Masterchef (US) - General Discussion

[Chicago Redshirt]

I don't begrudge the non-elimination week (presumably caused by Zippity Doo-Dah having to withdraw for medical reasons weeks ago).But trying to act like there was additional drama around this non-elimination when the chefs could have done anything but literally shit on a plate was grating.

That made Kelsey being in the weeds for a moment dissatisfying because the worst that would happen is she wouldn't get first. I find her pretty insufferable and I am sad she will probably win.

Lexy also irked me with her "Chicago Philly Cheesesteak." If the idea was to pay homage to hometown food, she should have done a variation on Italian beef. She probably should have audibled to that and ditched the cheese sauce, which seemingly looked foul in every incarnation. 

 

[cameron]

When I lived in Chicago, you never went to Greektown for a philly cheesesteak sub, gyro yes, philly cheesesteak no.  Call foul on this one.

[Chicago Redshirt]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

When I lived in Chicago, you never went to Greektown for a philly cheesesteak sub, gyro yes, philly cheesesteak no.  Call foul on this one.

Technically, a chain called Philly's Best has a branch in Greektown. I think I may have gotten a cheesesteak from there a couple times when temping in the area. It is hard to go wrong with steak, cheese, onions and mushrooms. In my memory, the steak was good, but nothing to make you drive out of your way to a particular neighborhood to get it. So hypothetically, Lexy could have gone there or toother places that happen to be in Greektown. 

[fishcakes]

I'm a little annoyed that Kelsey got into the top 3 with a cake because that really wasn't what the challenge required. She said her first experience of food from a truck was ice cream, but that's not a food truck, that's an ice cream man. Also, she didn't even make ice cream. I guess it doesn't matter; no one was getting eliminated so they just had to burn off an episode.

20 hours ago, mertensia said:

Okay, has anyone heard of Roy Choi?

Yes, Roy Choi is a legitimate legend. He's the reason that these days food trucks are more than just taco trucks (not that I don't love a good taco truck). He's also just a really good guy; he's involved in projects getting meals to food-insecure people in Los Angeles and in bringing more and better food options to economically depressed neighborhoods where fresh produce can be hard to find. He was fun last night. I loved how excited he got when Abe was cooking, "I've never heard of this! I can't wait to taste it!" and his face just lit up when Abe walked it up to the judges.

Edited August 13, 2021 by fishcakes

[mlp]

My favorite part of the episode was Anne getting criticized for the dish she was so sure was going to totally wow the judges.  She's a PIA.

I second the above comments about Roy Choi.  He's not only a "legend," he's one of the good guys.

[mamadrama]

17 hours ago, mertensia said:

He has his favorites. He was always defending Subha, for example though he always gave the impression that he couldn't explain why, precisely.

Okay, has anyone heard of Roy Choi?  

I have never heard of strawberry shortcake pops. Or whatever they were.

Roi Choi is amazing. He's absolutely a "legend."

I grew up eating and loving the strawberry shortcake bars. 

[Skyfall]

Do we know yet which episode begins the during pandemic filming session? We know that "over half" of the season was filmed when they had to shut down.

[leighdear]

Anne looks more like a Real Housewife every week.  That animal-print mock turtleneck? To cook in, really?  And what was the "fusion" part of her Asian-fusion?   We saw the bad Asian part, but what was it supposed to be fused with?  What did I miss?

I think Lexy is the pre-determined winner.  In her taking head describing her dish, they inserted the obligatory "I don't have much money for groceries each week.....blah, blah." and the background and her voice did NOT match what she said right before and right after.  Such frankenbiting, it's ridiculous.  They keep kissing her ass in the most blatant way.  She cooked a steak with some potatoes & veggies. WTF is original or elevated?  Were the parmesan crisps supposed to the the "bread" for the cheesesteak?  She had crappy cheese sauce already!  Nothing in any way original. 

Abe's stuff sounded great, unique and perfect for the challenge.  Good for him.  

[Spunkygal]

I volunteer at an elementary school and there’s a cool book about Roy Choi in the library:

https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Choi-Street-Remix-Heroes/dp/0983661596

So I was very excited to see him on this episode. I love seeing kids get exposed to great, talented people like this who might normally be outside their realm of consciousness.

[theatremouse]

3 hours ago, Skyfall said:

Do we know yet which episode begins the during pandemic filming session? We know that "over half" of the season was filmed when they had to shut down.

I don't know for sure, but I imagine we'll suddenly start seeing everyone standing significantly farther apart from each other.

[mertensia]

13 hours ago, fishcakes said:

I'm a little annoyed that Kelsey got into the top 3 with a cake because that really wasn't what the challenge required. She said her first experience of food from a truck was ice cream, but that's not a food truck, that's an ice cream man. Also, she didn't even make ice cream. I guess it doesn't matter; no one was getting eliminated so they just had to burn off an episode.

Yes, Roy Choi is a legitimate legend. He's the reason that these days food trucks are more than just taco trucks (not that I don't love a good taco truck). He's also just a really good guy; he's involved in projects getting meals to food-insecure people in Los Angeles and in bringing more and better food options to economically depressed neighborhoods where fresh produce can be hard to find. He was fun last night. I loved how excited he got when Abe was cooking, "I've never heard of this! I can't wait to taste it!" and his face just lit up when Abe walked it up to the judges.

Ah. Not into the food scene or Los Angeles which is why I haven't heard of him.

[Leeds]

On 8/6/2021 at 7:55 PM, letter8358 said:

Ultimate Slip N' Slide reality show scrapped by NBC, following by diarrhea outbreak

That's so gross!

 

23 hours ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

 

Lexy also irked me with her "Chicago Philly Cheesesteak." If the idea was to pay homage to hometown food, she should have done a variation on Italian beef. She probably should have audibled to that and ditched the cheese sauce, which seemingly looked foul in every incarnation. 

 

Audibled?

"I've learned from him how to be more judicious, and, I think, a little bit more tactful with my time," says Sánchez.

Who knew that time could be tactful.

[Chicago Redshirt]

1 hour ago, Leeds said:

 

Audibled?

Improvised.

In (American) football, quarterbacks generally huddle up with the rest of the offensive team and work out what play they are going to run before lining up to actually run it. But then when they get a chance to see what sort of set up the defense has, they can change what play they want to run on the fly to try to take advantage of weaknesses or avoid the defense's strength. The quarterbacks communicate the new play to their team by yelling it out in code without rehuddling. This process of improvising is known as an audible. 

Edited August 13, 2021 by Chicago Redshirt

[Colorado David]

On 8/11/2021 at 10:47 PM, mertensia said:

 

Okay, has anyone heard of Roy Choi?  

 

I know of him from Top Chef, he was one of the judges in a food truck competition. Apparently he's a biggee in that area. 

[Yeah No]

55 minutes ago, Colorado David said:

On 8/12/2021 at 12:47 AM, mertensia said:

 

Okay, has anyone heard of Roy Choi?  

 

I know of him from Top Chef, he was one of the judges in a food truck competition. Apparently he's a biggee in that area. 

Roy Choi has been around everywhere for over a decade.  His IMDB page is a mile long.  I've seen him everywhere from Anthony Bourdain's show to Food Network's "The Best Thing I ever Ate".

He is regarded as the person that singlehandedly kicked off the gourmet food truck craze about a decade ago.

[Colorado David]

I know it really bugs some people, but I could listen to Autumn prattle on all day. I love the Boston accent - I'm amazed we haven't gotten a "that's wicked good" out of her yet. 😆

[preeya]

1 hour ago, Colorado David said:

I know it really bugs some people, but I could listen to Autumn prattle on all day. I love the Boston accent - I'm amazed we haven't gotten a "that's wicked good" out of her yet. 😆

Me too; but I hate it when actors try to do it in movies or shows and they fail miserably.

[mlp]

20 hours ago, leighdear said:

I think Lexy is the pre-determined winner.  In her taking head describing her dish, they inserted the obligatory "I don't have much money for groceries each week.....blah, blah." and the background and her voice did NOT match what she said right before and right after.  Such frankenbiting, it's ridiculous.  They keep kissing her ass in the most blatant way.  She cooked a steak with some potatoes & veggies. WTF is original or elevated?  Were the parmesan crisps supposed to the the "bread" for the cheesesteak?  She had crappy cheese sauce already!  Nothing in any way original. 

I agree and I'm afraid of that too.  I'm getting the same vibes from the way they're treating her as I did with Dorian last season.  Good home cook, nothing special, rave notices that didn't add up.

[Leeds]

11 minutes ago, mlp said:

I agree and I'm afraid of that too.  I'm getting the same vibes from the way they're treating her as I did with Dorian last season.  Good home cook, nothing special, rave notices that didn't add up.

Ugh.  Did you really have to remind me of Dorian.  😲

[Yeah No]

34 minutes ago, mlp said:

I agree and I'm afraid of that too.  I'm getting the same vibes from the way they're treating her as I did with Dorian last season.  Good home cook, nothing special, rave notices that didn't add up.

I'll say it didn't add up.  What did she do this time that was anywhere near as spectacular as the judges acted like it was?  Her cheese sauce was lumpy and her steak, though well cooked was pretty basic.  The only element of any note was the tuile, which I find hard to believe made that dish stand out so much it qualified her for the top 3 despite the cheese sauce.  Any home cook with a basic knowledge of cheese sauce would never have done that.  When she first realized the sauce wasn't working she should have made a bechamel and put cheese into that.  It takes like 5 minutes to do.

[Leeds]

Hi Joe, "unedible" is not a word.  Butchering language/vocabulary wouldn't bother me so much if it weren't for the fact that it's food related.

[Leeds]

How on earth can Lexy cook in that ridiculously heavy yellow jumper and its monster sleeves?

[Chyromaniac]

On 8/12/2021 at 2:31 AM, Chicago Redshirt said:

If the idea was to pay homage to hometown food, she should have done a variation on Italian beef. She probably should have audibled to that and ditched the cheese sauce, which seemingly looked foul in every incarnation. 

Doing a play on a beef might’ve been better- the idea of a fancy steak topped with giardiniera actually sounds pretty good.  I wonder if it could be done as a quick pickle though- after a quick search, every recipe says to let it chill for at least a day.  With the sauce, I wonder if part of her problem was in the type of cheese she used.  Fresh Mozzarella is pretty elastic- for a mornay, I’ve always assumed that a firmer cheese would break apart and dissolve better (again, a quick recipe search shows lots of aged cheddar or provolone, and grated not sliced).

On 8/12/2021 at 7:30 PM, leighdear said:

 

Anne looks more like a Real Housewife every week.  That animal-print mock turtleneck? To cook in, really?  And what was the "fusion" part of her Asian-fusion?   We saw the bad Asian part, but what was it supposed to be fused with?  What did I miss?

I think Lexy is the pre-determined winner.

 

There have been plenty of people who have spilled the beans about this show- to my knowledge, no one has ever alleged that the winner is pre-determined.  To my knowledge, Masterchef operates like most reality competitions - they shoot all the footage for the shows, and then edit everything together to create a narrative that fits the results.  Lexy is getting tons of time now because they want to portray her as a front runner.  Whether she’s the actual winner or just a decoy remains to be seen.  But really, they could’ve done this for anyone- I’m sure in some variant timeline, we’ve been hearing for weeks about whatever life altering moment compelled Michael to become a jacked-up Vegan.  They can make a storyline out of any of these people.

As for “Asian Fusion”- I think it’s just a way to say that someone is interested in doing elements of various Asian cuisines, instead of trying to do one authentically.  Here she was working with flavors of spring rolls, which are usually Vietnamese or Chinese - and the crispy glass noodles, which (to my knowledge) are generally more Thai.  I don’t know why she dropped a softball sized clump of them on the plate though.

[leighdear]

Lexy would have won the round if she'd used Grana Padano cheese in her sauce. 

Joe would have probably burst into happy tears and insist that she win. 

[Leeds]

1 hour ago, Chyromaniac said:

 

As for “Asian Fusion”- I think it’s just a way to say that someone is interested in doing elements of various Asian cuisines, instead of trying to do one authentically.  Here she was working with flavors of spring rolls, which are usually Vietnamese or Chinese - and the crispy glass noodles, which (to my knowledge) are generally more Thai.  I don’t know why she dropped a softball sized clump of them on the plate though.

I think Asian Fusion is just about someone who can't decide whether to get Chinese or Indian or Thai takeout.

[Chicago Redshirt]

2 hours ago, Chyromaniac said:

Doing a play on a beef might’ve been better- the idea of a fancy steak topped with giardiniera actually sounds pretty good.  I wonder if it could be done as a quick pickle though- after a quick search, every recipe says to let it chill for at least a day.  With the sauce, I wonder if part of her problem was in the type of cheese she used.  Fresh Mozzarella is pretty elastic- for a mornay, I’ve always assumed that a firmer cheese would break apart and dissolve better (again, a quick recipe search shows lots of aged cheddar or provolone, and grated not sliced).

I am a sweet pepper guy when it comes to Italian beef, but I wonder if in the STUNNING MC pantry if there is pre-made giardianiera or something that one could throw together as an "elevated" version of the same. 

I too think that the cheese choice was poor. From living in Philly for a year, I believe there are three choices for an authentic cheesesteak cheese: Cheese Whiz, American or provolone. I don't know much about cooking, but I would think that mozz would not be melty enough.

[Leeds]

What's up with Aaron pronouncing kabob "kaBAB"?

[tinkerbell]

I never heard of Roy Choi. But I live in an area devoid of food trucks.

I really did not understand what a "chicago Philly steak" was supposed to be. Philly steak is Philadelphia.  Italian beef is chicago. 

[Yeah No]

On 8/14/2021 at 1:15 PM, Chyromaniac said:

As for “Asian Fusion”- I think it’s just a way to say that someone is interested in doing elements of various Asian cuisines, instead of trying to do one authentically.  Here she was working with flavors of spring rolls, which are usually Vietnamese or Chinese - and the crispy glass noodles, which (to my knowledge) are generally more Thai.  I don’t know why she dropped a softball sized clump of them on the plate though.

Fusion cuisine is when you use ingredients from one ethnic or regional cuisine in the recipes from another completely different ethnic or regional cuisine.  An example of Asian fusion would be tacos made with Asian ingredients and sauces, like Kung Pao chicken as the protein, hoisin sauce and perhaps a few typically Mexican ingredients just for fun, like Mexican cheese or avocado.  Think of Mu Shu Pork in a tortilla wrapped up like a burrito with shredded carrots and cabbage and sauteed shitake mushrooms.  Or fried rice with Mexican ingredients and spices.  Stuff like that.

33 minutes ago, tinkerbell said:

I really did not understand what a "chicago Philly steak" was supposed to be. Philly steak is Philadelphia.  Italian beef is chicago. 

I'm thinking it's some kind of fusion between the two.  Italian beef sliced and covered in cheese on a long roll with giardiniera.  I think Chicago Philly Steak is really called "Chicago Cheesesteak" and is their version of the dish, kind of like they have their own version of pizza (the deep dish variety) and their own way to make a hot dog that differs from the traditional NY style or anywhere else.

[Chyromaniac]

The “Chicago Philly Cheesesteak” was just a Philly Cheesesteak that she had in Chicago.  We only brought up the Italian Beef here as an alternative she could have switched to when her cheese sauce turned into Silly Putty.  

[FoundTime]

On 8/12/2021 at 6:17 AM, cameron said:

When I lived in Chicago, you never went to Greektown for a philly cheesesteak sub, gyro yes, philly cheesesteak no.  Call foul on this one.

I grew up in Reading, PA, which is close enough to Philly that a lot of "Philly things" found their way there. And the absolute best "Philly-style cheese-steak" I have had here in Houston has been at a local Greek restaurant. So go figure 😉 and the Greek connection made some kind of weird sense to me.

Also, thanks, MC, for making me crave a Good Humor strawberry shortcake bar, which I haven't even thought about in years 😁

[AZChristian]

13 hours ago, Leeds said:

What's up with Aaron pronouncing kabob "kaBAB"?

That's the British pronunciation.  Maybe Aarrrrrron didn't know what it was until right before the show when Gordon told him.  LOL.  

[leighdear]

9 hours ago, FoundTime said:

Also, thanks, MC, for making me crave a Good Humor strawberry shortcake bar, which I haven't even thought about in years 😁

My local CVS has them in the frozen food section.  I now have 3 in my own freezer. 

You're welcome.  *LOL*

Edited August 16, 2021 by leighdear

[Colorado David]

1 hour ago, leighdear said:

My local CVS has them in the frozen food section.  I now have 3 in my own freezer. 

 

hey now, calling shares. so you gotta give.

[Leeds]

On 8/12/2021 at 7:35 AM, fishcakes said:

 

Yes, Roy Choi is a legitimate legend. He's the reason that these days food trucks are more than just taco trucks (not that I don't love a good taco truck). He's also just a really good guy; he's involved in projects getting meals to food-insecure people in Los Angeles and in bringing more and better food options to economically depressed neighborhoods where fresh produce can be hard to find. He was fun last night. I loved how excited he got when Abe was cooking, "I've never heard of this! I can't wait to taste it!" and his face just lit up when Abe walked it up to the judges.

 

On 8/13/2021 at 7:27 AM, Yeah No said:

Roy Choi has been around everywhere for over a decade.  His IMDB page is a mile long.  I've seen him everywhere from Anthony Bourdain's show to Food Network's "The Best Thing I ever Ate".

He is regarded as the person that singlehandedly kicked off the gourmet food truck craze about a decade ago.

I think there are a few food truck owners in Portland, OR, (and probably other places, but this is what I'm familiar with) who would disagree with this.

[GHScorpiosRule]

So much for the predictions that Lexy would win this because of her back story.

Buh-bye!

But I continue to be annoyed with Kelsey and how each and every Legend is an “inspiration” and that she is a super fan of each and every one of them.

But I’m glad Suu and Autumn are safe.

Edited August 19, 2021 by GHScorpiosRule

[Chicago Redshirt]

For some reason, it only struck me this episode that Lexy is pretty freakin' tall. I was pretty surprised that they booted her so soon, as it seemed like the judges had way been overhyping her food as delicious even though it seemed clear very little was AMAZING, RESTAURANT-QUALITY stuff.

I was thinking Abe was going to go as his shepherd's pie looked bad but I guess it tasted good enough. Also, a bit of a mixed message to be like, "You should really believe in yourself, Lexy...oh wait, you're booted!"

I don't think that she made a single dish that visually looked like I wouldn't have thought about sending it back based on appearance alone. 

Was I alone in thinking that they did the "choose your own legend" theme because they couldn't get anyone to show up for this week?

As for the remaining contestants, I don't really have a rooting interest, just a rooting against interest at this point.

I am mainly hoping that Kelsey has a spectacular, stunning fall from grace. I can't stand her smug ass.

I originally thought that Michael would be playing the Jersey Boy and vegan cards so hard it would be annoying. But he's been mostly middle of the pack and bland. According to Wiki, everyone remaining but him, Anne and Alejandro has had at least one week where they were the overall winner. 

Let's not beat around the bush: Alejandro, you were kissing Gordon's ass. But it paid off for you. Maybe he is going to edit himself and please the judges all the way to the title. 

[mlp]

1 hour ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

So much for the predictions that Lexy would win this because of her back story.

I wasn't sorry to see her go even though she seemed very nice.  She's only 23 y/o and, based on her good but basic cooking, she isn't anywhere near ready to be called a master chef.

I like Abe so I was glad he was safe.  Anne can leave any time.  

 

[Such A Flirt]

Abe is lucky Gordon sees himself in him. He actually said so.

Anne was a mess. And Alejandro's arse-kissing, cringe. Can't stand Kelsey either, she is so full of herself. And Lexy kinda looked happy or at least relieved to be leaving; very strange.

[NowVoyager]

Did anyone notice that Autumn lost her Bah-ston accent? About 7 minutes in, describing her dish & talking about her roommates. Ha! I knew it was fake!

[tinkerbell]

Lexy: we don't have turkey on Thanksgiving, we can't afford it. We have chicken wings.

Aaron: that story is beautiful .

Me: no it's not.

 

[eel21788]

45 minutes ago, tinkerbell said:

Lexy: we don't have turkey on Thanksgiving, we can't afford it. We have chicken wings.

Aaron: that story is beautiful .

Me: no it's not.

 

per pound, aren't chicken wings more expensive than a whole turkey?

[NYGirl]

35 minutes ago, eel21788 said:

per pound, aren't chicken wings more expensive than a whole turkey?

Especially at Thanksgiving where the stores give you free ones or the turkeys are much cheaper.

I need Anne and Kelsey to go in order to be happy now.  One down, 2 to go.  I'm rooting for Abe.

[KeithJ]

I never really disliked Anne until this episode.  Her complaining and being all b*tchy at Joseph for critiquing her.  Gordon asked a question, Joseph answered.  He didn't really even say anything mean like "Anne's food looks terrible", all he said was something about her running around being all frantic.

[illdoc]

Renewed for another season: 

MasterChef is cooking up another season, with a renewal for a 12th edition of the Fox culinary competition series. Chef Gordon Ramsay, chef Aarón Sánchez and restaurateur Joe Bastianich are set to return as judges.

“Obviously, Gordon is a good friend and, given the recent launch of Studio Ramsay Global, an important part of Fox’s programming and growth strategy,” Fox’s president of alternative entertainment and specials Rob Wade said in a statement. “MasterChef, Gordon, Aarón and Joe, and our fantastic partners at ESNA, have been vital to Fox’s DNA. Even in its eleventh season, this show continues to impress by sustaining Fox’s success on Wednesdays this summer. We anticipate this momentum to continue next year when MasterChef returns for a much deserved Season 12.”

[GHScorpiosRule]

13 minutes ago, KeithJ said:

I never really disliked Anne until this episode.  Her complaining and being all b*tchy at Joseph for critiquing her.  Gordon asked a question, Joseph answered.  He didn't really even say anything mean like "Anne's food looks terrible", all he said was something about her running around being all frantic.

And why was she constantly running to the pantry? Didn’t she get all the ingredients she needed when the clock started? 

Or was that the editing monkeys messing with our heads?

[Chicago Redshirt]

1 hour ago, eel21788 said:

per pound, aren't chicken wings more expensive than a whole turkey?

Googling suggests that chicken wings had been typically $1.50/lb before the pandemic, but have shot up to $3/lb. Turkey is currently $1/lb, and I think it generally gets deep-discounted around Thanksgiving.

That said, being a two-adult household who's not hosting anyone, it might be cheaper to spend $3 on chicken wings because you probably can't get too many whole turkeys or even non-ground turkey parts at that price.

I do not buy that they did not have a family or base Thanksgiving as an option if they wanted it. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

I do not buy that they did not have a family or base Thanksgiving as an option if they wanted it. 

Yeah. I was starting to 🙄🙄🙄🙄 every time she said “we have no money and this is all we could afford” as if they are homeless/living below the poverty line.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, tinkerbell said:

Lexy: we don't have turkey on Thanksgiving, we can't afford it. We have chicken wings.

Aaron: that story is beautiful .

Me: no it's not.

Even though turkey is less expensive by the pound than chicken wings people usually buy a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, which makes it more expensive.  But if you're going to buy chicken wings what's stopping you from buying turkey parts?  Bone-in and boneless whole turkey breasts are easy to find and not that expensive.  In fact you could probably buy a whole turkey breast that would feed a family of 4 for less than you can buy chicken wings for that family.  I made a turkey breast last Thanksgiving and it was relatively cheap on sale and fantastic.

But even if that wasn't an option there are many charities around that sponsor free holiday turkeys for people that can't afford them.  People donate them to food pantries and some towns around me hold events to distribute them right before Thanksgiving.  I personally know two people that get turkeys that way every year.  In fact one year when I was tight for cash one of them got two and ended up giving me one.  I wasn't buying anything Lexy was pushing before this but especially not after this episode.

Lexy's whole schtick was wearing thin and it was long past time for her to go.

[DougJones]

I missed it, but why did Lexi go home?  Couldn’t tell if Joe insulted her or complemented her by saying she presented something as if she invited him over to her house. 
 

felt bad for Anne - trying to take a risk only to get metaphorically spit on by Joe. I struggle a bit with dredging so i kind of get it if someone thinks they need to put extra on.