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Top Chef - Wisconsin

Biff Tannen

By Biff Tannen
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Pig Bellmont

Pig Bellmont 8719

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One absolute failure team and one that delivered fine dining consistent with the theme. Everyone else was so mediocre that they needed a pep talk at the end. 
 

Spoiler

Rasika with two elimination wins already. 

 

Edited by Pig Bellmont
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Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 45691

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1 minute ago, closetohumping said:

I know every top chef is talented right?  I mean some of these people are Michelin star nominees or winners?  But this seems like the worst group ive ever seen.  Imagine what voltaggio, Isabella , qui, etc would do in this group 

I feel like y'all say this every season.

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DixonHur

DixonHur 11337

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2 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

I feel like y'all say this every season.

It's definitely been true in the last few seasons.  

You can pretty much pick the Top 4 chefs within the first few episodes. 

This year is even easier.  The final four will be:

Rasika

Danny

Kevin

And whoever comes back from LCK.

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UncleSonny

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21 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

Rasika would be a shoe-in to win it all if Padma was still there

Maybe, it seemed like she was also the most nit-picky when someone tried to do Indian food. That may have mainly been when a white person went for those flavors though. 

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Herpa Derpa

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17 hours ago, Deej said:

Wisconsin? When's the Dahmer Challenge?

I heard his purées were to die for. 
 

14 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

LCK is pretty entertaining so far. 

No spoiler cuz all should be watching, but If you ain’t watching LCK you’re missing Soo much of the competition. Will be hilarious to watch reaction if Soo does make it out and comes waltzing into the room.  Everybody be like, who the fuck is this guy?

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DixonHur

DixonHur 11337

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1 hour ago, Herpa Derpa said:

Will be hilarious to watch reaction if Soo does make it out and comes waltzing into the room.  Everybody be like, who the fuck is this guy?

I don't watch LCK for the same reason @kevwun mentioned, so I had to look up Soo...dude has a Michelin Star so he might be ok.

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Chewbacca

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1 hour ago, Herpa Derpa said:

I heard his purées were to die for. 
 

No spoiler cuz all should be watching, but If you ain’t watching LCK you’re missing Soo much of the competition. Will be hilarious to watch reaction if Soo does make it out and comes waltzing into the room.  Everybody be like, who the fuck is this guy?

So how did someone not on the show get on LCK?

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Pig Bellmont

Pig Bellmont 8719

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16 hours ago, closetohumping said:

I know every top chef is talented right?  I mean some of these people are Michelin star nominees or winners?  But this seems like the worst group ive ever seen.  Imagine what voltaggio, Isabella , qui, etc would do in this group 

I think they made a big effort to actually get higher quality contestants this season than others. Michelin stars, James Beard awards, etc. Some seasons they seemed to be filling spots with just about anyone 

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closetohumping

closetohumping 17444

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1 hour ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I think they made a big effort to actually get higher quality contestants this season than others. Michelin stars, James Beard awards, etc. Some seasons they seemed to be filling spots with just about anyone 

I’ll take your word for it but show before everybody made fried cheese curds.   This one only one dish was worth a damn

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DixonHur

DixonHur 11337

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3 hours ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I think they made a big effort to actually get higher quality contestants this season than others. Michelin stars, James Beard awards, etc. Some seasons they seemed to be filling spots with just about anyone 

Who, for example?

On a related note, I've come to the conclusion that James Beard Awards can be misleading.  First you have to separate nominee, from semi-finalist, and from finalist, then there's the categories...leaving out cookbooks, etc, there's a big difference for between being nominated for a "Rising Star" or "Emerging Chef" award and being a finalist for Best Chef.

Either way, about 1/2 of the starting group had James Beard nominations and 1/2 of the remaining 10 do too.

Spoiler

Cast James Beard Nominations:

Alisha - 2x nominee (2019), 1x semifinalist (2020) for Rising Star Award 

Amanda - 1x semifinalist for an Emerging Chef Award (2022)

Charly - 1x semifinalist from Best Chef South (2023)

Dan (Jacobs) - 4x semifinalist from Best Chef Midwest (2018,2019, 2022, 2023)

Danny (Garcia) - None

David - None (Shocking I know)

Kaleena - None

Kenny - None

Kevin - None, but trained under a 3 Michelin Star chef and was a Top Chef France Finalist

Laura - 1x nomination for Best Chef California (2024)

Manny - 1 x Semifinalist for Emerging Chef (2022)

Michelle - None, token pit master of this season

Rasika - None, but clearly super talented

Savannah - None

Valentine - 1x nomination for Best Chef Northeast (2023)

But let's be clear, Top Chef is not about finding the best chef....it's about the game.  Buddha figured that out, openly talked about how much he studied the game aspect during his season, then won...then made the finals of Top Chef World using the same game theory.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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closetohumping

closetohumping 17444

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13 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

Who, for example?

On a related note, I've come to the conclusion that James Beard Awards can be misleading.  First you have to separate nominee, from semi-finalist, and from finalist, then there's the categories...leaving out cookbooks, etc, there's a big difference for between being nominated for a "Rising Star" or "Emerging Chef" award and being a finalist for Best Chef.

Either way, about 1/2 of the starting group had James Beard nominations and 1/2 of the remaining 10 do too.

  Hide contents

Cast James Beard Nominations:

Alisha - 2x nominee (2019), 1x semifinalist (2020) for Rising Star Award 

Amanda - 1x semifinalist for an Emerging Chef Award (2022)

Charly - 1x semifinalist from Best Chef South (2023)

Dan (Jacobs) - 4x semifinalist from Best Chef Midwest (2018,2019, 2022, 2023)

Danny (Garcia) - None

David - None (Shocking I know)

Kaleena - None

Kenny - None

Kevin - None, but trained under a 3 Michelin Star chef and was a Top Chef France Finalist

Laura - 1x nomination for Best Chef California (2024)

Manny - 1 x Semifinalist for Emerging Chef (2022)

Michelle - None, token pit master of this season

Rasika - None, but clearly super talented

Savannah - None

Valentine - 1x nomination for Best Chef Northeast (2023)

But let's be clear, Top Chef is not about finding the best chef....it's about the game.  Buddha figured that out, openly talked about how much he studied the game aspect during his season, then won...then made the finals of Top Chef World using the same game theory.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Openly rooted against Buddha but that guy can cook

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Pig Bellmont

Pig Bellmont 8719

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12 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

But let's be clear, Top Chef is not about finding the best chef....it's about the game.

I mean yes and no. It is definitely a game show. That’s why most of the elimination challenges have time limits and gimmicks. But also Top Chef has bolstered careers and given legitimacy to otherwise little known (or locally renowned) chefs. I think restaurants and the public give contestants and winners higher esteem for having cooked on the show

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Nicole44

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44 minutes ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I mean yes and no. It is definitely a game show. That’s why most of the elimination challenges have time limits and gimmicks. But also Top Chef has bolstered careers and given legitimacy to otherwise little known (or locally renowned) chefs. I think restaurants and the public give contestants and winners higher esteem for having cooked on the show

I love the show. Agree with this. 

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DixonHur

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1 hour ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I mean yes and no. It is definitely a game show. That’s why most of the elimination challenges have time limits and gimmicks. But also Top Chef has bolstered careers and given legitimacy to otherwise little known (or locally renowned) chefs. I think restaurants and the public give contestants and winners higher esteem for having cooked on the show

I agree that people give them higher esteem, but that doesn't mean they ARE better.  

After watching these cooking shows for a while now it's becoming clear that competition cooking is it's own thing, and the easiest way way to become a celebrity chef.

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TonyTexas

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22 hours ago, closetohumping said:

Imagine what voltaggio, Isabella , qui, etc would do in this group 

The Voltaggios are great chefs. But Mike Isabella?  He’s a hack, a creep and a cheat. Nothing to admire about that guy. 
The level of chefs have gone up a lot over the years. They used to populate the cast with line cooks, culinary students, private chefs and caterers. 

Edited by TonyTexas
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closetohumping

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1 hour ago, TonyTexas said:

The Voltaggios are great chefs. But Mike Isabella?  He’s a hack, a creep and a cheat. Nothing to admire about that guy. 
The level of chefs have gone up a lot over the years. They used to populate the cast with line cooks, culinary students, private chefs and caterers. 

Yes. Shouldn’t have slipped dirtbag Isabella in there. 
 

im just going off what I’m watching.  These guys just aren’t very creative 

 

 

yes this isn’t a pure cooking show but I’ve seen some amazing dishes on this show.   Haven’t seen it so far in this season. Maybe it’s the locale?

 

I do want to point out on season 1, that line cook Mike won a challenge with rotisserie chicken and flour tortillas. 😂. So yes crap contestants in every show

 

 

but make no mistake I think there’s been more talented casts just based on what I’ve seen on the plates 

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Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 45691

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The beauty and horror of Top Chef is exactly what yall are talking about. It takes great chefs (for the most part) and puts them in a completely different situation than they have ever had to be in with their talents. Some succeed, some fail. The clock especially, but also the call to creativity is the real challenge. Many chefs, understandably, fail under these circumstances. It doesn’t make them bad chefs. It makes them ill suited for this type of competition. 
 

I started watching top chef with season 3 when I stared dating my now wife, who grew up watching emerald, Yan Can Cook, and the beginnings of the food network. Before Top Chef, I could have given a fuck about food. I ate frozen pizza and ham and cheese tortillas every night of the week (god damn that still sounds good).

BUT, she taught me so much and I’m lucky she loves to cook. I can make a mean breakfast sammich and a sous vide steak, but that’s about it. She has shown me how to appreciate good food and Top Chef was a huge vehicle for me. 

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Texzilla588

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I like the change to the quickfire to eliminate immunity from those. The game aspect really comes to the fore in challenges like last night. Both teams had issues, and failed more on some simple execution problems.

A challenge like the supper club requires teamwork, group gameplay, and strategy. Having a teammate with immunity is a huge advantage but the team failed to utilize it. Put her on dessert and cut her budget. Neither team actually figured out a complementary menu built on winning as a team which is the point of the game. Instead all of the chefs took it as an individual challenge to advance their brand. While Foods visit showed it all off with lots of egos making dumb decisions.

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Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 45691

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5 hours ago, Texzilla588 said:

I like the change to the quickfire to eliminate immunity from those. The game aspect really comes to the fore in challenges like last night. Both teams had issues, and failed more on some simple execution problems.

A challenge like the supper club requires teamwork, group gameplay, and strategy. Having a teammate with immunity is a huge advantage but the team failed to utilize it. Put her on dessert and cut her budget. Neither team actually figured out a complementary menu built on winning as a team which is the point of the game. Instead all of the chefs took it as an individual challenge to advance their brand. While Foods visit showed it all off with lots of egos making dumb decisions.

I was thinking last night, I actually dislike immunity being taken away for quickfires and given to the winner of the last elimination challenge.  From a viewer perspective, it takes away the allure of the quickfire.  Why do I give a shit if they win money?  Not to mention it's easy to forget who won the last elimination challenge from the week before, so I lose track of who has immunity.  Maybe give the quickfire winner the option of immunity or money?

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Grimas

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On 4/12/2024 at 10:40 PM, Biff Tannen said:

The beauty and horror of Top Chef is exactly what yall are talking about. It takes great chefs (for the most part) and puts them in a completely different situation than they have ever had to be in with their talents. Some succeed, some fail. The clock especially, but also the call to creativity is the real challenge. Many chefs, understandably, fail under these circumstances. It doesn’t make them bad chefs. It makes them ill suited for this type of competition. 
 

I started watching top chef with season 3 when I stared dating my now wife, who grew up watching emerald, Yan Can Cook, and the beginnings of the food network. Before Top Chef, I could have given a fuck about food. I ate frozen pizza and ham and cheese tortillas every night of the week (god damn that still sounds good).

BUT, she taught me so much and I’m lucky she loves to cook. I can make a mean breakfast sammich and a sous vide steak, but that’s about it. She has shown me how to appreciate good food and Top Chef was a huge vehicle for me. 

Yea - the Frugal Gourmet show on PBS got me cooking (along with Justin Wilson) and I still have some of his cookbooks.  (But he's been scrubbed from the internet after being accused of being a child molester...)

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Deej

Deej 76820

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4 hours ago, kevwun said:

Someone screwed up not doing fried walleye.  It's a supper club staple and also delicious.

As someone whose dad was from Minnesota, I must say walleye is delicious. 

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KingBobo81

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Overall (with the exception of a few), these chefs aren’t that creative. Quite a few are just making shit they normally do and try to shoehorn it into the challenge.

It was cool to see Phillip Foss eat with the judges in the chaos challenge. I’ve had some memorable meals, and EL Ideas is certainly near the top of that list.

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Chips O'Toole

Chips O'Toole 1325

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I'm glad they got a few good dishes out of that challenge because the theme confused the fuck out of the contestants AND the judges.  Nobody knew wtf made anything "chaos cuisine".  It's telling that two of the best chefs in the contest so far shit the futon most magnificently. Like what were either of them thinking, yikes. 

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Texzilla588

Texzilla588 769

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Who doesn’t like Matty? 

I don’t. He’s not a comedian nor is he much of a cook. The runners were apparently desperate to have a tie into The Bear. Neither Matty nor Kish could explain the challenge, the chefs didn’t understand it, we didn’t quite get it. And the haughty comments especially from Marty. “The simplicity makes it chaotic!” Next: “the complexity makes it chaotic!”

And yet you have the Great Tosi in the building who was always a great judge on MasterChef, who thrived with David Chang, and is a food genius. What a waste. She would have been an ideal guest judge.

Michelle, Soo and Dan are the only chefs here I like. Glad to see that irritating one sent home.
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