image by jslander

By the time this is posted I know the next episode of Top Chef is in a few days, so I thought I would recap my favorite highlights from the last show to see if anyone agrees, disagrees, or is even reading this. The last Top Chef was interesting in a few ways and when I say interesting, I mean I thought it was kind of a hot mess.

Did Toby Young know he was on a cooking show? I find him an extremely talented writer and wit, but enough with the acting and movie quips. Congratulations on being a producer on a movie, made from a book you wrote. I wanna hear about food and fast forward whenever Padma speaks. Although I will admit, his vocals left it impossible for her to get a word in. Score for editing.

Woo hoo Ariane! I’ve been reading on the web and people still think she can’t cook. Has she or has she not been kicking butt?

The clip of Fabio saying it was “Top chef, not top scallops”. Although it was great to see Jamie represent for Team Rainbow, scallops a winner do not make. Or soup. Scallops AND soup. Next week Jamie, just say no.

Gene is a big bummer. A BIG one. I wanted to root for him, but grumpy Hawaiian’s? Is that even legal? I want my island chef to be happy whether he wants to or not. Dude, you live in paradise.

Blondy bangs Melissa was really quite sweet. She was a very sincere contestant and I’m sure once or twice she has made a bitchin fish taco, but she was boring. I wish I only cared about the food they cooked, but personality counts when it is reality tv. I forgot her name while writing this and had to look it up. That is not a lasting impression.

If Fabio is the Italian Stallion, would that make Stefan the Ivan Drago of the show? (Rocky lV people!!) I know Stefan is from Finland and Ivan was from the Soviet Union, but I dislike their characters about the same.

Alton Brown’s Welch’s Grapejuice Commercial vs Guy Fieri’s TGIFriday’s

Now Alton looks so damn cute using a bunch of words I don’t know and he managed to drag a chalkboard along so we realize we can’t spell them either.  At least I can’t.

Guy Fieri is EVERYWHERE!!  Yet I am still not sick of him.  How can this be?

Welch’s went extreme from cute little kids to aging food nerd.  Very geek chic.

TGIFriday’s is still TGIFriday’s.  Oprah couldn’t save the food there.

I want to frolic in the vineyard with Alton.  We could throw grapes at one another and then spin round and round till we both fall down in fits of giggles. 

Guy’s colorist is working overtime.  That blond don’t grow on trees or out of heads.

Our pick:  Alton.  Have you NOT seen Good Eats?  He could be peddling Chia herbs made by migrant children and I would still pick him.

I admit to being mildly obsessed with all things popular culture… especially food.  Who’s eating it, who’s making it and where on tv can I watch it? I started this to begin a New Year of food observations and a way to read the crazy mullings in my head.