Special Contestants: All Stars and Firefighters and Lunch Ladies, Oh My!

[Bella]

I like Alex. It took a long time, but I now find her extremely amusing, with the stink eye being sincere or a put-on, depending on the situation. I love her stink eye!

[Totale]

It was interesting to see that both Santos and Alex apparently cut themselves during the appetizer round, with no drama or loud calls for medics.  Maybe they just didn't want to show their "pros" as being as fallible as the everyday noodniks they invite in.  I wonder if they stopped the clock.

[xaxat]

Wait! Did I see Alex handle her turkey breast using tongs?

 

The nerve!

[cooksdelight]

Poor disrespected turkey!!

[anonymiss]

Has Marcus left the show?  I wondered why he wasn't involved.

 

That's what I'd like to know. I sure hope not since he's my favorite.

 

I like Alex but was hoping for a Maneet win or final 2. I find it a bit odd how Ted and others keep repeating "spices" and "curry" around her like those components and Indian food are still so exotic and remarkable.

[Drogo]

And.... here it is. 

 

[MajorWoody]

So one week after Conant belittled the female contestant for using tongs, and in his mind, being disrespectful of that poor dead fish, we have a Chopped Judges episode that provides gummy turkey legs as a basket ingredient, to be used alongside that poor dead turkey!

Amazing how Conant didn't go off on Ted or whoever picks the ingredients, like he does on contestants who are unable to defend themselves, at least if they want to have any chance of advancing.

Conant also failed to berate Murphy for his joking and running around the set, in contrast to how he normally berates contestants who fail to take the show seriously, in his mind. I guess his double standard is intact, or maybe he is afraid of Murphy telling him to stick it up his behind.

On a related note, I heard Hugh Hefner has posted a reward for his lost 1975 maroon velour smoking jacket. It appears that Mr Smugness Scott Conant has somehow gotten a hold of it.

As another poster mentioned, Chris has really shown that he is a decent guy, as opposed to Conant, who is becoming more and more of a jerk with every episode.

[cattykit]

 

I like Alex. It took a long time, but I now find her extremely amusing, with the stink eye being sincere or a put-on, depending on the situation. I love her stink eye!

I don't mind her stink eye.  I mind that apparently TPTB want to insure that Alex's shit don't stink.  I think they've gone to great pains to silence the critics of her TNIC win by presenting her as the greatest chef evah, whenever possible.   There was no doubt in my mind that she was going to win this challenge, regardless of what anyone cooked.

 

I wondered where Marcus was, too, when they said they had all the judges there. 

[cooksdelight]

The Taste is getting ready to start up again, Marcus might have had a scheduling conflict. Or he just got tired of the whole thing.

[The Bullpen]

I don't think Marcus has been on Chopped since he joined the cast of The Taste.  But I may be wrong.  At the least, I don't remember seeing him in a long time.

[Julia]

Marcus also has a show on fyi now.

[NikSac]

I'm just now re-watching "Teen Tournament Part Three" - I think it aired this year so hopefully I'm in the right thread. I had forgotten how much I liked Tommie Ray (no idea if that's spelled right). I'd love to hear how she's doing now. I remember some fairly obnoxious kids on the teen tournament shows, but I thought this one was really impressive because all of the kids were nice to each other, respectful, and seemed to have some camaraderie going.

 

I was also reminded once again how much these Chopped judges like SALT.  I think I've changed my approach to my hypothetical appearance on this show. I think I'd plate a salt lick, surrounded by the basket ingredients. Sheesh judges, I know salt can make or break a dish sometimes but there are other ingredients and other seasonings out there.

[ellystar]

I was also reminded once again how much these Chopped judges like SALT.  I think I've changed my approach to my hypothetical appearance on this show. I think I'd plate a salt lick, surrounded by the basket ingredients. Sheesh judges, I know salt can make or break a dish sometimes but there are other ingredients and other seasonings out there.

I couldn't agree more. I feel like salt level is so subjective.

[NikSac]

I couldn't agree more. I feel like salt level is so subjective.

 

Definitely!  I know it's generally better to add salt during cooking rather than after, but it's too bad they can't let the judges have salt shakers so the ones who are really obsessive about having their food super salty could add more. I realize that then technically they wouldn't all be tasting the exact same dish, but it seems like some judges are way more into the salt than others. What some of them refer to as "properly seasoned" would be enough to make some people gag, I think.

[cooksdelight]

One thing I've learned from a lot of my chef friends, the ones who smoke and drink on a regular basis need more salt in their food than most people. Their tastebuds aren't as fresh as everyone else's so for some reason the salty taste is missing.

[nitrofishblue]

My husband will cover his food with salt before even tasting it. I don't like a lot of salt so I don't add much, knowing he will add and add more. I agree that the salt level is so subjective. Actually it is an acquired taste. If you add salt to food then with time it isn't salty enough for you so you add more to reach that level you thing you like. Over time you end up with a plate of overly salted food to another person. It needs to be added to each plate individually to please the specific taster. I can't touch anything on my husband's plate since it is about 90% salt.

[cooksdelight]

A family edition tonight. So, it's a family.... they get to split the $10,000, or will one of them run off with the money?

[cooksdelight]

I hope they never do this concept again. No matter who won, the money was going into the family restaurant. Why pull for anyone to win? Just hand them a check and wish them a Merry Christmas.

[rujasu]

I wasn't a fan of this format, but at least there was no sob story.

[Julia]

I enjoyed the sets of brothers. Everyone was clearly there to beat the rest, but they were basically respectful and the quality of cooking was way higher than usual.

[xaxat]

I loved Chris' reaction to the Frangelico (excuse me hazelnut liquor) ladyfingers!

 

Outside of that, I was tremendously under impressed with the food.

[cooksdelight]

I thought Chris was going to choke up a lung.

[zxy556575]

Who won the Martone family show? I fell asleep.

Edited December 25, 2014 by lordonia

[GaT]

Momma

[backformore]

Who won the Martone family show? I fell asleep.

Don't blame you for falling asleep. I don't recall a more boring episode.

They alll work together, it didn't matter who won. Seems like no matter what, the money would go into the family business.

[zxy556575]

Thanks! I figured the mom had it all over the rest -- didn't seem like dad and son even cooked that much.

[cooksdelight]

I hope this "special Family Edition" is the one and only. It was truly a snooze.

[Maverick]

 FN seems to be on a family kick right now (see:  Guy's Grocery Games, Family Edition) so I wouldn't count it out.  I'm just waiting for estranged families to show up on Cutthroat Kitchen.

[RockShrimp]

Mom said she was taking her husband to Italy. She's the only one who didn't say they were putting it to the Restaurant.

[theatremouse]

I think the premise might have been more interesting if they maybe found a family, be it siblings only or sibs+'rents, where they all work at different restaurants. Although I don't know how common that is. I bet they only came up with the episode because all four applied regularly  (or maybe three and they threw the brother in because they could) just to make it themey. But I agree the working-in-the-same-family-business makes the competition a little more for bragging rights than the usual competitive nature...

[Gloworm]

The more gimmicky "Chopped" gets with the theme shows, sob stories, and casting, the less interested I become in the episodes. I ended up reading while the Family Feud episode played. 

[cooksdelight]

I'd love to see a themed episode of a couple of pairs of ex's. THAT I'd almost pay to watch.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Like I posted in the Judges thread, I am very new to this show and binge-watched seasons 14 and 15 in the past week, and I really, really wanted Laila Ali to win. She came across as someone I could hang out with and who would be a lot of fun.

 

It's weird, but I saw the military episode where Robbie first appeared and it was set up as former military competing, except that the first one chopped was a Reservist.  So when he returned, it's the show that messed up by stating they were all currently in the military/police, where the exception being Keith, who is still a fire fighter, I believe.  But I still hated Diane, Diana? She was just so damned smug. And in the episode she won, we met her children, who looked nearly full grown. Teenagers at the very least, so they're not toddlers, which is the impression I got the way she kept blathering on and on about being a single mother of two.

 

I'm still waiting to see an appetizer that I would actually want to eat. I've seen some entrees I could eat as well as dessert. But appetizers? Nope. Might be because I can't eat seafood, and some of them are just so, so gross.

[cooksdelight]

Lauren van der Pool and Cara take the prize for smug contestants, hands down. Lauren got brought back for a redemption episode not long after she lost, and she hadn't changed. She was booted early, thankfully.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Lauren van der Pool and Cara take the prize for smug contestants, hands down. Lauren got brought back for a redemption episode not long after she lost, and she hadn't changed. She was booted early, thankfully.

 

God yes! Especially Cara! Arguing with the judges, and saying hers was the best, no scratch that, said that her servings "kicked ass." Whatever. And sadly she won.  She should have lost if only to be brought down a peg.  Was Lauren the one who came back in the ultimate cook-off, with all stars, returning winners, to ultimately compete with what'shisname, the winner who owns two restaurants and who Diana beat ultimately? Sorry, I'm normally good with names, EXCEPT when I binge-watch, heh.

[cooksdelight]

Lauren was the one who bragged about cooking for all these celebrities, the Obamas, yada yada.... she made it to the dessert round her first time. She argued with Scott, I think, and said "Can I speak?" one too many times. She was in a redemption ep., not a champions, and was eliminated in the first round for a crappy salad. And again, she wanted to argue.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Lauren was the one who bragged about cooking for all these celebrities, the Obamas, yada yada.... she made it to the dessert round her first time. She argued with Scott, I think, and said "Can I speak?" one too many times. She was in a redemption ep., not a champions, and was eliminated in the first round for a crappy salad. And again, she wanted to argue.

 

Ah. I don't think I saw that one. My On Demand only has seasons 14, 15 and "current season" which I'm assuming is from this past year so far...it included the judges competing during Thanksgiving, the Banh Mi one, baseball competition, and the one about the frog legs, so far.

[cooksdelight]

I'll try to find chatter about it in the 2014 thread and quote it for you.

[cooksdelight]

I can't find it, GHScorpioRule, I think most of the good snark is gone forever with TWoP. But if you read through the other threads here, you'll get a feel for some of the older shows.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Thanks for trying cooksdelight.  I have set up my DVR to record new and repeats, so maybe they'll re-air it. One thing I do appreciate about the On Demand of the Food Network, is that the current season? has commercials, BUT I can fast forward through that crap. Seasons 14 and 15 had NO COMMERCIALS, so that's how I was able to watch both in three days, I think it was.

 

I have tried to read through all the threads but I'll be honest. Since the first shows I watched were the ultimate showdown with the returning winners, celebrities and military/cop fiver parter, I scrolled all the way down to see what y'all had to say about them. I really, really, really wanted Laila to be in the ultimate finale. I just really loved her humor, confidence and just everything, really.  

[Bella]

My On Demand only has seasons 14, 15 and "current season" which I'm assuming is from this past year so far...

 

The concept of "seasons" with this show is very fluid. When I initially organized this forum, I found that Food Network was showing episodes from three new seasons simultaneously. That's when I threw up my hands and created a thread for the year, plus the "special contestants" thread.

 

I watched this show obsessively during a low point in my life; I found the problem-solving element to be comforting. At that point, FN was showing episodes from four different years. It's also sort of a gateway to other FN shows, as the network likes to recycle contestants and judges. But it's a harmless addiction. Now that I'm no longer using the show as therapy, the special group episodes are more appealing than the regular ones. With any luck, we'll eventually see an All-Stars All Star tournament.

[blubld43]

With any luck, we'll eventually see an All-Stars All Star tournament.

 

I hope so; would love to see a new episode with Michael Imperioli!  He was so calm and cool during all his challenges and totally deserved to win IMO.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm watching the other one with chefs/ladies from school--3 were from CT, one from Islip, NY.  How many of these did they do and is Sam Kass always the guest judge?

[Bella]

I don't know exactly how many times they've had lunch ladies, but it's been more than once.

 

Someone will probably come here with the answer.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Oiooooh!

Watching all star with Greg Louganis, Charles Oakely, Brandi Chastain and Jackie Joyner-Kersee!!!

Boo that douche, Geoffrey is one of the judges.

[cooksdelight]

I think they had two lunch lady episodes.

[chessiegal]

New season of All-Stars coming in April.

 

http://www.foodnetworkgossip.com/2015/03/new-chopped-all-stars-airs-in-april-see.html#.VQeJ9ZU5DIU

[Maverick]

Wow, FN is really going to Top Chef well.  All but one round only has one contestant who started out as a FN 'talent'.  Every other competitor save for Rocco is tied to the Top Chef franchise.

 

 That first round is going to be particularly rough.   I know it's an unpopular opinion but I don't particularly care for Madison.  I liked Art Smith until being exhausted by his schtick on TCM.   Marlarkey is a total dbag who FN needs to stop trying to make happen.  I guess that leaves Greenspan to root for.  And given how he swept Cutthroat Kitchen I doubt he'll be allowed to go far here.

[Julia]

_Competitors: Anne Burrell, Hung Huynh, Mary Sue Milliken, Dale Talde_

One of these things is not like the others... Bet she wins, too.

I'm actually pretty impressed with these lineups, particularly the one with Cat Cora and Michael Psilakis. I do think it's a joke that Alex is judging their food.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Julia

[cooksdelight]

The whole thing is for charity, right? So, I don't care who wins as long as everyone gets some money in some fashion. In other words FN, don't be stingy.