Tag: cooking competition (Page 10 of 13)

Hell’s Kitchen: Ramsay doesn’t like wishy washy

Last week on FOX’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” Gordon Ramsay eliminated Robert, his 500 pound pet project who did not get a fair shake due to health reasons the previous season. This week he let someone go who he didn’t see enough leadership qualities in. But more on that later (unless you are lazy and want to scroll down!). Anyway, the guys were making comments at the start of the episode about “Biggins” being gone.

Then Ramsay subjected the teams to his palate test, in which they are blindfolded and wear headphones that block out any conversation. One person from each team would square off against each other–Ariel vs. Van, then Suzanne vs. Dave, Sabrina vs. Kevin and finally Amanda vs. Andy. Andy was spouting off about what a great palate he has, and so was Suzanne, but these chefs always suck at this challenge, especially when they start talking trash. The best, and most shocking really, was when Kevin thought clams were spinach….say what??? Andy also called avocado “boiled coconut.” Ha! Anyway, the ladies won, and their reward was to have lunch at Opaque, a restaurant completely in the dark. Suzanne was trying to suck up to Ramsay, and it was becoming clearer that her teammates had zero respect for her.

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The Next Food Network Star: and then there were three…

Is it just me or is this season of “The Next Food Network Star” flying? We are now down to the final three contestants, which means that in a couple of weeks we will have our new champion. I also have that same feeling I had last year…that is, that there is no clear-cut, Guy Fieri-like favorite. In fact, I think the network struck gold with Fieri and may never find anyone like him in this venue again. But that’s okay, because the producers and execs have to know that anyway.

So last night’s episode continued in Miami where the final four of Melissa, Jeffrey, Debbie and Jamika were greeted by Iron Chef Michael Symon at their hotel, the Eden Roc. Symon assigned them their first challenge of the day, a live cooking demo on a Miami network TV morning show. But what Symon didn’t tell them was that each of the chefs would be sabotaged in one way or another during their demo.

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Top Chef Masters: too much to overcome

Last night was the fifth episode of “Top Chef Masters” on Bravo, which means there is just one more initial show before the six winners square off in single elimination for five weeks to determine the grand prize winner. And it was a pretty close race last night despite one chef not even plating food in the quick fire challenge.

The contestants were Rick Moonen from Mandalay Bay; Nils Loren, a Swedish native who learned French technique before moving to open a restaurant in New York City; Lachlan Patterson from Boulder, Colorado, one of the youngest competitors on the show so far; and Michael Chiarello from Napa Valley, CA, and a Food Network personality.

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I have a question for the producers of Food Network’s “Chopped”….

And that is, do you instruct the judges to be so bitter and critical, or did you just choose judges that you thought would fit that bill? The show, in its second season, is becoming more unwatchable by the episode, and not because the tempo of the show creates pressure that occasionally causes a contestant to slice off a fingertip or serve raw poultry and fish bones. It’s because of those judges–the likes of Alex Guarnaschelli, Aaron Sanchez, Amanda Freitag, and Geoffrey Zakarian–who sit on their high horse and just rip these poor chefs to shreds.

If you haven’t seen the show, let me give you a brief synopsis. Host Ted Allen (who is the show’s lone bright spot) introduces four chefs, who are usually restaurant owners, head chefs, or seasoned sous chefs, who will go head-to-head in a competition of three rounds. Each round, they are given a basket of mystery ingredients–ingredients that usually do not go together, maybe like duck breast, avocado, maple syrup and passion fruit. They have to create an appetizer, main course and dessert–but after each round, one contestant is “chopped,” or eliminated, until the dessert round pits the two remaining chefs, who square off for a $10,000 prize.

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The Next Food Network Star currently holding auditions for Season 6

Season 5 of “The Next Food Network Star” is going strong now as it is down to the final four of Melissa, Jeffrey, Debbie and Jamika. And with the show, Food Network’s highest-rated reality offering, continuing to blow up, they are already looking to 2010 and holding auditions for Season 6 of the show.

Open call auditions began last Wednesday in Phoenix and the remaining cities and dates are listed below. Applicants should bring an application, photo and resume/bio to the auditions, where they will meet with network casting directors. Those unable to make it to the real life auditions can also apply at www.foodnetwork.com/star. Good luck!

Austin, TX – Friday, July 17, 2009 from 10am-4pm
Hyatt Regency Downtown
208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704

San Francisco, CA – Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 10am-4pm
W San Francisco
181 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

New York, NY – Friday, July 31, 2009 from 10am-4pm
CBS
530 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

Los Angeles, CA – Monday, August 10, 2009 from 10am-4pm
Saddle Ranch
8371 West Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

San Diego, CA – Monday, August 17, 2009 from 12pm – 5pm
W San Diego
421 W. B Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Atlanta, GA – Monday, August 24, 2009 from 10am-4pm
W Atlanta Midtown
188 14th St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30361

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