S15.E13: A Little Place Called Aspen

[chiaros]

5 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

Looking at the pictures above of Sasto, does it bother anyone that they are all barehanded, not using gloves, to handle food?

Regarding "hands", contd...Here are some screenshots of Joe Flamm and Carrie:

(The second and fourth shots also show their hands SLATHERED with the same food that went into the dish, replete with all their germs and bacteria and whatnot)

 

There would seem to be a period when Joe F did have gloves on:

...but it would seem that wasn't done for all the plating of the zucchini - see Carrie woman-handling them in the immediately previous shot..

Edited March 6, 2018 by chiaros

[chiaros]

5 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

Looking at the pictures above of Sasto, does it bother anyone that they are all barehanded, not using gloves, to handle food?

Regarding "hands", contd: Chris (of Joe S and Chris) did have gloves on sometimes, like when peeling the yellow beets:

 

...but also did not, including when he was plating the dish - like with those green beans, as shown below:

 

So – EVERYONE used their bare hands to handle AND plate their food, including RIGHT IN FRONT of both the judges and the diners.  As previously noted, Adrienne was shown rubbing her nose (one of the largest depositories of bacteria and germs) with her bare hands then went back to prepping her food with those nose-rubbed-hands.

It is unfair to Joe Sasto to single him out, if one were inclined to lean in this direction.

 

ETA: All of them also shook hands with various people, like the judges and famous chefs (thereby transferring germs from the hands of those other people to their own hands) - then went back to prepping their plates with their food using those same bare hands.  ;-) 

Edited March 6, 2018 by chiaros

[cooksdelight]

1 hour ago, chiaros said:

It is unfair to Joe Sasto to single him out, if one were inclined to lean in this direction.

I didn’t single him out, I mentioned “They are all barehanded” but his photos were my first reference since they were the one posted from the episode. I guess it doesn’t matter if you snot up your food if you’re on teevee. :) 

[biakbiak]

11 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I didn’t single him out, I mentioned “They are all barehanded” but his photos were my first reference since they were the one posted from the episode. I guess it doesn’t matter if you snot up your food if you’re on teevee. :) 

Most high end restaurants and even none high end restaurants don't use gloves. California actually removed it as a requirement after studies have shown it can often encourage cross contamination and most states that have that requirement have many execeptions.

[cooksdelight]

California bans smoking in public places but yet lets people handle food with their bare hands. So what if the chef handles raw chicken, then mixes up salad greens.

[dleighg]

20 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

California bans smoking in public places but yet lets people handle food with their bare hands. So what if the chef handles raw chicken, then mixes up salad greens.

You can do that while you're wearing gloves as well. Handwashing works as well as changing gloves, and my understanding is that the law was lifted because some employees thought the gloves were an "all purpose protection" rather than using common sense.

[Nordly Beaumont]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

and my understanding is that the law was lifted because some employees thought the gloves were an "all purpose protection" rather than using common sense.

Exactly - people touch the same things they would with gloves as without. If Adrienne had been wearing gloves, she still would have rubbed her nose, it's just the glove that would have... whatever ... on it instead of her hand. And everyone would live all the same. 

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

California bans smoking in public places but yet lets people handle food with their bare hands. So what if the chef handles raw chicken, then mixes up salad greens.

No as the studies show you gloves can increase cross contamination because people dont change them and aren't changing gloves as often as people wash their hands. I cant remember the last time I ate at a place where people used gloves. Also, as I noted most states allow you not to wear gloves if you have washing stations and a dedicated plan that covers it. A lot of cross contamination is traced back to people handlling cash and then food rather than chicken and other foods.

[mlp]

I would add to the above comment that most of the cooking shows I watch, like Chopped for example, show chefs handling food without gloves.  I'm not sure why Joe S. stood out.  Back when I used to watch The Chew, it made me nuts that Daphne Oz was always tucking her hair behind her ear then putting her hand back in the food.  At least you can wash hands.

[Wings]

This challenge was poorly planned.  Three people are serving 200 people an hors d'oeuvre.  That means all the guests had to get to the venue and probably wait an insane amount of time in the sun only to walk away with three very small portions on their plates.  Not good.  It would have been better to ask them to serve a small plates instead.  The judges had barely enough to taste, as well.  The guests probably stopped to get a burger on the way back to their hotel.  

[chiaros]

17 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I didn’t single him out, I mentioned “They are all barehanded” but his photos were my first reference since they were the one posted from the episode. I guess it doesn’t matter if you snot up your food if you’re on teevee. :) 

Thanks for the clarification. Indeed they ALL were using their bare hands.

Edited March 7, 2018 by chiaros

[biakbiak]

6 hours ago, Wings said:

Three people are serving 200 people an hors d'oeuvre.  That means all the guests had to get to the venue and probably wait an insane amount of time in the sun only to walk away with three very small portions on their plates.  Not good.  I

Apparently this was filmed during the Food and Wine Classic so everyone is eating and drinking a lot.

Edited March 7, 2018 by biakbiak

[AriAu]

Just an FYI about Jonathon Waxman and Bruce Kalman WITHOUT discussing sexism, real or implied, but I got an e-mail about charity/special dining events and this one popped up.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/factors-famous-deli-turns-70-featuring-nancy-silverton-jonathan-waxman-tickets-43172776938

They list the big shot chefs cooking to celebrate Factor's Deli turning 70 and shortly after Waxman's name, there is Bruce Kalman.....so yes, Bruce is a big shot in LA dining circles and must have some dealings with  Uncle Jonny! Yes, Bruce lost, but it is not shocking that he thought Bruce was the still active cheftestant.

[bobbobbob199]

9 hours ago, AriAu said:

Just an FYI about Jonathon Waxman and Bruce Kalman WITHOUT discussing sexism, real or implied, but I got an e-mail about charity/special dining events and this one popped up.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/factors-famous-deli-turns-70-featuring-nancy-silverton-jonathan-waxman-tickets-43172776938

They list the big shot chefs cooking to celebrate Factor's Deli turning 70 and shortly after Waxman's name, there is Bruce Kalman.....so yes, Bruce is a big shot in LA dining circles and must have some dealings with  Uncle Jonny! Yes, Bruce lost, but it is not shocking that he thought Bruce was the still active cheftestant.

Nancy Silverton and Waxman will also be the guest judges on the finale tomorrow! Adam Perry Lang also judged an earlier episode where he greeted Bruce, and lists Bruce as one of his chef friends. 

I'm sorta glad they found a way to eliminate Bruce because he practically knew every judge. I don't know how he would have been able to cook in the finale when both the guest judges knew him so well, and have cooked in numerous events together in the past. The only episode where there is no guest judge, he get's kicked off. He should have been on Top Chef Masters like all his peers instead of this Top Chef.

Actually, I'm surprised Tom kicked him off. From this quote from 2016 it seems like Bruce is pretty good friends with Tom (and Waxman), too. "Every time I go to NYC I have to eat at Barbuto, it’s my one constant. I always have the kale salad and the chicken, plus whatever chef Jonathan Waxman brings out...Tom Colicchio—we share a lot of the same interests in food and music, and he is just an all-around really cool guy."  To know Tom's music tastes, they must be pretty good friends. Kalman is also quoted as saying that Brooke Williamson and Michael Voltaggio, both of whom who judged more than once, convinced him to participate. He also cooked with Lachlan Patterson, a guest judge twice, several times and judged Hell's Kitchen with him right before Top Chef started. He has also cooked with Alex Seidel, Troy Guard, Curtis Stone, Naomi Pomeroy, and more (although I don't know if that constitutes knowing each other personally). I would be surprised if any of the guest judges DIDN'T know who he was. On the other hand, I would be surprised if ANY of the judges know who ANY of the other contestants were, other than maybe Tanya, who also seems to have some famous chef friends. Even the local judges didn't know who Carrie or Brother were.

Edited March 8, 2018 by bobbobbob199

[cooksdelight]

I would think the judges who knew Bruce would be super critical of every detail of his meal. I would hate to be in his shoes.

[bluepiano]

On ‎3‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 7:05 AM, Rahul said:

This episode made me realize how much I wanted Mustachio Sasto to leave the competition. I was genuinely surprised to find myself clapping after his elimination was announced.

I wasn't a fan of his either, but I give him some credit for having grown up during the course of taping the show. He started the season with his infamous comment about Padma not being able to put all his meat in her mouth. But in this last episode, while talking about beets and meat, he thankfully did not make a "beet my meat" joke.

 

On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 7:04 PM, JES004 said:

As to Padma's clothes, I fully believe the Magical Elves want to 'sex her up', and may even encourage her to make the overt sexual comments.  I thought the dress looked pretty ugly, and momentarily mused about the sheer bad taste of whoever dressed her.  I usually pay very little attention to her, as I prefer to concentrate on the people who are cooking.

 

I think the sexual references are totally her personality, and not something she's been encouraged to do by the producers. She certainly enjoys getting the attention of men, and her flirting with Rob Gronkowski was pretty OTT. But something does seem to have happen recently as far as her wardrobe. That dress this week was not stylish or sexy. It was just sheer exhibitionism. Was she supposed to be a Colorado earth mother hippie chick?  Because it looked like something a "peasant a girl might've worn on a commune in 1968.  It was just strange.

On ‎3‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 12:13 PM, Fiero425 said:

We've had "comebacks" of epic proportions going back to Season 7! Kevin was mediocre at best and failed challenge after challenge, but somehow got his act together during the finale to win it all!

 

I've always thought he was the least deserving winner. Aside from his mediocre cooking, he was openly dismissive of non-American cuisines, once saying that he didn't like Asian food because he didn't like "sooey sauce." Any chef who doesn't know how to pronounce soy sauce should not win Top Chef in my book.

Edited March 8, 2018 by bluepiano

[Fiero425]

9 minutes ago, bluepiano said:

...

I've always thought he was the least deserving winner. Aside from his mediocre cooking, he was openly dismissive of non-American cuisines, once saying that he didn't like Asian food because it was just all about "sooey sauce." Any chef who doesn't know how to pronounce soy sauce should not win Top Chef in my book.

He rivals Hosea of Season 5! Carla was all but sabotaged by her sous chef Casey and the egomania of Stefan probably accounted for him being passed over! He was definitely the better chef! I haven't heard from Hosea since! ;-)

Edited March 8, 2018 by Fiero425

[chiaros]

2 hours ago, bluepiano said:

I've always thought he was the least deserving winner. Aside from his mediocre cooking, he was openly dismissive of non-American cuisines, once saying that he didn't like Asian food because he didn't like "sooey sauce." Any chef who doesn't know how to pronounce soy sauce should not win Top Chef in my book.

 

Kevin Sbraga wasn't the only one dissing "Asian" cuisine on that season of Top Chef (S7). Kenny Gilbert and Timothy "Tim" Dean were even worse. The latter two were openly sneering (let me rephrase that – SNEERING with curled lip) at Angelo Sosa for cooking ONLY "Asian" (according to them), whatever they thought "Asian" to mean; and one of them - as an example - simply dismissed contemptuously a dish Angelo was cooking as another "Asian dish" because it had a few drops of soy sauce, never mind that everything else in that dish was European in nature.  These two chefs (and to a lesser extent Sbraga) conveyed the impression, at least as portrayed by the show as I recollect, that they thought "Asian cuisine" to be beneath contempt.

Edited March 8, 2018 by chiaros

[RemoteControlFreak]

22 hours ago, AriAu said:

Just an FYI about Jonathon Waxman and Bruce Kalman WITHOUT discussing sexism, real or implied, but I got an e-mail about charity/special dining events and this one popped up.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/factors-famous-deli-turns-70-featuring-nancy-silverton-jonathan-waxman-tickets-43172776938

They list the big shot chefs cooking to celebrate Factor's Deli turning 70 and shortly after Waxman's name, there is Bruce Kalman.....so yes, Bruce is a big shot in LA dining circles and must have some dealings with  Uncle Jonny! Yes, Bruce lost, but it is not shocking that he thought Bruce was the still active cheftestant.

If Bruce is that much of a big shot, what is he doing on Top Chef? Certified big shot chefs are on Top Chef Masters or something similar, if they must do a reality show. They're not slogging it out with unknowns on Top Chef.

Since the event was scheduled after Bruce's appearance on Top Chef, it's impossible to know if it's capitalizing on his Top Chef-created fame or if was notable enough before TC to warrant a place at the event.  My money is on the former case.

Also, just because Bruce and Jonathan Waxman are cooking at the same charity event, this does not mean they are of equal calibre or celebrity.

[AriAu]

Quote

If Bruce is that much of a big shot, what is he doing on Top Chef? Certified big shot chefs are on Top Chef Masters or something similar, if they must do a reality show. They're not slogging it out with unknowns on Top Chef.

His friends Brooke Williamson and Michael Voltaggio talked him into it....and FYI Brian Voltaggio was pretty well known before he went to Vegas-Volt was already open.

https://la.eater.com/2017/12/7/16743644/joe-sasto-bruce-kalman-top-chef-season-15

Quote

Since the event was scheduled after Bruce's appearance on Top Chef, it's impossible to know if it's capitalizing on his Top Chef-created fame or if was notable enough before TC to warrant a place at the event.  My money is on the former case.

While it is impossible to know, I'll take the other side of the bet-all pre Top Chef.

http://www.laweekly.com/content/printView/8770660

http://www.foxla.com/good-day/good-day-la-features/chefs-bruce-kalman-michael-voltaggio-duff-goldman-reunion-dinner-event

Quote

Also, just because Bruce and Jonathan Waxman are cooking at the same charity event, this does not mean they are of equal calibre or celebrity.

Agreed, he is not Jonathon Waxman, but he is pretty well known....and Jacques Pepin likes his food alot

http://www.laweekly.com/restaurants/jacques-pepins-favorite-la-restaurant-is-actually-in-pasadena-7832759

I don't know Bruce and I know it sounds like I am doing his PR (altho it seems like he has some pretty good people doing it) and I haven't ever eaten his food, but I do have to give the guy his due and his food sounds like what I would really enjoy....and I liked how much the group seemed to like each other and him. I like it when a few experienced chefs come on and I think he is among the best chefs on this season....altho he was clearly not one of the best cheftestants...and hence he had to PPYKAG

Edited March 8, 2018 by AriAu

[cooksdelight]

I like his food too!

[Heathrowe]

Nice exit for Joe Sasto. I actually liked him-crystals and all-but did not really like his food. I will join the "bread anchor needed butter" crowd and say that dry bread with a beet piece on top just sounds dry and...earthy. I guess there was yogurt and vinaigrette in there also but.....no good for me.

That said-I thought all 3 dishes seemed pretty underwhelming. Corn pudding wrapped in chard sounds wiggly and moist. Zucchini stuffed with...more zucchini sounds like a lotta zucchini. 

I do think Adrienne is a good chef-I wish, once they got to final four-that they would just really let them cook without the stupid curveballs, because I really love seeing good food and when you limit people to cooking in cowboy cauldrons-and your Adrienne and your specialty is refined cuisine.....we are not seeing her best. Or anyone else's, and I'd like to see their best before the final episode.

[LeighLeigh]

On Reddit, someone posted a video of Adrienne, more like a mini-documentary. It turned me into a fan. Check it out.

[LeighLeigh]

Padma's hippie/Cher-wannabe outfit looks like a skinny-girl maternity dress. Maybe her excess boobage is indeed to hide the weight she gained eating all of Bruce's pasta and polenta.

[AriAu]

Just an interesting add on to the conversation.

I heard Brooke Williamson on the Top Chef podcast and she said that she also walked up to Adrienne's tent and congratulated Bruce and he quickly said, "Not me...talk to her". Brooke said that she just assumed it was him due to his reputation.

So take it easy on Jonathon Waxman-just like Brooke, he was wrong, but not necessarily sexist.

[Fiero425]

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 1:19 AM, chiaros said:

Regarding "hands", contd: Chris (of Joe S and Chris) did have gloves on sometimes, like when peeling the yellow beets:

 

...but also did not, including when he was plating the dish - like with those green beans, as shown below:

 

So – EVERYONE used their bare hands to handle AND plate their food, including RIGHT IN FRONT of both the judges and the diners.  As previously noted, Adrienne was shown rubbing her nose (one of the largest depositories of bacteria and germs) with her bare hands then went back to prepping her food with those nose-rubbed-hands.

It is unfair to Joe Sasto to single him out, if one were inclined to lean in this direction.

 

ETA: All of them also shook hands with various people, like the judges and famous chefs (thereby transferring germs from the hands of those other people to their own hands) - then went back to prepping their plates with their food using those same bare hands.  ;-) 

This is one of the reasons I hate nouveaux cuisine; much too much handling of the petite food to place it on the plate to make it look pretty! What happened to serving spoons, spatulas, & forks when it comes to plating? If I shake hands with some idiot while cooking; if I shake their hands, I wash again! People are gross; sneezing and coughing into their hands, opening doors, and in general passing around germs and bacteria! You don't have to be a germa-phobe to be considerate of people you're preparing food for! ;-)

[biakbiak]

Chris is most likeky only wearing gloves because he was peeling beets and so didnt want to stain his hands.

[cooksdelight]

Yellow beets don’t stain your hands. Red ones, however, I always use gloves.

[biakbiak]

5 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

Yellow beets don’t stain your hands. Red ones, however, I always use gloves.

They had a variety of colors including red, its just not screenshoted. Not to mention the ash given how they were cooked. Even in the screenshot you can see yellow and black stains on the gloves.

Edited March 14, 2018 by biakbiak