Top Chef Seven--May Contain Spoilers!

[Robinrs]

I don't find this season boring at all, lots of good contenders.

Angelo is still my favorite with Kenny a close second. I can hardly tell some of the men from the other... I'd like Arnold more if he would relax the gay card, it's getting old but it IS Bravo.

 

[Imzadi]

I also liked that he didn't make something that was overtly a BBQ/picnic meal. I think that's what won it for him.


What would you have cooked for this challenge? (Especially with the 4th of July weekend upon us.)

I would have made chicken rolls stuffed with proscuitto, sage leaves and fontina cheese with a sautee of zucchini, sliced grape tomatoes and vidalia onions served with parmesan cheese and oniony homefried potatoes. That, to me, is the perfect picnic food.

But, they all got criticized for not making a more "traditional" BBQ, at the home of G. Washington.

Your 4th of July meal sounds yummy. Please send some over and I'll tell you if it is appropriate for a picnic.

You know something? Seeing what everyone else did, maybe somebody (I, who can't really cook anyway should have done steak/beef burgers and hot dogs... not, of course, that Whole Foods would sell hot dogs , but something truly normal and then just spice it up.

Whole Foods & other health food stores sells a veggie/soy dog called Yves Hot Dogs. It's actually very good. It has a nice smoky flavor that masks the fact you aren't eating a meat dog. A little too salty though. It also makes one realize that there is so much filler in a hot dog, that they can put anything into one, add smoke flavor and a lot of salt and it will taste like a hot dog.

She was trying to make her own sausages, but was having trouble with the grinder and didn't have time to stuff the casings - so she decided to make sausage patties instead.

I LOVE fennel sausage. I probably would have put too much fennel in mine, too. She probably originally was going to make a sausage & peppers type of Italian hero.

Heck my grocery store butchers make those jazzy burgers behind the counter. There are about 8 to choose from now.

The chefs always get slammed for not making their own sausage. Even a Top Chef Master almost got eliminated for that. He was saved because every other element of his meal worked perfectly together and had the judges not known he didn't make his own meat combo, he would have won.

I can hardly tell some of the men from the other... I'd like Arnold more if he would relax the gay card, it's getting old but it IS Bravo.

Argh! Me, too. But, it's always like this at the beginning, until they weed out a few more. I'm glad next week will be a double elimination.

 

[can84]

Cool judges this week!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Eh, I could do without Mike Isabella. I'm surprised Carla's not there!

 

[can84]

But Eric Ripert is looking good

 

[kaytieeldr]

Uh oh - one of my favorites is going

 

[can84]

 

[lttlmc3]

So sad. He's pretty upset. Last night we took him out for drunken karoke to prepare for this. Wasn't fair. There was a LOT that Bravo edited out. His partner felt very guilty and knew it was her fault.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Too bad he is gone.

Aside from that the challenge was pretty good this week although it was a blur with the dishes going by so fast.

I just do not see BIG talent like I have in the previous two seasons. Damn you V brothers.

Isabella not a favorite here either.

 

[Imzadi]

Aww.

I had a feeling the other team wasn't going, particularly when Tom had to remind everyone that they are only voting on what the chefs cooked in THIS particular challenge, and not on their skills from previous shows.

Sure they are.

 

[RyMickey]

So sad. He's pretty upset. Last night we took him out for drunken karoke to prepare for this. Wasn't fair. There was a LOT that Bravo edited out. His partner felt very guilty and knew it was her fault.

I'm just playing devil's advocate here...was the eliminated dish overall was not universally appealing? Squid ink pasta? I'm passing that over on a menu whether it's good or not and the challenge was create something that would go over well on a Hilton menu.

Now, that being said, I really hate these team elimination challenges. They've done this before and I never enjoy it because I'm honestly not sure whether Arnold or Lynn should have been eliminated tonight or would have been eliminated tonight had it been a single person elimination.

However, I will say that I found the challenge to be really neat this evening. I liked that it progressed from breakfast through dinner, I just wish it was an individual challenge.

So far, I've actually been moderately surprised with this season. For the most part, it seems like all the chefs that are left actually have some talent. There's no Robin's of seasons past that keep hanging on week after week by a hair. Of course, it's still early, but this season's starting to kick up a little bit.

 

[Imzadi]

I'm just playing devil's advocate here...was the eliminated dish overall was not universally appealing? Squid ink pasta? I'm passing that over on a menu whether it's good or not and the challenge was create something that would go over well on a Hilton menu.

Now, that being said, I really hate these team elimination challenges. They've done this before and I never enjoy it because I'm honestly not sure whether Arnold or Lynn should have been eliminated tonight or would have been eliminated tonight had it been a single person elimination.

I agree to both of these. The squid pasta just is not universally appealing. I know Arnold wanted to remain true to himself, but do the challenge properly.

I also hate Team eliminations. A really strong chef, like Kenny could be sent home because of the incredible ineptness of the weaker chef.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I agree to both of these. The squid pasta just is not universally appealing. I know Arnold wanted to remain true to himself, but do the challenge properly.

I also hate Team eliminations. A really strong chef, like Kenny could be sent home because of the incredible ineptness of the weaker chef.

Agree also, it was because of the dish. They did not think of the customer and then undercooked it.

In addition, yes, Kenny could get sent home, however I see that as OK because you NEED to work together in a kitchen with your partners.

That is what seperates you from the rest.

And frankly, from what I see so far, he does have an issue with communication. He needs to speak up.

 

[anniemae]

I think it was both of their faults. First, as others have said, the dish was not something your average traveller would order, and it seemed like Arnold was the driving force behind the conception of the dish. I would never in a million years order that dish if I saw it on a menu. I think a lot of the contestents lost sight of the fact that the dishes were for Hilton and the winning dish would be on the hotel menu so it had to be something your average person i.e. a business person, family etc would order. Also, the pasta was undercooked. So, they both made mistakes I think. I was sad to see them both go, I thought they both had a lot of potential, and they worked so hard, but I had a feeling the other team was safe.

Some of things the contestants made were way to "fancy" for an average hotel's menu.

On a side note, I had no idea Tom has an 8 month old!

 

[Imzadi]

In addition, yes, Kenny could get sent home, however I see that as OK because you NEED to work together in a kitchen with your partners.

That is what seperates you from the rest.

And frankly, from what I see so far, he does have an issue with communication. He needs to speak up.

But, in the end, the Top Chef stand alone in the winner's circle.

And if this part was really the criteria, that rude brother who won last season, (Michael V. was it?) wouldn't have won. He was downright belligerent, condescending and swearing to that older woman in the kitchen.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

But, in the end, the Top Chef stand alone in the winner's circle.

And if this part was really the criteria, that rude brother who won last season, (Michael V. was it?) wouldn't have won. He was downright belligerent, condescending and swearing to that older woman in the kitchen.

It comes down to communicating about the getting a perfect dish to the judges, not about how you communicate.

Kenny has failed to many times with not speaking up in the challenges. He needs to be able to get his 2 cents in to get a better dish to the judges.

 

[Imzadi]

Ah, I understand what you mean now. Yes, Kenny is a bit soft in that area.

 

[nikkistevej]

Awww- I was upset that Arnold went home. I really liked him- he seemed to have some unique dishes- although I would never order something like that in a million years. LOL Next week looks CRAZY!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ah, I understand what you mean now. Yes, Kenny is a bit soft in that area.

I hope he gets it. I think he has great potential. He needs to have that moment where he realizes he needs to be perfect every time.

As a sidenote, they are all afraid to make fish. It is totally cracking me up.

Most seasons it is fish this and fish that. Not this season.

The contestant to show off their fish talent is the one who is going to stand out, I think.

I see a seafood elimination challenge coming soon, don't you think?

 

[Imzadi]

The few who have made fish either overcooked it, or it was bland.

Fish is this season's "dessert."