petermarcus (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
petermarcus) wrote2008-05-23 09:18 pm
petermarcus) wrote2008-05-23 09:18 pm
Top Chef
Finally got a chance to watch the DVR of it...
Man, last week I go on a limb to predict that Dale will be in the final, and it bites me in the ass. It's rough, because he was the leader, and Tre got kicked out last season for basically the same thing, but Lisa couldn't cook anything right tonight. Like, Dale made bad decisions, but at least the guy can cook (though I agree with Bourdain, that butterscotch is almost too much even on its own). But Lisa's continuing problems with rice (and she works at an Asian restaurant?) and Spike and Dale telling her she's smoky on her appetizer, yet she serves it to the guy who's probably been in Asia more in the last year than the owners of her restaurant.
I'll give Dale the credit for taking the bullet though, or perhaps it was his own arrogance. He could have let Lisa take the exec, knowing if she screwed up, it would likely be her. But he rolled the dice on an all or nothing.
Now there are five.
Lisa won't have too many people to blame now. She and Spike don't get along, but the other three have been pretty neutral with her.
Spike was pretty cunning when it came to letting Dale and Lisa play Russian roulette in the kitchen. However, he panicked and said the decor was a team effort when they were setting him up for a compliment, yet the Pier One shopping and setup of the place he said on camera was pretty much himself. He did the same thing with his seabass a few episodes back, again when they were setting him up to say everyone liked it. I'm actually starting to respect his cooking, though not his personality. And, hey, I think it was almost a hat-free episode!
Antonia gets the quick-fire win with her egg-skills, though other than Dale, I think perhaps she was the only one who didn't burn styrofoam or destroy eggs, or had any other kind of minor catastrophe. Very shrewd work picking her team, too -- she not only grabbed good, friendly cooks, but the two who won the most quickfires and eliminations. Not exactly sure what she did other than picking her team, though... she was neither front-of-house or exec.
Richard picked some good sounding food. I'm probably going to try that idea of banana scallops for a dessert one of these days (minus the brown streak/smear). Again, he grabs the exec, and again he pulls off a win. This guy is an amazing balance. He'll curse in the kitchen with the rest of them, but is calm in front of the cameras. He doesn't seem to get flustered easily. He pulls of the management of kitchen exec challenges and wins time after time, even while he's cooking most of the dishes. He balances the weird chemistry of MG along with traditional methods, so that he doesn't tip into either camp, and his food is original and still usually (but not always) complimented. And even the "but not always" shows he is trying instead of coasting. I love the guy and his pink crocs.
Stephanie's gorgonzola cheesecake made me raise my eyebrows, but everyone seemed to love it. Her homemade noodles were a good idea, and both women jumped on Richard when the clams were gritty (flashbacks to his salmon scales, perhaps?) Like Richard, she's also easy tempered and original, and can work the front of the house when she needs to. She and Richard are my hopes for the final (I won't doom them by predicting it will be so...)
Man, last week I go on a limb to predict that Dale will be in the final, and it bites me in the ass. It's rough, because he was the leader, and Tre got kicked out last season for basically the same thing, but Lisa couldn't cook anything right tonight. Like, Dale made bad decisions, but at least the guy can cook (though I agree with Bourdain, that butterscotch is almost too much even on its own). But Lisa's continuing problems with rice (and she works at an Asian restaurant?) and Spike and Dale telling her she's smoky on her appetizer, yet she serves it to the guy who's probably been in Asia more in the last year than the owners of her restaurant.
I'll give Dale the credit for taking the bullet though, or perhaps it was his own arrogance. He could have let Lisa take the exec, knowing if she screwed up, it would likely be her. But he rolled the dice on an all or nothing.
Now there are five.
Lisa won't have too many people to blame now. She and Spike don't get along, but the other three have been pretty neutral with her.
Spike was pretty cunning when it came to letting Dale and Lisa play Russian roulette in the kitchen. However, he panicked and said the decor was a team effort when they were setting him up for a compliment, yet the Pier One shopping and setup of the place he said on camera was pretty much himself. He did the same thing with his seabass a few episodes back, again when they were setting him up to say everyone liked it. I'm actually starting to respect his cooking, though not his personality. And, hey, I think it was almost a hat-free episode!
Antonia gets the quick-fire win with her egg-skills, though other than Dale, I think perhaps she was the only one who didn't burn styrofoam or destroy eggs, or had any other kind of minor catastrophe. Very shrewd work picking her team, too -- she not only grabbed good, friendly cooks, but the two who won the most quickfires and eliminations. Not exactly sure what she did other than picking her team, though... she was neither front-of-house or exec.
Richard picked some good sounding food. I'm probably going to try that idea of banana scallops for a dessert one of these days (minus the brown streak/smear). Again, he grabs the exec, and again he pulls off a win. This guy is an amazing balance. He'll curse in the kitchen with the rest of them, but is calm in front of the cameras. He doesn't seem to get flustered easily. He pulls of the management of kitchen exec challenges and wins time after time, even while he's cooking most of the dishes. He balances the weird chemistry of MG along with traditional methods, so that he doesn't tip into either camp, and his food is original and still usually (but not always) complimented. And even the "but not always" shows he is trying instead of coasting. I love the guy and his pink crocs.
Stephanie's gorgonzola cheesecake made me raise my eyebrows, but everyone seemed to love it. Her homemade noodles were a good idea, and both women jumped on Richard when the clams were gritty (flashbacks to his salmon scales, perhaps?) Like Richard, she's also easy tempered and original, and can work the front of the house when she needs to. She and Richard are my hopes for the final (I won't doom them by predicting it will be so...)
no subject
Me hates him.
no subject
While I think Dale is a tool and should be gone I didn't think this was the one he should have been cut for. Lisa should have been kicked off for this one. I am tired of her complaining and cries of sabotage.
Spike is on borrowed time.
I am not sure who would win between Stephanie and Antonia in a heads up competition. One of them and Richard are my bets for the final. I have been thinking Richard has been strong since the beginning.