Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I agree with the commenter who said they could get rid of about five of those people right off the bat. I also agree that I probably wouldn't watch any one of these people other than on this show!

Aria FTW. It's hers to lose.

I agree with the commenter who said they could get rid of about five of those people right off the bat. I also agree that I probably wouldn't watch any one of these people other than on this show!

Aria FTW. It's hers to lose.

Thanks for all the tips. Looking around online, I found Vegan Gourmet with a good review too, so I'll add that to what you all have said. Thanks!

I don't think Chef Beau helped Jenny at all by standing over her continually barking at her. He was really annoying and I felt very bad for her. I also thought she should've won.

To me, the one ingredient that makes chili chili would be cumin. Case in point: my mom made a gigantic pot of chili and used only chili powder and it tasted only like meat and tomatoes. I brought some home and doctored it up with a bunch of cumin and THEN it tasted like chili!

Add another member from Columbus. My display name is my real name and, while I love to cook, I am a wedding photographer by trade. I'm on here a lot more during the slow winter months, and only an occasional lurker at other times.

I watch way too much Food Network, and have a fondness for the competition shows and Bobby Flay. I also love to go around trying the restaurants shown on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, even though I admit that Guy Fieri kinda grates on my nerves at times.

I also like to say I'll eat about anything, but I'm actually super picky.

@kisofotografia Not that I post about food much. It's more about day-to-day things and photography.

I thought it was amusing and she did a good job. The show has some fairly funny bits, most especially Heidi Klum and Jeff Probst last week and Julie Chen and Gene Simmons this week. And how sweet was Paris Hilton? That part was very touching.

Bottom line, though, is it's entertainment. Not sure I understand why it's sooooo offensive. It's gotta suck to have such extreme negative reactions to such innocuous things! Yikes!

I watched it and was disappointed that MO's only involvement was at the intro. I'd hoped she would be a judge.

What really struck me, though, was how utterly unsanitary and disgusting Mario and Emeril were. OMG. At one point, Mario went up to Emeril with a sauce pan and a spoon, had Emeril taste the sauce, then Mario put the spoon back into the pan, got more on it for his own bite, then put the spoon back in the pan and stirred it around.

Another time, I saw Emeril wipe the sweat from his face using a towel that I then watched him use for everything from wiping the counter to using as a potholder, part of which ended up in the pan he was carrying.

If I were sitting there waiting to eat the stuff they were dragging their saliva and sweat through, I think I'd have to leave before serving time!

Chefs of their caliber should know better. Yuck!

I ate at Melt a couple of weeks ago and it was to die for. I had the Parmageddon, which was two potato/cheese pierogies on grilled cheese. The slaw they served as a side was unusual and delicious and just as addictive as the sandwich itself, which was too huge to eat in one sitting. The leftover half of my sandwich reheated well - I just "re-grilled" it a couple days later and it was delicious.

Melt is scheduled to be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in January. We'd found the restaurant listed on that website, but didn't realize it hadn't aired yet. Considering the wait time was 1.5 hours even then, I can't imagine what it'll be once it airs on Food Network. Luckily, we got a seat at the bar so we waited only 15 minutes or so, but they cram the chairs in so tight there's no elbow room whatsoever.

However, it was well worth the two-hour drive up from Columbus and I know we'll go again. They have a second location slated to open in February.

I agreed with Alton's assessment of Melissa as having "it" and that "it" is not teachable. To me, Jeffrey came across as insincere, especially when along the way he would throw in what came across as made-up stuff about his family, just because the judges wanted a glimpse into his personal life. Maybe what he said was true; his delivery, however, just didn't make me believe it.

I probably won't watch Melissa's show more than once just to see what it's like, and would gladly watch 10 more Alton Brown shows, but I do think the right person won.

And to the person who complained about Melissa "selfishly" leaving her family to do this show: it seems a little sexist since Jeffrey would've been in the exact same position if he had won. I mean, really. Why is it not selfish for a man, but IS selfish for a woman? Geez!

I'll play:

Oscar Madison: Temper, temper. If I wanted nagging, I'd go back with my wife. I'm out. Who wants food?
Murray: What do you got?
Oscar Madison: I got, uh, brown sandwiches and, uh, green sandwiches. Which one do you want?
Murray: What's the green?
Oscar Madison: It's either very new cheese or very old meat.
Murray: I'll take the brown.