Top Chef in the Media

[blixie]

Surprised no one shared this, but obviously I agree about the thoughts on Buddha and especially the way things have played out this season. 

End of Top Chef As We Know It

[ProudMary]

From Variety: 

Saying Goodbye to Padma Lakshmi, the Secret Ingredient of ‘Top Chef’

 

[caitmcg]

In Salon: How Padma Lakshmi grew from"Top Chef" host into the show's guiding core

 

[MerBearHou]

I don’t have a media link to it so not sure where to include this, but very happy news that Buddha and his wife Rebecca are expecting twins!  

[Ellee]

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/future-top-chef-more-uncertain-090120690.html

[MerBearHou]

4 hours ago, Ellee said:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/future-top-chef-more-uncertain-090120690.html

Interesting article.  Loathed reading the notion that Chrissy Tiegen would be considered as a replacement host for Padma.  

[ALittleShelfish]

agree @MerBearHou. I think her personality wouldn't be the best fit.  I feel she'd probably try to somehow make it all about her and food she makes.  IDK, I don't hate her, but I would hate her on TC and then also hate TC.  

I don't like the idea of non-food-world names hopping on board.  It doesn't work with Iron Chef when they have some random actor who can't come up with anything to say about the food they're eating, and we sit and watch the wheels in their head spin while they're thinking of what to say to make themselves sound smart/like they belong.  

In the end, it isn't going to be about what I want or who I like, I'll very likely watch regardless lol

[Yeah No]

On 6/8/2023 at 8:27 PM, blixie said:

Surprised no one shared this, but obviously I agree about the thoughts on Buddha and especially the way things have played out this season. 

End of Top Chef As We Know It

I just caught up to reading this.  Despite what is written in the article criticizing Buddha I found most of the comments under the article defending him to be well thought out and spot-on.

[LizDC]

 

[dleighg]

that's a good choice. She has a great personality!

[albarino]

I think it is a great choice.  Not going to miss Padma--she made it too much about her and her wardrobe choices.  Glad the show is getting back to cooking.

[Steph Sometimes]

Kristen is my favorite female contestant (Bryan V would be my favorite guy), so I am all for this. She's funny and just has this coolness about her.

Also, Fast Foodies was kind of fun. 

Edited July 11 by Steph Sometimes

[dleighg]

3 minutes ago, Steph Sometimes said:

Kristen is my favorite female contestant (Bryan V would be my favorite guy)

I agree on both of those favorites, but Kristen is MUCH better as a host than Bryan V would be -- I know you weren't suggesting that. She has a very engaging personality, and while I love Bryan V, he's pretty shy and awkward.

[Bastet]

In addition to the great personality, culinary chops, and extensive knowledge of the show, she's already proven herself as a host - she did a particularly good job with Restaurants at the End of the World - so I think this will be a good fit. 

[dleighg]

24 minutes ago, Bastet said:

she did a particularly good job with Restaurants at the End of the World

I only watched one episode of that (Svalbard), but she was delightful. So warm, and game for anything.

[buttersister]

She wasn't my first choice, but Kristen will be a great host. She's compelling to watch on Fast Foodies and Restaurants at the End of the World.

Nice interview in the Daily Beast about her turning down all-stars and taking on the Restaurants show. Heh, this is right up her alley.

Edited July 11 by buttersister
clarity

[Mellowyellow]

Ooh very happy about this! She's lovely and warm. She did a great job on Iron Chef.

[Irlandesa]

I'm kind of excited (and surprised) that the next season is in Wisconsin.  I think a midwest visit is good but I would've pegged Minneapolis as more of a known food area than Madison/Milwaukee. 

But I did go to school in Madison so it'll be fun to see places I know well.

[PhoneCop]

Yeah, Minneapolis was one of my guesses for the next city. (Other guesses: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Honolulu.) Another time, perhaps.

Kristen works for me. It'll be interesting to see how she puts her own imprint on things.

[Lamb18]

9 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I'm kind of excited (and surprised) that the next season is in Wisconsin.  I think a midwest visit is good but I would've pegged Minneapolis as more of a known food area than Madison/Milwaukee. 

But I did go to school in Madison so it'll be fun to see places I know well.

I was wondering that, too, but I think Minneapolis has a bad reputation now in general, because of George Floyd, the state of downtown, the police, etc. But I think my area would be a great area because the food scene is getting back on its feet and we have a great restaurant supply company that could provide equipment, etc., for challenges not taking place in a restaurant kitchen. No more non-functioning stoves!

[Lamb18]

To comment on Wisconsin: I think it wil be a good season. They may take a road trip up to Green Bay for the obligatory stadium challenge. And even though the Packers are my mortal enemies, they do have a great stadium and great football history.

I'm sure there will be at least one lakeside challenge in Milwaukee and perhaps another Madison with the two big lakes there! Milwaukee is more German while Madison is more Norwegian, so they might use that. Plus there is the Old Town area if Milwaukee. Maybe there will be a beer challenge at Miller brewery and something else at the Harley Davidson headquarters.

Oh, and cheese curds. There HAS to be a cheese challenge. With everyone wearing a cheesehead hat.

[Vermicious Knid]

Some reference to Laverne & Shirley?

Having a chef in the role of host will bring a new element I think. I look forward to seeing Kristen on the next season. 

[PhoneCop]

21 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Some reference to Laverne & Shirley?

A Pepsi and milk Quickfire! Or the contestants lean into it during Restaurant Wars and the two restaurants are Dead Lazlo's vs. Betty Please.

Or

[HappyDancex2]

My guess for a mid market city would have been Cleveland Ohio.  Easy theme based trips to Rock HOF and pro football HOF which always film easily on camera.  Vibrant food scene with caliber chefs that own multiple restaurants in the city.  We can obviously trot out Michael Symon and his tree of chefs (maybe not Jon Sawyer at least back in Cleveland anyway) but plenty who have made appearance on cooking competitions.  

Obvious polish boy, sausages, pierogis as featured foods not to mention the West Side Market vibes.  The city itself is set up for those kitschy challenges that look great on TV,  it’s on a Great Lake so there could be waterfront challenges using lake fish like perch and walleye.  There is a restaurant that rehabs and trains former prison inmates.

interesting twists could be an hour south of Cleveland is the very contrasting Amish country.  So much cheese and furniture.  Nary electricity to be found or sugar in those berry pies until the credit card machine avails.  Would have loved to see Padma there!  An hour west is very much farmland, German influence, Farmer Jones whole area which is renowned through out the restaurants in the country.  I smell a micro green challenge LOL.

Northern Ohio can be very diverse and would make interesting albeit formulaic TV.

[ALittleShelfish]

49 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

My guess for a mid market city would have been Cleveland Ohio.  Easy theme based trips to Rock HOF and pro football HOF which always film easily on camera.  Vibrant food scene with caliber chefs that own multiple restaurants in the city.  We can obviously trot out Michael Symon and his tree of chefs (maybe not Jon Sawyer at least back in Cleveland anyway) but plenty who have made appearance on cooking competitions.  

...

Northern Ohio can be very diverse and would make interesting albeit formulaic TV.

The Polish restaurants, the Amish food (bring back Potato Girl to judge!), and Tony Packo's.  Man, it almost makes me want to move back.  

My dad grew up in San Francisco and when he moved to OH, there was a tiny Chinese place near the steel mills in Lorain that rivaled anything he had in SF. There was a roadside stand somewhere on the way to Cedar Point that we passed and my mom said "That's a place where you definitely get sick" so my dad immediately stopped because "that means it has to be GOOD!" Perch sandwiches for $1.  Yay '70s!  (Sorry.  Since I ran out of parents, I get nostalgic. Back to topic.)

But I am excited about Wisconsin! Love to see how the chefs adapt to a city that isn't NY/LA/Paris/etc and embrace the cheese and cows!  I don't have the season-to-season memory a lot of you do, so if there's been a "less than sexy" city, I've LONG forgotten lol

[Lamb18]

On 7/12/2023 at 11:08 PM, Vermicious Knid said:

Some reference to Laverne & Shirley?

Having a chef in the role of host will bring a new element I think. I look forward to seeing Kristen on the next season. 

They could tie in Laverne and Shirley to the brewery challenge.

I have to tell my brother Top Chef will be filming in his city. Maybe I'll go visit him. I have 204 hours left of PTO to burn.

Some of the prettiest countryside is in between Milwaukee and Madison north of I-94. Then there's a lot of bluff country in the west along the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers.

[Vermicious Knid]

Since they announced it as Wisconsin and not a particular city I wonder if they will do a mini-version of the Texas season and move them around. Google tells me the 5 biggest cities are Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha and Appleton. Madison has the University. Kenosha has a streetcar system, the Jockey underwear company and is best known as the hometown of Orson Welles. Appleton, again thanks to Google, is most famous for hosting the annual Mile of Music festival and as the home of Harry Houdini. Magic themed Quickfire?

Cheese. Of course there will be cheese. And possibly lutefisk. 

[ProudMary]

23 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Since they announced it as Wisconsin and not a particular city I wonder if they will do a mini-version of the Texas season and move them around.

According to Bravo, filming will be in two cities.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/top-chef-season-21-new-host-and-filming-location-revealed?cid=soc_facebook_x_x_topchef_org_x_topchef_x_dish_x_x

The cheftestants will be taking on Quickfire Challenges and Elimination Challenges in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin.

[tvchick]

Profile of Kristen Kish from the NYTimes (gifted)

How Does Kristen Kish Feel at the Top of "Top Chef"? It's Complicated

[Bastet]

It's interesting to learn they never even interviewed anyone else.  I wonder what other names they tossed around before deciding she was who they wanted.

I love that Padma was the first person she called when she was offered the job.  And that Padma sent her flowers on her first day of shooting.

It's going to be weird, after all this time, to see someone other than Padma hosting, but I think I'll take to Kristen in the role right away.  I've enjoyed her in everything else I've seen her do.

Where I think I'm going to wind up missing Padma is as an executive producer, as she pushed Tom to address issues and biases I fear he might go back to giving mere lip service to.  We'll find out.

Edited August 23 by Bastet

[tv echo]

Padma Lakshmi Looks Back On 19 Seasons of 'Top Chef' | The Awardist | Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly   Aug 21, 2023

[Bastet]

I enjoyed her talking about taking the mandate to be serious about the food and the competition and evolving that to also show her empathy for the cheftestants and what they're going through, because she's the one who's there seeing how hard it is.  She shows that empathy when she says she appreciates them being willing to compete, in order to have a show, because she would never put herself through it.

I applaud what she's doing with Taste the Nation, and certainly understand her wanting to focus on that and similar endeavors.

[Spicysweet]

On 7/14/2023 at 1:30 AM, HappyDancex2 said:

My guess for a mid market city would have been Cleveland Ohio.  Easy theme based trips to Rock HOF and pro football HOF which always film easily on camera.  Vibrant food scene with caliber chefs that own multiple restaurants in the city.  We can obviously trot out Michael Symon and his tree of chefs (maybe not Jon Sawyer at least back in Cleveland anyway) but plenty who have made appearance on cooking competitions.  

Obvious polish boy, sausages, pierogis as featured foods not to mention the West Side Market vibes.  The city itself is set up for those kitschy challenges that look great on TV,  it’s on a Great Lake so there could be waterfront challenges using lake fish like perch and walleye.  There is a restaurant that rehabs and trains former prison inmates.

interesting twists could be an hour south of Cleveland is the very contrasting Amish country.  So much cheese and furniture.  Nary electricity to be found or sugar in those berry pies until the credit card machine avails.  Would have loved to see Padma there!  An hour west is very much farmland, German influence, Farmer Jones whole area which is renowned through out the restaurants in the country.  I smell a micro green challenge LOL.

Northern Ohio can be very diverse and would make interesting albeit formulaic TV.

i've lived in Northeast Ohio for most of my 65 years and have never had a Polish boy. Same with my friends. What we all love is standard American fare--pizza, burgers, fried chicken--but more and more people are eating that diverse food that you mentioned. We have a huge Middle Eastern, Ukrainian, and South Asian presence because we're a major destination for refugees. (Padma would've loved that!) I don't see that being formulaic at all.