‘Top Chef: Las Vegas’ – Progress Report
by Guy BensonWe’re about midway through the current season of Top Chef, and in case you’ve missed it, here’s all you need to know: There are four clear favorites and two potential dark horses. Everyone else is dead weight, as far as I’m concerned.
The leaders of the pack:
-Jennifer Carroll. Very strong and consistent. By far the most talented of the female contestants.
-Kevin Gillespie (aka Red Santa). Seems like a genuinely nice guy with terrific culinary instincts.
-Bryan and Michael Voltaggio. These brothers seem to trade wins every other week. Bryan is more conservative, straightforward, and thoughtful. Michael is somewhat of a punk, but an excellent chef in his own right. Bravo is a bit too enamored with this brother-vs-brother storyline, but the fact that they could both make it to the finals on their own merits breathes life into the drama–which the show’s producers have nearly beaten to death.
Dark Horses
- Michael Isabella. Extraordinarily cocky and obnoxious, Mike is easy to dislike. He’s a tough competitor, though, and he has the capacity to take down one or more of the favorites with a well-timed brilliant dish. (I also happened to dine at his DC restaurant last month, and the food was, admittedly, delicious).
- Eli Kirshtein. He’s been decent all season — never seems to make it to judges’ table; as a winner or a loser. He’s managed to hang in there without alienating any of the judges or memorably screwing up, so he might just sneak up on folks with a few solid weeks in a row.
Dead Weight
- Robin Leventhal. Richly deserves the boot, ASAP. Over/under – 1 week left.
- Laurine Wickett. A bit vanilla, not especially creative, and has narrowly avoided the axe a few times already.
- Ash Fulk. Excuses, excuses. Has he put out a single good dish yet? Very forgettable.
- Ashley Merriman. Despite a minor surge in recent weeks, she still seems weak. Question: Hey Ashley, can you talk about how your family was poor growing up in the woods a little more, please?
I was skeptical of Vegas as a host city for a cooking show, but it’s been wonderful so far. Cool guest judges and creative challenges have made this season quite enjoyable, as has the relative lack of contrived personal drama (think Hosea/Leah kissy-face awfulness). Head judge Tom Colicchio has commented a few times that this is the strongest pool of contestants of any TC season thus far, and it’s hard to disagree. When the show finally sheds the wannabes, there could be an amazing run of episodes down the stretch–with very little room for error. Looking forward to the rest of the Vegas run.
Bon Appétit!
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37 Comments
I was surprised that one of the more arrogant chefs (Michael Isabella, I think) had never heard of eggs Florentine. That's not exactly an obscure dish.
Guy Benson: America's New Favorite Food Expert! He's not just a know it all in politics any more!
Top Chef is a joke.
Cooking is a hobby and it is very clear the tools picked for this show are there because of their lifestyle, personality or sexual orientation. The show is totally unwatchable and the celebrity spokesmodel who is too stupid to even speak properly as a presenter is reason enough not to watch, forget about the almost non existent culinary skills of the contestants.
I have seen better cooks at Denny's. The eggs florentine gaffe is just par for the course on this waste of time of a lifestyle reality show.
I've been a big fan of the Brothers Volt. I would be happy with either of them winning. I do like Kevin as well though.
You obviously don't like gay people. The only reason you have Ash and Ashley as dead weight is because you're a right wing, facist, nazi loving, children hating, environment destroying, apathetic REPUBLICAN.
or….
Those two really do suck.
Yep they suck.
Stick to Denny's , you obviously know nothing about cooking.
This has been a great season because the four you mentioned actually could be Top American chefs. Kevin Gillespie is a James Beard nominee for goodness sakes. I think the finale will match the competition of Top Chefs Masters.
This season has been pretty good. And great photo of one of my all time favorite things to eat…baby lamb chops. Gotta go make reservations at Ruths Chris now…
Yeah,
They suck bad! They give me (a bonafide gay) a bad feeling.
Overall the season has been exciting.
My biggest pet peave: CEVICHE. Can they stop making this overused excuse for not cooking seafood. The chefs must have made at least 15 versions of ceviche so far. It's tiring.
Next biggest pet peave: SCALLOPS. Another tired ingredient. We get it. Brown it on both sides. Add a sauce.
let me guess — you auditioned and didn't make it on the show? your over-the-top critique indicates something else it behind your words. you may have problems with the show's format or host personalities, but to deny that there are some good chefs, great cooking and decent entertainment value only highlights the myriad personal biases stated in your opening line. what i wonder is, if you are so insulted by the show, why not just ignore it?
I've been ready for Robin to leave for about two weeks. Yes, we get it, she's a cancer survivor, la dee dah. I, personally, call shenanigans on her immunity last week. Hand of Producer right there. Don't want to piss of any pink ribbon-ists.
One of our favorite shows.. This and Amazing Race.
Love Top Chef and this has been a good season so far. Now could someone please blog about my real guilty pleasure, America's Next Top Model?
Love the show! Kevin is one of my favorites to win. Does he remind anyone else of Yukon Cornelius? (just a tad bit?)
I agreee. They just like saying CEVICHE. Sounds chefy and impressive.
I agree. They just like saying CEVICHE. Sounds chefy and impressive.
BIG HOLLYWOOD: Come for the insightful articles written from an unusual perspective by interesting Hollywood personalities; stay for the repeated drawings of a pig in a superhero outfit and recaps of Bravo network TV shows!
I'd like Kevin to win. Nice guy, good looking food.
I want to, again, thank the people responsible for the bazillion cooking shows now running amok. Thanks to them, my evening out at a nice restaurant has morphed into an adventure in wacky artistic food. Instead of, say, a tasty cup of oak fire brazed chicken and vegetable soup, I get something with diced beets, balsamic vinegar and garlic on a bed of basil. Artistically arranged of course to resemble something at the museum of modern art surrounded by a representation of Cher done in blowfish sauce. Every hack chef in the country has now become a bad food artiste. When the people who created these shows die, hell will contain them forever inside a MacDonald's with nothing to eat but McSwine sandwiches.
That Fabio quote was one of the few bright spots from the last season.
I'm really liking this season of Top Chef so far. Right from the start, I could tell that these guys and gal could whip anything from last season. I agree with the dead weight list, but I disagree about Ashley's mouth. The more she talks about growing up with an outhouse in the woods, the less she talks about that enormous, lesbian chip on her shoulder.
I think you're pretty wrong about Ashley Merriman and Michael Isabella. That guy's been on the chopping block as many times as she has. The two are neck and neck. You should check out the stats for yourself:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Chef_(season_6)
They've been in the bottom and tops the same amount for both quickfires AND elimination challenges, minus the fact that Isabella has won only ONE QF. Give me a break. What Ashley lacks in that win she makes up with for tact and maturity. She doesn't run around talking shit about other chefs like she's on the middle school playground.
And you do realize that her talking about gay marriage, being poor, etc etc etc IS all just editing? She's talking about her life, not how much other people don't deserve to be on the show.
Ashley is THE definition of a Dark Horse, she's a shot in the dark for the final four. She's definitely not going to win, but she has talent. And furthermore, Dark Horses certainly don't run around with big sticks running their mouths about how they're the best damn chef there, which by the way, Eli, is one of the biggest lies I've ever heard. Have you met the Brothers V?
If you were talking about Hel''s Kitchen, you might have something of an argument as to the cheftestants' skills. But you are way off base.
He is not a pig in a superhero costume!! He is a MAN with the powers of a PIG! I think.
You almost got it right Galt. Republicans don't hate children. They EAT them! Get it right my friend.
Mike I. has some moronic opinions about women ("I mean, a girl at the same level as me?") and but has had a couple of good dishes. I think Laurine could be like Carla from last season and knock off a few more polished chefs if she'd just relax and cook what she knows. This will be one of the toughest Top Chefs when it gets down to the final handful.
Mike I. succeeded in some challenges by pairing up with a stronger chef, doing some prep work and then declaring himself in the top tier. He has had a couple of good solo moments (the cactus, for example), but he has not shown himself to be very special.
I mean, I'm not saying Isabella is a terrible chef at all (actually, nobody who can make it on that show is probably a terrible chef), but I think he's given more credit than due. He's definitely made some successful dishes and has appeared more confident, where Ashley has stumbled. However, when it comes down to it, I think that she could definitely go farther than he can in this competition.
[...] by CJ Cregg on September 30, 2009 Check out this midseason breakdown posted by a friend of mine. I agree with his assessments of the [...]
It's top CHEF, not top SCALLOP, er, CEVICHE.
I'm so sorry.
I like Hell's Kitchen and Top Chief, but I think Gordon Ramsey should give Top Chief competitors fiery hell and Tom Colicchio menacingly talk down HK competitors in a guest stint exchange.
One can only wish.
I actually don't think she played that…and if the judges were that soft, they wouldn't have bounced the Haitian guy who came to the USA on a raft & worked his way to his position. I thought her winning immunity dish looked pretty good, although she's certainly been weak otherwise. If she hadn't been lucky there, she'd have been eliminated. Remember–it's the guest judge who usually gets to pick that one, not the sneering tribunal at the end.
Kevin is a big sweetie and his food looks wonderful. (Bacon jam??!) Jennifer seems consistently excellent as well. For some reason, I haven't enjoyed the Brothers V at all. And Vegas is actually an amazing foodie town. I was there recently and went to Collichio's craftsteak restaurant at the MGM Grand…best short ribs I've ever had in my life, and also the best bread. Top Chef Masters was also great. I just wish they'd can the fricken' "Glad Family of Products." It's really ridiculous.
My guess is that Adam Smith didn't get the toy he wanted in his Happy Meal? Seventeen chefs thrown together in a highly competitive environment will bring out "issues" which the producers are more than happy to exploit for ratings. Many of the contestants already have fairly successfully culinary careers so I don't know how Smith comes off dissing them unless he himself has a successful restaurant of his own. Do you? I didn't think so. As far as the celeb spokesmodel, let's just say she has other "attributes" which enhance the viewing experience. I doubt she is dumb.
I was going to say the same thing about Mike I. The Thunderbirds challenge was a perfect example of what an opportunist he is. He tried to take credit for the V brother's dish (I still can't tell the two brothers apart) and then got pissed when his own dish landed him at the bottom. He did the same thing during the French challenge when one of the brothers had to show him how to deconstruct the sauce.
Jen Carroll PWN'd him good, though, during the Thunderbirds episode. When he suggested she be the leader because she had immunity he used a kitchen term that is derogatory. I didn't understand what he said (it was in French, maybe?), but I read on the net later that it's a low level title in the hierarchy of the professional kitchen. She didn't miss a beat and replied "sure, I'll be the Executive Chef".
I'd like to see her win. She's impressive without being impressed with herself.
seriously?…match top chef masters? did you see the final meal? or hear how long it took rick bayless to master his mole?
don't get me wrong, i too think this is the best season yet, and i feel a small sadness that there was no show on last night, but i don't think the highly impressive vegas top chefs are even in the same class as the master chefs.
Your right. Gays suck. I'm off to The Valley…
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