Padma's back, bitches!

[Manton]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I don't understand the sous-chef complaint. They've done this every season. They never know who their sous-chef will be for the finale.

In prior seasons, they have either brought in famous, accomplished chefs (Season 3), or the last handful of people to be eliminated -- who are therefore presumably not hacks -- (Season 4), or the "best of the best" from prior seasons (Season 5).

This is the first time they have made everybody draw randomly from the entire cast, including the total washouts.

 

[Roikins]

Originally Posted by Manton

In prior seasons, they have either brought in famous, accomplished chefs (Season 3), or the last handful of people to be eliminated -- who are therefore presumably not hacks -- (Season 4), or the "best of the best" from prior seasons (Season 5).

This is the first time they have made everybody draw randomly from the entire cast, including the total washouts.

I wonder if they decided to do that because they felt the 3 finalists were such strong competitors, just like adding extra complications to their final meal and not allowing them to cook the best meals of their lives.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by Roikins

I wonder if they decided to do that because they felt the 3 finalists were such strong competitors, just like adding extra complications to their final meal and not allowing them to cook the best meals of their lives.

Could be. Or the producers could simply have decided that they don't want to do the same thing every season.

 

[MarquisMagic]

Or perhaps they were hoping it would create even more conflict. It was the luck of the draw that the two most competent contenders (Jen & Eli) got picked, making Preeti the odd one out in terms of skill and experience. The odds were just as good that Robin and, say, Ron or Hector could have been selected..certainly adding some personality spice to a finale...a finale where the three competitors were exceptionally professional, collaborative, and skilled..but not as strong dramatic personalities as in some of the past match-ups.

 

[milosz]

Originally Posted by Roikins

Exactly, especially to b. They've shown clips in previous episodes where someone asks and gets honest help and advice from a competitor, and the brothers definitely would have said something to help.

Even in this one they showed them planning out where to work and plate together, and spotting each other when sauces were about to overcook and such.

They tried to make tattoo bro into a slight bad guy, insulting Kevin's food in soundbites, but as far as I can tell there was nothing but respect between the top 5.

 

[foodguy]

i thought that was really cool and remarkably professional. all season folks seemed willing to set competition aside and help out whoever got in the weeds (well, with a few exceptions). that speaks of a pretty high level of confidence in your own abilities -- your cooking is good enough to win on its own without having to rely on somebody else f*cking up. VERY different from last year.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Why did you like Jen? I've only seen two episodes, but IMO, she was only an adequate cook, she was annoying to listen to, and every 5 seconds she would wrinkle her face up and make a very odd look.

You realize Ripert chose her personally to be cdc of his restaurant...

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I don't understand the sous-chef complaint. They've done this every season. They never know who their sous-chef will be for the finale.
I've read several of your comments about this sous chef topic and it's clear you've never been anywhere near a professional kitchen. In past seasons, they were able to pick their sous chefs, and if they didn't get their first choice, they were still getting someone very competent. There's a huge gulf between having Eric Ripert doing your prep and ******* Pretti or whatever her name is. She couldn't even do a brunnois. She can't open a clam. If you had any idea of the precision and speed required just to prep your mise you wouldn't discount just how ****** of a situation kevin had gotten. Yes he made some mistakes, but if he didn't have to pick up so much slack from basic prep tasks he could have focused on the pork belly far more and corrected his other mistakes, like trying out a few possibility for the mushroom. I know that Tom will speak up about this, because it was incredibly unfair. Pretti should never have been on Top Chef to begin with, and they put people like her on the show on purpose. As for michael, he's actually a very respectable guy and holds Kevin in high esteem. Editing is bullshit and that kind of thing happens. I think the three finalists are going to do extremely well in their future careers. It was a strong season. I'd have liked to have seen Dale in this final as well.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by SField

You realize Ripert chose her personally to be cdc of his restaurant...

I made that comment not knowing anything about her and having only seen two episodes. And I stand by it-- at least, at the time I made it. Her cooking in the two episodes I saw were adequate. Having seen the rest of the season now, I realize that she was a talented cook. She just didn't show it in the two episodes I had seen before.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I made that comment not knowing anything about her and having only seen two episodes. And I stand by it-- at least, at the time I made it. Her cooking in the two episodes I saw were adequate. Having seen the rest of the season now, I realize that she was a talented cook. She just didn't show it in the two episodes I had seen before.

She did very well for a long time, then had a streak of about four episodes where everything went wrong for her, then she pulled out of it and cooked up to her potential, at least until she oversalted that duck.

I think she was a better chef that at least two of the three finalists last season (including the winner), but this time the competition was a lot tougher.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by Manton

She did very well for a long time, then had a streak of about four episodes where everything went wrong for her, then she pulled out of it and cooked up to her potential, at least until she oversalted that duck.

I think she was a better chef that at least two of the three finalists last season (including the winner), but this time the competition was a lot tougher.

Yes, Jennifer was very strong.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by SField

Yes, Jennifer was very strong.

She seemed strong in the seafood dept. IIRC, most non-seafood dishes she made came out meh -- at least to the judges.

Yeah, Kevin definitely got the short end of the stick. Preetti was a **** cook with a **** attitude.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

She seemed strong in the seafood dept. IIRC, most non-seafood dishes she made came out meh -- at least to the judges.

Yeah, Kevin definitely got the short end of the stick. Preetti was a **** cook with a **** attitude.

Well she did 5 years at Bernardin.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by SField

Well she did 5 years at Bernardin.

Yes, I know. If she was a bit more rounded and not so focused, I think she would've had a much greater chance of winning.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by SField

I've read several of your comments about this sous chef topic and it's clear you've never been anywhere near a professional kitchen.

That's correct. And I've read several of your comments on all the other topics and it's clear you've never been anywhere outside of a professional kitchen.

Was being a line cook or potato peeler a requirement to post in this thread, Master Carrot Chopper?