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Scout
Member
01-20-2005
| Thursday, December 07, 2006 - 3:38 pm
Nice to see a change-up of bottom three. I was really glad that Marcel won the quickfire challenge. Julieboo- I hated the way Frank went off on Marcel, too. But, I thought he handled his exit pretty well. Interesting how Betty is all smiles again.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, December 07, 2006 - 7:22 pm
I was impressed w/Cliff's acceptance of responsibility for his low scoring meal -- Sam's gotta' learn to do that, too! Of the bottom three, I was glad to see Frank go. Sam IS eye candy -- now if he could just adjust his attitude. I probably have a very low tolerance for whining since I'm w/teenagers 8-10 hours every day! LOL
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Trueheart
Member
09-12-2006
| Thursday, December 07, 2006 - 7:24 pm
Scout me too! I was so excited that Marcel won it! I high-fived my sister. (I know...I'm a dork) I just hate how everyone is so mean to him. I love him and think he is so funny! I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes when he was talking like that to the surfers! Bwahahahaha! I am glad Frank left cuz I couldn't stand him ever since he went off on Marcel over him moving his toothbrush... Right on sistah! BTW Did everyone see the viewer question for this weeks show? Who has over stayed their welcome? a. Betty b. Frank c. Michael Can I choose d. All of the above? 
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Sadiesmom
Member
03-13-2002
| Thursday, December 07, 2006 - 11:38 pm
Well, I am not sold on Marcel yet - in many ways he seems too Superior, but on the other hand there are times when he seems to lack real life experience. And he did seem to stir up a little trouble withmoving people's pots around. I am also not so much a Betty hater or lover. She did own up to what her problem was and fix it forthe next challenge and she was the first to offer Mike eggs. I figure everyone is being "portrayed" fora reality show. I think that was why I was so thrown about the consistant Tiffany hate by the end of the show, and I had to admit they probably presented her nicer than she was. What/who am I most tired of - I am so tired of people saying they are a chef and these challenges are below them - what would they do if they ever got on iron chef and they did not like the main ingredient - whine, whine, whine. I wish htey would just accept tha they are on a reality show and the challenges are showmanship - I have the same feelings about Project runway and the designers that are above the challenges.
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Lizziedi
Member
10-05-2005
| Friday, December 08, 2006 - 1:42 am
Hi, I've been a lurker here. Really have enjoyed the comments & opinions. I watch this show with my son, Jeremy, who is an excellent cook. Cooking is a hobby of mine, and every week we do a new recipe. So food is a big topic in my house. Our favorite contestant is Cliff, hands down. He seems to be professional, innovative & well-rounded, and also a real gentleman, avoiding the personal fray. Beyond that, we debate constantly over everyone else, which is fun. I like Marcel & Sam. He doesn't. We both have really mixed opinions on the others. We think it's only a matter of time for Michael. We had Betty's grilled cheese sandwich from TGIF! It was really good, albeit much smaller & fewer mushrooms. The onions were carmelized & excellent. We ended up getting the wrong soup, so we're going back. Oh and . . . yes, we don't like people who whine either.
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Gemma120in2002
Member
07-05-2003
| Friday, December 08, 2006 - 5:28 am
This was a good one! I really enjoyed the way they didn't know what they were going to do. At work I was asked what I would have done without knowing what cooking conditions I would have had and I told them that I would have fallen back on the wonderful stand-by of pouch cooking! Slice up some potatoes and drizzle them with oil and herbs, salt & pepper and you have a good potato. Cook thinly sliced chicken in a foil pouch with onions, celery & spices & a little bit of lemon juice, and that will go over the potatoes beautifully. Combine fresh chopped onions, cottage cheese, and tomato to have as a side salad or as a cheesy topping to the chicken & potatoes and it's delicious and pretty. If you don't want the potatoes, get instant pizza crust mix, make up the pizza dough and then brush it with olive oil and grill it with salt and finely chopped rosemary over the open fire for a rustic bread to go with the chicken. Oh yeah, there were large covered pans there. Frank could have created a dutch oven and baked his quiche in them. Put the pan down into the coals with the quiche on a platform inside the pan. Put the lid on the pan and then put some hot coals on top of the lid and then hope and pray that it doesn't burn and that it's done before the time limit. It was a stupid recipe choice for an unknown cooking situation. Baking requires specific conditions and pie crust doesn't like to be abused. It will abuse you right back!
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Lizziedi
Member
10-05-2005
| Saturday, December 09, 2006 - 1:37 am
Wow, Gemma, excellent ideas! I never thought of the foil angle. It would have been perfect (hard to burn, thin slices make cooking fast, no danger of being too dry), and I'm hungry just reading it. And also the pizza dough, olive oil, salt & rosemary--instant foccacia! The side salad could have also topped that. Jeremy's idea was breakfast tamales. Saute chorizo, onions, garlic, spices, stir in eggs. Make a masa spread on corn husks, add chorizo mix, top with cheese, more masa, and steam in water. Again, like your idea, hard to burn it, because it's also in a pouch. My thinking was so primitive. I figured, possibly no fire. Buy granola, yogurt, strawberry preserves, granny smith apples, sharp cheddar, make a honey butter with a twist (like lemon or orange zest). There you've covered the basics, in case there is no fire. You can have a granola/strawberry yogurt sundae, cheddar wedges and sliced apples with honey butter. Bring along flour, eggs, brown sugar & milk--so if you have a fire you can turn it into granola/apple pancakes with honey butter, or apple crisp topped with cheese, etc. I think my idea was not very creative, both you and Jeremy had more "chef-like" vision! I won't even touch the pie crust issue, I've never been able to make mine come out as well as my mom's, lol.
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Alisons
Member
01-10-2003
| Saturday, December 09, 2006 - 5:18 am
Well, I dislike most quiche anyway so I doubt I would have liked Frank's dish regardless. But you are right Gemma, that was a totally stupid choice if you knew you were going to be limited in some way. I am trying to think of the circumstance where you would have been limited but quiche would have been a good idea, and I can't come up with it. Even if you only had an oven to cook with, I would rather have shirred eggs with whatever rather than quiche! I have no idea what I would have done with this challenge, since I basically hate most breakfast food. I like soft boiled eggs mixed in a bowl with toast cubes and vinegar and I like pancakes layered with a fried egg and ham and home fries (but I don't like pancakes with syrup.) Other than that I will just take cheerios. My family eats venison and pancakes and chicken and waffles, but not at breakfast usually - well, I take that back, the venison and pancakes is sometimes a Christmas breakfast.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, December 13, 2006 - 10:04 pm
What did everyone think of the ending tonight? On one hand, I think Tom hit the nail on the head when he said Mia obviously hadn't fought as hard in the kitchen as she did at the judges' table to "be heard," but on the other, I don't think Cliff would have listened to her no matter what she did. I was NOT impressed with him tonight at all. I still like Elia, but I don't see her being the "top" chef because she doesn't seem to do well w/managing others. Sam did an excellent job -- and I still wish Marcel would stop TALKING!
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 4:40 am
I think Mia handled herself as well as she could given the circumstances. Of course, we heard Cliff say "nonononono" to her a few times. But was it really him doing that on repeated suggestions by Mia, or was it editing.....I've seen these reality shows use a line said by someone once edited in over and over again to create drama. Mia could have gone off on Cliff during the planning stages and fought as hard as Tom seems to think she should have. But what would that have accomplished? Cliff had decided not to listen to her and do his own thing. If she'd started a fight, all it would have done was squash any chance of group cohesiveness. I think she voiced her dissatisfaction, then backed off and played for the team. She wasn't the team leader, so it wasn't her place to stand up and insist her way be listened to. Too bad Cliff had immunity. I would have sent him home. It was obvious he was the one causing the group meltdown. And he wasn't about to take responsibility for anything negative. Elia doesn't seem to have a strong enough personality to lead a team. So I don't see her being a Top Chef either. She seemed to follow Cliff cause he was the loudest mouth during the planning session. And when Mia/Cliff got into it at the judges table, she sort of pulled her neck in and looked like she was trying to hide in "her shell" like a turtle. Sam OTH immediately took Betty and Marcel aside and told them to table their differences. That was a smart move. Acknowledge the personality conflict, and divert/focus their attention on the real task at hand, rather than the distraction of trying to get each other's goats.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 6:48 am
Cliff really was the problem. He seemed to be the leader to start, so (especially w/immunity) he should have continued on as leader. Kinda dumb of them not to have him as leader, if for no other reason, to make sure there was no sure target should they lose. I did, however, like it when he called Mia out (he said something like "Cry me a river.") when she was going on and on about what a rough life she's had. First of all, most people have had rough spots in their life. Second of all, this is not a sympathy contest, where the person who has overcome the most is the winner. (Best way to go far with that is write a book. See Christopher Gardener.) I can't believe they were just gonna do three appetizers. That team totally belonged on the losing side. Why did Mia "fall on the knife" anyways? I don't get it. I bet there have been plenty of chefs who left that the other chefs thought should stay, but it makes no sense to me to even enter the contest if you wouldn't do everything you could to stay and to win.
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 6:58 am
Julieboo, at the beginning of the show she was going on about how she missed her family, yada, yada, yada. That is usually forshadowing in most reality shows that they will be going home. I think she did really miss her family and knew she didn't have a chance to win it and Elia has a better chance to win it and she would rather have Elia win it then say Marcel or Cliff (after last night.) I am so tired of Betty. I hope she goes home soon. Everytime she makes a dessert, she screws it up. And what was she thinking of adding lime juice to the Bailey's??? Ugh! Mike should have been the one to go home last night. I like him, but he hasn't really done anything great. And like the judges said, he is not a top chef. I wonder if he may have been the one to be sent home last night if Mia hadn't volunteered herself.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 7:24 am
Grooch, you are right, that usually is the big clue/foreshadowing. Yuck on the lime with Bailey's. Unless you like cottage cheese in a mixed drink.
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Twinkie
Member
09-24-2002
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 12:26 pm
Last night I kept saying, Mia, shut up! They were going to send Mike home and that's who needed to go! ARGGG
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Rehtse
Member
08-17-2005
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 6:21 pm
The only thing that I did not like about Mia last night was her cussing in front of the judges. Very inappropriate, I thought. Otherwise, ditto what Whoami said.
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Gumby
Member
08-14-2004
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 6:24 pm
Actually, in Chef Tom's blog on Bravotv.com, he says that clearly the loss was on Elia's shoulders and had Mia not sacraficed herself, Elia would've been sent home.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 8:47 pm
Cliff dominated and then later Elia was declared the leader. Elia did seem on board with fewer dishes and not enough teamwork but whew I sure wouldn't have wanted to lead that team.. she had two people at each other's throats (and one with immunity) and one sorta drifting, under the radar. But yes, she would have had to have been the one to go home. I like her, so wanted her to stay. I think she has real talent but this isn't the first time when her judgement was way off.. just not quite grounded in reality. Mia was out of control in front of the judges and I still don't get why she left. I agree that Sam took charge better BUT he also was put in charge closer to the beginning and he wasn't stuck with the immune person. That often is like a bad seed, to have the immune person on your team. And I don't think Cliff would have team played anyway. Betty has made me crazy almost every week.
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Alisons
Member
01-10-2003
| Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 10:13 pm
HA! Betty's drink reminded me of one of my all-time favorite drinks, the Brain Tumor. Mix apple schnapps and Bailey's - add a touch of grenadine. Looks like your brain on alcohol! Wait - it is your brain on alcohol! So surreal. Try it!
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Lizziedi
Member
10-05-2005
| Friday, December 15, 2006 - 1:16 am
LOL at the "Brain Tumor." I also think Mia was already getting stressed, homesick and ready to go. I think this challenge hurt her personally, because she is a caterer and wasn't listened to, and the team failed in the most important way--unhappiness with the clients (not enough food). I was also surprised and disappointed in Cliff. Mia did try to do her best--she spent the whole affair trying to be pleasant & gracious & cover for her team. I really don't think either Michael or Mia failed here. I also think Elia isn't grounded in reality, I do not care for her myself. I think she's possibly a brilliant person. I do think she lives in her own world, her own vision. I think she takes a minimalist, perfectionist approach--a polar opposite to Michael. When she said, "200 people, 2 hours, 800 canapes."--I knew she was entirely wrong. And not really looking at this as cooking for people who enjoy food. I've been reading over some of the early posts of this show, and I'm really impressed with some of the serious cooks here!
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Friday, December 15, 2006 - 4:59 am
Gumby, thanks for the info from Tom's blog! Also,
quote:When she said, "200 people, 2 hours, 800 canapes."
Ummm.. that would end up being 1 canape per person every 1/2 hour. I wouldn't want to go to a party like that. The only thing worse would be a cash bar on top of it. 
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Friday, December 15, 2006 - 5:15 am
I am probably wrong, but I can see why Mia left. She was missing her family, exhausted and frustrated. I think she felt she couldn't win and Elia has a chance to win it. She would prefer Elia to win it than some of those other knuckleheads. No matter how well she does in the challenges, she never wins one. She was the only one who knew how to cook the frog's legs and all the judges loved her food the best (it seemed to me) w/ her southern sunday dinner. Also, the surfers' voted her meal the favorite yet she still didn't win. I'm sure there are a few more examples, but I can't remember at this time.
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Loyolamom
Member
05-10-2005
| Friday, December 15, 2006 - 10:01 am
When my brother and his wife were married a couple years ago they served heavy appetizers at their reception. The caterer suggested, and they paid for, seven appetizers per person/per hour. The reception went longer than planned because everyone was having such a good time but they had a TON of food left over. When Elia said 2 per person/per hour I knew they wouldn't have enough. I don't know how many you should plan for though...somewhere between 2 and 7 I guess To me, Elia comes across as rather snobby and rigid in her thinking. She really seemed to believe that they would have enough food and never seemed to doubt that they would have enough and win.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Friday, December 15, 2006 - 10:33 am
Good thing I am not invited to any shindigs where I am expected to mingle around for an hour and eat only 2 morsels. I'd be stealing them off other people's plates when they weren't looking! 
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Alisons
Member
01-10-2003
| Saturday, December 16, 2006 - 3:35 pm
Elia is French and God only knows they eat nothing over there. That is why they are so thin. She needs to take a good hard look at the size of Americans (ahem!) before she plans her next set of appetizers for a party! That being said, this was a Hollywood party and most of them don't eat either. Just her luck that Nicole Richie, the Olson twins and Kate Bosworth weren't on the attendance list - with a crowd like that, she would have had 799 leftover appetizers after they split one and left half on the plate.
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Trueheart
Member
09-12-2006
| Saturday, December 16, 2006 - 4:23 pm
I also did NOT like Cliff's attitude on the show. I was never really rooting for him per se, but after this episode he dropped way down on my list of winners. Elia as well. I was really disappointed that she did not allow more outside suggestion other than her own ideas. I really felt sorry for Mia which is rare because she is by no means one of my favorites! Early on when their team was deciding what foods to choose, Elia was completely brushing her off! "No...no cheeses." "I don't think there is anything wrong with all seafood dishes." It was clearly Elia's way or the highway! I know she was team leader but you need to have some room for flexibility and compromise. That's what makes it a team effort! At the judging, they criticized Elia's team for not having enough food on their table the whole time. I felt that this was never really answered by the team and that annoyed me! Oh yeah.....they said it was because of the miscommunication between the FRONT and BACK...thus blaming it on Michael who was the go between. IMO, that was way off! I CLEARLY remembered Elia stating that she had made the decision NOT to cook all of the food ahead of time. She wanted to cook it while the party was underway. I'm not sure why no one brought this up at judging. That CRUCIAL decision, IMO, was the reason that they never had enough food. It was poor managing and preparation skills on her part. If indeed, the judges would have sent Elia home (per Tom's blog) I think that would have been the right choice. I believe she has a lot of talent but she really fumbled this challenge up. Also, what was up with Elia's team's table? They did get the same amount of money didn't they? LOL There were like...no flowers, no lights or decorative serving plates. All you you could see was a red tablecloth and plain traditional silver serving plates. Boring! Many props to Sam's team for creating such a beautiful atmosphere for the food!! The dishes that the food sat on were so varied and interesting! Sam's team on this episode worked PERFECTLY together. They truly were a joy to watch. I love to see the cooperation and efficiency that they displayed. I do think Sam made a great leader, he is professional and has the cool calm thinking to keep everyone balanced. I'm not sure if things would have run so smoothly had Marcel or Betty been leader! They tend to be hotheads! As an afterthought, I really did not like the cussing coming out of Mia at judging. I was embarrassed for her! It was so unprofessional and just plain crude!
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