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Top Chef Miami

Johnny Dickshot Jun 20 2007 11:37 AM

New cast, debuted last week. Looks like a good group of chefs. One of them (Camille) comes from a restaurant in my 'hood, Paloma. We ate there once. It was good. But what strikes me as weird is that I'd have just as soon seen chefs from 2 other neighborhhod restaurants. OTOH, I'm hardly the world's pickiest eater.

seawolf17 Jun 20 2007 11:53 AM

I know y'all get all worked up over this show. Me, I prefer "Hell's Kitchen." Of course, I'm hardly the world's pickiest television watcher.

Nymr83 Jun 20 2007 12:56 PM

Hell's kitchen is hysterical, i love watching him yell at everyone i just wish half the s*** that comes out of his mouth wasn't f***ing bleeped out.

Elster88 Jun 20 2007 07:51 PM

I understand there's an audience for them, but I've never really understood the appeal of the Top Chef or Iron Chef shows.

Willets Point Jun 20 2007 08:54 PM

I miss the Iron Shinjo.

Johnny Dickshot Jun 20 2007 09:09 PM

You non-Top Chef watchers are missing one of the all-time greatest New York Meathead Guido Guy stereotypes in reality-show history. Ten million dollars says Joey is a big-time Yankees fan. Seven million bucks sez he's one of those embarrassing Met fans whop chant 'Yankees Suck!' My girl Camile has had like, one line in 2 shows already. The 'under-the-radar' approach is usually an asset in these reality competitions, especially at the beginning, but as long as Joey is still aboard, it's gonna be hard for anyone to get some face time.

Gwreck Jun 20 2007 09:47 PM Re: Top Chef Miami

Johnny Dickshot wrote: New cast, debuted last week. Looks like a good group of chefs. One of them (Camille) comes from a restaurant in my 'hood, Paloma. We ate there once. It was good. But what strikes me as weird is that I'd have just as soon seen chefs from 2 other neighborhhod restaurants. OTOH, I'm hardly the world's pickiest eater. Lamb and Jaffy...and ?? Not exactly clear to me why we've never eaten at Paloma. Will have to remember it as a choice next time.

Vic Sage Jun 21 2007 07:58 AM

so far, i'm rooting for Lia from Brooklyn. Represent, yo. Joey's a buttafuco headd. I'd like to see him and and Butterball Eddie get into a smackdown. Sarah is hot, and so is... well, there's another hot chick there too. Is that Camille? I saw the preview of the next episode, where they are all jumping into the pool, and i'm definitely looking forward to that. Except for Joey. I hope he keeps his shirt on. Competitive cooking shows are like porno for me. The food gets me all hot and bothered, and the competitive elements get my juices running, so to speak. And, also like porno, it can give you interesting ideas and teach you new techniques.

Johnny Dickshot Jun 21 2007 08:21 AM Re: Top Chef Miami

Gwreck wrote: ="Johnny Dickshot"]New cast, debuted last week. Looks like a good group of chefs. One of them (Camille) comes from a restaurant in my 'hood, Paloma. We ate there once. It was good. But what strikes me as weird is that I'd have just as soon seen chefs from 2 other neighborhhod restaurants. OTOH, I'm hardly the world's pickiest eater. Lamb and Jaffy...and ?? ...Queen's Hideaway. I'm not saying one is any better than the other, necessarily. Just that QH seems to be good at creating buzz for itself, Top Chef seems like something they would do. Anyhow, I barely remember what I had to eat at Paloma. It was the first restaurant meal we had after the baby was born, but I do recall I enjoyed the food quite a bit. Kind of a hip place, DJ, old films projected onto the walls, etc. (I am also a Lamb & Jaffy guy).

Mr. Zero Jun 22 2007 10:22 AM

I think I have a thing for Gail Simmons and her hint of a lisp. Padma scares the hell out of me with her sultry blankness and her barely inflected "pack your knives and go". still, you gotta love an octopi handlin' gal:

Johnny Dickshot Jun 22 2007 10:35 AM

Gail Simmons is also stacked, but seems like they try to hide that fact.

Mr. Zero Jun 22 2007 11:55 AM

oh yes. that too. lisp schmisp.

Johnny Dickshot Jun 28 2007 01:25 PM

Camille finally got 30 seconds of TV time, only to get spanked for ruining her shellfish with tea. Oh, and her bikini made an appearance. My barber tells me he also cuts her x-husband's hair, and that he (x-camille) wants her to win so as to buy him out of the place they co-own, or something. But she's not going to win. Neither will either of the Saras -- Asian Sara -- too inexperienced. Jamacian Sara -- too limited. I admire Hung's enthusiasm and competitiveness but can't get behind his assertion the judges must have "misunderstood" his food. He may be too immature to win. Brian had Immunity from elimination, but not humiliation and I'm glad they called him out there just to give him shit for his mail-it-in meal. I don't want to see another one-dish pony like Ilan take this thing, though I suspect Brian's attraction to bad ideas will eventually take him out anyway. Nice comeback win for Howie, but I think his tendency for timing trouble will eventually eat him. Meathead Joey quietly did pretty well this week but he won't last. Gay Chicago guy is going to go the way of the other self-taughters, Clay and Sandy. My favorites are CJ (smart), Lia (pedigree), Hung (talent), Tre (well-roundedness) and my darkhorse is Casey.

Vic Sage Jun 28 2007 01:38 PM

Casey and Camille... mmmmm. I'd like to see them oil wrestling, naked, in a Playboy spread (so to speak). Asian Sara and Padma would make it a cute international tag team match. I'm sorry, it's just the way i am. I was disappointed in Lia's franks n beans. I'm pulling for the Brooklyn girl to make more of a show. I'm still waiting for Howie to punch Joey Butthead in the face. And its official... Hung is this season's talented asshole. I hope his apron catches fire.

Johnny Dickshot Jul 12 2007 10:14 AM

And down goes Greenpoint's own Camille! OH well. We just ate at her restaurant again the over the weekend. She popped out of the kitchen at one point definitely not dressed like someone who'd won $100,000 worth of Glad bags. Made a yummy cod fish on a bed of green curry rice and herb-infused red grapes on top. I also had a grilled scallop appetizer. Wifey had a fine steak. We didn't order dessert and I guess you shouldn't either! At least she left with her dignity intact, though it didn't seem her food for the most part withstood scrutiny from the judges.

metirish Jul 12 2007 10:30 AM

Watched for the first time last night,enjoyed it a lot,was really hoping they would make an exception and fire Casey. The desert plate was truly awful though.

Vic Sage Jul 12 2007 11:53 AM

cute camille goes and fat joey stays. too bad. My girl Lia gets chef of the week! hot dog! Hung gets obnoxious with the judge AGAIN, because he didn't "understand" his dish. This guy is doing FOAMS, he's pretentious, obnoxious.... hmm. wait a sec.... the spirit of Marcel has returned!

Johnny Dickshot Jul 12 2007 01:56 PM

I kind of like Hung. He's so enthusiastic about cooking it embrasses him, so he has to disguise it in this "asshole" act. You know his heart is breaking that they didn't like his dish. If he were a true asshole he might have tried to absorb credit for Lia's competition-winning dish or stand above his team but he didn't. Lots of guilty sobbing from Casey and Dale over inadvertently setting up their competitors to fall. Later in the competition the knives will get sharper and they'll wish they had as much power.

Johnny Dickshot Jul 25 2007 10:26 AM

Apple-cheeked Brooklynite via Portland Lia went home last week, leaving Joey as Noo Yawk's only hope and Casey as the last peice of eye candy on set. Oh, I guess Sara N. can also make a dish of Cuteypie. It'd be funny if Joey and Howie just start making out. Joey's Latin stew looked pretty good, and he revealed himself to actually have subtlety in not revealing his pastriness. Hung needs to start dazzling again as does the black guy whose name I forget at the moment.

Vic Sage Jul 26 2007 08:55 AM

bye, Lia... we hardly knew ye! Only Casey and Sara left in the hottub? Okay, just as long as neither Howie nor Joey get in there with them. The love/hate thing that Joey & Howie have now got going is kind of amusing, though. They're proving to be better chefs than i thought they were in the beginning. and Hung got his ass kicked, latino style. Its hilarious that he thought his arroz con pollo was criticized because it was "too classic". How about the fact that everybody hated it, Hung Lo? I think Trey is the black guy's name, isn't it?

Rockin' Doc Jul 26 2007 10:58 AM

Vic Sage - "I think Trey is the black guy's name, isn't it?" Yup.© That's him.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 13 2007 08:51 AM

Caught up again, Noo Yawk Joey is out when he screws up his pasta. Calls Rocco DiSpirito a "douchebag" and a "sellout" in an interview. Go Joey! He was completely right that losing a hotplate/product placement challenge was a rough way to go. Sara N. gets trampled by Howie and bitches all through the episode and makes milkshakes with ice and is justly executed. Can't believe the other Sara is still hanging around but they just haven't gotten to her yet. Howie has had way too many close calls and I don't think he's finals material. He easily could have been whacked in eiother of the last 2 challenges yet someone stepped up to be worse. Dale is too inexperienced and wll get bounced eventually too. EDIT! That leaves a Final 4 of CJ, Tre, Casey and Brian. D'oh, I forgot Hung. That's the final 5 then. Brian or CJ are vuylnerable if there's a final 4. C has too little experience and Brian is too much a loose cannon.

Vic Sage Aug 13 2007 11:50 AM

Hung has never won any challenge, and has been at the bottom fairly consistently. I'd really like to see him go. Sara is a zero. Howie, as big a dick as he's become, does well when he's on his own, but implodes any team he's a part of. After he threw Sarah under the bus, i wouldn't mind seeing him go, too. But I think Howie makes it into the final 4 with Casey, Tre and Brian, over CJ, Dale, Hung and Sara. Purely for casting purposes, either Hung or Howie have to make it thru so there is a villain to root against.

Edgy DC Aug 13 2007 11:55 AM

What are you people engaging in here? Not to be insulting. If you watch American Idol (I don't), you're looking for the best performing singer. And you listen and form your own opinions. If you watch Dickshot's favorite design show, you're looking for the visual designs. You watch and form your own opinion. Listening to music through the TV, and watching fashion through the TV works as virtual consumption. If I can't taste that food, though, I'm not consuming anything. Why should I care? Is it just good soap opera?

Johnny Dickshot Aug 13 2007 12:26 PM

While it's true you can't taste the food there is more going on -- principally the creativity they bring to each assignment, and the presentation/look which counts for something, and the skills demonstrated (knife skills, cooking techniques, etc etc). They all start with the same assignment, but the different ways they interpret the assignment is evident just looking at the plates. You kind of hafta get a sense of whether it tastes good or bad from the judges's consensus, but OTOH you start with the assumption they are all better cooks than you at home, so the food ought to taste good. Its only then a matter of how good. And if the chefs look good enough on TV, you can always eat their food at their restaurants.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 13 2007 12:29 PM

Here's Tre's winning bacon-wrapped shrimp & grits from last week's episode. Looks good enough to eat, no?

Rockin' Doc Aug 13 2007 12:34 PM

So much of Top Chef and similar reality shows center around the personal dynamics at play between the various contestants. Some are self centered jerks that you love to see crash and burn. Others are likable, but less talented, but manage to survive early on because they tend to blend in and not take chances. Some are able to take constructive criticism and learn from it, while others are too full of themselves to ever learn from the others. It can be funny to watch contestants that do not like one another have to work together for their own mutual good.

Rockin' Doc Aug 13 2007 12:37 PM

Grits and shrimp is a staple at nicer restaurants in the south. When done right, it is an awesome combination that I would never have dreamed of putting together.

attgig Aug 13 2007 02:40 PM

Rockin' Doc wrote: So much of Top Chef and similar reality shows center around the personal dynamics at play between the various contestants. Some are self centered jerks that you love to see crash and burn. Others are likable, but less talented, but manage to survive early on because they tend to blend in and not take chances. Some are able to take constructive criticism and learn from it, while others are too full of themselves to ever learn from the others. It can be funny to watch contestants that do not like one another have to work together for their own mutual good. I really wonder how many of the eliminations are really based on dynamics and not so much on the food itself. like last week, i was sure either of the Sara's were going to be gone. simply because they get so little camera time already. while the jerk howie was not going away. his food prolly stunk, but he adds too much drama to be kicked out.l

Vic Sage Aug 16 2007 08:54 AM

Both teams sucked so much, no one got eliminated. Basically, the judges called a "do-over" on the annual restaurant war. I thought that, when CJ picked a team with Tre, Casey and Brian, they were a lock. But Brian imploded and CJ did little to help Tre in the kitchen. I'm not sure what Casey was doing. Meanwhile, Howie seemed chastened about his assholish behavior last week, and seemed to make a concerted effort to work with Sara. It seems to be the front-of-house guys who always take the flack in this contest.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 16 2007 09:39 AM

I think a "do-over" was a right solution (even tho I am certain it was pre-planned): They have their notes about what went wrong and must go at it again the next night, sorta like a real restaurant would. Now there are fewer excuses. CJ really looked uncomfortable in the kitchen. He's not a "restaurant guy" really; and his slowness nearly cost Tre. Howie gets away once again with cooking a bad dish. Hung had a good day with a good QF and the only entree enjoyed by all.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 23 2007 01:25 PM

Well, I don't think any of us saw Sara winning and Tre going home. But that's what it casme down to. CJ prolly shoulda got the ax, since he basically named Tre chef then hid behind him, then threw him under the bus but Tre to his detriment a) Made bad food b) Didn't kick his teammate's asses like Sara Just as I did suspect, Hung stepped it up. He hacked that chicken to pieces in nothing flat. And we had a return from Lia (with added hotness) and Camille, as well as Stephen "Tool and a Douchebag" the Sommelier from Season 1! Madonna's brother = bitch!

Valadius Aug 24 2007 02:36 PM

My sister loves this show. Personally, I'm rooting for Howie to win. The fact that CJ didn't get kicked off and Tre did was mind-boggling to me.

Johnny Dickshot Aug 24 2007 07:20 PM

How can you root for Howie? He's such a scrote.

cooby Aug 24 2007 09:10 PM

="Johnny Dickshot"]Here's Tre's winning bacon-wrapped shrimp & grits from last week's episode. Looks good enough to eat, no? Must...refrain...from....saying...."it looks like someone already did....hours...ago"....

Johnny Dickshot Sep 12 2007 10:26 AM

Mr. Integrity Howie attempts to off himself, but the judges won't let him have the satisfaction of going so easy. They want to stab him! Hung's Smurf cereal village was the shizznit.

Vic Sage Sep 12 2007 12:14 PM

i didn't understand that. If Howie wants to off himself, he should be able to. If he had said "im out of here" and walked out, what would they have done.... have the reality-tv police burst in and drag him back to the set? That's like telling a guy who just quit, "You can't quit!" You're fired!" And if by "shizznit" you mean "piece of shit", I'm right there with you, JD.

Johnny Dickshot Sep 12 2007 12:22 PM

Vic Sage wrote: That's like telling a guy who just quit, "You can't quit!" You're fired!" It's exactly what it was! I'm glad they did it that way. Howie was one of those guys who was always playing the "Integrity" card -- as an excuse for not making something as in the Quickfire, and in this case, as a coverup for the shitty food he did make. He wasn't volunteering to go because his food was bad, he was asking to leave so he could walk out under the illusion his exit was a selfless act of Teamwork. Hung's gonna win this thing.

Rockin' Doc Sep 12 2007 01:10 PM

JD - "Hung's gonna win this thing." Not if he does another piece like his "smurf village". Essentially, a smorgasbord of cold, dry cereals masquerading as a second grade art project. Hung has some talent, but he has been wildly inconsistent throughout the course of Top Chef - Season 3. He needs to step up and consistently produce the kind of food he is capable of. He has survived once or twice in the past simply because someone else's food sucked even worse than his. The overall quality and depth of talent in this season's competitors just seems lacking compared to last season. Sam and Cliff would cook circles around most of the remaining competitors of season 3.

Johnny Dickshot Oct 03 2007 10:07 AM

Bumpity-bump for tonight's thrilling finale. It's Hung or Casey (Big Gay Dale is just there as a wildcard). I'm sticking with my earlier predictions and saying Hung wins it but you'd have to be retarded not to pick up a theme of "heart and soul" being the undercurrent differencemaker over the last few weeks, and that scenario would favor Casey. In related nooz, the Dickshotz are having dinner at Top Chef Harold's restaurant this weekend (he won season 1).

metirish Oct 03 2007 10:19 AM

The host is Slaman Rusdie's wife?

Johnny Dickshot Oct 03 2007 10:27 AM

She dumped him, praise Allah. She's so hot and kittenlike I can barely look at her anymore. I happen to be standing just to Padma's right in this shot, but they cropped me out.

Rockin' Doc Oct 03 2007 09:38 PM

And the winner is...Hung. Dale pushed him in the final and surprisingly finishes a close second. Casey seemed frazzled and was often unable to adapt to cooking at altitude. She faded and finished a distant third.

Johnny Dickshot Oct 04 2007 07:26 AM

Hung played with the competition all season; he was on a whole other level than Dale or Casey. Theose two were both capable of making tasty food, but they didn't have near the technical skill or ease with ingredients that Hung possessed. It was telling that the celebrity sous chefs (I loved that twist, btw) remarked that both Casey and Dale were probably using more ingredients than necessary but that was not said of Hung who if anything was too precise. Hung should open a restaurant called Hung-Ry. I would pay $$ to eat there.

Vic Sage Oct 04 2007 08:09 AM

i was surprised to see Casey so rattled and Dale do so well. I wasn't surprised Hung won... just disappointed that the a-hole gets the prize.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 08 2007 01:15 PM

So we had a great meal at Top Chef Harold's restaurant, Perilla in Greenwich Village. Started with Spicy Duck Meatball and Crisy Pork belly appetizers. The meatballs were spicy but not overwhelmingly hot, and were served with a yolky quail egg. Asiany good and a huge appetizer for the $$. The Pork Belly was even better -- it was like candy. I ordered the Hangar Steak medium rare served with sunchoke creamed spinach. Ms. Bucket had Grouper, fluffy but crispy on top. We also had a brussels sprouts side which was prepared with cranberries and fresh-roasted nuts -- super fresh. That was as good as anything we had. Ms. Bucket ordered panna cotta and pears for desert, but we found that way too rich. Harold was there cooking. He thanked us for coming on the way out.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 08 2007 01:28 PM

Sounds delish. Did you have any wine/cocktails? I guess Colicchio opened a restaurant in LA this year called Craft, after his place in NY with the same name. The menu's pricey, though not outrageous, but it looks like the wine list is where I'd be done in.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 08 2007 01:36 PM

We had one each of their specialty cocktails -- the Jones which was a vodka drink with mint, and the Perilla, which was gin, grapefruit and perilla. They were 'aight (not a big cocktailer me). I had a beer with my steak and she reisling with the fish. My friend in the restaurant biz worked for Collichio here then was sent to Vegas to help him open Craftsteak there. I heard he's now back here, but I haven't caught up to him yet.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 08 2007 01:56 PM

If you had a name like Johnny Dickshot, then I'd expect you be some kind of cocktailer.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 08 2007 02:03 PM

As you might guess from my actual name I oftentimes sneak 16-oz. Buds into my Thermos while on the clock.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 08 2007 02:04 PM

Is that the HVAC jumpsuit? What the hell is that thing?