tv show nerdity

[solipsistnation]

Yay, new season of Top Chef! One of the people I liked right off went home already, and the rest, so far, don't seem to have much in the way of personality. That's probably good, since maybe we'll get mostly cooking this time around. (I'm not holding my breath.) The guy who went home was a CIA student, and he was up against people with actual experience, so I guess it's no real surprise.

The quickfire challenge was kind of neat, if brutal. (I guess it you start off with 17 contestants you need to get rid of some of them quick.) Blood all over the place was amusing, and according to a certain Mr. Bourdain, not unusual in actual kitchens. I like watching skilled knife work, so I'm sorry we didn't get more closeups of that. It's probably safer for everyone, though...

I suspect Alex, Jeff, or Fabio will be the villains this season, but I guess we'll find out as we go. Stefan's Finnish smugness may annoy people. I expect Carla will be eliminated soon. Radhika seems nice, but I bet her limited palette will cause her problems soon. Jeff, the guy who looks like Dr. Chase from "House" will probably also annoy people. Other than that, not many people stood out. Gene seems like a good cook, but I bet he will also end up limited by his lack of wide familiarity with some cuisines. Too bad, since he also seems eminently likeable and he's very appealing since he worked his way up rather than going to culinary school. Anyway, he's who I'll be rooting for.

People made the same sorts of mistakes as in past seasons, too-- somebody was doing a duo of stuff, somebody made a nice-looking thing with 3 mediocre sauces rather than one good sauce, some people just didn't get it, and so on and so forth.

Blatant New York worship ("OH MAN NEW YORK THIS IS WHERE EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD HAPPENS") actually mostly pisses me off, so I hope they calm down with that as they go on, but, you know, it's people from NYC in NYC making a show about cooking in NYC, so I'm sure I'll have more chances to get sick of it. Oh well.

Anyway, hooray.

Comments

Re: blood in a kitchen

[sla.livejournal.com]

We go through tons and tons of bandaids at work so yes not unusual at all.

I like the show so far and we will see if there is more cooking this season or not. I was not a huge fan of the quickfire - at least the first part. I mean peeling apples with a paring knife is not all that significant to cooking. The next two parts of the quickfire where much more telling, the 9 who got a pass because they could peel apples with speed got a complete free pass.

I also agree that they should tone down NYC is 'THE' place.

[desertlover.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm kind of skeptical about this season...for a lot of the same reasons. but we'll see.

[mysterysquid.livejournal.com]

My wife loves a certain Mr Bourdain, possibly more than is healthy...

[amymarr.livejournal.com]

I don't watch Top Chef, but maybe I will. I sort of felt left out last season with everyone talking about it. I do watch Hell's Kitchen, though. :)

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Never watched Hell's Kitchen, actually. I probably won't, since I already have enough TV to watch (especially with a new season of Spooks underway over at the Beeb, and The Office, and House). But sure, join us in Top Chef speculation. Or convince me to watch Hell's Kitchen... 8)