. My late aunt and I used to go to The Price Is Right and we'd stop at Magee's and some other spots there for lunch. Rusty should be shot for butchering their name. He lost, right there.

Whether it's Cory or Jason, both will have great careers on FN and other cooking networks. I worry a little bit about Matthew, saying this was his life, he had no life. I do not want to read about his demise on social media.

[Westiepeach]

43 minutes ago, parrotfeathers said:

If the current FN chefs were so good at sharing their personal lives, we would have heard from Sunny and she and her husband and their impending divorce (they always looked SO happy); and from Giada and Bobby about their marital problems.    {insert names} for other examples.

What? I don't think Sunny ever married. Did I miss something?

[cooksdelight]

She's not married, that I can find. There is a porn star named Sunny who is getting a divorce, however.