Loading ...Top Chef and Next Iron Chef –Where We Stand
Posted by Anthony Sica on November 3rd, 2009
Things have been a bit hectic lately with World Series festivities, but our favorite culinary reality TV shows have been chugging along. We started with 17 dizzying contestants on Top Chef and are now down to 6. The Next Iron Chef wasted no time trimming the fat and we are already left with the final 4. More on what’s been going on after the jump.
Top Chef: Las Vegas
Last Week
Mike Isabella was sent packing after a weak showing at a dinner party for vegetarian Natalie Portman. Robin is seemingly still around to keep viewers irritated and/or confused.
Homegirl- Jenn Carroll
Jenn came started this competition on fire. She won the very first challenge and picked up a couple more wins along the way, but lately she has been pulling a Cole Hamels. She has all the stuff to win this thing but looks tired. She should stick around longer than Robin and Eli, but after that it’s fair game. Kevin and Bryan remain the two strongest competitors in the competition and Mike V., who has been the best chef over the past fourweeks is on a major hot streak.
Next Up
Nigella Lawson stops by for breakfast in bed.
Burning Questions
Anyone else think Padma was drunk last week?
What do you think is the cause for Jenn’s recent slide?
The Next Iron Chef
Last Week- It was a double elimination as the chefs made a 5-course Indian dinner. Chefs Trevino and Appleman were sent home and we are left with the final four, Chef Garces, Chef Mehta, Chef Freitag, and Chef Mullen.
Jose Garces won last week’s challenge and is figuring to be the favorite to take home the title. Chef Mehta has produced some of the most interesting food of the season and stands as the biggest threat to the Whiskey King. Chef Freitag has come on strong recently but isn’t on the same level as Garces or Mehta. Chef Mullen is a total wild card who was made some impressive dishes but was also an inch away from elimination more times than is comfortable.
I was majorly surprised at the departure of Nate Appleman. He didn’t come through on the Indian test, but may have been the strongest chef to this point. He has a personality and cooking skills that will inevitably end up on TV in some capacity. Hopefully it isn’t running around Chicago in the rain and eating an entire deep dish pizza like Aaron Sanchez and Chris Cosentino.
Next Up
The Final Four are off to Japan to visit Morimoto.
Burning Questions
Did Chef Appleman deserve his elimination?
Who poses the biggest threat to Chef Garces?
Go Phillies!!!
Related Tags: Food-and-Television, Next Iron Chef, top chef
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November 3rd, 2009 at 10:10 am
When they started making Appleman the villain, it was clear that he wouldn’t win. I figured he’d make it to the final 2 and then cut him.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Padma has been drunk and slurry at Judge’s Table a few times during this season. It was even more pronounced and obvious a couple of weeks ago when they made them all cook at the Top Chef house.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Appleman deserved to win the title. His ideas on food, the way he treats his food and his respect for the purity of flavors when cooking should have put him there. For anyone who has never read his books or followed the chef,should start now. He is really a chef to look out for in the future. Just hopefully not in a Mario Batali way.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I have a good friend who has worked with Nate Appleman since he got out of culinary school and is very close with him. he’s very competitive and believes so passionately in his food. I think they made a mistake cutting him…Mullen isn’t as sound as Nate. A Nate v Jose final would have been great. Plus, whats fun about having iron chefs that you like. Have a Villian Iron Chef like Nate.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:48 am
It is apparent that Chef Mehta is the biggest threat to Chef Garces. Chef Mehta almost won the Indian cuisine round. His dishes tasted and looked better than all the participants but he lost to Chef Garces because the judges thought that Chef Mehta had not brought his own personality to the dishes and the dishes were authentic to a fault. In the episode before that, the chefs were asked to prepare Mexican dishes. Mexican cuisine was supposed to be Chef Garces’ specialty but Chef Mehta came up with some brilliant creations and surprised everyone by winning that round! I think the main reason why Chef Mehta has been able to rise in this competition is because of his cooking style. His approach to dishes and ingredients is very unique. That is the reason he can pack so many surprises in his preparations. He has shown consistency in his preparations irrespective of the cuisines in which he had to make them. These attributes have helped him win the respect of his fellow contestants. Chef Freitag admitted that she considered Chef Mehta as her main threat because of his exposure to global cuisine. Chef Mehta’s rise has been slow and steady and he has emerged as a front runner in the race.