October 25, 2006
Nothing I had ever experienced, including Safari in Africa, hiking through the Australian Outback and even summer in Central America, could have prepared me for July in downtown LA. During that first week of Top Chef taping the city was suffering from a heat wave so brutal that filming was like wading through mud at times. To top it off, we were not able to turn on the air conditioner while in the Kenmore Kitchen, since its noise interfered with our microphones. We were all permanently sticky, a little cranky and more than eager to get the show on the road. We were very excited to get out of the Kitchen when Project by Project (itself a thoroughly worthy cause) graciously allowed us to take part in their annual benefit at The California Science Center, a beautiful backdrop for such a special evening.
Despite the good food, we all faced a test of scruples the likes of which I hope to never repeat. It was clear as soon as I arrived and was brought up to speed on the day’s lychee lunacy that this was going to be a very long, hot challenge indeed. We didn’t even make it back to the Kitchen for Judges’ Table until well after 10pm, as the event ran longer than anticipated. By the time Otto disclosed his decision to bow out of the competition, it was close to 3 in the morning. Thankfully, our guest judge Ming Tsai was a great sport!
From the start, Team Vietnam had an advantage: they all got along. They were able to plan and execute their menu with relative ease and had no problem choosing Josie to be their leader, since she had experience cooking Vietnamese cuisine. Their division of labor and individual work was focused and methodical, and although there were naturally moments of stress before service, their egos did not get in the way of their final product. The Pho, a traditional Vietnamese soup usually prepared with vermicelli noodles, sliced beef and lots of herbs in a rich broth, was slightly over-cooked and not as hot as it should have been, but was given a clever twist by using pork and julienne carrots instead of noodles. The summer roll was fresh and crisp with some cool, thirst-quenching pickled watermelon (I am a sucker for anything pickled), and Betty’s Cucumber Aloe Refresher hit the spot. But more than any of this, their charm and good humor made us all want to return for more.
Comments
Barb Cole wrote:
Well said...
posted on October 25, 2006 at 11:28 PM
VeeJay wrote:
Absolutely Otto had to go.
I love Betty's character. Apparently she has talents in the kitchen too. So, count me as one of her fans.
posted on October 25, 2006 at 11:39 PM
Brandon Mercier wrote:
Welcome back everyone, I have been enjoying this new season tremedously. Personally I thought last season's chef for the most part had alot more detailed work ethic and knowledge than this season so far...Can't wait to see what's next. thanks
posted on October 25, 2006 at 11:49 PM
Em wrote:
I think Otto was okay. Marisa accused him of saying something like, 'Hey! We got free food! Excellent!' when what he really said was, 'I think we got a free case of lychees.' And NO ONE said anything! I think that may have been what allowed Otto to think it was okay to use them - no one said it would be wrong ... until AFTER they got back to the kitchen.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 12:37 AM
Michael Bend wrote:
The judges completely copped out. How could Otto be held accountable for noticing that something was unpaid for? Afterall he did tell someone as Marissa heard him. Marissa threw him under the bus and the judges let it happen. Show is supposed to be about food not lychee that probably cost 10 bucks all told. Not to mention that you spend $500 at one of these mom&pop grocery stores and they usually throw in some free stuff.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 1:52 AM
Sue wrote:
What is Harold, last years winner, doing? Has he put the money to good use? It would be really interesting to see a follow-up on what he has done with his win.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 1:54 AM
meliblu wrote:
Really loved Betty's customer service and wonderful attitude as well. Their teamwork and Betty as much as their cooking won that challenge for them. Happy to have the recipe links in your blog. Think Marisa is a rat for waiting to tell on Otto and my respect for her has gone down. Hope that she goes away soon. Yes, it is a competition, but the Harold and Tiffani situation proved last year that teamwork and how you treat others is also very important to success as a chef and in life.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 2:49 AM
Tuyen N. Vo wrote:
Dear Gail,
Just an FYI, that I posted an identical comment on Tom and Padma's blog.
First I would like to say that I am a fan of Top Chef having followed the first season and this season. However, you guys made one big blunder in this episode. When the contestants were choosing which side they were on (Team Vietnam or Team Korea), you used the Communist Flag of Vietnam. Now I know it's the official flag but what you should also know is that the __VAST__ majority of the people who make up the Vietnamese community in America are from South Vietnam and fled to America to escape that brutal communist regime. If you truly wish to highlight the great diversity of Los Angeles (as Ms. Lakshmi eluded to when announcing the Elimination Challenge), you should do a little more research as to who makes up the Vietnamese community in America. For your edification, if you take a stroll down Bolsa Avenue in Santa Ana, you would NEVER see the Communist Flag but instead the yellow flag with 3 red stripes of South Vietnam. You should understand that the Vietnamese food enjoyed in America today is not a product of the Communist North, but the cuisine of the people of South Vietnam.
I applaud you for highlighting Vietnamese food and don't wish to be overly sensitive about this, but you'll find much more fiery rhetoric from most Vietnamese people here in America especially the older generation. They were the brave ones who went through great hardship to bring these wonderful recipes to America for all of us to enjoy.
Thanks,
Tuyen N. Vo
posted on October 26, 2006 at 3:04 AM
Thi wrote:
Actually, pho not just a traditional dish, but is often called the "national" dish of Vietnam, and is not made with vermicelli noodles as mentioned in this blog and on the show. Anyone who knows pho, knows the noodle used is called pho (banh pho). Like Italians (ie, linguine, spaghetti, etc), the Vietnamese use different types of noodles (banh pho, bun, mi, etc). Vermicelli noodle is thin and called bun. Pho noodles are also made of rice but are thicker and more flat.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 3:08 AM
Sharon wrote:
I feel that the REAL error in this 2nd episode is that Marissa did not speak up regarding Otto's comments IMMEDIATELY - at the store's curb when they were loading the groceries. It should have been resolved right then and there. Then the challenge could've proceeded in a much better fashion - - except that Marissa would no longer have a scape goat to cover for her "hockey puck" dessert.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 3:11 AM
Tim wrote:
Gail, kudos for entertaining the philosophical dilemma!
The interesting aspect of tonights episode wasn't so much where to place the blame, as it was the intention behind doing so. Otto was definitely acting sleazy, but I would say that it was Marisa who, despite all her self-rightoues huffing and puffing, who was acting in a less-than-commendable way. Maybe I'm being judgmental, but I suspect that Marisa wasn't so concerned with the integrity of the sport as she was capitalizing on an opportunity to throw someone under the bus (albeit, deservedly) to cast light off her poor performance. As you said, perhaps that's why she was so hard on him.
Anyway, I also feel compelled to say that I was a little disappointed with all the "drama" tonight. I was a little disappointed to see that only you and Chef Tsai were more concerned with the quality of the food than with this (tv-friendly) lychee debacle. Thanks for sticking to the true nature of the show, and I look forward to more episodes and more of your responses to them.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 3:25 AM
Rah wrote:
Why would you state that Mia's dish lacked refinement? Sounds like some stereotypical BS to me. Because it was prepared like a soulfood dish it couldn't be refined? Please explain...
posted on October 26, 2006 at 7:34 AM
Art wrote:
I believe that it was wrong for Otto to fall on his sword. I feel that Marisa knew about the case of fruit before the team even left the market! What a snake she is. A pastry chef who cannot make panna cote and a liar! She has to go sap!
posted on October 26, 2006 at 9:23 AM
dan wrote:
Enjoying this as much as the firstseason. As to the new host, she is no better, no worse than the previous. It is you and Tom that provide entertainment with your knowledge. Assomeone else suggested,it would be great to seeyouinteract with the contestants in the kitchen.
Have to say I am enjoying your blog. It is nice to hear details of the time frame (3am) things happen in. It gives a better sense of what contestant endures.
On another note - the translation of the Japanese chef's words was bad. Or more correctly, the editing was terrible. One comment was "It wasn't appealing", it was either mistranslated or cut mid-sentence in editing (for drama?). A more complete translation would have been along the lines of "it doesn't look great but tastes good".
posted on October 26, 2006 at 9:53 AM
Paula wrote:
I loved last season's Top Chef and am enjoying this seasons. Especially since it looks like you picked another Stephen to be all about himself and not about the team Marcel cracks me up and Michael is Miquel from last season it is fun to watch. Will Sam be the next Harold or Betty come out on top. My favorite so far is Betty, she is smart, funny and happy to be there an very creative. I have worked in the restaurant business for well over 20 years, (front of the house) and worked with some 'interesting' chefs over the years. So for me it is just so much fun to watch what will happen with all those personalities.
Thanks for the fun.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 10:44 AM
Mary wrote:
Thank you for your kind comments about Otto. In the dog-eat-dog world and especially the dog-eat-dog world of reality tv, marisa dodged the bullet this time. No one else on the team noticed the extra lychee nuts -- that they admitted to -- which does seem strange; but also, no one else on the team responded to his comment as they were leaving the store, or shared it with the other team members at the time so the team could have discussed it and decided what to do BEFORE the last minute and ratting him out to Tom Colicchio.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 12:33 PM
carrot wrote:
It is absolutely torturous to see the dishes and not be able to taste or smell. Oh well, I may never be a top chef, but I appreciate that maybe I can incorporate some of the techniques. I love Top Chef and my Wednesday night is inked in. Wish I had smell-o-vision, though.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 1:00 PM
Barb P, Kenosha, WI wrote:
Hello Gail I watched all last season and continue to watch the re-runs. I am now enjoying this season's episodes, but the chef contestants seem either to be bad actors or totally unaware of the purpose of the show and its rules. I am very confused by their immature behavior and overt antagonism to each other. I don't think Otto should have taken the blame for a box of lychees overlooked by the checkout clerk. The store is a national chain with trained staff and camera crews/show staff were also available. The store either forgot to ring up the case or it didn't; did anyone look at the tape? Reviewing the show, the clerk was responsible not the customer! This incident was blown way out of proportion to the cooking challenge. Marisa failed with the dessert and then attacked Otto to get herself out of trouble. Isn't that unethical and scandalous? I am a foodie and watch the show to learn about preparing food and being a chef under the stress of individual challenges. Either forget the team concept and let survival of the fittest reign or have set rules for the team's behavior, planning, cooking and judging. No one will step up as team captain if the captain is blamed for a loss! I prefer players to be judged individually on cooking and kitchen skills, not ethics. Otherwise, you need someone trained in law and ethics to be the judge! Please get the show back to the kitchen! Thank you. Barbara
posted on October 26, 2006 at 1:26 PM
Lotus wrote:
Otto did the right thing by offering to leave but Marisa is a liar and back-stabber plain and simple. First she chose not to say nothing, not a word, nada, to Otto, when she heard him say that they had not paid for the carton on lychees. She should've made everyone stop right then and there to return the case, since she's a person of such high integrity. Then she started whispering behind his back instead of getting it out in the open. Finally, when asked about it by the judges she outright lied and quoted him as saying that he took a case of lychees that he didn't pay for. If anything, she's the one that no one should trust and I'd watch my back if were them.
It's ok..there's still plenty of time for her to be bounced. The pastry chef of the bunch presents a very bad tasting dessert. How funny is that.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 1:26 PM
Rah wrote:
I was wondering why you considered the frog leg dish prepared by Mia unrefined? I find it interesting your choice of words. I take offense to this as if to suggest her style of cooking is substandard, i.e., soul food. I happen to love soul food.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 1:34 PM
Cam wrote:
You're dead wrong on the lychees: Marisa out and out lied about what was said, and as it turned out was rewarded by a spineless judging panel. Marisa should have been told to pack her knives as well.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 2:03 PM
chris wrote:
-Not quite sure why Marisa (or others) did not confront Otto while they were packing the car. Then the show would have been all about the finished product and not about this particular incident. Oh, I also wonder why a team would drink themselves into the gutter before preparing a menu. I'd probably be taking the opportunity a bit more seriously, if I were lucky enough to be chosen as a contestant. Maybe some chefs just need to be a bit tipsy (or hungover) in order to function? Anyway, congrats to the Vietnamese team!
posted on October 26, 2006 at 2:07 PM
Clement Shaw wrote:
I am with Mr Vo on his opinion of the wrong Vietnam flag being displayed. I am sure there were also a lot of non-Vietnamese Americans of a certain age like myself, that cringed when THAT flag was shown. Good show never the less, get rid of Marisa (she will do that herself).
posted on October 26, 2006 at 2:50 PM
Ann wrote:
I don't understand why people are mad at Marisa for not stopping the bus then and there. After all, no one else did, and no one in the group was willing to discuss what to do when it counted -- before they drove off. Each one was more concerned about him/herself than about the good of the event, the group, etc. Otto just happened to be the one holding the receipt -- and at least he did say something!! What did she do but yell at him for it? Boy, I feel sorry for people who work with her!! Frankly, Marisa proved she wasn't a top chef when she didn't know how to save the dessert -- as she likes to say "every pastry chef knows" -- well, Marisa, every pastry chef knows that when it's the first time adding gelatin to something, you have to test a portion of it first before you refrigerate the whole thing. That way, if it doesn't work, there are ways to save it. Still, even though she went ahead and made them individually, there were ways to try to alter the dessert at the last minute...things that David (last season) surely would have known.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 2:58 PM
Joycelynn Barlett wrote:
Gail -
I am so glad Top Chef has started a new season. I reaally am a fan. It was so good that Otto stepped up and was honest, it left us with a good feeling toward him.
I am looking forward to seeing how the season evolves, it looks like a good one. One question, will there be Season 1 DVD ?
posted on October 26, 2006 at 4:17 PM
Susan B. wrote:
I enjoy the Top Chef show more than anything else on TV. I have thought the situation with Otto and Marisa over and over, and have concluded a ccouple of things--first, Otto stole the fruit. I too am a chef and have encountered the same type of situation on many occasions. It is clear that the fruit should have been returned immediately by the person who discovered the error. If Marissa had concerns that the lychee fiasco would hurt her or her team's chances, she should have been the one to return it at that time. Secondly, I feel Tom may have made an error in interfering with the situation rather than let it play out--then we could all have seen the outcome without all of this dialogue as to whether Otto was going to be honest or not. We already knew he had been dishonest. It would've been best to let it play out. I know I said a couple of things, but here's the third--Marissa is a rat--plain and simple. I can't believe you could come up with another female contestant that I would like less than last year's Tiffany. Way to go! Makes for very entertaining viewing. Love the show. Thanks
posted on October 26, 2006 at 5:24 PM
Nguyen wrote:
As a foodie, I am amazed that there would be so many errors in regards to food. I understand that Josie worked underneath a vietnamese chef, but why she call pho a stew is beyond me. Pho is literally a beef noodle soup, so why they included carrots and pork is beyond me. And thank you to Ming Tsai for correction Josie on the correct Baby bok choy is used, but is not a prevalent part of vnese cooking.
To disagree with Tom, vnese food is not predominantly stir fries. The three most popular vnese dishes: pho, banh mi and bun thit nguong do not employ stirfrying techniques.
In regards to the team Korea, I would be hard pressed to find panna cotta in Korea. As for the lychee contraversy--- while lychees are considered to be an asian ingredient, they are not necessarily a korean ingredient.
posted on October 26, 2006 at 5:54 PM
sallll wrote:
Marisa was the one who said she uses her female wiles where ever she can, right? Which GUTTER is my question!?? She should have been sent home as well. Not confronting Otto - or the team -- at the store was a gross oversight on her part. And she knew it. Then to make such a bad dessert?? And NOT be sent home -- pity. She created the drama and the looks on her face when Otto was talking -- whoa -- Fugly isn't the word. Send her home - NEXT...........! Agree with you that keeping Otto would have been detrimental to the contestants remaining. Pity on his poor judgement as well - wanted to see a Clevelander do some work. He appeared a bit scattered -- so that's the way it goes..............!
posted on October 26, 2006 at 7:39 PM
sallll wrote:
Marisa was the one who said she uses her female wiles where ever she can, right? Which GUTTER is my question!?? She should have been sent home as well. Not confronting Otto - or the team -- at the store was a gross oversight on her part. And she knew it. Then to make such a bad dessert?? And NOT be sent home -- pity. She created the drama and the looks on her face when Otto was talking -- whoa -- Fugly isn't the word. Send her home - NEXT...........! Agree with you that keeping Otto would have been detrimental to the contestants remaining. Pity on his poor judgement as well - wanted to see a Clevelander do some work. He appeared a bit scattered -- so that's the way it goes..............!
posted on October 26, 2006 at 7:43 PM
lauren wrote:
It is absolutely amazing that you guys would have a show about Vietnamese and Korean food yet hardly anyone on the show, the chefs or the judges, have any clue about Vietnamese or Korean food. With the exception of one chef's comment that the Pho was a joke, no one else seem to notice that they did not cook Vietnamese food even thought the challenge was to do just that. Also, Jasmine Panna Cotta as Korean food? Give me a break. Using the communist flag to represent Vietnam? Come on guys. Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law recently that the official Vietnamese flag in California is the former South Vietnamese flag. Don't you have any people to do some research before you do a show?
posted on October 26, 2006 at 11:19 PM
Colleen wrote:
I don't understand your conflict on the Lychee issue Gail...I don't care if I'm on a "team"... if someone does something dishonest on that team, I won't put aside my integrity for them. And no one on this show should be asked to. I also don't think that standing up for your integrety is "looking out for yourself" it's standing up for your belief in playing fair. I think it took more guts for Marisa and Elia to speak up then it was for Otto to step down and drop out. I think it was the right decision.
posted on October 27, 2006 at 12:06 AM
Frankie wrote:
Gail,
I loved last season, however, while I respected your point of view, I think I saw you as a bit of an "iron maiden." I judged too quickly. I'm so glad that your blog is more than an dry episode description. You offer important context to not only what goes on at the judge's table, but also to the sensory aspects of the show. A recent example would be your comments about shutting down the kitchen A/C during taping (I'm from the South, so I know that's real drama!) Your blog also reflects why you are such a good food writer... you take the time to communicate flavor, temperature, and texture, and you understand that those little quirky details that interest you, also interest us. You and your blog make this fun show - better.
Now, about the lychee theft... I'm a little shook by all the back and forth on this issue. We have all been handed the wrong change and handed it immediatly back to the cashier. It's a no-brainer, basic honesty 101. That's what Otto should have done with the lychee, and that's also what Marissa should have done the very instant Otto mentioned it. However in Marissa's defense, she spoke up "before" she knew her dish wasn't going to work out, and kept speaking up long before the judging. That was the right thing to do. We've all heard the quote "bad things happen when good men do nothing." Otto did nothing and karma came a callin'.
posted on October 27, 2006 at 8:52 AM
Leigh wrote:
....And thank you, Gail, for bringing the critique of this week's challenge back into focus. Listening to the judges table, I was worried that a multi-layered team challenge was going to be all about how good one pork dish tasted! Nicely done.
posted on October 27, 2006 at 10:42 AM
P. Meredith wrote:
Gail, thank you for your assessment of the lychee incident, you created a fuller picture of the situation.
Taking Personal Responsibility is a wonderful character attribute. If Marisa had STOPPED Otto in his tracks, when she heard him make the statement about the lychees-- She could have said “Wow, wait a minute Otto!” It would have made her a stand up girl instead of a WIMP. Just think of how it would have turned out. (Otto statement was “I believed we got the lychees for free”) Maybe both of them should have been dismissed.
posted on October 27, 2006 at 11:08 AM
Stephen wrote:
Great blog Gail.
One note to all who say that Marissa lied about Otto's statement at the store. Her immediate response was something like "huh, what was that?" As any fan of true police shows would know, eye-witnesse accounts are usually not usually completely accurate and must be backed up with physical evidence. That is why I think she thought she heard Otto say "I got us the lychees for free.", Instead of, "I think we got the lychees for free."
It also appeared to me that Otto kept trying to dodge the situation up till the second part of the judging, when he realized that the only way to salvage anything was to fall on his knife and withdraw.
My 2 cents.
posted on October 27, 2006 at 12:04 PM
Robert C. Warwick III wrote:
Gail, you are a true beauty. Love the the show. Please rid us of that American hater "Elia Aboumrad". You should send her ass back to Mexico City. Sorry for being so shrewed. Keep up the good work, and we'll keep watching.
posted on October 27, 2006 at 2:39 PM
Amber wrote:
Gail, you absolutely rock! I have been a fan of yours since the very beginning of last season. Your professionalism, honesty, and knowledge about the culinary world are truly impressive! Kudos!
posted on October 27, 2006 at 3:21 PM
Amber wrote:
Gail, you absolutely rock! I have been a fan of yours since the very beginning of last season. Your professionalism, honesty, and knowledge about the culinary world are truly impressive! Kudos!
posted on October 27, 2006 at 3:23 PM
Sandy wrote:
I'm not enjoying this season, so far. Far too many contestants, can feel involved with any. Too bad you "fixed" what wasn't broken. Sandy
posted on October 28, 2006 at 10:39 AM
Sandy wrote:
I'm not enjoying this season, so far. Far too many contestants, can feel involved with any. Too bad you "fixed" what wasn't broken. Sandy
posted on October 28, 2006 at 10:42 AM
Merrilee Reynolds wrote:
Marisa should have gone. The reason her team lost was due to her bad dessert. Period. The whole lychee scenario was ridiculous. Marisa was every bit as responsible as Otto for knowing about the mix up. Her place to say something was when she found out - not in the kitchen tattling like some self-righteous school girl.
posted on October 28, 2006 at 1:54 PM
Jessica wrote:
You all said last season that it is important for a chef to have people who want to support him or her. Should then part of the competition be the ability to inspire others to want to be on your team? It is a one winner competition but shouldn't they win by their own talents and not the shortcomings of others?
posted on October 28, 2006 at 2:36 PM
Jeremy wrote:
Gail you're still the best. Love your episode journals and as a personal aside I think you're really hot.
posted on October 28, 2006 at 2:38 PM
Dan wrote:
I really think all the judges have made a mistake. Otto is the one WHO SAID SOMETHING. Everyone else neither noticed nor reacted to Otto's statement. If someone has to leave because of not being honest about the lychees, then Otto should have stayed, and the rest of his team should have been DISMISSED--they are the ones who decided to ignore Otto's observation. Really lacking in logic, here.
posted on October 28, 2006 at 3:57 PM
victoria wrote:
Frankly, I was dumbfounded by Chef Tom's decision that if Otto took responsibility he would be dropped, but if he didn't Marisa would be out. It seems to me that the opposite should have happened- if Otto reclaimed his integrity he should have gotten credit for doing the right thing, and Marisa, who knew AT THE STORE that they had not paid for the lychees (which proved that gamesmanship was higher on her agenda than honesty) should have gotten her just desserts (pun intended). She, not Otto, destroyed the little bit of teamwork that Korea had, and her pannacotta was the ultimate cause of her team's loss. I just hope that justice will prevail next week.
posted on October 28, 2006 at 7:00 PM
connie wrote:
Marissa didn't even have the guts to tell Tom about the Lychees herself but looked at Elia whom then told told Tom a distorted account of the facts. When Tom gathered the group, Marissa's response was "Sh.."! She is the queen bee of manipulation by getting others to do her dirty work! If she really thought it was morally wrong she should not have had any problem telling her side of the story to Tom.
posted on October 28, 2006 at 8:15 PM
sfsue wrote:
Thank gosh other viewers out there know their Vietnamese and Korean foods. NEITHER of the dishes in my opinion were representative...Josie (who totally annoys me) saying pho is a stew? what the sam heck?! and panna cotta as a Korean dessert? please... I would think that if you're a Top Chef candidate, you'd have eaten at a place or two... especially the chefs who were from California or New York. My gosh, these are hotbeds of Korean and Vietnamese cuisine. And ESPECIALLY since Vietnamese food is often considered by culinary geeks as one of the more refined cooking styles because of French influence. If anything, I think this challenge showed how lame this current lot of chefs are.
posted on October 28, 2006 at 11:42 PM
Tonya wrote:
Otto should not of been the one to go..... What a deceitful show Marissa put on! We need to get rid of her pronto!
Andale'
posted on October 29, 2006 at 1:28 AM
J. wrote:
As some of the posters mentioned, I was a little baffled by the dessert presented by Team Korea.
Having grown up with Korean food, I am pretty sure that jasmine, tapioca, and taro are not in the repertoire of Korean cuisine.
And I'm curious as to what Team Korea might have done with lychees, as lychees are also not part of Korean cuisine.
I'm surprised that the both the chefs and judges really had no idea. And I'm surprised that Marisa authoritatively delcared to Ming Tsai that the ingredients used for her dessert were traditional to Korean cooking, when she clearly has no idea.
posted on October 29, 2006 at 12:29 PM
Brian wrote:
I'm excited to see Top Chef back. I enjoyed the first season and look forward to the second season. But I have to say something honest here. Gail Simmons needs to have her own opinions and stop kissing up to Tom and the other judges. She needs to have her own independent opinion and stick by it. That's what the other chefs do. Of course, that's personal opinion. Plus, makes for better watchability.
posted on October 29, 2006 at 5:03 PM
Shea wrote:
Gail, I think we all know that you guys will defend your outcomes at all cost. You’ve stated several times that the contestants should do so, so why should you be any different?
With that said, Marisa should have gone home. She said in the beginning that she uses her “womanhood” to her advantage and that’s exactly what she did here. As a woman, this sickens me because it’s a sick form of “prostitution”. I don’t think I need to state that a “righteous” person wouldn’t have to resort to trickery to prove anything.
What Otto said at the store was “I think we got a case of lychees free” and he said it directly to Marisa. Had she been the righteous person she personified during the show, it just seems to me that she would have made sure that they didn’t leave the store until this matter was straightened out. I would be interested to know if they actually left the store without paying for the product or if this is all speculation.
posted on October 29, 2006 at 6:41 PM
Rebecca wrote:
Gail,
I really enjoyed the Team Korea and Team Viet Nam challenge. I also think the characters this season are really interesting and fun. I think Padma is doing a stellar job as the host - she celebrates the successes and delivers the bad news with grace. Tom is once again fantastic as well - I enjoy watching his visits to the kitchen during the challenges. The PDR is your wonderful ability to vividly summarize the dishes for us, the viewers - since we can't taste them ourselves. More Gail!
posted on November 1, 2006 at 11:05 PM
Calliope wrote:
First off, I think you need to make better use of the judges. I love Ming and his past TV shows, it would have been great to hear more from him.
Second, Marisa should have gone home. She screwed up the dessert, AND she knew about the lychees at the same time as Otto. The difference is, he seemed confused and wasn't 100% sure what had happened. She, OTOH, was absolutely sure the Grand Larceny of the Century had been commiitted, and yet, instead of marching teh case right back into the store to straighten it out, she says nothing? And waits until a time when the issue will disrupt the entire team instead of just settling it immediately? Uh uh. Her behavior was ridiculous and so was her attitude. People make mistakes and it doesn't make them robber barons.
posted on November 6, 2006 at 2:31 AM
Zaile wrote:
I understand how you could see Marisa's point of view, but I'm not of the mindset that Otto was the deceitful one in this challenge. It was clearly Marisa all the way. If Otto was really trying to be underhanded at any point, he wouldn't have been so forthright when asked about the lychee situation. Obviously he was confused about what to do regarding the lychee and told Marisa, who at that point had every opportunity to nip the insuing chaos in the bud. She could have told him right then and there that keeping the lychees was cheating and should be immediately returned. I'm sure Otto would have done this right then. Just as he did when Tom ask him about it. It was sneaky and underhanded to confess her so-called concerns to Tom, instead of discussing it openly with her group. It was completely treacherous to go after Otto at judging. AND Top Chef is about the food, correct? Marisa's dish was disgusting or at least it look as such. I've made panna cotta before. While it is a tricky recipe, someone with her experience should know how to execute it better than she did. She should have gone home! Because it was her dish not Otto that lost the challenge and it was her childish tattle-telling and whispering that threw the group dynamic off. She was to blame all the way. And while I applaud Otto's dignified exit, I'm completely disgusted by Marisa's behavior and annoyed that her crappy desert went unpunished. And now after seeing the Low-Calorie Contest episode where Betty's poor judgement was completely forgiven, the fact that Otto left instead of Marisa appalls me even more.
posted on November 9, 2006 at 12:52 PM
David Kasahara wrote:
I had watched this episode several times, at least two times, and I have concluded that Otto was not a bad guys, instead, he was believed that the box of Lynchee was free. However, Masisa pissed of Otto just after she figure out that her work was crappy. So, I guess that the judge should have a big vision of what is really happening in the competition.
posted on January 4, 2007 at 10:51 PM
Nick wrote:
Gail, You are fantastic on the show. You are also hot as hell. Are you single? Haha! It's so rare to see such a smart woman who looks as good as you. Bravo to you.
posted on June 8, 2007 at 11:38 PM
Joe wrote:
Gail, I must tell you, last night on the special edition of "Top Chef," when you said "actually I'm more of a slut than Padma," I almost lost my cookies...GULP! umm, what are you doing this evening...!?
posted on July 26, 2007 at 11:22 AM