Top Chef: Texas - season discussion

Top Chef: Texas has started on Bravo with a twist. Instead of The 16 cheftestants being set from the start, 29 hopefuls are pitted against each other to compete in 3 groups for the 16 jackets.

For me, the only real memorable moments were when chefs got sent home before even having their food tasted -- one got the PYKAG for failing to plate her rabbit during her group's rabbit challenge and the other personal chef to the stars, who even more laughably, didn't even start cooking before he was sent packing by Tom and Emeril due to his utterly pitiful attempt at butchering a pork primal. They were all like "dude, if you can't even cut a pork chop, just GTFU".

Other than that, there are 5 Chicago chefs out of the first 11 picked - Chuy Valencia, Heather Terhune, Sarah Grueneberg, Chris Jones and Richie Farina (who I suspect will come off as the Wonder Twins).

Next week is the 3rd group of nine plus a 'bubble' group that I assume will compete for 1 or 2 spots max out of the remaining 5.

tem wrote:the other personal chef to the stars, who even more laughably, didn't even start cooking before he was sent packing by Tom and Emeril due to his utterly pitiful attempt at butchering a pork primal. They were all like "dude, if you can't even cut a pork chop, just GTFU".

This was one of the best moments of Top Chef EVER. I was so happy. He was annoyingly full of himself, and really hard to look at/unattractive. I would've hated to watch another second of him on tv.

If they hadn't let him go it would have been an insult to all the talented, chefs who worked hard to get there.

They might as well call this season Top Chef - Chicago with the number of Chicago chefs that made it through.

It was great to see the Chicago contingent have such early success. Nearly a third of the 16 actual cheftestants are Chicago chefs, regardless of what happens with Group 3 and the "Bubble" group.

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I am definitely rooting hard for all of the Chicago chefs in the mix, but also for Edward Lee who cooks at 610 Magnolia in my hometown of Louisville, KY. He got sent to the bubble last night and looks like he lops a finger off in the previews for next week, so can't say I am overly hopefuly he advances. He is a real talent though and my family has had nothing but glowing reviews of his restaurant down in KY.

I was looking forward to this Top Chef to watch Chef Terhune compete since she's so great at Sable - didn't realize we also got Moto twins and more from Chicago ... makes the season really fun to watch! and at least the opening episode had more of an original TC flavor with real food focus which makes me hopeful for the whole season.

Part 2 of the elimination challenge and ANOTHER Chicago chef get through to the top 16.

I thought the time-limiting challenge was interesting. Some of the ingredients were problematic, though you certainly can make a risotto in 40 minutes.

And I certainly don't get the "Last Chance Kitchen" thing. Supposing Andrew beats every single eliminated chef in the LCK, if I understand it correctly it would mean that he wouldn't have to participate in *any* of the TC challenges. Odds of that are slim, of course. Do the other chefs know that LCK exists ? The whole thing is just weird.

Part 2 of the elimination challenge and ANOTHER Chicago chef get through to the top 16.

I would guess her bosses at Aria will not be pleased when she admitted she wasn't used to dealing with raw octopus since the restaurant gets it in fully cooked.

Did not like the differing time limits and would have preferred a level playing field.

tem wrote:... Some of the ingredients were problematic, though you certainly can make a risotto in 40 minutes.

Someone mentioned to me that the chef did himself no favors by using such a large pan in the first place. I guess he tried to cook all of the risotto he was given? Maybe he thought he was cooking for all 29 contestants rather than only 3 judges?

tem wrote:Part 2 of the elimination challenge and ANOTHER Chicago chef get through to the top 16.

I thought the time-limiting challenge was interesting. Some of the ingredients were problematic, though you certainly can make a risotto in 40 minutes.
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I also didn't understand the comment about Italians thinking it takes all night to make a risotto. Given the history of making risotto for Collichio on Top Chef, he probably would have gone home even if he finished the dish anyway.

Gosh, Padma makes me crazy. She has the audacity to look an accomplished chef/cook in the eye and say "I think you have potential." If I were one contestant I'd have told her to go screw off!

She should be the host and NOT the judge.

Yet again, the "judge" with the fewest credentials becomes the most bombastic at judges table, "Listening to them, they were lucky to get any food out at all." Shut up Padma, these are Michelin starred James Beard nominated chefs. Who the hell are you?

This show will do nothing but cause arguments for me and my GF. I am a believer that Chicago has the best dining scene in the nation and she, having lived in NYC for many years, thinks otherwise. So, my cheering on the Chicago chefs and then having them ALL make the next round, then my prediction that the green team would win last night solely on the fact they had more Chicago chefs and then them doing it, well needless to say my inability to NOT rub it in does not bode well.

I just watched last week's episode last night. I was blown away by how many professional chefs mispronounced habanero. Took me back to the days of Jennifer's equally annoying "cevich".

This show is just cruel! I have thought it during many seasons, but this time more than ever I just want them to let the chefs cook, and not make them wake up after an hour's sleep and wrestle alligators in a walk-in to advance past the quickfire.

Is it me or does each episode seem to have a fail w a chef from Moto? One where they were using a technique they've done 1000 times but adds little or nothing to the flavor of the dish?

That chef from Sable is not coming off too well either, at least personality wise.

In recent years, "innovative" chefs have generally done well; Blaise, Voltaggio, etc. The Moto guys just don't seem to be hitting the right notes on the tricks though.

One thing that struck me last night. Moto is a much more famous and well known restaurant than any of the places of the night's judges.

Overall, the performances of the chef-testants seemed rather poor last night.

rickster wrote:That chef from Sable is not coming off too well either, at least personality wise.

LOL...understatement of the season.

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Vital Information wrote:One thing that struck me last night. Moto is a much more famous and well known restaurant than any of the places of the night's judges.

Is Moto clearly much more famous and well known than Anissa?

ChrisH wrote:

Vital Information wrote:One thing that struck me last night. Moto is a much more famous and well known restaurant than any of the places of the night's judges.

Is Moto clearly much more famous and well known than Anissa?

Or Animal or Lonesome Dove Bistro?

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rickster wrote:

That chef from Sable is not coming off too well either, at least personality wise.

I have worked with Heather Terhune twice at the Botanic Garden, and found her to be gracious and pleasant, not only with we volunteer sous-chefs, but also with the audience - particularly with children. She was one of the sweetest and most affable of the dozens of chefs with whom I have worked, and she willingly volunteers for the program EVERY summer, without fail. I am utterly baffled as to why the Magical Elves chose to give her - of all people! - the moustache-twirling villain edit.

NOTE TO SELF: NEVER appear on a competitive reality TV show!!

sundevilpeg wrote:

rickster wrote:

That chef from Sable is not coming off too well either, at least personality wise.

I am utterly baffled as to why the Magical Elves chose to give her - of all people! - the moustache-twirling villain edit.

Maybe's she's smart & volunteered to play the "bad guy"...while the bland folks get booted one by one, the producers will insist that she be kept around to continue injecting drama into the series.

sundevilpeg wrote:I am utterly baffled as to why the Magical Elves chose to give her - of all people! - the moustache-twirling villain edit.

I'm thinking probably because -- no matter what kind of person she is -- she gave them so much to work with.

FWIW, on her Twitter feed, she doesn't seem to suggest that she was misrepresented:

Heather Terhune wrote:I call it like I see it. If you don't like it, that's okay. I am nothing but honest.

And she's retweeting some classy stuff as well:



Not that any of this is terribly consequential. But at the moment, at least, she seems pretty comfortable with how she came across. If anything, she's doubling down.

sundevilpeg wrote:

rickster wrote:

That chef from Sable is not coming off too well either, at least personality wise.

I have worked with Heather Terhune twice at the Botanic Garden, and found her to be gracious and pleasant, not only with we volunteer sous-chefs, but also with the audience - particularly with children. She was one of the sweetest and most affable of the dozens of chefs with whom I have worked, and she willingly volunteers for the program EVERY summer, without fail. I am utterly baffled as to why the Magical Elves chose to give her - of all people! - the moustache-twirling villain edit.

NOTE TO SELF: NEVER appear on a competitive reality TV show!!

So glad you noted this. I only know Chef Terhune from Sable but I've been eating there often several times a month since they opened - and I always request a booth facing the kitchen as I enjoy watching their team. One reason I became a "regular" was that the kitchen crew consistently looks happy with their work and its a pleasure to see that - and to watch Chef T keep it all going with no drama but always a smile and charm.

I'd love to see the unedited version ... I'm betting there's much more to the story.

For this old school working chef, it's hard to understand how so many of these tv contestant chefs have trouble cooking meat to a reasonable doneness and can't get potatoes cooked in six hours. WTF? We do beef and lamb rack events day after day for hundreds of members and guests at a sitting, and nail it every time.

I just don't get it.

By the way, in reference to last week's mother sauce quickfire, I spent several years as Dean Fearing's banquet chef at The Mansion on Turtle Creek and we never used roux.

Evil Ronnie wrote:For this old school working chef, it's hard to understand how so many of these tv contestant chefs have trouble cooking meat to a reasonable doneness and can't get potatoes cooked in six hours. WTF? We do beef and lamb rack events day after day for hundreds of members and guests at a sitting, and nail it every time.

I just don't get it.

By the way, in reference to last week's mother sauce quickfire, I spent several years as Dean Fearing's banquet chef at The Mansion on Turtle Creek and we never used roux.

I've wondered this a lot also. But then again, the contestant chefs say the same things: "I've made this dish a hundred times; I can't believe I over/undercooked it!".

Darren72 wrote:

Evil Ronnie wrote:For this old school working chef, it's hard to understand how so many of these tv contestant chefs have trouble cooking meat to a reasonable doneness and can't get potatoes cooked in six hours. WTF? We do beef and lamb rack events day after day for hundreds of members and guests at a sitting, and nail it every time.

I just don't get it.

By the way, in reference to last week's mother sauce quickfire, I spent several years as Dean Fearing's banquet chef at The Mansion on Turtle Creek and we never used roux.

I've wondered this a lot also. But then again, the contestant chefs say the same things: "I've made this dish a hundred times; I can't believe I over/undercooked it!".

For those cooks who can't determine doneness by touch, a pocket instant read meat thermometer is invaluable. Or to insert the tip of a paring knife works like a charm.

In the "what do I know" pile, I also wondered why some of the chefs did not decide to braise their game, which, to me, seems more forgiving in these 2 day cooks.