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The Ten Most Recent Comments By StLouChef

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': All Dressed Up

Let's see... you're in Miami, on the shows coin, as a contestant on a TV “semi-reality" show that has a quick fire and "bigger" challenge for every weeks episode. You’re told after the quick fire, to "take the night off and party"... am I the only one that TOTALLY, saw this "just kidding, have we got a challenge for you" like it's the 500 pounder in the room?

Howie is nothing but the abusive, self-absorbed, prima-dona drama queen the likes of which you’ll find in many professional kitchens. He’s the staffer that does an OK/acceptable job, shows up for work, covers the base is, mostly ignored by the balance of the kitchen staffers and is, basically, tolerated as the devil ya know. Unfortunately, without him, the balance of this season would be a mellow exhibition of professional culinarians doing their jobs to the best of their understanding and abilities (some more passionately and adventurously than others) and not the controversial, water cooler point-of-discussion that this show needs to be to fulfill on the “viral” commitment to the advertisers/sponsors! Good riddance to Howie!

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

I disagree, a bit in that this was a good opportunity for these "top chefs" to demonstrate their culinary product knowledge (although they could have chosen a more balanced and fair selection of items to identify). I agree with your more accurate "farfalle" observation and, to my eye... the "Japanese eggplant" (long, slender, thin-skinned) looked much more like a "Thai eggplant" (golf-ball sized) variety!

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

Am I the only one that "rubber-necks" this show like it were a roadside accident at rush hour? Over-the-top product placement, a host that, seemingly, brings no applicable culinary expertise to the mix other than, perhaps, having eaten in restauranst and her eye-candy appeal, "professional" chefs who can't work together for the betterment of their end product and tears, tears and more tears! I've worked in a pro-kitchen for a Master Chef for 5 years and the only time I've seen tears in (or around) the kitchen were onion-generated or death/serious accident in the immediate family! Hell, these contestants can barely follow the simple challenge-specific, directions!

OH WELL, on the positive side... it's, certainly, better than The Next Network Star, The Restaurant and Hell's Kitchen (does anyone, actually, know what this winner receives?) professional culinarian embarrassments (have I mentioned crying in the kitchen, lately?).

Responses to Comments by StLouChef

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

Rocco is not the first chef to lend his name to promote frozen foods or ready to serve sauces from a jar. This in and of itself should not qualify chefs as sell-outs and objects of public scorn. Mario Batali has recently given his name to a Progresso Meal line and Wolfgang Puck was peddling frozen pizzas before this whole celebrity chef thing even hit it's stride. Yet very few people dispute their credentials as great chefs and cut them considerable slack in the wake of these projects.

The reason why we all castigate Rocco, is we got too see a once serious chef from the comfort of our living rooms, erect and destroy a simple Red Sauce place in less than a year, and in the process treat all people associated with the enterprise rather shabbily.

Running restaurants and being a chef is grueling work, so I can see the temptation to grab the brass ring of celebrity after paying your dues behind the stove. However, in Rocco's case he continually elects to take short term gigs for easy money rather than rebuild his reputation by using his prodigous talents as a cook once again. He should follow the example of his former mentor Gray Kunz, who has travelled a diametrically opposite path by eschewing the limelight since relinquishing his toque at Lespinasse in the late 90's. The result has been the very well the received Cafe Gray and another midtown venture to open in the fall, plus plans to open a French Laundry like shangra la of gastronomy in upstate NY in the not too distant future. This path is a bit more laborious and a lot less sexy, but it would do Rocco a world of good since Americans love nothing much more a good tale of redemption.

Personally, I feel more sadness than disdain for Rocco DiSpirito.Nothing is more depressing than a case of squandered talent. Many people, myself included, would be ecstacic to have a fraction of the ability and would love to duplicate the culinary magic that was created during his halcyon days at Union Pacific. Instead it appears that in the wake of last week's spectacle, that he is inadvertently hell bent on becoming the embodiment of the Terry Malloy character in that great movie "On the Waterfront". Despite one shameless propaganda stunt after another he elects to" take the dives the for short term money "and throw away his God given talent to cash in on "his one way ticket to Palookaville". Unfortunately, talent is not a substitute for critical self-reflection and the need to unearth in the depths of your soul an untapped reservoir of humility.


From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

Casey, simply answered the questions that were given to her, that is all you can do. As I recall, Howie (the chief complainer in this scenario) got some real brain-busters for questions too, like identifying tomato paste and cheese slicer. Somebody, should have showed him a bandana, given his propensity for seasoning his dishes with glandular secretions. As one who has been generally been supportive of Howie throughout his bi-weekly crashes and Phoenix like ascents, I think he just needs to shut his mouth and focus on cooking for the balance of the competition. His edit on the show is going from the articulate loveable lug to surly shithead rather quickly.

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

I disagree, a bit in that this was a good opportunity for these "top chefs" to demonstrate their culinary product knowledge (although they could have chosen a more balanced and fair selection of items to identify). I agree with your more accurate "farfalle" observation and, to my eye... the "Japanese eggplant" (long, slender, thin-skinned) looked much more like a "Thai eggplant" (golf-ball sized) variety!

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

Bourdain subbed for Colicchio again for this week's Top Chef blog and compared Rocco's new appearance to David Gest's.

I actually really didn't enjoy the "no-cook" Quickfire - it's one of my favorite parts of the show, because it's all about the cooking and the food - something that I wish we'd see even more of on the show. Yay, Casey can identify bowtie pasta. We didn't even get a "farfalle" out of her! Anyone else agree?

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

I have to say that I wondered if Rocco was sedated to get through his embaressing part in that episode. I only know him from the embaressing The Restaurant and Bourdain's writings, but surely that must have been hard for him to do...he seems to have talent/potential to spare when not led down the wrong path....

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

re: rocco. o he's had WORK. see awfulplasticsurgery.com. he's had a deal with bertolli for quite a while now. it's such a pity with him. his cooking was sublime when he broke. his story should be a cautionary tale to all chefs who (particularly those contestants on top chef) want celebrity over acknowledgement for their talents.

you know, i think tom colicchio has suffered as a consequence of this as well. who takes him seriously as a chef any more. one of these days i will write about my experience at craft the first week or two it opened. it was hilarious.

on a more practical note. this show was very illuminating with respect to freezing. i never liked freezing food and reheating food. it always changes its texture. now i see if you freeze it separately, the outcome is likely far better.

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

maybe it's botox? there's just something off about his face.

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

Tart, that's not off-topic at all. I was going to say something in the write-up, but, well, I couldn't figure out a way to do it gracefully. Although, I wasn't sure if it was surgery or not enough time with the make-up crew.

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

totally off topic, and i'm going to get catty here, but has rocco had "work" done? he seems a little young for it, but his face just doesn't look the same as it did when he was on The Restaurant.

From Serious Eats

'Top Chef': A Chill in the Air

Rocco has signed as a spokesperson for Bertolli. That's why he was the guest judge for this challenge.