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Top Chef Chicago!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 14 2008 08:51 AM

Great first episode! I loved the whole head-to-head thing. And a mean-looking lezbo couple as potential competitors... that's gonna be awesome. How about the bearded guy with the huge self-doubts badly papered over with false bravado? Made my hair hurt watching him.

Vic Sage Mar 14 2008 09:14 AM

i don't know why i like this series so much. I hate most "reality" tv shows, but I was actually looking forward to this 1st episode. Unfortunately, i missed the first 1/2. I caught up to it just as the pairs were presenting their dishes. I thought that device was a really cool idea. I knew Shrimp Scampi girl was going to get bounced first. When you do nothing bold or innovative with your dish, yet the judges still call it inedible, start packing your knives. Its really about the characters, so i have to wait and see who the protagonists and antagonists end up being this season.

Rockin' Doc Mar 14 2008 09:48 AM

Vic - "i don't know why i like this series so much. I hate most "reality" tv shows, but I was actually looking forward to this 1st episode." I'm exactly the same way. I have virtually no interest in most other "reality" shows, but there is something about Top Chef that I find intriguing. Lunchbucket - "How about the bearded guy with the huge self-doubts badly papered over with false bravado? Made my hair hurt watching him." Old red beard is annoying as hell. I already know that I won't shed any tears when they tell him to pack up his cutlery. I like how he talked trash to the cameras about getting the matchup he wanted and how he was going to kick his opponents ass head to head. Then he forgets to purchase mayonaise for his crab cakes. When he sees his opponent has mayonaise he gets all pissed. His opponent tells him the basic recipe for making his own mayo (which I enjoyed seeing red getting his chops busted), but then ultimately offers to let him use his store bought mayo. Not only did red beard not know how to make his own mayo before his opponent told him, but then he's too proud and stubborn to accept the mayo when it is offered to him. Red beard's lucky his opponent didn't let his bullshit, self righteous butt fry. It might of saved shrimp scampi girl if he had, but I don't think she was worth saving. It will take another week or two to really size up the field, but the front runners and the also rans should start to emerge in the next two episodes.

seawolf17 Mar 14 2008 09:51 AM

And, better, Hell's Kitchen comes back April 1!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 14 2008 09:58 AM

Redbeard's opponent obviously sensed his anxiety and was a dick about sharing his mayo, it should be pointed out. He also misappropriated his pizza pan! I thought for sure I'd hate Big Baldy, but loved his "glorified nachos" confession and his expression at judges table.

Rockin' Doc Mar 14 2008 10:34 AM

JCL - "Redbeard's opponent obviously sensed his anxiety and was a dick about sharing his mayo, it should be pointed out. He also misappropriated his pizza pan!" Redbeard had good reason to be pissed about the guy using two pizza pans in the quickfire which left Redbeard high and dry. And the guy did bust Redbeard's chops a little about the mayo, but he did offer it to his opponent when they were competing against one another in an elimination challenge. I seriously doubt old red would have done the same had the roles been reversed.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 20 2008 11:11 AM

Hard to follow the action this week. Irritating Hipster Douchebag gets the win; and Blini Chick deserved getting voted off although her teammates sure didn't do a whole lot to keep her from hanging herself. To Blini Chick: You go girl! To camera: What a shit idea! We had a fantastic time at Guest Molecular Gastromist Wylie Dufresne's restuarant, WD-50. Go there sometime!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 27 2008 12:38 PM

Over-the-top product placement episode this week, with a whole scene devoted to them driving their TOYOTAS to the block party where they receive great products such as KINGSFORD CHARCOAL, VELVEETA and KC MASTERPEICE and are asked to cater. Again. Death-Metal Chef Erik packs his knives after serving soggy corn dogs. He also crapped out those poorly-plated tacos in the quickfire. I kind of thought he was fun to have around but he was clearly uncomfortable doing fine-dining and high-skill work and probably deserved it. You could also make a case for Lesbian Pasta Salad Maker. She's doomed too I think. Nikki the Bay Ridge Macaroni Queen could also have gone. Beard-o is headed for the mental hospital. His espirit-de-corps was scary and his "this is my house" gangsta act is tired. They should place armed guards at judges table next week just to screw with him.

Rockin' Doc Mar 27 2008 07:57 PM

I hated to see EriK go, he was entertaining. He definitely did not perform well yesterday. There are several of the remaining 13 that really haven't done anything to distinguish themselves to this point. It's still early, but several of this seasons participants just seem to be in over their heads. I grew tired of Red Beard's mouth and antics on the first week. His act grows more obnoxious and annoying each week. Seeing as he is such a pain in the ass, he'll likely be around for quite a while.

Vic Sage Mar 28 2008 04:04 PM

i've yet to find a rooting interest. not a good sign.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 03 2008 09:27 AM

Stephanie has been a consistent top-tier finisher each week and isn't an irritating scarehead. You could root for her. My darkhorse is Antonia, despite being lightly admonished last night, I liked her admission in the 1st episoide that she cooks so as to satisfy an inate desire to feed people. I kind of liked that. She's been largely in the background and called to judges table with the losers 2X, but both in team challenges where her failings are minor. She's probably better than Ryan, Spike, Zoi, Nikki and Lisa among the remaining group, so I can see her beginning to challenge for the top slots when the herd is thinned some. You knew one of the Spike/Manuel team was going, and since Spike is a better TV personality, Manuel was whacked. What a loser that guy was. You know when a Mexican guy, who cooks at a high-end mexican resturant, isn't a top 3 finisher in a high end taco challenge, he's not long for the competition.

holychicken Apr 03 2008 12:43 PM

My gf is a Bravo Junkie, which is the only reason I would ever watch this show. Not that I don't enjoy it, but, TBH, I like Project Runway better. /shiftyeyes

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 10 2008 09:42 AM

I called it -- Antonia steps up, and suddenly becomes a vixxen for putting inferior chefs Spike and Zoi in jeopardy! I'm glad that sourpuss Zoi is out, and her butchy lesbo boyfriend is gonna try and make someone pay. The shrimp dish looked good, though Dale's overinflated ego and Lisa's general cuntiness was itself pretty fiery. I liked that he made no attempt to hide his lack of grace: They're both un likeable future losers anyway. Good also to see Richard knocked down a peg. Saved only by virtue of the othyer team's complete lameness. Has anybody not been on the chopping block yet? I can't call a favorite still, only likely victims.

Rockin' Doc Apr 10 2008 10:38 AM

There has really been no 2 or 3 chefs that have demonstrated their superiority over the rest of the pack as in years past. There is really no one that has impressed me to the point I would feel safe proclaiming them a solid bet to make the final pairing. There seems to be a great deal of mediocrity in this years field and many of them seem to have difficulty working well with others in a spirit of collaberation and cooperation.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 11 2008 09:13 PM

Finale (replay) on now! I got Stephanie, the cute chubby one, tho Richard "Mohawkular Gastronomy" will give her a culinary challenge.

Rockin' Doc Jun 11 2008 09:22 PM

------Spoiler Warning-------Spoiler Warning------- I watched it, since I couldn't see the Mets game. If Lisa had won, I would have likely thrown something through the television; that is if my wife didn't beat me to it. I'm glad that I don't need to shop for a new TV tomorrow.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 11 2008 10:06 PM

So there ya go. Won the first one and the last one too. I'd go to her restaurant.

Vic Sage Jun 12 2008 09:32 AM

Richard had great technique and great creativity, and i think will be the most successful of the bunch, but Stephanie was consistently solid, with an usual and distinctive sense of taste combinations and delicate presentation. I might prefer to eat in Richard's restaurant, but i could see Stephanie getting the nod. Lisa, on the other hand, was a 1-trick pony, excelling only with basic asian dishes, and an asshole to boot. So i was glad to see Stephanie win, when Richard "choked", as he himself admitted. i was nervous during "judge's table' because it seemed like they were actually leaning to Lisa, which would've been a travesty. I think that chefs like Stephanie and Richard, who had won 8 of the 13 prior weekly challenges between them, should get the benefit of the doubt in the finals against a chef like Lisa, who was often in the bottom 2 or 3, winning only once along the way. Despite the judges saying it was about which one cooked the best meal that night, i think it was pretty much a push and, with Richard out of the running, they gave Stephanie the nod for her overall and consistent excellence over the course of the series. It would've been ridiculous, otherwise, to give Lisa the title because, on one night, she cooked a better dessert (which shouldn't have been a requirement anyway).

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 12 2008 09:48 AM

Plus all the fans hated it when they whacked Sam on that basis. I think because Richard's stuff was so complex, he was hurt the most by not having a celebrity sous chef on the 2nd day. I liked how they contrasted Chef Ripard talking about how important it is to keep learning with Lisa's willfully ignorant "I keep things simple." She did a nice job doing what she did this time, but even in the context of the meal (which was prolly 2-2 tie dishwise) it couldn't compare to Stephanie's overall game.