TV cooking contest shows

[Blarg]

Cool Katie! They usually run the last episode right before the new one, so you can catch up a bit that way. Plus, last week they ran the last TWO episodes, so you might be able to catch a three-hour block there to get you up to speed.

[Ron Burgundy]

Top Chef 7/18

[Blarg]

On Pacific Coast time; I've got a couple hours to go before I catch any spoilers over there!

[revots33]

BTW they show Ramsey's "Kitchen Nightmares" on BBC and it's a REALLY good show.

I know they are remaking it here in America, but I have a feeling they will play up Ramsey's abusive Hell's Kitchen schtik and try to make it a comedy. The British version is great because these are real chefs who are really in danger of running their restaurants into bankruptcy, and Chef Ramsey really seems like he wants to help them. Also the chefs have that uniquely British brand of stoicism and understatement about their plight (and in the face of Ramsey's abuse) that it makes for great tv.

[trying2learn]

[ QUOTE ]
BTW they show Ramsey's "Kitchen Nightmares" on BBC and it's a REALLY good show.

I know they are remaking it here in America, but I have a feeling they will play up Ramsey's abusive Hell's Kitchen schtik and try to make it a comedy. The British version is great because these are real chefs who are really in danger of running their restaurants into bankruptcy, and Chef Ramsey really seems like he wants to help them. Also the chefs have that uniquely British brand of stoicism and understatement about their plight (and in the face of Ramsey's abuse) that it makes for great tv.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT

i just watched last nights & it's EASILY my fav hour of tv each week. i'm sure much of the credit for the turnaround is the word spreading that Ramsey & BBC are helping the restaurant - but even still - it's amazing watching what this guy does to a place. this is going to sound lame, but i go from laughing, to amazement, to choked up - when he takes some poor business & turns it into a money making machine for them.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
BTW they show Ramsey's "Kitchen Nightmares" on BBC and it's a REALLY good show.

I know they are remaking it here in America, but I have a feeling they will play up Ramsey's abusive Hell's Kitchen schtik and try to make it a comedy. The British version is great because these are real chefs who are really in danger of running their restaurants into bankruptcy, and Chef Ramsey really seems like he wants to help them. Also the chefs have that uniquely British brand of stoicism and understatement about their plight (and in the face of Ramsey's abuse) that it makes for great tv.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT

i just watched last nights & it's EASILY my fav hour of tv each week. i'm sure much of the credit for the turnaround is the word spreading that Ramsey & BBC are helping the restaurant - but even still - it's amazing watching what this guy does to a place. this is going to sound lame, but i go from laughing, to amazement, to choked up - when he takes some poor business & turns it into a money making machine for them.

[/ QUOTE ]

What day and hour is this on? Is there any way Americans can see it? We get a lot of channels, but no BBC. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Shame, because pretty much everything non-fiction BBC does is absolutely top notch and a welcome relief.

[trying2learn]

i'm in vegas & BBC is in the 300's on cox cable. it's on (first run) thursday's at i think 5...maybe 6. i always dvr it & watch it later @ night. i'm going to look for previous seasons on dvd though...i dig it that much...i'll let you know if i find it.

[Ron Burgundy]

blarg,

Yes, Howie needs to branch out from pork in the same way that Brian needs to branch out from fish. But of course, a one trick pony won last year, so who knows.

I like the gay mohawk dude, but he just seems to have too many ambitious ideas that his skill level can't handle.

T2L,

Do you get the Fine Living network? There's a show that has a similar premise of the "restaurant makeover." I forget who the chef is, but I remember she was on Iron Chef once.

There's also a show where they follow people around who are trying to open a restaurant. It's interesting to see the whole process of remodeling the space, hiring chefs, buying equipment, etc. It's funny how they always have some major crisis or problems right up until opening night.

[Blarg]

Here's Bourdain's latest blog entry on Ruhlman's site. It was good to see he was as cynical as I was about the tetchy, very set up way that JAG had to "apologize".

TOP SECRET!

After the confusing, frighteningly eerie, Soviet style public "confession on NFNS last week, I put out feelers to sympathizers within The Organization. The following completely unverifiable document, alleged to be an internal memorandum from the Ministry of Information to the Central Committee, arrived anonymously immediately following last night's final episode:

"CLASSIFIED: NOT FOR DISSEMINATION! EYES ONLY!

"Citizen JAG did his duty, and 'repented' to Comrades Tuschman and Fogelson as arranged. His words, as written by this officer Ministry of Information, expressed appropriate regret--and most importantly, released the Central Committe from blame or liability for his Crimes. Comrade Tuschman's remarks concerning: "rumors swirling around" are to be commended for their deflection of further questions from the organs of the press. Citizen JAG's 'resignation' was accepted by the Comrades as agreed and he was--on recommendation from the Directorate of Propaganda--invited to join the Victorious Mayday Celebration at which time the "winner" was to be announced. Citizen Amy was returned from Re-Education Camp where she had been undergoing treatment for Anti-Party Utterances like "cocotte" and for suspicion of Foreign Influences.

During a film presentation to the audience, the lingering question of Citizen Rory's state of origin was neatly deflected--before it could become a problem. Agent Mark Somers, (Code Name: Unctuous Haircut) did a masterful job of keeping the Glorious Ceremonies moving. The former contestants were invited to return and to meet with the Old Comrades and to exchange expressions of Solidarity and Party Spirit before a compliant audience bussed in by our comrades at the Ministry of Transportation. (May I commend them on their work. They would laugh and cheer for a colostomy of requested to do so).

Old Comrade Flay made a serious slip at this time, making reference to the Group of Three who, he claimed, "started" the Network. To compound his Error, he made specific reference to Former Old Comrade Mario--whose photograph we had just succeeded in deleting from our literature and lobby mural. This smacks of Calumny Against The Brand, and the Glorification of the Individual vs. the State. Comrade Flay will be advised of his transgression in private session with the Security Directorate.

Old Comrade Lagasse did his Duty, making a personal appearance. His demeanor, while subdued, did not( as yet) reflect his disappointment with his change of time slot. Suggest an Award of some kind-perhaps at South Beach this year, commending him for his years of service--before retiring him.. This is a problem we have disussed at length with the Committee. Security Directorate, as you know, suggests a more..final approach. This Dept. would have to agree. The Old Comrade does not, as you know, fit in with our plans for the New Vanguard.

Nor does Citizen Amy.

Reeducation has its limits. And her French ways and lack of blondeness pose a serious problem in future. That the viewing audience was allowed to publicly rebuke the Committee by voting her the winner could have been embarrassing to the Maximum Leader--who Herself graciously consented to congratulate the victor. Fortunately, we followed the dictum that "When Confronted with a Steaming, Embarrassing Turd on the Floor, Cover It With Baloons." and it--once again, proved a successful strategy.

Sincerely,

Name Blacked Out Here

Deputy Director, Ministry of Information and Special Services

Food Network"
Ruhlman's blog where Bourdain often guest blogs

[ElSapo]

I think the Food Network has done themselves a real diservice here. Which, ok, maybe isn't the end of the world or anything. After all, it's a cable network about food and they're probably doing just fine.

But what happened last night and last week, I think, represents a gap between where FN is now and where they're going.

The new shows seem to target some apparent need to produce decent food in little to no time. There's an obvious push away from anything more complicated, as if the network fears its viewers have a complete hatred of anything complex.

Assuming this was true, it just seems like FN is educating its viewers on the basics but then not graduating them. There's only so many times you can watch very simple food prepared very quickly — at some point your viewers will either stop gaining and so stop watching, or stop gaining and want something more, something FN doesn't do.

So the folks at Food Network voted off Amy - not approachable, too snooty, or whatever. And then, when the whole Jag thing hit the fan, they bring Amy back and the country votes for her.

That seems to me like they're a little out of touch with their audience.

And what a disaster - Rory having to lose to someone she previously beat, and with no additional challenge? Ugh. I really disliked Rory and I really liked Amy, but still, that's a lousy, lousy way for it to go down.

I think I would definitely watch Amy's show. I don't find her cooking all that complicated (jesus, she baked some eggs and the judges said she was unapproachable. She baked eggs.) ... But while her food isn't too much more complicated it maybe is a step or so above some of the other stuff.

It amazes me they let Good Eats survive. I love that show, but I wonder how it stacks up against others.

Granted, I'm coming at this from a different point of view than most people watching the network (culinary school). But I get the sense FN is really missing something, and last night's train wreck of an episode was a good sign of that.