tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post8030069182683170926..comments2024-03-28T18:01:28.997-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: Top Chef: And in such small portionsAlan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-5218228955398971782007-09-10T11:18:00.000-04:002007-09-10T11:18:00.000-04:00I don't have a problem with the time limit/budget ...I don't have a problem with the time limit/budget constraints, because they had ample time to plan before they shopped. <BR/> Doing more than 1 dish each was madness, when have you ever been to a party with more than 7 appetizers? Or even 7?<BR/> They blew this challenge in the planning stage.<BR/> $350.00 is a tiny budget to feed 40 people, but if McDonald's can get them 8 cheeseburgers at that price, retail, then these guys should have been able to crank out 3 good apps and a dessert.<BR/> Brian did take crap unneccesarily. As leader, he needs to keep everyone underbudget and on task. In an individual competition, any more control than that would be unfair for him to exert.<BR/> I like this show, but I do get the impression that the judges' egos sometimes play more of a part than they should. Hung's arrogance seems to ensure that unless he hits a home run, he's going to get slammed by the judges.Homertojeebushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14716825626940216299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1710946329755828482007-09-08T23:36:00.000-04:002007-09-08T23:36:00.000-04:00Artfulsub: I consider your characterization of Top...Artfulsub: I consider your characterization of Top Chef's guests wildly hyperbolic. Of the eleven we have seen so far, at least five are what I would consider to be awfully conspicuous in the food world -- two certified TV stars/sex symbols,(Bourdain and Rocco)three hugely influential chefs with consistently lauded restaurants, (Portale, Van Aken and Boulud) and a couple of local movers (Zakarian in New York, Govind, Schwartz and Barton G. in Florida). That leaves British Gin Guy and Maria Frumkin, whoever the hell she is. And Bourdain comes back next week.<BR/><BR/>As for the contestants, I don't understand your dim view of their skills, especially since you make no attempt to justify it. Considering that the show revolves around deliciously insane, debilitating constraints, the food presented seems more than satisfactory. The standouts are damn remarkable, though admittedly few and far between.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961784861875413969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-89828129758342411782007-09-07T12:11:00.000-04:002007-09-07T12:11:00.000-04:00You really have to put the blame squarely on the m...You really have to put the blame squarely on the morons at Bravo. After all, they PICKED these lackluster Cheftestants, absurdly obscure "super-star" guests, and designed the sophomoric challenges.<BR/><BR/>I explain who is MOST to blame at my blog this week.hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04341805107057968097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-72271157186676982052007-09-06T20:07:00.000-04:002007-09-06T20:07:00.000-04:00I'm willing to give the episode a pass on the *ins...I'm willing to give the episode a pass on the *insane* challenge parameters since they finally had the decency to get Howie off our screens. I agree that he's been more likeable these past two episodes, but his behavior earlier in the season was pretty obnoxious. I was glad to see Casey win an elimination challenge, too. For some reason she's my favorite, possibly because she looks exactly like my college roommate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-61963750717918899632007-09-06T16:35:00.000-04:002007-09-06T16:35:00.000-04:00This was a frustrating episode in that give them t...This was a frustrating episode in that give them time constraints or budget constraints but not both and expect good food in quantity. It's the good/fast/cheap paradigm - pick any two.<BR/><BR/>Plus I don't think that Brian got the credit he deserved for riding herd on that bunch at the grocery store. I am betting he was a big part of the reason that everyone was so cooperative with each other.<BR/><BR/>Plus, winning the QF put him in a no win situation of "choosing" to be leader. Top Chef often gives these folks a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.<BR/><BR/>Good choice for the axe though.Taleenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13465468178554091355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-85052460633359368642007-09-06T14:58:00.000-04:002007-09-06T14:58:00.000-04:00Yeah. I feel a little like I just tried to tell y...Yeah. I feel a little like I just tried to tell you how reality shows work now.<BR/><BR/>But I don't know, they've been using that same store for awhile now (which doesn't look bargain friendly.) The time limits shouldn't mean as much. Except that 10 minute one. They're already limited to one aisle. That was overkill.Blankity-Blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16300561794205597506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-75602602856850380452007-09-06T10:55:00.000-04:002007-09-06T10:55:00.000-04:00Certainly cooking one and a half (or two) hors d'o...<I>Certainly cooking one and a half (or two) hors d'ourve dishes for $50 isn't going to teach any of them anything useful when they return to their real jobs, but that can't possibly be what you thought you were getting. Or wanted to get in the first place.</I><BR/><BR/>No, but I think there's a way to do challenges that are entertaining for TV without making things impossible for the cheftestants to do well in. Say, give them the $350 budget but greatly expand the amount of time they had to shop so they could really find some bargains and plan better, you know?Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-47559683410601023742007-09-06T10:44:00.000-04:002007-09-06T10:44:00.000-04:00But what is the point of having them create stuff ...But what is the point of having them create stuff without these sort of restrictions? This isn't a competition to see who gets to become a chef. They're all chefs already. We know (or at least, we're supposed to assume) they can all cook well enough. If it was simply about who could cook the best dish we could have a show following Padma and Tom around to all the contestants respective restaurants.<BR/><BR/>Certainly cooking one and a half (or two) hors d'ourve dishes for $50 isn't going to teach any of them anything useful when they return to their real jobs, but that can't possibly be what you thought you were getting. Or wanted to get in the first place.Blankity-Blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16300561794205597506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-59153236709714232842007-09-06T10:41:00.000-04:002007-09-06T10:41:00.000-04:00Sorry for highjacking comment thread, but have you...Sorry for highjacking comment thread, but have you seen the 3 minute snippets of Marshall and Lily's honeymoon that are on CBS.com and on comcast on demand?<BR/><BR/>The second one isn't on the CBS website (but is on my on demand) and is a record of Marshall and Lily's afternoon at Loch Ness. It is pretty great! I love Jason Segel.Heather Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08803986002619715757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-3514664318822223682007-09-06T09:06:00.000-04:002007-09-06T09:06:00.000-04:00I think it's a part of the formula for this time i...I think it's a part of the formula for this time in the season to throw them an elimination challenge that's pretty much completely unfair. In the first season it was the wedding, which they had to plan and produce in less than 24 hours on a tight budget (though not quite so tight as last night's.) Hopefully in the next few weeks we'll get to see them create dishes that show off their talent and training, leading up to the finals.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18351452512636422112noreply@blogger.com