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Top Chef in the Media

Bella

By Bella
in Top Chef

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Rai

Rai

Funnily enough, I wasn't a huge Jen fan - I think she screwed the woman she took Concrete Blonde from - but that kind of makes me like Marjorie better.

A little off-topic, but this was the first I'd heard of Jen trying to open a place called Concrete Blonde, so I went and looked up the story.  Let the record show that I'm actually an ENORMOUS Concrete Blonde fan (I know, most people probably don't even remember them), but Johnette Napolitano has gotten increasingly...unhinged, it seems, in more recent years.  Nonetheless, it all fell through anyway.

 

I bet Marjorie and Jen make a pretty kick-ass kitchen team.

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susannot
susannot

Re Mike Isabella: anyone who invested in his restaurant empire should have watched Top Chef.  It is 100% obvious that he is a gross sexist pig and probable sexual harasser.  I can't count the number o

akr
akr

Re podcasts vs synopses:  I'm always going to prefer a 3-minute read to a 45-minute listen, but I've pretty much given up on anybody putting such things in writing anymore.  Podcasts are easier for th

Rambler
Rambler

There was a reddit thread the other day titled “People that have been on a cooking show, what does the viewer not see? Are the time limits legit? Does the food go straight to the judges? Any behind th

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chiaros

chiaros

Sorry to read about Paul Qui's arrest. Didn't think he would turn out to be a druggie and violent person. Perhaps what they say about the demands of the culinary life often taking a very high toll on chefs is true.

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chiaros

chiaros

On another note...

 

A cameo by Carla from Top Chef. Sure, why not? SOMEONE had to give Jesus those loaves of bread and fish, it may as well have been a former reality show contestant working out of a food truck.

 

Heh. From a review panning this extravaganza.  

 

I also thought it spoke well of the critic's accuracy in describing Top Chef as a reality show rather than a "cooking competition".

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lovinbob

lovinbob

Sorry to read about Paul Qui's arrest. Didn't think he would turn out to be a druggie and violent person. Perhaps what they say about the demands of the culinary life often taking a very high toll on chefs is true.

I'm so disappointed and disgusted by this. But if I recall correctly, wasn't Paul the one who said he was a drug dealer or gang member or something like that, before he made cooking his career? Funny, because he seemed like such a peaceful, if intense, type. 

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swanjun

swanjun

I'm so disappointed and disgusted by this. But if I recall correctly, wasn't Paul the one who said he was a drug dealer or gang member or something like that, before he made cooking his career? Funny, because he seemed like such a peaceful, if intense, type. 

 

He did say he was a drug dealer, but also Kwame said it this season, too. Up until today, I'd thought both were cases of a super-talented kid making it through his struggles and achieving success/finding the place he belonged.  Sigh.

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Julia

Julia

JMO if his friends were on board with the taking the drugs and alcohol back to the house with the kid in it to wake up the old lady plan, he has a fairly bad wrong friends problem.

 

I hope he cleans house. I was kind of impressed with him.

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savingsanta

savingsanta

Paul says he is innocent of the charges, and is checking into a treatment facility.  Um, little disconnect there?

 

Not necessarily. He can admit to having a problem with addiction without admitting guilt in those specific charges.

 

It makes me wonder about the other chefs we've seen on the show who've discussed their previous drug/alcohol/addiction problems. I remember Gregory from S12 did, and Kristen Kish has talked further about hers as well. Being young and lauded in such a high-stress job seems tailor-made to kick someone off the wagon, and at the risk of sounding preachy, I hope that anyone who needs help has the resources to get it before they hurt themselves or others. My thoughts are with that woman and her child.

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Special K

Special K

Not necessarily. He can admit to having a problem with addiction without admitting guilt in those specific charges.

 

It makes me wonder about the other chefs we've seen on the show who've discussed their previous drug/alcohol/addiction problems. I remember Gregory from S12 did, and Kristen Kish has talked further about hers as well. Being young and lauded in such a high-stress job seems tailor-made to kick someone off the wagon, and at the risk of sounding preachy, I hope that anyone who needs help has the resources to get it before they hurt themselves or others. My thoughts are with that woman and her child.

 

Ah, ok. You're right.  Since he used the term "treatment facility" and not "rehab," I assumed he was referring to violence or anger management.

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chiaros

chiaros

I'm so disappointed and disgusted by this. But if I recall correctly, wasn't Paul the one who said he was a drug dealer or gang member or something like that, before he made cooking his career? Funny, because he seemed like such a peaceful, if intense, type. 

 

He did say he was a drug dealer, but also Kwame said it this season, too. Up until today, I'd thought both were cases of a super-talented kid making it through his struggles and achieving success/finding the place he belonged.  Sigh.

 

Ah, I had forgotten Paul Qui did say that. Thanks.

I remembered this stuff about Gregory Gourdet and Kwame Onwuachi, brought up also in another post above; though I am hazy about Kristen Kish's past issues.

 

But then, alcohol and drug abuse is known to be widespread in the cooking profession amongst working chefs, not just in the chefs' pasts. Certainly Anthony Bourdain famously spilled his guts about it, heh, but others have too - a five second online search on google pulls up loads of stuff. Here's one article from 2015 that I thought was interesting.

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ratgirlagogo

ratgirlagogo

(edited)

Sad about Paul Qui - hope his girlfriend is protecting herself and her son.  The ugliness of the Texas season continues.

 

 

Chefs in embarrassing commercials.....#1 Tom Colicchio for Diet Coke...

I must really have a soft spot for Tom (okay, I do) because I always found those commercials funny.  It's more disturbing to have Diet Dr Pepper, etc.  challenges on Top Chef - like the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Last Chance Kitchen that continues today. 

 

Two that were not in the Eater list:

 

The Bertoli frozen ravioli ad for Rocco seems kind of on a level with his shilling for Purina Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys cat food:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/restaurant-inspired-feline-cuisine-56181572.html

although to be fair our cats all like this food. :)

 

I would have said the MOST embarassing was Rick Bayless for Burger King:

http://ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLaw49zBi6o

Edited by ratgirlagogo
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chiaros

chiaros

(edited)

I've never been in the Hate Isabella Club, not even when he was on TopChef in both his seasons. Yes, he was somewhat brash when he was younger, but I never though he was obnoxious and I didn't think he was a misogynist as many other folks seem to label him as. Anyway, a 2-year-old article where he was followed around for 3 days might be of interest to folks who don't disdain him: http://www.washingtonian.com/2014/10/30/3-days-with-mike-isabella/ 

Edited by chiaros
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Tarasme

Tarasme

(edited)

I really appreciated this take on Paul Qui's arrest, courtesy of Texas Monthly. 

Thanks for this link.

 

Edited to remove rest of my rant. Not worth it. Mods deserve a nice weekend and don't need to have to field responses to my gripes.

Edited by Tarasme
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Apocalypse Cow

Apocalypse Cow

Drug use is really commonplace in restaurants.  Long hours, stressful situations, late nights... it's not a really healthy lifestyle.  Drinking and drugs are throughout the industry.  From my restaurant days, at least 10-15 former co-workers have been in rehab in the last 5 years, and many others need to be.

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Julia

Julia

GQ had this story about frequent judge Daniel Boulud and his struggle to get a food phobic to enjoy haute cuisine (or, you know, food).
 

“Wait,” I said. “Really? You’ve never had a Starburst?” This was my chance to be his food guide. So I milked it.
 
“Starbursts are incredible. They’re like taffy, only they come in four flavors per pack.”

“Can I have one?”

“Sure. Pink is the best flavor.”

I can tell by the way he unwrapped it that he truly had never seen a Starburst before. He was too careful with every fold, respected its contents way too much. If an Almond Joy, or a belt buckle, were in that wrapper, he would not have been surprised. He took a bite of the Starburst. (The first time I ever saw someone take a bite of a Starburst.)

“It’s sugary.”

“Yeah!”

“But it doesn’t have any flavor.”

“What?”

“Okay. Let’s cook!”

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ProudMary

ProudMary

This had been the speculation when Charleston, SC was named as the site for Top Chef's 14th season, considering Tom Colicchio 's connection to the Kiawah Island Club but now it's been confirmed that an episode will be filmed there.

http://islandconnectionnews.com/top-chef-comes-kiawah/

 

Bravo Media’s award-winning culinary series “Top Chef” will head south to Charleston for season fourteen and will film one episode on Kiawah Island. “Top Chef” head judge Tom Colicchio, has been the consulting chef at the Kiawah Island Club for more than a decade.

“I’m very excited that ‘Top Chef’ will be coming to the Lowcountry, an area that I am no stranger to having been involved at the Kiawah Island Club as a consultant for the last 15 years,” said Colicchio.

 

 

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Julia

Julia

I have to think that if Bobby Flay is going to be running a print publication, with words, either his production company has acquired an equity stake or they're hoping he'll barbecue the wolf at the door.

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mlp

mlp

 

I guess they didn't read the NY Post or watched the announcement video.

 

Thank you for posting that.  I've been trying to comprehend how someone with umpteen irons already in the fire and less than a high school education could possibly edit a magazine.  Bobby Flay is a very smart guy but he's street smart and business smart.  I doubt that editing is in his skill set.

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ProudMary

ProudMary

Top Chef: Charleston to begin filming mid-May

http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/Eat/archives/2016/04/20/top-chef-to-begin-filming-mid-may

You may see Top Chef contestants racing through the aisles of Whole Foods as soon as mid-May. That’s according to Matt Reichman, VP of Current Production for Bravo Media. Reichman says that the filming of the Charleston season is on schedule and the casting is well underway.

“We had our eye on Charleston for years,” says Reichman. “The stars aligned for us this season. With any city, we try to capture something that is hot in the culinary world. Charleston celebrates the ingredient-driven food, its heritage and rich culinary history. That’s really exciting for us.”

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cooksdelight

cooksdelight

Had lunch today at Low Country Bistro downtown, the waitress told me that TC had been scounting restaurants and interviewing all the owners in the area. They picked 10 to use. One of them is their sister restaurant, cannot remember the name but before I leave this weekend I will try to get a list of all of them. We are going to Folly Beach tomorrow, I am sure they will be filming there at some point due to it being the one place to get the freshest seafood in the area. Hopefully, while I am there. :)

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ProudMary

ProudMary

1 hour ago, cooksdelight said:

Had lunch today at Low Country Bistro downtown, the waitress told me that TC had been scounting restaurants and interviewing all the owners in the area. They picked 10 to use. One of them is their sister restaurant, cannot remember the name but before I leave this weekend I will try to get a list of all of them. We are going to Folly Beach tomorrow, I am sure they will be filming there at some point due to it being the one place to get the freshest seafood in the area. Hopefully, while I am there. :)

82 Queen?  Considering that Bravo's Southern Charm has filmed there a couple of times already this season, it wouldn't surprise me to see Top Chef there also.  I love eating in their beautiful courtyard!
Looking forward to a list of potential restaurants!  I'm betting one of Sean Brock's (Husk, McCradys), one of Mike Lata's (FIG, The Ordinary), perhaps one of Jeremiah Bacon's (Oak Steakhouse, the McIntosh), although if they're going for a steakhouse, Hall's Chophouse would be tops in town and one of the best in the nation.  I can't imagine that Hominy Grill wouldn't be on the list too.  There are just too many wonderful restaurants in Charleston to choose from!
I'd like to know where the cheftestants are being housed while they're in Charleston.

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Bastet

Bastet

From that article:

Quote

 

The show started filming last week, and plans to continue production through mid-June. During that time, the contestants will be confined to their home when not filming competitive segments. “No, you won’t see them wandering streets of Charleston,” Reichman says, adding he’s not worried about participants missing out on city highlights during their stay.

“Unfortunately, they don’t get to do general tourism,” he says. “But we expose them to a lot of stuff very few people will ever get to do, so I’m sure they’ll have an awesome time.”

Judges – including Tom Colicchio, a part-time Kiawah Islander who pushed to locate the show in Charleston – are free to roam.

 

I would have the worst case of cabin fever as one of the cheftestants!  Not being able to get out and roam, and not having any time to myself at "home" (at least until the majority of cheftestants have been eliminated).  That's pretty much my definition of hell.

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