Tom Colicchio discusses Top Chef season four
Top Chef’s season finale is this Wednesday, with Richard, Stephanie, and Lisa competing for the title. Head judge Tom Colicchio recently sat down with Salon to talk about season four of Top Chef, the judging process, and other celebrity chefs. Here’s a rundown of some of the chef’s remarks:
- Colicchio doesn’t feel pressured to give a woman the title of Top Chef. Plenty of female contestants have been in the finale or come close to winning.
- He called season four’s contestants the “strongest group as a whole.”
- If you meet one of the Top Chef judges, resist the urge to second-guess their decisions. Colicchio likes to “lecture” people who criticize him. He explained that the judges’ deliberations last up to two hours, and viewers only see a few minutes of that discussion. The judges also make their choice to eliminate a contestant based on that week’s performances alone.
- Fans were shocked when Dale, a favorite to win, was sent home. Tom Colicchio wasn’t judging that week, and confessed that the elimination surprised him as well. However, he was told that Dale’s dish was clearly the worst dish of the week.
- He disagreed with a contestant’s claim that the key to winning Top Chef is “getting your point of view across.” Cooking good food is the way to win.
- When asked if he would hire any past Top Chef contestants, Colicchio singled out Tiffany and Harold from the first season, Sam (season two), and Hung (season three).
[via PopCandy]
Becks Turns Up the Heat
David Beckham attends the opening of Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon Ramsay’s new restaurant, The London West Hollywood, hungry for more than attention.
Turns out the Beckhams are tremendous foodies and longtime friends of Ramsay. Posh may look like she only eats a few kernels of flaxseed every day, but Ramsay says the power couple can power their way through good food. And, he adds, David is quite the chef himself.
A gorgeous man who cooks? We now forgive you for that dorky outfit, Becks!
Survivor Micronesia: I’m in Such a Hot Pickle!
(S16E09) “It’s something you have to try, kind of like a juicy rabbit.” - James talking about the bowl of bats at the feast.
Ew! Perhaps if they didn’t still have fur, were diced and then sautéed in a light garlic butter sauce. Um, no. I still don’t think I’d be eating bats when there’s a whole table of fruit and other good food. I guess I’m just not that experimental with my foodstuffs. For tonight’s new low fat, no bat review of Survivor Micronesia, read on past the jump.
It’s that time of the season, time for the merge. I think I tend to enjoy post-merge better than pre-merge, especially if one tribe is being dominated by the other. Individual immunity shakes things up a bit more and gives a new dynamic to players. Thankfully, the merge went down before Malakal was totally decimated.
But when the merge happens, there’s always a flurry of alliance activities. Right now the fans versus favorites seems to be falling by the wayside. Parvati, Ozzy, and Eliza have each made strong bonds with fans, perhaps stronger bonds than with their own group. Going across the lines now that the game has gone individual is smart. If played right, it’s kind of like having double agents.
There were definitely some noteworthy snickers in tonight’s show:
- Well, James eating the bat. Yeah, I know I said this is a bat-free review. But I was just out-witting you so you’d read on past the jump.
- Amanda getting jealous of Alexis and Ozzy’s newfound attraction. Nothing against Amanda, but I’m so not into people losing sight of the game because they’ve gone all ga-ga over someone. I don’t know Alexis, thus she can lose sight of the game … as long as Ozzy stays on his game!
- Erik making up a fake tribe name and they bought it! I think I’m liking this kid more each week.
- Eliza, looking like one of those big-eyed kids in the old velvet paintings, was like a lost puppy dog looking for a home. I know that could be viewed as sad, but I’m in a cynical mood here tonight. I got a kick out of the editing showing her behind every bush.
- I think I outright guffawed when Jason told Eliza if he wins immunity, he’ll give her the hidden idol. And then when he went through with it…! And then for her to be sure it’s fake and go ahead and play it at Tribal Council! Priceless.
- Although I was a bit irked when Eliza outed Ozzy for having the hidden idol, his reaction was worth a big smile — “It took me an hour to make that!”
Then there were some unfunny things. Well, one in particular. His name is Jason. Who the hell does he think he is? While I have to give him credit for winning the immunity in a challenge which I was sure was Ozzy’s to win, this kid is full of himself. And he says he wants to send “Ozzy’s cocky ass” home? Pot-kettle-black!
First off, this skinny Survivor superstar wannabe isn’t thinking ahead. Why would he give that idol (which he thought was real) to Eliza? If he’s in it to win it, even if he won immunity next, the wise thing to do would be to hang onto it for down the road because you have to know you’re not going to win every immunity challenge. That was a dumb move, as dumb as thinking a stick with poorly carved face is real. Yet he wants Ozzy to teach him how to use the spear? I have a lot more respect for his doppleganger Erik. At least Erik has a bit of honesty and humility about himself.
I wasn’t too keen on Parvati in her own season and she’s making me relive the days. I’m so glad Amanda has now become a bit leery of her. Parvati likes to run the show, but I think Amanda can run a better show. On an added Parvati note, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard the expression “in a hot pickle.” Is there a temperature of the pickle when you’re in a pickle? Why would you heat a pickle? Maybe I just lead a sheltered life.
In tonight’s immunity challenge I got the feeling of deja vu all over again. It’s the same challenge, different grates. If I were a wagering kind of woman, I would have laid money on the table for an Ozzy win. I forgot how many minutes he can stay underwater, but it’s some amazing amount of time. It’s a good thing I didn’t bet my money. I also would have bet that Cirie would be out first. I would be dead wrong. I think I’m still in shock that Jason won. immunity over Ozzy. Feh.
So, Eliza got the boot tonight. I wasn’t surprised. She would have squeaked through if the merge didn’t happen, but no great loss. Well, maybe a great loss if she was counting on the million.