daniella wrote:

I love Padma's polka-dot dress!!!! i need a picture to hve it made :)

posted on June 20, 2007 at 11:06 PM

Aless wrote:

To be honest this season can't hang with any of the other two seasons. i mean with all those ingredients in the pantry; who would make a SMORE. Even though the places and players change the one that always looks good is Padma!! Did anybody else see her in that blue shirt?? SEXY!! Mucho Amor!!

posted on June 20, 2007 at 11:15 PM

David J Rust wrote:

I believe it was Sarah (my memory is on the fritz at the moment, so I could mis-attributing this) but did she really not know that a Habanero was incredibly hot-n-spicy? I was a bit surprised by this; I thought everyone knew just how incendiary those orange peppers were! (I don't use them very often, but they make a great part of a Jamaican marinade for chicken thigh skewers.)

posted on June 20, 2007 at 11:49 PM

Samantha wrote:

You seem much more at ease this season! I am glad we are hearing more of your opinions on the show. You have a great sense of humor!

As for the show, being a Southerner myself I'm a little disappointed that we lost the only two contestants with Southern accents. I hope next season we can get some folks with significant drawls who can cook the pants off the competition!

This season is promising!

posted on June 21, 2007 at 12:34 AM

Linda wrote:

After seeing the Quickfire, its great to see some of the chefs all flustered, after hearing some of there criticism during the All Star Chefs..Lets see what you can do when you dont have time to plan..
My favorites to watch this season is Hung and Tre..I cant wait to see what they accomplish this season..I am rooting for them to be the final two..

posted on June 21, 2007 at 1:30 AM

Andrea wrote:

Preliminary comment --
Padma, I too would have expected the chefs to get excited about having such a wide-open Quickfire after last week's highly regimented competitions. They had more time, familiar ingredients, fair warning ... it really was an eye-opener as to who is creative.

It's fascinating to note that Howie's dish had lobster poached in vanilla butter and Sandee later used those same elements, yet it gets right past a person easily, whereas we see the big fuss a certain someone made over the use of a watermelon drink. I actually did think it was bad form for Hung to make that choice, not because anyone has a patent on it (as he rightly pointed out), but because it never looks good when one person in a Quickfire or Elimination does something that gets compliments and someone else does a dish or drink notably similar within the same competition set.

I appreciated what Chef Tom points out in his blog, that many things that seem novel to those of us who are the uninitiated actually have been around the food world for quite a while. I just think it shows better style to avoid the appearance of copying what was successful; it's different if one copies something unsuccessful to show how it should have been done. In Hung's favor (among many things): It was classy that he took just a moment to do a peer the simple favor of pointing out the math of 20x10. I was amazed that a chef was about to use up her whole budget without thinking even a moment; Sara is expecting too much help in every area, and that's going to bite her in all the worst places pretty quick. The Scotch bonnet mistake was pretty amateur as well ... I'm for risk-taking, but why not sample your ingredients early on if you're using something unfamiliar and being given a decent window of time?

posted on June 21, 2007 at 1:34 AM

Andrea wrote:

One more comment: (BTW, note that my comment on the Scotch bonnets was before I read Padma's - now I'm sounding like a copycat!)

Is there something I'm missing about Casey? She is a Texas-based chef as well -- works for the same family Tre does, in fact -- yet neither she nor anyone else ever refers to being from Texas, while Tre and those commenting on him trot out the Texas line all the time. (As a Dallasite, I'm thrilled we have two representatives to show this year!)

posted on June 21, 2007 at 1:41 AM

emily c. wrote:

If your from texas (like me) why would you do something that is completely different. It may have gotten him a kudos for being different, but do something you know...duh! And as for the habanero peppers... my goodness, please tell the dolt to pack her knives and go. First season, hands down was the best in my opinion.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 2:01 AM

min dur own business wrote:

hung! im rooting for this guy. hes quick, serious, and uninterested in anybody else. i especially liked his attitude at the bbq. he did something simple but ,hell, he had the imunity card or whatever that allowed him to kick back for one and have fun with the crowd and the beautiful day it must have been. i once heard a story about this guy when he worked in MA. on a beautiful day in the summer he was convinced by another cook to take off and spend the rest of the day at the river instead of the grueling hotel kitchen. im not sure if this was consiedered a "pass" but props for the guy for doing what he wants for himself.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 2:39 AM

cleoptatrajones wrote:

Padma! Stand up for the lady contestants!! As Sandee said in her exit interview, why was flavor upheld over technicality last week (Howie's incomplete dish was spared over Clay's shite food) and this week technicality trumped flavor (Sandee sent home for not barbecuing while Howie's sawdust loin is spared). I think the producers, the judges and the other contestants know damn well that they have all made a mistake this week in sending Sandee home. It's really frustrating. I hope the rest of the season isn't just going to be a excising of all the female chef contestants.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 2:45 AM

meliblu wrote:

Liked this challenge so much better than the bizarre exotic foods first challenge since upscale barbeque is nuch more edible and appetizing than the foods on that first challenge. Could not eat while watching that first Top Chef episode. Yes, I know ostrich farms exist and that kangaroos overpopulate Australia and have to be hunted down & killed, but I still think of those creatures as our animal friends from all the wildlife shows I watched growing up and not something that I would eat, so I really didn't envy you judges this time at all. You got through it nicely without throwing up or gagging at least on camera. Brian's dish sounds wonderful except for the pomegranate and you're so fortunate not to have food allergies: I am very allergic to pomegranate and found out the hard way after being sick for days several times from eating fresh pomegranate, aonther time pomegranate liquer, and from pomegranate tea and from pomegranate juice. You think after a couple of times I wold have realized, but I just kept reading labels on other things I had drank or eaten thinking I had accidentally consumed grapes to which I am very allergic. Adult food allergies too, wasn't that allergic to any food until I was over 18. I don't like cold soup either and a coworker Cathy and I were at a sales seminar for work where the caterers served a soup similar to Micah's but a cucumber and avocado soup and we made fun of it as a good face mask saying we didn't know it was a beauty seminar as it had the thick consistency of a face masque, but not quite as thick as Micah's. Some of our fellow seminar participants called out for tortilla chips thinking it to be a dip and being Southerners, many were not familiar at all with cold soups and didn't think that was a good idea when the servers told them what it was. My coworker and I did recognize it as cold soup, just a bad cold soup. I was so happy that Sara N. redeemed herself in the elimination challenge after she became so tongue tied and flustered that she couldn't even describe her dish. I really felt bad for her and it was painful to watch her try to spit out her words and just stop.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 8:53 AM

M.E. wrote:

I am from Texas. If it's edible, it can be grilled. I have grilled/barbecued whole salmon, roasts, vegies, you name it. I will agree it all comes down to the marinade and seasonings. Nothing worse than overseasoned or overcooked food.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 9:54 AM

Lisa wrote:

Padma, you ask why do salmon when you are from Texas? Why not.

It's impossible to do a traditional Texas style barbecue in two hours on a charcoal grill. Not a challenge a talented chef could take on, that the rest of us mere mortals in the kitchen couldn't, but impossible. Even if the cheftestants could figure out a way to configure their charcoal GRILLS to work as barbecue pits (which would take extreme creativity in itself), in two hours - the only thing that can be reasonably barbecued is seafood.

Barbecuing is cooking over an indirect low heat source for a long time. Seafood is the only thing I can imagine it would be possible to do this two in only two hours.

While a very interesting GRILLING challenge. This was in NO way a barbecue.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 12:22 PM

Art wrote:

Love the way Padma describes the dishes we can't eat at home.

I gave Brian some well-deserved snark last week, but it was good to see that he:

1) Learns from his mistakes.
2) Pays attention to what the contest is about and attempts to meet the challenge.

Do that, and you can go from amost worst to first.

This week Joey the Dope gets all the snark.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 1:06 PM

Andy B wrote:

Padma, you look more at ease so far this season. On the elimination challenge, I thought the judges made the right choice in eliminating Sandee. She did not actually BBQ. Joey, did not listen and his BBQ was not upscale at all. If Sandee would have BBQ instead of poaching, Joey would have gone. Which would have been better because Joey is so immature, already being a drama Queen. As for tthe rules on eliminations, as Chef Tom said it's subjected so every week there can be a different criteria. Just because Howie is in the bottom three two weeks in a row does not mean he is ready to be eliminated. Each week merits starts a knew.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 2:53 PM

Kelli wrote:

Now, I could be wrong about this, but didn't Sandee do basically the same thing in the elimination challenge that Howie did in the QuickFire? That is, vanilla butter poached lobster? Basically the only difference was her source of heat. She used a grill instead of a stove.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 2:59 PM

LindaR wrote:

Amen to your comment about chilled soups. I was recently served a particularly noxious cold carrot soup with a curry foam (!) at a certain reknowned LA restaurant. Yuck.

You're doing great this season, keep it up.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 3:07 PM

scurvyknave wrote:

I'm lovin' this season; the talent is strong, but also important is that the challenges don't suck!

We haven't seen any of that horrible heavy handed product placement challenges, and this week's challenges (citrus and upscale bbq) were so open-ended that the chefs have really no excuses for letting their creativity fly. It gives us a chance to really see some of their ability at the beginning of the season, instead of at the end.

The negative is that, with the jacuzzi and all, I'm worried that the show will become more of a reality show than a cooking show. But time will tell.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 3:24 PM

Dennis Grace wrote:

I realize it can be difficult to distinguish all out panic from anxiety, but that's the difference I saw between episode one and episode two. The first quickfire challenge was a crock. Who can create the best amuse bouche from leftovers using plastic utensils? Who cares? The challenge was all gimmick.

I can understand the stress the contestants felt when the second quickfire was announced, though. Citrus is such a commonplace that the possibilities was vast. Sometimes, too many choices can be as stymieing as too few.

I'm afraid I can't agree with you on the matter of chilled summer soups. I'm no fan of fruit soups, either, but are you really ready to dismiss vichyssoise, borscht, gazpacho? In Micah's defense, a few years back I had an avocado soup in a restaurant on Cozumel that was an experience worth repeating: velvety, slightly tart from the fresh lime and topped with a dollop of sour cream and a few beads of 00 caviar. Micah's version clearly lacked much in execution.

Joey, Howie, and Tre all surprised and disappointed me in the barbecue challenge. Joey's choice of drumsticks struck me as blatant stupidity. If drumsticks are his idea of upscale cooking, he won't be long for the competition or the business.

Howie, with the the jerked pork, once again managed to make himself look incompetent. Not only did he cook and slice the meat too early, but on the screen the meat he was slicing looked over done. The comments about it tasting like sawdust coupled with Chef Colicchio's comments suggest that Howie's jerk seasoning was also lacking? (Made with dry spices, perhaps?)

I'm also a Texan and can confirm that we will barbecue just about anything, but I agree with you on the choice of Salmon. Teriyaki-ish Salmon preparations are so 1990s. If Tre really wanted to get his Texas on, he should have been barbecuing brisket or beef tenderloin. Or big honking shrimp.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 6:23 PM

Lisa wrote:

Okay Padma, time to start telling us where you're getting the killer dresses.

Why do the judges want contestants to name who they think should go home when their in the bottom group? Is the panel trying to get the contestants to turn against one another? Just let them cook, they don't have to attack each other to keep us watching.

posted on June 21, 2007 at 6:50 PM

JohnBorakinLA wrote:

Padma,
My wife and I happened on Top Chef by accident early in the second season. Thanks to TIVO, we were able to see all the episodes we missed. Top Chef's combination of real human drama with extraordinary skill and creative talent has us hooked. Your job seems particularly challenging: in effect you represent all of us who are neither chefs nor judges, but who watch the show to be entertained by -- and learn from -- both groups. We traveled with you across the world when you hosted other shows, and we are happy to be along for the ride as you host Top Chef. Keep up the great work!

posted on June 21, 2007 at 8:39 PM

Barbara wrote:

Salmon at BBQ is very common for those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest. Our Native American Tribes here in Washington have been smoking and grilling salmon long before any Napa Valley chef ever thought of pulling out a cedar plank. Tre's dish looked decent enough but it saddens me that he messed the seasoning. A good piece of salmon is a terrible thing to waste. I would be interested in knowing some of the runner up recipe's as well as the winners.

posted on June 22, 2007 at 6:53 PM

PeachPie wrote:

Padma, so glad to see you again. I have to agree with a prior poster.... you do seem more at ease this season. It's nice to see that joyful personality show through.

I was a supporter last season when all those (idiots) posters took pot shots at you. Good for you to stay in the game!!!!

You're officially family now. So glad you returned. Can't wait to see the rest of the season.

posted on June 22, 2007 at 8:46 PM

Nicole wrote:

Padma..read your blog few days ago and wondered why you made the statements you did about Sandee's dish. Was going to bypass but after reading the articles of the Food Media and listening to interviews regarding her being eliminated, it is best, for me at least, to respond.

Your statement , quote "most disappointing performance was Sandee since she did not actually grill anything " puzzled me. Yes she did grill, the dates, the pancetta ....she used what appeared to be a stone dish for the lobster, this is on the show as well as on this web site.

Maybe you were not there when the food was being "grilled", maybe you took someone else's word nothing was grilled, who knows? But if someone is eliminated, the facts regarding why the judge made a decision should be at least accurate. The decision to eliminate Sandee may be just ... but statements like the one above and some of Tom's in his blog causes a lot of the fans..and food media to be skeptical as to the real reason she was booted off.
If a judge makes a decision on facts..most can respect the decision, but to make a decision for other reasons and then try to justify it with false facts .... that diminishes ones credibility.
Too many fans of TC and respected professionals in the industry believe her elimination was not due to her dish but other reasons.
I watched Sandee's exit video... the girl has heart and class. I'm sure the early elimination was very disappointing as she looked like she was tearing up in the entire video.
Was it really your " most disappointing performance"?
She grilled...at least part of it..LOL ... but didn't they all grill?

posted on June 23, 2007 at 9:51 AM

Jim wrote:

Upscale grilling to me has always been a shish-k-bob. I can't believe nobody did one.
Ever since Stephen poached his lobster in saffron for season 3 to judge and Chef Tom said was his personal favorite, I think I have seen it on every show since (ok, poached in vanilla butter, since repeating Stephens dish would be obvious). So when Sandee did it for the grilling, I just groaned.
Timing is everything, I bet Clay would have done well on the grilling challenge.
I wasn't offended at all by Hung using another version of that drink, we have seen it used alot on Top Chef.
Speaking of Hung, it's his competition to lose. Clearly, the others are playing for second place. It seems this guy could take dung and make taste like caviar. When Bourdain has no criticisms towards a dish, that's real validation.
Padma? Did you hurt your arm or is that a tattoo? I can't tell and now it's bugging me because I can't tell what it is.

posted on June 24, 2007 at 12:35 PM

Johnboy wrote:

I think it's pretty obvious that this season should be called the Trey and Hung show....one of them is clearly headed toward the top, especially given the lackluster competition. My money's on Hung. I'm so glad Top Chef is back. It is my favorite show. And can we all grow up this season people and admit we like the drama. We all want to see some competitive cooking but if the producers want to turn the burners up with a little psycho behavior, it's a recipe for top entertainment.

posted on June 24, 2007 at 10:19 PM

Johnboy wrote:

I think Sandy deserved to go home for that Vanilla and Butter casserole, plus I just don't think I could have looked at that hair much longer.

posted on June 24, 2007 at 10:45 PM

Jack wrote:

Agreed, Padma, the clips they are showing are much better for you this season - strong opinions, interacting with contestants, nice to see.

Clearly, Joey can't shut up about being from New York and let's face it he sounds like he walked off the set of the Sopranos and probably parks cars at Cafe des Artistes, as opposed to cooking there. And Tre finds validation in being from Texas. Frankly, Casey - with her all-too-obvious "additions" - is a bit more authentically Texan than Tre.

And as obnoxious as Hung is, his enthusiasm is infectious and I find myself rooting for him.

Ah well.

posted on June 25, 2007 at 1:34 AM

Billybob wrote:

This is to Lisa,

After reading all of the comments on the grill show, your's was the most realistic. The fact that Tre did salmon showed that he KNEW what BBQ was all about! You can't do anything BUT seafood low and slow in under 2 hours. Kudos to Tre and to Lisa. You want cook beef or pork on a grill right, you better have the better part of a whole day. I'm not from Texas, but I lived in the south the better part of my Navy career, and I learned how to do all that great southern cooking, like smoking, BBQ, and frying in big pots.

They made the right choice sending Sandee home because she didn't use the grill for anything but reheating the food she cooked the day before. "Y'all" who think that she got a bad rap I think it's just because she's a southern girl. I felt bad last week when Clay was sent home, but bad food is bad food. I was also surprised at what they did after what they did to Dave in the finals of season one. Dave's dishes were OBVIOUSLY far superior to Tiff's in the challenge. Why did they change their tactics?

posted on June 25, 2007 at 2:47 AM

Sue wrote:

Padma, as a woman, can you defend why all of Bravo's reality shows never have enough women representing the end winners? Its not only with Top Chef, but Top Design and the hair-cutting show as well. Why are all the women constestants dropped off at the beginning? Don't tell me Bravo can't find enough women to measure up to men chefs and interior designers?? Not fair. If this season ends up with only 1 woman in the final four AGAIN you need to start finding better women contestants!!

posted on June 25, 2007 at 3:54 PM

Top Chef Society wrote:

Oh boy, good to see some Joey discussion. That boy is just an embarrassment to anyone from New York. Everytime he's on camera, I cringe a little. Further thoughts here: http://ourstereo.com/topchef/?p=26

I thought the citrus challenge was a surprising softball. Even though there were a lot of directions the contestants could have gone with their dishes, only a few really seemed to capitalize on the idea behind the challenge.

posted on June 26, 2007 at 12:50 AM

sean-edward hall wrote:

Padma, I was so proud of the judges because I totally agreed that it was much more important that the contestant follow the guidlines than the overall "quality" of the dish. Since the judges remarked a couple of times that Howie and Joey's dishes were tasty overall, but JUST not UP-SCALE gourmet...it truly seemed to me as well that this was not nearly as sever as not making a TRUE barbeque dish. I HATED to see her go, but agreed that missing the mark on the guidlines had to be the criteria that you adhered by! THIS SEASON IS GOING TO BE EXCITING AND THE BAR IS CERTAINLY BEING SET HIGH ON THE ONSET!

posted on June 26, 2007 at 6:00 PM

DonJuan wrote:

I just wanted to say; Padma, you are a very very beautiful woman. Yep...

posted on June 26, 2007 at 9:38 PM

Andre wrote:

Padma, will you marry me?

posted on June 27, 2007 at 7:41 PM

Jimmers wrote:

I have a favorite early this season which is odd for me. The last 2 seasons it was well after mid way before i found my favorite.
Tre and Hung i think are leading in the technicle areas. Howie is definatly the DAVE of season three, without pressure i bet he would hang with most in a kitchen. However there is one chef with excelent presentation and a solid base of taste. SHE has not hit a flare yet so she is not getting much time, unbelievable because she also beautiful.
But in a week or two i think LIA will start to make some seriouse ground! I will be pulling for her

posted on June 27, 2007 at 10:50 PM