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Kitchen Nightmares -- Amy's Baking Company Scottsdale -- Spoilers

Puffin3 — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:26:33 GMT

It's 110% certain GR knew all about how nuts these people were LONG before he set foot in their 'loony-bin'. The production staff and GR knew he was going to walk out. Good fun in sort of a sick way like people who ought to be sitting at a table with 'nurse Ratscit'.

Paula Deen museum.

Withnail42 — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:13:14 GMT

I'm not making this up. Some people including her ex-husband think it is a good idea: http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2013/may/07/group-working-to-bring-paula-deen-museum-to-albany/

Top Chef Canada, Season 3, Episode 10

ElizabethS — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:36:39 GMT

Blueicus - could you look at my question below this and weigh in? Thanks!

Because it's the law!

GH1618 — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:42:57 GMT

So it does.

A lovely story about tipping

INDIANRIVERFL — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:57:50 GMT

I trust she combined it with the other tips of the day and divided it as agreed with the other servers and busboys.

Masterchef

cresyd — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:28:57 GMT

That's exactly my problem. Also it makes it difficult to distinguish when they are using a recipe and when they aren't. Things like a souffle or chocolate lava cake - in NO way do I buy that it was done without a recipe. However last season when they were asked to make a fruit pie - I don't know if they're using a recipe or not for the crust. Just that a lot of the crusts looked pretty similar at the end of the challenge. In the Australian version and in addition to saying "this is a recipe challenge" and "this is not a recipe challenge" - they also have master class episodes. So it's obvious to the viewer that they're getting ongoing training. However, those are episodes I never watch, so the fact that we don't see the US contestants get classes doesn't bother me. However, I feel like creating the illusion of "no recipes" implies that the show is talking down to me. That I know so little about how a souffle is made that if I see the contestants given a recipe I will think less of them. As opposed to knowing that a souffle is very precise, difficult, and even following a recipe there's a lot of room for error.

Top Chef Canada, Season 3, Episode 5

John E. — Tue, 21 May 2013 03:10:49 GMT

Caity went out with more class than Becky. So far, I find the overall competition of lesser foid quality than the more recent seasons of regular Top Chef. The first season winner was a fine dining chef. Then again, there are chefs that do well in the competition that are not 'fine dining' such as Kevin Gillespie.

Ordering 'Bottle Water' in restaurants?! - Please watch this and say 'NO'!!

Harters — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:21:17 GMT

I usually order sparkling water in restaurants but, on occasions, will ask for a jug of tap water instead (I seem to prefer tap when I'm eating spicy food).

Other review sites and increasing trend of one-off reviews/reviewers?

Dax — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:28:49 GMT

Yes, as they obviously have an agenda, good or bad.

Top Chef Canada

C. Hamster — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:03:37 GMT

It's free on you tube. I just watched season one,

Cadmium rice from China

mcf — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:08:14 GMT

http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/cadmium-rice-is-chinas-latest-food-scandal/?src=recg "Last week, the authorities in the southern province of Guangdong found that more than 44 percent of rice or rice products tested there contained too-high levels of the poisonous metal which is found in zinc ores and, to a lesser extent, in greenockite. Its presence in soil as a contaminant is closely associated with zinc mining. But the authorities at the Guangzhou Food and Drug Administration then clammed up, declaring it was “not convenient to reveal” the affected brands, thus leaving consumers unable to protect themselves."

Bourdain Parts Unknown: Montreal / Quebec

Stephanie Wong — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:17:21 GMT

Years ago Bourdain said something to the effect that if Keith Richards was still alive, he figured he was still good to go.

Pioneer Woman

TrishUntrapped — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:55:13 GMT

Yeah anytime some goes ballistic, it's useless.

Top Chef New Orleans getting BP oil recovery money

cresyd — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:55:06 GMT

That's a really valid point. First, the idea of a city paying Top Chef to film seems like a really obvious connection to bolstering tourism/food tourism. And then in the compensation settlement - saying that the funds were partially for "related costs", which is a helpful catch-all for lots of different stuff. Secondly, putting money into a tv show like Top Chef can pretty directly be seen as advertising. Instead of putting out ads that say "Our fish is safe, we promise!" - is probably a lot less effective than Top Chef. Second - I think it's important to keep in mind the scope of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust. It's total amount is work $20 billion. Top Chef is getting $200,000 from this trust. Out of $20 billion, an argument for $200,000 being spent on positive advertising seems very reasonable.

Top Chef Canada, Season 3, Episode 9

ylsf — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:25:55 GMT

I am pretty sure Becky told Danny to do the leek ash dish and gave him instructions on how to do it. Thought I saw that in the episode. I think that is why they were making fun of it this week too. EDIT: just noticed the other responses to this question..

Hilarious video spoof

LindaWhit — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:27:20 GMT

As an admitted fan of and a Ch recapper of Top Chef (but a non-blogger), I broke out at this video - perfect!

Cooks Illustrated hits a new low!

ttoommyy — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:23:16 GMT

"To me, CK is just a CH whipping boy. Much like Guy Fieri. I get that people don't like some people's on screen persona. But what I don't get is why people keep tuning in and then complaining. There's plenty of shows on TV that have people I don't like. So guess what??" Nicely said.

Interesting study on the digestion of food and our health

meatn3 — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:36:39 GMT

This makes a lot of sense to me. The more I learn about fermented foods the more I feel the health of our gut is key to our well being.

Top 50 restaurants in the world.

girloftheworld — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:46:35 GMT

I have only Been to one of the places... and it wasnt as good as Uchiko in Austin

Whole Foods to Sell 100% non GMO Food by 2018

paulj — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:16:55 GMT

Why do you think they are GMO? The brief Wiki article describes them as a hybrid with a tightly controlled seed sourcing, but that does not imply they are GMO. http://www.kumato.com/en/-ska-sorulan-sorular.aspx "Are Kumato® tomatoes genetically modified products? Not at all! Kumato® is the outstanding result of tireless efforts to apply traditional plant breeding techniques and natural cultivation methods."

Worst thing about cooking shows? The tasting at the end! Is anyone with me?

paulj — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:12:27 GMT

During the televised hour everyone, including the sous are working on the dishes. But you'll notice that they plate only one set. This is used for the beauty shots and serves as the model for servings that are prepared off camera. The way I read it, each side gets an hour to plate the food that is served to the judges. That way each side gets the same opportunity to serve food at the optimal temperature. In the Japanese show they did not have this extra plating hour. However in one or two cases, one side quit cooking with 10 minutes to go. The other side then finished and was judged. Then the 1st side finished up and served. This was done for udon, which according to Japanese standards have a narrow optimal serving window.

What secret ingredient would you like to see on Iron Chef America?

Phaedrus — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:45:18 GMT

Oooh, ooh me! Me! I love stinky bean curd.

Voice fires Sietsema

round2 — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:52:50 GMT

"Nobody does a better job covering ethnic restaurants." That's a simple statement, and for me, a huge one that's entirely accurate. I am tremendously indebted to Robert Sietsema, and hope he's at work quickly in at least as good a position. In addition to his contributions to those who love food, he's been a massive supporter of valiant small business people, launching and running food businesses from the heart, and not the corporate bottom line.

Biggest Cooking Show Pet Peeves

NonnieMuss — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:45:49 GMT

I would like to be shown a knife skill that is not "curl your fingers while you're chopping", which is kind of "duh" at this point. I'm no Rachael Ray fan, but she at least washes her hands - it wouldn't hurt anyone else to do that from time to time. I'd like a show that was more than "Here's how to make this recipe" with the phony "I'm having guests for dinner!" then a fuzzy picking-flowers/farmer's market/wine shop montage. That's what bothers me about the Next Food Network show - they were all basically the same show, only with different personalities. "I'm punk rock/nerdy/Southern/sassy!" I don't care as much about the "personalities" as I do about the food. Teach us how to sharpen a knife, pick out a good tomato, trim a pork tenderloin - don't take me to your favorite ________ restaurant, then back to your kitchen to recreate that meal. Ditto on the orgasm comment - I would like to try that at my house some time: "Every body dig in!" (Chomp) "Mmmmmmmmmm! Oooooooooaaaaahhhhh!" While Giada doesn't do it for me, she eats like she just learned how and isn't very good at it, which cracks me up - lots of head bobbing and visible teeth.

Cooks' Illustrated eliminating subscription-less registration?

sandylc — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:18:48 GMT

>>>>>>>Are those folks fat-cats?<<<<<<<<<< CK drives a Maserati and wears Italian shoes.