Anyone watch "The Restaurant "last night?

[kima]

I enjoyed last night's show. Rocco actually came across as much nicer than in the previous shows. I think he was quite right to tell those waiters off! You could tell it is hard for him to play the heavy. Both he and his mum seem like they are mild mannered people. Perhaps this is why the restaurant is so chaotic. It seems the best chefs are demanding and dicatorial.
But I still feel confused and a bit used as I watch this show. Is it for real? Is it an infomercial? A sitcom? I just don't get it. What do you all think?
One thing for sure-I would never want to be a chef-man they work hard!
And what did you think of the comic/waiter? Did he "bomb" because his first joke was about terroists?

[mrswaz]

Last night's episode was intersing. I had read the postings on e-gullet where Anthony Bourdain posted about Rocco's, so I was looking forward to see if he was actually on the show at all.

As far as the stand up comic- I personally thought his joke was extremely distasteful. Duh. Moron. I don't think NYC is a good place to tell jokes about terrorist bombings.

[MKSquared]

Just one thing to keep in mind: in a kitchen, there's a difference between "chef" and "cook." :) You may have noticed the kitchen staff using "Chef" as a title for both Rocco and the kitchen manager. (In French, it means "head," as in head-of-the-kitchen.) I noticed NBC using some interesting editing, making it seem like the really cute cook who got pulled off the line was responsible for more than he really was. (Calls for fried items would not go to a grill cook.)

So ... is Topher really, really gone? I was expecting to see him back.

Seems like Rocco has abandoned his other restaurants, doesn't it? :) He does have two others.

[Pico]

Watched it for the first time last night--well, started watching it, at least. It just didn't grab me... I guess I like my cooking shows spotless and pretty and fairy-tale-ish. Enough chaos in my kitchen. :rolleyes: :)

[elnant]

Originally posted by kima
I still feel confused and a bit used as I watch this show. Is it for real? Is it an infomercial? A sitcom? I just don't get it. What do you all think?

I don't think it's a "reality" show in the true sense. It's not really an infomercial, but there is a lot of product placement/promotion throughout.
And a lot of it seems to be re-enactments. There were several things I noticed that kind of tipped me off. For example, in earlier episodes when they were calling back the waiters they wanted to hire, and some of the phone calls with the contractors and builder. The cameras just "happen" to be in the right places to catch those key conversations? I don't think so.

And what did you think of the comic/waiter? Did he "bomb" because his first joke was about terroists? [/QUOTE]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think the comic "bombed" as badly as it seemed like he did. Did you notice when he got "booed" -- it was the same audio of the audience booing played over and over again.


Despite all this --- and the fact that Rocco and most of his staff are some of the most annoying people I've ever seen -- I can't stop watching this show! :)

[kima]

I can't make my mind up about Rocco. He definately likes to schmooze and play the celebrity. On the other hand ,he is kind to his mama and doesn't seem to have a mean bone in his body. Like I said, I watch the show and enjoy it but have an uneasy feeling I am being taken. It's hard to put into words.

[Kayaksoup]

Originally posted by mrswaz
Last night's episode was intersing. I had read the postings on e-gullet where Anthony Bourdain posted about Rocco's, so I was looking forward to see if he was actually on the show at all.

As far as the stand up comic- I personally thought his joke was extremely distasteful. Duh. Moron. I don't think NYC is a good place to tell jokes about terrorist bombings.

After reading that, I had to whip over to eGullet and read the 1000 or so posts, or rather scan them, to find Anthony Bourdains. I love this guy......

[claire797]

If anybody is keeping up with the egullet thread, you might want to check it today. One of the 3 cooks from the alleged bar fight just signed on.

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=18494&st=1080

[kima]

What did Bourdain say? I enjoy him too.:)

[claire797]

Tony's first post re: his visit to Rocco's is below. He did post a lot more, but you'll have to read the thread to experience the full Tony effect.

"I'm having a lot of trouble separating the ironic from the post-ironic from the sincere regarding last night's experience. The food was good--if actively unambitious. Exactly what you think/hope you're going to get after looking at the menu (see above).I mean, when you see Spaghetti and Mama's Meatballs as the first, most prominent thing on a menu--that's pretty much a defining mission statement, yes? Good meatballs. Fresh fish. The food was decent..Maybe even a little bit better than decent.. In fact--if Rocco was serving the exact same food in a tiny, out-of-the-way, homier location, I'd be unrestrained in my praise for the place. (Rocco's version of Rao's, perhaps)But the decor is very City Island: loud, overlit, vinyl and formica...(the business model seems to be a mix of Carmines and Balthazar)and the TV thing added another dimension of..of..complicity in some crime yet to be identified. (though shooting ends this week). I'm confused. Rocco is an extremely talented chef, an excellent cook, a very bright, articulate--and yes--sensitive guy. I personally like him--and hope he does well in all his ventures. I want to root for him--a capable chef with the world on a string, making moves. But I'm troubled by my dinner last night. A meal shouldn't make you feel implicated in some unnamed felony afterwards...it shouldn't make you stand in front of the mirror looking into the yawning depths of your own dark heart, wondering "Jesus! What have we come to?!" Irony and cynicism should not, I think, be menu items.
Am I looking too hard at what could/should be a "fun", casual dining experience? Did snobbery or self-loathing or envy play a part in my unsettling experience? Ripert, who dragooned me into this, thinks the place is fantastic and shrewd. I don't know. I feel like I just woke up from a week-long coke jag; shaky, weak and..guilty.
Maybe some future posters will add much needed perspective cause I feel like I've lost mine."

[TLee4]

So, is anyone going to watch The Restaurant tonight? I am, even though I was underwhelmed the first time around.

Terri

[buffygirl]

Cool, I was wondering if this was going to come back around. What time is it on???

[tbb113]

10:00 ET/PT so I'm guessing 9:00 CT/MT

[Jazzmatazz49]

So is tonight a repeat of last night? I really thought tonight was going to be the premiere of the new season. I goofed.

[TLee4]

I don't think it was on last night??! I hope not! I thought tonight was the premiere. I have my VCR set for 9pm (CST).

Terri

Editing to say...I bet you're confused by the title of this thread. My fault. I pulled up this old thread from LAST YEAR and added to it. Sorry!

[Jazzmatazz49]

Oh, were the opening posts of this thread from LAST year's show? I thought someone posted about seeing the new season's first show last night. Now I've confused myself.:rolleyes:

[ErinM]

I cannot stop myself from watching this trainwreck.:rolleyes:

So, yes, I will be watching.