Top Chef All Stars starts 12/1/10! No ADVANCE Spoilers!

[TwingleMum]

He's from Uniondale (my hometown too! but I didn't know him)

Interesting....I grew up in Seaford but live in Suffolk now.

 

[Imzadi]

Since I found out the other day that Tom owns the various 'Wichcraft sandwich kiosks here in the city, I've been so wanting to go and taste something Tom created. So a friend and I went.

http://wichcraftnyc.com/about-us/

We each ordered a different sandwich to split and a soup.

Menu

Here is our Judge's Table verdict:

The Tortilla Soup was a blended, cream soup, with few floating onions bits in it. It was unexpectedly very dark brown. Almost chocolate colored. It did taste very much like a tortilla chip. However, I don't think the server had added the sour cream they were supposed to add, which would have made it a much more flavorful soup.

Again, it did taste very much like a tortilla chip. But, I wasn't wowed by the soup. I actually thought, I bet Carla could make a better soup than this. I have actually had a to-die-for Tortilla soup made at trade shows at Vitamix blender demos, in which they are more tomatoey, have chunks and bits of actual corn, tomatoes, onions, crunchy tortilla chips bits and just of a thicker, richer body, tortilla color and out of this world taste.

Not something I'd try again.

First sandwich was the pressed sandwich: blackened flank steak with grilled scallions, romesco & cheddar on fresh country bread. The bread was great, it was grilled just right. I thought it was a nice blend of flavors but a little too vinegary for my taste. My friend thought it was all right, but again nothing we'd go out of our way to order again. There was also bits of tough leek or scallion that were too tough to chew and had to be spit out.

Second sandwich: the warm grilled eggplant with chopped chickpeas and watercress on a ciabatta roll. Now, this we both liked. Here was the nice, unexpected blend of seasoning, flavors and ingredients we were hoping to get from Tom. My only complaint is that they used watercress with the tough, chewy stems, which made it hard to bite into without stringy stems coming off in each bite. Either the watercress should have been chopped into fine bits, or just the leaves or younger watercress used, as in English tea sandwiches. I would definitely have this again.


I will definitely go again and try a couple more different sandwiches. I had wanted to get the slow-roasted pork, but they were out of it. Maybe that's a good sign of what to order.

I also would like to try the meatloaf. Didn't one of the Top Chef (Masters?) episodes talk about how you can tell how good a chef is by their meatloaf? It's such an American staple.


ETA: My favorite thing was the breadsticks. They seemed to be made of a savory shortbread, than a sweet shortbread or a yeasty, fluffy breadstick. They smelled heavenly. I wish I had air freshener that smelled just as wonderful. They were to die for.

 

[can84]

The pastrami with sauerkraut is good--very lean pastrami and the mustard can clear out your sinuses I've only been to the one by Lincoln Center and I have to say the service can be very, very, very slow.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I disagree about letting Mike's stealing Richard's recipe go. Its plagerism. I think he should have been booted then. I really would like to know what Tom thinks about it.

You can't copyright a recipe, so I think plagiarism might be going a bit far. And did he really use Richard's recipe or just his idea? I can't remember.

 

[TwingleMum]

You can't copyright a recipe, so I think plagiarism might be going a bit far. And did he really use Richard's recipe or just his idea? I can't remember.

Although they are not copyrighted it is a huge taboo. A contestant was kicked off Next Food Network Star for doing it. And all the other Top Chef cheftestants were very upset and horrified that Mike did it.

 

[TwingleMum]

William Sonoma sells the 'wichcraft sandwich spreads.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Although they are not copyrighted it is a huge taboo. A contestant was kicked off Next Food Network Star for doing it. And all the other Top Chef cheftestants were very upset and horrified that Mike did it.

No, the contestant was kicked off TNFNS because his version of the dish was bad... not because he used the recipe. He wasn't disqualified for using it. The judges just hated it. I don't think they were happy that he used the recipe, but he was the idiot for saying it wasn't his.

I have a hard time believing that every single dish the contestants make aren't influenced by other ideas. I'm curious to see if it's brought up on Wednesday and if the editing made it look worse than it was.

When Alex was accused of stealing Ed's pea puree, they edited it to make it look like everyone was horrified but at the reunion show someone actually defended him and said they saw him making it.

I'm not necessarily defending Mike in this situation. I'm just saying that I don't think you can call it plagiarism.

 

[TwingleMum]

No, the contestant was kicked off TNFNS because his version of the dish was bad... not because he used the recipe. He wasn't disqualified for using it. The judges just hated it. I don't think they were happy that he used the recipe, but he was the idiot for saying it wasn't his.

I have a hard time believing that every single dish the contestants make aren't influenced by other ideas. I'm curious to see if it's brought up on Wednesday and if the editing made it look worse than it was.

When Alex was accused of stealing Ed's pea puree, they edited it to make it look like everyone was horrified but at the reunion show someone actually defended him and said they saw him making it.

I'm not necessarily defending Mike in this situation. I'm just saying that I don't think you can call it plagiarism.

Its different when the person takes someone's recipe notebook and then cooks a dish from it and takes credit for it.

 

[TwingleMum]

No, the contestant was kicked off TNFNS because his version of the dish was bad... not because he used the recipe. He wasn't disqualified for using it. The judges just hated it. I don't think they were happy that he used the recipe, but he was the idiot for saying it wasn't his.

I have a hard time believing that every single dish the contestants make aren't influenced by other ideas. I'm curious to see if it's brought up on Wednesday and if the editing made it look worse than it was.

.

I disagree Sue Folgman was pissed that he used I think it was a Paula Deen recipe and she stated it won't be tolerated that the contestants had to create their own recipes so he had to go. She also said something to the effect it wasn't even a good execution.

 

[can84]

Looking forward to the reunion episode!

 

[Imzadi]

Looking forward to the reunion episode!

Those scenes of the Bro-mates reminds me of men in prison. Maybe this kind of bonding happens in captivity?

 

[can84]

Those scenes of the Bro-mates reminds me of men in prison. Maybe this kind of bonding happens in captivity?

 

[can84]

Elia

 

[handinpocket]

Elia

Not only can she NOT cook, but she is dumb to boot!!!

 

[Jennasis]

Did Paula Deen really say she'd rather have a gasoline enema????

 

[Imzadi]

Elia

What a wacko!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I almost thought, from one of the questions last night, Richard was going to show up on Top Chef Masters as a surprise competitor

 

[happygirl]

It was kinda of creepy to me that everytime they would pan away Fabio had his hand on Richard knee, kind of weird thing for them to do


I would love Richard to be on Top Chef Masters, but with that new baby at home, I'm not sure we could leave again for a long time.

Even though Ella is a crazy to confront Tom like that on national TV bye bye any jobs anywhere, I did think it was nice of Dale to try to stand up for her.

I think Jennifer C really felt bad about her temper tatrum she throw

I wish they would have talked to Carla more and they didn't even talk to Tiffany at all or did I miss that?

 

[Jennasis]

It was kinda of creepy to me that everytime they would pan away Fabio had his hand on Richard knee, kind of weird thing for them to do


I would love Richard to be on Top Chef Masters, but with that new baby at home, I'm not sure we could leave again for a long time.

Even though Ella is a crazy to confront Tom like that on national TV bye bye any jobs anywhere, I did think it was nice of Dale to try to stand up for her.

I think Jennifer C really felt bad about her temper tatrum she throw

I wish they would have talked to Carla more and they didn't even talk to Tiffany at all or did I miss that?

Those Italian guys are a touchy feely lot!

 

[happygirl]

Those Italian guys are a touchy feely lot!

I guess so LOL