Top chef-Stephen packed up his knives!

[KristiB]

Hey I read on the Bravo site there's going to be a second season-they're looking for contestants.

Suprise!!!Stephen blew it again with his need to educate.

I felt sorry for them having to cater a wedding out of a supermarket. Hello! You aren't going to find top notch salmon at the 11th hour in a grocery store.

If you have a few minutes read Stephens website-it's a hoot although the thought of him having a bubbling orgasm makes me want to scrub my brain

http://stephenasprinio.com/

From the Top chef Blogs:

Tom C:

"..So when it was time to judge, I wanted to hear from the chefs themselves what had gone wrong. And to a one, they pointed to Stephen. Yet again, his grandstanding in the dining room cost the team a needed set of hands. Stephen saw himself as the crucial liaison between the kitchen and the guests, but a more experienced banquet director at the very least would have anticipated the wedding toasts and held off on firing the next course. Marcy Blum, our guest Judge, was impressed by the waiters 'sweeping the room' (serving in unison) but truthfully – the waiters only 'swept' the head table, which looked good on camera but did little to enhance everyone’s experience. And by jumping in to orchestrate service, Stephen left the hotel's Banquet Captain with nothing to do – a poor use of resources, and evidence that he lacks the confidence to delegate. "

Stephen truly believes that he will single-handedly "raise the bar" for the rest of us. And indeed he may – to heights of culinary and oenophilic rapture that mere people can't hope to appreciate. And when that happens, there may be diners somewhere who will happily pay to be hectored, lectured, and reminded of their inferior knowledge. But if those guests are out there, in twenty-five years on the job, I haven't met them.


Gail:

"..I recognize how earnestly Stephen wants to share his knowledge. I appreciate his belief that he can "elevate" the industry and I applaud his lofty ideals, as without this type of ambition restaurants would not be challenged to move forward. But with each episode, his ego has clouded his focus. Time and again he has demonstrated that he is far more concerned with the location of Rioja, the acid balance of Rose´ and the correct temperature of Pinot Gris than with getting his hands dirty in the kitchen. The irony of it is that he speaks about wine to diners twice his age as if they are children, when the kid has only been drinking legally for three years!

I trust that one day Stephen will be the great chef, sommelier or even the award-winning restaurateur to which he aspires. He has the drive and the education. But until he learns that good service is less about hearing the sound of your own voice and more about tuning into the voices and concerns of your customers, he is going to have a very hard time finding anyone to listen. "

[HealthyinMN]

Doh... for us TiVO people could you please put a spolier warning or something rather than having the results in the title? :(

[mikesmom]

Please change the title to warn everyone that there are "spoilers" in your post. I, too, have Top Chef Tivo'd and wanted to watch without knowing the result.

[mrswaz]

Doh... for us TiVO people could you please put a spolier warning or something rather than having the results in the title? :(


Grrrr...ditto... :mad: I would have avoided opening the Top Chef thread until I saw it later this afternoon.

[KristiB]

Sorry about the brain f@rt! :eek:

***begs forgivness***

It's not letting me change the title :(

Help!

[Hammster]

Well, now that the cat's out of the bag, so to speak, let's discuss.
This is the one episode I actually stayed up for. I also record the episodes to watch later, but this one had so much going on. The boxed cake mix, Stephen, a wedding reception to be catered in 16 hours, supplies from a grocery store! Wow!
I really started to think they were going to give Stephen the benefit of youth and let Lee Anne go. I'm glad they went with Stephen anyway. And then his words at the end of the show. Something about changing the way Americans eat and it just all sounded like he thinks everyone is a complete and utter moron when it comes to food. I wish him well, I really do, as he has such passion. But he won't have much success unless he tones it down just a bit. A little humility goes a long way especially when it comes to customer service. And ultimately that's what running a restaurant is all about.
The final 4 are definitely the best. Although Harold's "I just want to cook" schtick is getting old and I think the judges will see it at some point. He may be next. Even though there was no "winner" in this episode, I was so glad to see Dave get kudos from everyone regarding his catering experience and that he really jumped in and helped where he could. Lee Anne's menu was a bit ambitious and it probably did suffer because of it ambitiousness (is that a word?) and the fact that they decided to work through the night. I think Lee Anne would have been a better leader had she let Dave take the lead role because of his catering experience and Lee Anne take the lead in making sure everything tasted the way she envisioned. After all it was her menu. In this particular episode, Tiffani and Harold were really along for the ride as sous chefs, not bad sous chefs for sure, but just worker bees this time around. And Stephen, well, 'nuff said there. :D

I sure can't wait for next week. Whew!!

[Andrea_2]

I thought they might blame Lee Anne and send her off, but I'm really glad it was Stephen! I kind of hope Harold goes next. I'm getting pretty sick of listening to him whine about every single thing. I don't think he should've been blamed for the salmon being bad though. How was he supposed to find good quality fish at that time of night? I'm surprised they went with a boxed cake mix too. It seems like if they're going to compete in something like this that they should have learned how to bake at least a basic cake, but I'm not much of a baker, so maybe that is easier said than done! Should be interesting to see how they next couple episodes turn out. Glad to hear they're planning a second season! :D

[Hammster]

I don't think he should've been blamed for the salmon being bad though. How was he supposed to find good quality fish at that time of night?

While the fish wasn't the best quality, it seems the bigger complaint was that the fish was prepared too soon and got cold and greasy while it sat. (And the salad was bland. Lee Anne......) Harold is like a kid in a sandbox, if someone has his favorite toy he doesn't want to play at all. Since he couldn't have the best salmon, he just made a mediocre dish. I think he still should have pulled out all the stops to make the best salmon he could with the ingredients he had. You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear, but with the right attitude you can make one darn great sow's ear purse!!! :D

[nowimcooking]

I must admit, as much as I groaned every time Stephen went on and on about himself and his knowledge, I will miss him. It was a love-hate thing. He bugs me to no end but I had some great laughs watching him talk down to people twice his age about wine, and giving the judges that "I don't understand how you can't see how wonderful I am" look. Ah, and let's not forget the wormy cat's butt plate (sorry I can't remember who said that to give you credit, but it was in the thread from a couple of weeks ago).

A moment of silence, please....

:D :D :D :D

Okay, and I told DH as we watched him go that I'd love to eat at any restaurant he owned.... :o

[melfitz]

I don't fault Lee Anne for her ambitious menu. She created a menu prior to knowing the time limitation for making the menu. And, they were limited to shopping at a grocery store. Had she known they'd only have 16 hours to prepare and have limited resources for the supplies, I bet the menus from all the chefs would have been simplified. If you thought Lee Anne's menu was ambitious, did you hear Stephen's?

It was definitely time for him to go. I thought Gail's comment about him only been legally drinking for 3 years is funny.

[Canice]

Oh maaaaaaan.
The downside to watching everything on TiVo.

[Hammster]

I don't fault Lee Anne for her ambitious menu. She created a menu prior to knowing the time limitation for making the menu. And, they were limited to shopping at a grocery store. Had she known they'd only have 16 hours to prepare and have limited resources for the supplies, I bet the menus from all the chefs would have been simplified. If you thought Lee Anne's menu was ambitious, did you hear Stephen's?

Every episode has a twist. Why would this one have been any different? The contestants are losing sight of that I think. Except for Dave. He was the only one who had a menu that could be made under any circumstances. (And I bet it would have been awesome!)

And the challenges are only going to get harder. So I think the contestants need to adjust their thinking to what might happen knowing that every show has a twist.

[schuh]

Catering a wedding reception the next day, using supermarket ingredients, would have been a huge challenge even if they had told the contestants the situation before the "quick fire challenge." They were doing a disservice to the contestants as well as to the wedding couple. For the judges to berate the chefs and LeeAnn about the mediocrity of the food given the constraints was ridiculous.

As for the use of cake mix, I've taken cake decorating classes. The instructors all use cake mixes for wedding cakes. The mixes make dependable cakes, and they are what people are used to eating. It sounds like the contestants made fillings and sauces to dress it up. I don't think that was a bad decision at all.

Frankly, the integrity of the contestants pleasantly surprised me. They all said that Dave should not be the one to go, when he has been on the hot seat several times.

In the end, I am soooooo glad that Stephen is gone. I hate arrogant people, but even more so when they are in their 20s.

[mrswaz]

Okay, got to watch it...

Wow! This show is really heating up! I'm sad that it is coming to a close, but I'm thrilled that they are gunning for a second season. Hopefully they either get Katie to relax a bit, or bump her and have Tom Colicchio do the hosting.

Stephen certainly was the correct one to send home. It seems to me that with 5 chefs in the kitchen everything should have tasted wonderful. NOt only should they have been tasting their own dishes, but tasting each other's to make sure they all blended together nicely. Again, Stephen spent way too much time assembling those spring rolls. If he had hurried up with it, he could have helped Harold out with the lackluster salad. You can't run a restauraunt alone, and it seems that Stephen thinks he can be a one person show and do his own thing. Phaw. I'm glad to see him go.

[melfitz]

Again, Stephen spent way too much time assembling those spring rolls.


I've assembled spring/egg rolls and it really is time consuming, especially if it's not something you do all of the time. He had to do 100 of them.

[Hammster]

I've assembled spring/egg rolls and it really is time consuming, especially if it's not something you do all of the time. He had to do 100 of them.

He still found time to instruct the waitstaff how to do their jobs. Wasn't there a captain for the waitstaff? Sure was..

And....he found time to drink a glass of wine while everyone else was flogging themselves trying to get things out of the kitchen.

[swquilts]

I'll definitely watch this next season, but ONLY if they get rid of Katie! Her nasally droning voice drives me nutso.

Stephen was a twit and so full of himself the doo was coming out every orifice, including the cat's one!! :eek: :D We mere mortals probably won't be able to afford his restaurant..... :rolleyes:

I really like this show......I'm tuned in on Tivo too, but I did watch it last night.

[Hammster]

I'll definitely watch this next season, but ONLY if they get rid of Katie! Her nasally droning voice drives me nutso.

I really like this show......I'm tuned in on Tivo too, but I did watch it last night.


And I agree. Katie has to go. I think they got Katie for her eye candy appeal. Couldn't be any other reason I can imagine even if she is a trained chef.
Get someone from Food Network who doesn't have a show right now. Someone with an actual personality.

[KristiB]

I think Katie would be ok if she took some acting or public speaking classes.

She doesn't annoy me when she's conversing with the chefs-just when she's delivering her scripted lines.

However I currently do not have a show on TV and will happily take the job. :D

[schuh]

I agree -- Katie has got to go. There are so many cool female chefs and foodie writers out there. I'm sure they can find someone with more personality then her.

Either way, I'll tune in next year. I have admiration for all the people on the show.

[MISSINDI]

I definitely think it was time for Stephen to go. I despised his arrogant personality, but his plating techniques and skills were amazing. Honestly you sometimes forget how young he is...

[Canice]

Actually, I'd like to see Anthony Bourdain in Colicchio's role!
I found Katie irrelevant, so she didn't really bother me. It's Gail I found hard to watch.

[mrswaz]

I've assembled spring/egg rolls and it really is time consuming, especially if it's not something you do all of the time. He had to do 100 of them.


I've done my share of egg roll assembly, and if you do it assembly line style, lining up, say, 10 at a time, it really doesn't take very long. Granted, they only showed him making two, but it seems to me that after the first dozen or so, he would have gotten into a rhythm that would have aloowed him to finish them faster.

[schuh]

Actually, I'd like to see Anthony Bourdain in Colicchio's role!


YES! YES! YES! IN ANY ROLE! :D

[mayre]

I've done my share of egg roll assembly, and if you do it assembly line style, lining up, say, 10 at a time, it really doesn't take very long. Granted, they only showed him making two, but it seems to me that after the first dozen or so, he would have gotten into a rhythm that would have aloowed him to finish them faster.

I'm going to have to watch this episode again to see how long they really took him. There were several camera shots of the clock throughout the night.

[Hammster]

I'm going to have to watch this episode again to see how long they really took him. There were several camera shots of the clock throughout the night.

As I recall it was 3 hours for the egg rolls.

Isn't Anthony Bourdain the skinny, oily haired, chain smoking guy? Not my first choice.

[erinsue]

Isn't Anthony Bourdain the skinny, oily haired, chain smoking guy? Not my first choice.

I think you meant to say "the tall, intriguingly handsome, smolderingly sexy, foul-mouthed, and quickwitted chain smoking guy." ;) :D :D :D

Heh.

And so long to Stephen, whose endless downtalking lectures nearly sent me to the hospital - everytime he opened his mouth, my eyes about rolled out of my head. :rolleyes:

Erin :)

[schuh]

I think you meant to say "the tall, intriguingly handsome, smolderingly sexy, foul-mouthed, and quickwitted chain smoking guy." ;) :D :D :D



Or, as a recent article said, the guy with the "dreamy bad-boy heroin-addict womanizing persona." :D

[Canice]

As a culinary mortal (as opposed to the imortality I've achieved elsewhere?) the reception seemed like a huge task, so it was interesting to read Collichio's blog and his perspective on how the crew might have handled the challenge better. Also interesting that he actually agreed that the boxed mix was the way to go with the cake; guess he was just trying to psych Tiffani out?

The truly stupid (IMHO of course) comment came out of the guest judge when Tiffani said that compared to most wedding fare she thought the food was good...and then Miz Caterer to the Stars takes exception, saying that HER weddings are fantastic. Uhmmm, yea, but what kind of a yardstick is THAT? I think it's fair to assume her budgets and resources are significantly different from both the contestants' and and those of "average folk" who have their wedding catered. :rolleyes:

[Hammster]

Or, as a recent article said, the guy with the "dreamy bad-boy heroin-addict womanizing persona." :D


I think you meant to say "the tall, intriguingly handsome, smolderingly sexy, foul-mouthed, and quickwitted chain smoking guy."

LMAO..........