*** OFFICIAL*** Top Chef - Season 8 thread

[Homerboy]

Starts tonight! All Stars too!
http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef​

Don't forget Gail's blog for the show:
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/12/02/gail-simmons-blogs-top-chef-all-stars-episode-1/

It's not as good as Probst's for Survivor but it adds some insight to the episodes.

Also the official BravoTV blogs:
http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/blogs/tom-colicchio

Welcome home Padma!!!!

 

[TwiceOver]

Yum

 

[GrantMeThePower]

Yes!

Who's the early favorite?

 

[Homerboy]

Yum

It's a great show I know!

 

[Homerboy]

Yes!

Who's the early favorite?

Everyone always geeks out on Richard Blais.
I'm sure he's an early front runner.

 

[slayer202]

mmm, padma

 

[DingDingDao]

I want Stephen to get his ass beaten (literally).
I've had Tre's food and it's pretty fantastic, so I'm rooting for him.
My money is on Blais or Viviani.

 

[slayer202]

I've only watched a couple seasons, no one that I really love in this cast. I might watch here and there for bourdain though

 

[Ns1]

Dale is on this season? Best of luck to him!

 

[sjwaste]

I can't deal with any more Richard Blais. To the extent that I might not watch this just because he's on it. He manages to be one of the more abrasive and more arrogant people they've had on the show, and they've had some real assholes.

 

[Ns1]

I can't deal with any more Richard Blais. To the extent that I might not watch this just because he's on it. He manages to be one of the more abrasive and more arrogant people they've had on the show, and they've had some real assholes.

nobody could ever be more arrogant than hung

that said, it seems like hung toned down a bit after being sous chef last season.

 

[sjwaste]

Ah screw it, I'll be watching. They did manage to bring back a lot of my favorite people. Gotta pull for Jen Carroll, a philly girl who can seriously cook.

Plus, I'm hoping someone punches Angelo. Maybe even Marcel, to make it douche on douche violence. Actually, those guys make Richard Blais look like a pretty decent guy. To the point where I take back what I said about him.

 

[sjwaste]

nobody could ever be more arrogant than hung

that said, it seems like hung toned down a bit after being sous chef last season.

As much as I don't ever want to see Hung on TV ever again, it is tough to call this "All Stars" when the winners aren't all there. Actually, are ANY winners on this?

This seems more like a Top Chef "Personalities" competition. Dale would otherwise have no business on the show. Tre, who I thought was pretty good, was also eliminated fairly early. And as much as I want to like Fabio as a fellow Italian, I don't think his cooking kept him on the show.

Casey is easy on the eyes though.

 

[Ns1]

* Elia Aboumrad, Season 2
* Stephen Asprinio, Season 1
* Richard Blais, Season 4 - Awesome
* Jennifer Carroll, Season 6 - Awesome, hope she doesn't choke
* Tiffany Derry, Season 7
* Tiffani Faison, Season 1
* Carla Hall, Season 5
* Mike Isabella, Season 6
* Jamie Lauren, Season 5
* Dale Levitski, Season 3
* Antonia Lofaso, Season 4
* Spike Mendelsohn, Season 4 - oooh yeah
* Angelo Sosa, Season 7 - this scallop is so sexy
* Dale Talde, Season 4 - Super awsome
* Casey Thompson, Season 3
* Marcel Vigneron, Season 2
* Fabio Viviani, Season 5 - opened up his restaurant by my house
* Tre Wilcox, Season 3

 

[Ns1]

As much as I don't ever want to see Hung on TV ever again, it is tough to call this "All Stars" when the winners aren't all there. Actually, are ANY winners on this?

This seems more like a Top Chef "Personalities" competition. Dale would otherwise have no business on the show. Tre, who I thought was pretty good, was also eliminated fairly early. And as much as I want to like Fabio as a fellow Italian, I don't think his cooking kept him on the show.

Casey is easy on the eyes though.

for me this IS top chef allstars - those who were almost there but missed it.

I'd much rather see this than the #1's come back.

Dale lost cuz of restaurant wars, where so so many talented people lose (big bear from season 7 comes to mind as well)

 

[sjwaste]

for me this IS top chef allstars - those who were almost there but missed it.

I'd much rather see this than the #1's come back.

Dale lost cuz of restaurant wars, where so so many talented people lose (big bear from season 7 comes to mind as well)

I was thinking of the other Dale, not the asian one. They must've needed a body for this show or something.

How is Fabio's restaurant? Does he even cook? I'd imagine he's better in the front of the house, charming the shit out of people. Cooking's necessary and it has to be good, but personality sells food - that's the one thing I've learned about the restaurant business. And good personalities are harder to find than good chefs.

 

[DingDingDao]

I was thinking of the other Dale, not the asian one. They must've needed a body for this show or something.

How is Fabio's restaurant? Does he even cook? I'd imagine he's better in the front of the house, charming the shit out of people. Cooking's necessary and it has to be good, but personality sells food - that's the one thing I've learned about the restaurant business. And good personalities are harder to find than good chefs.

Just my $0.02: I ate at Fabio's old place, Cafe Firenze, and it was fantastic, but in Moorpark (kinda in the middle of nowhere). I never tried the new restaurant, Firenze Osteria, in Hollywood, but it received a whopping 0 stars from Irene Virbila (LA Times).

 

[Ns1]

How is Fabio's restaurant? Does he even cook? I'd imagine he's better in the front of the house, charming the shit out of people. Cooking's necessary and it has to be good, but personality sells food - that's the one thing I've learned about the restaurant business. And good personalities are harder to find than good chefs.

No idea, he used to be in Moorpark but moved to North Hollywood by universal studios. Looks pretty swanky from the outside and decent reviews on yelp.

http://www.firenzeosteria.com/firenzeOsteria.html
http://www.yelp.com/biz/firenze-osteria-toluca-lake-2

//edit

"it received a whopping 0 stars from Irene Virbila (LA Times). "

lol

 

[Gibsons]

Wow, I'd almost forgotten what a douchebag Marcel is.

 

[Gibsons]

hm, previews made it look like next week will be a drama filled train wreck.

 

[RedCOMET]

I like Angelo Sosa from Season 7 well becuase i watched most of season 7 and bit of 6.

And as much as Angelo comes off as a tool /arragant/ ass, he can sure cook.

Tough break for richard tonight though I would have liked some feed back on the chef that went over time for plating and such.

 

[Homerboy]

I finally got around to watching the episode (after making the thread) and I honestly think this could be the best season yet. Sure there are a lot of strict personalities in there (Tre( but even those are some amazing Chefs too that just got the boot early.

I will admit that I love the show for both the actual cooking AND the personalities. I think they nailed a perfect mix with this batch.

That, and I think Jamie is about the cutest, coolest thing in the world (lesbian or not). I want to take her home in my pocket.

 

[Udgnim]

<3 Casey Thompson

 

[sjwaste]

Well, Bourdain seems to have already worn out his welcome. I think that Fabio handled him pretty well when he reversed the lecture at the judges' table. Everything he said was 100&#37; valid, especially to a hack former-chef who was more interested in insulting people than actually being a competent judge. I really respected that. Of course, you can open your mouth with a lot of confidence if you have two restaurants and are already fairly successful. Nonetheless, it took balls.

 

[DingDingDao]

Well, Bourdain seems to have already worn out his welcome. I think that Fabio handled him pretty well when he reversed the lecture at the judges' table. Everything he said was 100% valid, especially to a hack former-chef who was more interested in insulting people than actually being a competent judge. I really respected that. Of course, you can open your mouth with a lot of confidence if you have two restaurants and are already fairly successful. Nonetheless, it took balls.

C'mon, Bourdain's "unfuck this dish" comment had me rolling.