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TonyTexas

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14 hours ago, Texzilla58 said:

I don’t think the cauliflower would have helped Gabi’s dish much. That was just a mess on the plate. And isn’t cauliflower purée now a cliche overdone accoutrement?

It looked like a mess of unappetizing goo. Adding a white puree would have only compounded the shitty visual.

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Buddha’s upgrade full English breakfast looked great but should have been been given a demerit for the lack of kippers or cold canned Heinz vegetarian baked beans.

They have so far avoided the odder English things like jellied eels, spotted dick, and black pudding. Sticky toffee pudding though is one of the greaterist desserts ever. Invented.

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3 hours ago, Texzilla58 said:

... Sticky toffee pudding though is one of the greaterist desserts ever. Invented.

Costco usually carries a sticky toffee pudding in a freezer aisle around Thanksgiving/Christmas and it is a sure fire sugar death/coma, but it is delicious.

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On 5/5/2023 at 12:48 PM, Texzilla58 said:

I hope they retain this model for Restaurant Wars and permanently do away with front of house, space design, etc. as TC says when served a salad “it’s a cooking contest”.

 

On 5/5/2023 at 6:10 PM, Pig Bellmont said:

I completely agree that RW was better dropping them in an existing Michelin star restaurant with trained staff. Way more compelling this way, and one team still found a way to fuck up service. 

I am on the opposite side of these arguments. I like RW to be more like a pop-up with the stress and chaos of doing something from scratch. We got none of the conflicts of ego, hierarchy, time constraints or mistakes. This felt more like a regular elimination challenge. 

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Costco usually carries a sticky toffee pudding in a freezer aisle around Thanksgiving/Christmas and it is a sure fire sugar death/coma, but it is delicious.

I will put that on my list. The greatest ice cream was Häagen-Dazs Sticky Toffee Pudding that was a contest winner on a special on Food Network around 06-07. It was supposed to be a 6 month run but they kept it for a few years then spiked it.
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4 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

 

I am on the opposite side of these arguments. I like RW to be more like a pop-up with the stress and chaos of doing something from scratch. We got none of the conflicts of ego, hierarchy, time constraints or mistakes. This felt more like a regular elimination challenge. 

I agree here actually. As much as I dread RW because of the awkwardness, it is the most unique challenge of the season. 

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I really don’t give a shit about what china pattern a chef selects or the decor they try to effect. I never have liked the front of house chef having to cook a dish as well manage service. I thought this was the best format for RW. One team operated like a cohesive brigade, developed a menu and executed a concept, managed a budget, educated the servers, and cooked a great meal. Would have been a great contest had the other crew basically have a shitty concept and approach the challenge line they were a mall food court of independent unrelated dishes. Luby’s delivers a more cohesive theme than these numbskulls did.

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On 5/7/2023 at 7:15 AM, Texzilla58 said:

I really don’t give a shit about what china pattern a chef selects or the decor they try to effect. I never have liked the front of house chef having to cook a dish as well manage service. I thought this was the best format for RW. One team operated like a cohesive brigade, developed a menu and executed a concept, managed a budget, educated the servers, and cooked a great meal. Would have been a great contest had the other crew basically have a shitty concept and approach the challenge line they were a mall food court of independent unrelated dishes. Luby’s delivers a more cohesive theme than these numbskulls did.

 

On 5/7/2023 at 8:06 AM, Deej said:

Just change the name to Menu Wars, then. 

I get both arguments. I think the idea, originally, was that most of the chefs didn’t have their own restaurants yet and that was one of the major goals of winning Top Chef: use the money to open your own restaurant. So the concept was something near and dear to the chef’s hearts, which is why most of them like it so much.

From a fan perspective, especially after 20 seasons, I don’t think it resonates as much anymore. 

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I think thru the years that the fate of front of house if losing has made most of the chefs dread it. If you keep the old format and let the front of house earn immunity and team captain hood that would work, or bring n The LCK pair to run FOH with return to game with a winning team.

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I could see the contestant that would be eliminated before they even started cooking the elimination challenge. At the end of the day if you don’t cook with spices or any real seasoning and everything is fucking bland and blah (whether it’s due to this person not liking them or having allergies) you don’t need to see any more from them…jmo. 

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Victoire appears to be deathly afraid of spicy peppers.  She might faint at the sight of a jalapeno.  She had no chance succeeding at any challenge featuring Indian, Thai or even Mexican food among many other international cuisines that embrace the heat.  You can't be a top chef if your repertoire is that limited.

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The majority of the chefs on this show over its 20 seasons haven't been spectacular chefs. We've gotten a few, but most are forgettable when it comes to their food. Most really talented chefs have better things to do with their time. 

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This is a collection of mostly marginal winners from foreign markets and shitty loser fan favorites plus Buddha. The primary requirement for foreign markets was can you speak English? The Voltaggio/Brooke level of champion had moved on and has nothing to gain from a show like this. They are mothers and business owners that can’t commit to the long grind vs ToC which requires little time commitment.

UK/Australia/New Zealand/South Africa have no representation. Hmm.

The show is stale. The crew seems tired. The challenges more contrived. It needs real change to the format. I’d prefer a set of regional play in smaller tournaments like they did a few years ago. And more local chefs for the market they choose

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I like Ali, Amar and Buddha…I was shocked pegonia (misspelled) checked out so quick. Only one woman left (Sara is a dark horse.) well unless a woman comes out of LCK. And they really only need one LCK. I get they aren’t abandoning that. 
 

they absolutely have to change up the format. I loved the tweaks to RWs and hope they continue with that format. Maybe do less QFs? I’d enjoy a whole episode dedicated to an elimination challenge like a Thali or something that requires more time.  I really do like Amar and I think he will probably win. He has the most fun in the kitchen of any of them. The format needs some tweaking. Maybe for the episodes where you don’t have a quick fire have Tom come over and help the cheftestants with their concept or something for the EC. Would also like to see them pair with a chain restaurant and create a dish…I know they’ve done stuff similar before. Go back through the older seasons when it was fun and fresh and find some favorite challenges. 

or maybe have some QFs actually relate to the ECs? Have a theme for each episode that’s cohesive? For the guys have Padma/Gail jump rope or run around braless. The quality of the chefs are fine…this season. Some are better than others. Like every other season. 

Amar and Ali’s broship is the best part of this season in some ways. It does appear that the contestants are all pretty close and that’s cool but it’s a cooking competition Damnit! 

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I think we've given up.  I left during a DVR'd episode a couple of weeks back to go do some work and told my wife don't bother pausing.  Starting to doubt we ever pick this season back up with limited time we have to watch TV unless we need to waste some weekend time during summer heat during a sports lull.  Just not interested at all.

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3 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

Tonite’s challenge is at least fun. Very few can do a Wellington very well much less three different ones. Teams of two at least. I’m enjoying this one at least. 

‘At least’ three times in four sentences is impressive.

Just glad raw lamb didn’t stay.

Padma’s QF dress was fun. 

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I don’t think there is any dish that requires so much effort, skill, and execution for so little reward eating as a Wellington. I’ve had it only a few times but it’s always been dull meat and flavorless pastry.

That being said that was a killer challenge. Sara said the lamb needed more time and Amar said they were done. She shouldn’t have listened to him. Five minutes more and they might have won.

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1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

Lol I like that this is the “top chef sucks now!” thread. I’m enjoying it. 
 

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I wanted Amar to win, but now I’m going for Buddha. I think he has the best presentation of any chef in top chef history. 

 

I'm enjoying it too.  I'm not sure why there has been so much criticism.  

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On 5/19/2023 at 6:42 PM, Texzilla58 said:

I don’t think there is any dish that requires so much effort, skill, and execution for so little reward eating as a Wellington.

I'm with you here, and I've had some very good Wellingtons. Even a great one, I still think to myself "what a waste of a good steak and a good pastry crust."

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I'm one challenge from the the final.  It's time to highlight seaweed in the elimination challenge.  Very glad he was the one that went home.

I’m glad fucking Tom went the fuck home. He has made it through only by being slightly less bad than someone else each week.

Seaweed caviar. Yep that’s what I want. Get the fuck out of here.
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13 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

I don’t get why some of y’all dislike Sarah. She’s a cool, calm and collected chef, funny, personable and seemingly well liked by the other contestants. A little fatphobia maybe?

No. That face is a beating.

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1 hour ago, TonyTexas said:

I don’t get why some of y’all dislike Sarah. She’s a cool, calm and collected chef, funny, personable and seemingly well liked by the other contestants. A little fatphobia maybe?

It's self-hate. She's a last call sort of girl and we've all found ourselves in that shame spiral. It's only natural to lash out at the symptom instead of the cause.

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Sara is the best challenger to Buddha remaining. Tom was an insipid cruise ship cook more used to making a ce sculptures for the buffet. Gabri is seriously deficient in basic cheffery, and Ali has limitations. Sara has a Michelin star joint on her CV, has strong flavors, and very good technique. Her Freight House restaurant is top notch elevated southern cuisine. I’d love to eat there. She knows how to make real food. I think she might have a shot of Buddha over thinks it. She ain’t much to look at jut she can cook.

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