Top Chef Chicago (Spoiler Thread)

[Angelhalo]

Bourdain called Lisa right. He said that with her posture, she wasn't about to accept constructive criticism from them or from anyone else.

I wish she wasn't part of most of the season instead of all of it. She should have packed her knives weeks ago.

While Spike may not have been the worst chef, I liked him a whole lot more than Lisa who proved she couldn't make rice.... ever.

ITA

 

[Imzadi]

Dale was robbed. He should have been in the final four over Lisa or Antonia.

I don't like this season very much. The contestants are all very qualified but something is missing. Maybe it's due to all the lame challenges.

It because the judges decisions are so inconsistent. They kept people they should have let go early on, like Nikki/Mushroom Girl and Lisa. If Stephanie screws up majorly and Lisa ends up winning, I doubt I'm going to watch another season. Why waste 14 weeks of my life just to see an ugly, ill tempered cow win? I would never eat in any of her restaurants, even if she does win.

It's not as bad as the season 2, but not as good as the seasons 1 and 3. It's like the Star Trek movies except in reverse: the odd number season, good; even number, bad.

I totally know what you are talking about.

Maybe it's the general demeanor. I know we've discussed this before, and it could possibly be due at least in part to editing - but is Richard the ONLY contestant this season whose vocabulary isn't peppered with obscenities?

I mentioned in past posts that I work in catering. They all swear like crazy in kitchens. It goes with that kind of job.

Why did Spike want Antonia to get sent home?

It goes back to the episode when Antonia had immunity and then manipulated Spike & Zoe to NOT make a soup. As it turned out, Judge Ming Tsai said soup is like the ultimate soup, and they should have made it. Antonia should have just bowed out on the decision making. Instead, she pretty much stuck a meat cleaver in their backs.

I never cared for her after that episode. She never owned up to what she did. If I had been Spike, I would have said a few swear words to her myself, and told her since she didn't want to make soup & had immunity, she could just sit that episode out and see how the judges feel about her the next week.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Dale was robbed. He should have been in the final four over Lisa or Antonia.

Definitely over Lisa! Heck - I should have been in the final four instead of Lisa... and I can't even cook!

COMPLETE guess, but I'm thinking Stephanie will win. Richard deserves to, but the odds are three to one for a female Top Chef - and Stephanie outshines the other two women.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I, for one, am really glad I don't have to look at those hats anymore.

I like Stephanie, but I also like Richard and Antonia. I'd be happy to see any of them win Top Chef. I think Dale should've been in the final four, also.

 

[cristit14]

I like Stephanie, Antonia and Richard. I don't like Lisa at all. She has such a bad attitude.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I know we can vote for our favorite Top Chef contestant, and the winner gets what, $5,000? Too bad we can't vote for our LEAST favorite...

 

[RUDisney]

I know we can vote for our favorite Top Chef contestant, and the winner gets what, $5,000? Too bad we can't vote for our LEAST favorite...

Yeah, they should take the money AWAY from our least favorite to pay our favorite chef!

 

[Oh Kay!]

Dale was robbed. He should have been in the final four over Lisa or Antonia.

ITA!

I totally know what you are talking about.

The geeks of the world, Unite!

 

[WildernessBride]

I'm rooting for either Stephanie or Richard to win.

Me too!!! One question ...why is Lisa still there, I never hear her get any really knock out praise from the judges.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

ITA about Lisa. I think they only keep her around so we have "someone to hate". Spike may have been on the bottom more, but there were more group challenges this time around, so you would have 6 people "on the bottom". he also had more dishes called out on top, whereas Lisa had few if any.

I'm growing more impressed with Antonia as time goes on. She didnt' stand out at first, and I don't think she'll win (Richard or Stephanie, IMHO), but I think she does great with her style of comfort food. Also, I didn't care for Richard at first--he seemed a little show-off-y in the beginning, but he's really grown on me.

 

[WildernessBride]

ITA about Lisa. I think they only keep her around so we have "someone to hate". Spike may have been on the bottom more, but there were more group challenges this time around, so you would have 6 people "on the bottom". he also had more dishes called out on top, whereas Lisa had few if any.

I'm growing more impressed with Antonia as time goes on. She didnt' stand out at first, and I don't think she'll win (Richard or Stephanie, IMHO), but I think she does great with her style of comfort food. Also, I didn't care for Richard at first--he seemed a little show-off-y in the beginning, but he's really grown on me.

I agree about Lisa, I guess they need to keep the show interesting...and hating someone will keep you watching as much or maybe more than really loving a contestant.

I just thought the food they prepared for the Steakhouse episode looked so good....I love steak and I was just drooling!!! Antonia's steak looked delicious!!

 

[Figment22]

ITA about Lisa. I think they only keep her around so we have "someone to hate". Spike may have been on the bottom more, but there were more group challenges this time around, so you would have 6 people "on the bottom". he also had more dishes called out on top, whereas Lisa had few if any.

She's never won an individual challenge, either quickfire or elimination. She was only on Team Fire that won the Meals on Wheels episode. Dale probably belonged in the final four based on his cooking ability, but his personality was right in league with Lisa's. I would have preferred Stephanie, Antonia, Richard and Andrew as my final four. I couldn't stand Andrew at the beginning of the show but he really grew on my and I did think he was a talented chef.

Just based on this week alone, I thought that Lisa should have gotten the boot. Spike should have gotten some carryover credit for the quickfire that he won. He really did an amazing job on butchering that beef. I won't miss his hats or his personality though.

I do think the producers like to have a villain for the finale and that's why Lisa is still in contention.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ah, but the frightening result of that last statement (Lisa = "villian") is that chances are it will translate to her being in the final THREE.

Of course, with luck, that'll have made Antonia the last Chef eliminated before the final - not that I want her out, but the judges will keep the controversial contestant around longer... and honestly, if both Richard and Stephanie aren't in the Finale, the producers need new judges.

Aside from that, I can admit now... it took me until this past week to realize Padma's not improvising when she says things like, "I think we have our decision and it's unanimous". She's reading a 'Prompter.

I forget - WHAT qualifies her to be a judge on a cooking show?

 

[Figment22]

Padma hosted cooking shows in the past and has "authored" cookbooks. Personally, I think she's just eye candy for the guys. I find her pretty annoying.

Top Chef is by no means her first hit TV show. Her television credits include hosting Rai Television's Dominica In, a live variety show which became Italy's highest rated program. For The Food Network, she hosted Padma's Passport where she cooked diverse low-fat cuisine based on her best selling book Easy Exotic. Lakshmi has also hosted a documentary series called Planet Food (broadcast on The Food Network and worldwide Discovery Channel), in which she journeyed to countries such as Spain and India.

Padma Lakshmi is also an accomplished writer and the author of Easy Exotic for Miramax Books for which she won the International Versailles Event for best cookbook by a first time writer. The book is a low calorie, low fat ethnic cookbook and is currently in its second printing in soft back. She has contributed to such magazines as American Vogue, Gourmet and Harper's Bazaar.

Her second cookbook Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, a follow up to her award-winning debut Easy Exotic (winner of the International Versailles Prize for Best First Cookbook), is a much larger endeavor filled with over 150 recipes from around the world and intriguing personal memoirs. Look out for it in the late spring of 2007.

 

[Imzadi]

Ah, but the frightening result of that last statement (Lisa = "villian") is that chances are it will translate to her being in the final THREE.

That is frightening. Because the risk with that plan is that both Stephanie & Richard tend to be wildcards at times. Richard likes to use gadgets. What if during the finale, his gizmo, like his mini smoker conks out half-way through, (like it did one episode,) and he has to scrap his idea and doesn't have a great back-up plan?

Stephanie's insecuriy issues get the best of her at times. Overall, she seems to have had the most stable wins, but every once in a while, she just doesn't know something, like the boning of the steaks, and then her insecurity makes her doubt the rest of her abilities, like undercooking the meat. She was totally at the bottom of the quickfire challenge.

Conceivably, something like that during the Elimination challenge could knock out both Richard & Stephanie from winning in the same episode. One gets eliminated and Lisa moves up by default.

 

[sha_lyn]

Can't stand Lisa or Richard. I don't see how either one have made it this far. I liked Spike and Dale. I really expected both the make it to the final 4.
Love Stephanie and Antonia. I think one of them will win. I really hope it isn't Richard. I really don't think Lisa has a chance

 

[Nik's Mom]

Oh, I didn't know we had a Top Chef thread! It's one of my favorite shows. Lisa has got to go! It does look like we will finally get a female to win though!

I have to admit that this show has totally got me into cooking. I'm trying to talk DH into sending me to our local Culinary school.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Never expected Spike to make it as far as he did. Of course, I never expected Lisa to last, either...

Until recently, Antonia, Nikki, and Valerie were all the same person to me. Similar appearances, similar ages....

If only Dale had LOST that coin toss on Restaurant Wars. Lisa would have been Executive Chef, they still would have lost, and she would have been responsible. Buh-bye.

I could have sworn I read somewhere that Salman Rushdie said something to the effect of "Padma has the intelligence of a rock", but Google didn't help

 

[donald&daisy]

Padma hosted cooking shows in the past and has "authored" cookbooks. Personally, I think she's just eye candy for the guys. I find her pretty annoying.

My Dbf LOVES Padma. I think she is really pretty. I don't find her particularly annoying, but I do think she is a little bland.

 

[4greatboys]

I could have sworn I read somewhere that Salman Rushdie said something to the effect of "Padma has the intelligence of a rock", but Google didn't help

They were married.