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Archive through January 19, 2007

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2008 - 1: Top Chef - Prior Seasons: ARCHIVES: Archive through January 19, 2007 users admin

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Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 6:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
First off, I am ticked at the judges. They have said over and over again, 'if a dish has elements that don't work, make adjustments'. Elia did that with the chocolate and they chastised her because it wasn't heart shaped! grrr
I never could figure out why Elan wore that stupid hood all the time..now we know. It also shows that alot of the interviews are done at a much later time!
I absolutely do not condone what Cliff did and thought it was a very uncomfortable thing to watch, but I am very impressed with the fact that he never tried to shrug it off or make lame excuses. He took responsibility for his actions and I thought gave a very gracious and sincere apology to Marcel.
Padma irritates me more and more. I don't like her proprietary tone with the contestants.

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 6:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
I watched the "afeter show" on bravotv.com. One of the callers asked if anyone ever hooked up while on the show. The answer was no because hooking up was also against the rules and would get you kicked off. I found that interesting.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 6:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Did they address Ciff's actions, Lilfair?

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 6:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
They spent a bit of time on Cliff's actions. He seemed very embarrassed about it and said it was a gigantic mistake and that things just got out of control. He came across as very sincere. They asked how soon after the incident did he realize he was going home. He said not till the morning. He said some half way nice thing abot <100> but also said he doesn't keep in touch with him.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 7:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
thanks.

Bearlee
Member

05-18-2005

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 8:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bearlee a private message Print Post    
Ilan's dish was some type of pasta dish with clams making it 3 seafood courses. Ilan was the one who took all of the burners on the stove so Marcel was having to wait til he was done and stressed him out.

As far as Marcel using beets knowing that Sam was too, he found out when they were shopping and he said he wasn't changing his dish again.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 9:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Ilan's dish was fideo with saffron and clams. Fideo is sorta like vermicelli. It's Spanish, and it's usually sauteed in oil before liquid is added (sorta like cooking arborio rice for paella, only with different results). Usually a smallish amount of liquid, so that it's absorbed/evaporated (as in Ilan's case). But it can be made with more liquid to make a soup with noodles. Definitely not yo' mamma's chicken noodle soup! :-)

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 9:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Tex, Padma has irritated me from day one. I don't think she has added anything to the show, and most often I think she lacks credibility. I realize she thinks she's a chef of some sort (she's constantly providing recipes on her blog), but I've not been impressed with her at all. (And yes, I don't like her tone with the contestants.)

I was surprised at the three seafood dishes. Although Ilan's was, for the most part, the fideo *with* clams, still... No vegetables? Thank heavens I didn't go there for dinner... I wouldn't have been able to eat anything except for Elia's dessert! I hate to say it, but I think eating three relatively heavy courses in the middle (Sam's first course was small, and Elia's was dessert) would not for a romantic after-dinner evening make. (And... no one thought of oysters? After all the discussion about oysters during the Seven Sins challenge???? WTH?)

I also thought that it sucked that Elia received comments that her dish lacked the hearts the menu indicated. Tom C. has said numerable times "if it doesn't work, don't include it". So it didn't work for her, she didn't include hearts (although she did include the chocolate), and she gets called out?

I was really kinda hoping Marcel and Elia had gotten the boot last night. I totally disliked the way Padma announced they were staying, but when I thought they were leaving, I thought it made sense. Of course, instead, two of 'em are gonna leave after arriving in Hawaii. So what diff does it make?

The chef's behavior after the challenge was quite juvenile. (And yes, Sea, I know the rules. It was just unclear from Jami's postings if Cliff was asked to leave because of the "prank" or if he was asked to leave because of his dish.)

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 11:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landi a private message Print Post    
i didn't realize until recently that Padma is married to author Salman Rushdie

Allietex
Member

08-16-2002

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 12:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Allietex a private message Print Post    
I wonder if Cliff felt a little better about leaving in such a stupid way when he found out that he would have been elimnated anyway? It would have been hard to take if someone else, say Marcel, had been the one who would have left. But regardless, he brought it on himself.

It is hard to believe that a grown man with a responsible job would act in such a childish manner in the middle of such a serious competition. I wonder if he was really drunk. Cliff could be arrogrant at times, but he always seemed sensible. He really disappointed me. But he redeemed himself to some degree with how he was obviously sorry and disappointed in himself and the grace he showd in his elimanation..

I have a question. Did Sam end up helping Marcel serve his dish? I had a short phone call during Marcel's presentation and missed some of it. Sam had said he was not going to help him because Marcel did not help him. But didn't he come back and help? I came in on his comments about it, but was not sure. If he did, I am glad he overcame his resentment of Marcel and acted like a gentleman.

It is hard sometimes to separate our feelings about the contestants personality from the question of who is the best chef. Every one of them at one time or another has said or done something to turn me off. So I find I can put personality aside at this point.

But I find myself leaning toward Sam. I really believe talent wise and performance wise, he has been the steadiest throughout the competition. He has won several competitions and I do not remember any real disasters for him. He has been helpful and supportive of the others. I like him.

I was impressed with how Marcel handled the situation when one of the pans of salmon fell to the floor. He simply cut the remaining pieces in half. He did not panic and the pieces were plenty large enough to serve.

Elia is very emotional. Whenever something goes wrong, she seems to panic and says, "I quit." Of course she does not quit, but goes ahead and makes the best of it. She reminds me of myself in this respect. That is exactly my reaction. While I am yelling, "I quit!" I am continuing to work on the problem. She does annoy me however, in that she seems unable to accept critism. I don't think I have ever heard her agree with a judge's comment.

I have mixed feelings about Ilan. Sometimes I think he must be really talented and other times, he acts like he doesn't really belong. Apparently his dish last night was very good. From the judge's comments, if they had had to pick a winner, I suspect he would have won.

I will be pulling for Sam in Hawaii.

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 12:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
My stock in Elia went way up. I've always wanted to shave my hair off. I have "good: hair but have a fantasy about getting in and out of the shower with no thought to drying my hair and all the other things that go along with styling hair.

I thought she looked great! Hmmmmm who knows maybe one day.

Padma seems like a poser.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 12:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Sam ended up helping Marcel plate his dish. He said he didn't want to, but he didn't want to be that kinda guy.

I'm also leaning towards Sam. He had some stumbles in the beginning, but I like how he's adapted. And except for the one time when he blew up at Marcel in the supply store, he's mostly been pretty even keeled. (And honestly, I think he'd just had enuf of Marcel's sniping and I don't blame him.)

Elia is "glass half empty." She's got a pretty negative attitude. I'd thought at one point I'd like to see her win this, but I've since changed my mind. There have been several times during a quickfire where she, literally, turned up her nose at the task. The whole idea of the quickfire is do something outside of the chefs' comfort zone(s), and I don't like her attitude (the one that really comes to mind was the one where they had to make stuff from the vending machines).

And me, too, about Ilan. The mixed feelings thing. The way he's acted lately has been distasteful, but I think he is a really creative and talented chef. That said, his childishness makes me wonder if he's actually ready to run a kitchen. I don't see him as much of a leader, whereas I do see Sam as a leader. I think all hell would break lose in Ilan's or Elia's kitchens, but Sam's would be almost zen!

Allietex
Member

08-16-2002

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 3:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Allietex a private message Print Post    
Of all of them that are left, Sam is the only one that shows the maturity and steadiness to be a top chef in a major resturant at this time. The others are good chefs, but top chef...no. Elia is too volitle, Ilan lacks confidence, and Marcell is too immature. Of course that is really only my opinion. I know nothing about real chefs in real kitchens. LOL

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 4:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Tom Colicchio's blog is up
as far as I was concerned they were all to blame and I was ready to send the lot of them home and declare Marcel the winner by default. For the first time all season, the Producers stepped in with a veto. Sending all of the chefs but Marcel home wasn't going to happen......I won't pretend I'm not disappointed by the behavior I witnessed in tonight's episode. I lost a lot of respect for Cliff, Ilan, Sam and Elia after what they did (or didn't do.) Not as cooks, necessarily, but as people -- and thereby as chefs. Chef means "chief" in French, and “chief” implies someone who leads -- not by bullying or even popularity, but by example.



http://www.bravotv.com/blog/tomcolicchio/2007/01/tom_211_1.php?page=1

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
I have to agree with Tom. I really would be disappointed mostly in Cliff, but also in the other three (Ilan, Sam and Elia) for not stepping in and stopping such ridiculous behavior. What a bunch of dumb***es for even video recording it. Too bad it would have ruined the show if they did boot the lot of them. Cuz that is probably what should have happened.

I also don't care that Cliff apologized. Too little too late. I am still impressed with Marcel handling it all so well.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Oh yeah. I forgot... Sam stepped up and helped Marcel plate his dish during the elimination challenge. But Marcel refused to help anyone plate, even when asked (by Sam).

I still say there is more than we see as to why the others dislike him so.

Jami
Member

10-08-2003

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jami a private message Print Post    
Wow,,,chef Tom didn't mince words, did he?

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Keep in mind that Sam was done with his dish when he helped. Marcel was very much "under the gun" when Sam asked Marcel for help.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Marcel was third up. He still had plenty of time and could've spared a few minutes to help plate. It goes both ways... you really shouldn't expect help if you can't help others.

Loyolamom
Member

05-10-2005

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Loyolamom a private message Print Post    
I wonder what Tom thinks of Gordon Ramsey from Hells Kitchen?

Rehtse
Member

08-17-2005

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 5:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rehtse a private message Print Post    
Yeah, I was totally thinking that somebody needed to step up and diffuse the situation. However, from what we saw, Elia did not seem to be in the room, so kicking her out would have been a bit harsh, but Ilan and Sam should have been booted as well.

Poor little Marcel looked so vulnerable. This was one of the ugliest incidents I have ever seen on reality tv.

Cricket
Member

08-05-2002

Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 8:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cricket a private message Print Post    
Texannie, who is the Tom person who wrote the article above? Is he a chef? Thanks.

I couldn't quite understand why they were shaving their heads (Elia had beautiful hair) but I do understand why Cliff went and got Marcel. He has just gotten under all their skin. I know the show had to send Cliff home, but still felt bad for him going home under those circumstances.

He was probably going to be cut anyway because most of the judges thought his dish was that hot. I think that's why they kept the remaining 4, rather than send another person home.

ETA: I would like to see Sam win also.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 19, 2007 - 12:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Costacat, the time frame when Marcel was being asked to help was while he was still preparing his own dish and he was being held up when the chef ahead of him used all 10 burners. Those who helped him later had finished serving, so it wasn't an equal thing. He stated that he didn't have the extra time..

I think it is pretty easy for us to say he had plenty of time but if he couldn't even use the burners until after that time, I'd say he had his hands full.

That still takes nothing away from Sam's stepping up to help him.. big plus for Sam.

Tom is the permanenet judge for the show.

Cliff brought it on himself, I certainly cannot understand why he would go and get anybody. One of the other guys was in the thick of it and then decided not to shave his head, after the two did it. Cliff didn't even fresh shave his head so why was it so important to wake up the only person who apparently wasn't drunkenly denuding their skull to impose something upon him?

I'm with Tom.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 19, 2007 - 12:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Wow, he was pissed!


quote:

I could see how a goofy drunken idea ("Wouldn't it be funny if we shaved our heads,") escalated into a stupid, thoughtless one ("Wouldn't it be funny if we shaved Marcel's head") and from there into an act of ugly stupidity: ("Let's hold Marcel down and shave his head.") It was like watching an instructional video in bad group dynamics -- four apparently decent individuals (three if you buy Elia's argument that she was clueless), fueled by alcohol and subconscious anger, became one collective disaster gleefully terrorizing the designated odd-man-out.

In a flash I understood how frat pranks can morph into ugly acts of hazing, or how a rowdy bachelor party can become the scene of a crime. The sight of Sam yukking it up or Ilan yelling, "Get him! Get him!" from behind the camera was just as disturbing as the sight of Cliff tackling a stunned and terrified Marcel on the floor. And I'm not willing to hold Elia blameless just because she wasn't in the room -- I know she heard the others entreating her to join them, so she must have heard Marcel calling out for help. The whole thing brought to mind that famous quote, "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Any one of them could have spoken up and said, "This isn't cool, guys. Knock it off."

But they didn't, so as far as I was concerned they were all to blame and I was ready to send the lot of them home and let Marcel win by default.




And makes some good points, too.

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Friday, January 19, 2007 - 3:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
As far as I am concerned, Marcel has won this show. Top Chef is lucky if Marcel does not sue. I could see leaving Elia in the competition, but I agree with Tom that Sam and Ilan should also have been sent home. Cliff may have been doing the actual manhandling but they were just as involved.