Top Chef: Season 5

[quote=roomie;46480]...does anyone else have a sudden hankering for oatmeal and Diet Dr. Pepper?[/quote] Hahaha, that looked absolutely appetizing - [I]NOT![/I] Carla is a weirdo and that works for her. She is clearly a good person and funny at times - although her [I]roving eyes[/I] sometimes scare me, lol. I have a feeling Jaime is going to win. Sometimes I like her, sometimes I don't. I think she is extremely talented, but at the same time her overconfidence grates me a bit. Stephan is the ultimate narcissist. Nothing else needs to be said (well, except that he is probably the Top all around Chef.) I think Hosea is a nice guy deep down who cheated on his girlfriend. Not sure that is a fan favorite quality, although he has skills.

[quote=molds13;46491]Does no one like Leah? I think she's a pretty good chef...she just never sounds EXCITED about her food.[/quote] She falls into the: "My girlfriend goes away for a few weeks and cheats on me category." I think she is a fine chef, but does not jump out at me. Her ticket is a short ride, with it being a tossup of her, Carla and Fabio going next week. (Yes Roomie, I know Carla won this week - she also actually lost last week. Really bad.)

[quote=molds13;46516]Have they mentioned if Gail is coming back at all this season?[/quote] It sounds like she will be back for the finale.

I'm not sure Jaime was the worst Chef on the block this week. Hosea started looking like a Denny's line cook in this episode, making stupid mistakes and showing he did not have the culinary background to adapt to classical cuisine. Still, Jaime's attitude made me shed no tears when she was let go. The statement, "this food is boring to me" made me laugh (in reference to Chef Eric Ripert's food.) It is such a "young chef" comment to make. The reality is, with the proper seasoning (time & experience) most great chefs return to simple, clean dishes after spending years on the experimental front. Not everyone is Wylie Dufresne and for her to make such a comment at her current skill level was laughable. Stephan has to be the favorite by leaps and bounds at this point. There is really no one with his overall level of skill and experience. Wouldn't be the first time [URL="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=202546734"]an ****ole won[/URL].

[quote=V1man;47246]While I'm not surprised that Jamie was eliminated, I agree with her comment about Ripert's food. I've had the Escolar at La Bernardin, the dish Carla attempted to recreate. Frankly, I've prepared better tuna in my own kitchen using only saffron, fresh dill, fresh creme and 1/2 cup of a nice Chenin Blanc.[/quote] Sacrilege! Leave my celebrity Chefs alone! (Umm, unless it is Rachel Ray.) What I am getting to is not the food itself (as she did not complain about its preparation) but rather that that style of cooking was below her (i.e. Classic French Cuisine.) [quote]We'll probably see Carla in the finals which can only be seen as homage to political correctness. She should have been booted long ago.[/quote]I agree. She is the weakest remaining and both Jeff and Jaime are probably better Chefs. That being said, it is not her food that bothers me - it is her personality. I just think she is too out there for my tastes.

[quote=V1man;47347]I have to mute my TV whenever she talks. I find her to be one of the most annoying people I've seen on any reality program in the past two to three years.[/quote] When making a call, I have to tell people I will call them back if she is on in the background (abruptly hanging up)....and then never do just to punish them for not knowing better. :wink2:

[quote]I know I'm in the minority here, but I'm rooting for Carla to win! [/quote]I don't think I can become a Carla fan. She would rank at the bottom of the remaining chefs in my book, although I know as a whole she seems quite popular in other online communities. I just can't stand her puns. They are so kitschy...and that laugh...oh that freaking laugh. Actually, I like Fabio out of all the remaining chefs. [quote]Also, one of my friends mentioned today she heard next season is going to be in Las Vegas... is this online anywhere yet[/quote]I have not heard about next season, although I know they announced yesterday that they are doing a spin off series for next fall called Top Chef Masters. [quote]I'm happy that Leah was eliminated in last night's episode. [/quote]I was not a Leah fan, so I was fine with her departure. As soon as I saw her first on the fly I knew she was going to lose. She might be a nice girl, but her food throughout the competition was sub par and she basically lived on the chopping block. Stephan has been the best chef throughout the competition and even though his dish was probably the worst this week, there was leniency applied for his previous efforts. Even though they say that they fully base their decisions on the food that day, in fairness they have to keep some sort of running score and getting rid of someone that has won 9 times thus far would have raised questions as to the legitimacy of the competition. He had to have a shot at the final - and Carla was untouchable as an option to send home.

[quote=molds13;48045]Has he REALLY won 9? I didn't think it was that many...either way, I still would prefer it if someone else won. He needs an ego check[/quote] Yes, even though I feel that his is hands down the best chef there - I'd rather see Fabio or Hosea win as well. I tend to gravitate away from narcissists... Sorry Roomie, I just can't pull for Carla. I can't! I think molds and I are two peas in a pod on this one. *ba dum dum* - [I][B]cymbal crash[/B] [/I]

I am guessing that they decided a long time ago that Carla was going to be Top Chef... Jeff should have won the competition tonight. Now we are left with three less than desirable options (in my opinion) for the title. There were all these good Chefs at the start and this is what we are left with? Very disappointing.

[quote]I remember during Miami thinking that Casey had it in the bag until she got to finals and fell apart in Colorado. [/quote]Right, just like they made it look like Stephan had it in the bag until they could conveniently rip him apart and bring forth the new victor. I guess I have a different idea of what a Top Chef should be than the judges (and [I]some[/I] of the audience.) I feel they should be able to leave the show and immediately and step into the kitchen as the defacto leader in one of the hottest restaurant in New York City (for example.) Being a chef is more than making a creame sauce or poaching an egg. Carla is not going to be able to do that. Either is Hosea. I've lost respect for Hosea as time has progressed (i.e. cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater) and although he might be a skilled cook, he is no chef. I know this is probably an unfair bias that I hold, but there are rare cases in the industry these days where a self taught chef becomes the next big thing (and if someone brings up Rachel Ray I'll just snap, lol.) You either need to attend culinary school or work under the tutelage of a renowned chef in order to have a broad base of refined skills. Technique is important. There have been many times throughout this competition (weekly) where Hosea proved he needs to hit the books. Most of the successful chefs I know went to college and earned a degree in a hospitality or business field, then attended culinary school, then worked for 5-10 years under the careful supervision of a master chef - before even considering striking out and making their own brand. Anyway, Carla clearly has good technique when it comes to her simple home cooked food. Obviously the deck is stacked in her favor at this point with the theme city being in the sweet spot of her forte (southern cuisine.) The regional requirements of the dishes at this point do offer her a huge advantage...

[quote=roomie;49376]Hey B - how gorgeous did Padma look in her masquerade ball ensemble? And yay! Gail is back!! [/quote] Oh ya, change the subject to something I'll bite on. :D