DiningBuzz! - Top Chef: Texas (Season 9)

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef

Not much details on the new season so far, but it does start on Wednesday, November 2 at 10/9c.

I do see a little blurb at the bottom of the webpage where Eric Ripert interviews Anthony Bourdain. I'll be sure to look at that soon.

Looking forward to this one, too. In the previews, saw a quick flash of Paul Herman. Really? Peewee Herman in Texas - that's GOT to be good! :D

Oh, and can't get enough Ripert and Bourdain. Drool, drool!

Looking forward to this one, too. In the previews, saw a quick flash of Paul Herman. Really? Peewee Herman in Texas - that's GOT to be good! :D

I think you probably mean Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman. He's also been in the audience on Dancing with the Stars a lot lately. Maybe he's a reality show groupee?

Yes, Paul Reubens. Sheesh, sorry, I keep getting his real name mixed with the character.

Anyway, saw another teaser last night that showed some chef butchering meat for another chef (apparently teamed up). In this case it was "butcher" in the wrong sense - he ruined her tenderloin, and got axed by Coliccio. :D

Yes, Pee Wee definitely makes an appearance this season, it was all the gossip here in San Antonio at the time. Most of us are assuming that he's still looking for his bike in the basement of the Alamo...

As far as what else I know: Emeril supposedly is a new permanent judge? Him, Gail, and Tom were all spotted at a number of local restaurants while they were filming.

The basic breakdown I heard is 16 episodes: 8 in San Antonio since they partnered with the new CIA here, and the other 8 are split between Austin and Dallas. Restaurant Wars was shot in Austin and tickets were sold in an auction. The price tag for tickets was several thousand from what I remember, but ticket sales went for charity.

As for Lone Star State chefs, Paul Qui of Uchiko in Austin will one of the contestants. Too bad no San Antonians.

I just wonder how quickly they will pare down the 29 cheftestants.

There was a Season 8 (All-Stars) marathon on Saturday. Forgot how good some of those episodes were.

I just wonder how quickly they will pare down the 29 cheftestants.

I think I read somewhere that 1/2 will be gone after the first episode. Rough start for a lot of them!

Interesting format for the start of this season. I like it.

And I LOVED that the only guy (so far) to get axed before even serving a dish to the judges was the arrogant twit who bragged about how wonderful he was. I didn't enjoy it just because of that. It was because the more they let him talk in headshots the more it became apparent that he had no skills and has a career built on using what others have prepared for him. He completely ruined the primal cut he was trying to butcher and looked like he'd never touched a piece of meat in his life. His comment that others did that kind of work for him, but he was still a superior chef, just you watch.... flew about as well with Coliccio as it did with me. I loved how Coliccio shut him right down. :cool:

Interesting format for the start of this season. I like it.

And I LOVED that the only guy (so far) to get axed before even serving a dish to the judges was the arrogant twit who bragged about how wonderful he was. I didn't enjoy it just because of that. It was because the more they let him talk in headshots the more it became apparent that he had no skills and has a career built on using what others have prepared for him. He completely ruined the primal cut he was trying to butcher and looked like he'd never touched a piece of meat in his life. His comment that others did that kind of work for him, but he was still a superior chef, just you watch.... flew about as well with Coliccio as it did with me. I loved how Coliccio shut him right down. :cool:

I agree with everything you said. The twit who got eliminated for butchering the tenderloin didn't even get it after he was sent home. He had one of those faces that told you the moment you looked at him that he was an a$$.

It looks so far that maybe they should change the name of the show to Top Chef: Chicago. Five of the top 11 are from the Windy City. :eek: And it's just wild that two of them are from the same restaurant, Homaro Cantu's Moto.

The first episode was done very well! I am so las I is back & Just Desserts is over. Desserts is just not the same.

The first episode was done very well! I am so las I is back & Just Desserts is over. Desserts is just not the same.

I agree. There's only so much you can do with desserts, especially since the Food Network has covered all the bake-off variations that are humanly possible. I do think it's sad that TC: JD still hasn't done a "bakery war", though.

I agree. There's only so much you can do with desserts, especially since the Food Network has covered all the bake-off variations that are humanly possible. I do think it's sad that TC: JD still hasn't done a "bakery war", though.

How about making tasty desserts? Instead of doing showpieces, children's fantasylands and making desserts out of weird ingredients?

I agree. There's only so much you can do with desserts, especially since the Food Network has covered all the bake-off variations that are humanly possible. I do think it's sad that TC: JD still hasn't done a "bakery war", though.

Now that would be a good idea- bakery wars!

I can't help but enjoy the smirky laugh that Tom tries to suppress each time a contestant says something about being some James Beard or other type of nominee or the two "culinary artists" from the first episode.

Loved the guy that said he was nominated as "one of my mom's two favorite sons".

I did not really like how quickly they went from 29 to 16... seems wrong to have everyone there... and then not even give some a chance to actually cook and have their food tasted by the judges.

I did not really like how quickly they went from 29 to 16... seems wrong to have everyone there... and then not even give some a chance to actually cook and have their food tasted by the judges.

Everybody got to have their food tasted except for the arrogant jerk guy who deserved to be booted off, and one person who didn't get his dishes plated in time. I think it was pretty fair. I liked how they had "the bubble" for some people to get a second chance.

The burning question: when do they bring Eric Ripert back in to judge? :D

I wonder what would have happened if the guy who had risotto(didn't get it plated in time) had just taken the pan with his risotto on it, and set it in front of the judges and called it a "rustic presentation"?

Sure, he would have been dinged on his presentation, and lack of time management, but they would have at least tasted his food, AND...he may have gotten bonus points for creativity.

I wonder what would have happened if the guy who had risotto(didn't get it plated in time) had just taken the pan with his risotto on it, and set it in front of the judges and called it a "rustic presentation"?

Sure, he would have been dinged on his presentation, and lack of time management, but they would have at least tasted his food, AND...he may have gotten bonus points for creativity.

I like it! Family style! :D

Good idea! Now that you remind me which guy that was, I did wonder why he transferred his risotto from the pot to a sheet pan and then to the (almost) plates. He might have saved a few seconds by dishing right from the pot to plate. Or was the sheet pan some extra prep step that I don't know about?

Good idea! Now that you remind me which guy that was, I did wonder why he transferred his risotto from the pot to a sheet pan and then to the (almost) plates. He might have saved a few seconds by dishing right from the pot to plate. Or was the sheet pan some extra prep step that I don't know about?

I wondered about that too.

Have we ever had a professional chef here?

Please tell me that the former contestant/judge arrogant monobrow Neanderthal jerk won't be around for the whole season!

Please tell me that the former contestant/judge arrogant monobrow Neanderthal jerk won't be around for the whole season!

Isn't he awful? And he keeps showing up on these shows,

Tom seems particularly grumpy this season.

Motherhood apparently has increased the size of Padma's chest or wardrobe is still using measurements from season 2. :p

And now MOTO2 barely escapes.

What was he thinking? I've got to guess that at Moto that sort of gimmicky creation would go though many, many testings and revisions before it was "menu ready". You can just cobble something like that together on a single try and expect it to work!

Tom seems particularly grumpy this season.


Apparently he was suffering because he had delayed back surgery so was quite unhappy during filiming.

Motherhood apparently has increased the size of Padma's chest or wardrobe is still using measurements from season 2. :p

Mrs. Swede was crying foul over Padma's cocktail dress. :p :D

Finally caught up on episodes...

* Mrs. Swede makes a great cheese-stuffed salmon and potatoes gratin. I mean, if she can make dishes like that (and look just as good), the cheftestants shouldn't be doing dishes like that unless it's the best ever (which obviously it wasn't).
* I love the little outtakes scenes near the end of the episodes. "I don't think there's a story I can make up that Chuy's dad hasn't already done." :D
* Very much dislike Heather and Beverly.
* Nyesha was also recently featured on the Food Network show Chef Hunters. I wonder which one was taped first, because I imagine Bravo would be very strict on being on other reality shows.
* My sister and brother-in-law were in Louisville over Thanksgiving. Edward's restaurant was booked solid for the whole long weekend.
* I haven't watched Last Chance Kitchen, but I really wanted to see Keith make it back onto the show. What I really hope is that the last two chefs featured on LCK would be assigned Head of the House during Restaurant wars.

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* Nyesha was also recently featured on the Food Network show Chef Hunters. I wonder which one was taped first, because I imagine Bravo would be very strict on being on other reality shows.


She's listed on Top Chef as the Executve Chef at Wilshire, which was the job she "won" on Chef Hunter (I have "won" in quotes because Chef Hunter is more of a documentary than a competition), so I think Chef Hunter was filmed first.

I had brunch last week at Chef Heather's restaurant (Sable in Chicago). Not bad, but not memorable. To be fair, brunch is not necessarily a great test of a restaurant. She wasn't there (that I could see and we seated near the open kitchen).

God, do I despise Heather. :td: And don't anybody tell me it's the editing. That woman is a first class, stereotypical bully. Amazing how the other chefs cower from her. With her attitude and behavior, she doesn't belong on Top Chef; she belongs on Hell's Kitchen.

God, do I despise Heather. :td: And don't anybody tell me it's the editing. That woman is a first class, stereotypical bully. Amazing how the other chefs cower from her. With her attitude and behavior, she doesn't belong on Top Chef; she belongs on Hell's Kitchen.

How awesome would it be to see her go toe-to-toe with Gordon.

I don't like Heather either and was disappointed that she won the new car. I find Top Chef to be very addictive. I've been watching it at my local fitness center when I'm on the elliptical machine.

I don't like Heather either and was disappointed that she won the new car. I find Top Chef to be very addictive. I've been watching it at my local fitness center when I'm on the elliptical machine.

I was kind of amused that Chef Love, who specializes in "western cuisine," criticized Sara Grueneberg's risotto. She has studied in Italy and cooks in one of the best Italian restaurants in the U.S. For some reason she decided she won't change her style to please his palate. :)

Thank God Heather's gone. What a mean-spirited, angry person. I can't wait to see the reunion show and see if Heather has any second thoughts about her behavior.

Thank God Heather's gone. What a mean-spirited, angry person. I can't wait to see the reunion show and see if Heather has any second thoughts about her behavior.

What happened to her, exactly? I missed the episode where she was kicked out.

What happened to her, exactly? I missed the episode where she was kicked out.

You'll have several opportunities to see it this week as they replay all of them several times.

I was surprised at how nasty she is. She was Executive Chef at Atwood Cafe in Chicago for several years and I ate there many times. It was always very "homey." She had a pot pie of the day every day. I just don't equate "homey" with nasty. :)

You'll have several opportunities to see it this week as they replay all of them several times.

I was surprised at how nasty she is. She was Executive Chef at Atwood Cafe in Chicago for several years and I ate there many times. It was always very "homey." She had a pot pie of the day every day. I just don't equate "homey" with nasty. :)

Normally I would say that the editing makes someone look even meaner than he or she is on any reality show. But not in this instance. The things she said at Judges' Table were just as obnoxious as how she behaved during the competitions, especially with Beverly as her teammate on one of them.

And while Atwood cafe may have been a "homey" kind of place, I wonder what was going on in the kitchen while she was Executive Chef there.

I'm a soft personality much like Beverly, and what I saw reminded me of people I've come across who are bullies that seem to explicitly locate people who they feel they can dominate. I think it's an interesting bit of psychology; what makes someone be nice to most people, but bully people who seem defenseless. (Not that Beverly or "soft" people are defenseless, just that their lack of push back is seen that way.)

All right, I have to make a stand. Top Chef needs to STOP with the all-night cooking challenges. They're brutal and sadistic and it's completely not fair to judge the chefs based on decisions (and even execution) they make while sleep deprived. It's also no fun to watch.

Thankfully next week: Restaurant wars! (cheer!)

Seems like Heather may have been right all along about a certain female chef. Now, others are making comments and Edward is the new jerk. :D

I sick of who can make the best meal out of junk food challenges (granted, this time it was on the after hours last chance challenge).

None of them did anything remotely interesting.

None of them did anything remotely interesting.

I totally agree. Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce and Beer Can Chicken? On Top Chef? Is that the best they could do?

I totally agree. Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce and Beer Can Chicken? On Top Chef? Is that the best they could do?

The beer can chicken grossed me out. Way to go to consume large amounts of alluminum and other random crap that was never meant to be inside of the human body.

If none of them did anything interesting, why was my mouth watering? :D

I love Top Chef, I don't have a clear favorite yet this year and so far I can't predict what the top three is going to look like. I am so happy that it is in Texas this year although I found the steak cooking thing in Dallas so lame, you blow at cooking steaks in big D? Really???

I also really enjoy the Last Chance Kitchen concept, I log on to watch it every week. I do wonder though, why are all of the eliminated chefs watching the Last Chance Kitchen? Why haven't all of those chefs gone home as in left the building? Is someone besides the Last Chance winner going to make it back on the show too?

Please tell me that the former contestant/judge arrogant monobrow Neanderthal jerk won't be around for the whole season!Isn't he awful? And he keeps showing up on these shows,

We had a fabulous New Year's Eve meal (http://hughacheson.blogspot.com/2011/11/celebrate-new-years-eve-at-empire-state.html) at his Atlanta restaurant, Empire State South. At the end of the meal, at our request, Hugh came to our table and was an absolute charmer.

We had a fabulous New Year's Eve meal (http://hughacheson.blogspot.com/2011/11/celebrate-new-years-eve-at-empire-state.html) at his Atlanta restaurant, Empire State South. At the end of the meal, at our request, Hugh came to our table and was an absolute charmer.

Well, then maybe Heather is delightful in person too! I guess almost anyone can be charming in the right circumstances (e.g., when he's making money off of you), but as a judge and a contestant, he was/is a jerk.

Two all-night cooking challenges in the same season is pretty lame. I also don't like how they have RW with only 8 left, especially since one on each team has to work the front. I'd love to see the remaining cheftestants choose a previously-eliminated chef to work the front, instead.

Not sure why the cheftestants kept alluding that the Modernist Cuisine books seem to be difficult to attain. It's available on Amazon, and one would think the $450 price tag would pay off rather quickly.

Also nice to see Edward giving props to Owensboro, BBQ capital of Kentucky (about 30 minutes from where I grew up).

First, if you're working the FOH, do not try to do a main. :rolleyes:

Second, I think Chris J should've gone home.

All in all, though, no one stands out as being worthy of the Top Chef title.

I don't know why, but my money is on Grayson. She's kind of middle of the pack at this point, but rest of them are not doing anything to stand out in a positive way.

All in all, not a great season, so far, and there's not a lot of time for them to pull it together.

Am I the only one who thinks this might be the weakest batch of chefs since probably season one? The Voltaggio brothers would be #1 and #2 in every competition so far if they were in this edition. Anyway, I'm calling Paul to win. He consistently has at least interesting ideas and his execution seems to be better than most.

Chris

I think the best chef left is Nyesha. She is tearing up the Last Chance Kitchen and I think Colicchio likes her. Would make for a great story if she can survive LCK and join the others for the finale.

I think the best chef left is Nyesha. She is tearing up the Last Chance Kitchen and I think Colicchio likes her. Would make for a great story if she can survive LCK and join the others for the finale.

I might second that also. Fine, Paul and Nyesha as the last two standing.

Chris

Two all-night cooking challenges in the same season is pretty lame. I also don't like how they have RW with only 8 left, especially since one on each team has to work the front. I'd love to see the remaining cheftestants choose a previously-eliminated chef to work the front, instead.


I agree with this. It's not really fair to have one chef do a dish and work front of house at the same time. He's being judged on his dish AND his foh performance, first of all. Secondly, he then has to trust that one of his teammates (really competitors) can finish and plate his dish for him. Get someone else to do foh and judge ALL the chefs on being a chef. Or if that's too much like all the other challenges, I guess they could have a foh challenge where all the chefs are judge by their foh performance.

As someone who spent many a year in the restaurant/hotel industry, both FOH and BOH, I am torn between Restaurant Wars. First and foremost, I don't like how many chefs absolutely fail at being the FOH manager. I understand the limited staff training time, and the fact that you only have a few hours to setup a restaurant, however there are core factors, such as timely service, expediting, and making sure that food gets to the table hot, can easily be managed by one person during service. These are not time-limiting factors, they are burned in people's skulls after x years in restaurants. The only problem is they are still responsible for a dish.

That said, I think the producers or judges or whatever need to have the QuickFire BEFORE restaurant wars have TWO winners, and those winners have immunity but then are forced FOH managers. Throw some money in too or whatever, so they can relax and focus on the service. Let the people in the back of the house worry about the food, and that's all. (Obviously, don't tell anyone before the QuickFire so that chef-testants don't purposely land themselves in the kitchen.)

Honestly, I feel that RW scars each chef because their food is subject to
1) Other people taking over the cooking responsibility
2) Expeditor making sure that all elements are present (mushrooms, Paul??)
2) Management (aka chef-testant) having enough servers/runners in position
2) The food-runners/servers serving the food on time, right position, correctly, etc..

It also doesn't help that the diners show up in packs of 50 - but then again, winning hundreds of thousands of dollars was never meant to be easy, right? :)

Best of luck to Paul this season, and I hope to see Nyesha back. She deserves it the most out of anyone.

I think the best chef left is Nyesha. She is tearing up the Last Chance Kitchen and I think Colicchio likes her. Would make for a great story if she can survive LCK and join the others for the finale.

Just watched this week's LCK, and I have to agree with you. If she gets back in, she'd cook circles around my current pick of Grayson.

Loved how she was calculating in her choice of sous chef this week. Didn't make a big deal of it, just did it and got on with it.

Just watched this week's LCK, and I have to agree with you. If she gets back in, she'd cook circles around my current pick of Grayson.

Loved how she was calculating in her choice of sous chef this week. Didn't make a big deal of it, just did it and got on with it.

If they continue to have LCK in the future, anyone else feel it could be a strategic move to get yourself in there intentionally, and then just rock it out until the end?

You have ONE quickfire every other day or two days, no house/judge/all-night challenge/'insert your bravo BS here' to deal with, ONLY Tom as a judge, and only one opponent. Granted, it's a lot hanging on a small period of time, but Nyesha is proof that it can be done.

Thoughts?

Granted, it's a lot hanging on a small period of time, but Nyesha is proof that it can be done.


Keith before her lasted quite a long time. He seems like a nice guy, and he has such a great story. I wonder how many other James Beard nominees have also served time in prison.

That said, I think the producers or judges or whatever need to have the QuickFire BEFORE restaurant wars have TWO winners, and those winners have immunity but then are forced FOH managers.

I initially agreed, but now I'm against it. Being FOH and having immunity means you could sabotage one or some cheftestants by providing sloppy, slow service. Granted, in the past, the QF winner was almost always FOH, but still.

I think the best chef left is Nyesha. She is tearing up the Last Chance Kitchen and I think Colicchio likes her.

Plus her elimination from the main competition was not due to her own shortfalls.

I initially agreed, but now I'm against it. Being FOH and having immunity means you could sabotage one or some cheftestants by providing sloppy, slow service. Granted, in the past, the QF winner was almost always FOH, but still.

I initially thought this way, however for this most recent RW, it seemed to me that the judges judged based on the food, not the service, given that the girls team won.

Either way..it's all speculation at this point. Plus, there are people being paid tons of money to produce this show, and they're on a successful season nine, so anything I can say, I'm sure has been thought of in some edit room somewhere :)

Wow..great episode. A shame that everyone made such good food, and it really came down to small technicalities. A big turn around from weeks before where everything has been so iffy. Shame Beverly was the one sent home, she was getting so consistent in delivering good food. The QuickFire was hers!!

And if you haven't watched LTC yet, I'd venture over there with an open-mind... :eek:

Wow..great episode. A shame that everyone made such good food, and it really came down to small technicalities. A big turn around from weeks before where everything has been so iffy. Shame Beverly was the one sent home, she was getting so consistent in delivering good food. The QuickFire was hers!!

And if you haven't watched LTC yet, I'd venture over there with an open-mind... :eek:

I was completely disappointed with the outcome of Last Chance Kitchen last night. Once the switcheroo happened the balance clearly shifted to the chef that won the challenge. I do not believe she could have won with her own ingredients, who knows though.

I do not believe she could have won with her own ingredients...

I am 100% in agreement on this point.

As someone who spent many a year in the restaurant/hotel industry, both FOH and BOH, I am torn between Restaurant Wars. First and foremost, I don't like how many chefs absolutely fail at being the FOH manager. I understand the limited staff training time, and the fact that you only have a few hours to setup a restaurant, however there are core factors, such as timely service, expediting, and making sure that food gets to the table hot, can easily be managed by one person during service. These are not time-limiting factors, they are burned in people's skulls after x years in restaurants. The only problem is they are still responsible for a dish.

That said, I think the producers or judges or whatever need to have the QuickFire BEFORE restaurant wars have TWO winners, and those winners have immunity but then are forced FOH managers. Throw some money in too or whatever, so they can relax and focus on the service. Let the people in the back of the house worry about the food, and that's all. (Obviously, don't tell anyone before the QuickFire so that chef-testants don't purposely land themselves in the kitchen.)

Honestly, I feel that RW scars each chef because their food is subject to
1) Other people taking over the cooking responsibility
2) Expeditor making sure that all elements are present (mushrooms, Paul??)
2) Management (aka chef-testant) having enough servers/runners in position
2) The food-runners/servers serving the food on time, right position, correctly, etc..

It also doesn't help that the diners show up in packs of 50 - but then again, winning hundreds of thousands of dollars was never meant to be easy, right? :)

Best of luck to Paul this season, and I hope to see Nyesha back. She deserves it the most out of anyone.

+1!!!

I thought they were setting it up for no elimination last night and a double next week.

I thought they were setting it up for no elimination last night and a double next week.

+1, I thought the very same thing. I'm not sure how Eric Ripert claims it was the best meal on the show ever, and Tom says it was one of the best, and C. Theron was beyond happy, however someone still goes home? The show has had surprise no-elimination episodes with a lot less to go on...

I was hoping that the bottom three would have to do a quick-fire elimination challenge... and Nyesha was also brought into the mix.

Sadly, that didn't happen, and now I'm mad.

Advice: you better watch LCK before the following Wednesday or else you'll know who gets eliminated. :mad:

I was hoping that the bottom three would have to do a quick-fire elimination challenge... and Nyesha was also brought into the mix.

Sadly, that didn't happen, and now I'm mad.

Advice: you better watch LCK before the following Wednesday or else you'll know who gets eliminated. :mad:

I can't believe that Nyesha was eliminated by Beverly in LCK! What a shocker.

You know, one chef I hoped would've made the cut was the one who worked on Royal Caribbean. She probably has cooking/plating for hundreds at a time down pat.

I was really hoping Sarah would have gone home this week. I find her really annoying.

I absolutely loved Grayson's retort to Smug Ole Tom, when he told her she had to step up her game from chicken salad to something more if she really wanted to win this thing. Her response? "What, like meatballs?" Classic as she was alluding to what Lindsy and Sarah prepared. Tom looked like he didn't know how to respond.

Grayson, you're my new favorite Cheftestant! ^

I was really hoping Sarah would have gone home this week. I find her really annoying.

I absolutely loved Grayson's retort to Smug Ole Tom, when he told her she had to step up her game from chicken salad to something more if she really wanted to win this thing. Her response? "What, like meatballs?" Classic as she was alluding to what Lindsy and Sarah prepared. Tom looked like he didn't know how to respond.

Grayson, you're my new favorite Cheftestant! ^

Yeah, Tom looked rather sheepish when she said that. :)

Grayson, you're my new favorite Cheftestant! ^

Her Wisconsin-esque belly bumps are hilarious. Always catches the bumpee off-guard.

Am I the only one who thinks this might be the weakest batch of chefs since probably season one? The Voltaggio brothers would be #1 and #2 in every competition so far if they were in this edition. Anyway, I'm calling Paul to win. He consistently has at least interesting ideas and his execution seems to be better than most.

Chris

I agree, which is why I stopped following it. I'll watch every now and then, but I am not impressed at all.

How much has Paul won so far? I think he's up to about $50,000?

How much has Paul won so far? I think he's up to about $50,000?

Yep! He was at $35k when they had the outdoor BBQ, and then nabbed another $15k. REALLY good for him - I hope he takes it until the end.

W - T - F? Was that Top Chef last night or a fusion of Top Chef and Amazing Race?

And PeeWee Herman as a judge?

And a chef who's chicken is slightly undercooked stays over a chef who mixed tomatoes and butternut squash, and Tom didn't like that combo?

And finally, no revelation of which chef comes back until next week?

Overall, a bad week for Top Chef. :td:

W - T - F? Was that Top Chef last night or a fusion of Top Chef and Amazing Race?

And PeeWee Herman as a judge?

And a chef who's chicken is slightly undercooked stays over a chef who mixed tomatoes and butternut squash, and Tom didn't like that combo?

And finally, no revelation of which chef comes back until next week?


You need to watch BravoTV.com to find out. Theoretically, they didn't know at the end of the show, who it would be! ;)

You need to watch BravoTV.com to find out. Theoretically, they didn't know at the end of the show, who it would be! ;)

ILP, even BravoTV.com isn't revealing who the winner of the elimination challenge is. If I had known that they wouldn't reveal the winner, I wouldn't have watched an 11:30 video. That was annoying, to say the least.

But I'm hoping it's Bev, so she can come back and kick Sarah's a$$.

And a chef who's chicken is slightly undercooked stays over a chef who mixed tomatoes and butternut squash, and Tom didn't like that combo?

The producers of the show must have anticipated a lot of criticism over that decision.

Tom Colicchio expanded on the reasons for that decision on his appearance on Watch What Happens Live (http://www.bravotv.com/watch-what-happens-live?cid=schedshow) which aired right after Top Chef.

Gail Simmons was very defensive in her blog post:
Gail Simmons explains why the reasons Xxxxxxx went home were actually three-fold (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-9/blogs/gail-simmons/if-it-grows-together-it-goes-together?page=0,1)The problem with Xxxxxxx’s dish was actually three-fold, I thought.

First: the flavors didn’t meld so well. People might not understand why Tom was hung up on that idea of tomatoes and squash. They’re grown in distinctly different seasons so they don’t make for a great flavor combination in terms of all the vegetables she could choose. With tomatoes you think Mediterranean. And with squash you really think a colder climate, a colder season. As we love to say, “If it grows together, it goes together.” And those two just don’t. So there was sort of a bit of a disconnect there, but that wasn’t her greatest issue.

Second: Her portions were massive. Her dish was disproportionate to everyone else’s in size.

Third: she made a specific claim that she purposefully took the skin off her chicken to make it healthy, because Pee-wee likes to eat healthy. (He’s actually incredibly fit. He rides that bike like nobody’s business.) But at the same time she stuffed her chicken with egg yolk and gorgonzola cheese and drizzled it with bacon vinaigrette! So, for us, it was a real discrepancy in her conception of this dish. You have to remember that when you make decisions, like taking the skin off chicken, there’s a reason that people cook with the skin on the chicken, because it gives it moisture, it gives it flavor, and it helps to cook it properly. Without it your chicken risks being dry and flavorless. But then she put all this fat in it afterwards, but at that point you can’t change the doneness or texture of the meat. That’s not to say they weren’t a great idea and they weren’t delicious, for a different challenge. But if you’re trying to give Pee-wee Herman a healthier dish by taking the skin off. I would have much preferred to eat the fat of the skin then bacon, gorgonzola, and egg yolk. It was a conceptual issue, that to us didn’t sit right.

That’s not to say that everyone else’s was perfect and hers was terrible. It still was a good dish, and I guarantee that if she had made this exact dish five episodes ago, she would never have gone home for it. But that’s where we are in the game.

** Potential Spoiler Alert ***

Don't quote me on this, however I watched Last Chance Kitchen last night immediately after Top Chef (I mean, 11:00:01), and Tom announced Beverly as the winner?? Not sure what this "new" episode that doesn't display who the winner is, because I've looked through the other videos and the reaction that I saw Beverly give is not the same...but maybe I'm wrong?

Furthermore, I'm agreeing with everyone else's comments - this challenge was ridiculous. Crap celebrity judge who's style of comedy is WAYYY past its prime, and a challenge that involves the Alamo but does nothing to embrace the culture/history surrounding that place? Shame..there's so much to offer/do in Texas and food could have been intertwined in much better ways than it has. I'm sure any Texan will agree.

Don't quote me on this, however I watched Last Chance Kitchen last night immediately after Top Chef (I mean, 11:00:01), and Tom announced Beverly as the winner??

Are you sure that you watched episode 12 of Last Chance Kitchen?

I just watched it again.

At the end, Tom announces: "...and the winner of Last Chance Kitchen is..."

At which point, Padma's voice cuts in saying: "Next on Top Chef."

After a few cameos from the beginning of next week's show, Tom is heard again saying: "Tune in to Top Chef when the winner of Last Chance Kitchen will be revealed."

Are you sure that you watched episode 12 of Last Chance Kitchen?


I know all the cameos and everything that happens - I might have been mistaken. It doesn't help that I don't watch the LCK episodes in full, just skip to the end :) Either way, we'll see what happens soon enough.

ILP, even BravoTV.com isn't revealing who the winner of the elimination challenge is. If I had known that they wouldn't reveal the winner, I wouldn't have watched an 11:30 video. That was annoying, to say the least.

But I'm hoping it's Bev, so she can come back and kick Sarah's a$$.

Sorry, for being misleading. I hadn't watched it yet either. By the way, it was Heather who was particularly mean to Bev, not Sarah.

Sorry, for being misleading. I hadn't watched it yet either. By the way, it was Heather who was particularly mean to Bev, not Sarah.

Yes, Heather was in fact particularly mean to Bev, bordering on bullying. But Sarah was also nasty to Bev. Sarah's behavior towards Bev was more condescending, whereas Heather was, just as you said, plain outright mean. If you recall, the episode where Sarah, Bev and Lindsay were a team was the one where the knives came out for Bev. Actually from both Sarah and Lindsay, but more so from Sarah.

That's why I'm hoping it is Bev that comes back to whup Sarah where it counts, in the kitchen.

Yes, Heather was in fact particularly mean to Bev, bordering on bullying. But Sarah was also nasty to Bev. Sarah's behavior towards Bev was more condescending, whereas Heather was, just as you said, plain outright mean. If you recall, the episode where Sarah, Bev and Lindsay were a team was the one where the knives came out for Bev. Actually from both Sarah and Lindsay, but more so from Sarah.

That's why I'm hoping it is Bev that comes back to whup Sarah where it counts, in the kitchen.

I would just as soon have the best chef win - and Sarah may be that. ;)

Of course, Nyesha should be the one walking through those doors. :mad: :mad: :mad:

I would just as soon have the best chef win - and Sarah may be that. ;)

I think Bev is a better chef than Sarah. If Sarah won this competition, it would not be the best chef that won. YMMV.

Of course, Nyesha should be the one walking through those doors. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Can't disagree with you there.

This whole LCK I think is more subjective than the Quickfire Challenges and Elimination Challenges only because it is based on one judge only. And I wonder, if like the Elimination Challenge, the producers have any say in who goes. If they do, then Bev making it back would present a lot more drama than Grayson coming back.

I think Bev is a better chef than Sarah. If Sarah won this competition, it would not be the best chef that won. YMMV.

Have you been to Aria and Spiaggia to taste their food? Otherwise, how would you know? By who is the more sympathetic character on a reality show? I'm not so sure one determines who is the best cook by having them cook outdoors in 100 degree temperatures or put together a tasty meal from items purchased at a convenience store, but YMMV. :)

Have you been to Aria and Spiaggia to taste their food? Otherwise, how would you know? By who is the more sympathetic character on a reality show? I'm not so sure one determines who is the best cook by having them cook outdoors in 100 degree temperatures or put together a tasty meal from items purchased at a convenience store, but YMMV. :)

No I have not been to either Aria or Spiaggia to taste their food. As I'm sure most of the viewers of Top Chef have not been to all of the Cheftestants' restaurants or dining establishments to taste their food. :p

And since I do not have Smell-O-Vision or Taste-O-Vision TV, I rely on what I see and what I hear. IMHO, both Bev and Nyesha seem to be more determined and focused than Sarah.

Plus, I believe having the ability to work well with others, even if you don't like someone, counts for something. And in that regard, out of all the current chefs still in the running, I believe Sarah fails miserably at that.

And hey, don't knock convenience store food if you haven't tried it! :cool:

No I have not been to either Aria or Spiaggia to taste their food. As I'm sure most of the viewers of Top Chef have not been to all of the Cheftestants' restaurants or dining establishments to taste their food. :p

And since I do not have Smell-O-Vision or Taste-O-Vision TV, I rely on what I see and what I hear. IMHO, both Bev and Nyesha seem to be more determined and focused than Sarah.

Plus, I believe having the ability to work well with others, even if you don't like someone, counts for something. And in that regard, out of all the current chefs still in the running, I believe Sarah fails miserably at that.

And hey, don't knock convenience store food if you haven't tried it! :cool:

Believe me, I've had plenty of convenience store food. I'm just saying I wouldn't judge a "top chef" by what they do with it.

All I'm saying concerning who is a better chef, that none of us, without having tasted their food, are in a position to know which is better, but I do think the judges are probably in a better position than we are. We can root for whomever we choose, of course. :)

Believe me, I've had plenty of convenience store food. I'm just saying I wouldn't judge a "top chef" by what they do with it.

All I'm saying concerning who is a better chef, that none of us, without having tasted their food, are in a position to know which is better, but I do think the judges are probably in a better position than we are. We can root for whomever we choose, of course. :)

Couldn't agree more that the judges are in much better position to assess the food. But even there, it is so subjective. How many times have they disagreed with each other about how something was prepared? No system of judging is perfect. But I guess some systems are more "perfecter" than others. :D

All I'm saying concerning who is a better chef, that none of us, without having tasted their food, are in a position to know which is better, but I do think the judges are probably in a better position than we are.

Even that determination is subjective.

Even that determination is subjective.

Certainly it is. But someone who has actually tasted the food speaks with a little more authority that one who has not.

Certainly it is. But someone who has actually tasted the food speaks with a little more authority that one who has not.

Not necessarily. Who has more authority. The taster who says the food is too salty and undercooked? Or the taster who says the same food is cooked perfectly and seasoned perfectly? ;)

Not necessarily. Who has more authority. The taster who says the food is too salty and undercooked? Or the taster who says the same food is cooked perfectly and seasoned perfectly? ;)

Or the person who hasn't tasted it at all? :)

I know all the cameos and everything that happens - I might have been mistaken. It doesn't help that I don't watch the LCK episodes in full, just skip to the end :) Either way, we'll see what happens soon enough.

They did an extensive review of the previous episodes, you must have heard them announcing Beverly as a winner before the last episode. I watched LCK in full and did not see Beverly being announced as the winner of the final competition.

I am very hopefully that it is Grayson, I think she is a lot more interesting to watch than Beverly. I get tired of the whiny, meek, poor pitiful me act.

I am very hopefully that it is Grayson, I think she is a lot more interesting to watch than Beverly. I get tired of the whiny, meek, poor pitiful me act.

Yeah, but I like watching Beverly giving a subtle finger to Heather, Sarah, and others who doubted her :) Does she belong in the finals though? We'll see...

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I am very hopefully that it is Grayson, I think she is a lot more interesting to watch than Beverly. I get tired of the whiny, meek, poor pitiful me act.

Yeah, but I like watching Beverly giving a subtle finger to Heather, Sarah, and others who doubted her :) Does she belong in the finals though? We'll see...

I find Beverly's cooking to be unidimensional.

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I find Beverly's cooking to be unidimensional.

I agree, but I would love to try her short ribs, the girl must be able to cook short ribs. They are always well received!


-----

I think it is going to be Beverly tonight as the winner of LCK. The shadow behind the frosted glass doors appears to be short and slight.

LCK winner is.....






Boo!

Hiss!

Tossing rotten tomatoes!


:td:

Beverly

:(

LCK winner is.....






Boo!

Hiss!

Tossing rotten tomatoes!


:td:

Beverly

:(

Not everyone feels that way. Certainly not I! ^ :D

Yeah, but I like watching Beverly giving a subtle finger to Heather, Sarah, and others who doubted her :) Does she belong in the finals though? We'll see...

Ditto to what you said.

Aside from Beverly coming back and ROCKING out her earned spot in the finals (sorry MissJoeyDFW, I'm a big fan :p), another boring and predictable episode from these chefs.



Paul made something that blew everyone's mind again, albeit NOT Asian (Tom even mentioned his surprise that there was no Asian, so stop ragging on Beverly's cuisine everyone)
Sarah played it safe, as she always does, so now we have to put up with her again in the finals
Lindsay cooked seafood


I feel bad for Ed though - it seemed as when he was in Whole Foods he made a confident decision about the oysters, however it backfired on him bad. In all fairness to the judges though, if you go to the market looking for oysters and they don't have any, you should adapt - not sacrifice. I liked him better than Lindsay, and felt he deserved more of a spot in the finals. He pushed things a bit more, and I feel like the way his mentor described his progress, he had become a better chef.

I truly hope this competition comes down between Paul and Beverly. Everyone else is just too mediocre and whiny. That'd be an easy win for Paul, but Beverly deserves a chance to continue to show she's a great chef. Just because she isn't the greatest social person doesn't mean she can't cook amazing food. This is Top Chef, not Top Personality.

P.S. Anyone else see Late Night with Andy Cohen (whatever the name is) with Padma and that other Bravo-fan? I really felt like calling in and asking Padma if the Voltaggio brothers were on this season, would they have any competition. Thoughts?

P.S. Anyone else see Late Night with Andy Cohen (whatever the name is) with Padma and that other Bravo-fan? I really felt like calling in and asking Padma if the Voltaggio brothers were on this season, would they have any competition. Thoughts?

Yes I saw that last night and that would have been a fantastic question! I think the Voltaggio brothers could have been 1 and 2 spots in any season.

Paul made something that blew everyone's mind again, albeit NOT Asian (Tom even mentioned his surprise that there was no Asian, so stop ragging on Beverly's cuisine everyone)

Unlike Beverly's, Paul's repertoire is not limited to Asian cuisine.

I truly hope this competition comes down between Paul and Beverly. Everyone else is just too mediocre and whiny.

You've got to be joking. Beverly is the queen of whine.

Unlike Beverly's, Paul's repertoire is not limited to Asian cuisine.

She's not the first 'one trick pony' and she won't be the last. I think that's part of the point of some of the quickfire/elimination challenges - to try to challenge chefs to expand their repertoire.



You've got to be joking. Beverly is the queen of whine.

I find it easier to tolerate a whiner (something many of them do) than a bully. Part of being professional is being able to put your personal dislikes and prejudices aside, and one would think that even if a chef is usually a bully in the kitchen, he/she would want to step it up and behave better for a few short weeks on national TV.

I also find it easier to tolerate a whiner than to tolerate a 'blamer' who always sees another chef as the problem.

Unlike Beverly's, Paul's repertoire is not limited to Asian cuisine.



You've got to be joking. Beverly is the queen of whine.

True about Paul. But Beverly a whiner? She hardly defends herself against the negative comments and body language towards her from Sarah. Bev is no Queen of Whine, but Sarah is quickly overcoming Heather as the Queen of Mean.

Can't wait for the reunion show. Just based on comments on the web site and Facebook, many people feel that both Heather and Sarah were bullies and I for one did submit a question to be asked of Heather about her behavior toward Bev. I'm sure many others did too so I'm hoping one of our questions makes it on the show.

True about Paul. But Beverly a whiner? She hardly defends herself against the negative comments and body language towards her from Sarah. Bev is no Queen of Whine, but Sarah is quickly overcoming Heather as the Queen of Mean.

Can't wait for the reunion show. Just based on comments on the web site and Facebook, many people feel that both Heather and Sarah were bullies and I for one did submit a question to be asked of Heather about her behavior toward Bev. I'm sure many others did too so I'm hoping one of our questions makes it on the show.

Bev won't be surprised by comments of Heather and Sarah. She'll probably be more surprised by those who talked behind her back (e.g., Ed and Lindsay).

True about Paul. But Beverly a whiner? She hardly defends herself against the negative comments and body language towards her from Sarah. Bev is no Queen of Whine, but Sarah is quickly overcoming Heather as the Queen of Mean.

Can't wait for the reunion show. Just based on comments on the web site and Facebook, many people feel that both Heather and Sarah were bullies and I for one did submit a question to be asked of Heather about her behavior toward Bev. I'm sure many others did too so I'm hoping one of our questions makes it on the show.

+1 Sarah's mean attitude is both unprofessional and unsportsmanlike (this is a competition).

Many dining choices - based on their actions on this season, I would not patronize any establishment that hired Heather or Sarah.

Anyone remember the first season? When Tiffany got called out for what seemed like a bad attitude then? Perhaps Bev needs an "I'm not your b**ch, b**ch" t-shirt.

Bev won't be surprised by comments of Heather and Sarah. She'll probably be more surprised by those who talked behind her back (e.g., Ed and Lindsay).

There have also been comments made about Sarah and Heather behind their backs. Ed's comment that by Sarah taking the guaranteed final four sport shows a lack of confidence on her part was very interesting.

I wish Bev would have been a lot more assertive with Heather and be more assertive with Sarah now. If anyone of those two, or anybody, pulled that garbage with me, I would have given it right back. But that's me and I realize that we're all different.

The sweetest revenge on Bev's part would be to make it further along than Sarah.

There have also been comments made about Sarah and Heather behind their backs. Ed's comment that by Sarah taking the guaranteed final four sport shows a lack of confidence on her part was very interesting.

I wish Bev would have been a lot more assertive with Heather and be more assertive with Sarah now. If anyone of those two, or anybody, pulled that garbage with me, I would have given it right back. But that's me and I realize that we're all different.

The sweetest revenge on Bev's part would be to make it further along than Sarah.

I still think they ought to be judged on their cooking, rather than their personalities. I seem to be in the minority, however. ;)

I still think they ought to be judged on their cooking, rather than their personalities. I seem to be in the minority, however. ;)

By us or by the judges? ;)

By us or by the judges? ;)

Preferably the people who actually taste the food, but there seems to be disagreement about that as well. :D

But Beverly a whiner?

Did you forget when she started crying on one of the early shows because she missed her husband? She's only gone downhill from there. On just about every show she seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Oh, the drama.

To be a successful chef, one needs to have imagination, good instincts and steady nerves. Being a top caliber chef is very stressful. Beverly does not have what it takes.

I wonder if some of this is editing.

I've missed a few seasons in the middle, so I'm contrasting this season with much earlier seasons. There were certainly folks in Season 1 who felt that Tiffany lost, even though she was the better cook, because she was so widely disliked. And I forget the season, but the one with Marcel: Marcel drove me crazy, but the one I really thought got a pass was Sam - he seemed to quietly encourage without ever getting his hands dirty (except for one blowup in the store). However, that season I remember thinking the judges/Bravo were almost positioning him for the win.

On other Bravo 'reality' shows, we read about characters being chosen for 'drama' and, on occasion, getting dropped because they are not providing enough 'drama' to boost ratings.

I find myself contrasting Heather and Sarah, whose b**tchiness and grade-school mean-ness to Bev is really disgusting, with Tiffany, who had a sharp tongue and abrasive manner, but seemed (IIRC) to treat everyone the same. Is Bravo selecting or editing for 'drama'?

I still think they ought to be judged on their cooking, rather than their personalities. I seem to be in the minority, however. ;)

ILP, you have a valid point. But since I cannot taste the food, I can only go by their personalities. And I would feel a lot more comfortable if in fact they were being judged only by their food, but that disclaimer at the end of the show, that the producers had input at the judges table, does make me think that it's more than just their food they are being judged on.


Did you forget when she started crying on one of the early shows because she missed her husband? She's only gone downhill from there. On just about every show she seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Oh, the drama.

To be a successful chef, one needs to have imagination, good instincts and steady nerves. Being a top caliber chef is very stressful. Beverly does not have what it takes.

I fail to see how her crying because she missed her husband is a sign of weakness. Every chef cried, well, maybe except for Ed, when their mentors were brought out in the last episode.

And the fact that Bev came back in LCK, well, what more example can she show that she does have what it takes? Talk about a stressful situation!


I wonder if some of this is editing.

I've missed a few seasons in the middle, so I'm contrasting this season with much earlier seasons. There were certainly folks in Season 1 who felt that Tiffany lost, even though she was the better cook, because she was so widely disliked. And I forget the season, but the one with Marcel: Marcel drove me crazy, but the one I really thought got a pass was Sam - he seemed to quietly encourage without ever getting his hands dirty (except for one blowup in the store). However, that season I remember thinking the judges/Bravo were almost positioning him for the win.

On other Bravo 'reality' shows, we read about characters being chosen for 'drama' and, on occasion, getting dropped because they are not providing enough 'drama' to boost ratings.

I find myself contrasting Heather and Sarah, whose b**tchiness and grade-school mean-ness to Bev is really disgusting, with Tiffany, who had a sharp tongue and abrasive manner, but seemed (IIRC) to treat everyone the same. Is Bravo selecting or editing for 'drama'?

Chollie, I think you're right. And I try to keep that in mind as we've seen and heard Heather's and Sarah's comments and body language. Editing can make someone look like a saint, or a devil, especially in a show like this. Having said that, I still think Heather and Sarah are NOT very nice people. ;)

And again, what I said up front to ILP, the fact that the decisions on who to keep and who to send home are made in conjunction with the producers makes me wonder. The producers are much more interested in drama and "good tv" than in how the food was prepared and how it tastes.

I fail to see how her crying because she missed her husband is a sign of weakness.

You asked:But Beverly a whiner?

I answered:Did you forget when she started crying on one of the early shows because she missed her husband? She's only gone downhill from there. On just about every show she seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Oh, the drama.

Beverly has cried more than all the other competitors combined and then some. She never accepted responsibility for any of her mistakes and always placed the blame on others. If that's not whinyness, I don't know what is.

And the fact that Bev came back in LCK, well, what more example can she show that she does have what it takes? Talk about a stressful situation!

I strongly suspect that her wining the Last Chance Kitchen competition had more to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale, in the form of friction and tension between the four remaining chefs, than the quality of her cuisine.

OK, I get it. You are a fan of Beverly's and you really like her. I suspect you are in a distinct minority.

You asked:

I answered:




I strongly suspect that her wining the Last Chance Kitchen competition had more to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale, in the form of friction and tension between the four remaining chefs, than the quality of her cuisine.


I agree with this, if they hadn't switched the ingredients I think it would have been Nyesha or someone else, not Beverly.

On another note I am not sure this is one of my more liked seasons, of course we cannot taste the food. However these chefs just don't seem to be the same league as chefs from previous seasons. I am already not liking the previews for the finale, cooking in cold conditions? Ugh, I feel sorry for the final chefs.

You asked:

I answered:
Beverly has cried more than all the other competitors combined and then some. She never accepted responsibility for any of her mistakes and always placed the blame on others. If that's not whinyness, I don't know what is.

I strongly suspect that her wining the Last Chance Kitchen competition had more to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale, in the form of friction and tension between the four remaining chefs, than the quality of her cuisine.

OK, I get it. You are a fan of Beverly's and you really like her. I suspect you are in a distinct minority.

Did she cry more or did the editing highlight it? You know, to satisfy the "producer's desire to have more drama"?

I don't know that I'm a fan of any of them this season - maybe Paul. I am absolutely not a fan of Heather and Sarah - bullying is disgusting even in little kids, and they are adults on national TV - real professional behavior, folks. Would Heather have told Ed that she didn't want anything 'Asian' on the menu if they had teamed up? How do you think Ed would have reacted?

Given the choice, however, (and it's a poor choice, one I would rather not make), I will defend and excuse a whiner before I will defend or excuse a bully.

I don't know if Bravo is changing the nature of the elimination rounds to amp up the possibilities for drama or if it's the editing or just the mix of competitors this season, but I'm getting fed up with it. Ed wasn't a happy camper and criticized (rightly so) Sarah when she got heat stroke but managed to show up just long enough to carefully plate her food for the judges, leaving her team short-handed. IIRC, Lindsey was sure her team lost restaurant wars and was looking for someone (anyone besides herself) to take the blame - meaning Bev, of course - except didn't their team win and wasn't it Bev's dish that carried the day?

I don't remember which Top Chef it was, but Colicchio made a bit of a speech about a chef being more than just a fine cook - a Top Chef is someone who can run a kitchen, co-ordinate and motivate a team, etc. That is not the same thing as being popular with fellow contestants or the audience, but it is definitely a factor.

I agree with this, if they hadn't switched the ingredients I think it would have been Nyesha or someone else, not Beverly.

On another note I am not sure this is one of my more liked seasons, of course we cannot taste the food. However these chefs just don't seem to be the same league as chefs from previous seasons. I am already not liking the previews for the finale, cooking in cold conditions? Ugh, I feel sorry for the final chefs.

?? I'm no fan of either of them, but I don't see how the switch in ingredients favored one chef over another. The Judges have made it clear many times - a Top Chef is one who can adapt and roll with the punches - somehow Bev did and Nyesha didn't.

Some interesting comments here!

I think Bev deserves to be here, but would not have had a problem with Nyesha or Grayson making it into the finals.

I do think that Bev was perceived as being weak, or disorganized, and this led to others knocking her, but she gets good marks for the flavor in her food.

While she may not be the cool as a cucumber type, I think she can handle the pressure quite well. Remember, when she faced Nyesha in the LCK, she was as surprised with the ingredients as Nyesha was, but she adapted to them and made a great dish in TC's view. That being said, her victories (as close as the contests were) came down to the essence of cooking - taste.

Ultimately, the test of the Top Chef is being able to cook in the kitchen and do it better than the others. In the end, the best way to shut up your enemy on Top Chef is not screaming, belittling or mocking your competitor, its out-cooking them!

Some interesting comments here!

I think Bev deserves to be here, but would not have had a problem with Nyesha or Grayson making it into the finals.

I do think that Bev was perceived as being weak, or disorganized, and this led to others knocking her, but she gets good marks for the flavor in her food.

While she may not be the cool as a cucumber type, I think she can handle the pressure quite well. Remember, when she faced Nyesha in the LCK, she was as surprised with the ingredients as Nyesha was, but she adapted to them and made a great dish in TC's view. That being said, her victories (as close as the contests wee) came down to the essence of cooking - taste.

Ultimately, the test of the Top Chef is being able to cook in the kitchen and do it better than the others. In the end, the best way to shut up your enemy on Top Chef is not screaming, belittling or mocking your competitor, its out-cooking them!

+1

Oddly enough, Bev (whether she's crying or avoiding confrontation with a bully) seems to stay focused enough to get the job done. Too often to dismiss it as a complete fluke.

Good point about 'adapting' - IIRC, that's was Ed's downfall in the last elimination round. Whole Foods didn't have fresh oysters, so he went with canned. The judges agreed that he got too focused on the dish, instead of adapting when the desired ingredients were sub-standard or unavailable.

I do think that Bev was perceived as being weak, or disorganized, and this led to others knocking her, but she gets good marks for the flavor in her food.

<snip>

...but Colicchio made a bit of a speech about a chef being more than just a fine cook - a Top Chef is someone who can run a kitchen, co-ordinate and motivate a team, etc.

Colicchio is absolutely on point. That's what it should come down to. Do you really think that Beverly has what it takes?

Colicchio is absolutely on point. That's what it should come down to. Do you really think that Beverly has what it takes?

That remains to be seen - she apparently has what it takes to get to the finals.

Obviously none of us can judge directly, because the quality of the cooking (taste) is the one thing we are in no position to experience.

One of the bullies didn't make it. Perhaps her own meanness and her obsession with Bev's 'whining' and 'Asian' cuisine distracted her from doing her best, but in the end, she got bounced because she produced the least satisfactory plate of food in an elimination round.

chollie
I don't see how the switch in ingredients favored one chef over another

I think that Bev was given a huge advantage because the ingredients that Nyesha had pulled were just a lot more flavorful and interesting than Bev's choices of pineapple and garlic.

Overall, it's been a pretty dismal season. A let-down after the interesting food and chefs from last season's All-Stars and silly challenges that failed to take advantage of the offerings presented by the food scene in Texas.

Colicchio, Fabio, Grayson and Paul did an appearance with Michelle Obama at a Dallas elementary public school yesterday that featured a "healthy food" cookoff for the kids. Among the food choices to cook with - lobster and crab. Don't think those kids will be seeing those items added to the school lunch menu anytime soon!

That remains to be seen - she apparently has what it takes to get to the finals.

I explained my theory in this post:I strongly suspect that her wining the Last Chance Kitchen competition had more to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale, in the form of friction and tension between the four remaining chefs, than the quality of her cuisine.

I explained my theory in this post:

So are you suggesting that the LCK was deliberately manipulated to 'throw' the competition and allow Bev into the finals? That the outcome of the LCK was pre-determined?

Do you think the finalists were determined at the beginning and the entire competition has been crooked, or do you think the producers stepped in near the end, and instead of telling the judges to protect Bev, they told the judges to boot her so they could send her to a pre-determined LCK just so they could really raise the drama?

I know the producers have a say in the decisions, but this does seem a bit of a stretch. It sounds like all the regular judges are in on a complete fraud, and the guest chef/judges must also have some idea what's going on if everyone agrees Bev's food is no good, but the producers override and say she gets a pass or a win.

My sentiments also. I cannot see the Producers convincing Tom Colicchio not once but three times to pick Beverly over other very capable chefs in order to spice up the show! Too conspiracy theory for me!

So are you suggesting that the LCK was deliberately manipulated to 'throw' the competition and allow Bev into the finals? That the outcome of the LCK was pre-determined?

Do you think the finalists were determined at the beginning and the entire competition has been crooked, or do you think the producers stepped in near the end, and instead of telling the judges to protect Bev, they told the judges to boot her so they could send her to a pre-determined LCK just so they could really raise the drama?

I know the producers have a say in the decisions, but this does seem a bit of a stretch. It sounds like all the regular judges are in on a complete fraud, and the guest chef/judges must also have some idea what's going on if everyone agrees Bev's food is no good, but the producers override and say she gets a pass or a win.

You asked:

I answered:

Beverly has cried more than all the other competitors combined and then some. She never accepted responsibility for any of her mistakes and always placed the blame on others. If that's not whinyness, I don't know what is.



I strongly suspect that her wining the Last Chance Kitchen competition had more to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale, in the form of friction and tension between the four remaining chefs, than the quality of her cuisine.

OK, I get it. You are a fan of Beverly's and you really like her. I suspect you are in a distinct minority.

First of all, my question was not directed at you specifically.

Second, I do not equate crying, an expression of emotion, as being "whiny." You and I definitely have different definitions of what "whinyness" is.

Third, and I've said this in other posts, you have a valid point that the producers may have wanted Bev back for the drama. No argument here.

And finally, it's not that I am so much a fan of Bev, but I am a fan of anyone who is treated the way Bev has been by the likes of Heather and Sarah. And it would be poetic justice, IMHO, if Bev outlasts Sarah. That would be so sweet. Personally, of the chefs remaining, I can see Paul or Lindsay winning it all.

So are you suggesting that the LCK was deliberately manipulated to 'throw' the competition and allow Bev into the finals? That the outcome of the LCK was pre-determined?

I don't know if I'd resort to such strong language, but I certainly suspect that the producers urged the nod be given to Beverly in case of a close call.

Personally, of the chefs remaining, I can see Paul or Lindsay winning it all.

On this we do agree.

Ed's comment that by Sarah taking the guaranteed final four sport shows a lack of confidence on her part was very interesting.


But a small, crucial mistake like Whole Foods not stocking fresh oysters could have sent Sarah home instead of being in the final four... oh wait...

I don't know if I'd resort to such strong language, but I certainly suspect that the producers urged the nod be given to Beverly in case of a close call.

Using a chef's 'drama potential' to sway the decision in a close call is a bit different than what you stated earlier, when you suggested that 'drama' was more important than the quality of food:

"I strongly suspect that her wining the Last Chance Kitchen competition had more to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale, in the form of friction and tension between the four remaining chefs, than the quality of her cuisine."

That said, at this point, I hope Paul takes it and I wouldn't mind seeing Sarah fare worse than Bev - nothing to do with cooking, I just despise bullies. I don't care how whiny/nerdy/obnoxious/annoying/different the victim is, I don't like bullying and I don't like bullies to win - anything.

I don't think that there is any inconsistency whatsoever between the two manners in which I articulated my sentiments.

"[M]ore to do with the producers' desire to have more drama in the finale... than the quality of her cuisine" and "urged the nod be given to Beverly in case of a close call" have the same meaning. The word "quality" does not quantify the degree of difference between the two dishes. I never claimed that her food was bad, only that it was unidimensional and unimaginative.

I don't care how whiny/nerdy/obnoxious/annoying/different the victim is, I don't like bullying and I don't like bullies to win - anything.

This is Mrs. Swede's line of reasoning, too.

I'm rooting for Lindsey, only because she's the cutest cheftestant remaining. Nyesha should've won the crown this year.

Nyesha should've won the crown this year.

^

Nyesha should've won the crown this year.

She certainly is in the running for fan favorite!

She certainly is in the running for fan favorite!

You really think so, given how early she was eliminated? In that case, I'll go with Heather (kidding). :)

How much has Paul won so far? I think he's up to about $50,000?

AND owner of a brand new Prius V!

We watched two episodes in a row last night since we missed last Wednesday.

I'm kinda grumpy that this late in the game 2 people in a row got to avoid elimination based on their quickfire.

And, can we blend TCT into What not to Wear and do an intervention on Sarah's ill-fitting green jacket combined with that ghastly pink hat??

We watched two episodes in a row last night since we missed last Wednesday.

I'm kinda grumpy that this late in the game 2 people in a row got to avoid elimination based on their quickfire.

And, can we blend TCT into What not to Wear and do an intervention on Sarah's ill-fitting green jacket combined with that ghastly pink hat??

^ I agree, too late in the game to be avoiding elimination by winning the quickfire.

I'm not sure I like the shift from cooking challenges to 'Top Chef meets Adventure Racing'. Kind of odd that Sarah was confident with her shooting skills and Bev had never used a gun, but both performed equally. I didn't like the skiing part - these are chefs, one wrong fall could have ended in a broken wrist, not cool.

I just don't like that at lot of the competitions on this season have little to do with cooking and more to do with some kind of physical prowess. Hacking ice? Skiing? Shooting? Fishing?

It's one thing to give a chef an advantage based on something culinary (i.e. who ever preps their ingredients first gets longer to cook), but I don't really see how who's the quickest with an ice pick should determine who the best chef is.

I hope for the finale, they go along the lines of the Marcel/Elan season. Just make the best four-course meal you can. I like simplicity when it comes to the end.

Chris

^ I agree, too late in the game to be avoiding elimination by winning the quickfire.

I'm not sure I like the shift from cooking challenges to 'Top Chef meets Adventure Racing'. Kind of odd that Sarah was confident with her shooting skills and Bev had never used a gun, but both performed equally. I didn't like the skiing part - these are chefs, one wrong fall could have ended in a broken wrist, not cool.

I am in total agreement. All three competitions last night had more to do with surviving adventures than cooking skills.

Spoiler alert. The rest of my comments are in white font below (highlight to view).

It was obvious that several months have passed between the competition in Texas and the finale in British Columbia. The competitors physical appearances have changed and so have their demeanors.

I am glad to admit that my earlier impression of Beverly was wrong. She cooked some of the best dishes, she proved that she can cook more than just Asian food and, in my opinion, based upon the judges’ comments and the looks of the dish, her salmon tartare should have won the quick fire challenge and landed her in the final three. Lastly, she did not blame anyone else when she was (wrongly) eliminated.

It was obvious that several months have passed between the competition in Texas and the finale in British Columbia. The competitors physical appearances have changed and so have their demeanors.


No need to hide that. It's always been like that.

The main part of the competition is filmed over two weeks (IIRC), then there is break, then the Final Four fly somewhere else for a week.

The main part of the competition is filmed over two weeks (IIRC), then there is break, then the Final Four fly somewhere else for a week.

It was never quite so obvious, at least not to me. The contrast between the triple digits summer weather in Texas and the January snow at the Whistler Blackcomb resort was hard to miss.

I just don't like that at lot of the competitions on this season have little to do with cooking and more to do with some kind of physical prowess. Hacking ice? Skiing? Shooting? Fishing?

It's one thing to give a chef an advantage based on something culinary (i.e. who ever preps their ingredients first gets longer to cook), but I don't really see how who's the quickest with an ice pick should determine who the best chef is.

I hope for the finale, they go along the lines of the Marcel/Elan season. Just make the best four-course meal you can. I like simplicity when it comes to the end.

Chris

Ugh. I forgot about the ice-hacking - that was even worse than the skiing - very risky (and pointless, nothing to do with culinary or kitchen management skills or teamwork, IMHO - well, except for Paul trying to help when he's already preparing his dish. I'm glad he pointed out - the competition was supposed to be about cooking, not ice-hacking).

I am in total agreement. All three competitions last night had more to do with surviving adventures than cooking skills.

Spoiler alert. The rest of my comments are in white font below (highlight to view).


(responding to your hidden comments) - Yes, my opinion grew as I re-watched past episodes (I missed most of the season). It is hard to not be distracted by sniping and lack of support - little things like coming back from the judge's table after a win, and certain chefs pointedly refusing to congratulate the chef, remarks like 'we thought we were the final group'. I did not see this chef blame anyone, even in the 'heat of the moment', and I was impressed particularly at the Last Chance event when not one other chef supported this chef when Tom polled them. It's hard to tune that out and focus on giving it your best. I walk away with the impression that this chef behaved with dignity and class, much more than some competitors.

(responding to your hidden comments) - Yes, my opinion grew as I re-watched past episodes (I missed most of the season). It is hard to not be distracted by sniping and lack of support - little things like coming back from the judge's table after a win, and certain chefs pointedly refusing to congratulate the chef, remarks like 'we thought we were the final group'. I did not see this chef blame anyone, even in the 'heat of the moment', and I was impressed particularly at the Last Chance event when not one other chef supported this chef when Tom polled them. It's hard to tune that out and focus on giving it your best. I walk away with the impression that this chef behaved with dignity and class, much more than some competitors.

A big thumbs up to what you and TWA said. ^

It's Restaurant Week in Chicago so my fiancée and I hit Cafe Spiaggia (Sarah), Aria (Bev) and Sable Kitchen (Heather) this past weekend. If their restaurants are indicitive of their cooking then Sarah should win hands down!

It's Restaurant Week in Chicago so my fiancée and I hit Cafe Spiaggia (Sarah), Aria (Bev) and Sable Kitchen (Heather) this past weekend. If their restaurants are indicitive of their cooking then Sarah should win hands down!

That, I'm sure, will make tonypct very unhappy, not to mention last night's results. :)

That, I'm sure, will make tonypct very unhappy, not to mention last night's results. :)

I am happy with who is in the finals, I am so over my Nyesha got robbed crush. I think the two chefs who cooked their way into the finals deserve to be there. Either one would be fine with me but I still say......this season was not as exciting as the season when the Volt brothers were competing. That was a great season.

I am happy with who is in the finals, I am so over my Nyesha got robbed crush. I think the two chefs who cooked their way into the finals deserve to be there. Either one would be fine with me but I still say......this season was not as exciting as the season when the Volt brothers were competing. That was a great season.

I noticed that in the previews for next week, one of the judges said it was the best food they had ever had in the finale.

I noticed that in the previews for next week, one of the judges said it was the best food they had ever had in the finale.

Seems like Tom says it every season now; kind of like how Randy Jackson keeps saying every season this is the most talented group of American Idol contestants ever.

That, I'm sure, will make tonypct very unhappy, not to mention last night's results. :)

I am NOT a happy camper. :mad:

Clearly Gail thought Sarah's error was worth her packing her knives. But Tom, as head judge, was more upset by Lindsay's lack of originality. Sarah should have been the one to go.

I don't like her as a person, and I agree with Gail that the sauce being frozen was a huge error. According to EW.com, Sarah claims on her twitter feeds that she and Bev are friends, but she evidently re-tweets all the bad things said about Bev by Sarah's friends. Not a very nice person and sounds a little passive-aggressive to me.

I really thought the final should have been Lindsay and Paul.

And why oh why are they ending this season in Vancouver when the season is titled "Top Chef Texas?" :confused:

And sorry for the late post. Just had a chance last night to watch the last episode on my DVR. I was avoiding this thread until I saw the show.

And why oh why are they ending this season in Vancouver when the season is titled "Top Chef Texas?" :confused:

Have been wondering the same thing, although the past few seasons have had the finale in a different location that the rest of the show.

The right chef won.

The right chef won.

Not only the right chef, but the good chef won. :D

What a great finale. I wanted the winner to win, but I can also appreciate the runner-up "stepping out of the box" and creating such a unique menu.

The sous chef quickfire was also suspenseful. Also glad none of them totally f'ed up a dish.

Who's responsibility was it to debone the fish?

Do you guys think it's a coincidence that Tyler-how-do-you-chop-celery-Stone got on Sarah's team, or did he rip off Heather's recipe on purpose?

The judges' blogs (http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-9/blogs) are quite telling.

In the end, we chose Paul because overall in his menu we just thought the tiny details he managed were a little better and the dishes flowed a little more, and by a hair, by a measly hair, we thought his meal was a little more complete, a little more mature. That said, Sarah is a stupendous talent and I know it was hard for her because she put everything, and I mean everything, into this competition. And she deserves an enormous amount of praise and celebration and lots of success.

I know you heard us say more than once in the episode that this was The Best Food We’ve Ever Been Served in a Finale. I want to reiterate right off the bat that it was. For all of you haters out there who kept posting all season long that you didn’t think Sarah was good enough and that you couldn’t understand why she was advancing… and then why she made the finale…and the final two… I trust that this episode made it completely clear to you that she’s a very, very good chef. This finale was as close to a tie as you’re ever going to get. Marco Canora and David Myers came away from the experience blown away by the level of cooking they saw and tasted. They’d seen the show and expected competence and even talent, but they never expected the brilliance they experienced in this finale.

When I eat out, I do not judge the food; I just eat. I would never have picked critically at either of these meals were they served to me at a restaurant. I would have been extremely happy with them both. My comments in the episode and here are because as a judge in this competition, I had to split hairs and determine a winner.

<snip>

And so you see the challenge we judges faced. We had just been presented with two exceptional meals, both reflecting the personalities of the chefs who made them, both highlighting outsized talent and remarkable skill sets. And we were faced with as close to a tie as we’d ever been. At the end of the day, though, even if you were to score the courses 2:2, an “even match,” the details in Paul’s dishes were just a little better thought through and put together, and while I believe that he won three out of the four courses, even were you to decide that both he and Sarah won two each, he won his by a wider berth. It was very, very hard to deny Sarah the “Top Chef” title with the meal she served us that night in Vancouver… but at the end of the day, Paul’s meal managed to edge hers out. It was the better of the two phenomenal meals.

Now, if you were a Beverly fan, you’d probably be upset that Sarah made it to the very end, and no doubt are glad that Paul took the title, but we judges were never around for any of that “drama” and, frankly, would not have been interested in it had we been privy to it. We’re interested in the food they make in response to each challenge, and that’s all. Based on the food that Sarah served up in the finale, I completely stand behind her having reached the finale. She and Paul both worked hard all season to get there, and I for one will not soon forget the meals they presented.

Let me address the season overall. Though there was drama, though there were emotional battles, though there was tension, we really did see great food and great chefs. You don’t have to love them all -- that’s not what this is about. Perhaps some of the challenges were over-the-top and exhausting. We hear you. Trust me when I say that the show’s aim is to showcase great food, and show that being a chef is sometimes a matter of working under immensely strange pressure.

Through the madness rose Paul. All season long he was professional and poised. He doesn’t get rattled, he didn’t start trouble, he didn’t malign others or try to trip them up. I personally think the guy is exactly what we need more of in our chef world: a soft-spoken, smart person, full of empathy and care but truly devoted to the craft of restaurants and the food he loves.

And why oh why are they ending this season in Vancouver when the season is titled "Top Chef Texas?" :confused:

And sorry for the late post. Just had a chance last night to watch the last episode on my DVR. I was avoiding this thread until I saw the show.

Have been wondering the same thing, although the past few seasons have had the finale in a different location that the rest of the show.

As a resident of Texas I was quite disappointed they didn't finish it in my state! However you are right, they usually go somewhere else for the finale so I should have been expecting that. I was happy Paul won but it was a close battle.

* Pretty low for Bravo/Andy to bring up an uncomfortable, rumored situation that happened off-camera.
* I really didn't need to see that picture of Ty-Lör.
* Who won Fan Favorite?

* Pretty low for Bravo/Andy to bring up an uncomfortable, rumored situation that happened off-camera.


Agreed.

Chicago Tribune had an interview (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-top-chef-exit-interview-with-the-six-chicago-finalists-20120306,0,4415892,full.story) with the six Chicago chefs - they addressed some interesting topics.

Chicago Tribune had an interview (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-top-chef-exit-interview-with-the-six-chicago-finalists-20120306,0,4415892,full.story) with the six Chicago chefs - they addressed some interesting topics.

Not sure if I buy Heather's apology. She didn't apologize on national TV. I think she was just pressured to publicly apologize to Bev.

Kind of like when Eli made fun of Robin about having cancer a few seasons ago.

Not only the right chef, but the good chef won. :D

^^

* Pretty low for Bravo/Andy to bring up an uncomfortable, rumored situation that happened off-camera.
* I really didn't need to see that picture of Ty-Lör.
* Who won Fan Favorite?

Malibu Chris won fan favorite.