Masterchef (US) - General Discussion

[PepperMonkey]

Aaron's hands look FILTHY to me with all that ink. I can hardly stand to watch him and don't think he adds anything to the show. I don't know much about him professionally but he used to be on Chopped a lot, no? So he must have some cred but I don't want to eat anything he's ever touched.

The contestants do seem to be nicer this year or maybe they're just themselves and the producers are allowing them to MOSTLY be decent humans instead of stereotypes hogging for camera time.

The guy in the overalls seems nice, but I hate the outfit already.

As always, I don't know if I'll stick around for the whole season, because I have a low tolerance for Gordon on most of his shows, but I'll be anxiously pacing around the forum waiting for Aerobicidal's SEASON TEN critiques.

Edited June 16, 2019 by PepperMonkey
words left out of sentences tend to change the meaning of said sentence

[preeya]

S10E04 10th Season Pool Party!

Summary:

The Top 18 contestants face their first team challenge in a MasterChef 10th anniversary-themed pool party. The home cooks will be dishing up party food for 100 VIP guests, including former MasterChef contestants and winners. Divided into two teams of nine, it will be a non-stop battle to stay out of eliminations with only one team gaining immunity! Find out who makes the cut and who will fight it out.

Gordan Ramsay:  "Season 10 Season Salmonella"

[zillabreeze]

A solid hour of team drama?  A full hour of people trying to figure out how to make children's food????? 

Guide says tomorrow is another team challenge, too.  Seriously?  What a thong load of shit this is.  

I guess there's no place to watch talented cooks do interesting things anymore.   It's all about the manufactured histrionics now.  Good thing Gordon to the rescue since stupid scripted reality TeeVee is in such short supply.

 This show is dead to me.   And yep, Pepper Monkey, Aaron can keep those nasty looking hands away from my groceries, too.🤢🤮🤢🤮

[Aerobicidal]

Previously: The superlatively superlative season ten sent home its first ethnic stereotype, and it was amazing. Literally.

Tonight’s episode begins with a juxtaposition of Gordon trimming a bush and someone throwing an inflatable rainbow unicorn into a swimming pool. I think I just simultaneous experienced sexual de- and reorientation and it was stunning.

“I’m an alpha,” says Captain Septic Grandma Coconut Burger. I feel like he’s more of an epsilon, but if he undid one of his overall straps like Vanilla Ice circa 1990 he’d move at least close to theta.

When a “Septic Service Technician” says “We’ve already taken on water,” you take your poolside chicken and crank it up. I don’t think I’ve ever written a sentence with so many potential horrifying euphemisms in my life, but it is the amazingly stunning season ten, after all.

Apparently Noah thinks he’s auditioning to replace Joe and/or Gordon with his refreshingly intolerable comments about Satan’s ass and “I’m having dreams of being on fire.” Not really witty, but problematic and/or enticing during Pride month.

Ice cold raw chicken all over the pool sick raw drumsticks disaster raw skinless raw septic burgers and chicken at the same time look more burgers magic skinless grandma raw seriously biggest season ever!!!

“I’m done,” says Gordon. He should have added, “unlike your chicken.”

“This is the season ten pool party.” I think the woman who said that should be given several thousand dollars for sounding convinced that’s a meaningful sentence.

“You’re moving like we’re literally in a choir practice.” So, doing vocal exercises and setting up risers for a stunning performance of “This Is Me”?

“Season ten! Season fucking salmonella!” I need that embroidered on a throw pillow.

I was hoping that, after jumping in the pool, Noah would reenact Martin Short from the SNL men's synchronized swimming episode. That's pretty much the only thing that would make me not violently root against him for the rest of this season.

Every episode this season has seemed longer and more leisurely paced than the entire LOTR film series. I plan to skip the next three episodes so I can finally read War and Peace.

[CoyoteBlue]

There are high school kids sleeping through Home Ec right now that are more capable of cooking than these people. 

"Asian dude! You can make the Asian sauce, right?" because A. all Asians cook Asian food and B. all Asians and Asian culture is one giant common pool. So yeah, you're gonna get a pot full of watery, mashed-up Thai chilis being poked at and moved from pot to pot like they're playing musical chairs and one befuddled Asian dude. Between that and calling Subha "Subaru"... Good going, Noah. 

Honest to Christ, it's like they lost all common sense. They couldn't even make sure their food was seasoned and not raw. 

And lastly, WTF was with the decision by the Red Team to take the skin off the chicken? Did I miss the explanation? It's like these people were intentionally trying to throw this challenge. Subha just got in everyone's way and stuffed food in his gob the whole time. 

[jcbrown]

Yeah, I was trying to give Noah the benefit of the doubt as a victim of producer character-creation manipulation but then he started calling Subha "Subaru." Dead to me. Even if the producers asked you to do that, an actual human would say no.

Edited June 20, 2019 by jcbrown
My ipad actively works against me

[mlp]

I had Noah figured for a good ol' country boy.  He sure fooled me.  Yike.  I actually preferred Evan tonight.  I liked the attorney who seemed to be saying things that made sense.  

The whiny woman who didn't season her hamburgers reminded me of Erin from NFNS and the holiday baking show.  I'm not sure why.  

I wish they'd spent less time on Gordon ranting and a little more time on previous contestants.  The cameras panned past them all so fast I didn't have time to see if I recognized most of them.  I did get a kick out of Tommy but I was looking for Leslie.  I got a quick glimpse of one man with grey hair but I couldn't see who he was.

Why on earth was that one woman taking the skin off the chicken wings?  I didn't understand that at all.

[spiderpig]

So we had 18 of America's finest home cooks who couldn't grill a burger or fry chicken and fish,

I wonder how they would have handled Gordon's stunning Beef Wellington or duck confit

Alas, we'll have to return tomorrow to find out who gets the boot.  The guy they kept calling "Subaru" looked like he just woke up on the wrong planet.  Sarah ("I make burgers all the time in Oklahoma") looked like she would find directions on a hamburger helper box otside her culinary repertoire.

And how can you work a grill without realizing it's not turned on???  What a bunch of nimrods.

The only cook who seemed she knew what she was doing was (Kem/Kim?) who produced the fish everybody liked.

At least I can go to sleep tonight feeling like Escoffier.

[preeya]

What an abomination. The MC Jrs. would have put on a better showing.

Some of these jerks should head for Worst Cooks In America.

Burgers & fried chicken ain't rocket science.

The best tip I took from this is if you burn a roll don't scrape off the burnt stuff, as Arrron says that's a hack. I wonder what he describes all the other stuff as, like skinless deep fried chicken, very rare turkey burgers, unseasoned beef burgers, ultra hot Asian sauce, cooking on a grill with no heat, etc. 

DAMN, that really was bad and it was only the first half of the challenge. Wonder what part 2 will have in store for this inept group.

Edited June 20, 2019 by preeya

[linthia]

Why on earth would you take the skin off fried chicken?

[DaphneCat]

Maybe this has been discussed in other seasons, if so, I apologize for the retread.  I've always hated these herd cooking challenges.  Unless you are planning to put out "The Ultimate Cookbook for Every Church Barbecue Ever" I truly do not see what being able to get a bunch of other people to cook large quantities of food has to do with being considered a MasterChef.  If this is the standard, every floor manager at McDonalds should be in the running.   How does the fact that someone ELSE can't cook a burger make you a bad cook?  How does the fact that you can't "lead" them to cook better matter at all?  If I think you make the most delicious pork chops ever, I'm NOT really going to think you are a worse cook than someone who managed to turn out 50 mediocre portions of chicken, even if all you did for the challenge was cut the vegetables.

[preeya]

20 minutes ago, DaphneCat said:

 I truly do not see what being able to get a bunch of other people to cook large quantities of food has to do with being considered a MasterChef. 

1

And on the same note, when they are made to run the kitchen in some fine dining restaurant.

[DaphneCat]

50 minutes ago, preeya said:

And on the same note, when they are made to run the kitchen in some fine dining restaurant.

Yes, the ability to consistently turn out garnish really has nothing to do with being a great cook.

[Cassye1021]

Revoke the black card of those two fools that took the skin off the chicken.  Not just the black card but every card.  Ridiculous.  

[daisybumble]

I don't get the team challenges.  They're home cooks, right?  That's a known fact.  Most of them have no food service experience whatsoever.  Yet they're expected to handle large-scale food service and turn out large amounts of food, all identical in quality, in a very short time.  They're also using kitchen equipment that they're not used to using, or equipment on a much larger scale.  The only purpose of these challenges is to see who sinks and who swims.  

And for GR to go on about Masterchef alumni, they showed hardly anyone.  They had maybe one winner?  And I laughed out loud at the group that was just labeled Season 3 (or whatever) contestants - like they couldn't even bother IDing these people.  And yeah, I was looking for Leslie, too!  And notice that none of the MC people were in swimwear - all of the people actually pool-partying were likely just pretty actors who got paid to splash around and look good in bikinis while eating raw chicken.

AND what's the deal with dragging out the elimination challenge?  We used to get team challenge and elimination challenge in the same hour.  But I guess this gives another opportunity for them to go on about the Coveted MC Trophy.

Edited June 20, 2019 by daisybumble

[preeya]

34 minutes ago, daisybumble said:

AND what's the deal with dragging out the elimination challenge?  We used to get team challenge and elimination challenge in the same hour.  But I guess this gives another opportunity for them to go on about the Coveted MC Trophy.

And to remind us ad infinitum that it is SEASON TEN.

[displayname]

I am looking forward to the Stunningly Dreadful Dreaded Pressure Test.

Edited June 20, 2019 by displayname

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

I was just glad that nobody was yelling out "Slow and Steady wins the race".   I think the only 2 I like is I think Sam the lawyer and the beauty that was cooking the fish on grandma's overall's team

[luvapickle]

Well the show used to be 2 hours in one night, so I think they're just spreading it out since there's nothing new for a bit. Gordon WTH does it being Season 10 have to do with how good of cooks they are? It's not like these chefs, AMATEUR CHEFS, have been there for 10 seasons. YOU 3 judges are the ones who chose them for this season. Some will be better than past contestants, some will not. That's what happens when you pick from all of America. And why have 3 separate dishes for the first team challenge. These are not professionals. I swear with every season, the more the judges forget that fact. They're nervous & hyper, and scared to death during these things. That's why they forget even the simplest of things. Screaming does not help...even if they know it will happen.

[mlp]

3 hours ago, daisybumble said:

I don't get the team challenges.  They're home cooks, right?  That's a known fact.  Most of them have no food service experience whatsoever.  Yet they're expected to handle large-scale food service and turn out large amounts of food, all identical in quality, in a very short time.  They're also using kitchen equipment that they're not used to using, or equipment on a much larger scale. 

Absolutely.  AND they have barely just met and don't know each other's strengths and weaknesses nor have they ever worked as a team.  The exercise is mostly an excuse for Gordon to put on his usual OTT display and then throw something.

[adhoc]

Quote

I truly do not see what being able to get a bunch of other people to cook large quantities of food has to do with being considered a MasterChef.  

DaphneCat, please stop bringing actual logic into this; you're confusing me. Otherwise, fellow viewers, your commentary is uniformly stunning.

[preeya]

Off topic, but I just read GR has another show premiering in July. He really has become a TV_Whore.

Read it here:  https://tinyurl.com/yxm8fs2u

Edited June 20, 2019 by preeya
corrected link

[tveyeonyou]

9 minutes ago, preeya said:

Off topic, but I just read GR has another show premiering in July. He really has become a TV_Whore.

Read ir here:  https://tinyurl.com/zj62z35

The link didn't work but I Binged it and it's a show called Uncharted, it's already being slammed because it's being compared to Anthony Bourdain's  show Parts Unknown. 

Personal unpopular opinion, while I used to like AB he slowly but surely got on my nerves. I'm sad he was murdered killed himself but I heard too many weird unsavory rumors about him that freaked me out (mostly on CDAN aka Crazy Days And Nights, a site that publishes blind items then outs whoever they're talking about later down the line) one that said he was allegedly somewhat involved with NXIVM. There's a lot more weirdness out there but I already feel bad for saying what I said about him. The info is easy to find but this is supposed to be about MC10.

Please don't hate the messenger.

Back to this episode,  Why oh why did anyone think it was ok to fry chicken without the skin on it? And I hate having to watch another episode to see who gets eliminated. I hope they don't do this for every episode.

[preeya]

23 minutes ago, tveyeonyou said:

The link didn't work

Here's the corrected link:   https://tinyurl.com/yxm8fs2u

[preeya]

30 minutes ago, tveyeonyou said:

Back to this episode,  Why oh why did anyone think it was ok to fry chicken without the skin on it? And I hate having to watch another episode to see who gets eliminated. I hope they don't do this for every episode.

 

FYI:  next week also has MC scheduled for both Wednesday & Thursday (6/26 & 6/27)

Edited June 20, 2019 by preeya

[OoogleEyes]

Why  in the everloving HELL would they have *fried* fish and chicken in the hot SoCal sunshine. That's just begging for salmonella. What's wrong with a nice piece of grilled barbecued chicken or fish? 

I'm having trouble rooting for any of these assholes 

[spiderpig]

3 minutes ago, OoogleEyes said:

Why  in the everloving HELL would they have *fried* fish and chicken in the hot SoCal sunshine. That's just begging for salmonella. What's wrong with a nice piece of grilled barbecued chicken or fish? 

I'm having trouble rooting for any of these assholes 

Kim/Kem, who was from England and knew how to fry fish, came across as the only cook who was remotely competitive.  The rest were raving lunatics.

(Countdown to Thursday's broadcast which I will be watching to my eternal shame.)

[TDT]

Cooking blindfolded next time..

Wonder how many times will we hear"I cut/burnt myself!!"*cue dramatic music sting/cut to commercial break*

Plus in case we havent heard,Gordon will remind us that THIS IS SEASON TEN!!!

[preeya]

1 hour ago, TDT said:

Cooking blindfolded next time..

If this is true, it is the most ridiculous thing ever on this show. WTF does cooking blindfolded have to do with anything sane. The show is quickly becoming a joke. Have the showrunners changed because this "awesomely great season ten" is not living up to the hype?

Edited June 21, 2019 by preeya

[Samwise979]

I hope Subha makes it if only because I'm getting sappy in my old age and he looked like he was about to cry. I wish overalls chose Evan instead. 

[Brookside]

Fred, it's okay, no judge said your food is inedible, rather our illiterate little tattooed tubster called it unedible, so you're fine. 

I'm quite happy to ignore anything said by someone who spends his days working with pools of poop while wearing overalls and a brand new bandana that he's hoping will hide his early onset male pattern baldness.  And who says things like "We have to tighten up the battleship, we're already takin' on water, and we've not even gotten rollin'."

How have they managed to add a CGI Barbie to so many scenes and make it seem so natural?

[Mr. Sparkle]

Yup, still not regretting skipping this season. 

[Brookside]

19 hours ago, spiderpig said:

So we had 18 of America's finest home cooks who couldn't grill a burger or fry chicken and fish,

I wonder how they would have handled Gordon's stunning Beef Wellington or duck confit

Alas, we'll have to return tomorrow to find out who gets the boot.  The guy they kept calling "Subaru" looked like he just woke up on the wrong planet.  Sarah ("I make burgers all the time in Oklahoma") looked like she would find directions on a hamburger helper box otside her culinary repertoire.

And how can you work a grill without realizing it's not turned on???  What a bunch of nimrods.

The only cook who seemed she knew what she was doing was (Kem/Kim?) who produced the fish everybody liked.

At least I can go to sleep tonight feeling like Escoffier.

In their defense, they're thrown into a challenge that would probably be difficult for many a professional cook.  Home cooks are asked to work as a team with people they barely know in a crappy outdoor kitchen for 100 people under some ridiculous time constraint.  Anyone want a go?

[spiderpig]

1 hour ago, TDT said:

Getting ready for tonight's opus.  Maybe bologna sandwiches and s'mores?

[Samwise979]

Idk if I can handle this season. I've always liked this show but this season as well as the season of mc jr that just ended are/were really bad. 

[HeShallBMySquishy]

I'm stunningly confused. Can anyone help me? What season are we on again?

[Brookside]

Just now, HeShallBMySquishy said:

I'm stunningly confused. Can anyone help me? What season are we on again?

I'm hoping it's the last.

[Aerobicidal]

Last time: Noah violated every rule of fashion, ethnic tolerance, theology, geometry, and overall style.

Tonight (to the tune of Britney Spears’ “Lucky”):

Stunning chicken

Break it down

Make it moist moist moist

Or you’ll be a clown, cooking

Something stunning

Or you will be fucked

The blindfold bluff

Was lame and sucked

Some of the chickens looked like they were hacked by a rogue mohel. I am literally stunned.

How in the love of skinned things did Renee make it onto this show? I wouldn’t trust her to make Sandra Lee’s least complicated cocktail time recipe. I find her side pony/camo top combo stunning but not in a good way.

Gordon having a histrionic breakdown about Shari making Indian food . . . Seriously? The quality of this season is clearly so shit that anything that isn’t a salmonella sandwich with botulism garnish needs to be extolled. And I can personally, and stunningly, and amazingly, avow that homemade Indian food in Minnesota (even if it’s not made by someone who’s from India originally) can be season ten-worthy.

This episode has been going on for at least fifteen hours, so I give up. I hope Subha makes it further than Noah but I might not live long enough to find out.

[spiderpig]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...(huh?  Did they send somebody home?)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

(Back to add) Have you ever seen a more inarticulate bunch of yokels in (let me count) TEN seasons of MasterChef?  "Well, I fried some chicken and made mashed potatoes and some of my Granny's biscuits.  Did I mention she's looking down at me?"  My poor dog was begging me to change the channel to the PBS News Hour.

Renee can take her fried bleached mop back to Oklahoma and it won't be too soon.  Geez, she gets on my last nerve.

Edited June 21, 2019 by spiderpig

[mertensia]

Boy, if I were Subha I'd've walked. That mean-spirited condescension from Gordon was beyond unacceptable. When Joe has to step in and compliment to soothe over, you've gone too far.

But then, if I were Shari once Gordon started in on his "only English or French food is CUISINE" shtick I'd've snapped back "oh, yeah? I bet Madhur Jaffrey would like to have a word with you".

[cameron]

Speaking of Courtenay (aka pole dancer), there she was at the pool party now sporting an upper arm sleeve.

[preeya]

Now we can place some chicken dishes on the walls of The Lourve based on these gems:

JoeB: "Guys a whole chicken broken down like this is truly the culinary white canvas. You can paint anything on it you can express yourself you can shine"

Arrron: "Chicken is so bland you need to bring in big bold flavors it is the perfect opportunity to shine absolutely"

Will someone hit me on the head with a frozen drumstick before I puke.

[joanne3482]

15 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Kim/Kem, who was from England and knew how to fry fish, came across as the only cook who was remotely competitive.  The rest were raving lunatics

There are 2 black women who have names that begin with a K.  Keturah is the one from London and knew how to fry fish.  Kimberly was the one eliminated last night for reasons I've already forgotten but maybe around the mushroom cottage cheese? 

7 hours ago, mertensia said:

Boy, if I were Subha I'd've walked. That mean-spirited condescension from Gordon was beyond unacceptable. When Joe has to step in and compliment to soothe over, you've gone too far.

Joe's compliment just felt like so much condescension.  It made me want to take a shower, it was so oily.  I didn't believe he believed what he was saying for an instant. 

If I never have to hear Watu talk about how he's a vegetarian again I'd be happy. I'm sure it is producer influenced, but there have been vegetarian chef's before and I don't recall us getting hit over the head with how they never did this, that or the other thing because they're vegetarian. 

I like Jamie and Dorian a lot. I hope they go far. Both Keturah and Michael's appearances made me wonder where they came from since I had no recollection of them at all. 

[cameron]

4 minutes ago, joanne3482 said:

There are 2 black women who have names that begin with a K.  Keturah is the one from London and knew how to fry fish.  Kimberly was the one eliminated last night for reasons I've already forgotten but maybe around the mushroom cottage cheese? 

Joe's compliment just felt like so much condescension.  It made me want to take a shower, it was so oily.  I didn't believe he believed what he was saying for an instant. 

If I never have to hear Watu talk about how he's a vegetarian again I'd be happy. I'm sure it is producer influenced, but there have been vegetarian chef's before and I don't recall us getting hit over the head with how they never did this, that or the other thing because they're vegetarian. 

I like Jamie and Dorian a lot. I hope they go far. Both Keturah and Michael's appearances made me wonder where they came from since I had no recollection of them at all. 

Actually rooting for Subru to get the axe after watching him walking around during the pool party episode eating food instead of cooking.

[joanne3482]

44 minutes ago, cameron said:

Actually rooting for Subru to get the axe after watching him walking around during the pool party episode eating food instead of cooking.

I did wonder if Gordon didn't change the rules for Subha to be facing elimination because he was so mad about him not doing much (and I know game shows aren't allowed to change the rules on the fly, but he's never done that before). I liked him initially but now I'm thinking this show isn't the right avenue for him. 

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

I am really starting to dislike sewer sludge Noah, he is getting a little too big for his overalls.

[DEL901]

15 minutes ago, Mahamid Frauded Me said:

I am really starting to dislike sewer sludge Noah, he is getting a little too big for his overalls.

Yeah... I really wanted to like him, but he's falling fast.

[OoogleEyes]

Shithead Noah cannot go home soon enough for me 

[cameron]

4 hours ago, DEL901 said:

Yeah... I really wanted to like him, but he's falling fast.

He might not be the best, but far better than Evan.

[displayname]

I just like Fred.