Top Chef Masters

FallinAgain

Anyone watch last night?  The challenge kinda bugged me.  First, Zooey Deschanel doesn't seem to know that being a vegetarian who also doesn't eat cheese or dairy is called a vegan. Ok, fine.  Then she can't eat gluten dues to allegy.  Whatever.  Then, she won't eat soy either.  Common.  Eat your salad and let these chefs do what they do.  So limiting.  I liked Chiarello's comment "Think about all the things you like to cook and mark them off.  Beef? No.  Some seafood? No.  Cheese? No.  Pasta? No."  Also, the preview for next week. Dale is an angey little idiot.  You're going to try to fight one of the top chefs in the country on national tv?  Great career move, d-bag.

BermudaBride07

I didn't watch last night's yet but the whole series is annoying me. I am very much looking forward to the return of regular Top Chef.

FallinAgain

Really?  I so much prefer this one. I like the interaction of world class chefs without the arrogance of people who haven't earned the cred to be arrogant. 

BermudaBride07

It seems too fluffy for me.  I feel like the critics hold back on the reviews.  Or, maybe it's because the chefs are SO good that it's boring me a little bit.  I like to see a little fire during Judge's Table.  I like the interaction between the contestants when they are really fighting for it. 

Mrs.Expchic

I'm on BB's dogsled.  They are too lovey-lovey with each other.  I like fighting.

FallinAgain

I can see that.  I enjoy watching amazing chefs create dishes without all the dramaz.  I will welcome the return of Padma and Tom though.

BermudaBride07

I am enjoying watching them cook but I went into it thinking it would be the same judges and format as regular TC.  I HATE the host. She sucks so hard.

MamaKin

i like the masters one, too. they're way past all the catty behavior of the real competition. it'd be pretty shiity to do a show for charity, then be a real ccock. the respect they show each other is really cool and makes you realize how hot shiit they really are. i can't believe anita lo struck out like she did last night. previously, she's just been a machine. also, i'm kind of sad art is gone. he was somethin' else

KristenBtobe

I fell asleep before last night's episode was over. The only think I think I'll remember about this series is that they used Hubert Keller's shadow for the empty winners slots. That mane of hair is unforgettable.

SarahBethBR

I liked it for personal reasons, obviously. I think if chefs are so great, they should be able to cook within restrictive limits.  Yeah, it was very, very restrictive, but if I go into a restaurant, even a nice one, then as a customer I expect the chef to be able to prepare something I can eat.  Something other than a salad.  Yes, even at a very nice restaurant.  If they can't do that then I don't consider them a very good chef.And I love Micahel Chiarello, but I thought his dish was kind of a cop out.  GF pasta is not that difficult to deal with (although IMO quinoa is one of the worst tasting kinds, so it was good on his part to work with the taste of it).  I would rather have seen him work wit naturally GF foods rather than just use store bought pasta.

FallinAgain

Really?  I don't generally go to restaurants expecting the chef to be able to prepare something super specialized off the menu.   An allergy is one thing but I won't eat this or this, or this or this or this is over the top. Even at a super nice restaurant, I'd feel douchey saying, you have to forget everything you normally might do and accommodate ALL this list of my preferences.  She kept saying "no one ever cooks for me."  No wonder.I don't see using store brought alternatives as much of a cop out in this situation.  I'm not sure they have the knowledge to prepare gluten-free pasta from scratch or the time to experiment to make up a recipe and get it right.

SarahBethBR

I'm not saying he should have made gluten free pasta from scratch.  I guess when I saw the commercials for this episode, I got excited because I knew Zooey Deschanel is gluten intolerant, so I thought I'd be getting some new ideas.  And GF pasta is literally the first thing I bought after I got diagnosed.  It's easy. Especially since he said his wfe couldn't eat gluten when they first met, I would think he would be able to do something a little harder. And yeah, I wouldn't go into a restaurant and just rattle off my preferences.  But for something like vegetarianism (which chefs should be used to doing by now) or an allergy, yeah, I expect them to be able to accomodate it.

FallinAgain

So you would have been ok with GF pasta?  Is it possible that Whole Foods doesn't carry it?  Although the quinoa pasta dish seemed to go over pretty well. I think it was the combo that threw them.  They weren't thrilled with vegetarian (a lot of chefs love their meat), but they didn't blink, then it become vegan (why she didn't say that up front was puzzling) which lost them cheese, milk, cream, butter and eggs (so much flavor and binding power), then GF so there goes the bread, breadcrumbs, and pasta they're familiar with, and then, just for fun, Oh, she doesn't eat soy either so there go a number of dairy substitutions and tofu.   It just smacked of crazy difficult actress diva to me.  I almost felt sorry for Art Smith. 

SarahBethBR

No, I was kind of saying kudos to him for finding flavors and textures that go well with the quinoa pasta, I guess. It was just a dissapointment to me.  I'm a pretty average cook, and I've made something similar (slthough probably not as tasty) so I would think he would be able to come up with something different than pasta with tomatos.I definitely think this was a big challenge for them.  Those are very strict guidelines.  My point was that this is a challenge they should be able to meet.  Why just let them make what they want to make, when they're supposed to be masters?

buddhagouda

I didn't watch it, but seriously, what CAN she eat?

FallinAgain

Salad?  I was wondering where she gets protein.  I guess beans and nuts.  My H, at that point, said, "no wonder she looks gaunt."

ftnups

I enjoyed the challenge just because I am also a vegetarian and was vegan for a long time. I always love watching them cook and seeing what they make, even if I can't eat most of it - but this one was fun just because for once it was all stuff I would eat.It didn't even occur to me that buying quinoa pasta was somehow a misstep. His dish looked delicious and obviously went over great. Who needs a plate of gd roasted vegetables (ahem anita) just for the sake of not using something from a box. One of the common challenges with eating out as a vegetarian, particularly at nice restaurants, is that so many cooks think if you are vegetarian you must 1) not have a big appetite and 2) not eat anything with fat in it. A lot of times you get up feeling not too satisfied. I liked how they really made an effort at combining the healthy whole foods most vegetarians like with some rich and fatty sauces and sides and stuff. Anyway I love the show and I kind of enjoy all the camaraderie and mutual respect they have for each other vs the fighting. My faves are Chiarello and of course Rick Bayless. "Wow, the phrase fresh innocence hasn't been used in my presence in a loooong time." hahahahaDear baby Jesus please let Michael Chiarello go off on Dale next week. Pleeeeeeease. I never realized how sexy Chiarello was til this show. He kind of makes me swoony.

FallinAgain

I love Rick Bayless on the show, but I have to say, I've been to Frontera Grill and, while it was good, it didn't wow me.  My opinion might be colored by the fact that we had reservations for our large party for 8 and weren't seated till 9:3o, but I think the food wasn't as amazing as I expected anyway.  Except the ceviche, which was incredible.