Master Chef

[fireheart]

While I doubt she'll win it all, I am hoping she'll do well overall. She does seem to be a good cook, and you know she earned major Gordon-points in the tryouts when she said she left the rice out because it wasn't ready.

Actually, I really hope she lasts at least as long as the blind taste test challenge. I can't remember if MC does those, but they should do one this season just for her.

She also earned major Gordon-points for tasting all of her ingredients as well, which helped her identify what was good, bad and ready. But yes, she was honest and humbling as well.

It's not a "blind" taste test per se, but they're given a dish and asked to identify ingredients. Usually there's about 20-25 ingredients there under domes.

[Jester]

As she said to Gordon, both humbly and correctly, she HAS to taste everything, since she can't SEE how it turned out.

And by the way props to her for leaving out a component of the dish that she knew, as Graham mentioned, was basically needed to ground the dish. Too many contestants in such shows, including professional chefs who should know better, leave a bad component in even when they know it's bad, hoping for SOME reason that the judges will overlook it.

Like that ever happens.

GO CHIRSTINE! May the blind lead the blind.

[firecat88]

Did anyone else catch today's episode? If not, read no further than this. Here, there be spoilers..
















I personally didn't agree with the Red Team winning. Running out of food when there's a line of 100+ people and serving raw pork to one of said people is not ok. Also, David was a terrible leader. It's not a good thing to be all "I'm just going to let everyone else do what they're going to do so I have to do as little as possible". And what was up with Mr. 'Show them your nipples!'? He needs to just...go away.

Something I did love, though, was that no one from the Blue Team actually wanted to take the immunity at first. It takes a lot of guts to say 'I could go up to the balcony and be safe from elimination, but I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to stay right here and cook. If it's the last thing I cook on this show, so be it.' I officially love every single person who was on that team.

[Jester]

I had no problem with the Red Team winning, as they winner was decided by the Marines voting for their preferred dish.

I agree, however, that David sucked badly as a leader, and that Ryan is just a repulsive ass. And I am not too fond of Tali either. These guys are just not nice people, and I would love to see them end up head first in the oven.

On the passing on immunity, I agreed with the team leader sticking it out rather than naming himself, but damn it, if you get chosen to take immunity, as Ramsey said, take the damn immunity. Felix took it. Smart cookie, that one.

My favorite part, though, was when Christine, whose strength is not baking, clearly had one of the two best pies. I loved the way Ramsey castigated her for her lack of confidence, when he was clearly impressed with her product.

And while I don't bake, some of the other efforts were dismal, to say the least. Yes, cheese goes great on apple pie, but you melt it on AFTER you've baked the pie. And that, Michael, is why you are no longer on Master Chef. And some of the other ones, including the guy who said he's made about 8 apple pies in the last few months...woefully done, and that's being kind.

I very much look forward to tonight's episode.

[Jester]

Thoughts on tonight's (Tuesday's) episode:

Does anyone else see a lot of Season 2's Christian in Ryan? Arrogant douche. But, just like Christian, I would love to taste his food. Not hang out with him. Not talk with him. Not really even be around him. But let him cook for me? Oh yeah. Still want him and Tali eliminated, though.

"The only thing that Chinese people don't eat with legs are chairs." Hil-freakin'-larious! I love Felix!

I have to say, I know a lot of people would probably be grossed out by the mystery box challenge, but not only would I love to try my hand at cooking some of that stuff, I would love to actually eat so many of the dishes the contestants are preparing. (And beef tongue is nothing new to me...been eating it on sandwiches since before I can remember.)

"I hope Ryan gets crabs." I love Monti! And she's a hottie.

But...I have to completely disagree with Monti on something. What kind of a dick gives a live crab to the blind chick? A guy in a cooking competition with a blind chick. That's who. From what I saw in his decision, it was based on culinary skill, and he thought the live crab would fluster her. The apple pie flustered her, and it wasn't alive. Christine is awesome, but she DOES fluster. And while she DID want the canned crab, I am pretty sure she would be the first to say that she wants to be treated like anyone other contestant in this competition. And for all Monti knows, Christine might actually prefer the fresh crab to the canned. So, yeah, Monti, I adore you and all, but I actually have to defend Ryan on this one. (And now I need a shower....I feel dirty.)

Tali gets given the gift of a gorgeous crab, and he does....that?!? To quote that kid from The Simpsons, "Ha, ha!" And the utter arrogance to think that his food is so good that these three culinary giants just...can't...see it? No wonder he and Ryan are such close buddies. At least Ryan has some talent to go with his arrogance.

I LOVE the fact that, once again, Christine defied expectations. Even better is that Gordon called Ryan out and made him eat crow--er, uh, crab. And he had to swallow his pride and admit that she nailed it. And I have to admit, she surprised me with crab ceviche cocktail. I LOVE ceviche, and have made it many times.....and it would have not been something I would have thought of to do to a live crab. Damn impressive. And yes, I love Christine, too.

And Monti's crab scotch egg was genius...totally out of the box...and I am so glad she pulled it off and made Ryan look like an ass three times. I SO want to be this chick's rebound!

And the end...was ALMOST awesome. Christine winning and Tali going home due to Ryan's strategy would have been so delicious. Oh, well. Maybe next week.

My front runners? Christine. Becky. And, as much as I hate to admit it, Ryan. Dark horses? Josh and Monti. Not because I have a thing for her, but because she has potential that even she doesn't realize, but if she does, she could be dangerous.

[Barracuda]

I suspect, unfortunately, that Ryan will be in the top two. And that is because the judges won't send him home, even if he deserves it, so they can have drama for the show. They did the same thing last year with Christian--although at least when Ryan had Christine's dish rubbed in his face, unlike Christian he was at least gracious enough to admit it was good, which Christian couldn't do. I must say, though, I am amazed--all that crab, and NO ONE thought to do a crab cake? Mike might have had a good idea there if he had thickened with cornstarch or some other flavorless thickening agent besides flour. I must admit, though, Monti's scotch egg did look yummy--and a very creative idea. And to my eyes, Tali should have gone home, hands down, over Helene. Seasoning crab shell and not having any noticeable crab meat in the dish? Helene's dish was at least edible, even if it didn't live up to fresh crab. Tali's? Was a total disaster. I think they kept him, again, for drama, not for his cooking.

[Jester]

Maybe I'm a gullible sucker, but I really believe that THESE judges, who are not television producers or network executives, make their judgements based upon culinary merit alone.

While I agree with you on Tali's dish, since I have only SEEN it and not TASTED it (or Helene's), I can't disagree with the judges.


On another completely unrelated note, I have often commented in other parts of this site about my Death Glare (tm), which I have been known to use on various boyfriends of various nieces, among others. Joe's look of contempt is as close to my Death Glare (tm) as anything else I've ever seen. Man, that guy can give the look of a mean heartless bastard!

[Jester]

After tonight's episode, I have this to say:

Haaaa haaaa!!!!!!


Tweedledee is dead. Now I can only hope Tweedledum gets sent packing tomorrow.

Oh, and Monti? I'm single. Just saying.

[firecat88]

I didn't expect either of them to give up their aprons, honestly. Also- Why? Why is the Graham Elliot wannabe still there?

[Andara Bledin]

After tonight's episode, I have this to say:

Haaaa haaaa!!!!!!

Tweedledee is dead. Now I can only hope Tweedledum gets sent packing tomorrow.

I don't normally watch the show, but it was on while we were doing laundry tonight, and I got to see the last 15 minutes, so I knew, somewhat, what was going on because of this thread.

And the one that gave up his apron was totally not the one that should have gone home. The judges mentioned that one wasn't finished and the other didn't taste right, so his being the one that came out like soup means that it, at least, tasted good.

It would have been interesting if they'd done a reversal, where the one that was willing to step forward got to stay, and the one that wasn't willing to admit he served up crap got sent packing.

But I have no stake in the show, nor did I even see the first 3/4 of this episode, so I may have no idea what I'm talking about.

^-.-^

[Barracuda]

I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised. Unlike last season, where arrogance kept advancing and advancing, this tiime it got what it deserved. And Tanya is a moron for thinking there's any depth at all to Ryan. I couldn't BELIEVE it when she basically said he's a nice guy below the surface. Yeah, right. BS.

[Jester]

Barracuda, I don't completely agree with you, as I am sure Ryan has his good points and his friends and whatnot. But on the show, he was a total arrogant prick.

I am pretty sure Tanya was a little starstruck, and had a thing for Ryan, thus her defense of him. At least, that's the way it came off to me.

I will give Ryan credit for having integrity though, because at the end, he DID step forward, and that is something I didn't think he would do, and something I am quite sure Tali would never do. Because as arrogant an ass as Ryan was, Tali seems just as arrogant, AND a bit delusional about his own abilities, and those of others.

And guess who is now alone and with no one on his side? Yep. The second member of the self-proclaimed "Dream Team." Both of whom baked absolute nightmares in the pressure test.

I would love to see Tali go home next, even if he is not the worst cook left, because he is such an ass.

And as someone who thinks Monti and Christine both rock, yesterday's episode was just too sweet for words.

[Jetfire]

Wow, shortest villain edit ever I think. Usually the bad guys stick around like a bad penny, but he was gone already.

He seems rather delusional, about his own skills and especially Tali's skills. Ryan was an idiot for throwing himself in front of the bus like that. Tali's already flubbed up multiple dishes while Ryan has had decent showings (until now). Tali should have been the one to go home.

Going back to the start of the ep though, seeing Ryan and Tali as the final two was great... And then the extra salt in the wound by offering Christine the chance to swap choices was incredible. I think everyone knew what was going to happen, but it was a trainwreck no one could look away from.

I admit during the service, I was worried about the Red team. I should've seen they were getting the bad edit, but still, Felix looked completely out of her depth there. If Red team had lost, she would have been one of the ones taking the challenge; and I'm not sure if Gordon would have been able to justify saving Christine at that point. She was the team lead; she should have been on top of Felix more often to make sure things were going well. (Then again, the Edit Monkeys were probably in full force there and she probably was trying to keep on top of things).

Luckily, red won after all, so we don't have to play that What If game, and we got to see one of the more annoying players booted, so happy all around.

[JoitheArtist]

During last season of MasterChef, I got very attached to contestant Ben Starr. He always looked like he really wanted to be there, and never said anything bad about a fellow contestant. I know, I enjoy the drama too, but it's nice to see a change as well.

He's been blogging about this season, and meeting with some of the contestants to get their stories, and it's pretty interesting stuff. It's at benstarr.com, just click on the Blog tab.

eta: I'm also cheering for Christine and Monti! Christine, because she's freaking AMAZING, and Monti because she's hilarious, insane, and the snobby people don't think she can cook so I want her to beat the crap out of them.

[JoitheArtist]

That. is. awesome. I really hope that they make mention of her down here (running Aussie MasterChef at the moment) as an inspiration.

We have a contestant at the moment on MasterChef Australia who is a practicing Muslim. The first time we have had a practicing Muslim on the show. The only concession I am aware of at the moment that has been made for her has been that all the meat on the show is halal. Given my watching of MasterChef has been sporadic, I've only caught episodes here and there, but from my understanding, she still participates in challenges and masterclasses involving pork and alcohol, but does not actually taste.
l.

I LOVE MasterChef AU! Best reality show on tv, period. I hate that I have such trouble finding the vids online. And I've been rooting for Amina, because she's just adorable!