Top Chef - 5/14 "Serve and Protect" *spoilers*

[betts4]

So I know I will be disputed here, but I really think Spike or Lisa should have left.

I agree with what the judges say about Andrew's food not following the rules, but it was nutritious. And yes, he could have figured out a better food to 'bridge the gap' between nutrition and fast food, so I guess that was points against him. I just thought of Spike saying all thru the store he was picking those foods to mess with the other chefs and then denying it in front of the judges and it pissed me off. And Lisa, well she has such a negative energy that I wanted her gone weeks ago.

If I had been Spike, and picked that food, and did chicken salad, why not try some like core some tomatoes and cut them in half and serve them with chicken salad on top. And then a sauce or something to spice it up. I have heard of grapes in chicken salad but never olives.

Any of the three would have been a good choice to go home.

I did wonder why no one did something like a veggie burger or something more like what the cops would reach for, but yet have it be healthy.

[murgatroyd]

Any of the three would have been a good choice to go home.

My husband was sitting here saying "Send them all home!"

I often pause before the loser is tossed out and we discuss who we think is going home.

Weeks like this really suck -- when you do want to just send the whole bottom group home because the work is so bad. So you sit there like the judges are doing, arguing which of the awful parts are the most awful.

I tend to use the 'what's the least edible' rule. Assume that you starving and you are desperate to have something. Anything. Which dish is the one that makes you go 'ewwwww' so much, you just couldn't eat it, no matter how bad it was?

By the 'ewww' rule -- undercooked shrimp. So I guess that no matter how much I hate Spike, or agree with the judges about Andrew (dude, a 'hearty' meal and you made sushi? WTF?), the 'ewww' rule dictates the loser would have to be Lisa. The bad shrimp, the badly-cooked rice.

With Spike, you could at least pick out the grapes from the chicken salad and then eat them separately later. But no amount of deconstruction will salvage an undercooked meal.

P.S. since I'm not touching anything with cilantro, if I had actually been there eating stuff, I would have picked Stephanie's dish. Good thing I'm not a judge on the show -- anything with raw onion or cilantro in it, that's it, I'm not tasting anything else for the rest of the session.

Jan

[Bob Coxner]

I would have sent all 3 of them home this week but it's probably academic. Spike and Lisa are likely to be the next 2 to go anyway.

[debtoine]

I can't stand Spike's nasty side. I never really paid him much attention until this week when he was spotlighted because he won the quickfire. I was hoping they'd send Spike and Andrew packing, and warn Lisa that tattletales need to suck it up. Colicchio said they noticed he was missing the whole grain, without Lisa telling them. They're the judges. It's their job to notice (or someone in production would probably tell them).

deb

[pmyers]

I liked Andrew (and his culinary boner) but he deserved to go home. I think he just got so lost and caught up in making something healthy that he lost sight of the rules and his audiance.

[Fleegle]

Exactly. More than missing the whole grain, his attitude was, "Here's I'm making something healthy, I couldn't care less if you actually enjoy it or not". The challenge was to make something healthy that would fit this audience. His was the one that the audience was least likely to gravitate toward, so it was a failure.

[pmyers]

BTW....props to Spike and his marketing campaign. I thought that was genius.

[verdugan]

I can't stand Lisa. She's such a hypocrite saying that it wouldn't have been fair if she got sent home after Andrew hadn't followed the rules of the challenge.

Ehh, excuse me, did she forget about the improv challenge and how she didn't include the main ingredient (polish sausage) b/c she refused to cook that? Instead she used halibut and chorizo. :confused: :down:

I want Lisa to go next week. She's a cry baby and a hypocrite. And not a great chef on top of it.

[bluetex]

I think Chef Tom and the Judges are pretty much on the same page as all of us wanting Lisa to go, but now they're just waiting for their opportunity. This time Andrew LEAPED in front of the bus -- he didn't need Lisa to toss him under it. She just kicked him when he was already dead.

They said that Lisa sure "had alot to say". Her days are numbered (and have been for a long time).

[pmyers]

I make a pretty mean turkey sloppy-joe that might have been perfect for this challange! Of course that would have been difficult without bread.

Does anybody know if things like pita or tortillas would have been allowed or are they considered "breads"? My other thought was a fajita pita.

[pmyers]

And for the record....I would have picked the same ingredients as Spike to screw everybody else....but I would have used the tomatoes as somebody here recommended by carving them out and putting the salad in them. Not sure about the bread or lettuce...I might have not used them at all.

[verdugan]

Does anybody know if things like pita or tortillas would have been allowed or are they considered "breads"? My other thought was a fajita pita.

I'm sure they were b/c Richard made burritos.

EDIT: Never mind, he used rice paper not tortillas.

[Fleegle]

I'm sure they were b/c Andrew (?) made burritos.

But he didn't use tortillas, he used rice paper.

[GDG76]

I too hoped they could just hurry it up and throw all three out of there. Definitely my least three favorites in the bottom. Spike and Andrew were so annoying together - two egomaniacs who feed each others overly inflated self-worth...

Clearly Bravo was targeting their main demographic by bringing Sam back- couldn't they at least have gotten one of the past contestants who won the show?

I'm glad my predicition of Restaurant Wars still happening is coming true, but I think it doesn't bode well for Dale, unless he ends up with his culinary crush, Richard

[verdugan]

But he didn't use tortillas, he used rice paper.

My bad. Missed that bit.

[pmyers]

I do like that Dale got called out (at least in a confessional) that all he does is asian food.

[jsmeeker]

So I know I will be disputed here, but I really think Spike or Lisa should have left.

I agree with what the judges say about Andrew's food not following the rules, but it was nutritious. And yes, he could have figured out a better food to 'bridge the gap' between nutrition and fast food, so I guess that was points against him.



I would have been OK with Spike or Lisa going. (especially Lisa). But the thing with Andrews lunch was that it just didn't taste very good according to the judges. That's always the top rule on Top Chef. Does it taste good?

[marksman]

I don't think it matters who left. Spike, Lisa and Andrew are way below the other 4. So if Andrew did not go this week, he would have gone the next week or the week after.

I still think Dale and Richard are the top two, although Stephanie has kicked it back up the last few weeks.

In the final challenge between Dale and Richard, Richard has a distinct edge because everyone likes him and everyone seems to hate Dale. Top Chef runner-ups are filled with people who could not get along with the other contestants. If they have to count on others to help them, he will be at a massive disadvantage.

[MikeMar]

I would probably do exactly what Spike did (but probably actually use all 4 IN the meal)

With that advantage you HAVE to pick things that will mess up EVERYONE else.

and you CAN'T admit that you picked them JUST to mess everyone up cause you will fully look like an ass. But how can you NOT pick stuff that will mess everyone up?

You going to pick like rhubarb, lime, cous cous, and sea bass or something? Like that is going to mess anyone else up :rolleyes:

[MikeMar]

I can't stand Lisa. She's such a hypocrite saying that it wouldn't have been fair if she got sent home after Andrew hadn't followed the rules of the challenge.

Ehh, excuse me, did she forget about the improv challenge and how she didn't include the main ingredient (polish sausage) b/c she refused to cook that? Instead she used halibut and chorizo. :confused: :down:

I want Lisa to go next week. She's a cry baby and a hypocrite. And not a great chef on top of it.

That was the whole point of Lisa going off on the RULES, she said she almost went home simply BECAUSE of the rules and now she wants to stay because she followed the rules and not everyone else did

[WhiskeyTango]

That was the whole point of Lisa going off on the RULES, she said she almost went home simply BECAUSE of the rules and now she wants to stay because she followed the rules and not everyone else did

That's what makes it so hypocritical. So it's ok for her to break the rules and stay but not someone else? When she almost got the boot, the judges said it came down to who made the worst dish and that's why she stayed. If that's the reason Andrew lost, then so be it. But if it was because he didn't use a grain, then I'm losing patience with this show. The judges can't just make up the rules as they go along, especially with the show being in it's 4th season.

[betts4]

That's what makes it so hypocritical. So it's ok for her to break the rules and stay but not someone else? When she almost got the boot, the judges said it came down to who made the worst dish and that's why she stayed. If that's the reason Andrew lost, then so be it. But if it was because he didn't use a grain, then I'm losing patience with this show. The judges can't just make up the rules as they go along, especially with the show being in it's 4th season.

+1 And I think that is why I don't like Lisa. You stated that better than I thought it out. She broke the rules and stayed Andrew broke them and left.

Well, he also had a bad dish, but so did all three of them as was stated by the judges. They could have drawn straws and it would have been okay by me.

[David Platt]

So one of the four items Spike picked that no one else could use was lettuce, but when Dale described his dish he clearly said that it was served in "lettuce cups." What's up with that?

[mrmike]

So one of the four items Spike picked that no one else could use was lettuce, but when Dale described his dish he clearly said that it was served in "lettuce cups." What's up with that?

He used Napa cabbage instead of lettuce.

[pmyers]

He used Napa cabbage instead of lettuce.

so if cabbage does not equal lettuce, then pitas and tortillas should not equal bread.

[TIVOSciolist]

Did anyone notice the scene showing the police cadets doing pushups?

Of the two women seen in the shot, one went down, collapsed, and could not get back up. The second just had her arms locked in the "up" position and did not move at all.

Hilarious.

[Ruth]

I would have been OK with Spike or Lisa going. (especially Lisa). But the thing with Andrews lunch was that it just didn't taste very good according to the judges. That's always the top rule on Top Chef. Does it taste good?

Undercooked shrimp and crispy rice also do not taste good.

But yeah, the bottom 3 all totally sucked.

Honestly Spike was my least favorite this week due to his game-playing with the ingredients. There's no need for that, and if you're going to do it anyway, at least make something interesting with the ingredients you chose. He could have made a good panzanella salad or something that really featured those tomatoes.

[verdugan]

Something else that hasn't been discussed is Lisa's claim that somebody sabotaged her rice.

I don't think even Spike would do something like that. And seeing how there's no footage of it and the fact that she's a crybaby who is never at fault, I'm very skeptical.

[flatcurve]

Something else that hasn't been discussed is Lisa's claim that somebody sabotaged her rice.

I don't think even Spike would do something like that. And seeing how there's no footage of it and the fact that she's a crybaby who is never at fault, I'm very skeptical.

Now that you mention it, I'm really disappointed with the way they edited everything in regards to that whole "sabotage" incident. The promos made it look like Spike did it. Then, when the show was airing, the brief "coming up" segments before the commercial breaks made it look like Dale was somehow guilty.

But when it actually happened, it was pretty obvious that she just plain messed up. Her rice was undercooked and she was running out of time. No self respecting TV producer would miss an opportunity to play the footage of somebody purposely sabotaging another contestant over and over.

[jsmeeker]

Undercooked shrimp and crispy rice also do not taste good.



you are right. But it's tough for us to tell which tated worse. Lisa's or Andrew's. If the judges say it was Andrew's, then I gotta trust them.


And really, how DO you undercook shrimp in a dish that asks for microwave reheating?? :)

[BlueMerle]

Something else that hasn't been discussed is Lisa's claim that somebody sabotaged her rice.

I don't think even Spike would do something like that. And seeing how there's no footage of it and the fact that she's a crybaby who is never at fault, I'm very skeptical.


I agree with those that say these are the 3 bottom feeders in the show, and the two remaining will probably go home in the next two weeks. That said, I was really hoping that Ms. Grumpy Pants.. Lisa would be sent home. I'm sick of her standing with her arms crossed and her lips pursed.


And the sabotage claim is weak at best. There has never been a confirmed case of sabotage in the series that I can recall, and if there were I would think it would make for great ratings, and that Bravo would be sure to televise it..... cause you know they've got cameras running all the time.

It think it's Richard, Stephanie, and Dale... in that order, but time will tell and anything can happen.


This season has been the most controversial IMO, and I have had some issues with the judges decisions, but I still love the show.

[Mikeyis4dcats]

so if cabbage does not equal lettuce, then pitas and tortillas should not equal bread.


I think the reason they didn't use pita or tortilla is how unhealthy they are.

[anom]

I think the reason they didn't use pita or tortilla is how unhealthy they are.
In what way is a whole grain pita less healthy than whole grain bread? A pita is bread, which is why they couldn't use it.

[Bananfish]

My latest seedings, with last week's seedings in parentheses before the name and the number of Elimination and Quickfire challenges won in parentheses after the name.

The only change this week was swapping Dale and Stephanie in 2nd and 3rd.


ELIMINATED IN 8TH (7) Nikki (0, 0)
ELIMINATED IN 7TH (5) Andrew (1, 0)

6 (7) Lisa (1, 0)
5 (6) Spike (0, 1)
4 (4) Antonia (1, 2)
3 (2) Stephanie (2, 0)
2 (3) Dale (3, 1)
1 (1) Richard (3*, 2)

*One elimination challenge prize awarded by Richard to Stephanie

[Mr. Soze]

So I know I will be disputed here, but I really think Spike or Lisa should have left.No disagreement from me. Spike should have gone. He presented 3 of his 4 ingredients in their off-the-shelf state, and that after he won the elimination challenge to get an advantage. :rolleyes: That's some weak-assed shite.

OK, enough smeeking. Now to read the thread.

[cherry ghost]

He presented 3 of his 4 ingredients in their off-the-shelf state

No he didn't

[Aniketos]

No he didn't

He did a "crudite" by putting a piece of lettuce and slice of tomato on a piece of bread. It's not off the shelf because he cut them?

[Mr. Soze]

My turn to get disputed. I liked Andrew, and while he didn't do his best work by far on this challenge, he was was the best of the bottom three by a long shot. He had real personality, and he stood behind his dish, unlike Ms. I Was Sabotaged.

Spike "Tom, what do you know about pairing sweet and salty?" Asshat, and that whiny Lisa made crap dishes that my eight year old could have done a better job of. Chicken salad? More like chicken you-know-what. And undercooked shrimp in a stir fry that is then nuked? That takes some doing. She said her directions said for 1.5 to 2.5 minutes in the microwave, and if they were still underdone then, they had to be practically raw or frozen to begin with. And SHE has the nerve to moan about Dale's attitude???? I hope she goes next.

Yay for Restaurant Wars!

[cherry ghost]

It's not off the shelf because he cut them?

correct

[Mr. Soze]

correctIt's Top Chef, not Top Slicer. :p :D

[MasterOfPuppets]

So, I'm guessing that Sam's spent every free moment since the end of his season purchasing silver jewelry, eh?

I wanted Lisa to go home. It's pathetic when you're over 5 years old and still feebly attempting to tattle on others.

The arrogance in this episode is what makes this show difficult to watch at times.

[pmyers]

I did like the concept of the challange though as many of us face ways to make the things we like, more healthy.

I love finding ways to make the bad things I like healthy, such as turkey burgers, pita pizzas, oven baked fries, oven baked fired chicken, etc etc.

[4inziksych]

My turn to get disputed. I liked Andrew, and while he didn't do his best work by far on this challenge, he was was the best of the bottom three by a long shot. He had real personality, and he stood behind his dish, unlike Ms. I Was Sabotaged.

Spike "Tom, what do you know about pairing sweet and salty?" Asshat, and that whiny Lisa made crap dishes that my eight year old could have done a better job of. Chicken salad? More like chicken you-know-what. And undercooked shrimp in a stir fry that is then nuked? That takes some doing. She said her directions said for 1.5 to 2.5 minutes in the microwave, and if they were still underdone then, they had to be practically raw or frozen to begin with. And SHE has the nerve to moan about Dale's attitude???? I hope she goes next.

Yay for Restaurant Wars!


That was the best minute of the show, when Spike dissed Tom, but I think what he actually said was something like, "What don't you understand about sweet and salty?" I loved the look on Tom's face. Can't believe he didn't get booted just for that!

[WhiskeyTango]

So, I'm guessing that Sam's spent every free moment since the end of his season purchasing silver jewelry, eh?


He should have spent some of that time shopping for a personality.