Finally--new Master Chef on tonight

[pine time]

If you still remember this show: it's back tonight after a too-long Olympics hiatus. Just FYI.

[C. Hamster]

David slinks back to the mean streets of Glencoe.

I, for one, cheered.

[cresyd]

In a vaguely related news - Becky from MasterChef is the most recent chef/cook on the podcast Dining with Doug and Karen.

She comes off very much like the NPR cooking voices.

[madeliner]

I guess I am the only one who thought David Martinez got screwed-I was rooting for him!

So awesome that he was offered a job in one of Graham's restaurants (plus he can pick which one). That seems like a better prize than winning the competition imho

[dave_c]

I'm was not cheering for David Martinez, but his going away prize was very cool. He must have some chops where Graham is willing to give him a shot and training.

His prize probably shows how editing can give the wrong impression of someone.

Standard Reality TV editing playbook?
A heel, a young whipper snapper, an old coot, a loud mouth, a doofus, a favorite, a mr nice guy/gal, a pretty boy/girl... etc.

[saeyedoc]

Although Christine has the cooking chops, no question, I could see how it would be dangerous having a blind person working the line in a busy kitchen. Same for someone with other disabilities limiting mobility. Just a safety issue.

[DGresh]

And to be honest did you see how slowly she was cutting the fish? She does have to be a drag on a number of the tasks that need to get done. I was very glad their team won though.

[saeyedoc]

Also Christine requires an additional person to help her who isn't contributing to service. That could be an issue in an already crowded kitchen.
She's a good, if not great cook, but it would be tough for her in a busy, professional kitchen.

[piccola]

Luckily she could find other ways to work in food -- as a caterer, for example, or a personal chef.

[saeyedoc]

Agree, pretty much anything except on the line in a busy kitchen.

[piccola]

She could probably pull of being the exec chef in her own place -- you know, developing the recipes, planning menus, etc. But yeah, I'd say working the line isn't in her future.

[chowser]

Exactly--or to develop the flavors for a great cook book which is what this ultimately is about. Plus, she's friendly and likeable. Master Chef is really mostly a marketing job.

[chris2269]

Agreed, but half of the original contests couldn't work a line in a busy restaurant. A lot of people from the UK and AU versions of the show go on to write cookbooks, become the weekly food person on a news channel or develop a successful line of food products.

[madeliner]

I didnt think the point of master chef was to get one of the cooks into a prof kitchen-is that what hell's kitchen is for?

[cresyd]

I don't know if it's a Ramsey thing or just the direction that American reality television has taken - but watching MasterChef US, I never think that I'm watching people with any genuine cooking talent. Better than me - probably - but not to the point where I'd want their cookbook.

The American contestants might be as good as those of the Australian and UK versions, but they don't present the contestants that way at all. On the Austrlian version, I get a perspective that they're looking to push contestants so that they have the chance to grow and become better. With the American version, it often feels like they chuck them in the deep end - partially to see a surprising success but mostly for the trainwreck effect.

[chicgail]

It's the FOX/reality model.

[chris2269]

Agree with your points. only thing I would say is that while at the beginning the contestants from all shows are probably about the same level by the end The AU,UK,and NZ contestants are putting up so much more as far as technique and food. I think this is due to the mentoring factor of the judges and their exposure to some of the world best chefs..often with a lot of mentoring there too.

US Masterchef guest judges 2012 ...Paula Deen
AU Masterchef guest judges 2012 ..Shannon Bennett, Mark Best, Heston Blumenthal, Peter Gilmore, Dan Hong, Kylie Kwong, Matt Moran, Neil Perry, Michel Roux, Rick Stein, Adriano Zumbo.....and that was edited down:)

[chris2269]

Has Monti's hearing been mentioned before? I must have missed it.

[kmcarr]

That was the first I recall hearing (no pun) about as well. Christine's quip was terrific, "Team Helen Keller".

[LindaWhit]

LOL on both your comments! And yes, that was the first it was mentioned, IIRC.

[chris2269]

i was going to say wow shes deaf and Dumb (not meaning mute) but I didn't want to insult anyone who is mute. guess I did just now but again no dis meant to anyone other than monti:)

[seamunky]

"Team Helen Keller" made me laugh out loud!

[DGresh]

While I like Josh and was certainly rooting for him to make it through the pressure test, I wonder if he got a bit of a bump from being the one that Frank said "should be saved" (though his treatment of the toasts was atrocious)

[chicgail]

I think I've mostly lost interest.
Joe will say something outrageous.
Graham will be nice.
Gordon will say that something is "amazing."
And Wal-Mart will be featured like it's America's greatest purveyor of fine foods.

[chefhound]

Agreed, the Wal-Mart thing is pretty horrible. Other than that, I'm still enjoying the show. Anyway, you need something to fill the gap until there's another Top Chef.

[LindaWhit]

Well, I'm going to continue to watch as I'd like to see who wins. If Becky *doesn't* win, I'll be very surprised. She had full control of her group in the kitchen and Frank didn't. (The minute Josh said in the confessional that it was guys vs. girls and the guys would win, I *knew* they'd lose - and he was pretty instrumental in their loss.)

Joe saying what he said about Christine was just uncalled for. I don't care that he apologized for it later to her face. He's becoming more of a dooshnozzle as the weeks go on.

HATE the shilling of Wal-Mart "choice meat." Umm, EVERY supermarket sells choice cuts as well as Select!

I thought Frank was a chicken - he calls out Josh, saying he would save him if he could prior to the Pressure Test...and then when Gordo gives him the chance to do so - Frank takes himself out of the equation and doesn't have to cook filet mignons rare, medium rare, and well done.

Expected David Martinez to go home. But seriously nice gift he's getting - the chance to train and work in either of Graham's restaurants in Chicago.

[chefhound]

I was surprised that Frank said he would save Josh. Wasn't it Josh's inability to fry the bread that caused all the trouble on their team?

[LindaWhit]

That's what I thought as well, BUT....I don't think Frank has liked David Martinez that much, so it was the lesser of two evils?

[Worldwide Diner]

It would've been more honorable to say he's not sending anyone upstairs. They failed as a team so they should all be in the pressure test.

[LindaWhit]

I agree - but I'm not sure if that was an option. Although he didn't offer it to Gordon, et al, and I suspect that they would have accepted it had Frank offered.

[acgold7]

>>>Umm, EVERY supermarket sells choice cuts as well as Select!<<<

Actually, two of the four chains around here don't. But as has been established on other threads, Wal-Mart is not selling the top of the Choice grade, as they claimed on the show.

>>>I thought Frank was a chicken<<<

This was interesting... wasn't it only a few weeks ago that Frank made a big deal of saying he wanted to go out on the basis of his cooking, how he'd have done the "right thing" when David forgot his rice? At the same time, Josh had no right to be pissed, as he proudly proclaimed back then that he wouldn't have helped David in that situation and would have thrown him under the bus, so here he is having that same spirit of generosity applied to him.

[LindaWhit]

Yes, Frank was one of those that raised his hand saying he would have given David the rice. One of the reasons I found him taking himself out of the Pressure Test as hypocritical.

However, having said *that*, it did seem that Frank was the one who finally got the little fried cakes done properly when Josh couldn't do so.

[piccola]

I think Frank chose the right person -- it wasn't lack of leadership that screwed his team, it was poor execution by David and Josh. That said, he shouldn't have pretended he would save Josh if he was going to change his mind and save himself.

[LindaWhit]

Frank's leadership in working with Becky from the other team to ensure that all of the plates came to the pass at the same time sucked wind, however.

[piccola]

Agreed. Part of me wonders if he didn't keep quiet out of spite in the hopes it would make her look bad. At the same time, it wouldn't have come up if the guys had been cooking fast enough.

[Bobfrmia]

Walmart is the only place in Des Moines that sells select grade beef. At least that I know of.
All the supermarkets sell Choice at least, and sometimes a bit of Prime.
The Walmart promotion is really hard to take.

[chris2269]

Joe saying what he said about Christine was just uncalled for. I don't care that he apologized for it later to her face. He's becoming more of a dooshnozzle as the weeks go on.

yeah agree I just watched the episode and was like wow...really?

[LindaWhit]

How great would it be for Christine to win the whole competition and make Joe eat his words?

[pine time]

I think he deserves a knuckle sandwich in addition to eating his words.

[madeliner]

What did he say to her? I don't remember it.

Joe is a dooshnozzle (new word for me-it's a fun one ty!) all the time and he red sneakers ?

please Joe you aint cool

Is he trying to channel Joan Jett? SHE was cool! not you sleepyjoe

lol

[GreenDragon]

He didn't say it TO her, but he said, in an aside to Graham and Gordon, that she would bring her team down in this challenge, and that she basically had no business being on the line.

[dbrodbeck]

At the time I agreed with Joe. (It all of course turned out ok). I am, BTW, legally blind and did not find it in the least way offensive.

[Worldwide Diner]

What are the chances that David doesn't take the job with Graham because the pay's too low, the benefits aren't as good, and the work is tougher?

[LindaWhit]

Let me at him so I can bitchslap him clear into next week if he does that!

[madeliner]

LOL I know that feeling but I think he will :)

[CindyJ]

I get annoyed with all that Walmart product placement and I really believe it discredits the program. As though ANY of those three judges would ever serve Walmart meats in their own restaurants. Yeah, right!!!

[madeliner]

You've got it! LOL

[chefhound]

I've been having withdrawal symptoms

[LindaWhit]

Hopefully the recap will catch me up. I can't remember who was last asked to leave.