top chef-- season 3!

[madisoneats]

the good-- the bad-- the ugly! Check out Bravo.com to see who's up...
Love it or hate it-- I am addicted!

Starts June 13

[starlady]

Damn Damn Damn! I am just finishing watching Season 2.
Why can they not simultaneously air in the US and in CDN?????
I mean it was like when Sex and the City ended at the last show was aired 2 days apart and then on another show the ending was given away before the CDNs got to see it!!!! GRRRRRRRRR
If we can watch Iron Chef at the same time.....

[Caitlin McGrath]

I'm excited to see that Ted Allen is a judge, but if they end up focusing on personality clashes and (manufactured) drama rather than on the food again, I'll be bummed. My hopes aren't high, though, based on the degradation of the show between seasons 1 and 2, and the similar problems with season 3 of Project Runway (both have the same producers).

[ChefJune]

What is it you all like so much about Ted Allen? I found him irritating and not very knowledgeable about food.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

I can only speak for myself, but I find him to be an overall pleasing TV personality. He may not be a professional chef, but if you ever saw him on "Iron Chef America", he does know what he's talking about.

[Claudette]

I agree - he is interesting to listen to, even if his recipes on Queer Eye weren't so hot. Remember the episodes when he expected some red-neck/inept/non-foodie dudes to do sushi and other fancy exotic foods? I thought he was trying to set them up for ridicule...

[ChefJune]

to each their own. I disagree on his "pleasing" personality.

I find Iron Chef America mostly a joke. The food is creative, but the remaining personalities involved... well, don't get me started! I consider any chowhound at least as qualified as any judge they have on the show. (where is the rolleyes emoticon?)

[Claudette]

I mostly agree with you about the judges; however, I do like Jeffrey Steingarten.

[Ken W]

For the grudge match, if Season 1 doesn't absolutely trounce Season 2, the contest is rigged.

Adding Ted Allen on a permanent basis was a good move. Now, if they only picked some professionals for contestants this time . . .

[Honey Bee]

I have eaten many times at Abacus in Dallas, where Season 3 contestant Tre was recently working. It is a great restaurant and I expect tp see great things from him.

[Withnail42]

That was fast! As for the grudge macth my money is on season 1.

[Lazy Susan]

Grudge match: I'm happy Sam will get another chance to showcase his "stuff" and comes to the table (no pun intended) a little more aggressively. I'm also excited to see Ted as a judge.
I know there's a major concentration of chefs in in big cities like NYC, but it would have been nice to see some from other areas, maybe Saratoga, Denver, CC, Hamptons, Napa, etc. Everyone seems to be from NYC, Miami, CA or TX.

[LindaWhit]

Woo hoo! Just noticed that Ted Allen is listed as one of the judges!

http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/cast/...

[laylag]

I was happy to see that too but disappointed in equal measure to see that the annoying not very knowledgeable Gail is still on the show.

[mutant4]

whatchu talkin' about fool! Gail is the best and most knowledgeable judge on the panel hoss, and though she lacks the legs of Padme and the bald crown of Tom, she's got the chops.

[laylag]

Let's agree to disagree mutant. IMO, Gail is an irritant; arrogant - uses pretension and attitude to fool people into thinking she knows more than she does and that her opinion is more qualified than it actually is. Guess she got you. Who's the fool then?

[LindaWhit]

LOL! And don't forget repetitive. What was she going on about in an episode from last year? Ah, that's right. EGGS. She *hates* rubbery eggs. As she told us time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time and time again! :-)

[Withnail42]

I had been planning on pointing out the samething. I guess she must really hate them, or it's the only thing she has an opinion on...Now will she mention it this season?

[starlady]

HEHEHEEHEHE that show was on last week here in CDN. She did go on and on.
BUt you thik she must know a couple of things since she is from Food and Wine.
In theory anyway.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

Well, since "Food And Wine" is a sponsor, it'd make sense to have Gail or somebody else from the magazine on the judges' panel.

I'm not crazy about her, but she doesn't drive me batty either.

[chef chicklet]

Ahem, with "brown crispy bottoms" was it not?

[mojoeater]

I'm curious about the Oceanaire dude. My sister lives in SD and loves the palce.

[ChinoWayne]

Hmmmm, another chain dude, similar to Mikey last time around.

[jturtle]

Don't be too quick to judge there. Oceanaire may be a chain albeit a small chain but the one in San Diego is producing some amazing "non-chain" meals. You might want to check out the San Diego (oops I mean California board we don't have our own board, even though the city is one of the 10 largest in the country, but I digress) board and see the raves that Oceanaire gets.

[DiningDiva]

I've eaten at Oceanaire in SD and it is,indeed as jturtle states, very, very good. I had a piece of swordfish there that was probably the best swordfish I've ever had. A beautiful piece of fish, beautifully prepared. The simple, straightforward preparations work best here, there are a number of overly complex, overly prepared (i.e. too many ingredients all competing) and ambitious options that while good, are less successful and do not transcend to great. Now, whether those are mandated corporate recipes or not, I can't say.

Brian Malarky is a very good chef, but owning really good cooking chops may not ensure victory, You gotta play the game according to the producers rules and the creativity on the plate may not be as important and how creatively the chef plays the game.

[LiveCJ]

Growing up in Maine and Boston you learn a thing or two about seafood, and the Oceanaire is hands down my favorite place to belly up to the bar and consume vast quantities of oysters... its amazing to me that I can get a screamingly fresh olympia in Atlanta, Dallas, (and now Denver) on a business trip....

[LindaWhit]

Glad it's starting back up again! I see 7 out of 15 are self-taught vs. having a culinary education. I don't recall what the self-taught vs. culinary education odds were the past two seasons, but this year is almost an even split!

AND there's a grudge match between Season 1 and Season 2 to air beforehand!

4 STAR ALL-STARS - Season One and Season Two: The grudge match! Watch June 6 at 10/9c

The pic show Marcel and Lee Ann - but no other information. Interesting - Lee Ann's had the opportunity to watch Season 2's cheftestants in detail while she was assisting; wonder if that will help/hinder.

[Sobe]

http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/index...

[LindaWhit]

Found that link, but when you click on the grudge match section, it just gives a list of times for the show to be on TV.

[LindaWhit]

Just read over on eGullet about the grudge match - from the Bravo TV press release:

"Top Chef: 4-Star All Stars,” will pit first season’s cheftestants, Harold Dieterle, Stephen “Sommelier” Asprinio, Tiffani Faison and Crying Dave Martin against the second season finalists, Marcel Vigneron, Sam Talbot, Elia Aboumrad and Ilan Hall. The two teams are competing for a $20,000 prize that will be donated to charity."

My money would be on Season 1. :-)

[Bostonbob3]

It's actually bravotv.com

Anyway, I'm picking Casey as my early favorite.