Top Chef All-Stars

I agree with Jen. If the challenge doesn't involve the 150 people you are cooking for judging your food and being part of the final score, then you damn well should cook for the judges.

 

I'm about to give up on this current version of TC after last night's trainwreck.

The quickfire was a good challenge, but the elimination challenge was rushed and kind of silly, and we never really got to get a good look at what the chefs cooked and served. They spent more time showing the dishes at these established NYC restaurants than they did on what the contestants put together.

I thought it was clear that the 2 who were sent home felt the same way, because they basically shrugged their shoulders, said "OK" and left without any regrets. It's almost as if they were saying that if this is the way the season is going to go, then they don't have a problem not being a part of it any longer.

 

Don't remember much about Stephen, but Dale was not the kind to scream and shout. Too much class.

 

Interview with Dale who was eliminated last night.

Implies that Jen was eliminated due to Tom's poor relationship with Eric Ripert:

 

Boy, Marcel's team ends up drawing wd-50. Who'd have thunk? Plus of the bottom four, Stephen's dish was the only thing the judges said something nice about, but he was one of the two ousted. Sure, he was considered the hack of the crew, but I would think they'd keep him around, if nothing else so they could air some good disses. In the franchise's recent history, they kept Alex and Baked Eric around for more than half the season.

 

Just an FYI for those with DirecTV. Bravo has moved to 237 instead of 273. No idea why. But it is actually a good move for Bravo getting down lower in the numbers.

 

Yeah, noticed that this morning. I guess they're putting all the "food" and "style" channels closer together.

Bravo was kinda just in the middle of nowhere.

 

This might be a controversial statement on my part, but I liked Katie Lee Joel much better - looks and hosting ability. She was so goofy and air-headed that it was great, whereas Padma comes off as passive-aggressive to me. Neither one of them adds much to the proceedings, but I feel like Katie Lee takes away less.

 

Another elimination challenge, another week in which Jamie doesn't even put a dish out and gets to skate by. If I'm the other chefs, I think I start throwing her under the bus. If her dish was truly the worst, then the yellow team should have just told the judges it was her serving first and she would have been forced to do it.

I never really liked Jamie during her season. She came across as whiny and this season certainly isn't helping her cause.

That aside, I'm liking this season. It shows how truly difficult those challenges can be, especially when you don't have the benefit of having two or three weak links cooking against you. I think Blaise, Tre and Tiffany F. will make the finale. Blaise's food kinda freaks me out, but I'd love to try it once, since he seems to get such rave reviews.

 

Jamie needs to get beaten up. But I think she'll get exposed soon enough. It sounds as if she picked a dish that was gonna be dicey from the get-go

 

I loved that Blais called Jamie out while the gang was assembled in the back room, waiting on the verdict of who was going home.

Spike got hosed.

 

Agree on both counts. Richard tried to put Jamie under the bus, at least as much as was possible, in the pantry, and without her going in front of the judges.

And, Spike did get hosed. I think at least two judges said either that he had a good soup, and/or that they enjoyed it -- just that there were too many cooks in the kitchen on it.

If that was the worst sin, then, yes, this is going to be a tough season. For everyone.