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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!
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pinstripeprincess
Jul 25, 2006 02:29 PM
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.
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re: pinstripeprincess
Danimal n Hustler
Aug 2, 2006 12:15 AM
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.
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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.
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re: beteez
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.
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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.
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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.
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re: Davwud
Withnail42
Aug 10, 2006 01:41 AM
I think he was saying it to the a girl or two on ‘Who wants to be the next Food Network Star?’
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re: melly
Katie Nell
Jul 14, 2006 09:00 PM
I think she puts him in his place, like every good woman should! ;-)
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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.
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re: Davwud
DiningDiva
Jul 14, 2006 08:51 PM
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.
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re: Lowbar
DiningDiva
Jul 18, 2006 09:30 PM
Ouch. Although I'd think they could get some pretty good milage out an injured Alton
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Katie Nell
Jul 14, 2006 05:39 PM
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?
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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.
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re: bogie
BackyardChef
Jul 17, 2006 06:18 PM
He also owns the Down Home Diner-- and he just took third in Whole Hog at Memphis in May.
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re: antjones9
MplsM ary
Jul 15, 2006 06:12 PM
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.
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re: MplsM ary
Katie Nell
Jul 24, 2006 07:06 PM
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?!
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re: Katie Nell
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.
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re: MplsM ary
The Engineer
Jul 25, 2006 06:18 PM
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!
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re: MplsM ary
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.
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