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Archive through November 12, 2006

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2008 - 1: Top Chef - Prior Seasons: ARCHIVES: Archive through November 12, 2006 users admin

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Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 7:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Yep Alisons, that would have been the ideal thing. Or why have them do it twice? Just let them do it the one time with the nuritionists if they don't want to spend the $ or time...

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 8:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
I was glad Betty wasn't sent home. I like her.

Ladytex
Member

09-27-2001

Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 9:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ladytex a private message Print Post    
I honestly don't see any improvement from last years host to this one.

Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 10:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
Julie, they did it the first day to work out the recipes and make sure they were under 500 calories.

The next day they cooked it fresh and in enough quanities for the kids.

I wonder how much time went by before the judge (can't remember his name right now) came out to tell them his final decision. It must have been a lot longer than it seemed.

I also wonder how much they cut out from that discussion, because he said "We can argue all night." And Josie was soooo pissed off and her group wasn't even called in there before the judges.

I always liked Betty's smile, and it looks like in next week's previews that she isn't smiling at all, so the arguement must still be going on.

I also remember seeing a preview once, where Betty is crying and demanding to see the rule book.

Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 10:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
Ladytex, I agree. Everytime I look at her, I keep thinking that I am watching Heidi Klum and Project Runway. She seems to be more into fashion than cooking.

Trueheart
Member

09-12-2006

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 12:22 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Trueheart a private message Print Post    
Sam (?) did not say a dang word about it til his neck was on the chopping block.

First off Julie....HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW WHICH ONE SAM IS????? LOL According to your post it sounded as if you weren't real clear on their names. But Sam? I love that guy!

I thought it was hilarious when that young girl said "I want to marry that hot diabetic guy!" LOL I bet he's never been called that before!

If you were so concerned, then why not mention it til the 11th hour? If he was not in the bottom groups, I bet he would not have said a thing!}

In a way I agree, it was kind of lame that he mentioned it so late in the game. It really did make it look like he was just trying to save his own butt. If he had not been in the bottom groups he may not have said something, but I'm SURE someone else would have! I honestly think that no matter which teams were in the bottom two, the issue WOULD have been brought up. So IMO Sam mentioning it didn't make him any worse than anyone else. He was just the first one to voice something that was on many people's minds.

Trueheart
Member

09-12-2006

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 12:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Trueheart a private message Print Post    
I'm not sure how to say this....but I guess I'll blame it on the editing this year.

It's just that it seems like each episode has 3 or 4 people that you barely EVER SEE. You (for the most part) don't hear their comments, watch their cooking, or see the results of their food. I just don't remember this from last year? It seemed like all of the contestants were covered well in the episodes (last year). I felt like I "knew" each of them. But this season there are many people that I hardly ever see on TV! I'm not sure why they focus so much on some contestants. I wish that they would show us an EVEN amount of footage of EVERYONE!

Cdbga
Member

10-04-2004

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 4:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cdbga a private message Print Post    
I agree with that True. In some of the eps, we haven't even seen what dishes some of the contestants made (I don't think we saw Elia's ice cream....don't remember seeing Frank's either)! I feel like they are focusing a little too much on the drama and too little on the cooking this season.

If Betty knew she only added 2 tbs of sugar to the whole recipe, then all she'd have to do is divide the calories by # of portions to have an close enough estimate of the total calories. She also said she'd used fewer egg whites, so that would have given her more calories to play with. She'd gotten the number of calories per egg white from the nutritionist, so she'd have been able to do the math on that, too. I think she made an honest mistake in thinking that it was sticking to the calorie limit that mattered, not sticking to the recipe exactly. I agree with Alison that this all could have been avoided by having the nutritionists there both days.

Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 11:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
I watched all the repeats the other night. Something I caught onto and wonder if it will affect things later on.

In the first show, the contestants had to judge the other teams dishes as to who they liked the best and worse.

The 1st team pretty much agreed on everyone, for best and worst. They picked Marcel to be in the bottom two. Everyone but Elia. She kept saying she loved it.

3 episodes later (or maybe just 2) when Betty was fighting w/ Marcel in the firehouse competion, everyone left and Elia told Marcel she had his back and will always defend him. Then she told the cameras that she had worked w/ him before and helped him open a restaurant.

Since I saw that, I have seen her try to deflect the judges from his team.

Hmmmm.............


Also, from the judge's blog about the last competition:

Mia mentioned that Betty had changed her cookie recipe on day two (surprising, given that others insisted they had seen Mia add sugar to her cole slaw).

<snip>

Still, the whole thing left me annoyed. I dislike the passive-aggressive tendency on the part of some chefs to keep mum about possible violations -- “stolen” lychees, extra squeezes of olive oil -- until they themselves are under fire at the judges’ table. What’s stopping them from speaking up at the time, so that the producers and judge’s can rule on it then and there? I believe in addressing things head on -- both for your own sake and for the overall health of the working environment.
}

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 7:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Did you read the blog by the "judge" who enforces rules behind the scenes?? It's excellent! :-) I swear this whole "not listening to directions" is an epidemic in our society! My kids miss so many points on homework assignments because they simply don't listen -- and many times don't bother to read the instructions written on the board either. Based on the show the past couple weeks, it's a learned behavior from the adults!

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 8:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
I think it was kinda an honest mistake…well sorta kinda.

Because of the way this challenge was set up with such an emphasis on the calorie count and the authorization process of the first day by the nutritionists and being told that the recipe can't be altered....well then Betty should have spoke up and said....I want to adjust the cookies....this is what I want to do....is it ok?

I get a friendly and fun vibe from Betty, I like her but she should have spoke up herself and got permission.

Ladytex
Member

09-27-2001

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 9:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ladytex a private message Print Post    
I still wanna know who spritzed with olive oil, lol ...

Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 5:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
I'm assuming Marcel's team must have, since he got so defensive when it was brought up. And it sounded like other teams must have also.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 9:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
I agree, Lilfair -- I don't think betty was doing anything sneaky or underhanded; however, her mistake was a result of not listening carefully to the directions. Dave (of last season) said in his blog that when they give directions for challenges they give them very specifically and all contestants must raise their hands to indicate they understand them. Given the stress, lack of sleep, etc. I can see how someone could miss something, but I also think that in a competition situation, you have to REALLY focus to make sure you do get it. Asking if it was OK would have been the smartest move, but I was glad she wasn't sent home over it.

Beth4freedom
Member

10-24-2003

Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 11:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beth4freedom a private message Print Post    
RE following directions:
Remember the third place fellow last year (the man who teared up a lot; I really liked him) who blew it because he only created two items, not THREE as told to, I think when they were in Vegas??? He lost out specifically because of that; said he might have won the challenge otherwise!

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 10:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I actually think Betty seriously screwed up here. Part of the challenge had to do with an exact calorie count. They had to keep it under 500, but they were also told what their calorie counts were. If you were on a strict calorie diet, would you want to eat something that you were told was 340 calories, but then turned out to be 500? That can really interfere with a diet.

Betty screwed up using Splenda (hello? Splenda?) and tried to fix it the next day. People should've said something then. And honestly, Betty could've fixed it the first day... talking to the nutritionist to find out the difference in calories between Splenda and sugar. Sugar is only 16 calories in a teaspoon. That would be 48 calories in a tablespoon. She said she added two tablespoons of sugar, but for how much? The entire recipe? Isn't Splenda "half the calories of sugar." She could've easily talked to the dietician and asked to change the recipe up. (Another little hint, Betty... don't overfill your mixing bowls. That was another problem you had, since you had to keep stirring it down and deflating the mixture.)

That said, I agree... if someone thought someone was cheating (Sam talking about someone with the olive oil squirt bottles), he or she should've spoken up then.

And what was up with Josie getting all in everyone's face. Her team wasn't even in the winning group, nor was she in the losing group. Did she think she would've won had Betty's cookies been disqualified?

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 10:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Hehehe... just read Tom's blog and he said much of what I said... It wasn't just about the 500 calorie max. The chefs were trusted to stick to the calorie count they provided on the first day.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 10:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Oh yeah. Betty did not use fewer egg whites in her recipe. She made smaller cookies, which meant there were less egg whites (and calories) in each cookie.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 10:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Grooch, according to Gail's blog, the judges discussed this issue until 4am, at which point they decided they had a hung jury. The hours and hours? I'm guessing it was probably something like 6-8 hours!

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 10:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
From Lee Ann's blog:

quote:

You see, part of the reason I was brought on to production was to clarify the rules and provide more structure to them. None of this, “I didn’t understand the rules” nonsense. What I find so interesting is that however important the rules were, there was always one of them either trying to find their way around the rules, or they were accusing each other of cheating. Not very sportsmanlike either way. You’ll see what I mean later on.


Hmmm... verrrrry interrrrresting! Sounds like there is more drama in store for us viewers!!!

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 11:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landi a private message Print Post    
i haven't seen a link to lee ann's blog. can ya give one costa?

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 11:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Landi -- Lee Ann's blog is on the bravo site linked at the top. Just click on blogs for Top Chef and you'll get them from Tom, Gail, Padma, Harold, Lee Ann and Dave (the guy who only made 2 instead of 3 dishes - -who is ironically commenting on how explicit the directions are! LOL)

Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 12:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Costa! Tomorrow, I will look up Lee Ann's blog.

I knew that the discussion must have lasted for hours and hours. Makes it even more interesting about the comment that Mia "supposedly" used sugar in her slaw and was never brought up, in one of the blog's.

It reminds me of Lorainne Bracco (sp) the guest judge from last year. She said she worked on a number of movies and she didn't want to hear about all the stuff that went on behind the scenes. It was the final output that mattered and leave the rest of the bs behind.

It seems like this year, you can't.

Beth4freedom
Member

10-24-2003

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 1:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Beth4freedom a private message Print Post    
Teach, thanks for refreshing my mind as to Dave's name! One thing that was nice about him last year was that when he blew it and made only two dishes, he took full responsibility and just said he "blipped out" and made this major goof! No excuses or argument, his fault and he acknowledged it.

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 6:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
Well geez louise, aren't they actually FILMING this show? It should not be that hard to figure out who cheated!

When they said squirt bottles of the olive oil, I wondered if they were talking about the kind of squirt bottles that ketchup and mustard come in or the kind of spritzer bottles that weight watchers tells you to use for your oil where it is more a of a spray. The spritzer ones are a lot less calories per squirt.