Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Can Toby (who??) Young fill Ted's Allen's shoes?

The Troll's query got us to wondering - just who is this person taking Ted Allen's place on Top Chef N.Y.? We're not familiar with Toby Young - in fact, we'd never really heard of him until he was announced as being Ted's replacement. We can only go on what we've read, most of which is a bit vague when it comes to Young's culinary qualifications that seem to be limited to his involvement on an amateur television cooking competition, and a failed attempt at being a restaurant critic.

According to NNDB, "Toby Young's two-pronged claim to fame is having been fired from nearly every newspaper or magazine he's worked for, and having largely nothing to say except blather about himself. In 1995 Conde Nast, Inc. lured Toby with $10,000 to New York for one month. That one month extended to a two and a half year career at Vanity Fair; Young wrote 3,000 words, for which he was paid $85,000 (roughly $28per word). Nice work if you can get it.

The London-based Private Eye satire magazine sums him up as a poser, quoting a (fictitious) woman meeting him at a party: "So you're the Toby Young you write so much about..."

We also found smackerels in The Independent, and The Guardian.

But don't just take the word of journalists, here's an article from the Spectator U.K. about Toby's "issues", written by Toby himself. Not enough? How about a visit to his personal shrine uh-er we meant website...

And if you still have any doubt that Mr. Young is qualified to step into Ted Allen shoes, just read his rave review of "The Cheesecake Factory" in Slate Magazine.

We're hoping it's all hype...that's he's really more than a legend in his own mind. But just in case, say a little prayer for the cheftestants, and keep your fingers crossed for a Cobb Salad challenge...

9 comments:

Big Shamu said...

DAMNIT!

I have not eaten yet and after having seen that, looks like I won't be eating any time soon.


YAK!

the dogs' mother said...

Dear Lord! What was he thinking?!
We are not amused.

The Phosgene Kid said...

Love of god - there's my nightmares for the rest of the week.

moi said...

Thanks. Few things can kick my appetite for bagels and lox first thing in the a.m. to the curb, but this did it! And it wasn't the puddle of pudding muscles, either, which, on occasion, I can find oddly alluring (shut up). It was the vetting by Vanity Fair. WTF? I used to work as a restaurant critic. I made twenty-eight CENTS a word.

NYD said...

Looks like you will have to hang him out in the sun and let him ripen.


We don't get top chef here in Lilliput. Sounds like I an missing a really good show.

h said...

This was clearly an ANDY decision.

Lame. Lame. Lame.

Big Shamu said...

I agree Troll, way to shake up the format. Not to forget 17 chefs!!! Gak.

h said...

SEVENTEEN?! That's horrible.

I might not blog it or even watch it until it gets down to 8. I haven't watched it live in 2 years anyway. It starts late on the East Coast.

Big Shamu said...

I know what you mean Troll. 17 is only worth it if they auf a whole team of four. THEN it might be worth it.