Top Chef Just Desserts ... Again

[Caitlin McGrath]

Many on Chowhound who watched Season 1 through to the bitter end thought TCJD was kind of a trainwreck, with all the nastiness, freakouts, etc., but apparently it paid off for Bravo, because Season 2 premieres August 24.

Anyone here intend to watch?

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-just-...

[Cheflambo]

I will definitely be watching. A friend is participating, and she will beat the frosting off the rest of the pack!

[jujuthomas]

oh, how fun to know someone on the show! that would definately make it more interesting. :)

[Will Owen]

Frankly, the only reason we watched it was that we were at two of the LA tapings and were curious to see if we showed up. We did on the first one, the LA Times "party" with everyone in black & white. We had a very fun conversation with the deep-fryer guy, and learned a lot about how ice cream is made to not melt, and why it can get too chewy … and then we sampled some that was like rubber! But neither of us is really a dessert person, nor care about it enough to follow this show.

[Bunson]

Also is it just me or does it seem like it's harder to "taste" the desserts visually? In the regular Top Chef you can see a dish and almost decide right away if you think it's something you'd want to taste - maybe it's a familiarity with the ingredients/flavors/components/textures of the dish and the ability to relate it to something you may have had in the past.

Seeing a dessert on TV is just completely foreign and the exact opposite to me. It's hard to connect it to a dessert I may have had in the past, and, taste and texture with baked goods is very difficult to convey over a TV screen, comparatively speaking.

[Manassas64]

I see what you're saying. It's flour, sugar and butter for the most part, so I think we have to rely more on the flavors (german chocolate cake, coconut, peanut butter) and less on texture and moisture. And just because it looks pretty doesn't mean it tastes pretty. And just because it's a hot mess, doesn't mean you don't want to dive in with a spoon because it tastes so good :D

[Manassas64]

I was unimpressed with the first season. The first half focused too much on the psycho and then the show just sort of died.

I wish it was more about baking and decorating and less about making clothing out of vegetables.

But what do I know.

I will watch the first episode and see...

[jujuthomas]

i will probably dvr and watch, at least the first couple episodes. i love dessert! :)

[californiabeerandpizza]

I detest the drama but will watch in spite of it. I enjoy the displays of talent and skill.

[gaffk]

Nope. The first season was so bad I won't tune in this time. "Fooll me once . . . "

[picklelicious]

As much as I enjoy Top Chef, I despise TC just desserts, just don't care anything about, or for, this decorative cake thing that FN has cultured and TC has now jumped into...but to each his own, right?

[ratgirlagogo]

"this decorative cake thing" - yep.

I slogged through the first two episodes of the first season and realized I just didn't care about the food they were making. The fact that so many of the cheftestants were so supremely annoying didn't help either, but it was secondary for me.

[Bunson]

Depends on the contestants. You can usually tell after the first couple of episodes how deep into the "likely to be a drama queen" well they went in selecting them. The first season was headache inducing.

[wattacetti]

Why would one watch reality TV if it weren't for the train wrecks?

[babette feasts]

Absolutely. Who doesn't love a good train wreck?

[NellyNel]

I think I will.

I dont have much of a sweet tooth myself, but I'm always facinated by all the creativity...

I didnt mind the fist season of JD, for that reason - I found most of the desserts really creative.
Plus, I have to confess that I don't mind a bit of drama thrown into my reality cooking shows!