everything I need to know in life I learned from Top Chef

[solipsistnation]

Well, not everything, but, in general, you could watch this and get some good pointers for general success...

- Know what you're good at and when to use those skills.

- Also know when not to. Just because you CAN make foams of everything doesn't mean you should.

- Don't try to educate people who are waiting for lunch.

- Double-check important details. (Temperatures, who's doing what, and so on.)

- A little planning goes a long way.

- So does paying attention to the rules.

- Pay attention to context and setting. What works in one may not work in another.

- Calling people on their bullshit can be satisfying but mostly doesn't help, and if you aren't really careful you'll end up looking like the asshole.

- Working as a team works better than competing with your teammates. Maybe only one person can win in the end, but if your team loses, you all lose.

- Know when to innovate and experiment and when to stand by your strengths.

- Know your audience.

- Your bitchy commentary will come back to haunt you.

- Don't serve anything you haven't tasted.


Yeah, deep. There you go.

Comments

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

You forgot: Having a fauxhawk does not make you cool.

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Ha, no kidding.

Also, "Don't shave anyone's head."

[usagijer.livejournal.com]

awwww, but I've got the clippers, and I'm not afraid to use them

[air-hadoken.livejournal.com]

It depends on whether you are on a show that promotes shaving other people without their consent (cf. Jackass) or one that will will kick you off the show for doing it.

Disclaimer: I am not a television clipper professional and cannot comment on your personal situation.

[etherealfionna.livejournal.com]

Being in foreign parts, I have only watched one and half series of Top Chef, so I'm not sure if you are being ironic because the show turned to shite.

So from my out of date perspective: good points! And yay for another fan of what I find to be a bizarrely addictive show.

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

You thought it went downhill? Huh, I like seasons 2 and 3 better. Padma is much cooler (and less gleefully cruel) than the first hostess. (Also she went to school basically down the street from where I was in school around 1990-1992, so she's a Worcester girl. By way of a lot of other more interesting places, but she went to Clark.)

Anyway, watching them, all the seasons have the same sorts of themes-- in the restaurant wars, the team that works together better tends to win, and when people who aren't pastry chefs try to make pastries, they fail in terrible ways, and so on...

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

I think it was season two that was produced more like The Real Life, which tested my ability to watch a reality program. It did start to irk me and I'd yell at the TV for them to shut up about stupid drama and get back to showing the food. It was almost like they thought the formula for a successful reality show HAD to involve unnecessary drama. Why else would they supply so much booze and give the kids their own camera after hours? Would the head shaving incident have happened without a toy to play around with? Though people this year have "personalities" it doesn't seem entirely like they were cast in order to cause controversy, and everyone is being better behaved, within their power. That being said, I am much less intrigued by the food being produced this year.

[etherealfionna.livejournal.com]

Ah no, you misunderstand. I was just wondering whether *you* thought it was now shite, and pointing out that I'm working from a different point of view because I haven't seen latest episodes.

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Oooh, no, I don't. I'm still enjoying it.

And I forgot the most important thing to learn: In the end, what matters is what's on the plate.

Deep wisdom indeed.