Top Chef: Las Vegas

[timwakefield 68]

So, I had Michael and Bryan's names backwards in my last few posts. Michael = Michelin, Bryan = the other guy. Now I think I've got it.

[speedz99 145]

So, I had Michael and Bryan's names backwards in my last few posts. Michael = Michelin, Bryan = the other guy. Now I think I've got it.

Michael = Michelin = Tatoo = Prick in KitchenBryan = Other Brother = Ready to SnapIt's funny watching them interact...my brother and I haven't argued like that since we were both in high school. I guess working/competing together can do that to you though.

[El Guapo 8]

And what does this have to do with him being able to run a restaurant? Oh yeah, nothing.How many chefs have you worked for?

Did you mean to quote something else?

I was thinking the same thing.

[Suited_Up 2]

This time. Other times she thinks that, and she ends up in the top three, or winning the competition. I was using that as a general critique of her, not specifically talking about her now, because as I said, she was very lucky to still be around after that performance. Well, not all luck. I'm sure her previous performances helped in her evaluation.

This is true. There was NOOOOO way she was going home, no matter what happened. She could have not served them anything and I think someone else goes home. They know she's good, and I think everyone's read on her emotions are completely wrong...She's not emotional, she's critical and a perfectionist, those are different things. She is just super hard on herself, but it's not about being emotional and the pressure. She always thinks something isn't perfect, and then she wins, it happens constantly. This was the first week she slipped up at all, and one of the slip ups was just misidentifying a fish, not her cooking. I've worked with someone exactly like her, she seems super cold and bitchy until either you know her really well, or she's drunk, it's the exact same personality as my former GM at SushiSamba. She was super hot and cold, and really hard to talk to because half the time you say something to her, and you feel like you're bugging her with your small bullshit little problem... but at other times, they seem like a normal person, it's really strange, but she's just super focused on what she's doing.All that being said.... ANY of the top 4 could win this thing, it's all going to come down to who makes the best dish in the last 3 weeks. Look at when Blaise lost, we knew he was the best of the group, but he didn't cook the best dish in the finale, that's what it's coming down to this season.

[brvheart 1,752]

What makes you think that Michael is impossible to work with and would try to make all the business (non-menu related) decisions? He's obviously done extremely well for himself in the field.

You answered this in your very next post. He's a prick, bossy, and dominating. It's in his personality. Which is fine... when the bolded is true.

[timwakefield 68]

Another awesome bit - after the brothers team won, back in the room when it got real tense, Bryan said "No it's fine, I'm very happy about the whole situation," with blatant sarcasm and a completely straight face.

[LadyGrey 6]

Seriously surprised at blondie in this task. For someone who works for a top chef in real life I would expect her to show more leadership and exert herself as head chef. She also made silly mistakes like choosing to cook the seafood to order. I expect more from her.Robyn is so absurdly annoying, I was really hoping she would go home. The way she jumped down Michael's throat when he tried to help with her dish was ridiculous: it's a team challenge, it's still your dish, you need to be able to work well with others to be a top chef. Her constant whining and 'victim' attitude is driving me crazy.I didn't really get why Brian was so pissy at the end of the episode - his team won, he admitted his brother deserved to win overall - where's the beef?Laurine did a terrible job at front of house. I wonder if the timing has anything to do with it, since the restaurants appeared to open at the same time but the judges went to 'Revolt' first. So maybe by the time they came to the second restaurant it was busier, they were in the thick of it, and thus it was a disadvantage to be second judged. I don't know, they don't always present the timings accurately on these shows. Either way, you could tell she wouldn't be great at front of house, she is so dull and a real cold fish, you need to be outgoing and personable to be good at front of house. Disappointed with Beardy, I don't see how he can argue that he has a different idea of what rare and medium-rare are to Laurine... there is an industry-wide standard for what is defined as rare meat. I wonder if he cared less about getting the lamb right because it was Laurine's dish and he was more concerned with executing his own dish, the pork.

[theresa113 0]

I think Brian was pissy because even though they won, his brother was being a dick until he won the overall challenge. Though sad to lose another female chef, Loraine has been hanging on by a thread through the whole competition. But overall... I think this is one of the best Top Chef seasons ever. The challenges, the location, the high stake quick fires and the contestants have made this an exciting season.

[LadyGrey 6]

It's weird for Laurene to get sent home on a cooking show, for something that doesn't have to do with cooking

Thoughts on Lorraine: dude, the judges' table is like 10x more important than all the other tables combined.

It was 100% Lorraine's fault that all the lamb was sent out medium rare. She didn't ask the customers, and she served it. also... IT WAS HER DISH!

Though sad to lose another female chef, Loraine has been hanging on by a thread through the whole competition.

I find it amazing that we are 9 episodes into this season and a lot of you guys still didn't spell her name correctly (Laurine). I guess it speaks to how boring and forgettable she is.

[brvheart 1,752]

I find it amazing that we are 9 episodes into this season and a lot of you guys still didn't spell her name correctly (Laurine). I guess it speaks to how boring and forgettable she is.

I just didn't care enough to figure out if I spelled it correctly and copied Tim. It did cross my mind though.

[LadyGrey 6]

I just didn't care enough to figure out if I spelled it correctly and copied Tim. It did cross my mind though.

Well, they show it at the bottom of the screen during the show when she is talking/introducing her dish, that's how I learnt how to spell it. It is a really weird name, kinda like a Southern soudning version of 'Lauren' or 'Lorraine'. I've never seen or heard it elsewhere.

[jeff_536 3]

I wonder how much self awareness some of the bottom tier contestants have at this point. Like that guido guy... I wonder if he thinks that he has a legitimate shot at winning, or if he's just trying to scrape by till all the dead wood is thinned out. Because some of these folks just have zero chance at the finals, like none at all. I wonder if they recognize it in themselves, or if they are delusional.

No one expected Hosea to win last year, but he kept scrimping by and ended up taking it all. Same, as someone else mentioned, the year before when Richard Blaise won.I can't imagine you get to the top of this kind of profession without a LOT of confidence in your own ability.

[timwakefield 68]

I didn't really get why Brian was so pissy at the end of the episode - his team won, he admitted his brother deserved to win overall - where's the beef?

Right when they got back from the winner's table, when Bryan says "Why don't you just keep mine, they gave it to you," they cut in an interview of Bryan saying, "I'm tired of his unprofessional behavior being rewarded."

the year before when Richard Blaise won.

Richard didn't win, he choked in the finale and Stephanie won.

[LadyGrey 6]

Right when they got back from the winner's table, when Bryan says "Why don't you just keep mine, they gave it to you," they cut in an interview of Bryan saying, "I'm tired of his unprofessional behavior being rewarded."

Yeah I saw that but I thought it was really petty. I know they showed some examples of Michael's behaviour, but some of it seemed reasonable to me - like exerting his leadership over Robin when she wouldn't let him help her with her dessert. Of course, using a mile of cling wrap when Brian is waiting to use it is childish, but so is being a little bitch and whining about that too. If they weren't brothers I doubt if they'd be so irritated by each other, they really are acting like kids.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Yeah I saw that but I thought it was really petty. I know they showed some examples of Michael's behaviour, but some of it seemed reasonable to me - like exerting his leadership over Robin when she wouldn't let him help her with her dessert. Of course, using a mile of cling wrap when Brian is waiting to use it is childish, but so is being a little bitch and whining about that too. If they weren't brothers I doubt if they'd be so irritated by each other, they really are acting like kids.

He made a HUGE show of the unprofessionalism of the Not a Cougar swearing at him and then in that clip showed him swearing at her and others multiple times - not just little mind games with his brother. That little series of clips was great.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

He made a HUGE show of the unprofessionalism of the Not a Cougar swearing at him and then in that clip showed him swearing at her and others multiple times - not just little mind games with his brother. That little series of clips was great.

I thought so too.

[speedz99 145]

You answered this in your very next post. He's a prick, bossy, and dominating. It's in his personality. Which is fine... when the bolded is true.

"For himself" when speaking about a chef means, "For himself and by extension the people that he works for and with because his success means their success."If you're talking about opening a restaurant as a passion project, fine, pick Beardo without even having a second thought. If it's a business decision, crossing Michael off the list without doing more research would be craziness.

[brvheart 1,752]

"For himself" when speaking about a chef means, "For himself and by extension the people that he works for and with because his success means their success."If you're talking about opening a restaurant as a passion project, fine, pick Beardo without even having a second thought. If it's a business decision, crossing Michael off the list without doing more research would be craziness.

Did you ever see the reality show The Restaurant? Not all chef's care about good business decisions. So I would just want someone willing to work with me, as an owner, in my corner. Someone who can also cook as good or better than anyone.

[jeff_536 3]

I, of course, meant: The year Blaise lost. I'm not smart.Bravo has a spinoff coming:http://www.variety.com/article/VR111801038...yid=14&cs=1

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I, of course, meant: The year Blaise lost. I'm not smart.Bravo has a spinoff coming:http://www.variety.com/article/VR111801038...yid=14&cs=1

Deserts?Yawn.

[LadyGrey 6]

I think a pastry chef competition could be really interesting as long as the contestants understand the importance of presentation.Also, there are some trends in desserts that I really don't want to see every episode:1. Sorbets/ice creams made from unexpected flavours. I've seen avocado ice cream, chocolate sorbet, beetroot ice cream, milk sorbet, yoghurt ice cream, etc etc. It's like the easiest way to make a dessert 'avant garde' and doesn't require much skill, just a functioning ice cream maker.2. Jellies/jello. Another easy, 'unusual' addition. Add a few cubes of some weird gelatin creation like basil jelly, rum jelly, coffee jelly. This has become trendy because having little cubes or slices of it strewn on the plate looks 'modern' and 'abstract'. Personally I don't think jelly is a complimentary texture for most desserts, and again, it's not an advanced technique.3. Smears of sauce on the plate. They do this with savoury dishes too, but with desserts it tends to be worse because they put big streaks of brown sauces on the plate and it just looks like a big skidmark. Anyway, the amount of sauce you get when it is spread so thinly is not enough to provide moisture to a dish, and unless it's really strong it can't provide much flavour either. This is a purely visual trend. If it's a good sauce, provide it in a little jug, bowl, or else pour a significant amount on the plate. You can do it in blobs or in a swirl or whatever, just don't make it look like a streak of shit. Here is an example:

[theresa113 0]

Michael is definitely one of the most talented chefs this year but even Beardy commented that he is getting tired of the brothers bickering.Leadership is not about being a dick. In the first season, Harold won due to his leadership skills and one could argue that Marcel lost due to his lack of leadership as well. I can't think of one "bad" guy winning this competition except for maybe Hung (who wasn't really a bad guy.) Even if Michael is in the finals, how many people would put in the extra effort to assist him? If he continues to alienate others, he may be setting up his own demise.As far as Jennifer and Beardy, I think the issue was that they both had a lot of respect for each other and did not want to step on each other toes. Bad mistake on their part. They collaborated in the past with great success and most likely thought that the same symmetry would happen again. They didn't take into account all of the other factors.

[Suited_Up 2]

Deserts?Yawn.

[cuddlemonkey 0]

Michael is definitely one of the most talented chefs this year but even Beardy commented that he is getting tired of the brothers bickering.Leadership is not about being a dick. In the first season, Harold won due to his leadership skills and one could argue that Marcel lost due to his lack of leadership as well. I can't think of one "bad" guy winning this competition except for maybe Hung (who wasn't really a bad guy.) Even if Michael is in the finals, how many people would put in the extra effort to assist him? If he continues to alienate others, he may be setting up his own demise.As far as Jennifer and Beardy, I think the issue was that they both had a lot of respect for each other and did not want to step on each other toes. Bad mistake on their part. They collaborated in the past with great success and most likely thought that the same symmetry would happen again. They didn't take into account all of the other factors.

What's your definition of bad in this case? I think Ilan was the "bad" guy of season 2 much more so than Marcel.

[speedz99 145]

I hate Ilan and hope he fails at life in general.

Leadership is not about being a dick. In the first season, Harold won due to his leadership skills and one could argue that Marcel lost due to his lack of leadership as well. I can't think of one "bad" guy winning this competition except for maybe Hung (who wasn't really a bad guy.) Even if Michael is in the finals, how many people would put in the extra effort to assist him? If he continues to alienate others, he may be setting up his own demise.

You can be a leader without being a dick, but you can also be a leader while being a dick. Sure, nobody wanted to work with Tiffany because she was a dick, and that hurt her in the finals. But Michael is a dick who is also a leader, and I can guarantee you that if he makes the finals everyone will bust their asses for him, partially because they respect his talent so much and partially because if they don't he'll rip their faces off. There are different kinds of leaders...he's Bill Belichick, not Pete Carroll. Bobby Knight, not Phil Jackson. Additional sports reference.