Masterchef (US) - General Discussion

[preeya]

This week it's back to only one amazing episode.

S10.E20 One Pan Wonder

Summary:  Daphne Oz (Dr. Oz's daughter) is tasked with revealing the contents of this week's Mystery Box challenge to the Top 8. The contestants then have 60 minutes to create an elevated one-pan-wonder dish using a staple kitchen tool:  the stunning cast iron pan.

[Annamz]

On 8/17/2019 at 11:38 PM, jumper sage said:

I am ready for Bri to go home.  She cries every episode.  I don't like when the kids cry and I really don't like when she cries.  Boo Hoo get out.

At first glance I thought you said "Boo Ho  get out" 😂

I can't stand the fact that she cries every episode. First 1 or 2 times is understandable but you toughen up and the sting is less. She's crying for the judges to look at her and feel bad and keep her. Jaime should've been the one to stay. In my opinion he's the better cook. Him crying wouldn't look as cute I guess. 

[Rammchick]

It seemed clear to me that Jamie was toast from the get go.  When Aaron and Joe walked up to his station and saw him grinding his meat twice, they decided the sausage would be mealy and terrible.  Clearly they've never eaten a hot dog, which is ground into a mousse-like texture before being stuffed into casings.

It also seemed clear to me that the contestants had additional lessons prior to this challenge.  You can't tell me that someone can watch someone make a sausage once and then replicate it without some practice.  Getting the casings on the funnel and getting the sausages to stuff properly is not easy - - we've seen people fail at that time and time again on cooking shows, and that's even some chefs who have a lot of experience.  And yet, not a single person had any difficulties getting the sausages made.  Hmm...

I was away for a couple of weeks and binge watched 4 episodes to catch up, so forgive me for dredging up old news, but that whole bit with Grant Achatz a few eps back was so fake.  I appreciate the creativity that goes into creating dishes like that, but I'm sorry, that's just not food.  The dessert on the table top thing is a staple at Alinea -- if you watch his episode of Chef's Table on Netflix, you'll also see him making that.  Ho hum.  So now I have to scrape my dessert off the table to eat it?  No thanks.

[cooksdelight]

When I saw tonight’s competition was a cast-iron frying pan one dish meal, I told Noah as a country boy, if he doesn’t ace this ....

🙂

[preeya]

27 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

When I saw tonight’s competition was a cast-iron frying pan one dish meal, I told Noah as a country boy, if he doesn’t ace this ....

How does "country boy" ace this equate to "an elevated one-pan-wonder dish using a cast iron pan?"

Edited August 22, 2019 by preeya

[DEL901]

Yes, Nick.  Daphne Oz is just like you.   She started young, but ..... her dad is Dr Oz.    I’d say she had a leg up   

And if Gordon is going to keep calling her Daph-a-ne, I don’t know if I can watch Masterchef Junior.  

[whinewithwine]

Aaron spoiled my drinking game tonight...didn't use "unctuous" one time.  But he did refer to grains of rice as "granules".....close enough

Drink!

Rawrrr fish and there's even a discussion?

[Maximoose]

[DoctorK]

2 hours ago, preeya said:

How does "country boy" ace this equate to "an elevated one-pan-wonder dish using a cast iron pan?"

I think the assumption is that a country boy (which I am not but after 67 years below the Mason-Dixon line) will have a lot of expertise with cast iron. The challenge would be to go beyond the run of the mill skillet dish, taking advantage of the special characteristics of cast iron cooking.

[preeya]

FINALLY! 

Subha up.

Bri gone.

Edited August 22, 2019 by preeya

[El maestro]

Micah and Dorian are definitely the judges ‘ pet projects.  

[ML89]

I was waiting for Daphne to tell Gordon “I used to help Michael Symon make great dishes in 5 minutes.” Can Gordon get her name right? I’m with @DEL901.  I had to laugh when Dorian said Carla when they mentioned The Chew - and Daphne wasn’t there all seven seasons. But I do like her and I enjoyed her being there. 

[adhoc]

They tried to edit it/position it like there was a serious debate about who was going home, but from what I saw, only one cheftestant offered up an INEDIBLE entree. Bye, Bri!

Glad the Willy Wonka of Masterchef had a win. 

[Gramto6]

So glad to see Bri gone and Subha the winner.  I wonder if there is going to be a "surprise" winner this season? I would be happy!

[Msample]

Glad to see  Barbri  and her Princess Leia hairdo get the heave ho finally.

[DoctorK]

Just finished watching the recorded show (I can't watch it in real time), glad to see Bri gone, and it looks like they are creating a Subha redemption story arc. I don't have a problem with that, but the sometimes obvious producer direction working certain story arcs that they think will appeal to us is annoying.

[Writing Wrongs]

Noah's dish looked like shit surrounded by a ring of vomit. He must've been channeling his job.

I don't know why they needed to show us Gordon producing an amazing pot pie in 30 minutes. SEASON 10!

[jewel21]

Nick is my favourite so I'm glad he did well in this challenge. That clam chowder looked so good. I'm also happy Subha got the best dish of the night. 

Oh, Brie. How could you not realize your salmon was completely raw? Also, Noah's dish looked gross. 

[Gramto6]

1 minute ago, Writing Wrongs said:

Noah's dish looked like shit surrounded by a ring of vomit. He must've been channeling his job.

I don't know why they needed to show us Gordon producing an amazing pot pie in 30 minutes. SEASON 10!

Yeah, Gordon is the "Kitchen God" he can do all things better than anyone. I used to really like him but have lost a lot of respect for him watching some of these shows.

[preeya]

27 minutes ago, Writing Wrongs said:

I don't know why they needed to show us Gordon producing an amazing pot pie in 30 minutes. SEASON 10!

GR's egotism conquers JB's snobbery.  Were we supposed to think he wouldn't produce something unbelievably stunning in 30 fricken minutes? REALLY!!!!

[preeya]

33 minutes ago, Writing Wrongs said:

Noah's dish looked like shit surrounded by a ring of vomit. He must've been channeling his job.

Dog shit on a plate. Someone made a comment last week about using brown stuff puree. I guess septic Noah took that to heart.

[preeya]

Subha's recipe is posted to Family Circle:

https://www.familycircle.com/recipes/one-pot-wonders-masterchef/

[Aerobicidal]

Bri's Heidi x Bjork x bleached elephantiasis hair was stunning. And amazing. And incredible.

I don't remember anything else about this episode.

[leocadia]

Did Gordon really say that this was a "shocking" elimination?  Honestly, anyone BUT Bri would have been shocking.  She's been circling the drain for weeks.

[hhawks]

14 minutes ago, Aerobicidal said:

Bri's Heidi x Bjork x bleached elephantiasis hair was stunning. And amazing. And incredible.

I don't remember anything else about this episode.

It was also memorable after Bri was finally booted off when she talked about her shocking  elimination being a stepping stone to a great career as a chef in a fancy high end restaurant (that specializes in raw salmon and puree smears).  On the contrary, I picture her as a bitter, alcoholic, 40 year old cocktail server in Reno.

[kirklandia]

3 hours ago, whinewithwine said:

Aaron spoiled my drinking game tonight...didn't use "unctuous" one time.  But he did refer to grains of rice as "granules".....close enough.

However, my palate was titillated when Joe say "acidulated".

Edited August 22, 2019 by kirklandia

[spiderpig]

Daphne's Carol/ScarletO'Hara/Burnett window fashion was stunning!

I was actually surprised the judges finally gave Bri her walking papers, since they could have used Noah's atrocity on a plate to save her bacon.  Not that I'm complaining, mind you.  BTW, did any of you see actual flowing tears as she mopped her eyes when she was eliminated?  Fakety-fake-fake-fake.  As for the giant ocean liner-mooring-rope-size braids she was sporting tonight...um, no.

The dish I most wanted to try was Nick's clam chowder.  It was gorgeous.

[hhawks]

Subha indeed may have cooked the tastiest dish, but his plating looked awfully routine for such praise.  It looked like he took a big ladle and flung his shrimp onto the plate.

[hhawks]

2 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Daphne's Carol/ScarletO'Hara/Burnett window fashion was stunning!

I was actually surprised the judges finally gave Bri her walking papers, since they could have used Noah's atrocity on a plate to save her bacon.  Not that I'm complaining, mind you.  BTW, did any of you see actual flowing tears as she mopped her eyes when she was eliminated?  Fakety-fake-fake-fake.  As for the giant ocean liner-mooring-rope-size braids she was sporting tonight...um, no.

The dish I most wanted to try was Nick's clam chowder.  It was gorgeous.

I was expecting Micah to be eliminated as nobody had anything good to say about his dish, whereas they liked Bri's carrot puree smear.

Yes, Nick's chowder was very nicely presented, and I bet it was yummy.  

[GaT]

When I saw it was going to be Bri, Noah, or Micah, I was all ready to throw my TV out the window if Micah was the one going home. At least Bri was eliminated, but why couldn't it be a double elimination so we could have got rid of Noah too?

[mertensia]

Joe, shut the giant fuck up about Minnesota. There is nothing wrong with the state - with ANY state not New York State - and just shut the fuck up. 

Yay! Bri went home!! Production must have hated her since no one told her they could see her black bra under her sweater.

[displayname]

1 hour ago, mertensia said:

Joe, shut the giant fuck up about Minnesota.

Wasn't it Wisconsin at some point?

[mertensia]

5 minutes ago, displayname said:

Wasn't it Wisconsin at some point?

I don't remember but probably. Snobbery against flyover states annoys me no end. 

[displayname]

I'm really thinking Subha might win now.

[Writing Wrongs]

I think Joe got in Micah's head and he messed up. You could tell he wanted to say fuck off to Joe when he was trashing cooking meat and potatoes.

[adhoc]

You know, for a family-friendly meal, Subha's dish has (IMO) a daunting number of ingredients (including saffron, because doesn't everyone keep that on hand?).  

[DEL901]

6 hours ago, preeya said:

Subha's recipe is posted to Family Circle:

https://www.familycircle.com/recipes/one-pot-wonders-masterchef/

Thanks for posting.   It may have been a one pan dish, but he used a heck of a lot of ingredients.   If he always cooks like this, no wonder they talk about his complex flavours. 

[cooksdelight]

I want someone to mail this to Joe. The friendliest state in the US is none other than Minnesota.

https://bigseventravel.com/2019/08/the-50-friendliest-states-in-america/

I thought Noah’s dish looked like shit as well. I expected more from him. Dorian slipped a bit, Bri is finally off my screen and Subha comes out the winner?? Someone waved their magic fairy wand last night.

[mertensia]

29 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I want someone to mail this to Joe. The friendliest state in the US is none other than Minnesota.

https://bigseventravel.com/2019/08/the-50-friendliest-states-in-america/

I thought Noah’s dish looked like shit as well. I expected more from him. Dorian slipped a bit, Bri is finally off my screen and Subha comes out the winner?? Someone waved their magic fairy wand last night.

I suspect Joe has the number of James Beard winners from each state memorized. 

He's got the kind of attitude that makes me want to bodily stop them from entering an aircraft while softly cooing "oh, I'm sorry. Planes were invented by flyover state men.  Clearly they're not worth your flying in. "

[xcrayon2215x]

It was time for Bri to go, I had a feeling if Subha was going to plate better that he would have the best dish. Nick's chowder looked great, Joe's comments about Minnesota were a bit much.

[OoogleEyes]

"You need to blossom into the level of cuisine you are creating" WTF does that even mean, Joe? If Dorian is creating the cuisine, hasn't she already blossomed into that level?

Edited August 22, 2019 by OoogleEyes

[cooksdelight]

Bri has watched too many cooking shows and has convinced herself that she is a chef. I suspect she was cast for the reasons we’ve all been snarking on ... the crying, the fake eyelashes, fake boobs, fake food.

[cameron]

9 hours ago, DoctorK said:

Just finished watching the recorded show (I can't watch it in real time), glad to see Bri gone, and it looks like they are creating a Subha redemption story arc. I don't have a problem with that, but the sometimes obvious producer direction working certain story arcs that they think will appeal to us is annoying.

The Subha arc doesn't work for me.

[OoogleEyes]

8 hours ago, kirklandia said:

However, my palate was titillated when Joe say "acidulated".

I had to confirm with my friend Merriam that "acidulated" was, indeed, a word. 

[displayname]

I don't mind Joe's "snobbish" comments. It's clear he's just playing a character with those -- like the stereotypical New Yorker in a sitcom who hates New Jersey.

I hated some of his BastardBitchiness when he was still behaving like it, but I think he's just playing a nicer, somewhat snobbish guy now because he's been asked to. I suspect the real Joe is somewhere in the middle, someone who's very tough about food, but is nice to talented chefs, and definitely not someone who tosses food into the trash can at his whim. Much like I don't think that one bald guy in Masterchef AU randomly screams "BOOM BOOM SHAKE THE ROOM" at the chefs he employs.

Edited August 22, 2019 by displayname

[cameron]

Feel like I am watching a rerun of Masterchef Junior with Subha pitch hitting for Ivy.  Think they will take him into the final free and then ditch him.  The similarities  are there.  Wonder what home reader of Family Circle is going to have a cabinet full of spices like the ones he used.

[preeya]

13 minutes ago, cameron said:

Wonder what home reader of Family Circle is going to have a cabinet full of spices like the ones he used.

My thought, exactly and it would be quite expensive to buy all that stuff.

[Rammchick]

25 minutes ago, cameron said:

Feel like I am watching a rerun of Masterchef Junior with Subha pitch hitting for Ivy.  Think they will take him into the final free and then ditch him.  The similarities  are there.  Wonder what home reader of Family Circle is going to have a cabinet full of spices like the ones he used.

Me, actually -- although I'm not a regular Family Circle reader, I'll go in search of that recipe, which is what they hoped to achieve.

[joanne3482]

Apparently I fell asleep during the ending of this episode as I had no recollection that Subha won and that Bri was sent home. I can't form an opinion on Subha, except that I do think this is the wrong venue for his 'cooking dream.' 

So far I liked Keturah and she went home so I switched my support to Jamie and he went home. I'm not sure who I currently want to win. I do like Dorian a lot, but I'm not 100% sure she's the best possible winner here. I guess I just have to start rooting for Noah. 

[jcbrown]

45 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

Me, actually -- although I'm not a regular Family Circle reader, I'll go in search of that recipe, which is what they hoped to achieve.

Me, too, but I haven't looked at Family Circle since my mom was alive and I was trying to read everything in my parents' house to alleviate boredom.