Chicagoist: Top Chef Chicago Recap, Week 10

waitwhat

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:48:39 -0600

Lisa is the Sanjaya of Top Chef. Except angrier. Much, much angrier.

Chuck Sudo

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:20:10 -0600

Around the same time that Spike's hats qualified as one, Joc. If you rank by performance, then Lisa should have been the one to go. But this is "reality television," and her tension with Dale makes for better viewing than Andrew's bromances with Spike and, before that, Richard.

smussy

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:03:36 -0600

no worries; i'm really not that hard to turn off. i just think it's funny you go for the "period" and "balloon knot" metaphors when talking about nice food. and although i think andrew and lisa are both class A d-bags, i definitely think andrew needed to go on this one. to just decide you're blatantly going to ignore the rules is for shit. maybe that means that lisa should have gone weeks before, but andrew was definitely in the wrong here. and lisa? i don't think anyone screwed your rice. also, when does a bandanna qualify as a hair net?

lamgray

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:55:36 -0600

Oh, and you forgot to mention, first identification of a non-lesbian cook on the show: Antonia appropriately noting how HOT Sam is. I certainly missed him!

L. Stolpman

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:41:37 -0600

It'd be more entertaining if Lisa grabbed Dale's junk. Oh man, stomach turn on "the grease that Lisa supplies to her cooking." - ha!

lamgray

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:39:37 -0600

OR Lisa grabbing her junk and swearing. Can someone ask Glaad to make some F-ing soap so we can reduce the grease that Lisa supplies to her cooking?

L. Stolpman

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:37:07 -0600

ad - Amen! Lisa really is the grouchiest person ever. UTV - He REALLY drilled that into the ground, didn't he? Smussy, you're so sweet! Glad you like the recaps and sorry for the completely unappetizing image I conjured up. :P Agreed on Lisa and Andrew. A little humility goes a long way. I'm laughing at your observation of the fbomb being dropped with the GLAD products shining behind. Heh. And yes! Stephanie and Richard really are the class acts. Lamgray - I immediately thought of that Improv challenge, too! Lisa was really off the mark in bringing that whole thing up. I wonder if we'll get a Lisa v. Dale showdown next week. Probably not or they'd have teased us with some small clip of it. Like, Dale grabbing his junk and swearing.

lamgray

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:29:28 -0600

OMG, SO ANGRY that Lisa didn't go home for the following reasons: -If I have to hear her make a snide comment about the other chefs one more time, or see an eye roll, I might have to kill her. -Has anyone noticed, she's been at the last bottom 3's, and been in the bottom for a lot of quickfires? Seriously? -Her comments about people using too simple foods is annoying. If anything, the foundation of traditional french cooking says that the best cooks are those that make awesome food with the simplist of ingrediants. . besides, you can't cook shrimp and rice correctly. -Calling Andrew out was TOTALLY unprofessional. And her "I'm sorry if you break the rules, you should go home" is another "pot meet kettle" moment. . if anyone remembers her refusal to follow the improv challenge rules by REFUSING to sink herself down to the same level as polish sausage. Based on that, Lisa, you should be at home snuggling with your partner and talking about how you don't need soap to live a healthy life. -She was the only one that was in the bottom 3 in both the quickfire challenge AND the challenge this episode. . .I say, that's automatic out. . .Why is she still here? The only thing she's done well is bacon, which she already got a trip to Italy for. I can't watch the show again until they send her ass home. It was unfair to send home Andrew over her last night. I think the executive producers of the show are asking to keep her around b/c of her attitude and eye rolling. . to ensure some sort of screaming match between Dale and herself in future episodes.

smussy

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:27:26 -0600

... stolpman, i LOVE your top chef recaps. sometimes, you're a little graphic with the descriptions, though. i really don't want to think about periods when thinking about food. :) man, andrew and lisa. i just can't decide who i dislike more. i can't believe how these guys whine and bitch and give the judges so much attitude! unbelievable. do they think this is defending their dish? i'm not saying they have to grovel, but how do they think this is helping their cause? not to mention andrew was completely arrogant about all of his nutrition stuff. re: curry. i think adults definitely have a different palate than kids. we live in chicago, so there's no reason indian might not be some of the officers' favorite food. i absolutely *loved* the fact that when they're in that backroom, they're sitting there totally throwing around the f-bomb, all the while the gladware product placement is proudly shining through. YEAH! eff glad! lastly, i am stephanie and richard never cease to amaze me at how classy and talented they are, even when they aren't really doing their best. i definitely want those two to be the final ones standing.

UTV

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:18:48 -0600

The important thing here is: Do you like burritos?

Chuck Sudo

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:01:10 -0600

I'm glad someone appreciated that attempt at giving Andrew a nickname.

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:43:22 -0600

Unfortunately, last nights show for me can be summed up in two words. Lisa sucks! Goodbye space monkey gleek. You will be missed.

L. Stolpman

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:33:39 -0600

Hi, Laura, With respect to the curry - I think the judges perceived curry as a more adult flavor, especially with the spice. Their concern may have been that it was too unusual a taste for the kids, many of whom may not have had it before, but maybe the judges figured that the adults would be familiar with the taste. I dunno. I love curry as a kid. :) There is a scene in which Tom holds up a slice of bread with tomato and lettuce from Spike's boxed lunch so he apparently stuck a slice of whole grain bread under that heap of chicken salad and had the pita chips on the side, as well. I'll sort of miss Andrew, as well. I like him more than Spike. -L.

Laura Oppenheimer

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:18:00 -0600

two things I noticed/thought were weird: 1) Why was it OK for Antonia to make curry for Chicago police, but not OK for Mark to make curry for kids. Granted, it's all in the execution, but it's Chicago. We all know that the police who need healthy nutritious lunches are pretty much eating the same thing (and have the same palate) as kids who need healthy nutritious dinners. 2) Since when does bread/pita/whatever Spike used count as a "whole grain"? That's processed... a lot. Still, I'll miss Andrew.