TOP CHEF Season 10!

[robinb]

did anyone else find it amusing that the boys team had the dishwasher cooking and plating dishes?

Yes! I thought that was brilliant .

BTW, I just read Tom and Gail's blogs. Tom said that if they knew that Josie had been insubordinate in pushing off the stock until it was too late to execute Kristen's idea they would have come to a different decision.

 

[badblackpug]

I do hate Josie, too, but I kind of see the point of eliminating Kristin. She was suppose to be the boss and she should have leaned on Josie from the beginning. From the pint where she was supposed to be cooking off the bones and wasn't. She should have been yelling at her to get it done. Things may have gone very differently if they had seen she was pushing her and she didn't do what she was supposed to, and that Kristin was forced to take over to get the service out on time. Had she been able to say, "I nagged and nagged her to do x, y, z and she still didn't do it, so I did what I had to do to get my restaurant open." Josie probably would have gone. Kristin was right, though, as the leader she should have been more proactive.

Josie knew what she was doing from the beginning, though. She sabotaged her, but it will come back to haunt because everyone else loved Kristin and hates Josie. They will be doing everything in their power to get rid of her.

 

[soccerdad72]

I do hate Josie, too, but I kind of see the point of eliminating Kristin. She was suppose to be the boss and she should have leaned on Josie from the beginning. From the pint where she was supposed to be cooking off the bones and wasn't. She should have been yelling at her to get it done. Things may have gone very differently if they had seen she was pushing her and she didn't do what she was supposed to, and that Kristin was forced to take over to get the service out on time. Had she been able to say, "I nagged and nagged her to do x, y, z and she still didn't do it, so I did what I had to do to get my restaurant open." Josie probably would have gone. Kristin was right, though, as the leader she should have been more proactive.

Josie knew what she was doing from the beginning, though. She sabotaged her, but it will come back to haunt because everyone else loved Kristin and hates Josie. They will be doing everything in their power to get rid of her.

I can see the point as to why Kristin was sent home. The problem I had is that Josie has screwed up (mostly with poor time management) week in and week out and for whatever reason, is allowed to slide by.

 

[TwingleMum]

I like Stephan but frankly I didn't get his whole attitude during Restaurant Wars. I almost thought he was sabotaging Sheldon. I mean to have such a tude with the Judges??? He was extremely lucky. And he now has a bull eyes on his back. The judges were not happy with him and he made himself look like an a** in front of Danny Meyer.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Well the chef that wins is not always the best chef. It is the chef that was never the worst or was never the in charge in one of these challenges where things went wrong. Kristin was the in charge. The difficulty of being in charge is that those working under you are not your employees. They're in fact competing against you. But on the bright side, chefs like Josie only make it so far by hook crook and dumb luck. At some point, she either has to step up her game or she's going to lose. So far, she hasn't shown that she can. Most anyone could have done as well with that broth. As for Kristin defending herself, well I think the judges already knew exactly what had happened and it would just have made Kristin look bad to get in a she did it no she did it, no she did it war.

 

[soccerdad72]

I like Stephan but frankly I didn't get his whole attitude during Restaurant Wars. I almost thought he was sabotaging Sheldon. I mean to have such a tude with the Judges??? He was extremely lucky. And he now has a bull eyes on his back. The judges were not happy with him and he made himself look like an a** in front of Danny Meyer.

I agree. He was a shoo-in to go home if they had lost. Stefan owns his own restaurant, but yet doesn't know enough to explain dishes as they're coming out to the judges?

 

[robinb]

Josie knew what she was doing from the beginning, though. She sabotaged her, but it will come back to haunt because everyone else loved Kristin and hates Josie. They will be doing everything in their power to get rid of her.

I don't think they will not go out of their way to get rid of her. She is more of an asset than a liability as long as they remember that she will cheerfully stab them in the back. Would you rather go into the final-four against Josie or Stephan? Josie or Lizzie? Josie or Brooke? Josie or Sheldon? Josie or Joshua? I think everyone would choose Josie to be in the final-four, except maybe Stephan. If he's pissed at her he'll make it his goal to get rid of her.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

did anyone else find it amusing that the boys team had the dishwasher cooking and plating dishes?

I found it amusing that the dishwasher did better than Josie.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I like Stephan but frankly I didn't get his whole attitude during Restaurant Wars. I almost thought he was sabotaging Sheldon. I mean to have such a tude with the Judges??? He was extremely lucky. And he now has a bull eyes on his back. The judges were not happy with him and he made himself look like a (donkey) in front of Danny Meyer.

I was taken aback by his I don't care about anyone but the judges comment and all the get em out of here stuff. And in the end, he didn't even serve the judges well. I'd never put a guy like that in the front of the house. Never.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

Hind sight being what it is, I wonder what they judges would have said or would say during the next season, if the head/lead chef told one of the other chef's, if your not going to doing it my way, hit the highway and take them out of the kitchen. Would it hurt that team, down a chef, yes. Would they still get dinged for everything not being exactly right or would the judges give credit for the chef stepping up and taking control of their kitchen. The meal as presented on the menu, might not be the same meal servered to them. Does the lead/head chef get credit for taking control of the kitchen and not serving something that isn't what they envisioned or do they take the hit for not stepping up and putting something out that isn't as they want it.

Ya know, I like this line of thought. I like how TC set up Restaurant Wars this year - top 2 concepts/dishes will be the opening restaurants. Would it have changed anything if Kristen would have been able to kick Josie out of the kitchen (again, as in Hell's Kitchen - can you tell I love that show too? )? Would Kristen have been applauded for "taking control of her kitchen" or would she still have been slammed for not getting everything done? Of course there is possibility of the RW head chef exploiting the advantage of being able to kick someone out...

As for Kristin defending herself, well I think the judges already knew exactly what had happened and it would just have made Kristin look bad to get in a she did it no she did it, no she did it war.

Padma pretty much confirmed this thought on the after-show.

The judges loved the taste of that broth. Had Josie not dragged the dish's concept down, the girls' team would probably have won and Stefan would have gone home.

 

[gwynne]

I found it amusing that the dishwasher did better than Josie.

I credit Sheldon and Joshua for treating the dishwashers like team members. Not only was it decent, it was smart. The dishwashers worked hard prepping and plating for them.

Josie, on the other hand, you can always predict she'll be mouthy. She acts like an entitled 13 year old. Don't rush me, I want to do it my way, if I screw up, it's your fault. It's all about me, me, me.

Please tell me she's going home soon.

 

[robinb]

As for Kristin defending herself, well I think the judges already knew exactly what had happened and it would just have made Kristin look bad to get in a she did it no she did it, no she did it war.

But ... Tom said in his blog that if he had known what Josie had done that the decision would have been different.

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-10/blogs/tom-colicchio/restaurant-woes

It’s bad enough not to do what you’re asked to do, but it’s a whole lot worse to say you’re going to do it and only afterwards reveal that you didn’t… time and again. Had we managed to discover this at Judges’ Table, the outcome of the challenge would have been different, but Kristen wouldn’t divulge it, insisting that the buck stopped with her. I wish I’d asked one more question: “If this were truly your restaurant and Josie were one of your chefs, would you have fired her?” I believe that Kristen would’ve had to have said “yes.” But, to quote Kristen herself, hindsight’s a *****. I didn’t know to ask that question, 1) given that Kristen was determined not to reveal what Josie had done, and, 2) as a result, given the information we had and how it (mis)shaped our sense of what had happened in the kitchen.

 

[TDC Nala]

There's also the fact that Kristin chose Josie over Micah. Maybe she thought Micah would go home (which he did) but if she stuck Sheldon with Josie...he'd have had Josh, Stefan and Josie. That might have been enough for them to lose, because Josie is an obvious liablity. Or maybe she squeaks by once again because they really wanted to send Stefan home.

She's still there because someone always screws up worse than she does. And because the judges didn't know what she was up to behind the scenes (and Kristin wouldn't tell them).

 

[goofinoff]

I. Hate. Josie.

Me too! I didn't like her in her season and I really can't stand her now!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

But ... Tom said in his blog that if he had known what Josie had done that the decision would have been different.

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-10/blogs/tom-colicchio/restaurant-woes

Well Padma pretty much said the opposite. That they pretty much knew the gist of what went on and their mind was made up. Of course that could mean that her mind was made up and she was going to bully Emeril and Tom into agreeing with her regardless of what was said. And Tom also made a point that each challenge is judged on its own. Well fine. But does that mean that if a chef has exhibited a known problem that you just forget about it and don't ask questions when it happens again? Tom and everyone else knew of Josie's time management problems. And when the dish was late late late coming out and then poorly executed, it didn't occur to them to ask? That's the first thing I'd have asked about and I'd ask detailed questions.
I think the restaurant wars challenge is a bad one. It has devolved into a contest where it is likely that the loser of the two head chefs goes home. It doesn't always happen. But the other chefs end up with not nearly the same amount riding on their actions and they know it. Furthermore, it's not like the head chef of the day can do anything about insubordination. Gail mentioned they took hours agonizing over the decision, you'd think they'd spend some time looking at the footage or at least asking the crew or asking more detailed questions. If they had, Kristen would still be around and they wouldn't have spent hours agonizing over the decision.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I credit Sheldon and Joshua for treating the dishwashers like team members. Not only was it decent, it was smart. The dishwashers worked hard prepping and plating for them.

Josie, on the other hand, you can always predict she'll be mouthy. She acts like an entitled 13 year old. Don't rush me, I want to do it my way, if I screw up, it's your fault. It's all about me, me, me.

Please tell me she's going home soon.

You really can in part get a good read on a person by how they treat people they do not have to treat well. Those two passed that test.

 

[Minnie]

Josie needs to go home!!!! This is really starting to remind me of Tiffany and those stupid scallops....The judges really see Josie as a better Chef somehow I doubt it... just better to have her mouth for ratings

Stephan has always been arrogant but this season he seems so much worse.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

I agree with this writer, Kristen showed honour. But, I hate Josie and I wish she'd gone home. I'm surprised Lizzie and Brooke didn't say anything in Kristen's defense.
http://carolakacoggie.tumblr.com/post/40799452771/honor-isnt-winning

 

[njmom47]

Ohhh, when I heard the previews "a surprise elimination" and watched it On Demand, I knew Kristin was going home. Josie DOES need to go, but I guess if Kristin really didn't have the guts to spill the whole story, exposing Josie's messup, maybe she should've gone home. But I also don't understand why the judges didn't push more; obviously Josie and Kristin are worlds apart in talent! I really thought Kristin was going to be at least in the final 4!

 

[Music City Mama]

Stephan has always been arrogant but this season he seems so much worse.

I don't know, I actually like him more this season, but I think his front-of-the-house service was so rotten the other night that they should have lost and he should have gone home.

I was shocked about Kristin. Not only is Josie just not that great, but Kristin is reaaaaallly good. Even though the eliminations are supposedly based on the individual challenges, I don't believe for a second that they don't take everything into consideration.

Even though I hate to see her go, my favorite, Brooke, is still in it!