cmvan's Profile
Food Network Star, Episode 3 - Chopped Lite (SPOILER)
Well, this group actually took to the challenge pretty well apparently, even though they were faced with both the dreaded Baskets of Doom and the equally dreaded category of Dessert.
The judges' reactions particularly to the contestants' last moment platings were amusing - they really seemed to get into it, verbalizing more than we get to see in the actual Chopped. I especially enjoyed their reactions to Justin.
I did get a bit peeved when they did a teaser at one commercial break, showing Michelle getting spooked by the stares of what the editors made us think was clearly Alex Guarnaschelli, but turned out to actually be Giada. What was that all about?!
And my local boy, Eric Lee, did well again, and is perking up his presentations. Maybe we'll see him and Justin in the final.
As for the 2 at the bottom, it could easily have been either one to go. I think they chose Josh because he was unfocused, choked on camera, and got on their nerves with his 'rock star' schtick, which never really panned out.
Food Network Star, Week 2 (SPOILER)
I believe she said she didn't eat chicken "on the bone".
Food Network Star, Week 2 (SPOILER)
This was an episode that made one wonder how at least a couple of contestants ever got chosen. Like the woman who bitched about having to deal with fried chicken ("I don't fry chicken") and waffles ("I don't like waffles. I like pancakes."), and not being as enthusiastic as others about meeting and picking the brains of some very iconic New York cooks/proprietors.
And some, like self-proclaimed Mr. Rock n; Roll, seem to be all about themselves and not about the food. We'll see if they fall by the wayside fairly quickly.
Eric Lee is my hometown boy (Sonoma County), and I met him a few years ago. He's as nice in person as he comes off on TV. But I fear his cooking expertise may not carry him through the Big Personality Test. Wonder if he got any tips in advance from our other hometown boy, Guy Fieri...
Chopped All-Stars, Part 2, 04/15/12 (SPOILER!)
An interesting episode, especially since the one real "pro" got knocked out first. Aarti was pretty obviously not going to make it all the way through. I was pleasantly surprised at how well Marcella did, but found myself rooting for Jeffrey. I felt he was the most creative with his dishes, as Aarti & Marcella seemed to stay withing their cuisine comfort zones.
Next week's group - I don't know...It will be tough for any of that group to go up against Michael Symon and whoever wins the Chopped Judges group.
Healdsburg WHITE (Winery) and Olive Oil Suggestions
Out on Dry Creek Road, the David Coffaro Winery is a fun visit to a small winery with lots of character and excellent wines. (7485 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg; (707) 433-9715; www.coffaro.com).
For olive oil, you can go out Westside Road to the tasting room for DaVero. They not only make high quality local Tuscan-style oils, but also wines. (766 Westside Road, Healdsburg; www.davero.com)
Iron Chef America - Zakarian's debut (SPOILERS)
Alex's pace had to have been one of the slowest ever in a sous on ICA.I suspect Geoffrey was getting more frustrated than he let on.
Wonder of they shot this episode right after the NIC finale.
The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs (Episode 6 "Food Auction") [Spoilers]
I found myself getting tired of Anne Burrell's sour facial expressions during this episode. She certainly wasn't behaving like an iron Chef. Plus all the snarky comments - you could pretty much see her ax-ing coming by the way the elves edited her.
As for Elizabeth Falkner - many people are apparently unaware that she not only has her bakery, Citizen Cake, but also her bar/restaurant Orson, so she has some serious savory chops (pardon the expression). Her bio on the FN website covers all this and more. Her credentials are quite good.
Top Chef Just Desserts 10/19 episode (spoiler!)
No more Quickfires, it's last elimination before the finale.
Having to create a dessert that looks like an entree - not exactly a new gimmick, but what the hey.
Some of what went on produced quite predictable results, like Chris being chastised for using frozen puff pastry. And Sally going bonkers over what to make, not having it together when Johnny came round, and then ending up winning. Big shock. It's so like the Magical Elves to make you think she's blown it...
I was a bit concerned that Matt would get the ax, but Orlando just made too many errors in his production of his dessert paella. While I didn't care for Orlando through the series, as he said in his departing interview, he learned how to use constructive criticism rather than think he was always 100% correct. The experience really seemed to do him good, and he thanked Johnny for his words.
No telling who will win this. All three have had their moments. It's just a matter of who will have a better dessert day than the other two.
Top Chef Just Desserts - the last 2 weeks (spoilers)
Sorry. We'll make sure this week's episode gets s fresh thread.
Top 5 Bay Area Sandwiches?
Roy's is changing hands, being taken over by a couple of their longtime customers. Time will tell if things change.
Top Chef Just Desserts - the last 2 weeks (spoilers)
In her blog on bravo.com, Gail says they did eat Matthew's pie (just didn't show the footage) and it was quite good. She didn't say he might have won, though.
Top Chef Just Desserts - the last 2 weeks (spoilers)
I just read the blogs on Bravo.com, and Gail clarifies that Carlos' errors in execution (such as that, in not using the macarons and making angel food instead, he created a texture that fell apart in your hands, and made churro fries that were cold and fairly tasteless) were what sent him packing. Orlando didn't really meet the need for his dish to taste like what he said it was based on, but his execution was better than Carlos'. Still, I'd rather have seen Carlos move on than sourpuss Orlando.
Top Chef Just Desserts - the last 2 weeks (spoilers)
Okay, now on to last night's episode, Oct 12. No sense starting up a new thread, I figure.
The one hand behind the back Quickfire was interesting, but it would have been nice to hear the reaction to Matthew's dish, even though he'd been disqualified for the 2nd hand flub. And it seemed like Carlos was the right pick to win it.
I don't agree, though, that he was the right choice to lose the elimination. He was one of the only chefs to address the Carnival/Playful aspect, even if the end product didn't quite work out. I was certain they'd ax Orlando. He got so much criticism over the execution, not to mention how his dish bore no resemblance to a candy apple or apple anything, for that matter. And yet he stayed? Perhaps there was some ulterior motive to keeping him in? The "drama" that plays between him and Chris? Hard to say...
Top Chef Just Desserts - the last 2 weeks (spoilers)
Just read Hubert Keller's blog, and he thought the challenge was great. But then, he wasn't judging that one...
Top Chef Just Desserts - the last 2 weeks (spoilers)
Since no one, including me, posted last week, this will cover both weeks.
Overall, I have to say that I preferred last year's challenges, They were more appropriate and not just bizarre to be bizarre. It seemed like even the judges found the "Beastie Boys Challenge" to be ridiculous. We've hardly been allowed to see what these contestants can actually do in terms of making great cakes and other pastries. Instead it's all about incorporating chicken and canned ravioli and pork & beans into a dessert. Come on, people! And by people, I mean the show's producers.
With this going on in TCJD, I can just imagine what will happen in TC Texas. Maybe they'll have to make an entree out of wedding cake...
Top Chef Texas
If you mean Jen and Zoi (TC4), no, they didn't work at the same restaurant. Jen worked in San Francisco, commuting in from Sonoma County, and Zoi was working at Bovolo and Zazu restaurants in Sonoma County, both spots owned by John Stewart and Duskie Estes (she of Next Iron Chef fame, and they together winners of this year's Cochon). Jen and Zoi broke up about the same time as the TC4 ended, and Zoi moved back up to Seattle.
Top Chef Just Desserts 09/14/11 (spoiler)
Here it's Friday, and no one, including me, has posted about this latest episode. Wonder why...
Overall a bit more interesting than previous episodes, and it did allow the individuals to conceptualize, execute, and succeed or fail on their own merits.
It was clever to do the reunion aspect of the Willy Wonka movie, which led to the scenario for the elimination. And it was interesting to see which chefs were able to shine with their creativity, whimsy, and ability to deftly produce their vision.
And then there were those who didn't. That Craig was eliminated was certainly no surprise. And Melissa's bad decisions about her doughnuts sealed her fate.
Plus, having Ron Ben-Israel as guest judge gave us a glimpse of what we'll get starting next week with his new show on FN. We'll see on that one...
Chopped 24-7 on the food network
Plus they're filling in space until all their new shows start up in a couple of weeks, although what we need with yet another sweets/dessert competition show, I don't know. Especially with what appears to be a totally pompous host. But I should hold off on being too critical of him, since, as we know, editors can make just about whatever they want of footage they receive...
Should I bother? Top Chef Just Desserts Ep 3 9/7 (spoiler)
I posted last week, and not even 10 posts. Shows you how few people are watching this show, or cared enough about what they saw to comment. We said it first episode - underwhelming.
The Quickfire was nothing but a conduit for sponsor exposure. And guest judge Hugh Acheson (Mr. Unibrow) was a mite annoying with his oddball facial expressions, very much like on Top Chef Masters. That Craig won was okay, but a bit of a fluke.
Then another blatant promo by centering the Elimination around that Bravo show I won't waste time making comments on. Suffice it to say, I found it painful to watch the dog-handler husband, who was first to point out that he plays second fiddle to the pup where his wife is concerned. Poor chap, but then, he's laughing all the way to the bank for every minute he's on screen, so what does he really care?
Anyway...things seemed pretty evenly matched overall between the two teams, but basically as overblown as RHOBH is. Some desserts were very nicely done, Nelson made bad decisions, and Craig was damned lucky he had immunity (as Iuzzini told him).
Anyone else have anything more?
Small winery in/around Healdsburg area?
My favorite Healdsburg (well, technically Geyserville) winery is David Coffaro at 7485 Dry Creek Road, just past Yoakim Bridge Road. It's a very small operation, and just the place to go if you like a quirky experience..
Check out David's website, www.coffaro.com, especially his "Dave's Diary", where he chronicles the ups and downs and joys of winemaking.
And if you're lucky, he'll be making pizza, or showing Woodstock on the big screen in the tasting/barrel room...
Top Chef Just Desserts Ep 2, 8/31 (spoiler)
Since no one else has started one, here we go.
An underwhelming Quickfire, although it demonstrated what we often hear on these shows, which is "simple but flawless will beat out complicated but flawed", hence Matthew's win. And that thinking creatively can also make points, as in Katsie's move with the lemon crepe "fettucine".
Craig. His comment upon introducing his lemon dessert was telling - "What I ended up with was..."
In the elimination challenge, it was interesting to see how 2 teams made cohesive, professional cakes that represented the location, and 2 badly missed the mark. In his blog, Hubert Keller says that he was struck at how the badly done cakes stood out much more than the well-done ones, and not in a good way. Some of the amateurish work was pretty much shocking.
As for who was cut, it was a toss-up. But because both his decorative work and his cake were bad, it sort of had to be Vanarin. Craig's drum cake decoration was poorly executed (and looked more Disneyland than Disney Concert Hall), but apparently his cake was tasty enough to eke him by.
Top Chef Just Desserts Ep 1 8/24 (spoiler)
If I remember correctly, the threads from last year's competition included a fair amount of talk about how pastry chefs are definitely a different breed from the standard "regular" chef. They certainly must have a serious creativity bent in order to succeed, based perhaps more on imagination than cooking is, and with a rock solid skills base. What some of them did in episode 1 with sugar and chocolate would be utterly daunting to most savory chefs.
Top Chef Just Desserts Ep 1 8/24 (spoiler)
True. I thought he looked especially handsome in his blue jacket at the Fairy Tale tasting. He looked quite natural in it.
Top Chef Just Desserts Ep 1 8/24 (spoiler)
Well, that was sort of underwhelming...
Of course, the first episode of these competition shows is often so-so. There were a few people I had to wonder about how they were even brought on the show (case in point - Craig Poirier, who constantly seemed lost and overwhelmed), but maybe that's just for the drama factor, to stir things up.
Speaking of drama factors, I was almost surprised that they sent Lina packing. She seemed to have "Penny Potential". But insisting on not making the Hansel & Gretel house the way it needed to be to achieve challenge integrity was an ego move, particularly when the rest of the team disagreed.
I guess they'll still have drama aplenty with contestants like Orlando and Melissa. But then, they seem to have some serious pros, as well, to appeal to those of us who watch for the learning factor.
Are some celebrity chefs difficult to work for?
I don't know about New York, Chicago, etc., but here in the Bay Area, we do have some restaurants owned by "celebrity chefs", and they seem to go through staff like water.
In particular, you see ads over and over and over again for BOH and FOH for Morimoto's in Napa, and for Tyler Florence's places in Napa and Mill Valley (not sure about his San Francisco spot).
Certainly there are other restaurants that have high turnover, but these seem to really work through staff. You've got to wonder just what's causing that kind of turnover - bad hiring choices, too much job stress, or who knows...
NFNS Reunion Show [spoilers for Finale]
If I remember correctly, Alton questioned Penny during that competition about her lack of speed, to which she answered that she's just thorough.
It certainly did seem that, after Penny's negative comment about Susie's "pilot", she became purposefully over-nice. Maybe to seem like she'd become more friendly (especially after Jyll's comments about her).
NFNS 8/6 with Spoilers
Other contestants have had the same thing, even ones eliminated, so I don't know how serious;y you could take it. Maybe it was just her turn...
NFNS 7/31 with spoilers
I'd never even heard of her until I saw her on the FN Newsletter in my email this morning, but Marcela Valladolid has a show on FN, apparently starting its second season, all about cooking Mexican. So how would they make Susie something different enough to warrant another show on Mexican food?
But then, who would have thought they'd go for yet another show on sweets/desserts? The promo for Duff's new show doesn't exactly look like anything new, except for recycling his persona out of the bakery...
Mateo Granados opening Cocina Latina in Healdsburg in late August
He's finally opening his own brick-and-mortar restaurant:
http://www.biteclubeats.com/2011/07/mateos-cocina-latina-slated-for-august.html
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Mateo Granados
399 Business Park Dr, Windsor, CA
Cocina Latina
214 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448
NFNS 7/17 with spoilers
That mispronunciation of "mascarpone" has driven me crazy for ages. Especially when "professionals" do it, like Alton Brown and Bobby Flay, just to mention two. At least Alton has corrected himself periodically, but habit comes back on him at times.
My husband and I joke that "marscapone" isn't a dairy product - it's the "Gangster from the Red Planet"...
