OK, I watched Episode 1 on Tivo earlier tonight. I agree, the city shots are gorgeous and I love the house they're staying in.

That woman who got eliminated...I don't think I've ever seen someone on a reality show with less personality. It was no surprise to see her go (crappy food + no personality = quick exit from cooking based reality show).

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more participation from Chicago chefs.

Finally, I'm with you Ron. Why Richard Blais is on here is beyond me (then again, we thought it was questionable to have Dale on last season).

CG wrote:TOC has a whole spread on the show with interviews and neighbors of the Top chef house who did a pretty good job spying on the crew. <SPOILER REMOVED> One more thought, someone posted something a while back about a Top chef viewing party. He was looking to organize something. I haven't heard anything since. this sounds like something that could be interesting.

please ... NO SPOILERS !!

THANKS ALOT

Can we amend the title of this thread to clearly label it a non-spoiler thread?

Dmnkly wrote:Can we amend the title of this thread to clearly label it a non-spoiler thread?

This thread contains plenty of spoilers. Just because the show has already aired doesn't mean that info about it isn't a spoiler.

Labeling this thread "non-spoiler" indicates that it's safe to read in here, regardless of whether or not you're caught up with the show.

Now, I'm aware enough to avoid this thread (I usually watch the show a day or two late), but a casual visitor might think that they can hop in and read and not read about any results.

Best,
Michael

I missed the last 2 seasons but made a point to catch this one since it was filmed in Chicago! I love seeing the b-roll shots! The show is much improved from season 1 - wow!

It's tough to see a clear favorite right now but I agree, seeing Blais as one of the contestants was a bit of a shock! He's pretty accomplished but I guess he hasn't gotten a lot of media love for what he's been doing, so it makes some sense to take this route. He seems to know what he's about, he's got the chops, and he seems pretty composed & in control.

eatchicago wrote:

Dmnkly wrote:Can we amend the title of this thread to clearly label it a non-spoiler thread?

This thread contains plenty of spoilers. Just because the show has already aired doesn't mean that info about it isn't a spoiler.

Labeling this thread "non-spoiler" indicates that it's safe to read in here, regardless of whether or not you're caught up with the show.

Now, I'm aware enough to avoid this thread (I usually watch the show a day or two late), but a casual visitor might think that they can hop in and read and not read about any results.

Best,
Michael

Ack... you're absolutely right. I suppose there's no way to condense "spoilers okay, but only regarding material that's already aired" into the title, huh?

how about *PLEASE NO UNAIRED SPOILERS* ?

Looks like either CG or the mods have removed the offending post.

I have been Monderated! There's a new Spoiler thread they've created. Sorry to anyone I've ercked.

How about...
Don't read this thread unless you have seen the most current episode.

Why should those of us who have made the effort (couch potato) to view the show and decide to comment on the goings on have to hold off until EVERYONE IN THE WORLD has seen the current show?

here's what I do... If a thread is about a show that I like to watch and I've yet to watch the current show, I just don't read the thread until I've seen the show... It's just that simple

mhill95149 wrote:How about...
Don't read this thread unless you have seen the most current episode.

Why should those of us who have made the effort (couch potato) to view the show and decide to comment on the goings on have to hold off until EVERYONE IN THE WORLD has seen the current show?

here's what I do... If a thread is about a show that I like to watch and I've yet to watch the current show, I just don't read the thread until I've seen the show... It's just that simple

Nobody's disagreeing, mhill... the issue was with CG's now deleted post that revealed information about episodes that have not yet aired.

JLenart wrote:

tem wrote:Anyone know where the kitchen was located ?

My friend was a Production Assistant on the show and the kitchen space was constructed in an empty warehouse next door to the Chefwear outlet on Belmont and Knox.

driscoll75 wrote:

JLenart wrote:

tem wrote:Anyone know where the kitchen was located ?

My friend was a Production Assistant on the show and the kitchen space was constructed in an empty warehouse next door to the Chefwear outlet on Belmont and Knox.

Really? I live basically across the street from there - wish I had known sooner! They should have shown the contestants shopping at the Tony's Finer Foods right across the street from the kitchen space instead of at WF.

Fujisan wrote:They should have shown the contestants shopping at the Tony's Finer Foods right across the street from the kitchen space instead of at WF.

The name of the game is product placement. I'm sure Tony's didn't pony up.

I watched one of the episodes last night...the one where the guy charged with making a souffle made "nachos in the style of a souffle" instead. Everything cooked looked simply awful to me. Are these professional cooks this season or did they just pick up novices off the street?

I think that it would have been great to have these guys shop at Tony's. I could see them doing a "dollar aisle challenge" where they have to make something from the off brand dollar aisle that every Tony's has.

YourPalWill wrote:I think that it would have been great to have these guys shop at Tony's. I could see them doing a "dollar aisle challenge" where they have to make something from the off brand dollar aisle that every Tony's has.

already been done in a previous season (somewhat) -- they had to cook w/ only stuff they could find in a gas station kwik-e-mart

and the winning duck dish looked awful ? Or the lasagna ?

Mushrooms with blueberries and cheese? Then you serve it without tasting, decide not to serve it, but then serve it to the judges when they ask about it. Yikes.

I kind of feel like that whole team should have been sent home.

I know but the poor Chicago gal got axed instead
and the blini thing didn't look or sound nearly as awful as the bear "turd" of a mushroom

Oh boy! Another judge who has nothing to do with Chicago! I mean, if they were doing some sort of avant garde food challenge it would have been really cool to see Dufresne/Cantu as judges, but for last night it made no sense. At least it looks like Bayless will be on next week.

jesteinf wrote:Oh boy! Another judge who has nothing to do with Chicago! I mean, if they were doing some sort of avant garde food challenge it would have been really cool to see Dufresne/Cantu as judges, but for last night it made no sense. At least it looks like Bayless will be on next week.

When I saw Wylie Dufresne, I started muttering pissed-off epithets at the TV. Given Chicago's foothold in molecular gastronomy, they had to fly someone out from NY??? Nothing against Wylie (we're on a first-name basis, don't you know), I'm sure he's a nice guy, but what the hell was he doing there?

So far, it appears that Bayless is the only Chicago judge. Great.

As far as Valerie going instead of Nikki, it's more proof, IMHO, that you better sharpen your ability to defend yourself well as much as your knives before going on Top Chef. I thought Nikki made a vastly superior and more impassioned defense of what was, essentially, a defenseless position.

irisarbor wrote:I know but the poor Chicago gal got axed instead
and the blini thing didn't look or sound nearly as awful as the bear "turd" of a mushroom

I agree, but since it was a team challenge, it sounds like they picked a losing team first, then an individual to be axed from that team. The bears were otherwise good, but the Gorillas had two bad dishes, so while the editors didn't make it terribly clear, they declared the Gorillas the losing team, then decided between Stephanie and Valerie for the axe.

Unrelated, from Rocco DiSpirito's blog on last night's episode:

Rocco DiSpirito wrote:In both the Quickfire and the Elimination Challenges, Richard showboated a bit with his incessant talk of “molecular gastronomy,” which is essentially the exploration of the science of cooking rather than the art of it. Ferran Adrià is generally credited as the first to incorporate the theories of MG into his cooking, but even he doesn’t want to be associated with it. Ferran Adrià is one few major geniuses who literally transformed the cooking scene, much like Jean-Georges Vongerichten did in the early 1980s. Ferran manages to use new techniques to deliver better results, which is, of course, the goal of innovation. Unlike Ferran, many of his imitators deliver innovation at the cost of flavor and that’s just unforgivable. Who cares if you use a NASA laser to aromatize vanilla beans if you can’t stand eating the dessert?

Hmmmm... aromatizing vanilla beans with a NASA laser... think he's taking a shot at anybody in particular?

Guys...it's only episode 2. There are lots of things to take into account with when someone is available and someone isn't available. I think it was still interesting to see Wylie Dufresne's opinion on things -- I actually really liked the way he talked to the other judges and we heard his opinion as he tasted things -- as opposed to the stone faced Tom Colicchio. This obsesson with Chicago judges kind of baffles me. Although why anyone cares what Rocco DiSpirito thinks at all kind of baffles me. <grin>

I think that the skill set on this group is pretty fraking high. And I'm enjoying seeing their personalities come out -- that Dale guy...he's kind of a piece of work, isn't he? I did wish we could have seen more of the green market -- but i also think that this is making Chicago look like a really cool place to be -- especially in the warmth. We are going to have another warm season...right? Right??????

---seasonally affected over here...

shannon

earthlydesire wrote:Guys...it's only episode 2. There are lots of things to take into account with when someone is available and someone isn't available. I think it was still interesting to see Wylie Dufresne's opinion on things -- I actually really liked the way he talked to the other judges and we heard his opinion as he tasted things -- as opposed to the stone faced Tom Colicchio. This obsesson with Chicago judges kind of baffles me.

I can't imagine any chef who is seeking a national profile not clearing out the books for a chance to guest star as a judge on Top Chef, especially given that previous judges were Andre Soltner and Eric Ripert. For me, the fact that we have to be several episodes into a season focusing on Chicago before we see a Chicago judge is even more irksome to me. I don't see what's baffling about wanting to see Chicago judges . . . we have an excellent culinary city here and up-till-now absence of Chicago guest judges implies that we don't have anyone worthy of putting on TV.

earthlydesire wrote:Although why anyone cares what Rocco DiSpirito thinks at all kind of baffles me. <grin>

Abuse deserved

That said, having not seen any of his -- shall we say -- less-than-chefly endeavors outside of this show, I've been able to approach his appearances on Top Chef and his blogging for the show untainted by (purportedly well-deserved) distaste for his celebrity whoredom. As somebody who has only encountered him in this narrow context, the dude knows what he's talking about.

aschie30 wrote:I don't see what's baffling about wanting to see Chicago judges . . . we have an excellent culinary city here and up-till-now absence of Chicago guest judges implies that we don't have anyone worthy of putting on TV.

Exactly.

aschie30 wrote:

earthlydesire wrote:Guys...it's only episode 2. There are lots of things to take into account with when someone is available and someone isn't available. I think it was still interesting to see Wylie Dufresne's opinion on things -- I actually really liked the way he talked to the other judges and we heard his opinion as he tasted things -- as opposed to the stone faced Tom Colicchio. This obsesson with Chicago judges kind of baffles me.

I can't imagine any chef who is seeking a national profile not clearing out the books for a chance to guest star as a judge on Top Chef, especially given that previous judges were Andre Soltner and Eric Ripert. For me, the fact that we have to be several episodes into a season focusing on Chicago before we see a Chicago judge is even more irksome to me. I don't see what's baffling about wanting to see Chicago judges . . . we have an excellent culinary city here and up-till-now absence of Chicago guest judges implies that we don't have anyone worthy of putting on TV.

Agreed, but this is hardly new for the show. I don't recall seeing a multitude of Miami chefs last season. There were a few, to be sure, but the show still relied on the usual stable of old faves.

Oh. And Eric Ripert. Lots of Eric Ripert.

Yeah, but I would put the restaurant scene in Chicago on top of Miami any day.

I just looked at last season. Norman showed up win episode two of the Miami season. So they got a Miami judge in one episode earlier.

Bourdain has been in episode one for the last two seasons.

brandon_w wrote:I just looked at last season. Norman showed up win episode two of the Miami season. So they got a Miami judge in one episode earlier.

If you're just passing along factual material, okay. But if you're suggesting that we should be pissy because "A Miami chef was shown in episode two, but a Chicago chef wasn't shown until episode three", I think that's incredibly petty and screams "we're trying really, really hard to come up with something to get pissy about".

Dmnkly wrote:

brandon_w wrote:I just looked at last season. Norman showed up win episode two of the Miami season. So they got a Miami judge in one episode earlier.

If you're just passing along factual material, okay. But if you're suggesting that we should be pissy because "A Miami chef was shown in episode two, but a Chicago chef wasn't shown until episode three", I think that's incredibly petty and screams "we're trying really, really hard to come up with something to get pissy about".

Yes but our episode 2 was about molecular gastronomy -- something that should have been a shoo-in for a Chicago judge -- and their inclusion of Wylie Dufresne as the sole representative of MG is a slap in the face.

jesteinf wrote:I agree, the city shots are gorgeous...

I'll say. The crew seems to spend a lot of time sprucing up the areas they shoot before shooting. (As any film crew more concerned with glamor than gritty realism would.) Case in point: The very brief exterior shot last night of the building that contains the Top Chef kitchen. If that's Belmont and Knox (and I'm willing to believe it is), it looked about 4000% better than anything I've ever seen in that neck of the woods.