S15.E03: Keep On Truckin'

[Snarklepuss]

1 hour ago, RemoteControlFreak said:

He may be a guy that works well in a restaurant environment executing tested and proven formulas well but with no ability to improvise and obviously no knowledge of the basic chemistry in food and cooking .... hence the attempt to make a salad that is "both room temperature and cold" and to deep fry sour candy pieces. Apparently French Omelettes are not on the menu at the French Laundry.

That's exactly what I thought too about Rogelio but even then a classic French omelet is not exactly uncharted culinary territory and anyone that has the title of "chef de anything" should at least be able to improvise and understand something as basic as a French Omelette.  Even I know what one is and basically how to make one and have known that since his age and I'm just a home cook.  I could perhaps be more forgiving if the guy never went to culinary school or never ascended to any positions of note at any acclaimed restaurants, but geez!

[RemoteControlFreak]

1 minute ago, Snarklepuss said:

That's exactly what I thought too about Rogelio but even then a classic French omelet is not exactly uncharted culinary territory and anyone that has the title of "chef de anything" should at least be able to improvise and understand something as basic as a French Omelette.  Even I know what one is and basically how to make one and have known that since his age and I'm just a home cook.  I could perhaps be more forgiving if the guy never went to culinary school or never ascended to any positions of note at any acclaimed restaurants, but geez!

He did not attend culinary school, but that's no excuse. I didn't go to culinary school and the most ambitious cooking I've ever done is Thanksgiving dinner. Even I know how to make a French omelette and that if you put sour candies into hot oil you get a melted mess.

[Snarklepuss]

Just now, RemoteControlFreak said:

He did not attend culinary school, but that's no excuse. I didn't go to culinary school and the most ambitious cooking I've ever done is Thanksgiving dinner. Even I know how to make a French omelette and that if you put sour candies into hot oil you get a melted mess.

I know, me too.  There's such a thing as "thinking like a chef".  Almost anyone can take an artist's light box and trace a perfect picture but the true talent is in being able to draw the picture yourself without any instruction.  I am one of those artistic people that doesn't need the "rules" or recipes but I seem to be able to intuitively understand them anyway just from cooking a lot and watching cooking shows.  Time and time again I get "taught" to do things I always did just because it seemed like the "best" thing to do.  I guess I expect chefs that ascend to his level to have that gift, but I guess it doesn't always work that way.

[biakbiak]

I can sort of understand the mindset of the three of them all stuffing the omelet because it's TC and they might have thought they needed to do something extra to "elevate" it and set them apart but then Tanya said that's what she thought a French omelet was and the cookery on all of them was off.

[ratgirlagogo]

On 12/22/2017 at 1:37 AM, hoosier80 said:

No one thought of doing Tex Mex or Mexican food?  Do some amped up tacos, burritos, burrito bowl, nachos. 

Rogelio's elote salad would have fit the bill if he had prepared it well. Another case of someone who isn't suited for the weird game show aspect of TC.  For Bruce's sandwich I wonder if pork shoulder wouldn't have worked better than pork belly - carnitas.  Maybe with all the equipment problems nothing would have helped.  I don't think even good fry bread would have been a hit item with this crowd, not even in Colorado.

I feel no desire to ever eat ANY version of a "decontructed" Denver omelet.    

Since part of my job involves working with younger people I unfortunately know who Logan Paul is.  Maybe the most useless guest judge ever.  But it was kind of worth it to watch the regular judges eyeroll him.

Edited December 25, 2017 by ratgirlagogo

[Wings]

14 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Rogelio's elote salad would have fit the bill if he had prepared it well. Another case of someone who isn't suited for the weird game show aspect of TC.  For Bruce's sandwich I wonder if pork shoulder wouldn't have worked better than pork belly - carnitas.  Maybe with all the equipment problems nothing would have helped.  I don't think even good fry bread would have been a hit item with this crowd, not even in Colorado.

I feel no desire to ever eat ANY version of a "decontructed" Denver omelet.    

Since part of my job involves working with younger people I unfortunately know who Logan Paul is.  Maybe the most useless guest judge ever.  But it was kind of worth it to watch the regular judges eyeroll him.

I don't think Logan was part of the judging panel, he was there to possibly attract younger viewers is my guess.  And that was a stupid idea some producer hatched. 

 re Bold.  I agree, boring flavor profile.  So many delicious dishes to make with eggs and because they are in CO they just had to go there.  Another stupid idea. 

Fatima steps out of the parameters of the challenge and wins!  Bruce and others take note.  Fried dough is at every state fair nation wide.  It would have been a hit with these college students.   He did not execute the Indian fry bread well at all.  He could have paired that with a savor or sweet little thing to go with it.  He is on thin ice.  

[biakbiak]

One thing I did like about the challenge is that they menu planned in the food truck so that even thougn there were some equipment issues later they at least got to see exactly what equipment they would have available.

[carrps]

14 hours ago, biakbiak said:

One thing I did like about the challenge is that they menu planned in the food truck so that even thougn there were some equipment issues later they at least got to see exactly what equipment they would have available.

But were they able (allowed?) to test the equipment to make sure it was working?

[theatremouse]

On 12/22/2017 at 3:48 PM, NYCFree said:

I have no idea who the blond fool was but something about him really repulsed me. I wonder what it was, because I can't put my finger on any one action that was horrid.

The second I saw Real Life Dick Casablancas I wanted him off the screen... although his waffle-love was almost Leslie Knope-like. Still not enough to make him watchable.

[HappyDancex2]

The Le Bernardin chef from Le Bernardin isn’t making a good showing for the Le Bernardin level cheffery that one would expect from the technique driven Le Bernardin.  I think it would be great for Chef Ripert to glide on out and eliminate her now.

What to say about the French omelette?  Tragic.  And those 3 chefs wouldn’t be good at the “pressure challenge” on MasterChef either.

[HappyDancex2]

I know her mind was deeeeeeeeep in the waters of Alaska but watching that whole egg mess was gross.  If she had time to drain the eggs (ugh) and then fold and shape the egg slop with her fingers (oh my), she had time to fix it in the pan to at least get some heat on it. 

I know she added some dairy (was it creme fraiche or mascarpone?) and it liquified the whole mess in the pan.  But for her to take both runny pans off the heat and try to finish it by folding and fingering it (blurrrgh) is unconscionable.  Egg draining is disgusting.  Handling the undercooked egg pockets is not even imaginable on the lowest cooking show.

It looked like she washed and dried the normal sized nonstick omelette pans but then chose to cook in the high sided large pans...was that right?  She should have just taken an egg and put it in the microwave and sent in her application for Worst Cook in America.

[OneWouldHope]

This (above) is one BIG reason I thought  Laura’s omelette. 

On 12/25/2017 at 0:13 PM, Wings said:

Fatima steps out of the parameters of the challenge and wins!  Bruce and others take note.  Fried dough is at every state fair nation wide.  It would have been a hit with these college students.   He did not execute the Indian fry bread well at all

Joe won with the wings and Brother did the fry bread. 

Re Laura and the editing: Given what HunterHunted has told us re the line producers, I wish they’d stop playing up the “I miss my child so much” weepy woman angle. That women = mothers dynamic really plays into the devaluation of women in professional environments. On the other hand, I’m glad she’s gone because I couldn’t stand seeing her necklace outside of her collar and who tells their 10 year old (or so), “I’ve had an emotional day”?

[OneWouldHope]

Oops, I forgot to finish my thought: I thought it was all the handling of the “omelette” that was a big reason the judges didn’t want to eat Laura’s. But rawness would also count!

[Browncoat]

Yay for the knife draw! 

I just knew salad guy was gone as soon as he suggested a salad.  Salads are great, I love a good salad, but salads are not generally food truck/hangover fare. 

[cooksdelight]

Food truck food is a sandwich or some type of food you can eat with your bare hands/fingers. Not a salad.

[Pine]

I thought Laura also stated she worked in Paris.  I was stunned at her French omelet being so awful, if she really had been schooled on France.

[marybennet]

I think the new school of food truck isn't necessarily food you eat with your fingers.  Where I live (Texas), there are great food trucks serving things like rice bowls with Korean bbq beef or sriracha vegetables, things you need a fork for.  But they are greasy-in-a-good-way indulgences--i.e. not salad.

[Blonde Gator]

On 12/22/2017 at 2:55 AM, spiderpig said:

The humble egg has been the downfall of many a cheftestant.  I'm happy with the way I cook my eggs, but your mileage may vary.

I agreed with the bottom two food trucks.  Their menus were ill-conceived and lackluster in preparation.

The food blogger guy reminded me of Owen Wilson, so I immediately disregarded him as any sort of culinary expert.

Not to beat a dead horse, but for the life of me I can't understand how anyone makes a dime operating a food truck, although I enjoy watching them in competition.

Off to LCK!

Ooh, thanks Spidey!  I've been over a week without internet (ugh, had no idea I was so addicted), so just catching up here, and you reminded me that I haven't yet seen LCK!  Thanks.   

I'm just suspicious of food trucks I guess, there are scads of them in SoFla but it never crosses my mind.  And I ALWAYS eat street food when I travel....as a friend once told me "if you don't know what to order in Central America, order the chicken and rice, you'll never go wrong).  Food trucks just seem kind of off-putting for some reason.

The food truck episodes are always interesting, though.  BAD choices are made.  Remember the season with the kid who was "Captain Vietnam", and the surfer dude pre-rolled his sushi rolls on the food truck episode, which wilted and were disgusting?  Same thing, BAD decisions.   IMO, the key to winning a food truck challenge is the decision making at the start.  I was yelling at Rogelio "don't make salad!!!" (LSU college kids & broccoli salad, N.O. season).  It was apparent to me last week, who was headed to the top and bottom before the cheftestants even went shopping.  Off to LCK now.

[Blonde Gator]

On 12/22/2017 at 11:42 PM, biakbiak said:

Yes, it was specified by Padma when describing the challenge that the team that got the most tickets would be safe from elimination.

I may be wrong, but I believe the kids could eat at any or ALL of the trucks, and THEN vote with their ticket as to which truck was their favorite truck.  Winner was immune from elimination, unlike the other three teams.  The judges were still free to pick their winner and loser, but the loser could NOT be from the team with the most student votes. 

[biakbiak]

14 minutes ago, Blonde Gator said:

I may be wrong, but I believe the kids could eat at any or ALL of the trucks, and THEN vote with their ticket as to which truck was their favorite truck.  Winner was immune from elimination, unlike the other three teams.  The judges were still free to pick their winner and loser, but the loser could NOT be from the team with the most student votes. 

Padma said in the inteo that it would be how many tyey lured to their truck which made it seem like they could only go to one truck. If they could eat at all the trucks that wouldn't be agood inducation. I think some people just splut up and than split the food with their friends.

[susannot]

17 hours ago, Pine said:

I thought Laura also stated she worked in Paris.  I was stunned at her French omelet being so awful, if she really had been schooled on France.

Laura stated that she had trained as a pastry chef in Paris.  Still, in pastry a chef would work with eggs a lot.  The technique for making an omelet is not all that different from that of crème anglais or sabayon, i.e. whipping the eggs.

 

Re making money with food trucks:  young people in my area are having their outdoor weddings catered by food trucks.  I think it's a great idea.

Edited December 28, 2017 by susannot
another thought

[Blonde Gator]

On 12/27/2017 at 1:02 AM, HappyDancex2 said:

The Le Bernardin chef from Le Bernardin isn’t making a good showing for the Le Bernardin level cheffery that one would expect from the technique driven Le Bernardin.  I think it would be great for Chef Ripert to glide on out and eliminate her now.

What to say about the French omelette?  Tragic.  And those 3 chefs wouldn’t be good at the “pressure challenge” on MasterChef either.

Now that I think about it, wasn't Kirsten Kish's season opened by 4 chefs (Emeril, Tom, Hugh, and I'm thinking Wolfgang Puck) in the very first episode, where they asked the "finalists" for that season to create one dish, then handed out Top Chef coats to the winners?

I do believe it was Wolfgang Puck who asked them to make an omelet.  I think Kirsten was with Hugh & the Salad group, Emeril had them make soup, and I don't remember if Tom really had a group or greeted them on the way out with their Chef Coats.  Probably just 3 groups.   

But my long, drawn out point is that this isn't the FIRST time TC has used the "make the old classic [insert dish here]" that any of these chefs should have been able to perform.  For crying out loud, I'm not a professional chef, and I know you have to really whip the eggs, heat the pan, cook and scramble them slowly and softly, gentle heat, season them, and not overcook....no stuffing.  Eggs (my amie francais would say to add a touch of cream), salt, & pepper, sauteed in butter.  The End.

Edited December 29, 2017 by Blonde Gator

[biakbiak]

20 minutes ago, Blonde Gator said:

do believe it was Wolfgang Puck who asked them to make an omelet.  I think Kirsten was with Hugh & the Salad group, Emeril had them make soup, and I don't remember if Tom really had a group or greeted them on the way out with their Chef Coats.  Probably just 3 groups.   

Kristen and Bff Stephanie who was cut but would come back in NO were in Emeril's group, Tom had the chefs work the line in his restaurant, Wolfgang did have them do an omelet but none were a classic french one and all had multiple ingredients. Hugh did the salads and Brooke and Sheldon were in thst group.

Edited December 29, 2017 by biakbiak

[Blonde Gator]

2 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Kristen and Bff Stephanie who was cut but would come back in NO were in Emeril's group, Tom had the chefs work the line in his restaurant, Wolfgang did have them do an omelet but none were a classic french one and all had multiple ingredients. Hugh did the salads and Brooke and Sheldon were in thst group.

Thanks, that sounds about right....it's been a long time, LOL.  I remember Kristin & Stephanie together, but I thought it was the salad group.  I LOVE Hugh as a judge, he's so fun to watch.  But Wolfgang wanted the "classic technique" in the omelet, but egad, those omelets were worse than college hangover omelets, awful!  I think Wolfgang pulled out a pan and gave instructions after they were all done but the crying.

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, Blonde Gator said:

But Wolfgang wanted the "classic technique" in the omelet, but egad, those omelets were worse than college hangover omelets, awful!  I think Wolfgang pulled out a pan and gave instructions after they were all done but the crying.

Its available on Hulu and all of them looked like shit but no one cried and he and Hugh sent the most chefs through. The only instruction he gave was after the challenge and Wolfgangs omelet was way too brown and broken in places to be a classic french omelet to the point that if it was a blind challenge he would probably be in the bottom which is why I give the chefs a bit of a break. 

[dleighg]

Well if this had happened 10 days earlier Top Chef would have had to find a way to edit the idiot Logan out of the episode

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/logan-paul-youtube-blasted-video_us_5a4b3372e4b06d1621ba4eb3?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

[cooksdelight]

Call me crazy, but I am seeing the end of “reality” shows as we know them. Advertisers are going to run screaming and cut ties.

[dleighg]

24 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Well if this had happened 10 days earlier Top Chef would have had to find a way to edit the idiot Logan out of the episode

 

and quoting myself, that really wouldn't have been hard as he added exactly nothing to the episode. 

[spiderpig]

24 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Well if this had happened 10 days earlier Top Chef would have had to find a way to edit the idiot Logan out of the episode

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/logan-paul-youtube-blasted-video_us_5a4b3372e4b06d1621ba4eb3?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

This story made me ill.  Who the holy hell thinks suicide is entertainment fodder?  I've had a few friends and coworkers who saw no other way out and took their own lives.  Their loved ones will never get over the pain.

I hope Logan Paul is consigned to the internet trash heap where he belongs.

[Fostersmom]

And doing TC no favors, the second I read the story, not remembering what the tool's name was, I had no doubts it was going to be this idiot. 

[Toothbrush]

7 hours ago, spiderpig said:

This story made me ill.  Who the holy hell thinks suicide is entertainment fodder?  I've had a few friends and coworkers who saw no other way out and took their own lives.  Their loved ones will never get over the pain.

I hope Logan Paul is consigned to the internet trash heap where he belongs.

Made me ill also. And I'm so sorry for the tragic losses of your friends & co-workers; it makes me so very sad that some people feel the only way to ease their pain is to end their life. A school friend's dad committed suicide when we were 13, and the reverberations are still being felt almost 30 years later. 

[Sassenach]

I'd never heard of Logan Paul until this episode; and now he's garbaging up my news feed with his exploitation of a suicide.  Did Top Chef producers really have no idea of the quality of this guy's character when they recruited him as a guest judge?  Are they really getting so desperate that they have to resort to stunt casting such as this?  

[Blonde Gator]

13 minutes ago, Sassenach said:

I'd never heard of Logan Paul until this episode; and now he's garbaging up my news feed with his exploitation of a suicide.  Did Top Chef producers really have no idea of the quality of this guy's character when they recruited him as a guest judge?  Are they really getting so desperate that they have to resort to stunt casting such as this?  

Hopefully, they've learned their lesson, and this will be their one and only foray into "stunt casting" (great description, BTW).  Although the judges eyerolls made for some great television!

[cooksdelight]

36 minutes ago, Sassenach said:

I'd never heard of Logan Paul until this episode; and now he's garbaging up my news feed with his exploitation of a suicide.  Did Top Chef producers really have no idea of the quality of this guy's character when they recruited him as a guest judge?  Are they really getting so desperate that they have to resort to stunt casting such as this?  

Yes, and they don’t do proper evaluations of their cheftestants either. Think back to season 1 of Top Chef Just Desserts.

It is why I think these types of shows will be a thing of the past, or else we’ll all be watching Running Man for nightly entertainment. 

Paul should never have been given his 15 minutes of fame in this episode.

[Wings]

1 minute ago, cooksdelight said:

Yes, and they don’t do proper evaluations of their cheftestants either. Think back to season 1 of Top Chef Just Desserts.

What happened?  I can't remember. 

[cooksdelight]

3 minutes ago, Wings said:

What happened?  I can't remember. 

There are other links from Bravo, they think it’s a highlight of the season. :( It was hard to watch.

http://morningafter.gawker.com/top-chef-contestant-says-show-destroyed-him-with-psycho-1681842501

[hula-la]

2 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

There are other links from Bravo, they think it’s a highlight of the season. :( It was hard to watch.

http://morningafter.gawker.com/top-chef-contestant-says-show-destroyed-him-with-psycho-1681842501

I remember that episode. I didn’t know what I was watching (not realizing what panic attacks were then), but knew there was something wrong. I hope that he is much healthier and happier now.

As for that stupid Logan guy, I know I shouldn’t wish bad on people, but he is making that really difficult to do. 

[chiaros]

On 12/28/2017 at 9:44 PM, Blonde Gator said:

I do believe it was Wolfgang Puck who asked them to make an omelet.  ......

But my long, drawn out point is that this isn't the FIRST time TC has used the "make the old classic [insert dish here]" that any of these chefs should have been able to perform.  For crying out loud, I'm not a professional chef, and I know you have to really whip the eggs, heat the pan, cook and scramble them slowly and softly, gentle heat, season them, and not overcook....no stuffing.  Eggs (my amie francais would say to add a touch of cream), salt, & pepper, sauteed in butter.  The End.

 

On 12/28/2017 at 10:02 PM, biakbiak said:

...... Wolfgang did have them do an omelet but none were a classic french one and all had multiple ingredients. ......

 

On 12/29/2017 at 0:28 AM, Blonde Gator said:

......But Wolfgang wanted the "classic technique" in the omelet, but egad, those omelets were worse than college hangover omelets, awful!  I think Wolfgang pulled out a pan and gave instructions after they were all done but the crying.

 

On 12/29/2017 at 3:10 AM, biakbiak said:

Its available on Hulu and all of them looked like shit but no one cried and he and Hugh sent the most chefs through. The only instruction he gave was after the challenge and Wolfgangs omelet was way too brown and broken in places to be a classic french omelet to the point that if it was a blind challenge he would probably be in the bottom which is why I give the chefs a bit of a break. 

 

On 12/29/2017 at 10:51 AM, PoshSprinkles said:

Not to mention that, historically, the judges are not consistent. I could see one of them making a no-frills "French" omelet and Tom chastising them for "not taking risks" or someone making a delicious filled omelet and Tom chastising them for "not making a true French omelet". You just can't win. 

I have a distinct recollection that the only instruction Wolfgang Puck gave them - at least as edited and broadcast by the show on air - was to "Make me an omelette".  That was it. He didn't specify a FRENCH omelette – although it became clear, as the episode progressed and as he commented on when the cheftestants were done, that *that* was what he had in mind. I certainly remember thinking that they either should have asked Wolfgang "WHAT kind of omelette..."; or, if he truly did not specify (maybe his further instructions at the beginning were left on the editing room floor) then I was thinking what he would have said if someone made, say, an Oh Chien; or an Omurice, as examples of an "omelette".  :-)  :-D

I remember this because I made the same point elsewhere on another forum back when the episode first aired and was attacked by some posters who considered that an "omelette" was by definition FRENCH, although others accepted that the definition of the word has changed over the centuries when French cuisine was The Only One That Mattered in the Western World, and now "Omelette" could mean an egg dish from any number of cuisines from around the world and therefore needed to be specified.

 

Edited to add: I just rewatched the Quickfire for this episode to confirm my memory of the "Sudden Death cook-off" for the three on the bottom - and Tom Colicchio specified (or clarified) that it was to be a FRENCH omelette; and even added that it shouldn't be brown, and should be fluffy with small curds. In my books that clarification matters, and he and the show didn't drop the ball on this.

ETA2: Most of the other cheftestants looking on in that "Sudden Death cook-off" appeared to know what a classic French omelette was, now that it had been specified - Chef Brother Luck was shown as shouting out to the cheftestants that it should be all about the eggs and should have only eggs and salt, while others made comments about "no stuffings". And yes, it is odd that Tanya did hers with both spinach AND asparagus. When she had claimed to have cooked in France for years.

Edited January 3, 2018 by chiaros

[annewithaneee]

On 1/2/2018 at 1:55 PM, Sassenach said:

I'd never heard of Logan Paul until this episode; and now he's garbaging up my news feed with his exploitation of a suicide.  Did Top Chef producers really have no idea of the quality of this guy's character when they recruited him as a guest judge?  Are they really getting so desperate that they have to resort to stunt casting such as this?  

In fairness(ish), while the Paul brothers are fully awful his previous behavior was being a god-awful white rapper and doing stupid prank videos. Which should have definitely precluded him from being featured in the episode, don't get me wrong, but "filming and laughing at a dead body" wasn't something they really could have foreseen. 

It might not have been based off of bad press but lack of availability, but they featured the (at the time) less controversial brother. His younger brother, Jake, at the time of filming had probably been pretty recently fired from his Disney show and slapped with a class-action lawsuit for being a next-level nuisance in his neighborhood. 

I fully loathe the kid and these recent events have made this episode shift from "borderline unrewatchable" to "absolutely unrewatchable", and there were many reasons production shouldn't have featured him -- but character issues on this level couldn't have been anticipated, imo.

[Fukui San]

On 1/2/2018 at 2:40 PM, cooksdelight said:

There are other links from Bravo, they think it’s a highlight of the season. :( It was hard to watch.

http://morningafter.gawker.com/top-chef-contestant-says-show-destroyed-him-with-psycho-1681842501

Oh I didn't know/remember about Seth. I thought the comment was in reference to Morgan the runner up being charged for pedophilia, though I don't know whether a screening would have caught that  

http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/entertainment/tv-movies/morgan-wilson-top-chef-desserts-finalist-indicted-child-porn-charges-article-1.964053

Lets just say that cast had issues. 

[HunterHunted]

44 minutes ago, Fukui San said:

Oh I didn't know/remember about Seth. I thought the comment was in reference to Morgan the runner up being charged for pedophilia, though I don't know whether a screening would have caught that  

http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/entertainment/tv-movies/morgan-wilson-top-chef-desserts-finalist-indicted-child-porn-charges-article-1.964053

Lets just say that cast had issues. 

Seth had the "these red hots are for my mommy" meltdown.

I keep wondering if Morgan is in prison for his child porn. I would hope so because it sounds like the kids in the pictures he had were particularly young.

[Fiero425]

On ‎1‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 1:40 PM, cooksdelight said:

There are other links from Bravo, they think it’s a highlight of the season. :( It was hard to watch.

http://morningafter.gawker.com/top-chef-contestant-says-show-destroyed-him-with-psycho-1681842501

I'm surprised there haven't been more tragedies related to these type of shows! I know my limitations and would have snapped the 1st day! They make it seem so easy, but we well know they're all put thru the wringer! I never understood Hell's Kitchen actually putting it in the finished product how the chefs were abused by waking them up with drums and horns early in the morning and then the punishment for losing a challenge; eating some slop to make them puke! I can't tell you what I'd say to someone pulling that $#!t on me! This is America, not the freakin' Russian Gulag! ;-)

[chiaros]

On 1/2/2018 at 8:03 PM, chiaros said:

Edited to add: I just rewatched the Quickfire for this episode to confirm my memory of the "Sudden Death cook-off" for the three on the bottom - and Tom Colicchio specified (or clarified) that it was to be a FRENCH omelette; and even added that it shouldn't be brown, and should be fluffy with small curds. In my books that clarification matters, and he and the show didn't drop the ball on this.

ETA2: Most of the other cheftestants looking on in that "Sudden Death cook-off" appeared to know what a classic French omelette was, now that it had been specified - Chef Brother Luck was shown as shouting out to the cheftestants that it should be all about the eggs and should have only eggs and salt, while others made comments about "no stuffings". And yes, it is odd that Tanya did hers with both spinach AND asparagus. When she had claimed to have cooked in France for years.

Tom C also stressed the concept of "technique" regarding that specified French Omelette cook-off, and he or Padma also commented "Let's see if you have it" or words to that effect.

Well, in the context of WHAT kind of omelette is being tested for - and in light of my comments about needing to specify what cuisine — What about Tamagoyaki? Something that, if made for a piece of sushi in a high-ranking place, would require the budding itamae to have spent YEARS training and preparing before the master chef would even allow the trainee to attempt Tamagoyaki for paying customers. TECHNIQUE is quite important for this dish. I would be tickled pink if this was bruted as a test of technique on a Top Chef episode!!

Take a look, too at these videos relating to Tamagoyaki, one in a high-class-place, one in a sightly less-high-class place, one in Tsukiji Market.

 

 

[Sassenach]

On 1/4/2018 at 9:09 AM, annewithaneee said:

In fairness(ish), while the Paul brothers are fully awful his previous behavior was being a god-awful white rapper and doing stupid prank videos. Which should have definitely precluded him from being featured in the episode, don't get me wrong, but "filming and laughing at a dead body" wasn't something they really could have foreseen. 

It might not have been based off of bad press but lack of availability, but they featured the (at the time) less controversial brother. His younger brother, Jake, at the time of filming had probably been pretty recently fired from his Disney show and slapped with a class-action lawsuit for being a next-level nuisance in his neighborhood. 

I fully loathe the kid and these recent events have made this episode shift from "borderline unrewatchable" to "absolutely unrewatchable", and there were many reasons production shouldn't have featured him -- but character issues on this level couldn't have been anticipated, imo.

To clarify, I think the character on display prior to the suicide video was sufficent to rule him out as a guest judge on the show.  Maybe I thought Top Chef was a classier production than it really is; certainly the discussion about an earlier season with Seth indicates that's not the case.  

[sweetandsour]

19 hours ago, Sassenach said:

To clarify, I think the character on display prior to the suicide video was sufficent to rule him out as a guest judge on the show.  Maybe I thought Top Chef was a classier production than it really is; certainly the discussion about an earlier season with Seth indicates that's not the case.  

Agreed. I don't know the timing of this challenge vs. the timing of some of the Paul brothers' other videos, but they are very questionable at best and honestly downright despicable.  They've made videos where blindfolded teen girls (I believe still minors - not 18) think they're kissing one of the brothers, but they're really kissing Logan and Jake's DAD.  I have also read (I refuse to watch any of their monetized videos, so haven't seen myself) that Logan (I think it was Logan, not Jake) made a video where he pretended to be murdered. A huge portion of his subscriber base is children - including elementary school kids.  Any rationale producer of a show like Top Chef should have done some research on his content before inviting him onto the show.  Unfortunately, it may have started and ended with one quick conversation of "Hey, this guy has millions of followers!  Call his manager!" "OK, cool! Don't know anything about him or what he does, but he's college-aged and popular, so let's DO this!" 

[NowVoyager]

On 1/4/2018 at 6:04 PM, chiaros said:

Tom C also stressed the concept of "technique" regarding that specified French Omelette cook-off, and he or Padma also commented "Let's see if you have it" or words to that effect.

Well, in the context of WHAT kind of omelette is being tested for - and in light of my comments about needing to specify what cuisine — What about Tamagoyaki? Something that, if made for a piece of sushi in a high-ranking place, would require the budding itamae to have spent YEARS training and preparing before the master chef would even allow the trainee to attempt Tamagoyaki for paying customers. TECHNIQUE is quite important for this dish. I would be tickled pink if this was bruted as a test of technique on a Top Chef episode!!

Take a look, too at these videos relating to Tamagoyaki, one in a high-class-place, one in a sightly less-high-class place, one in Tsukiji Market.

 

 

The videos were mesmerizing...? I googled & I still have so many questions. Sugar?!? Mind. Blown. 

[chiaros]

Heh. NowVoyager, if you want to try your hand at tamagoyaki - you don't NEED that square/rectangular pan shown in the videos --- it can be done in a round pan of the sort commonly found in the West, although it will not then have the "traditional" shape and form.  I imagine you might have come across that in your googling. :-)

As for the sugar - YES, it is a component of Japanese Omelette/Tamagoyaki. It is intended to have a distinct sweet taste. Which is also one reason why tamago sushi tends to be served (or reserved for eating) at the end of the sequence of having a sushi meal. Naturally, if one is so inclined, one can eat it anytime during a meal or at other times. One just needs to keep in mind that it is intended to be slightly sweet in taste.

NOTE that the omelettes made with dashi, such as the one shown in the 1st video, technically are called dashimaki tamago - as the video itself shows.

Edited January 11, 2018 by chiaros

[dleighg]

OOPS he did it again. Idiot Logan Paul in more trouble.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/youtube-logan-paul_us_5a7dab2ae4b044b3821c8a45?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

[Simon47]

On 12/21/2017 at 11:34 PM, annewithaneee said:

Laura kinda broke my heart. It's awful, seeing someone so likable and clearly talented suddenly go down because of their emotions. It reminded me a bit of Great British Bake Off, to see someone so sweet and mild just fall apart.

I don't think they gave him a chyron, which is just as well, but I basically had a rage stroke when I saw Logan Paul (one of the worst people on the internet, though not nearly as bad as his younger brother Jake) at the main challenge. He's not a Colorado college kid, he's a scourge aka professional YouTuber. I was already annoyed seeing him mug around with his Go Pro and dabbing (!!!!!), but to have him have an actual seat at the table with the judges was just too damn much. I swear he got more critique airtime than Gail, and that's just unforgivable. 

So, that ruined the episode for me, but I know most Top Chef viewers won't have any idea who that kid is and that he's the wooooorst (which actually makes including him in the judge's tasting all the more confusing), so I may be alone here. 

Very happy Foodgasm landed in the bottom, they deserved it for the name alone.

I agree with all of this.

Laura was very sweet, kind and loving, unlike other folks here. Very sad to see her so embarrassed like that. Sorry to see her eliminated in Sudden Death; she deserved praise.

I'm happy they chose Food Gasm as one of their least favorites. They were such a fail! Chewy bread, greasy bread, cold salad. They all should've gone home.

Ms. Carrie needs to go. She is just an amateur who's here to socialize with others and not excel with her food!

Edited March 4, 2018 by Simon47

[snarktini]

On 12/26/2017 at 7:00 PM, theatremouse said:

The second I saw Real Life Dick Casablancas I wanted him off the screen... 

Real Life Dick Casablancas!!! ? 

Never seen this idiot before this episode. That's the perfect description.