309329 Fri Jul 14 17:28:15 -0700 2006 43 33 Food Media and News 0 1744884 I actually like the concept of this show. Did anyone watch it last night? I couldn't believe he beat the chowder surfer though....I wanted chowder so bad last night! Fri Jul 14 17:28:15 -0700 2006 11408 melly 1 1744909 I did and I enjoyed it. I am acquainted with Ben, the surfer chowder chef and knew ahead of time that he had lost. Out of loyalty to Ben I was prepared to resent Bobby's performance but in the end thought that Bobby Flay did a great job. A few years back when Bobby had that BBQ show (the one where he cooked alongside thick drawling southern guy) I thought he was a bit of a jerk. However in the past year I have had to admit that he is really a great chef and a seemingly great guy - perhaps marriage has mellowed him. Fri Jul 14 17:36:33 -0700 2006 1744884 13788 antjones9 2 1745322 Whatever happened to that other guy? I had seen him before on a Great Chefs episode and I really liked him. He's the only reason I ever even watched the show with bobby flay. Fri Jul 14 20:17:24 -0700 2006 1744909 11559 nagrom 3 1745655 Well, fellow chowhounds, his name is Jack McDavid and he owns Jack's Firehouse Restaurant in Philly. It is one of the highest grossing independent restaurants in the US. I too loved his folksy wisdom and down home cooking advice. Fri Jul 14 22:55:42 -0700 2006 1745322 16797 bogie 4 1746691 When Rachel Ray visited his resto on "$40 a Day" I thought it was very odd she never even mentioned he used to be on "Grillin' and Chillin'." Sat Jul 15 18:08:15 -0700 2006 1745655 10516 MplsM ary 5 1747073 I was just going to say "I thought that name sounded familiar!" But of course Rachael wouldn't want any attention taken away from her. :-/ Sat Jul 15 23:40:51 -0700 2006 1746691 10532 LindaWhit 4 1749363 He also owns the Down Home Diner-- and he just took third in Whole Hog at Memphis in May. Mon Jul 17 18:18:22 -0700 2006 1745655 11098 BackyardChef 2 1746698 I think it's horrible that these folks have dreams of becoming Food Network STARS, think they are getting their shot, only to have Bobby Flay show up with the intention of one-upping them. I find that part of the show extremely distasteful. Really what would you say, with a camera pointed at your face when Bobby asks you to "Throw Down?" Icky. Sat Jul 15 18:12:00 -0700 2006 1744909 10516 MplsM ary 3 1748827 Point taken. Mon Jul 17 13:55:58 -0700 2006 1746698 13788 antjones9 3 1763827 I didn't realize that this was part of the concept until I watched the steak one last night. I could have sworn that the first episode I saw that they didn't think they were being profiled for their own special, but maybe I missed that whole part. That is pretty crappy, and aren't people going to start figuring that part of it out eventually?! Mon Jul 24 19:06:01 -0700 2006 1746698 12813 Katie Nell 4 1784275 The guy had his chuck steak and when Flay showed up, he had restaurant cut, bone in rib eyes I believe. I also feel as someone else mentioned, that the same cuts should be used across the board. Although Flay lost in this episode, I thought this was grossly unfair. Not many of us can find those without special ordering AND paying way above chuck prices. Thu Aug 03 01:02:11 -0700 2006 1763827 22241 personalcheffie 3 1766356 I think the producers at Food Network realize there is strong Anti-Flay sentiment, and they capitalize on it. I know every time BF acts cocky, I play right into it! Good on him for going with one of his strengths... the ability to peeve! Tue Jul 25 18:18:35 -0700 2006 1746698 19632 The Engineer 3 3463032 Throwdown draws a lot of viewers and I think in reality the competitors get 10x more exposure being a part of Bobby's show than they would if they had their own show without the name recognition. And who knows, if they're great maybe they will get their own show!? Their restaurants are usually mobbed after the show airs too. Win or lose. So I've heard. Wed Mar 05 12:25:42 -0800 2008 1746698 63035 HankyT 2 1751970 "perhaps marriage has mellowed him." you know what they say, third time's a charm Tue Jul 18 19:20:18 -0700 2006 1744909 12317 Lowbar 1 1744921 I think it's an interesting concept. I saw the tail end of the wedding cake one, but I wish I would have the seen the whole thing. I remarked to my bf that wouldn't it be funny if they had him baking when I first saw the ads, and then he did! It definitely speaks to Bobby's personality, because he is really competitive. I was wondering if there were any Chowhounds who were going to appear as his challenger? Fri Jul 14 17:39:46 -0700 2006 1744884 12813 Katie Nell 1 1745338 Bobby Flay gained a lot of respect in my book when he answered a question about how he feels about restaurants not putting salt and pepper on the table. He said he thought it was "Arrogant". I liked that. DT Fri Jul 14 20:22:27 -0700 2006 1744884 11291 Davwud 1 1745409 I liked the chowder show, but the wedding cake one bored me though. Why the fascination with wedding cakes and desert sculptures with Food Network? Can't they come up with something different or is the person in charge of programming an ex-wedding cake maker? Those "Challange" shows are horrible. If Bobby Flay ever wants to challange me to a homebrew throwdow, I am so there. Can't wait to see AB's new show. Fri Jul 14 20:46:42 -0700 2006 1744884 12014 LStaff 2 1745411 He has a new show?? What is it?? Will he still be doing GE?? DT Fri Jul 14 20:47:39 -0700 2006 1745409 11291 Davwud 3 1745422 Yes, Alton has a new show coming up at the end of the month. Something about a bike (as in motor cycle), the road less traveled and good eats on that road. So it's basically an Alton Brown road trip. I'm anxious to see it too. It sound like it's got potential. Fri Jul 14 20:51:16 -0700 2006 1745411 10506 DiningDiva 4 1750104 I think the show will go on hiatus after four episodes because he wrecks near Vegas and breaks his collarbone. I am going to see him next monday, I'll ask. Mon Jul 17 22:20:44 -0700 2006 1745422 12317 Lowbar 5 1752392 Ouch. Although I'd think they could get some pretty good milage out an injured Alton Tue Jul 18 21:30:57 -0700 2006 1750104 10506 DiningDiva 3 1745459 "Feasting on Asphalt" Fri Jul 14 21:04:53 -0700 2006 1745411 12813 Katie Nell 1 1745425 AB's show has asphalt in the title...and he is on a motorcycle. I think it airs later this month. I look forward to that one too. Re: Flay..my husband and I used to think he was a jerk but we noticed that after he fell in love..he really did change lots. We look forward to his next throwdown. Fri Jul 14 20:51:44 -0700 2006 1744884 11408 melly 2 1745442 It was almost comical to watch him oogling over the girls on that one stupid show he had. I forget the name of it but he had a bunch of his suppliers or something come in with goodies and he'd employ them to cook up the food. Really pretty bad. DT Fri Jul 14 20:59:29 -0700 2006 1745425 11291 Davwud 3 1798564 I think he was saying it to the a girl or two on ‘Who wants to be the next Food Network Star?’ Thu Aug 10 01:41:18 -0700 2006 1745442 23758 Withnail42 2 1745445 I think she puts him in his place, like every good woman should! ;-) Fri Jul 14 21:00:07 -0700 2006 1745425 12813 Katie Nell 1 1750115 good show. I wish they spent more on the technique of cooking though......kinda spent more time on the crowd and the "throwdown" than the cookin'. Mon Jul 17 22:24:32 -0700 2006 1744884 10620 Xericx 2 1763747 That seems par for the course on food network these days... Mon Jul 24 18:44:53 -0700 2006 1750115 15927 fascfoo 1 1751958 That bugs me about alot of Food Network Shows. Food Nation and shows like it...it's all about the host and not about THE FOOD! Tue Jul 18 19:17:42 -0700 2006 1744884 11408 melly 1 1763756 I find the concept of the show pretty distasteful. I mean cmon, the people he's "throwing down" with are supposed to be really good in their fields. So we have two possible outcomes: flay shows up and wins the challenge, thereby embarrasing the participant that a neophyte like flay in that field can win a taste test against them, or, flay loses which harms his image/brand/whatever and is just kind of lame to watch. I always thought of flay as arrogant (although my view of him has softened over the years), and the basic concept of this show doesn't help. Mon Jul 24 18:48:16 -0700 2006 1744884 15927 fascfoo 1 1764627 The one thing that I do not like about throw down is that Bobby does not play on a level playing field. In the chowder episode who would not pick a lobster chowder over monk fish & in the steak challenge the marine was serving chuck & Bobby had $40 prime bone in Cowboy ribeyes & Porterhouses. He uses superior ingrediants to offset their superior technique. Mon Jul 24 23:12:09 -0700 2006 1744884 10807 beteez 2 1764635 Not mention that the Marine was using ingredients contained in the mess kit. Mon Jul 24 23:14:51 -0700 2006 1764627 11296 Darren72 2 1765655 But, the marine won, didn't he? Tue Jul 25 14:19:38 -0700 2006 1764627 12813 Katie Nell 3 1765685 Yep. Tue Jul 25 14:34:18 -0700 2006 1765655 11408 melly 3 1766334 Yes, but that didn't make the whole any less pathetic. Tue Jul 25 18:13:29 -0700 2006 1765655 11296 Darren72 2 1765876 I agree...only saw the chowder episode, and the Wife's first reaction was, 'that's not fair, Flay shows up with his whole crew', plus he blows the fuse with his power equipment and his crew comes with a generator...for HIM, not the chowder guy, who has to use Sterno???? C'mon! If I knew ahead of time I was cooking in a showdown, I'd either choose premium ingredients, or demand that Flay use the same basic ingredients that I do (i.e., monkfish) a la Iron Chef. All in all, the chowder guy should be extremely proud he almost overcame all the disadvantages. That being said, Flay's a chef I hate to love because, although he seem's a bit obnoxious to me, I like his food in general. Plus, in the chowder episode, he seemed like basically a good sport even before the final decision. I agree with beteez's comment about offsetting superior technique. Tue Jul 25 15:46:54 -0700 2006 1764627 21197 ShortOrderHack 1 1765673 i haven't seen the episode but i was reading a short article about the perspective of the whole event from the competitor (chowder man)'s side and it's quite abysmal. they had told him it was going to be a party and so he had downed a few beers before he started cooking and brought only the most basic tools anyone might consider bringing to the beach. in rolls in flay with two sous chefs in tow (wearing food network chef coats no less), a chowder maker (?!), fresh japanese knives, etc.... ridiculous. on top of that, he thought the crowd would be judging and dished out the best stuff from the crock pot to them and at the end had to give the official judge the buttom of the pot chowder. Tue Jul 25 14:29:29 -0700 2006 1744884 10634 pinstripeprincess 2 1781510 on top of that, there was only 1 chowder judge... how can you determine which chowder is better by giving the power to one single judge... I feel 5 random people chosen from the crowd would've served a better result. Wed Aug 02 00:15:47 -0700 2006 1765673 21236 Danimal n Hustler 3 1784448 Wasn't there only one steak judge? It was the author of the Weber cookbooks, Jamie P. Thu Aug 03 02:48:24 -0700 2006 1781510 22241 personalcheffie 1 1781827 I watched the chili throwdown last week and it seemed the "most fair" of them all. I think they should have the same cuts of meat, fish, etc. I was glad chili queen beat his butt. Wed Aug 02 04:02:04 -0700 2006 1744884 11408 melly 2 1790258 Wasn't the chili result a tie? Sun Aug 06 03:03:25 -0700 2006 1781827 22930 rcheng 1 1886742 I just saw the jambalaya episode...it wins my vote for the most fair that I've seen (chowder, cake, jambalaya). I think it was the clearest demonstration so far that superior ingredients cannot overcome inferior technique (and that sometimes there's no substitute for a heavy cast iron pot). Flay proved to be a good sport, though. Someone's gonna have to teach Bobby how to cook rice! Tue Sep 19 16:44:59 -0700 2006 1744884 21197 ShortOrderHack 2 3470787 Yep - he sure did choke on cooking the rice. Even after his challenger told and showed him how to do it! Fri Mar 07 14:27:18 -0800 2008 1886742 91077 vnchile 1 1915708 I really enjoy all the Throwdowns that Bobby Flay has been too. I think he is very brave to challenge people that have concentrated on one main thing. It is always different and it brings variety with the spice! Bobby you are doing great! Darla Mon Oct 02 06:24:05 -0700 2006 1744884 44328 DarlaJune