Top Chef: All Stars

[joeyballsack]

The cast for this season looks great.

A lot less attractive after the first vote, but solid otherwise.

[realmenhatelife]

I will be rooting for Jen and Richard Blaze.

Not looking forward to Tony Bordain all season. I feel like every judging theres going to be some snippy, overreaching comment. I also hate his foodgasms. I'd much rather have the poor English of an Eric Ripert or Hubert Keller.

[torker]

Frankie Carbone said it best:
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[JPMNICK]

I think Richard wins this, I was pissed he did not win the 1st time. I also think Marcel is going to give him a good run, along with Jen if she gets her shit together and she can choose to cook with a lot of fish through the competition

I think Carla and the guy who always wear a tie are the next couple out.

[TheGameHHH]

I wasn't so sure about this season going into it, but after the first 10 minutes of the first episode I'm hooked. I'm happy I get to watch Jaime again, she's my favorite. The cast looks great and I'm looking forward to it.

[realmenhatelife]

Well, now I suppose I'm just rooting for Richard Blaze.

We did suspect that Jen made an early exit. I know somebody that knows somebody that's friends with her family, who was surprised to hear that Jen was on Top Chef All Stars. Apparantly they made a really big deal when she was on Top Chef Vegas, and they had watching parties and stuff, but this time around it was downplayed which we took as a bad sign.

I'm a homer for Jen, so naturally I kindof feel like she shouldn't have been kicked. It seemed like they didn't have an issue with her main protein, just the garnish and concept. Meanwhile you have those fritata, which are a bad concept and poorly executed. And then you have a parralel issue with the sauce on the salmon, plus a girl leaving to get two stitches. Seems like there was some fat to trim before you decide Jen needs to go, although it does lend creedence to them saying that the show really is challenge to challenge, and your past performance does not save you.

I wonder if she was just totally shitfaced by the time they came out of the stew room.

[TheGameHHH]

I was rooting big time for Jen, can't believe she got bounced so early.

[realmenhatelife]

In his blog Eric Ripert says that he would've argued for Jen to stay (even if she didn't work for him.) His reasoning is that Jen made a bad dish but the frittata and salmon sauce would've both counted as inedible (he makes the point that serving raw egg to someone is dangerous) and inedible is worse than a poorly conceived but properly executed dish.

He calls her Jenny and he says how her behavior is wrong for someone who works at the Ritz Carlton because it is "Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen." Which was funny.

[underdog]

I love Jaime and loved her hating children as much as I do, but that was fucking weak to go get stitches.

[TheGameHHH]

I love Jaime and loved her hating children as much as I do, but that was fucking weak to go get stitches.

Like Fabio said about his season, 'I broke my finger.....I get it taped.....I keep cooking'

[realmenhatelife]

Again with fucking Jaime. I was happy to see Blais put her on the spot a little, and see her get all defensive. I'm not to broken hearted about loosing Spike though, I think he's kindof a douche.

Blais has a show on the science channel or one of those, it's kindof like Throwdown only he does molecular gastronomy versions of the throwdown food.

I do like this challenge though, and hope it is reused. I dont get the strategy of throwing out your weak people against their strong people, ultimately you still need 4 winning dishes.

[TheGameHHH]

Jaime better start cooking and stop being such a pussy

[underdog]

Marcel must have autism or something, because he's the biggest dickhead I've ever seen, and he doesn't even seem to notice it. He's so amazingly anti-social.

His "yelling" at Dale was so fucking pathetic.

[realmenhatelife]

Marcel must have autism or something, because he's the biggest dickhead I've ever seen, and he doesn't even seem to notice it. He's so amazingly anti-social.

His "yelling" at Dale was so fucking pathetic.

I thought it was funny how he seemed to turn all street when he was obviously wasted. I dont know, I wonder if he isn't just trying to brand himself. Like, I was the annoying prick on my season, I need to be an annoying prick on this season.

I think Marcel is going to be a surprisingly early elimination.

So happy to see Jaime go.

[TheGameHHH]

Jaime, you let me down. I'm sad to see her go but she cooked like shit all season. Restaurant Wars next week bitches!!!!

[realmenhatelife]

Jaime, you let me down. I'm sad to see her go but she cooked like shit all season. Restaurant Wars next week bitches!!!!

I love Restaurant wars but two purely group challenges in a row? Coming of of last week which had a strong group element, when they've already had a group challenge this season? Cmon man, overkill. I highly object to a group challenge being double elimination too.

[underdog]

I thought it was funny how he seemed to turn all street when he was obviously wasted. I dont know, I wonder if he isn't just trying to brand himself. Like, I was the annoying prick on my season, I need to be an annoying prick on this season.

I think Marcel is going to be a surprisingly early elimination.

So happy to see Jaime go.

He's done the street thing before. I think he rapped on his season.

[weekapaugjz]

i really hope marcel gets sent home tonight. i can't fucking stand him.

[weekapaugjz]

nice.

[realmenhatelife]

Yeesh, that was a fucking blood bath. Fabio and Blaze need a sitcom about their bromance. Called it on Marcel.

[Servo]

That quickfire challenge was the dumbest shit they've ever had on this show.

[underdog]

I love how many dumb Italian references Bourdain kept shoving into the show.

[foodcourtdruide]

After a few bad seasons of Top Chef, this one has been really good. I think it has less to do with personalities, and more to do with the level of competition. They have been doing some amazing things.

Also, the quick fire challenge yesterday was really stupid. How could you have a cooking challenge where taste isn't a factor? Dale's comments about not caring what a designer thought of his cooking were right on.

[foodcourtdruide]

That quickfire challenge was the dumbest shit they've ever had on this show.

Wrote my comment before I read this, couldn't agree more.

[realmenhatelife]

That quickfire challenge was the dumbest shit they've ever had on this show.

Anything where they're not tasting the food is stupid, this one was slightly better than the Just Desserts make a food outfit competition.


I love how many dumb Italian references Bourdain kept shoving into the show.

Last night was the Bourdain that made me hate that Bourdain was the special judge this season. It was like he kept thinking "I really need to say something Bordain here."

Lorraine Bracco is the most unpleasant woman in the world. Wasn't that the whole point of her? She was in Goodfellas so when Ray Liotta cheats on her you can not hate him for it.

I really hate any implication that anything is mob related, and that its fun because of that.

Fabio is cracking me up again, I really wanted to eat Blazes dish, and was happy to see Tiffany in the top. It seems like some of the guys who are really strong are not super strong out of their comfort zone, like Dale and Angelo

[underdog]

Anything where they're not tasting the food is stupid, this one was slightly better than the Just Desserts make a food outfit competition.




Last night was the Bourdain that made me hate that Bourdain was the special judge this season. It was like he kept thinking "I really need to say something Bordain here."

Lorraine Bracco is the most unpleasant woman in the world. Wasn't that the whole point of her? She was in Goodfellas so when Ray Liotta cheats on her you can not hate him for it.

I really hate any implication that anything is mob related, and that its fun because of that.

Fabio is cracking me up again, I really wanted to eat Blazes dish, and was happy to see Tiffany in the top. It seems like some of the guys who are really strong are not super strong out of their comfort zone, like Dale and Angelo

Antonia called Bracco "one of our finest italian-american actresses".

[realmenhatelife]

Antonia called Bracco "one of our finest italian-american actresses".

That makes me want to vomit with rage.

[Willmore]

I am so ready for a real "all-star" edition of this show.

Say, Bravo puts up a million dollars to the winner's choice of charity. That would probably attract Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Joël Robuchon, Michel Richard etc.

Make it a 3-episode special. The first 2 episodes are qualifiers, the third is a final.

[underdog]

I am so ready for a real "all-star" edition of this show.

Say, Bravo puts up a million dollars to the winner's choice of charity. That would probably attract Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Joël Robuchon etc.

Make it a 3-episode special. The first 2 episodes are qualifiers, the third is a final.

Top Chef : Masters

[Willmore]

Top Chef : Masters


Yeah, that wasn't it. They were good established chefs, I'm talking about the best of the best - the top 10 chefs in the world.

I mean, when you have the "Oprah Chef," yeah, you'll get good food, but not anything extraordinary.

[realmenhatelife]

I am so ready for a real "all-star" edition of this show.

Say, Bravo puts up a million dollars to the winner's choice of charity. That would probably attract Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Joël Robuchon, Michel Richard etc.

Make it a 3-episode special. The first 2 episodes are qualifiers, the third is a final.

Top Chef : Masters

Yeah, that wasn't it. They were good established chefs, I'm talking about the best of the best - the top 10 chefs in the world.

I mean, when you have the "Oprah Chef," yeah, you'll get good food, but not anything extraordinary.

Theres no doubt it would be cool, but I think if it was doable they would've done it. It's a tall order to get some of those guys.

[underdog]

Theres no doubt it would be cool, but I think if it was doable they would've done it. It's a tall order to get some of those guys.

And some of them just wouldn't be good. Eric Ripert had never worked the line before he worked one with Anthony Bourdain a couple years ago.

[realmenhatelife]

And some of them just wouldn't be good. Eric Ripert had never worked the line before he worked one with Anthony Bourdain a couple years ago.

The competition definately couldn't just be Top Chef only with the best chefs in the world. And I dont know that you could take guys like Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria and put them against Ripert or Robuchon and then expect judges to be able to really, objectively judge them. They're going for completely different things.


You would need to have a team, and each chef heads the team. Most of the legendary chefs are more directors and executives now.

[Willmore]

The competition definately couldn't just be Top Chef only with the best chefs in the world. And I dont know that you could take guys like Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adria and put them against Ripert or Robuchon and then expect judges to be able to really, objectively judge them. They're going for completely different things.


You would need to have a team, and each chef heads the team. Most of the legendary chefs are more directors and executives now.

Yeah the judging would be tough.

This reminds me of a show idea I once had.

So we take those guys, plus Bourdain, maybe some other people that are entertaining to see on TV and talk about food; and each episode they go to one of their restaurants, so one week they are at El Bulli and Adria is cooking. Adria could cook something from his menu, he can cook something from his childhood that inspired him, something that is important to him, etc. So Adria is cooking, and then they just sit around the table and chat about food, life, restaurants, etc.

And the next week it's at Le Bernardin and Ripert is the host, etc.

I would love that kind of show.

[foodcourtdruide]

I think Top Chef, as is, really works. I think it works more-so than other cooking competitions. They take the chefs out of their element, and force them to make quick decisions, but not to an idiotic degree (last weeks quick-fire aside).

I like that the Chef's are young and for the most part unestablished. I also like that the only real drama on the show is what happens in the kitchen. I usually hate reality show competitions, but I love Top Chef.

[realmenhatelife]

I didn't expect Fabio to make it super deep, he just isn't edgey enough. And there was definately a lot going on between Blaze and Fabio, they must have really bonded. Fabio gave him an apron on the way out, and Blaze was lamenting that Fabio didn't ask him for help with his burger.


I dont know whats up with Angelo. There's some kind of lack of focus. He seems to have the skills, and really dominates sometimes, and then everything just falls apart. I thought the quickfire was weak but liked the elimnation challenge, it put a ton of pressure on the chefs.

[TheGameHHH]

Sending Fabio and Angelo home in back to back weeks pissed me off

[Zipgun]

Angelo is a creep and his subversive passive aggression had to be stopped. I'm glad he's gone.

[HBox]

I don't watch this show but I had a hand in the latest episode. The Target they were in was the one in Ocean, NJ, where the Seaview Square Mall used to be. (I'm not sure if they mentioned it in the episode, I haven't seen it, just heard that it finally aired.) They filmed it overnight but I was there during the day before the taping making sure the store looked perfect and was fully stocked. If I didn't have to work early the next morning I would have actually attended the taping.

I have nothing more to add than that.

[realmenhatelife]

I don't watch this show but I had a hand in the latest episode. The Target they were in was the one in Ocean, NJ, where the Seaview Square Mall used to be. (I'm not sure if they mentioned it in the episode, I haven't seen it, just heard that it finally aired.) They filmed it overnight but I was there during the day before the taping making sure the store looked perfect and was fully stocked. If I didn't have to work early the next morning I would have actually attended the taping.

I have nothing more to add than that.

You missed out on soups of varied success.

[TheGameHHH]

You missed out on soups of varied success.



Hahahaha it was all soups, and that's bullshit

[HBox]

If I knew they were only making soups I wouldn't have done shit.

[underdog]

"I'm from Beumont, Texas". WE GET IT.

[Marc with a c]

i let out a gasp when dale got kicked off. is blais the only good chef left?

[joeyballsack]

Antonia has been pretty solid this season, I think she has a good shot at the finale.

Richard will try to do too much and sabotage himself from getting the win.

[underdog]

i let out a gasp when dale got kicked off. is blais the only good chef left?

He's not from Beumont, Texas, though.

[realmenhatelife]

i let out a gasp when dale got kicked off. is blais the only good chef left?

Dale was really hot and cold all season though.

Mike I is a really good chef too, he could've been in the finals in his season but it was just so damn strong.

Starting to find Carla really attractive.

[realmenhatelife]

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters/season-3/bios

The cast of Top Chef All Stars is out. They are also adopting the format of standard Top Chef, which either is because of or explains the younger, less tenured cast.

Tio and Des Jardins both competed in Next Iron Chef. Des Jardins was eliminated first in her season, and Tio went really deep in hers. I was a big fan of Tio on that show.

Pomeroy was on Iron Chef and you see her get profiled different places.

Mary Sue Milliken is ofcourse the other half of the creepy, plural marriage Two Hot Tamales deal with Susan Feniger.

[TheGameHHH]

I'm kind of surprised they let all 5 of them into the Finale.

[realmenhatelife]

I'm kind of surprised they let all 5 of them into the Finale.

That and doing the fake out, which is something I dont think they've done before. Usually they're much classier than that, which is straight up Hell's Kitchen.

[realmenhatelife]

I was thinking they would do a double elimination, and certainly could've, this week. It doesn't look like next week is the finale either, so they must have had to fabricate and entire episode when they took all 5 people. They do have a layoff though, so they would've had time to prepare.


Sad to see Carla go, I did enjoy her but raw pork is pretty egregious. Blaze is a headcase, and I always thought Mike I was knocked out too early in his season.

[TheGameHHH]

Tiffany needs to go next, but I guess that doesnt really matter because its the finale and everyone loses but the winner. I hope its a good one.

[realmenhatelife]

What was up with Voltaggio's look? He had a delicate nose stud, like he's natalie portman.

[realmenhatelife]

Blaze still a head case, very happy he won although if it was against anyone else except maybe Carla I probably would've been rooting for Mike I. Not a tense finale though, I felt like all the episodes leading up to this were way more on the edge, and this one was just pretty smooth. I didn't realize Mike cooked for Jose Andres.


I watched soem of the after show, I know Andy Cohen does this stuff but man is he annoying. Jen is an absolute lush.

[JPMNICK]

Blaze still a head case, very happy he won although if it was against anyone else except maybe Carla I probably would've been rooting for Mike I. Not a tense finale though, I felt like all the episodes leading up to this were way more on the edge, and this one was just pretty smooth. I didn't realize Mike cooked for Jose Andres.


I watched soem of the after show, I know Andy Cohen does this stuff but man is he annoying. Jen is an absolute lush.

Every one was hammered on the aftershow