Thursday, June 11, 2009

Top Chef Masters First Impressions


I don't know about anyone else but I'm liking it. We all know I'm a Top Chef crack monkey but even I get tired of changes in the show that turns it away from the food. Do I care if Hosea and Leah play touchy feeley in some dark corner? No, I don't care and I really don't want to watch it. I want to see the chef's total concentration on the food. I don't want to see Real Top Chef World. Which is why this is such a breathe of fresh air. All the fun parts of Top Chef (UnMasters) with all the skill and ingenuity of well established chefs. New judges or should I say Critics. Round robin, show us your best or go home weekly competitions.Week 1 features one of our faves here at the Kitchen, Hubert Keller. A judge from Season 1 and a chef who wanted to feel what it was like on the other end of the competition. I feel for our other three chefs, they may have watched Top Chef on TV but Keller definitely had the edge having been involved with the show since the beginning. The most important skill to bring to the competition?

Juggling eggs?


Don't think so. Juggling time, however is one of the most important skills you can bring to any version of Top Chef. You can lose track of those little red blinking lights and you'll end up with a Quickfire dish like this...Perfectly fine but just not blowing away our diners.
Or you can perfect your time management skills to produce this...and earn yourself five valuable stars. Beautiful, tasty and appealing to that particular audience. Added bonus? The Quickfire results counts to your final score for the episode which can really help when chefs are so closely matched.The Girl Scout Seal of Approval can't hurt either.

9 comments:

the dogs' mother said...

I liked it. I liked laughing along with the Chefs, their good humor and easy professionalism. Hope the high tone keeps up.

moi said...

S.B. and I enjoyed it, and we agree about this being a higher caliber of show. I was pulling for Keller 100 percent. And not just because of his quiet confidence and skill, but also because I knew that Texas Boy's aw-shucks-I'm-just-a-tequila-drinkin'-self-taught-homie attitude was going to grate REAL quick.

Big Shamu said...

It was an interesting pairing of Classically trained French chef vs. Trained Himself Cowboy chef. Cowboy Chef seemed to think he was on Iron Chef with all his juggling, Hook Em sign flashing and tequila gulping. What's the phrase? All hat and no cattle?

LaDivaCucina said...

When I saw that little mouse and swan on that plate I knew he was the winner! What little girl wouldn't want a cute dessert mouse on her plate? Heck, I want that dessert myself and NOW!

Aunty Belle said...

No matter what, TC is light years better than Project Runway--no decent clothes EVER appear, but they does turn outa menu or two at Tc i WOULD MAKE.

Big Shamu said...

Well you know I want to make that mac and cheese with prawns. You are right Aunty, there has not been one thing I've wanted to wear on any season of Project Runway. However. I don't think I'm the best judge of such things. I'm more a candidate for What Not to Wear.

fishy said...

Shamu,
I thought this was great entertainment! Blowfish happened along and it reeled him right in too.
I thought the limitation to the microwave, toaster oven and hot plate in a dorm room was ... an additional challenge. I cannot manage in my Kitchen what they managed in tough conditions. I also thought it had been a while since many of these accomplished chefs had actually budgeted or shopped so that section of the task was a true challenge as well.

I so agree with you, this was much better than any regular Top Chef, sort of Top Chef Refined.

On Project Runway, uuuuuuuummmmmmmmmm I think the structured creations and beading done by architect Laura a few seasons back were just spectacular!

I even think the recycle seas winner of last season was very thoughtful and creative, abeit redundant.:-) I shouldn't critique, I certainly cannot do what she has done.

moi said...

Fishy, I would have worn Laura's clothing, too, had I a certain economic status and lifestyle. Very elegant stuff.

And I SO want shrimp Mac 'n' Cheese. Right NOW.

Big Shamu said...

Fishy, I thought Laura's designs were beautiful as were Leanne's of Season 5. But I'm not built like a model, or a clothes hanger as many designers like to think of us. I'll stick with food and leave the clothes to those who have much more experience and passion for fashion.