Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

"Maybe all critics should spend some time in the kitchen?"

I went into culinary training recently just because of this. I've been doing food photography and writing in Southeast Asia for years now and I've always felt, personally, that it's not fair to critique others unless you know fully what's going on... the pace, the conditions, techniques, etc. Getting back in real kitchens and having that foundation gives your words more meaning.

The best sports analysts are usually ex-players, not just some stats geek who's spent his days with his head in a book.

It's sad more folks don't know the chefs featured on the episode. The owner of Iggy's and his wife (though his wife got all the onscreen lines), the head chef of Jaan Par Andre - new to the top 50 restaurants of the world, Singapore food blogger "Chubby Hubby" (previously featured on this site), and more.

I was maybe slightly baffled by the Wild Rocket guy being there as it's a nice restaurant but not in the calibre of some of the other's there. Would have been way more appropriate for Gunther or a few others to have that spot.

Could be an interesting follow up, some of the culinary movement not from NYC exposed thanks to Top Chef :D

Oh and Ilan is still a huge douche. I really, really can't stand even the appearance of the guy. I notice he's always around on Top Chef stuff... not working as much and plenty of time to appear? :D

I fish stuff out of my Tom Yam and Tom Kai Gai soups. I know it's not authentic, but I prefer to not have to hunt around wedges of lemongrass, kafir leaves, and ginger while eating the soup....

If it were a slightly different shape I'd like it for blanching tomatoes and things like that. I find slotted spoons to be a bit precarious sometimes with balancing things and often I don't want to lug out a true strainer to handle just a few pieces of veg...

I think one of these that would have an extra scoop that clamps down over the top would be ideal. Could stir things into something without having to drop in... I guess they have these already, but my ghetto Asian cooking school still has us doing bouquet garnis and stuff like that LOL.

I see it and don't see it.

You could extend this analogy even further. Say the mayor passes bone head legislation, do you sue him for driving away tourists? Do you sue every criminal that contributes to crime, thereby raising crime statistics and lowering tourism? So many other factors affect tourism and have a figurehead one could sue... I just wonder where one draws the line?

Are her local caught fish biked over to the restaurant? Does she walk to the lawyers? Is her restaurant operating on solar power? Will she drive to the court for these proceedings? The oil spill is tragic and they should pay for what happened.... but not to this level. We've all benefited from these industries for years... in direct and round about ways. They make a mistake and it's all too easy to wag a finger and play the blame game. What would she do if the fish went away on their own... probably suck it up and source new product. I haven't even began to research her history with produce to see if she's always sourced sustainable products :D

I've seen tragedy really, really effect livelihoods (Tsunami relief in Thailand and Indonesia) and I'm sorry for her loss, but it's no where near what others go through. She still has a restaurant and means to fill it with some other type of food, she should move on and work in other ways to positively impact her community, not lead countless others into pointless blaming. The people I've seen in the field that best recover and move on are the one's that get back to life and stop looking for others to blame.

Very interesting read on Katie Lee.... like the use of her "almost fame" to tell the bigger story of the ever escalating food entertainment industry.

I'd love a follow up article done in the same style that delves deeper into the psychology of the folks consuming all this media and McD's at the same time (already done countless times but would like a Bruni one in this style :) ).

There's a legitimate food movement happening in the south and that's just not represented. I guarantee you get a solid southern personality on the show and you'll see a ratings spike.

I like his book and the recipes, but do have to give credit to Cook's Illustrated for kicking it up a notch. I take their tweaks and apply it to his base recipes (subbing in beer for some of the water, kneading minimally, etc).

Also loved his personal story in the book. Seems like a great guy and the technique certainly inspired me to bake more bread. I pulled my first multi-loaf day the other day :D

Bisquitville FTW!

As a child I could never make up my mind as to what to have for breakfast. Finally my mom made me lock in one breakfast that I would have till I graduated college (I was in 1st grade). I chose PB&J and I still normally eat one for breakfast or a late night snack (not twice a day anymore) most days.

Knowing people in the industry still doesn't put a plate of food on the table. Maybe she had some recipes from a chef pal... but any working chef should be going around and learning from other masters in their free time, reading, studying etc and also have great recipes to pull from.

I've seen episodes of the Aussie Master Chef. Will format be similar or "Americanized" and overly dramatic? Hope they go classier Top Chef route and not high school in the kitchen ala Hell's K....

They didn't have a kobe burger when I lived in Santa Fe, but Bert's was one of my favorite college meal spots. Close to my tattoo parlor and "accessory" shop :D

Paul

with the "instant karma" remark I was thinking he threw it in the window and it came back and busted him in the face. This is good too though :D