Last night the producers of Top Chef gave us a big steamy plate of bullpucky, served on a huge warm platter of WTF. Don't you agree?
By the way, due to lack of reader response, I won't be recapping Top Chef anymore. I just can't justify the hours it takes me to produce a recap when so few people are reading. I also know my recaps haven't been as good as they once were, so this lower readership is understandable. Part of this is due to the lame material I've had to work with, but a bigger part is definitely ME. Let's just say I've been A LITTLE BIT DISTRACTED by other things lately.
Thanks to my loyal commenters who said nice things each week (whether I deserved it or not). You know who you are and I appreciate it more than you know.
Anywhore - feel free to discuss the ridiculousness from last night in the Comments section...
17 comments:
david i will miss your recaps (which i already told you, so i won't lament it in long form here)...
(spoilers ahead, fyi.) this episode should have been titled "Hail to the Fuckery"! i canNOT believe that that goddamned brunette chick (i still don't know her name, despite there being only 7 chefs left) and alex are still there but the uber-talented kenny is gone. honestly, i think that was a producer decision ~ not to sound like a conspiracy theorist or anything. it just doesn't make sense based on general parameters the judges use, but then again, judging has been wonky as hell this season.
brunette chick did one dish which was a hot ass mess by all accounts. kenny did TWO dishes, both of which had editing issues, but were fully executed and cooked properly, not to mention he did a kick ass job as executive chef. to me, it seems like he had more good than bad going on... i will say, however, that as soon as i heard them say "warm goat cheese" i thought to myself, don't do it guys! it's a throwback ~ in a bad way ~ to the food of the 70s and almost NEVER works. it seems like a better idea than it is, and has about a -3 on the charisma scale when plated. plus, most people dislike the gaminess of goat cheese, which is only enhanced by a warm preparation. that said, though, it comes down to an argument of conception versus execution (much like the peach vs. nicholas auf'g on the most recent PR ep). in the past, judges favored execution over conception, but maybe they were just stuck on tradition, i.e. auf'g the pastry or exec chef during restaurant wars.
but all that is a total sidebar, b/c frankly, i can't believe the red team won... and not only that, i'm incredulous that PEA PURR-EY GATE *still* wasn't brought up at judges table, considering that alex "conceived" a dish nearly identical to the one he did on the pea purr-ey episode, AND the person who made the pea purr-ey then also made it last night. oi, these contestants are making my head hurt in a big ass way.
anyway, it seemed to me that, other than the behind-the-scenes drama, their food just wasn't as good as the other teams, though i guess i should've seen the producer's bait and switch coming a mile away... i was prepped for it, b/c as soon as brunette chick said something in the beginning like "there's 8 of us left and i'm just happy to be here" i said aloud: "you're going home tonight." oh dear jesus, please grant me this wish.
i said it on another post and i'll say it again: when you get down to the (supposed) creme de la creme and you have a solid 2, and a possible 3rd, shit chef there's a problem that has nothing to do w/ the food. bravo is getting far too meta for their own good. they need to minimize the producers in the judging AND get some sort of continuity going at judge's table. tom has really been bitchy this season, and seems burned out/over it. (but did anyone DIE when he referenced coco chanel? that, and being irritated about not being invited to a bear parade make me love tom c. despite eps like last night's.) he used to manage the judge's table w/ a firm hand, but now it seems he's given up and padma runs the show ~ much to the show's detriment. *le sigh*
ok, i'll stop here, as i officially blogjacked about 3 paragraphs ago... <333 you david!
RIP recaps...you will be missed -(
I was walking to the TV about to turn it off as soon they announced the obvious person to go home. And then i was literally SHOCKED! I yelled at my TV!
I'll miss your recaps, but you can always link us to the Minx!
Everything Kayce said!!! Only not as knowledgeable.
Totally shocked about Kenny. As Joy posted 'They killed Kenny!!!' He was totally robbed and I think everyone was shocked.
So agree about Tom - he seems irritated and that is so not productive.
Amanda (brown haired girl) should have gone home and she knew it. WHY are they keeping her around??? She doesn't contribute that much to drama and there is no sexy storyline with her like there was that one season.
David - you do what you need to do!!! We loves you no matter what. Will miss the recaps - you are uniquely funny - but we'll muddle thru. xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
I was stunned with the outcome. Who is Angelo blowing to get Kenny out of the show and do they have crabs now?
I cant believe that pea gate is still going on and nothing is being said. And I agree that he wasnt ebven called out on doing the same damn dish. Hello, are the judges sleeping?
I'll miss the recaps as well! I think I'm over this whole season of Top Chef. Can they all pack their knives and go?
Oh no, really? No recaps? How will I know what is going on? I understand your need for time, but as a confirmed lurker I would like to say that you have, on more than one occasion, been my sole source of information about what happened on Top Chef and Project Runway. I often travel to places where I can get internet access but not American TV. I have read your recaps while excavating in the highlands of Peru, traveling through Europe, exploring the wilds of Texas and was hoping to have them for the next month while visiting Australia. So one of your readers, at least, has been set adrift. I shall miss your recaps very much.
I miss your recaps too... :)
Last night was crazy... the only thing that would have made it even better (note the sarcasm) would be if Alex won.
WOW.
First, it should be no surprise that Blue lost bc they made a dessert course and every one knows that whoever makes dessert goes home.
Second, although I think Kenny was correct in informing the judges about Alex's not making a dish, Kenny's anger, whininess and motivation was a turnoff to the judges. I don't think they have ever responded to complaints from the chefs.
Third, how do you know how many hits your recaps generate? Do you judge by the number of comments?
Lastly, maybe you could modify how you write up the recap. I personally like less detail, less photos and more snark - like today's comments.
Oh, one more thing. I don't understand how the chefs are able to criticize the other chef's dishes when they haven't tasted them - hell have the time they don't have enough time to taste their own dishes.
kayce - that was a great comment! Maybe if David doesn't want to continue recapping you could be his guest Top Chef recapper?
I'll miss your recaps, David, but judging from the poor quality of the show this season there isn't much to recap anyway. I've been a loyal Top Chef watcher since episode one and this is the first season I've found myself thinking I'd rather do something else on Wednesday night. The cast is terrible, the food in uninspiring, even the judges seem to be wondering why the heck they're there.
Kayce said it all, and very well. Kenny just plain got screwed. Personally I think that when they lost Lee Anne Wong as producer the show went up in smoke.
I am as shocked as everyone else and was at 2 am when I watched (no sleep for me last night). I fully expected and anticipated a Kenny, Angelo and either Tiffany or Kevin finale. Amanda and Alex are the Robin's of this season. Your recaps will be missed but until you get DVR I cannot understand how you do them anyway. I must rewind and re watch things to comment on them. Love you anyway
@Sean believe me, i am nowhere near as funny as david! if he asked me, though, i'd do it, but as McWolfe said, this season is slim pickins!
Compromise - Instead of recapping, leave a vintage David-inspired snarky and hilarious statement the way you did this time and then let everyone comment. 'K? Thought so! Thanks!
Amen to waht Kayce wrote! This was totally wrong, and it's hard to watch what has become a TC train wreck. What's going on? MCWolfe is probably right about the producer. I don't know all that, but something has changed in a very bad way.
Alex should not be there. Amanda should have gone home.
I was one of those not commenting and I'm sorry it's because I was reading way late but I will so miss your recaps. Wish you were doing PR and the Gretchen-ness.
As for this week's TC hot mess. WTF!!
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