TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
 Wikia  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through January 27, 2007

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2008 - 1: Top Chef - Prior Seasons: ARCHIVES: Archive through January 27, 2007 users admin

Author Message
Terolyn
Member

05-06-2004

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 11:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Terolyn a private message Print Post    
I was not inferring that Marcel was an innocent victim just that he just does not and did not from the beginning fit in. I see it all the time in the school system. There is one kid who's timing is off - just does not fit in and the "lead" pack of kids will not tolerate him/her. The jokes are alway off and ill-timed however its the same jokes/pranks that the "lead" pack had done successfully. As time goes on, animosity increases until you have what we have seen on Top Chef.

Take Ilan using up all 10 burners for his dish - no one thought a thing about it except Marcel, however if Marcel had done the same it would have been a huge thing. Another example is when he told Sam that he could not help. A socially adept person would say, Hey I can't right now - but if it eases up I will come help out. Or I'll help you if you help me. Marcel's response showed how ill prepared he is for social interaction.

I like Marcel's experimental cooking and ideas. I would love to try his pineapple poi.

I was rooting for Sam until he sat there laughing and doing nothing when Cliff "attacked" Marcel. All of them went way down in my estimation.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 12:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
I totally agree Terolyn!

Rehtse
Member

08-17-2005

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 1:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rehtse a private message Print Post    
Me too! Elia lost out completely in my eyes last night. I figure that she wanted to be "in" with the cool kids so she "dumped" Marcel.

Sportygirl
Member

06-14-2005

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 1:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sportygirl a private message Print Post    
I thought the decision last year to pick Harold over Tiffanie came down to the fact that he was more liked and respected in the kitchen even though she took more risks with her food. That's why I am scratching my head that Marcel is in the finals. Sam was definitely more respected. Also Tom pointed out that Sam didn't cook anything. It didn't look like Marcel cooked anything either. He did a poke (raw fish) dish like Sam did. Plus I don't think he cooked his poi dish. It looked like he just added that white powdery stuff to thicken it up like what would happen if you cooked the heck out of the tarot.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 2:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I thought Elia had finally just had enough of Marcel. And not that she decided to "jump ship" to play in the cool kids' sandbox.

I, too, thought Harold was picked because he was more liked and respected. And, too, am scratching my head wondering why they would pick someone who is not respected or well-liked. That's why I thought Sam should win... he ACTED like leader, and worked to ensure people on his team worked WITH him, not against him. Remember the challenge where he asked Betty and Marcel to put their diffs aside, during the challenge?

Marcel did not cook his dish. He clearly stated he wanted the (raw) pineapple flavor to come thru so he added xanthan gum to increase the "viscosity" of the "poi." No cooking at all. So if Sam got dinged because of that, it wasn't fair Marcel did NOT.

Then again, since when has this been fair????

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 2:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I wondered about that, the not cooked vs not cooked, but think they ussd it while deciding between Sam and Ilan. They had already decided that Marcel was staying and that Elia was going.

I also thought that while Tom made a big deal of "not cooked", the other judges weren't so impressed at least initially, with that argument.

I assume being a top chef include cooking, of course, but also presenttion, preparation, planning, leading and even marketing. So if someone planned, prepared, presented and sold the best dish, so what if they didn't cook that one?

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 4:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
they are making up to Marcel for Cliff's actions. Instead of just declaring him the winner by default that Tom wanted to and was TALKED OUT OF by the producers, they are playing it out and making Marcel the winner.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 4:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Just by looks, Marcel's looked the best by a mile...

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 5:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Marcel's gift with presentation has never been denied. But presentation is only a part of the food... it's gotta taste good, too. Yeah, presentation may want you to just dive right in, but you've gotta wanna stay there once you've tasted it.

I thought, too, that they were judging only on this birthday party luau, rather than overall performance. Which is kinda sad. Although I do agree that Elia maybe wasn't as strong as I would've liked, I think Sam would be a better Top Chef. (I also think he's gonna have a great career without winning this, and the $10K oughta help!)

Chy
Member

07-19-2003

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 7:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chy a private message Print Post    
Poor, poor Elia!
I just caught it on the re-run. When she spoke up about Marcela "cheating", when she realized the change of the climate there, she actually turned to Ilan and Sam and asked: Am I the only one here? (!!!) To that Sam acted like he was bothered by her "childishness" and said something made himself look good: (pp) Let's just hear what the judges have to say first. (Now I'm glad he's cut!)
I didn't remember hearing that until then. Wow, was Elia set up by Ilan and Sam or what?

Gumby
Member

08-14-2004

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 8:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Gumby a private message Print Post    
I just read in Harold's blog on Bravotv.com that Marcel was struck in the head with a bottle by a disgruntled fan. He required 30 stitches to his head. I think that's very sad.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 8:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
In Andy's blog he interviews Sam and Sam is a bit more clear about why all of them disliked Marcel: link

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 8:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Much as I dislike Marcel, the judges in their blog were very clear that his food was definitely the best of the bunch and he followed the "challenge" instructions to the letter. So I think you're right when the "cooked" or not cooked issue came up, it was the judges trying to decide between the middle two (Sam and Ilan). Marcel had already been decided upon as winner and Elia was their choice to go home...so they had to get really picky between Sam and Ilan. Add to the "not cooked" issue and the fact that Sam also didn't take many risks w/his dishes, and I think that tipped the scale in Ilan's favor.

Even though I understand the decision, though, I don't have to LIKE the final two! LOL

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 8:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
thanks for the link Teach. Pretty much what I have thought all along!

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
looking at her clip on the bravo website, she just struck me as a really poor loser. Left me with a bad taste for her and now I am glad she was sent home.

Just goes to show that it never pays to be overconfident. She expected to win from the moment she walked into the competition.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 9:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Isn't that the attitude everyone has when they make the decision to compete in anything? I have never heard of anyone walking into a competition expecting to lose.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 10:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
If you look at Sam's exit interview versus Elias you see a huge difference. Sam wasnt bitter and was grateful for the experience to work, make friends and have two months to hone his skills.

Elia was just bitter. Everyone expects to do well but nobody likes a sore loser and everyone should go into it knowing that they are good enough to win but not that they expect it handed it to them and that is the way she came across.
She said the judges would regret their decision, HUH? Like any of the judges are going to remember her next season. She implied that it was people without talent that got ahead.

She was just a sore loser.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 10:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Elia always acted like a sore loser during the entire competition. Remember her attitude during some of the quickfire challenges? Almost as if they were "beneath" her. I said it before... this was a girl whose glass was always half empty!

At one point, I had a lot of respect for her. But watching how many times she pulled the "I quit" routine (even if she didn't) just kinda soured me on her attitude.

And yeah, people go in HOPING to win. But to have a sore loser attitude when you don't, well... I think it'll just reaffirm to the judges that they made the correct decision. (Although, I *still* think Sam should be in the finale!!! :-))

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 11:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
me too, I liked Sam and I loved his exit interviews.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 11:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
i see what you mean, i just look at it as two different reactions. i don't think being a sore loser has anything to do with self confidence.

Alisons
Member

01-10-2003

Friday, January 26, 2007 - 2:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Alisons a private message Print Post    
I wish it had been Sam vs. Marcel. Ilan is not my favorite by far!

Cricket
Member

08-05-2002

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - 12:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cricket a private message Print Post    
Why didn't the judges go farther into the cheating accusations made against Marcel? Elia got nervous and just talked about the current challenge, but when the other 3 discussed the cheating earlier, they sounded like Marcel had outright cheated on many occasions.

I was curious what they were talking about. Anyone know anything else about this?

Jhezzie
Member

07-05-2001

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - 1:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jhezzie a private message Print Post    
Why didn't the judges go farther into the cheating accusations made against Marcel? Elia got nervous and just talked about the current challenge, but when the other 3 discussed the cheating earlier, they sounded like Marcel had outright cheated on many occasions.


I think there was a whole lot of stuff we didn't see. By the end of it, when the final cuts were made, you could see that the judges looked drained, and it seemed that the women were wiping their eyes a bit. I think a lot of shit hit the fan.

Chy
Member

07-19-2003

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - 8:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chy a private message Print Post    
Costa, I can't remember which "After the show" clip I'd heard it, but Chef Tom said Elia had a bad choice of word. There was no cheating as far as the competition is concerned. Tom said Elia might have meant dis-respect, not cheating. But since there were no head-chef in the work space which they were all working in, there was no one to be dis-respected to. Tom said if there was no fire under a pot, in the situation where there was no head chef to take orders from, it was perfectly okay for Marcel to move said pot.

I think Tom, Andy and Sam all agreed that, there was no cheating.

Chy
Member

07-19-2003

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - 8:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chy a private message Print Post    
Sorry, it was Cricket, not Costa!

I was thinking about Costa's thoughts on Elia, that's how I made that mistake. Sorry.