Masterchef (US) - General Discussion

[buttersister]

I don’t ever need to see Paula Deen again.

Wondering, though, if Lidia is one of the guest judges. And if she’ll smack the insufferable Joe in his miserable face.

[preeya]

Joe Bastianich; once a dick always a dick.

Edited June 3, 2021 by preeya

[jcbrown]

Paula Deen? Because racism and misogyny are okay if Gordon says they are? WTaF? Next, is he bringing back Batali? Holy tone-deaf, Batman.

[displayname]

STUNNING!

[mertensia]

I wish they'd knock off the win an apron stuff. Just start with the contestants.

 

I hope they let them cook this year.

[OoogleEyes]

I wish that Paula Deen would crawl back under the rock from whence she came. I'll be skipping her episode. 

Let's see how many tropes I can handle,  shall we?

[preeya]

6 hours ago, mertensia said:

I wish they'd knock off the win an apron stuff. Just start with the contestants.

THIS ↑. 

The apron stuff adds nothing to the show and towards the end of the episode seems very rushed. I hope we don't have to see APRON #2 next week.

IMO a simple intro of the home cooks would suffice.

Edited June 3, 2021 by preeya

[mlp]

5 hours ago, preeya said:

The apron stuff adds nothing to the show and towards the end of the episode seems very rushed. I hope we don't have to see APRON #2 next week.

IMO a simple intro of the home cooks would suffice.

I wouldn't mind the cooking to win an apron if 1) the families weren't involved and 2) I thought the decisions were legit.  However, we have to watch family members hovering and then screaming and hugging way beyond my level of tolerance and all the drama among the judges while they make their selections is phony and far exceeds legitimate reactions to whatever is on the plates.  IMO They already know which cooks they want in the cast.

Aaron bugs me even more than Joe does which is saying quite a lot.  He's so annoyingly pretentious and his tattooed hands are gross.

Has Emeril had a mild stroke or Bell's Palsy or something?  He looked like the left side of his mouth was a bit droopy and his speech seemed a bit off.  Maybe he's always talked like that and I've never noticed before.  I've always liked him so I hope he is well.  

[eel21788]

20 minutes ago, mlp said:

 IMO They already know which cooks they want in the cast.

The producers have already made those decisions. 

[ketchuplover]

I hope one the cheftestants says "I made you a heapin' heppin' of dark meat" to Paula Deen

[preeya]

18 hours ago, preeya said:

Joe Bastianich; once a dick always a dick.

Joe B: "You're giving out aprons for fried rice? Come on."
 

[jcbrown]

These pathos-with-the-family-to-get-the-apron episodes are mind-numbingly dull.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Why does Gordon look better on Hell’s Kitchen than he does on this show?

[Ms Blue Jay]

I've never watched this show before so I really enjoyed this episode.  I just feel grossed out looking at 4 people eating from the same dish during COVID.

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Why does Gordon look better on Hell’s Kitchen than he does on this show?

AFAIK even the season of HK airing now was filmed pre-Covid.  So it's probably because he was younger!

[hacman00]

8 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I've never watched this show before so I really enjoyed this episode.  I just feel grossed out looking at 4 people eating from the same dish during COVID.

I read the 1st 10 episodes were filmed before production was shutdown.  It'll be interesting to see if the final 8 episodes feel dramatically different or if they acknowledge the Pandemic at all.

[iwantcookies]

I know someone who worked for Joe B. He is a jerk IRL and so is his pal Mario Batali. 
 

I am watching the show out of habit/boredom.

[Persnickety1]

I was thinking about livening up the show with a drinking game.

Take a drink every time Gordon says "stunning."

Then I realized I'd be comatose within an hour (if not sooner).

I did like Lamb Chop dude, Bartender lady and Burmese lady.  Their dishes looked stunning delicious.  

I'll be in for the season, but I'll be snarking on the judges the entire time.  

[fishcakes]

13 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Why does Gordon look better on Hell’s Kitchen than he does on this show?

Maybe it's the clothes. On HK, he's mostly in chef's whites and looks okay (although that short sleeve jacket he wears makes him look like a dentist from the 1950s), but on Masterchef he's in his own clothes and he seems to really like tight pants. Every once in a while he'll appear in a super loud shirt too.

12 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I've never watched this show before so I really enjoyed this episode.  I just feel grossed out looking at 4 people eating from the same dish during COVID.

Also, Gordon is a double-dipper. I'm waiting for someone to scream at him that it's like putting his whole mouth on the plate.

[iwantcookies]

Gordo developed moobs!

On Hell’s Kitchen the chef jacket covers them up nicely.

Edited June 4, 2021 by iwantcookies

[GHScorpiosRule]

51 minutes ago, fishcakes said:

Maybe it's the clothes. On HK, he's mostly in chef's whites and looks okay

No. It's his FACE. I think I remarked on it in the Masterchef Junior forum last year. It's all bloated. Yet, on Hell's Kitchen, the hair and face don't look so...bad.

[eel21788]

8 hours ago, hacman00 said:

I read the 1st 10 episodes were filmed before production was shutdown.  It'll be interesting to see if the final 8 episodes feel dramatically different or if they acknowledge the Pandemic at all.

I was at the HK restaurant in Las Vegas last week. You couldn't eat there if you didn't have a cell phone to view the menu with. I hope they have brought back regular menus now that LV is back to no restrictions. If not, they will lose a lot more of old fogey customers such as me.

[iwantcookies]

3 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

No. It's his FACE. I think I remarked on it in the Masterchef Junior forum last year. It's all bloated. Yet, on Hell's Kitchen, the hair and face don't look so...bad.

Current season of HK was filmed 2 years ago 

 

[iwantcookies]

On 6/4/2021 at 10:26 AM, Persnickety1 said:

I was thinking about livening up the show with a drinking game.

Take a drink every time Gordon says "stunning."

Then I realized I'd be comatose within an hour (if not sooner).

I did like Lamb Chop dude, Bartender lady and Burmese lady.  Their dishes looked stunning delicious.  

I'll be in for the season, but I'll be snarking on the judges the entire time.  

Alejandro: lamb chop guy

Autumn: bartender with giant boobs

 

Sue: Burmese lady

[hacman00]

On 6/4/2021 at 12:37 PM, eel21788 said:

I was at the HK restaurant in Las Vegas last week. You couldn't eat there if you didn't have a cell phone to view the menu with. I hope they have brought back regular menus now that LV is back to no restrictions. If not, they will lose a lot more of old fogey customers such as me.

Seen every season of Hell's Kitchen.  I know the menu by heart.

[illdoc]

On 6/4/2021 at 2:37 PM, eel21788 said:

You couldn't eat there if you didn't have a cell phone to view the menu with

I was at Baker's Square, which had one of those "QR Code need a cell phone for the menu" things on the table and it said underneath "if you are having trouble, ask the waitress for a paper menu". 

[eel21788]

4 hours ago, illdoc said:

I was at Baker's Square, which had one of those "QR Code need a cell phone for the menu" things on the table and it said underneath "if you are having trouble, ask the waitress for a paper menu". 

I asked at HK and was flatly total "we're entirely paperless." They didn't even have one of the LED screens that lets you look over the menu. They had no problem with the fact that they were losing a customer just because I didn't have a cell phone with me. 

[preeya]

2 hours ago, eel21788 said:

I asked at HK and was flatly total "we're entirely paperless." They didn't even have one of the LED screens that lets you look over the menu. They had no problem with the fact that they were losing a customer just because I didn't have a cell phone with me. 

Typical. GR may be a great chef, but leaves a lot to be desired with his "people skills."  Sometimes he act like a pompous horse's ass.

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Watching along tonight, and the 2nd contestant "Brit" who didn't get an apron for her Thai Mahi curry looked very familiar. Was she on a previous season of Masterchef US? Or another Food Network competition show? Inquiring minds want to know..

[DEL901]

I’ve hated Curtis Stone since he was on Celebrity Apprentice where he was a mean boy, rolling his eyes and encouraging others to mock Bret Michaels who, although some of his ideas were off the wall, was hardworking, genial and very kind.   

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 6/7/2021 at 1:39 PM, eel21788 said:

I asked at HK and was flatly total "we're entirely paperless." They didn't even have one of the LED screens that lets you look over the menu. They had no problem with the fact that they were losing a customer just because I didn't have a cell phone with me. 

I've had a cellphone since I was 18 and I still resent that I'm forced to use my phone for so many things. I am not the kind of person who is always attached to their phone and I only use it when I have to.  That's too bad.  There have got to be ways for businesses to not waste paper but also be customer friendly and adaptive and accessible.  I've been provided iPad menus at Japanese restaurants, but at least they were menus that I could read!  That's one way!

Edited June 10, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[preeya]

I hate this apron stuff and we'll be seeing it again next week. This entire "apron competition" is so totally fixed/phony. The person/people responsible for creating this shit should be fired.

And guess what this is "Masterchef Legends"

[mlp]

3 minutes ago, preeya said:

I hate this apron stuff and we'll be seeing it again next week. This entire "apron competition" is so totally fixed/phony.

I was going to say the same thing.  It's not only phony, it's obviously so.  They could easily have handed out all the aprons in one episode if not for all the fake drama and footage of family members shrieking and jumping up and down.  At the rate they're going, this season won't be over until Thanksgiving.  I just hope we don't have to hear "Legends" as often as we heard "Season 10!"

[Leeds]

2 hours ago, PhD-Purgatory15 said:

Watching along tonight, and the 2nd contestant "Brit" who didn't get an apron for her Thai Mahi curry looked very familiar. Was she on a previous season of Masterchef US? Or another Food Network competition show? Inquiring minds want to know..

I'm pretty sure she was on Worst Cooks in America.

[preeya]

33 minutes ago, Leeds said:

I'm pretty sure she was on Worst Cooks in America.

 

33 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Watching along tonight, and the 2nd contestant "Brit" who didn't get an apron for her Thai Mahi curry looked very familiar. Was she on a previous season of Masterchef US? Or another Food Network competition show? Inquiring minds want to know..

There was a Brittany Carel from Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Worst Cooks season #15. She was the runner up 2nd place finisher. Could this be her?

Edited June 10, 2021 by preeya

[tinkerbell]

On 6/3/2021 at 3:15 AM, mertensia said:

I wish they'd knock off the win an apron stuff. Just start with the contestants.

 

I hope they let them cook this year.

Yes, they sound ridiculous when they are SO serious about the number of aprons.  But it's not as bad as the seasons when each judge gave out aprons for people who were then on their "team". 

[Gramto6]

The "apron "carp" turns me off too. Just intro the contestants and go from there... don't care about their families...whatever...

[cameron]

On 6/7/2021 at 1:39 PM, eel21788 said:

I asked at HK and was flatly total "we're entirely paperless." They didn't even have one of the LED screens that lets you look over the menu. They had no problem with the fact that they were losing a customer just because I didn't have a cell phone with me. 

Same thing happened to us at the Capitol Grill in Buckhead, Atlanta.  Didn't bring our phones to dinner and they had to scrounge around for their one remaining menu.  This was attributed to Covid which I could understand, but at least have a tablet or screen that could be used.

[weightyghost]

I really can't get behind Masterchef US. In comparison to the Canada/Australia versions, and to other cooking shows, it's just so unnecessarily mean. Did Joe need to turn around and say "that was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted" after the chef left? Did they need to air it? These are home chefs. It is an audition round. Chill out asshole. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

As much as I hate the audition rounds--especially when they air the sob stories, etc., if one is not going to get an apron, but an opportunity to actually work with one of chefs? I'll take the latter! Of course, for me, it would have to be Gordon, just because--his on air assholishness aside.

I'm blanking on the IT person's name, who didn't make it, but who Aarrrrrron offered to work with her in one of his restaurants to help her improve or whatever.

I don't know if this is unpopular, but watching both at the same time, the cooks on this show are sooooo much better than the ones on Hell's Kitchen right now. Because there were some who were 22, and Neha was 18!

And Gordon can shut up about mixing the Gobi with soy sauce. How many times have we seen some kind of fusion this or fusion that when mixing different ingredients? Or being told to make something different from ingredients to elevate or whatever the word is that I am blanking on (Sorry, mega headache right now due to lack of sleep).

[Emkat]

I HATE when people cook in sleeveless shirts. Then she threw her arms up aggressively over the food. Just grosses me out.  Maybe I'm crazy.

[preeya]

9 hours ago, preeya said:

9 hours ago, Leeds said:

I'm pretty sure she was on Worst Cooks in America.

 

9 hours ago, Leeds said:

Watching along tonight, and the 2nd contestant "Brit" who didn't get an apron for her Thai Mahi curry looked very familiar. Was she on a previous season of Masterchef US? Or another Food Network competition show? Inquiring minds want to know..

There was a Brittany Carel from Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Worst Cooks season #15. She was the runner up 2nd place finisher. Could this be her?

Edited 8 hours ago by preeya

Here she is on Worst Cooks:

 

[Leeds]

49 minutes ago, weightyghost said:

I really can't get behind Masterchef US. In comparison to the Canada/Australia versions, and to other cooking shows, it's just so unnecessarily mean. Did Joe need to turn around and say "that was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted" after the chef left? Did they need to air it? These are home chefs. It is an audition round. Chill out asshole. 

If you watched an episode of the British version, where the programme originated, you wouldn't even recognize it as the same show.

 

[preeya]

43 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I'm blanking on the IT person's name, who didn't make it, but who Aarrrrrron offered to work with her in one of his restaurants to help her improve or whatever.

He needs to take a lesson in geography, as he tells her Atlanta is close to New Orleans. Google maps shows the distance as 470 miles. That's a big commute Aarrrrrron.

[iwantcookies]

1 hour ago, Emkat said:

I HATE when people cook in sleeveless shirts. Then she threw her arms up aggressively over the food. Just grosses me out.  Maybe I'm crazy.

Her name is Brit. Did she get the apron?

[iwantcookies]

IT person is named Josey! 

[GHScorpiosRule]

57 minutes ago, preeya said:

He needs to take a lesson in geography, as he tells her Atlanta is close to New Orleans. Google maps shows the distance as 470 miles. That's a big commute Aarrrrrron.

I totally 🙄 and 😝 at that.

[fishcakes]

11 hours ago, mlp said:

It's not only phony, it's obviously so.  They could easily have handed out all the aprons in one episode if not for all the fake drama and footage of family members shrieking and jumping up and down.

It's also pretty obvious that someone is going to get an apron when the producers took the trouble to go the person's home to get footage of them cooking in their own kitchen for the introduction package. Mostly I hate it because it's so boring. It's especially bad that we have the contestant introduce herself, talk about what she's making, and why cooking is her PASSION, then a couple of judges come out while she's cooking and we get the same thing, then she takes the dish into the judging room and we hear it all for a third time. Parsnip puree doesn't get any more interesting just because you say it three times. I'd already decided to skip next week's show since it's just more of the apron contest, and then they said Paula Deen was the going to be the guest judge, which sealed the deal for me. I hope this is the only time she appears this season.

2 hours ago, weightyghost said:

I really can't get behind Masterchef US. In comparison to the Canada/Australia versions, and to other cooking shows, it's just so unnecessarily mean. Did Joe need to turn around and say "that was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted" after the chef left? Did they need to air it? These are home chefs. It is an audition round. Chill out asshole. 

I kind of remember that in the first season of the US series, everyone was nicer, even Joe. Then in the second (I think) season, they had this total asshole of a contestant who was constantly "she's a bitch, I hate her, she can't cook" about the eventual winner, and I guess they figured that was more on-brand so the judges seemed to get meaner after that as well. Joe is usually the worst, which is funny to me because no one cares what Joe thinks.

[KeithJ]

This is only the second season I've watched but is Joe always such an ass?  I noticed it a bit last season but even just two episodes in this year, he seems worse.

[displayname]

I'm unsure if they meant 15 home cooks or 15 years, because the auditions already seem like they've been legendarily long. I'm stunned at how boring this is currently.