Top Chef: Keep on Truckin
December 21, 2017 7:04 PM - Season 15, Episode 3 - Subscribe
In a Sudden Death Quickfire based on the iconic Denver omelet, the intensity in the kitchen is egg-ceptional as one chef completely cracks under the pressure in one of the most gut wrenching eliminations in Top Chef history as judged by Padma, Tom and Chef Lachlan Patterson. Then, the cheftestants tap into their college palates as they make dishes in food trucks for students in Boulder. Internet sensation, Logan Paul helps wrangle the diners and Chef Hosea Rosenberg joins the judges for indulgent, hangover inspired food. (Summary from Bravo)
What a really bad episode of Top Chef.
First and foremost, an elimination challenge in which only one team has to deal with broken equipment is 100% bullshit. That's a massive disadvantage, and all the hand-waving "that's what happens on a food truck" is crap. No one is actually opening a food truck business, it's a food competition, and that playing field wasn't level. If TC wants to do a 'Cutthroat Kitchen' kind of thing where everyone has to deal with some kind of curveball, fine, do that. But when only one team has to face that, it's no surprise those guys wound up on the bottom. The only saving grace here is the right guy went home, since Rogelio pretty clearly isn't at the level of most of the rest of these Chefs.
I'd never heard of Logan Paul, but he sure seemed like an ass. Josea was fine, I guess, but he didn't seem to get a lot of screentime, did he?
The Denver Omelette quickfire was a good idea, although I'm never a fan of Sudden Death. In 15 seasons it's rare that I feel really bad watching a Chef go home, and this was one of those times. Laura seemed like a good person and a good chef who just wasn't cut out for this kind of competition. Watching her make that omelette, and watching her know just how bad she had screwed it up was painful.
posted by Frayed Knot at 6:58 AM on December 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
First and foremost, an elimination challenge in which only one team has to deal with broken equipment is 100% bullshit. That's a massive disadvantage, and all the hand-waving "that's what happens on a food truck" is crap. No one is actually opening a food truck business, it's a food competition, and that playing field wasn't level. If TC wants to do a 'Cutthroat Kitchen' kind of thing where everyone has to deal with some kind of curveball, fine, do that. But when only one team has to face that, it's no surprise those guys wound up on the bottom. The only saving grace here is the right guy went home, since Rogelio pretty clearly isn't at the level of most of the rest of these Chefs.
I'd never heard of Logan Paul, but he sure seemed like an ass. Josea was fine, I guess, but he didn't seem to get a lot of screentime, did he?
The Denver Omelette quickfire was a good idea, although I'm never a fan of Sudden Death. In 15 seasons it's rare that I feel really bad watching a Chef go home, and this was one of those times. Laura seemed like a good person and a good chef who just wasn't cut out for this kind of competition. Watching her make that omelette, and watching her know just how bad she had screwed it up was painful.
posted by Frayed Knot at 6:58 AM on December 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Impressive that they managed to put Owen Wilson in a time machine just get him young for this challenge, I guess. Is that what they really think college students are like?
I was surprised by how un-cheffy most of the Denver omelet ideas were. And how poorly the omelet making went overall. Nobody was putting their best foot forward, except maybe Brother Luck. Smoked eggs! Those high school pics were also A+.
posted by tofu_crouton at 8:09 AM on December 22, 2017
I was surprised by how un-cheffy most of the Denver omelet ideas were. And how poorly the omelet making went overall. Nobody was putting their best foot forward, except maybe Brother Luck. Smoked eggs! Those high school pics were also A+.
posted by tofu_crouton at 8:09 AM on December 22, 2017
We discussed that as well, kanata. We couldn't decide if the overall quality of contestants is lower this season, or if we're comparing last year's end-of-season to this year's beginning. The first couple episodes always have some pretty big stumbles, but they seem to happen much more frequently this season. I'm so disappointed that the Denver season is such a letdown.
posted by lilac girl at 10:44 AM on December 23, 2017
posted by lilac girl at 10:44 AM on December 23, 2017
I said to Mrs. Conifer that the chefs don't seem to have the technical chops of past seasons. Perhaps they are just taking longer to settle in.
posted by conifer at 12:39 PM on December 24, 2017
posted by conifer at 12:39 PM on December 24, 2017
I was really surprised that every single contestant added things to the French omelette. Even Tanya, who supposedly studied in France!
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:25 PM on December 26, 2017
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:25 PM on December 26, 2017
I've never successfully madea French omelette and I know you put very little in one, fine herbs at most! Should have watched their Jacques before coming! Also I was yelling at the TV for most of this, one quick fire eliminations are bs, as well if people are going to be sent home, don't make them wash their own dishes like wtf. Why isn't that something that's taken care of before the elimination challenge?
posted by Carillon at 1:12 AM on January 1, 2018
posted by Carillon at 1:12 AM on January 1, 2018
So uh, apparently Trashboy Logan Paul has a history of racist jokes (particularly against Asian people), and (serious trigger warning) he just uploaded a vlog where he ventured into Japan's so-called "suicide forest" and showed off the body of a suicide victim he found. Anything for the views, brah
posted by duffell at 5:11 AM on January 2, 2018
posted by duffell at 5:11 AM on January 2, 2018
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posted by duffell at 8:18 PM on December 21, 2017 [6 favorites]