Top Chef

[Abagadro]

Anthony Bourdaine or Rocco Dispirito

Considering the former's viewpoints on the latter, it's somewhat funny that you paired the two together. I just finished reading Kitchen Confidential (which is a must read for anyone who is interested in the food biz) and am 2/3rds through The Nasty Bits.

Bourdain (who is seriously cool) loves Gordon Ramsey and thinks Dispirito is a complete douchebag that has squandered his talent.

EDIT: To make voodoolily happy.

[voodoolily]

It's BOURDAIN. No 'e' on the end. Be proper fanbois ffs.

[Numtini]

I love Top Chef, martinis in hand, we've sat riveted through all three seasons. I was glad it wasn't two idiots like last season. Probably the most talented finale of all three. Did anyone ever contemplate from halfway through the season 1 that the winner wasn't going to be the winner? And season 2 was like the Republican primaries this year--one of these idiots? you're joking? WTF?

Given that he got a villain's edit through the entire season, I was very satisfied with the winner. Plus he's from Pittsfield. Local is a plus.

I love Gordon Ramsey. I think the Brit version of Kitchen Nightmares is his best though because you can see the other side of his personality. And Boiling Point because you can see where the asshole parts come from and that they're directed at something other than entertaining a tv audience. Plus a dyke won one of the US Hell's Kitchens :)

For the food porn oriented, starting next week(?) is Next Iron Chef which is supposed to be fairly decent. All the competitors are real chefs. The judges are high caliber as well. I never missed the Japanese version, but even having Cora as an IC isn't enough to lure me to watch ICA much, but I'll give this one a try.

Bourdain. I worked in a "real" kitchen in high school. Our chef at the time is now an instructor at Johnson and Wales. Bourdain's book completely pins the experience I had as a sixteen year old scrubbing dishes, schlepping crap up from the basement, and running to the liquor store for ice when our machine broke. Working around a bunch of freaky derelicts with punk and new wave grinding out of a boom box in the window. I went to U-Mass for 5 years and spent another 4 in Amherst and all of those combined I never saw as many drugs as I did working a year part time in that kitchen. Ditto for obscenity. Gave me one other great gift. As a true lover of food and cooking, I have absolutely zero interest in ever owning, opening, or otherwise being involved in the restaurant business.

[Abagadro]

Oh, and apparently the reason they went live with the reveal (even though it was very lame) was because the winner had been spoiled the last two seasons.

[schild]

Anthony Bourdaine or Rocco Dispirito

Considering the former's viewpoints on the latter, it's somewhat funny that you paired the two together. I just finished reading Kitchen Confidential (which is a must read for anyone who is interested in the food biz) and am 2/3rds through The Nasty Bits.

Bourdain (who is seriously cool) loves Gordon Ramsey and thinks Dispirito is a complete douchebag that has squandered his talent.

EDIT: To make voodoolily happy.

To be fair, I think I'd like Gordon Ramsey if the people on his show weren't such absolutely fucktards. That's what makes the show uninteresting - I want to see good cooks cook. I don't need to waste time watching a line cook from Red Lobster fuck up. If I wanted that, I'd film myself cooking.

[Johny Cee]

Given that he got a villain's edit through the entire season, I was very satisfied with the winner. Plus he's from Pittsfield. Local is a plus.

Ahh.  Are you from that corner of Mass, Numtini?

[UD_Delt]

Anyone watch The Next Iron Chef?

Might have to check this out one Sunday if it's not too crowded:
http://blogs.clevescene.com/cnotes/2007/10/next_iron_chef_sundays_at_loli.php

Lolita is only about 10 minutes from my place and $19 for a dinner there is a steal even if the menu is already chose for you.

[HaemishM]

I love Top Chef. I really thought Tre there in the end, but he had the bad day with a team that didn't support him. I was hoping Dale would win because none of Hung's food really looked all that fantastic to me. It looked good, certainly technically correct, but without any real personality. His entire set of speeches from the last two episodes was him trying to deny what the judges were telling him all along, your shit is letter perfect but soulless. He always just seemed to fall back on his excellent skills without trying to risk anything.

I liked Elan from Season 2, but really thought Sam should have won. Marcel was just a douche.

I hated Gordon Ramsay, until last night I caught a few episodes of the Brit Kitchen Nightmares show. I figured out why I had no interest in seeing any of his US Fox shows. The US stuff seemed edited to show nothing but him being a complete cockmonkey to everything and everyone. The Brit show had him cursing, but none of the yelling and screaming and denigrating that the US versions have featured. He genuinely seemed like a guy that was passionate about food and wanted folks to not fuck it up. The US just made him seem like a horrible little cunt.

[schild]

Maybe that's true about the US versions (all I've really seen/Ramsey).

As for Season 2, I wanted Sam to win from his first quickfire challenge. He was robbed for the sake of drama.

As for Hung, his SKILLS were so much better than everyone else he didn't even belong on the show. The man is a knifemare. Amazing to just watch. Also, Haemish, his Hamachi and ESPECIALLY the duck were the two best looking versions of both foods I'd ever seen. And I've eaten a good deal of both.

[Morfiend]

I have interest because I'm about to start a radical diet. After zee surgery.

Well, more of a lifestyle change than a real diet. I cut out ALL fast foods and all sodas. I also am trying to watch my salts cause high blood pressure runs in my family. Im 30 now and not getting any healthier by sitting at a desk all day. So I though "Now or never". I also try and cook more healthy foods and eat out a lot less. I also do push-ups every morning.

So far I have lost around 25+ lbs in 3 months. Down to around 215.

But damn does a Jack in the Box Sourdough Jack sounds good right now.

[Nebu]

Things you can do to lose weight.

1) Eat many small meals instead of 2-3 large ones.  It maintains a more consistent blood sugar profile. 

2) Keep portions small: a portion is no larger than the size of your fist.  FOR ANYTHING.

3) 3 of the meals should have a carb, a lean protein, and a veg.  Fruits count as carbs.  The other 3 meals are usually a carb or carb + protein.

4) Protein = White meat chicken, eggs, soy, whey, seafood.  No red meat and no dark poultry.

5) Carbs = WHOLE GRAINS (brown rice, whole wheat bread, etc) or fruit (whole fruit, not fruit juice): NO PROCESSED CARBS.  PERIOD.

6) To speed up the process: 3 days weight training, 3 days of elevated heartrate aerobic exercise.  30 min a day minimum.

7) ALWAYS take a multi-vitamin. 

Eight) Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.  Dehydration is the number one problem in americans.

This program works 100% of the time and results will be easily apparent in 2 weeks.  Amazing results begin to appear at 12 weeks with exercise. 

[schild]

I have a fist 3 quarters the size of a Chipotle burrito.

Edit: Shit, I'm snarky today.

[Nebu]

I have a fist 3 quarters the size of a Chipotle burrito.

Must come in handy as a single guy.

[voodoolily]

I beg to differ on the no red meat thing - I eat plenty of buffalo (readily available at grocery stores), because it is wild (e.g., not raised on feedlots and forced IN DEFIANCE OF GOD'S WILL to eat corn instead of grass), has a higher iron and lower fat content, and it damn tasty. I am making a pot roast of it today, as a matter of fact.

I switched from soda to Vitamin Water (50 cal v. 100 cal/serving), and then eventually to water. I use sweet potatoes or squash instead of regular potatoes on most days, so I still get that starchy comfort thing but at least get a little beta carotene. Making too many sacrifices at once WILL cause you to backslide (out of self pity). You just gotta know when to cut yourself some slack, and then try to pick a less-terrible option. If you want a burrito, get it without guac and sour cream and get black beans instead of refried. Not too devastating.

[schild]

I have a fist 3 quarters the size of a Chipotle burrito.

Must come in handy as a single guy.

Speak for yourself.

[schild]

I only drink diet soda except rarely - 0 calories 90% of the time. And an absolute shitton of water. We have it delivered and have a water cooler. We talk around it.

[Nebu]

I beg to differ on the no red meat thing - I eat plenty of buffalo (readily available at grocery stores), because it is wild (e.g., not raised on feedlots and forced IN DEFIANCE OF GOD'S WILL to eat corn instead of grass), has a higher iron and lower fat content, and it damn tasty. I am making a pot roast of it today, as a matter of fact.

My bad.  I should have been more careful rather than generalizing.  Buffalo is excellent for being a high nutrient, low fat protein. 

[Bunk]

Maybe that's true about the US versions (all I've really seen/Ramsey).

Dude, you are the master of torrenting foreign TV shows. Do yourself a favour and grab the UK version of Kitchen Nightmares. Then you might understand why the US Kitchen Nightmares FOX's EXREME RESTAURANT MAKEOVER!!1! makes want to cry.

[Morfiend]

One thing they do say is to try and start slowly. My main thing that I cant do is whole wheat bread. I fucking cant stand the stuff. I dont know why, I just cant.

[Bunk]

One thing they do say is to try and start slowly. My main thing that I cant do is whole wheat bread. I fucking cant stand the stuff. I dont know why, I just cant.

On that topic: parents of little ones - start your kids early. People eat the kind of bread they are used to. My mom only served whole wheat when I was a kid, and now it's all I will eat. The thought of white Wonderbread actually makes my slightly nauseous.

The chunkier and bittier my bread is, the better.

[Morfiend]

Actually that was all I was allowed when I was a kid was the hardcore whole wheat stuff. I think it put me off. When it comes to loaves of bread, ill buy Country Potato. Wonderbread is horrible. But when I go to a deli for a sandwich I will usually get a white roll, or sourdough.

[Signe]

I'm not sure how anything can be chunky and bitty at the same time.  Too quantum for me, I think.

Also, if you're you're trying to cut down on bread but must have white, use that Pepperidge Farm Very Thin bread.  It's almost even there!

[Soln]

Seen em all. Also, all the Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares made in the UK.  Still want to see the Boiling Point and followup that launched Ramsay.

Top Chef.  Yes, people who actually can cook. Competently. 

I really wanted Sam to win Season 2.  I thought Ilan was weak sauce.


If you want to avoid a SPOILER, don't read the Top Chef Wikipedia entry.  I didn't know who would win S3 and they have it up there.  Gah.

[Yoshimaru]

Japan Iron Chef sucks balls. If given the choice between a pizza cook from Naples, a cook from Provence, a cook from Boston, or a native, then they will always choose the man from Kyoto with the squid and eels. It's bullshit.

Not true, There were many foreign chefs from Europe and America that won over the Japanese Iron chefs...  Bobby Flay (who I hate with a passion) won TWICE against Morimoto. 

[Evildrider]

Japan Iron Chef sucks balls. If given the choice between a pizza cook from Naples, a cook from Provence, a cook from Boston, or a native, then they will always choose the man from Kyoto with the squid and eels. It's bullshit.

Not true, There were many foreign chefs from Europe and America that won over the Japanese Iron chefs...  Bobby Flay (who I hate with a passion) won TWICE against Morimoto. 

I thought they tied?  I thought Flay lost the first one after he electrocuted himself and was an ass on Japanese television.  Then he whined about his loss and they had a rematch, which he won.

BTW I'm not a big fan of Flay.. if anything Batali and Morimoto are way more then he'll ever be.  Batali is probably the best chef on Food Network and he's so under utilized it's a crime. 

[Yoshimaru]

Japan Iron Chef sucks balls. If given the choice between a pizza cook from Naples, a cook from Provence, a cook from Boston, or a native, then they will always choose the man from Kyoto with the squid and eels. It's bullshit.

Not true, There were many foreign chefs from Europe and America that won over the Japanese Iron chefs...  Bobby Flay (who I hate with a passion) won TWICE against Morimoto. 

I thought they tied?  I thought Flay lost the first one after he electrocuted himself and was an ass on Japanese television.  Then he whined about his loss and they had a rematch, which he won.

BTW I'm not a big fan of Flay.. if anything Batali and Morimoto are way more then he'll ever be.  Batali is probably the best chef on Food Network and he's so under utilized it's a crime. 

Ya, you're right, Morimoto won the first won, then Flay won the rematch.

But Flay acted like an A1 asshole both times.

[Evildrider]

Japan Iron Chef sucks balls. If given the choice between a pizza cook from Naples, a cook from Provence, a cook from Boston, or a native, then they will always choose the man from Kyoto with the squid and eels. It's bullshit.

Not true, There were many foreign chefs from Europe and America that won over the Japanese Iron chefs...  Bobby Flay (who I hate with a passion) won TWICE against Morimoto. 

I thought they tied?  I thought Flay lost the first one after he electrocuted himself and was an ass on Japanese television.  Then he whined about his loss and they had a rematch, which he won.

BTW I'm not a big fan of Flay.. if anything Batali and Morimoto are way more then he'll ever be.  Batali is probably the best chef on Food Network and he's so under utilized it's a crime. 

Ya, you're right, Morimoto won the first won, then Flay won the rematch.

But Flay acted like an A1 asshole both times.

Ya, I think he's mellowed out a bit though since back then.  He's surprisingly civil on that Throwdown show, but I bet his two lady helpers wanna strangle him sometimes.

I mean if you are gonna be an ass.. go all the way like Gordon Ramsey.  hehe.

[HaemishM]

Bobby Flay always struck me as the most arrogant douchebag. And I should know.

[Evildrider]

Bobby Flay always struck me as the most arrogant douchebag. And I should know.

He was your lover?

[HaemishM]

He's hardly my type.

[Signe]

Bobby Flay is sort of cute but Haemish's wife is drop dead gorgeous.

[HaemishM]

Goddamn right.

[Calantus]

I don't get the no red meat no processed carbs stuff. All I do is eat much, much less than I did before. I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner only. No snacks, not even an apple. If I want an apple I eat it with a meal. Breakfast is a cereal. Lunch is a sandwich. Dinner is whatever is served but typically half the serve the rest of the family eats. I did the no snacks thing because then it's hard to cheat, you can't just eat up a shitload of stuff without realising it. I'm seeing everything I'm putting in my mouth for the next few hours right on my plate.

I think the reality is we just eat more than we need to. I'm sure those tricks work nicely but just less also works. I find after enough time not eating too much your body gets accostomed to it. We had some pizza last week. Now in the past I could put away an entire large pizza and not feel anything but a content stomach. This time I had 2 slices and wished I'd chosen a smaller slice for my second. 2 sandwiches at lunch and I feel bloated, etc. The biggest thing that helped me is to make eating its own event. Don't eat in front of the TV. Don't eat in front of the computer. When eating means doing nothing else for as long as you're eating it loses some of its allure. This is helped by eating slowly. I take 45 minutes for lunch and it will take that long to eat my sandwich (I sit out in the sun though so it's not a sad ol' time of taking a bite every other minute and staring at the walls).

I came to the realisation that I liked eating much more than I disliked being fat. How can you win a war you don't want to win? The trick was to make day-to-day eating less fun. It's something I do because I have to. It's nice enough but I'd rather be playing X game or watching Y movie than eating a fucking ham and salad sandwich.

[voodoolily]

I won September's Paper Chef. My chowder pwned!

[Signe]

Gratz!!!

Your blog makes me cry tears of fun happy glorious  joy!