Top Chef: Bring Your Loved Ones to Work
April 17, 2020 8:03 AM - Season 17, Episode 5 - Subscribe

In the Quickfire, the chefs play a game of telephone with their loved ones as they try to reproduce the dish their family member is eating at a nearby restaurant; the chefs create a signature product that they will bottle and sell at a food festival.
posted by praemunire (12 comments total)
 
This was a fun episode! Both of the challenges were really unique. I felt bad for Jen because she was having so much fun cooking with her sister.
posted by Clustercuss at 1:29 PM on April 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


Jesus, Malarkey. Bad in the challenge (performance and kitchen presence), cringey in the house, and abominably wrong in his rankings.

(I don't blame him for the thing with Leeann though. No way to know for him to know at that point how seasoned the other components are and how much it has to be beefed up; I think that's what he meant with the hummus though.)

I'm glad Jen got some redemption from her last appearance. I kept worrying that Dark Jen was going to slip out. Her first season was one of the first times I went to a *nice* nice restaurant-- Ripert's 10 Arts in Philly. Glad she was able to cite Rocky at least once.

I really don't want Bryan Voltaggio to win. I like him but he has an empire already. Feels like he's doing it as a vacation.
posted by supercres at 3:22 PM on April 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


Oh and Tom's doing a fun web series with Nilou Motamed doing a lot of the same challenges (at heart, not in the details) as the contestants-- here he is doing the phone challenge (has he *really* not eaten that dish?), and here he is doing a bottled eggplant relish, which I have got to try.
posted by supercres at 3:25 PM on April 17, 2020


This was a pretty entertaining spin on the "get the loved ones involved" subgenre.

Malarkey's going to get socked one of these days.
posted by praemunire at 9:11 PM on April 17, 2020 [1 favorite]


I enjoyed this episode - other than the way Padma said the word 'entrepreneur' as 'ontra-pranoo-wer' rather than the correct way, 'ontrapranurr'. (Maybe it's an American thing, like saying 'pasta' as 'parstar' and 'risotto' as 'riz-oh-toh', which Europeans find ridiculous and hilarious.)

The quickfire was great, although obviously some chefs had a bigger advantage than others if their family member had a food background.

I though it was an interesting challenge and I was pleased with the three chefs who were in the top. Tom was right when he said the best sauces were the ones you wouldn't make at home. I would definitely buy a vegan version of Mapo Tofu sauce.

Jen Carroll has the worst RBF I've seen in ages. I know she can't help that but she seems to me to have a bit of a sour attitude as well. That jar sauce she made sounded gross, with big lumps of ginger in it. Wasn't she the sauce chef at Le Bernadin? Eric Ripert would never in a million years allow a sauce to go out with lumps of ginger in it.

Being around Malarkey 24 hours a day must be like living with Jim Carrey on speed. I really hope he gets his come-uppance soon. But, knowing this is a competitive reality TV show from the same people who bring us the Real Housewives, I wouldn't be surprised if producer-driven decisions keep him in the competition way past the point where he should have Packed His Knives And Gone.
posted by essexjan at 8:09 AM on April 19, 2020


Maybe it's an American thing, like saying 'pasta' as 'parstar' and 'risotto' as 'riz-oh-toh', which Europeans find ridiculous and hilarious.

Gosh, I'm sort of embarrassed for the Europeans who don't realize that Anglicized words are pronounced in conversations in English precisely how the English-speakers choose to pronounce them.

Yeah, Malarkey has clearly chosen the asshole edit as his route to longevity on the show, and it'll probably work. Last week he served the judges something I could have made.
posted by praemunire at 1:18 PM on April 19, 2020 [5 favorites]


I'm a little perplexed as to all the Malarkey hate. Could someone elaborate?
posted by conifer at 12:56 AM on April 20, 2020


I don’t know anything about him beyond the show, and I find him unbearable. He’s just so obnoxious.
posted by apricot at 5:20 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]


I really don't want Bryan Voltaggio to win. I like him but he has an empire already. Feels like he's doing it as a vacation.
Me, every episode: Go home, Bryan! You don't need to be here!

Yeah, Malarkey has clearly chosen the asshole edit as his route to longevity on the show, and it'll probably work.

Me when Malarkey pulled out that stupid list: You're on the wrong reality show with this shit!

The really weird thing about Malarkey was seeing him with his wife! He is the same over-the-top annoying carnival barker, and she just doesn't seem to give a shit? How does he go home every day and not have an audience or someone equally loud to play off? Or does she not like being on TV? Anyway, please send him home soon and let the adults keep cooking.

Both of those challenges were really fun. Seeing Gregory's mom was amazing - she is such a pro. Also so cute to see Lee Ann's mom greet the judges and tell them she is a fan. I don't think this show really hits her strengths, but I love Lee Ann and I wish she would stick around.

Eric is SO madly in love. I was initially concerned about his wife's long nails but obviously she knows what she is doing with those things. A win for Eric always feels good.

Nice to see that Stephanie is married to a nice guy (except for the stupid line about how when they got married he learned to just do whatever she says. haha wow what a new hilarious concept, guy!) Stephanie is always so funny to me and I want to hang out with her.
posted by Emmy Rae at 10:54 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]


Eric is SO madly in love.

The flowers! So cute.
posted by praemunire at 1:20 AM on April 21, 2020 [2 favorites]


Oh and Tom's doing a fun web series with Nilou Motamed doing a lot of the same challenges

I meant to say: while these are clearly a bit of a halo-burnishing exercise for Tom, they're quite soothing to watch. He has a nice calm authoritative competent kitchen presence, and geez, can't imagine why that would be particularly appealing right now.
posted by praemunire at 1:24 PM on April 21, 2020


Being around Malarkey 24 hours a day must be like living with Jim Carrey on speed.

That is EXACTLY it, omg.

I love how much Eric and his wife love each other. Plus this photoshoot where he, her, and the dang kitchen they are in are all stunningly beautiful is pretty nice.
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:01 PM on April 21, 2020 [1 favorite]


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