S16.E08: Whatever Floats Your Boat

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Kelsey was one of the few to figure out this challenge.  Her catering background definitely helped her think everything through, and she as able to figure out that the judges wanted both good food and an good atmosphere. 

I think the verbal smackdown they got from Tom from the last episode made many of them rethink their menu choices!   Tom told them to be true to themselves, so I'm glad that most of them heeded his advice.  On a side note, I got curious and while I was out and about this afternoon, I found Kelsey's restaurant and wandered in.  I had eaten earlier, but I thought I'd see if there were any dessert items available for takeout.  I went in and saw that there were cookies, macarons, and moon pies at a counter close to the register, and to my surprise, there was Kelsey standing there talking to the cashier!   She then turned around and asked if I needed any help.   Not expecting to see her, I sounded like a dork by saying that I was following her on Top Chef (as if she hasn't heard that a million times,) and that she was doing a great job.  She said thanks, and then was on her way out.   I was hoping to get a slice of pie or cake, but it was mostly cookies in the display case, so I left empty-handed.   However, I looked at the menu and I'll probably go back and try one of the many delicious sounding sandwiches that was on the menu.  

1 minute ago, HurricaneVal said:

I guess I'll have to be a voice of dissent.  Other than the fact that the hot tub was hot (duh), I think that if it was played right, it could have added a fun, Margaritaville kind of element that elevated the party atmosphere on the boat.

I agree.  His team seemed more reserved, so I don't think they really knew how to bring the party vibe to their boat.  Seems like one of them would've Googled party ideas.   I'm sure they would've come across some useable information!  There's practically nothing you can't find on the internet. 

[carrps]

2 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

I agree.  His team seemed more reserved, so I don't think they really knew how to bring the party vibe to their boat.  Seems like one of them would've Googled party ideas.   I'm sure they would've come across some useable information!  There's practically nothing you can't find on the internet. 

Yeah, but if you're really not a "party person," all the Googling in the world won't really help because you won't be able to carry it off. I think trying to fake it would have made it even worse. I'm just glad it was Brian that was eliminated -- not someone who actually has a chance.

[hendersonrocks]

Quote

Kelsey was one of the few to figure out this challenge.  Her catering background definitely helped her think everything through, and she as able to figure out that the judges wanted both good food and an good atmosphere.  I probably would not have given her the win over Eric's fish, but that must have been a great oyster.

I think she got the win because of her frame of mind and approach to the challenge + oyster + puppy chow.

[Toothbrush]

4 hours ago, blixie said:

I am SO glad Barnnacle Brian got bounced I was so sick of seeing his ass in the bottom and still get through, I was worried he was gonna be another Lisa F. who had like five or six bottom finishes but ended up in the final fucking four!

I was starting to worry about a Brian/Sara final. Both had been advancing by the skin of their teeth (RW excepted for Brian).

@ChitChat - Very cool! Be sure to report back when you eat at Kelsey's place. 

Edited January 25, 2019 by Toothbrush

[Brookside]

54 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

  On a side note, I got curious and while I was out and about this afternoon, I found Kelsey's restaurant and wandered in.  I had eaten earlier, but I thought I'd see if there were any dessert items available for takeout.  I went in and saw that there were cookies, macarons, and moon pies at a counter close to the register, and to my surprise, there was Kelsey standing there talking to the cashier!   She then turned around and asked if I needed any help.   Not expecting to see her, I sounded like a dork by saying that I was following her on Top Chef (as if she hasn't heard that a million times,) and that she was doing a great job.  She said thanks, and then was on her way out.   I was hoping to get a slice of pie or cake, but it was mostly cookies in the display case, so I left empty-handed.   However, I looked at the menu and I'll probably go back and try one of the many delicious sounding sandwiches that was on the menu.  

 

It seems a bit rude to behave like a dork/stalker and not even buy a cookie.

[Chit Chat]

36 minutes ago, Brookside said:

It seems a bit rude to behave like a dork/stalker and not even buy a cookie.

Well, it was pretty busy in there with people in line to check out, and since I was standing away from them,  I was just a blip on the radar!   For the record, I wasn't stalking her!  I didn't go in expecting to see her.  She just happened to be on her way out.  I wanted to see what was on the menu so I could see if it's something Mr. Chat would go back and try with me.  He's picky.   I was really wanting something other than a cookie, but yeah, I should've waited and bought something, even if none of it was what I wanted.  

[HunterHunted]

8 hours ago, SevenCostanza said:

He wore his sneakers in the hot tub, the camera gave us a couple of close ups of his feet. But I agree I didn't get the "fun" part of his idea, I just thought it was stupid.

It's weird. Weird = wacky = fun. It doesn't really, but it's pretty obvious that was Brian's line of thinking.

Quote

Not a fan of the constant product placement on this show, for awhile I felt like I was watching a BMW commercial, and why can they only shop at Wholefoods?  Everything is so dam expensive there, in the early seasons they weren't so limited.

You've answered your own question. Whole Foods is their nearly exclusive grocery provider because Whole Foods has paid the show hundreds of thousands, but more likely millions, for the privilege. Ironically, the season where they weren't the exclusive grocery store was Top Chef: Texas. Texas is where Whole Foods started and has their headquarters. On the Texas season, the show alternated between Whole Foods and the HEB grocery chain's upscale grocery store, Central Market.

[Brookside]

3 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

Well, it was pretty busy in there with people in line to check out, and since I was standing away from them,  I was just a blip on the radar!   For the record, I wasn't stalking her!  I didn't go in expecting to see her.  She just happened to be on her way out.  I wanted to see what was on the menu so I could see if it's something Mr. Chat would go back and try with me.  He's picky.   I was really wanting something other than a cookie, but yeah, I should've waited and bought something, even if none of it was what I wanted.  

Thanks for replying so nicely to what in retrospect was kind of a snarky post from me.  Please let us know if you end up getting something from there.

[Bunnyette]

17 hours ago, avecsans said:

Who wants to eat roast pork on a boat in stupendously hot weather?  Brian and his highly inflated opinion of his own skills needed to go.

Eddie is such a downer of a person. I’m certainly no fan of Kelsey, but as she kept reminding us, this is what she does for a living.  It seems like it was a no-brainer to pick her. When the challenge is to throw a party, why choose Michele and Adrienne? They are fine chefs but seem super introverted.  Brian is just a weirdo.  David is just there.

 If I were a guest, I would not have wanted to eat anything Adrienne had touched.  And it looks like Justin may have come down with the same thing.

I thought roasting a big old porchetta which is usually a Christmas dish very strange, why not make artisanal sausages and bbq them on deck.   No worrying about power!

[VintageJ]

3 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Kelsey was one of the few to figure out this challenge.  Her catering background definitely helped her think everything through, and she as able to figure out that the judges wanted both good food and an good atmosphere.  I probably would not have given her the win over Eric's fish, but that must have been a great oyster.  

I think part of the reason she got the win was for the puppy chow.  You heard guests rave about it and I think that added component to the party, a take home favor, solidified her win.

[Mountainair]

I'm awful with names so bear with me.. I think the right chef went home. He's been circling the bottom of the drain for a while now and his comment about staying up late and winning RW's told me he was going home. I also think sick girl should have gone home since she pretty much didn't do anything but prep a little bit of her food. Or maybe be faced with a penalty of some sort next week (Amazing Race-esque if you will). I love seafood but not really at the lake. Where were the sliders? Kabobs (and I don't mean shrimp lollipops)? Grilled Chicken? I don't know?? 

Loved the story about the one chef's dad getting the key to the city. I really like him and the other black chef. I cracked up when someone called one of them by the wrong name and he said something like, "no, the other black guy". 

That being said, our family isn't really into the beach and we have  a favorite lake we vacation at about 2 hours away from us. We've already rented our place for this summer but this episode has me thinking of going to KY next summer (4 hours away). My husband has always wanted to rent a houseboat but I'm afraid our youngest is too young to enjoy it- she's 2 now. But damn! Those houseboats were sweet. Do you get to drive them if you rent them or do you have to leave them docked?

[SevenCostanza]

35 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Ironically, the season where they weren't the exclusive grocery store was Top Chef: Texas.

When I wrote my post  I was actually thinking back  to the very first couple of seasons.  They used to shop at different places, like the episode where they had to cater a wedding in one night and they just went to whatever was open.  I guess the show was newer so there wasn't as much sponsorship. 

Edited January 25, 2019 by SevenCostanza

[Chit Chat]

17 hours ago, avecsans said:

Eddie is such a downer of a person. I’m certainly no fan of Kelsey, but as she kept reminding us, this is what she does for a living.  It seems like it was a no-brainer to pick her. When the challenge is to throw a party, why choose Michele and Adrienne? They are fine chefs but seem super introverted.

Eddie seemed extremely anxious about having to choose people since he didn't want to leave others out (I think that's kind of what he said,) so he mentioned that he started rattling off the names of some of those standing close by.  Then there was Padma basically telling him she didn't have all day for him to choose, so there wasn't a lot of thought into his decision.  Even if he picked the "dream team," there's no guarantee they'd perform perfectly on that particular task.  IMO, it's a crapshoot with these challenges.  Stuff happens and all of your ideas go down the crapper.  

Okay, so now I'm embarrassed if you guys think I was being a stalker today!  Her restaurant is in the historic area of town with other restaurants and shops around hers.   It's a casual place at lunch time, so I wandered up to the bakery counter to see what they had.  There wasn't much in the way of desserts.  Maybe it was low being a Friday.  Anyway,  it's a place I'd want to go back and try though.  What I had hoped for and what they had were 2 different things, so I stepped away.  I truly did not expect to see her.  ;) 

[dbell1]

ChitChat, thanks for giving us your Kelsey insight. Love reading stories about people meeting the cheftestants.

Last night was ham steak and a virus with no power. Great episode. :/ I'd have tossed Adrienne's food. Ick. Bye Brian. Go make crap food on LCK. 

Edited January 25, 2019 by dbell1

[carrps]

55 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Not a fan of the constant product placement on this show, for awhile I felt like I was watching a BMW commercial, and why can they only shop at Wholefoods?  Everything is so dam expensive there, in the early seasons they weren't so limited.

Oh, and didn't Sara say she  made ranch dressing for her shrimp rolls. Was that HV ranch dressing??? 

[biakbiak]

37 minutes ago, Mountainair said:

cracked up when someone called one of them by the wrong name and he said something like, "no, the other black guy". 

No one called him by the wrong name, Sara had her back turned to him when she was talking about Eric’s dish and then was surprised when she turned around and it was Justin not Eric and she said “and this is not my teammate”.

Brian must have put the porchetta back into the oven probably the broiler because when he first took it out the skin looked awful and not crispy at all but when he was serving it you could see that it was much browner and Tom commented on it being crispy.

[HunterHunted]

49 minutes ago, SevenCostanza said:

When I wrote my post  I was actually thinking back  to the very first couple of seasons.  They used to shop at different places, like the episode where they had to cater a wedding in one night and they just went to whatever was open.  I guess the show was newer so there wasn't as much sponsorship. 

That is exactly the issue in the earlier seasons. They couldn't get any sponsorships and had to beg or pay to shop wherever would allow them.

I think the better way to judge is if the product placement is worse than what would be considered the best seasons. If you look at the 1st Las Vegas season, there was a lot of product placement too. I don't think this season is appreciably worse. However, season 8 through season 13 is pretty bad and egregious.

[biakbiak]

The first seasons main shopping store was Berkeley Bowl and they shopped there unless it was a specific challenge related thing. 

I think it’s just easier to have a dedicated store particularly when they are changing locations. The culinary team works with the store and also has them stock some items so the relationship is a two way street. Plus, the chefs get used to the store and it’s layout which is important when shopping for a short amount of time and the employees know how to serve them better.

[mlp]

Quote

Yeah, but if you're really not a "party person," all the Googling in the world won't really help because you won't be able to carry it off. I think trying to fake it would have made it even worse. I'm just glad it was Brian that was eliminated -- not someone who actually has a chance.

I totally agree.  I would rather play Trivia with Michelle than do anything the green team was promoting.  And I would have lost the challenge.  :)  Poor Eddie didn't think that through very well.  He's probably used to Nick Elmi telling him every move to make.  He may be a great chef (and I like him) but he's not a leader.

Brian and Sarah are the only two I haven't liked since the beginning so I was happy to see one of them go.  

[albarino]

I've never heard of porchetta before nor have I seen it on a menu.  It sounds tasty but was this supposed to be a riff on a roasted sucking pig a la a Hawaiian luau?  Because I've never had it, I'm not sure why it was so unsuccessful.  I think I  remember that is was brined but shouldn't have been and it wasn't roasted correctly?  On the surface, it sounds like it should have worked.  Please note I'm not going to comment on service from a hot tub....

[Thumper]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

Eddie seemed extremely anxious about having to choose people since he didn't want to leave others out (I think that's kind of what he said,) so he mentioned that he started rattling off the names of some of those standing close by.  Then there was Padma basically telling him she didn't have all day for him to choose, so there wasn't a lot of thought into his decision.  Even if he picked the "dream team," there's no guarantee they'd perform perfectly on that particular task.  IMO, it's a crapshoot with these challenges.  Stuff happens and all of your ideas go down the crapper.  

Okay, so now I'm embarrassed if you guys think I was being a stalker today!  Her restaurant is in the historic area of town with other restaurants and shops around hers.   It's a casual place at lunch time, so I wandered up to the bakery counter to see what they had.  There wasn't much in the way of desserts.  Maybe it was low being a Friday.  Anyway,  it's a place I'd want to go back and try though.  What I had hoped for and what they had were 2 different things, so I stepped away.  I truly did not expect to see her.  ;) 

I didn't think you were stalking, @ChitChat!

If you didn't see anything in the dessert case you wanted, you are not obligated to buy.

[meep.meep]

4 hours ago, ChitChat said:

 

I agree.  His team seemed more reserved, so I don't think they really knew how to bring the party vibe to their boat.  Seems like one of them would've Googled party ideas.   I'm sure they would've come across some useable information!  There's practically nothing you can't find on the internet. 

After the first season, I don't think they are allowed to google stuff anymore.  Just use the product-placed navigation systems.  They could have asked the car's sat nav to take them to a party and seen what they were like.

I'm an introvert's introvert and the Green team's party was clearly the place to be.  At a bad party, everyone can see you standing around and not mingling.  At a good party, you can jump around and have a good time, and still not mingle and no one thinks anything of it.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I live in Dothan also, and I see Kelsey's Top Chef commercial all of the time.      From what I've heard she's very nice, and a great chef too.     I was so thrilled for her win, and think it would be amazing to meet her.          On the KBC facebook there a picture from the  23rd, and the bakery had a heath, salted caramel pound cake (it's actually a layer cake), so you missed a fabulous cake,   The pictures of the food at KBC are amazing.       

[HappyDancex2]

19 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

I've seen recipes that brine a porchetta, but I don't think it's a step that makes much sense. Maybe the loin, but not the whole dealio. In a porchetta, you take a pork loin, which is very lean, and wrap a pork belly aka the cut you use to make bacon around the loin. Ordinarily you'd be concerned about the loin drying out or being flavorless, but not when it's surrounded by 4 inches of bacon on all sides. And you're not so concerned about it being flavorless because you typically put a layer or herbs, spices, and seasonings between the loin and the pork belly. You also cover the outside of the belly in these too. When you cook it, the outside skin is flavored and crispy and some of the fat will have cooked into the loin.

Even when you use the same cuts for dishes like char siu, you marinate them. A brine is basically a wet cure so it's not super surprising that brining it turned the meat hammy. And if Brian had the time to think about it, he would have realized the mistake.

Cue the clip of Brian at the beginning stating "I can cook a fucking porchetta in my sleep."

Of course this comes from a guy who thought upping the fun factor was standing in a hot tub in full chef garb slicing meat.  

[Rambler]

Boat Rental Company: “Say here’s a great idea - let’s lend Top Chef a couple of boats for their lake competition. It will be great publicity for the company!”

Top Chef: “Rent a boat from these guys and you will have electrical problems that won’t be fixed for hours.”

[HunterHunted]

19 minutes ago, albarino said:

I've never heard of porchetta before nor have I seen it on a menu.  It sounds tasty but was this supposed to be a riff on a roasted sucking pig a la a Hawaiian luau?  Because I've never had it, I'm not sure why it was so unsuccessful.  I think I  remember that is was brined but shouldn't have been and it wasn't roasted correctly?  On the surface, it sounds like it should have worked.  Please note I'm not going to comment on service from a hot tub....

Porchetta is actually Italian, but it's pretty adaptable for many cultures especially if the cuisine has a dish that uses roast pork or pork belly in their dishes. It's like the ur bacon wrapped recipe. Instead of wrapping a pork loin in individual pieces of bacon, you wrap it in the entire cut of meat that makes bacon.

Dinic's roast pork is my favorite sandwich, but I happened to be in Central Market (yeah in Texas) and they had some special on a porchetta and I bought some. I loved it more than the roast shoulder that Dinic's uses. I became a convert. I now make porchetta for holiday dinners because it's easy and delicious. Char siu often uses the same cuts of meat. You could probably use carnitas or hawaiian ingredients on these cuts and get something equally tasty.

I've run across a number of porchetta recipes that call for brining, but most don't.  This is for good reason because it's largely unnecessary. The seasoning between the loin and belly provides flavor and the fat from the belly prevents the loin from drying out.

[HappyDancex2]

They may have been smarting from last week's Carne debacle taking that whole "cook the food you like" to heart but it doesn't escape me that the winner made oysters with a hot sauce mignonette and snacks in a bag which is basically a twist on muddy buddies off the chex box.   This season doesn't have real inspiring chefs.

And my eyes still haven't rolled back to the front of my head from when the challenge was announced that Sara announced that she not only knew how to throw a party but she partied on houseboats and the resident expert on anything and everything that exists on earth.   Including apparently raising cattle and serving a sad, mealy, 50 cent size piece of sausage to some Italian butcher last episode.

[LeighLeigh]

whispers: hey Kelsey, there is no ‘h’ in oysters.

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

On the KBC facebook there a picture from the  23rd, and the bakery had a heath, salted caramel pound cake (it's actually a layer cake), so you missed a fabulous cake, 

That's exactly what I was hoping for!!  Maybe it'll be featured some other time.  

[Thumper]

I tried porchetta (maybe porketta?) here in MN one time, and I didn't care for it.  I had heard so much about it, so bought one from a local butcher.  Did not care for the seasoning.  Do the spices vary by region or cook?  I gather it is a regional favorite from the Iron Range (northern MN), a big mining area.

At any rate, Brian's dish did look rather heavy for a hot summer day.

[HappyDancex2]

I also think that Padma saying "oh so you both had things to overcome" was entirely inaccurate.  Having the power go out during prep for hours while not knowing when/if it was going to come back on is a different level of stress...I mean they were cooking in chafing dishes on sternos.   Having the grill burner go out was more of an inconvenience in my opinion.   So he had to go downstairs and fry in a pot....big deal.   The by product is that while he was not available to interact and fry on demand for the guests, his product ends up being piping hot.   

When Tom said that the potato chip crusted fish was still crispy but obviously had been fried previously and sitting around I would have said "I didn't realize I could tell you guys to come back later and then basically fry on demand.  Sorry about that."

Edited January 26, 2019 by HappyDancex2
accurate and inaccurate makes it entirely inaccurate for accuracy

[Rai]

Finally, Brian's overdue ouster has happened.

I'm pretty reserved, but I would've wanted to be on the Green Team too. Kelsey and Eric are two of my favorites, and they just kept it light with each other, even when critiquing each other's dishes. I was surprised Eric didn't win, but Kelsey's sounded good too.

Eric's story about his dad was amazing, though. What a good memory to have about your father!

[kirklandia]

(This may be the wrong thread, but) let's take a moment to remember Chef Fatima.

https://www.eater.com/2019/1/25/18197759/fatmia-ali-top-chef-dead-cancer-age-29

[Irlandesa]

9 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I guess I'll have to be a voice of dissent.  Other than the fact that the hot tub was hot (duh), I think that if it was played right, it could have added a fun, Margaritaville kind of element that elevated the party atmosphere on the boat.

They did not play it right.

Right.  It was an idea that didn't have a lot of thought

18 hours ago, bobbobbob199 said:

It is interesting to note the latter group of chefs come from a more classically trained, often fine-dining background, while the former mostly cook Southern cuisine. Maybe there is a sort of decorum in the kitchen that classically trained chefs have. The former group was also the group that was really angry at Brother's return. I think the way the season is pivoting, they are really trying to get a chef from the former group to win. Personally, I prefer one of the latter group.

Before opening his Southern Restaurant, Justin worked at Meritage and Brasserie Zentral in the Twin Cities.  They're not New York or CA but they are very French.  

And as for Brother's return, I rewatched that episode recently and I didn't see anyone truly angry at his return.  There was some rooting for Nini, (Kelsey and others) which would make sense.  Someone else (Sara, I think) said they didn't want another person in the house which would also make sense given this is a competition.  There was some discussion about whether or not Tom made the right choice (Eddie asked the question) and Justin said that he thought Brother's tuna dish was impressive. 

In some ways, I can see why some might not like this challenge.  It did have a The Next Food Network Star vibe to it more than Top Chef  but I saw this challenge as almost Restaurant Wars II in that the contestants had to focus not just on the food but the experience.  Front of House didn't look the same as it did during Restaurant Wars but it was a real thing in this challenge.  It isn't about standing in a hot tub or doing trivia.  It's about making the guests feel like they belong and are wanted at whatever you're doing. As an introvert, trivia with strangers can feel just as awkward as drinking with strangers. The Green Team was loose and engaged with the crowd. They gave out high fives.  They talked to the crowd.  They praised one another. They must have been saying something to get the guests to applaud all that time.  All it takes is one person to start that kind of thing.  The Blue Team was missing their hype man/woman. The ability to bring up the energy in a room is either a talent or a skill but it's valuable and I don't think it correlates with seriousness about food.

[ratgirlagogo]

Porchetta is delicious, and if it had been any good it wouldn't have struck anyone as too heavy.  It's hot all over the South and the Caribbean and they're very big on roast pork.  One of the crucial things is the green vegetables in the stuffing - spinach, or basil pesto, or broccoli rabe, or sage - and some kind of cheese - I couldn't see any kind of stuffing in the porchetta.    It doesn't have to be the loin, can be the shoulder, etc.  One thing I would not want is a "ham" taste.   Brian just made a bad version, with the brining being a bad idea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porchetta

Edited January 26, 2019 by ratgirlagogo

[dleighg]

8 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

They may have been smarting from last week's Carne debacle taking that whole "cook the food you like" to heart but it doesn't escape me that the winner made oysters with a hot sauce mignonette and snacks in a bag which is basically a twist on muddy buddies off the chex box.   This season doesn't have real inspiring chefs.

 

Yeah, I was trying to wrap my head around that. I love me some oysters, and a pretty traditional presentation is just fine with me. But what on earth was so mind-blowing about them? They were cold? Damn right they should be cold. They had ice, right? I just don't see how she pushed the envelope. I like her lots (probably one of my favorites, so good for her on the win) but, huh?

[JTMacc99]

And... I’m finally engaged with this group and this season. I like that they all like each other. I like that they are starting to get how to play the game. (Make food that is your food, do your best to fit it to the challenge.)

Both teams made good food, both teams took to the challenge with their own personalities, green team obviously had better personalities for this particular challenge. They also had 4 of 4 potential finalists which didn’t hurt. 

BTW, also coloring my opinion of this group and this season is LCK and how they are all behaving and performing there. 

[Brookside]

9 hours ago, kirklandia said:

(This may be the wrong thread, but) let's take a moment to remember Chef Fatima.

https://www.eater.com/2019/1/25/18197759/fatmia-ali-top-chef-dead-cancer-age-29

It probably belongs in the media thread, but thanks for posting.

Edited January 26, 2019 by Brookside

[kicksave]

On 1/24/2019 at 11:53 PM, avecsans said:

Who wants to eat roast pork on a boat in stupendously hot weather?  Brian and his highly inflated opinion of his own skills needed to go.

Eddie is such a downer of a person. I’m certainly no fan of Kelsey, but as she kept reminding us, this is what she does for a living.  It seems like it was a no-brainer to pick her. When the challenge is to throw a party, why choose Michele and Adrienne? They are fine chefs but seem super introverted.  Brian is just a weirdo.  David is just there.

 If I were a guest, I would not have wanted to eat anything Adrienne had touched.  And it looks like Justin may have come down with the same thing.

Yes to everything you said! Even after Tom gave Brian a lecture on cooking with your heart and making food that's real not frou frou he goes on to make a roast pork dish with frou frou? Not only that, he brags he could do it in his sleep. Ha Ha! Maybe it would have been a better dish if he did make it in his sleep. His snarky remark that the Green team was preparing a kegger party but they, the Blue team, were going for a soiree was the reason why they lost! Party planning requires that the planner know her audience!  His whining about no one having his back was pathetic. Bye bye!

The big problem with this team was their poor insight into what party food should be, especially houseboat party food. They served high end cocktail party food. Pork roast and steamed dumplings on a hot day are stupid. Finger food, small bites, barbecue, sliders, anything with alcohol...that's what you serve on a hot, humid Kentucky day out on a houseboat. They didn't even try to have some party atmosphere or make it fun. The Green team got it...they immediately knew what food would be successful and how to create a festive mood. The Blue Team was just dull, depressed and sad. Eddie questioned his decisions in choosing people and clearly had no vision of what he wanted to do. Disaster.

[allirish47]

Slightly OT, but we moved away from Texas, where we had both Central Market & Whole Foods, to another state, & only have WF. Time & time again we bemoan that face - we'd so much rather have CM!!!!!

[PamelaMaeSnap]

On 1/24/2019 at 9:40 PM, Mambo Queen said:

I'd rather not have the guy slicing the meat I'm about to eat be standing barefoot in a germ-laden hot tub, thanks anyway.

But he WASN'T barefoot (apologies if this was mentioned later after this post but I'm tech-challenged and commenting on the post after reading it) ... what freaked me out was not that he thought it would be kinda cool and different to serve from the hot tub, but that HE DID IT WITH HIS SNEAKERS AND SOCKS ON!!! Those shoes didn't look cheap and it had to be incredibly uncomfortable. 

I have liked Brian quite a bit though there's something a bit "off" there, but his comment about his team not standing up for him kinda turned me off to him (and I was already pretty sure he'd get the PYKAG since he'd been close to being auf'ed last week and it sounded like his porchetta was gross). He was the one to go ... I couldn't see them cutting David when he's been so on point this whole season (while he may not be my total favorite-favorite all things considered, I have thought he was the one to beat from day one and continue to hold that opinion). 

I need the recipe to Puppy Chow (never heard of it before). 

I want to rent a houseboat for a week and party on a lake. 

Finally, I can't help but wonder ... my memory is bad so please help here ... has there ever been a situation before where a cheftestant was out sick for the challenge? If so, how was it handled? Luckily (or editor-monkey-thanks), Adrienne had already detailed her dish and they'd bought the ingredients and Eddie made it and the judges liked it. If she hadn't clarified/bought her dish/if Eddie had pooched it/if the judges simply didn't like it, what would have happened? Would she have been given a pass? 

My guess is they wouldn't have released her to go lie down while they were eliminating someone so that was kind of a giveaway for me.

Final Q, and I realize a full answer to this might involve indirect spoilers so feel free not to answer ... have they changed the process of LCK? It seemed they started from scratch last week after Brother came back to compete, with Brandon being PYKAG'd, but in the coming attractions for this week it appeared to show Brian cooking alone with Tom. I'd have thought if Brandon had been the lone guy in LCK, they'd wait for this week's eliminee to have cheftestants cooking against each other ... I don't want to inadvertently get spoiled by checking the LCK thread but am curious how it's being handled.

[Grandma Saracen]

15 minutes ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

Final Q, and I realize a full answer to this might involve indirect spoilers so feel free not to answer ... have they changed the process of LCK? It seemed they started from scratch last week after Brother came back to compete, with Brandon being PYKAG'd, but in the coming attractions for this week it appeared to show Brian cooking alone with Tom. I'd have thought if Brandon had been the lone guy in LCK, they'd wait for this week's eliminee to have cheftestants cooking against each other ... I don't want to inadvertently get spoiled by checking the LCK thread but am curious how it's being handled.

 

No, it's being handled the same way. Brandon competed against someone last week. 

[PamelaMaeSnap]

On 1/25/2019 at 5:46 PM, ChitChat said:

Okay, so now I'm embarrassed if you guys think I was being a stalker today! 

Hoping this gets combined with my previous post so I'm not breaking PTV rules ... but NO, don't think you're a stalker! As a longtime TC fan, I think (guess) a lot of us have a little extra interest when there are cheftestants (especially ones we like) who have places near us! I made Mr. Snappy join me for a cocktail at Kith and Kin in DC (Kwame's place ... lovely!!!!) the last time we were able to actually manage a dinner out in the city. 

I also confess to being super-stoked last week when, while relocation-neighborhood hunting and daughter-visiting in Los Angeles, we had dinner out at a good friend's nephew's restaurant coincidentally on the night that Graham Elliot did a pop-up meal there. Got a great family photo of the Snappy Fam with Graham (we can call him by his first name now) and our friend and we ALL look great LOL (BTW, Graham was incredibly nice and also shockingly handsome IRL). 

23 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Cue the clip of Brian at the beginning stating "I can cook a fucking porchetta in my sleep."

And when he said that, I commented to Mr. Snappy ... "dun dun dunnnnnnn"

[Richness]

I don't know when this season was filmed, but I'm reeling from having a Christmas episode and a summer houseboat party in the same season. We going to have a Halloween themed finale? Also wasn't thrilled with the Below Decks tie-in and the extended car commercial. I don't watch the former and I skip the latter.

Edited January 27, 2019 by Richness

[mlp]

Quote

I need the recipe to Puppy Chow (never heard of it before). 

Puppy Chow is common in the Midwest but it's made with chocolate and peanut butter and looks like kibble.  The kind Kelsey made didn't look at all familiar nor did it look like puppy chow.  There are lots of recipes for the Midwest version on line.

[Thumper]

4 minutes ago, mlp said:

Puppy Chow is common in the Midwest but it's made with chocolate and peanut butter and looks like kibble.  The kind Kelsey made didn't look at all familiar nor did it look like puppy chow.  There are lots of recipes for the Midwest version on line.

Yeah, the Kindergartners made it at our elementary school.  (Upper Midwest) 😄

[HappyDancex2]

You've never had muddy buddies???   You haven't lived LOL.   Wasn't joking that the recipe is on most Chex boxes.   It's usually a bunch of snack items mixed with some kind of melted chocolate coated in some kind of powdered sugar.   It can be super sweet, kind of savory (depending on type of snacks you pick and how much salt they contain), what you melt in the chocolate (they used white on the show) but you can mix peanut butter with chocolate and then the final toss is usually powdered sugar in some form....light or heavy.

The one on the show looked like those fried banana chips in the bulk section of Whole Foods (there was a clip of her twisting a bag of them), corn flakes, white chocolate probably melted with some butter, pretzels that they smashed down and then powdered sugar.  They didn't coat it heavy..probably because it usually causes messy fingers.   Combine snacks, smash if necessary, melt chocolate, combine, toss in sugar using a paper bag.  Chow.

Oh she did say key lime....so maybe there was some key lime flavoring added somehow....juice?  zest?  Some coating that was already on one of the snack items?

Man I could use some right now.... LOL

[Nordly Beaumont]

12 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

and then powdered sugar.  They didn't coat it heavy..probably because it usually causes messy fingers.

That's the only problem with Puppy Chow, you can't sneak it! That powdered sugar on your face and down your front is a dead giveaway!

[rhys]

4 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

You've never had muddy buddies???   You haven't lived LOL.   Wasn't joking that the recipe is on most Chex boxes.   It's usually a bunch of snack items mixed with some kind of melted chocolate coated in some kind of powdered sugar.   It can be super sweet, kind of savory (depending on type of snacks you pick and how much salt they contain), what you melt in the chocolate (they used white on the show) but you can mix peanut butter with chocolate and then the final toss is usually powdered sugar in some form....light or heavy.

The one on the show looked like those fried banana chips in the bulk section of Whole Foods (there was a clip of her twisting a bag of them), corn flakes, white chocolate probably melted with some butter, pretzels that they smashed down and then powdered sugar.  They didn't coat it heavy..probably because it usually causes messy fingers.   Combine snacks, smash if necessary, melt chocolate, combine, toss in sugar using a paper bag.  Chow.

Oh she did say key lime....so maybe there was some key lime flavoring added somehow....juice?  zest?  Some coating that was already on one of the snack items?

Yep, I heard lime & went huh? But then went yum about a half second later. Our kids used to serve puppy chow in designated dog food bowls (we didn't have dogs).

[Yeah No]

On 1/25/2019 at 3:28 PM, carrps said:

Yeah, but if you're really not a "party person," all the Googling in the world won't really help because you won't be able to carry it off. I think trying to fake it would have made it even worse. I'm just glad it was Brian that was eliminated -- not someone who actually has a chance.

Not that it would have made that much difference, but if they had gotten some rest and didn't have a sick team member and a power outage to deal with perhaps they could have pulled it off better.  Even "party people" have a limit to their energy if they have too many issues to contend with.  Of course, that still wouldn't explain Brian's bizarre porchetta.  To me, an Italian American who grew up eating the real thing, some kind of luau inspired riff on that sounds about as unrelated to what traditional porchetta is all about as pineapple is to pizza, which I'm not too much of a purist to accept under certain circumstances, but it better be damned good.