Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

[bostonewe]

Season 7 starts on June 16. I perused the bios of the chefs over on Bravotv.com. The caliber doesn't seem as high as last season (though there is a Bocuse d'Or winner in the meat category). Will have to do some research before making a definitive decision.

Also, it looks like Eric Ripert will be a regular judge (not every episode, but "a recurring judge"). I'm certainly not complaining about that...

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

First episode aired tonight at 9pm EST.
Big purse for that first Quickfire!

Kenny's speed in the competition was awesome. Loved to see Angelo's frustration after listening to him yammer on about all the places he'd been. Blech. I was disappointed to see Angelo win, but it's only the 1st one. And while I'm watching the Elimination Challenge, Angelo is going to get annoying real quick... And foam...*slaps forehead* Frick...he wins too.

I'd have reservations about eating at John's restaurant with all that hair...I know it's all dred-ed back, but...ew? Also, he's super-awkward.

WHY do people insist on doing gnocci? I don't think it worked out for Ashley last season and the judges always talk about how it's too heavy and rarely ever seasonal for when they shoot Top Chef. You'd think that contestants would watch previous seasons and take some notes...(like memorizing a recipe)

I'm curious as to why they chose Eric Ripert as a new judge. I'm certainly not complaining (I really like him a lot), but he is a curious choice. I wonder if this means that there will be more fish-based challenges. I'm also curious as to why he chose to join the cast, I'd imagine that between his PBS show and his restaurants, he'd be pretty busy as it is.

I'm excited for the new season, but I have reservations about how it will compare to other seasons. I'm sure we're not supposed to compare, but man, last season was really awesome. The talent was high, there wasn't a ton of drama (other than the Robin issue), and the food was really on another level compared with some of the other seasons (and in general).

I'm not sure how I feel about the new graphics.
(Padma still has some baby weight, but I think she looks good)

 

[RMUColonials]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

I'm excited for the new season, but I have reservations about how it will compare to other seasons. I'm sure we're not supposed to compare, but man, last season was really awesome. The talent was high, there wasn't a ton of drama (other than the Robin issue), and the food was really on another level compared with some of the other seasons (and in general).

I don't think they'll have another season that can compare to the talent they had last season. At least this looks like it'll be vastly better than Season 5.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Wathcing the show on demand now.

Totally surreal- we know John Summerfield. Not as well as we know Eve from last season, but John is the chef from bascially the best restaurant in metro Detroit- the Lark.

I hope we are not a jinx to him.

While we've only eaten there twice, we were able to talk to him both times. The first time, ironically, we were there when they hosted a guest Chef to do a meal with John. And the guest was Eve.

One of our culinary group meals this past winter was at the Lark, and we got to talk to him some more. Kind of an odd personality, and I have a special kinship with him, as he's actually an engineer as well, and did go to UM.

Wild.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Wathcing the show on demand now.

I hope we are not a jinx to him.

Doh!

We can't figure why he cooked that, and in that manner.

But he sure earned being eliminated.

Once again, I have to say- don't avoid the Lark, he's a great chef.

 

[Greyeagle]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Doh!

We can't figure why he cooked that, and in that manner.

But he sure earned being eliminated.

Once again, I have to say- don't avoid the Lark, he's a great chef.

He's a male Carla.

 

[vizoroo]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Doh!

We can't figure why he cooked that, and in that manner.

But he sure earned being eliminated.

Once again, I have to say- don't avoid the Lark, he's a great chef.

He's a male Carla.

That's an insult to Carla! Actually I was afraid they would keep him around as the "quirky one". Something about him made me uncomfortable.

And yes, Angelo is going to be very annoying.

And compared to last year, the talent doesn't seem as strong, but I do need to go read the bios.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

I didn't think it was a big deal to cook the chicken thighs with sherry from a kids/booze standpoint. It was a big deal from the budget end and the fact the thighs looked like crap. I would have done a crispy oven baked thigh.

The gal who got booted got screwed by the budget management more than anything.

 

[vizoroo]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Think Angelo showed his true colors. Trying to "tank" the challenge. Tom said he didn't think Angelo was that type of guy, but it certainly looked that way to me.

Sherried chicken thighs just really aren't appropriate for a middle school crowd. And Amanda screwed the team ny insisting on buying the Sherry, especially the one who was sent home.

I thought the really interesting sedment was when the two losing teams started picking on each other.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

I agree on Angelo - and Tom kind of did when he wasn't in the room. I don't think he could accuse Angelo of out and out throwing the challenge, but he did say that he was sure the move was done for gainsmanship and questioned whether or not Angelo would have made celery and peanut-butter if his butt was on the line.

Not a great day for Kenny I thought. The clips show him talking about whether or not they had enough veggies. The judges hate when you don't stand up for what you know is right during these team challenges (I think this might be why they sent Jackie (?sp) home - that and I would have trouble forgiving her dish from last episode - grainy, lowfat liver!)

I loved Gail pointing out her love of vodka. I kind of wish I could meet her, she seems so relate-able and adorable.

 

[vizoroo]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

(I think this might be why they sent Jackie (?sp) home - that and I would have trouble forgiving her dish from last episode - grainy, lowfat liver!)
I loved Gail pointing out her love of vodka. I kind of wish I could meet her, she seems so relate-able and adorable.

Last week grainy, low fat==this week grainy and overly sweet.

 

[Greyeagle]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

I loved Gail pointing out her love of vodka. I kind of wish I could meet her, she seems so relate-able and adorable.

I agree, I'd love to meet Gail & the twins.

 

[Slap Shot]

I can't see Angelo throwing anything unless he sabotaged another dish because they were still utlimately graded solo and not overall as a team, even though the team had to fail for someone to be up for elimination. I'm just not buying that angle other than trying to create drama.

 

[vizoroo]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Angelo had immunity. The gamesmanship started with the choice. Instead of trying for a good result for the team, he was hoping for a meltdown and the chance to get rid of Kenny.

And I never liked celery and peanut butter.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Angelo had immunity. The gamesmanship started with the choice. Instead of trying for a good result for the team, he was hoping for a meltdown and the chance to get rid of Kenny.

I know he had immunity, I just don't automatically buy the claim he tanked to try and get rid of Kenny given Kenny would utlimately stay or go based upon his own performance.

 

[Greyeagle]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Thank God the annoying chick got sent home......she would have made the rest of the season almost unwatchable.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

I think they should change how one gets booted. You should get booted if you finish in the lower 4 twice until half of them are gone, then go single like they do now. I just recall the last few seasons the same people being on the bottom every week, but some losers get strung out for weeks because they are the best of the worst, but they have no hope of cracking the top 4-5. Obviously, this would lack judgement drama, but add cooking drama.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

Kind of a "meh" episode. Happy to see someone beside Angelo winning (though sidenote: his son is pretty adorable, but I totally didn't see him as a parent). I was surprised to hear Steven critique Kenny's dish about having a brunoise of apple. I had assumed that all the chefs would pass their baby food though at least a china cap, if not a chinoise. Of course, then Kelly left a lemon seed in hers (and Tamesha's had texture), so I guess not.

The elimination challenge was okay - I was happy to see Bryan and Mike (I still can't stand Spike, I want to slap him. He just seems so smug all the time).
I think the way they explained the challenge (at least on tv) wasn't very clear...that the winner would come from the dinner group (or maybe I just didn't get it). I am starting to really get annoyed with Ed - I don't think he's that good and he spends a lot of time complaining. I do like Alex though and thought his comments, while a little off-color, were pretty funny.

The breakfast dishes all seemed unnecessarily complex and huge. When I eat breakfast (and I'll admit that this isn't a daily occurrence), I prefer just a little yogurt, maybe some scrambled eggs, and 1 piece of toast. I can't see scarfing down some of those breakfasts that had 12 components (which actually was something that I was bothered by when Alex and Ed were presenting their first dish, Alex mentioned that theirs had the most components. If he'd watched any of the previous seasons, he'd know that the simple dishes are what the chefs prefer (for the most part)).

I know that squid ink is a hard sell, but I'd have like to have tried that dish. It looked good to me. Tom's blog sheds some more light on the decision since there was only 1 negative comment said about the dish and that was that the pasta was undercooked (and that it would be a hard sell, which I don't necessarily think would tank a dish).

 

[Patman]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

OK... dumb question... I've watched a few of these things and, in general, what does this show have to do with DC? I've seen very little "outside" stuff besides the Mount Vernon thing. They could be in Pittsburgh for all we know.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Top Chef D.C. - Season 7

OK... dumb question... I've watched a few of these things and, in general, what does this show have to do with DC? I've seen very little "outside" stuff besides the Mount Vernon thing. They could be in Pittsburgh for all we know.

Not much yet, though it is early in the show. Because there are so many candidates early on, they focus much more on the food than the area. Once it's narrowed down to about 10, you'll more than likely see the chefs cooking in local places or cooking local food. They may cater an event (like the Mount Vernon one) or cook for a panel of judges that consists of well-known chefs from the city.