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Top Chef Finale! (spoilers)
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- newhavener07 Oct 3, 2007 08:17 PM
Yay Hung!
re: spinach
I agree - I thought Dale's dishes looked better (as described, I think I would have picked them as an overall menu over Hung's dishes in a restaurant), and the judges seemed to enjoy those two dishes more.
Casey definitely fell apart. But I'm glad Tom said he knew she was a good chef, and I laughed when she said that she had told Dale and Hung that she had been kicking their ass in recent weeks. :-)
ETA - was Dale's scallop "surprise dish" a riff on Casey's mountainside win? He used a scallop; she used trout - but didn't they both have corn, halved grapes, and a citrus acid dressing of some sort?
re: LindaWhit
I guess that "inedible" dish killed it though.
Todd English calling Hung's Duck "3 star michelin"
how could he not win?
re: Xericx
I'd have to agree. They both had one knockout dish, one really good dish, one good dish, and a clunker. Dale's clunker tasted bad, Hung's was boring. I think they made the correct choice.
re: sheriffblalock
I thought his "safe" dish was more of a risk...desserts are usually hard on these competitions...they never go over well.
re: sheriffblalock
i think Hung's wasn't a clunker. it was in fact described as "perfectly executed". although i agree he should have done something more interesting. at least done cinnamon or asian spices in the cake or added citrus to the cream...
re: AMFM
I agree. He could really have jerked one out of the park if he had just spruced that dish up a little more or put a spin on it. Of course, he was playing it safe, and he didnt want to run the risk of putting out a dud, but just a little more confidence and adventurousness and Hung would have been the clear winner, hands down.
I think that Hung is the top chef. But how awesome was Dale? He really impressed me in the last quarter of the season. Casey's meltdown was unfortunate because she is really talented and has a great sense of composition and really knows food. I'm sure all three of them will be very successful.
re: batdown
I'm just glad she didn't break down in tears during the judging. See Rocco give her the "hey you" look. :)
re: batdown
If I had been in that group of finalists, I would have taken some of the break time to cook at that altitude... see how I responded physically, and what challenges might be to my cooking at that height.
I've cooked in Denver and Steamboat, and it IS a lot different than down here on the ground!
re: AMFM
Agreed, Hung's chocolate cake would have been more interesting with an added twist of something, but I respect him for making a dessert, which is something the others were afraid to do at all. The judges appreciated that someone made dessert. And, that stupid last-minute 4th course gimmick was a smack in the face for the chefs. Hung had to immediately choose something simple that Sarah could make, which would not mess up his menu. Given the time constraints, on top of the incredible stress they were already under, I don't blame him.
Dale did pretty well, but produced a dish so bad the judges couldn't eat it. Ted Allen sure seemed to push for Dale in the end, in spite of that, which I thought was weird. There was no question in the judges and in my mind of who produced the best meal. Congratulations to Top Chef Hung, who was already a Top Chef before he entered this competition.
re: Xericx
When English said 3 star Michelin I was floored...I need to taste that dish!!
re: Xericx
i had really hoped that casey would pull this off.. but she fell apart. and i have to say, I think that hung really showed some heart in this one. i loved dale, but overall.. i do felt hat hung deserved it
i LOVED the twist the celeb. sous chefs. I think that I would have liked to see the celebs take a more active role though...
re: LindaWhit
Yeah, the lobster dish seems to have done him in. Tom was pretty adamant about it.
re: LindaWhit
I thought for sure Dale had it, he even seemed to give it away during the speechifying--but Hung won me over again with truly humble speech at the end and his goofy excitement. Any of the three would have been a good choice really, but I was bummed that Casey couldn't get it together. Don't play the silly female space cadet, Casey! That may work in Texas but it didn't wash for the judges. Her best dish was Howie's! Ouch. I was sure Dale had it but glad Hung's consistency won out! You rule, Hung!
re: newhavener07
I think the fact that Dale said that the scallop dish everybody loved was a 50-50 collaboration with CJ hurt him. He should have claimed full credit for that dish.
re: Megiac
And lie?
re: Megiac
How could he take full credit for it when he admittedly didn't create the dish?
re: LindaWhit
I thought the exact same thing about that scallop dish. It looked so familiar! Except for the protein choice
re: spinach
The lobster killed Dale. If it had been at least okay, he'd have had it.
re: spinach
I dislike Hung, so I was rooting for Dale. But if I had to choose a meal, I would go for Dale's. It was much more interesting to me, and that lobster dish looked fine from here. The chops looked amazing, but I'm still wondering what the hell poaching in duck fat is. It sounds disgusting.
Hung's duck dish did seem to be brilliant, but the rest was boring and to me very uninspired. If that's the best he can do, I doubt I would be interested in his restaurant.
re: Pete Oldtown
Poaching in duck or goose fat is cooking and storing something is defined as a "confit" preparation, I believe. (Can someone else confirm?) I also think it's cooked for a very long time.
re: LindaWhit
Poaching does not indicate extra long cooking. It's gentle, submerged cooking. Poaching has nothing to do with confit, either.
Many chefs poach fish in olive oil. Dales use of the duck fat was a take on that, and imho, would have upped the flavor profile of that lobster exponentially.
re: ChefJune
it was the lamb he cooked that way.
re: ChefJune
Sorry - I meant "confit" usually was longer, gentle cooking.
re: LindaWhit
yes - confit is slow and low
garlic confit in olive oil...mmmmm
Zuni cookbook has instructions -- I think for a turkey confit
re: spinach
Great season - Hung deserved the win last night. I'm shocked that Casey fell apart in the finale. She was really on fire in the later part of the season and the judges loved her flavors.
Like I said in the picks, even my monkey thought Hung should win! Great job. Oh yeah, Padma's dress, Prom night in 1980 or what?
re: bookwormchef
I hate to admit it, but Padma looks even better live. She's not even human! She could make a pork belly dress look good. She may not have the most stirring delivery, but she's a good host and her fashions make the show more visually interesting. She also knows food and is not afraid to wear hats. Hats off to Padma for a great season.
re: newhavener07
Really? I think she is totally gross, and I don't like the other female host/judge either. Both are sooo uninteresting and deadpan. I wish they would have a woman chef as a host like Tom whatever his name is instead of just having "attractive" woman who sound like ditzes and don't cook. BTW, we're watching that show to see the food, not the people. And Rocco looks damn good!
re: SFGourmande
Before they let Padma go, they should let Tom Coliccio go. He needs to get away from the cameras and focus on CRAFT-LA. The restaurant is receiving one horrible review after another.
re: DarthEater
I'd love to see a blind taste test of any sort on top chef. Contestant versus contestant, contestant versus judge, season versus season. Anything. None of the competitions were ever blind.
re: jocey
True- but I ate there the night of the finale and I say try it for yourself! It seems the reviews all compare it to NY Craft, which it may not excel to that level, yet, but they are working on turning it around. Most the bad reviews focus on the service- which I found delightful, informative, and well versed in the food and wine. The food is phenomenal- Braised Quail, tender and flavorful, Hamaichi light and tasty, Sable with sabyonon was beyond words. All the sides were great. My hubbie and I were overall very pleased.
re: SFGourmande
i'm not a padma fan...i think she's pretty much just an exotic barbie doll. and her wardrobe choice for the finale was quite unfortunate...like a bad 80's prom flashback. surprising, because she's usually pretty stylishly - if occasionally a bit scantily - clad.
but in her defense, apparently she can cook. she's authored a couple of cookbooks, and iirc, a magazine article i read about her last year [in food & wine, perhaps?] quoted a respected chef [of course i can't remember who!] saying that she does indeed have skills. i recall being surprised by the revelation as i read the piece.
the former female host was katie lee joel, wife of one of new york's favorite crooners, billy. that woman has zero charisma. her minnie mouse monotone and lifeless eyes were excruciating to endure week after week. but again, i was surprised to discover recently that she's apparently a cook as well. although i found this out because i heard she was a guest on the 'butter queen's' show, and apparently paula is a huge fan of katie's cooking...i guess that explains billy's gut :)
re: goodhealthgourmet
Apparently all those celebrity wives are reinventing themselves as chefs these days (both Padma and Katie Lee are only known through their marriages). Jessica Seinfeld just put out a cookbook. I wish I had me a rich boyfriend/sugar daddy to bankroll my cool-inary ambitions...sigh.
re: Fuser
Padma and Katie Lee may both be famous because of their marriages, but both were cooks long before they got married. Katie Lee was in food (a caterer?) before she met Billy Joel. Padma started to cook and create cookbooks when she was travelling as a model in her late teens and early 20's.
re: Honey Bee
They were in their early 20s and they were considered "cooks?" Neither has any serious claim to being a cook (summer jobs really don't count) -- and both have used their famous husbands to gain entry to a rarified world where most people have to work for years to earn any kind of serious culinary reputation. Like I said, I wish it were me.
re: Fuser
Honestly. Padma Lakshmi was a world famous model and had already published a cookbook and won awards...6 years before she married Salman Rushdie. She was in rarified airs all on her own.
I'm growing weary of this celebrity as dart board for things other than actual merits. It seems worse since, in my experience, it tends to only be the women who get shredded in such a way.
re: ccbweb
Agreed. and that's all I'll say about it. :)
re: Fuser
Yes, indeed. Padma Lakshmi had her first cookbook published in 1998 and it won "Best First Book" at the 1999 World Cookbook Awards. Then was on the all-too-short-lived Melting Pot on The Food Network back when it was worth watching at times. And at least as regards the "known" part...also that whole modeling thing that started around 1990.
Good thing she married Salman Rushdie in 2004 to make all of that happen.
re: ccbweb
THAT'S who she's married to? How did I not know that? Interesting. Either she's brighter than she appears on TV (which I'm certain is easy to have happen) or I'm just totally thrown. Didn't take him for the trophy wife type. Not after all he's been through. Hmmm... food for thought today,
re: bookwormchef
Ahh! Stupid Padma. At least she stopped with the melodramatic talk and her drawn out syllables. She came off as downright pretentious in the previous episodes. At least we don't have to see her nipples poking through that blouse everytime the show opens!!!! HOORAY!
It was a good season none the less. There wasn't as much drama as the first two seasons. They really focused on the food this time. Yay Bravo!
re: porkbutt03
I'm female and I would rather deal with Padma, who is much more lively than the previous cold fish of a host. I watch Top Chef because I'm passionate about food so I want to see the host get excited as well. Although I think Padma really had a thing for CJ, she looked especially sad to see him go.
re: windycity
I am glad someone else noticed that Padima seemed more emotional at CJ's departure than any other chef. I watched that episode again yesterday and she did seem upset to see him go and have to tell him to "pack your knives". I thought the returning contestants did a great job helping the final three-so much more professional than the bias helpers of last season.
re: foodseek
cj must've wooed her with his quickfire breakfast. he did claim that he 'knows what women like' when it comes to food. too bad for him they didn't have an all-female judges' table.
re: goodhealthgourmet
Hung won the breakfast quickfire that Padma judged. Guess CJ doesn't know as much as he thinks he does.
re: Scott M
hahaha Hung put Grand Marnier in his smoothie!
re: bookwormchef
The first words out of my mouth were that my mom wore an astonishingly similar dress as a bridesmaid in my aunt's 1978 wedding! Talk about a wardrobe malfunction...
I think Hung deserved to win, but I have to say his duck sous-vide looked repulsive to me. That color and texture just freaked me out. He did seem humbled by the win and extremely happy.
i knew someone would post first! it was a great episode but i felt bad watching casey crash and burn since i genuinely liked all of them this time. but you could tell from this episode and the final that they'd played up some of how hard he was to work with because obviously they all get along reasonably well this time. Sara and Rocco and the other two had no troubles with him. Fun dishes - I have to say that I'd probably personally most like to eat at Dale's restaurant someday - all around. But hung deserved to win. And all three will do great! Can't wait to read the blogs!
re: AMFM
I felt really bad for Casey too!!! I wish she had been able to execute one really great dish...but if she had it would have broken the 2-2 tie!
I was rooting for Hung the whole time but all three of them showed that they can make winning dishes. Wow--Michelin 3 star duck--that was amazing. Dale's lamb, too. I don't think judges have ever shown this much effusive praise on the show before--well, definitely not season 2.
I wish we had heard more from the celebrity sous chefs, because all of their comments were really interesting and insightful. I really liked the twist and I think they celebrity chefs did a great job of staying in their roles. More respect for Rocco.
re: kenito799
Yeah. Rocco seemed cool where i had previously lamblasted his captain douchebagness in the past.
re: Xericx
the line where he said that hung just gave him jobs to keep him out of the way - too funny!
re: momjamin
My favorite line was someone (I think Rocco or Hung) asked "did you just sweat on (into?) the food?
re: Xericx
If you haven't read Rocco's blog on bravo please do so. It is well written and insightful.
re: tastyjon
I'm sorry, I know there are alot of Casey fans but she was not "inches within winning." Not one of her dishes in the finale was a favorite and the one dish that garnered the most favor was actually done by Howie. Casey's a great chef but she didn't show up for the finale.
re: moymoy
agreed. i was a huge casey fan, and really rooted for her to win. but she crashed and burned on this one. i don't know if it was the altitude, nerves, or what, but we're talking choke with a capital c.
it was depressing to watch.
i've always been a very vocal rocco supporter, and i just KNEW the minute i saw hung hit the jackpot with him as sous-chef that he would pull it off...and his good fortune at drawing sara on day 2 was the clincher. i'm not 'qualifying' or diminishing the validity of hung's victory by any means...he won because he deserved it. but for some reason it was the rocco/sara combination that convinced me long before the reveal that he was going to win.
i did think it was sweet the way michelle bernstein kept trying to come up with ways to defend/support casey during the critique of the meal. you could tell she was really searching for positive things to say about casey & her food...without compromising her own credibility by praising dishes that were clearly sub-par.
one thing i just don't understand is why they even bothered to have malarkey there. i love brian and it was nice to see him again, but i'm not convinced he contributed anything. i know they edit the hell out of these tableside discussions, but supposedly the purpose of inviting brian was to get his perspective as someone who knows what the contestants go through during these challenges...and he didn't utter a word to that end. comments like 'i can't find a single thing wrong with this dish' [i believe it was in reference to hung's '3-star michelin' duck] aren't exactly gems of insight that attest to the cheftestant experience.
re: goodhealthgourmet
Casey was definitely not herself. It seemed from the get-go she was off. I think also having a celeb sous chef flustered her, whereas Hung & Dale thrived on it.
I agree with you, not sure why Brian was included, maybe a guest judge couldn't make it and he was a seatfiller?
re: moymoy
Brian was already in Aspen. If he wasn't at the table, he should have been a sous-chef as a recently eliminated competitor. Perhaps they intended for him to contribute more insight than was actually shown. And MALARKEY! was probably on vacation nursing his recent defeat.
re: moymoy
i don't think it was the 'celeb' factor. in all honesty, it almost seemed like casey didn't know who michelle was when she first wallked out. iirc, dale was the one who said 'is that michelle bernstein?' casey didn't act too jazzed or star-struck about it.
hell, if i had been in her shoes i probably would have been a little bummed that i missed the chance to work with rocco...but how could she NOT recognize michelle bernstein?
re: goodhealthgourmet
I also thought Casey missed a beat in recognizing Bernstein. Could it be a new hairstyle on Ms. Bernstein? I think she is one of the most confident judges on Top Chef and doesn't let her ego get in the way of her critiques.
re: moymoy
I am sure Michelle and Casey got along well, but I have a feeling that Casey would have been more comfortable with a male sous-chef. There is often an unfortunate competition that automatically occurs between women battling it out in a male dominated field. Just a thought--maybe not...in the end Michelle did really want to support Casey and I thought that was great.
re: goodhealthgourmet
Michelle Bernstein's an interesting woman. I'd love to see her replace one of the other judges or at least be a occasional judge.
re: momjamin
I think you're right, the dinner at Social in LA? Great commentary and very photogenic.
re: goodhealthgourmet
Read Tom's blog for more insight on the Brian issue.Basically they were being nice!
re: jme1beachbum
yep, he was pretty matter-of-fact about that one!
i have just one issue with colicchio's conclusions about casey on the last page:
"Casey is a methodical chef, a serious planner who works out every detail of her menu -- flavor, textures and colors -- ahead of time with pencil and paper. If we had given the chefs four hours to plan, Casey just may have come out on top. The circumstances, however, called for more spontaneity, which just isn't Casey's strong suit."
so how does he explain her 3 quickfire wins?
[ironically, aside from hung - who won 4 - the only other chef to win 3 qf's was malarkey.]
re: goodhealthgourmet
I wondered about that myself. Seems like although she's a planner for big meals, she also overthinks stuff (ie Celeb sous chef wanting to take away items). So in a QF she just goes with the gut, which in most women is usually a good guiding force. Maybe?
re: goodhealthgourmet
Logistics. She didn't have to plan a 3 course (and the surprise 4th) menu for more than 2 people in the quickfire. The choice of ingredients is a bit more limited in quickfire. When you cook for more people, timing in keeping the food served in the correct temperature and doneness is harder (hence the overcooked pork belly).
But I don't buy Tom C's rationale on her needing 4 hours to plan. She had a couple of weeks to think about the menu of her life that can win her 100K. I can't believe that she didn't have a game plan on.
From the past they know that the final meal tends not to have constraints. All she has to do is to think of dishes she would do if she has - beef, lamb, chicken, fish, pawn, etc. What sauces and cooking method, side dishes, etc.
I think Hung was prepared. I don't think he dreamt up those dishes, especially the complex one with many ingredients, on the fly. The chocolate cake recipe was definitely pre-planned. Surprised that he's the only one who read Sam and other's blog that suggest that the final 2-3 contestants should have a couple of dessert dishes under their belt, just in case.
re: notmartha
actually after watching the reunion show i think casey herself made it pretty clear...she admitted her head just wasn't entirely in the game for the finale. and if that truly was the case, no amount of preparation time and/or advance planning would compensate...the execution's bound to suffer.
re: goodhealthgourmet
I think her excuse that she has a job outside of Top Chef was pretty lame. I'm sure Dale and Hung both were pretty busy outside of the show as well.
re: KTinNYC
i was merely pointing out that if her head wasn't in the game, that would explain why she choked. i wasn't "excusing" her. in fact, i thought it was a copout...much like her whining at judges' table when she tried to blame her poor performance on unforeseen challenges such as the additional dish. as colicchio was quick to point out, they were all working under the same conditions, the other just handled them more successfully.
re: KTinNYC
Casey actually seems to make a lot of excuses for everything. Bad ones to boot.
re: jme1beachbum
Good blog by Tom. Found it interesting that about halfway through he complimented all of the chefs on Season 3 for being professional enough and respectful of each other to not demean themselves with any "hazing" or late night drinking...an obvious reference to Season 2 cheftestants.
re: LindaWhit
I think the hazing was referring to Season 2, but the late night drinking was definitely a shot at Season 1. Remember Stephen and Dave drinking the night before the finale?
re: Miss Needle
I agree with LindaWhit. The shot was definitely at season 2. I think the drinking preceded the hazing.
re: KTinNYC
"Hazing" definitely referred to Season 2. Although I'm sure it went on in Season 2 as well, "Late Night Drinking" was a clear reference to Season 1, where Dave and Stephen showed up hungover and were pretty much useless in helping Tiffany as sous chefs in the finale.
re: KTinNYC
I think there was a lot of drinking in both seasons 1 and 2, and much less in season 3. I think the show is becoming a bigger deal in the culinary world and they are all taking it more seriously...it will be interesting to see how the seasons progress, how long a run this show is going to have...
Another Yay from me! Hung has really grown on me in the past few weeks. His reaction to winning was priceless.
re: tachis
I'm bummed most of the blogs have not posted.
I guess everyone's busy with the reunion show, catching up with family and friends and recuperating from hangovers. I wish I could party on someone else's tab. :-)
re: moymoy
Yeah, he lucked out on that one. But I had him pegged from the start - and i also think the editors played up his competitive nature because they needed to spice up the narrative.
I am so glad he won, and he really did do it for his parents.
re: moymoy
Rocco was a great match for Hung in that case, but neither Michelle Bernstein nor Todd English is chopped liver when it comes to cooking!
re: ChefJune
Not knocking English or Bernstein but like you said, Rocco was the best fit for Hung...and thank goodness he drew Sara. She actually said she enjoyed working with Hung.
re: skisvalley
Yeah, food and clothes, my 2 favorite things ever!!!
That was fun.
A nice twist to give them A-list chefs as help.
No gimmicks. They got a lot of time and free range of ingredients. It simply came down to execution. All 3 did well - it was never clear who'd win. It was clear at the end that Casey had an off night, but she was still resolute and passionate.
I like how they told Dale and Hung to "bank" their top dishes (the lamb and duck). These are young chefs and if they can figure out a few more signature items, they'll be set. Kudos to all. This was the first time in any cooking show where I liked them all.
re: tastyjon
Re: the no gimmicks and free range of ingredients - I was glad Ted pointed out at JT that he was glad they got to cook as they would normally cook without any restrictions. Hopefully the producers will do more of that next season in ORD.
re: tastyjon
it's just great help/exposure for them now. i mean win or not they have a "friend" in some big name chefs who could really help them out. great move. in addition to a great move from a tv ratings perspective.
right contestant won. no losers to speak of.
really makes a mockery of last year's final.
re: spinach
i think the difference was/is that foam's ok occasionally. it's just that marcel did it ALL the time. i did notice though. and also noticed that he didn't call it a foam!
re: spinach
Haha! So true. But didn't Wolverine have foam issues in the finale? At least Hung's foams worked.
I'm dying to try the duck! I hope I can win the Bravo contest to have the TC winner cook for me and 10 friends!
re: tachis
I also thought it was funny that Wolverine was in Hung's corner. I was concerned that Hung's coconut foam looked like mold, but I am sure it was delish.
re: tachis
I thought Wolverine's issue was more related to his salad-dressing-in-a-ball thing he tried to do. It didn't hold up due to the Hawaiian humidity. Although there may have been a foam problem, too.
I have to say the foams just do not look appetizing to me in any way. Unless it's on coffee.
re: rweater
me neither. they look like ocean foam. and not in an appetizing way.
re: spinach
Hung called his foams "froths" -- a wise move, I think!
I would have been happy with any of them going in, but seeing the judges' responses to the dishes, and the glee Hung exuded during the entire challenge, they made the right choice.
And honestly, having seen all the dessert attempts over 3 seasons, having a "well executed classic chocolate cake" IS a blow-away dessert ;-)
re: momjamin
Actually, the more I think about it, I'm pretty disappointed in Casey. She really let down the (female) team. What, she went into the kitchen and was overcome by all the choices? Every season has had this final challenge, so why not be more prepared and stick to a plan? The guys at least seemed professional. Granted, the editing could have skewed things, but heck, even I have some dishes ready if I'm ever in the finale. Sure, they're all from "The Moosewood Cookbook," but at least I could pull them off under time pressure.
re: newhavener07
It was like "early season" casey...kind of all over the place.
re: newhavener07
I don't think it was the overwhelming amount of choices that disjointed Casey. I think Dale hit it on the head when he remarked that Casey gets frazzled when things are not working as she expected. So when the burners/boiling water/altitude/add a dish & Howie came into play it seemed as if she went into "wing it mode."
She only added the salmon roe for presentation & color!! That's so un-Casey like. It messed up her dish.
re: newhavener07
definitely totally melted down. you knew when michelle bernstein said she wanted to take ingredients away...
she just looked so disappointed in herself. dale too at the final.
i think it'd be hard to think that hung has no passion after this episode!
re: newhavener07
Perhaps that altitude was affecting her more than others. I dunno. But yes, it was clear she wasn't on her game tonight.
For me, the only downside of Hung winning was seeing Marcel's smirk. In general, the live reveal did nothing for me -- cutting back to Padma saying "And Casey has friends, too!" was pretty pointless.
re: momjamin
I enjoyed the live reveal. No leaks like last year.
re: momjamin
The live reveal did nothing for me either, it was like a big infomercial. And I'm a bit peeved that the judges didn't ask the sous chefs' opinions like in prior years. It would've been great to see Rocco, Michelle & Todd English standing in front of judges table.
re: moymoy
The "celebrity" sous chefs may have gotten their say at the dinner table -- they did make some comments related to their time working with the contestants, and I'm sure we didn't see it all.
re: moymoy
Yeah I muted the live part when it came on.
re: momjamin
I think the altitude did play into her problems. I was in Colorado this summer and going from sea level to 8000 feet really made me feel crappy--I can't imagine trying to perform perfectly. It took me a few days to feel normal.
However, Casey did perfectly well last week and she had some time to get used to the altitude, so maybe just the different physics of cooking was throwing her off.
I was impressed that Hung was able to bake up there.
re: kenito799
I used to live in Colorado and it totally throws your cooking, especially at the higher altitudes. Food really doesn't behave the same way up in the mountains. That's why I've always through it odd that Food and Wine would have a food festival in Aspen. I'm not making excuses, but perhaps Casey wasn't prepared or didn't take it into account (the raw elk). And it is impressive that Hung was able to bake; he must have done his homework.
re: newhavener07
Looking back over the last three seasons Tiffani Faison from season 1 probably should have won. I think she was the most talented. However, they really made her out to be a villian and her team kinda sabotaged her effort. Even through all of that Harold barely pulled it out. So as far as talent goes she was probably robbed. After seeing the past two seasons I think she should have won the first season.
re: Scott M
I politely disagree with you here. From what I remember, Tiffani lucked out a few times during TC1. In an earlier challenge, she was low person on the totem pole and most likely would have been voted off, but another chef quit thus saving her butt.
Also, the final three competition with Dave, Tiffani and Harold. I believe it was the easy to eat foods for poker players challenge, if Dave didn't space and missed the third dish, he would have gone to the finale with Harold. Tiffani's dishes were missing the mark completely and she was again the low person on the totem pole.
re: dave_c
I don't recall anyone quitting and saving her. However, you are right with regards to the poker challenge and the other one where Dave forgot a dish. However, those were the exceptions. All chefs have/had missteps and slip-ups throughout the course of the seasons. Even Harold was at the bottom several times. However, in the finale Tiffani was bold in attempting two dishes for each course and Harold played it safe, and add to that the fact that Tiffani's sous chefs were drunk. Also, there were no celebrity chef tasters, it was the panel and Lorraine Bracco. The judging seems to be different today than it was in season one and I think that would have helped Tiffani. Playing it safe worked in season one but I think the judges now look for someone to take risks, have their style shine through and cook the best meal of their lives.
re: Scott M
Tiffani sabotaged herself somewhat by overreaching with the double menu, a bit the way Casey seemed to be trying to do too much. But yes, Tiffani's skills were great. Colicchio has said that her artichoke risotto was one of the best dishes ever made on TC (until Dale's lamb and Hung's duck?)
re: kenito799
After eating at Perilla I am glad Harold won the 100K.
re: dave_c
no one 'quit' during season 1...cynthia sestito chose to leave to care for her dying father. her departure had no effect on how far tiffani made it in the competition.
re: Scott M
Tiffani and Harold would have been handily knocked off by Lee Ann, who got unlucky in the Napa dinner challenge.
re: Scott M
I agree with that. I thought that season 1 had the most interesting chefs, and Tiffani's food looked the best of all of them. She got robbed. If you go back and watch the judging they basically admit they gave the edge to Harold because of personality.
The challenges where she lost were mainly when she would refuse to dumb down her food. I think Tom liked her best of all and may even regret that she didn't win it. He even mentions one of her dishes on his most recent blog
re: Xericx
I did. His exhuberance was really touching.
re: tachis
I always knew he had heart, even before the return from home episode. It's all in the editor's touch, and he and Casey had a good relationship.
I was really afraid that he was going to throw up though - did anyone else notice how green he looked, and how much more green he got when they kept delaying the decision? Or was that just terrible lighting/green background?
re: windycity
Yeah, the lighting was really weird and dim and the shooting looked sort of amateurish. But this was their first try with the format, and I thought the judges (and cheftestants) did a pretty good job on live TV. I am looking forward to how they will tweak things next season!
re: windycity
Bad make-up jobs on Casey and Hung...
re: windycity
I also thought the "technician" critique of Hung on the show was so similar to an Asian stereotype. I wondered if he wasn't Asian if they would have just said he was traditional, classical, in technique etc. like Elia last season.
re: redbecca
I don't think it was a stereotype. The knock on Hung was that he was precise and skilled, but his food lacked soul - i.e. if Hung was grouped among 20 other chefs with the same skill level, and a dish was presented and you had to try to figure out which of those 20 chefs made it, the dish would have no characteristic that would make you say "this is something Hung would do".
re: Bunson
It's hard to judge as the challenges were hooky a lot of times.
I thought his 'smurf village' quickfire has a lot of personality, soul, charm and wit, although I wouldn't want to eat it.
re: Xericx
Yes, I thought Dale would win but when I heard that Hung won I was really moved, he fought very hard all season and I loved the exuberance (thanks tachis) he displayed throughout this season and the finale.
re: Xericx
I always did when he won a challenge. He has soul, but us asians are just harder to read and we don't wear our heart on our sleeves. But, I totally get him. Yes he does have a soul with the techniques to back him up.
re: madrusec
Even if Hung is kind of arrogant, no one in this group came across nearly as spitefully as the people from last season. It was refreshing to see the group leave the judge's table arm in arm. I'd eat in any of their restaurants.
re: rweater
I thought the exact same thing. They actually like each other and (I hope) respect each other as chefs. Compared to last year, this entire season was a breath of fresh air.
I was really glad to see Hung win Top Chef this season. I know they've been editing him to be the villain, but he's completely in love with cooking. You can see it when he talks about it, and he's right - this has always been a competition. He has the technical skills and definitely the soul to become Top Chef. Congratulations Hung!
I am happy that Hung won. I completely agree it made last season's finale look amateurish. My monkey can copy an executive chef's spanish dish or put irrelevant foam just to put foam on something. Both Dale and Casey are great chefs also. I just wonder if there was Howie sweat in Casey's food?
The judges made the right decision but I was not happy for Hung. His smug attitude rubbed me the wrong way and I sensed that at JT he would say whatever he thought the judge's wanted to hear. A laugh out loud moment for me tonight was when Hung said something about all the support he had from America - the text message poll results indicated that he was contender that was the least popular.
re: Nikki NYC
I think his reference to America was more on the order of gratitude for opportunities provided him and his family as immigrants.
re: clepro
yes, I understood it that way as well, clepro
It's a big deal to move into a completely different culture when you're a school age child!
The text poll just means that people who enjoy texting tv polls like Casey.
Basically they mean nothing, and sell $.99 text messages.
It cracked me up when Hung said his hamachi contained "a little bit of love"
THAT was funny.
re: clepro
I definitely agree with you, Clepro. I don't think it would even occur to Hung to be talking about text message voting as representing America.
re: Nikki NYC
His supporters knows this is his show, hence there is no need to pay to text a support.
This may sound crazy but I think the altitude really affected Casey. At the beginning when they were planning their menus it sounded like she was wheezing...and in the introductory segment she mentioned she had trouble sleeping...a sign of altitude sickness. They were at 11,000 feet when they cooked!
Altitude affects some people more than others...and turns some folks' brains into total mush. Especially if you have even a little alcohol...She just didn't seem to be thinking clearly....and I think it was the altitude.
re: janetofreno
yeah, she had this "hangover, next day after" vibe to her. Not saying she drank, but probably similar physiologically....
re: Xericx
Actually, if you have so much as a glass of wine at higher altitudes it will really go right to your head and you will end up with a raging hangover. So maybe ...
re: janetofreno
She also was making a lot of excuses at JT, and trying to blame all her missteps on the elements of the challenge -- her demeanor came across as more flustered than I remember seeing her before. Could be this was the last JT and she knew she'd blown the win, or could be the altitude.
re: janetofreno
I thought I heard her wheezing too. I was wondering if that was her or just a sound effect in the music. I was hoping she would get an oxygen tank.
re: amethiste
I think I read in one bravo blog that they did have oxygen on site for any of them that needed it.
re: momjamin
Since using oxygen in the vicinity of open flames is an exceedingly bad idea, she would have had to take a break and leave the kitchen in order to take advantage of the on-site O2. When working in a time critical environment, it's difficult to rationalize taking a break even if you need to.
re: LabRat
Good point. Especially if your head is already not thinking clearly.
re: janetofreno
She seemed terribly scatter-brained, not at all like she had been in recent weeks. I wondered if she was badly affected by the altitude too... she certainly didn't seem 'up to par'!
All three showed that they actually were worthy finalist, compared to last season.
I think I echo a common sentiment. I was cheering for Hung, but would have been pleased if Casey had won. I'm really bummed that she got frazzled in the final challenge. Dale impressed me with his skills and how he held it together.
The live reveal was kind of a waste, other than preventing leaks. I was expecting the previous guest chefs in the audience, interviews with them and giving their opinions. Interviewing the families and friends... you know building up the drama, anticipation and showing a personal side of the finalist. There were no pans showing the families or their reactions. It was like watching an episode of People's court with a stoic audience in the background. Bravo needs to see how American Idol "uses" the audience to build excitment and drama... Maybe even a couple episodes of The Price is Right would have helped the producers and directors to a better job.
re: dave_c
I'm glad that they DIDN'T waste time 'increasing the suspense' with the 'live audience'! When the show came on and Padma said 'we're here in the studio live' I groaned and almost switched off on the spot because I thought it would be a waste of time! Fortunately I hung around for a few minutes and discovered that yes, they were actually doing real cooking...
I fell asleep right before JT. I woke up to some new show. I knew somebody would post the winner here!
Can't say I'm surprised about Hung. I figured it would either be him or Casey at the outset, but as soon as Casey started flailing, my sympathies went straight to Dale. At one point I was convinced he had it in the bag,
I liked the celebrity sous chef twist.
The live feed? Eh, I'm not sure what Bravo's point was about that other than "Let's try something new!"
re: xo_kizzy_xo
I knew Hung was gonna win but I was really rooting for Dale at the end there. His comments cracked me up, like when he said he wanted to punch Colicchio in the face.
He has always been totally honest and hasn't minced his words.
re: MysticYoYo
I liked all three. I think Dale is funny. Casey heartfelt (although I'm certain to be that accomplished she isn't always as "sweet" as people think - not a bad thing just likely). Hung driven. But I do think it's odd how people love Dale for not mincing his words but hate Hung for it. They definitely come across differently but since I'd like to be funny like Dale but might be awkward like Hung if everything I said was on TV it's just hard to judge. By the way - not accusing you MysticYoYo. Just an overall observation.
re: AMFM
It's not what Hung says that makes me dislike him. It's his rudeness to others, his selfishness, and so on. The one thing he said all season that showed anything other than a self-obsessed narcissist was when he mourned Trey's passing. I have no doubt he'll be a pretty good chef, but I would much rather eat at Dale's or Trey's or Brian's place. Howie too, for that matter.
It sorta says a lot that Hung and Marcel or whatever his name is are friends. They're both obnoxious.
re: Pete Oldtown
Do you really know the personalities of the person who cooks your food? I don't believe that Hung is either rude or selfish but if you go by this premise than you'll certainly miss a lot of great meals. Read Jacques Pepin's book about how he became a chef or go and read Marco Pierre White's autobiography.
re: Pete Oldtown
I agree with you 100% except for your opinion of Hung's friendship with Marcel. I never felt that Marcel was extremely obnoxious or self-obsessed. On the other hand, Hung would appear to be shocked at JT anytime he was criticized (more so than Marcel ever seemed). If a general comment was made, Hung would reply, "of course". It was as if there was nothing left for him to learn.
re: Nikki NYC
I agree: while I didn't particularly like Marcel, I never saw him be rude or mean to anyone, but I did see everyone being rude to him - to the point where he won my sympathy by the end of the season. I though Ilan was obnoxious, and progressively meaner, along with his band of buddies, with each episode.
re: Claudette
agreed Claudette. he was arrogant but not rude. and the others got very rude - they just acted more like mainstream popular kids as they did it. marcel was an outsider from the start whose social skills were off. i didn't love him either - or his foams - but i think he got a bad rap.
re: Claudette
Keep in mind that we only saw what the editors/producers wanted us to see in the final TC episodes. But if you've seen any of the live stuff with Marcel (i.e., the interviews after the show) you'll realize he was just as much an ass and obnoxious as Ilan was.
re: Claudette
Marcel sat next to Cynthia niggling at her during the firehouse challenge. He provoked Sam into yelling at him during one shopping trip, continually making little comments. It seemed to me like he was actively being obnoxious in ways that didn't translate very well on screen. I don't think everyone was rude to him just because they were rude people -- I think there was something in his personality/demeanor that made people who otherwise would have shrugged him off get totally fed up. Season 1 Harold even told him to chill shortly after he'd met him. As Linda mentions, the live stuff shows him to be pretty obnoxious. His body language in the Season 3 finale turned me off -- sitting slouched and spread-legged with a smirk on his face.
I'm not saying anyone was justified being rude to him, but I think he wasn't exactly Mr Sunshine, either.
re: momjamin
fair. who would want to live 24/7 with ANYONE. (frankly that is just one of the many good reasons not to be on a reality show!) and i certainly wouldn't want to be his best friend. it's just that i think ilan was just as bad. liked sam though.
re: Pete Oldtown
I agree. he lied about knocking the bottle of oil over, he tried to lie about the lemon in his fish, he "outed" the others when they couldn't help him plate - even tho he had the extra hour to cook . . . i can't see how the nastiness helps him in his kitchen - he doesn't seem like someone who can work well with others. and reading below, it may not matter if or how the personality of a chef affects the food, but this contest was about being TC, which means how you run a kitchen as much as how well you cook.
re: mariacarmen
I think you're stretching so much here that you should be a yoga instructor. He did not try to lie about the lemon juice. he said there was lemon juice in the dish, as there was supposed to be, and then corrected himself. also, you don't have any proof that he knowingly knocked over the oil and then lied about it. plus, he didnt out anyone for not helping him plate - he simply said that he had to plate by himself and thus didnt have the time to do what the judges wanted. this wasnt a shift of responsibility, he just told the truth about what happened. He took responsibility for the fact that he should have planned his plating as if he would have to do it himself.
re: batdown
well, his co-chef contestants all said these things about him, on air, and they were with him when all these events happened, so i think that they would know. this is how hung was perceived. anyway, i do think he was the right choice for the evening. overall do i think he should have been top chef? no, i think Casey should have won it - and yes, i know she blew it last night.
re: mariacarmen
1. No one on the show said that Hung lied about the lemon juice
2. No one on the show complained that he 'called them out' by saying he didn't have anyone to help him plate
re: mariacarmen
I didn't think Hung could work well with anyone either, but the final episode disproves that imo.
re: s0memale
Hung actually worked very well in the restaurant challenge once Sara started exerting leadership.
re: momjamin
Some editing made Hung look like an ass, and yes he did not share his technique for cooking the fish. But overall his fellow chefs did not say anything horrible about him. No one complained about having him on their team and Sara seemed more than happy to work with him.
re: mariacarmen
Everyone lies.
What a fantastic season! Minimal drama, great cooking. Perfection.
In the end - I think the right chef won. I really wish there was some way to see the judge's final decision making. You know - the moment when they say to each other "Hung is Top Chef because.....". Fortunately we have the Bravo blogs - they usually clear up some of the unanswered questions.
I also thought it was interesting that one of Casey and Dale's best courses were the last minute ones (It was really the only one Casey seemed to knock out of the park). No chance to overthink those dishes. Which I think was Casey's downfall.
I'm not a big dessert person - but any time chocolate and raspberry are on the menu - I'm ordering it. So Hung got my vote there.
My favorite dishes were Hung's hamachi & duck. I thought the whole take on the fish and chips w/ the hamachi was cool - would have been a good idea for all those twists on a classic dish, etc.. And Dale's scallop & lambchop (duckfat!).
As a previous poster said - I got a big kick out of Michelle Berstein saying (about Hung's duck) "I'm a little bit jealous". Funny.
I'm going to miss this show - but look forward to Season 4 in sweet home Chicago.
If only Dale hadn't produced that inedible dish, I think his other 3 were enough to have beaten the best 3 of Hung's dishes. I thought picking the scallop for his extra dish was the most logical decision amongst the 3 finalists. I hated the way Casey made excuses for her performance. Hung came under so much fire for that (rightly so, IMHO) during the regular season and then Casey resorts to it during the most important episode of all. And the way Colicchio ruled his eyes at her when she said she didn't taste the pork belly! How many times during the season did he ream people for that? It was as if she forgot all the lessons learned. I was rooting for her going in to last night, but she just didn't deserve to win. I'm not sure that I agree Hung did, either, I really thought Dale had a wee bit of an edge, but it wasn't my decision to make.
re: mercyteapot
I think one of the reasons Hung edged out Dale is because his scallop dish was created in collaboration with CJ. I noticed that the judges pointed asked that question to Dale.
re: moymoy
Sara made Hung's chocolate cake, but they didn't ask him about that....
re: ChefJune
But it was Hung's recipe.
re: ChefJune
No, it was Hung's own recipe and Sara assisting as sous chef, there was even a shot of Hung squeezing the batter into the molds, whereas CJ (I think, not sure) helped conceptualize Dale's scallop dish.
re: moymoy
Yes, I noticed that, too. He said it was "100% a 50/50 collaboration" or something else that sounded kind of redundant. As if Casey's goose weren't already cooked, she made an even more telling statement about her best dish, the steak, when she said it was all Howie. I felt like the finale was hers to lose and she did a good job of losing it! Hung was definitely in charge the whole time. It's hard for me to say for sure whether I feel like Dale was just a bit better because I like him more in general. I wish I could've tasted the dishes (maybe I'd skip Dale's lobster, though!)
re: mercyteapot
The judges do care about "collaborations" they hammered Tiffany from Season 1 when she took credit for "her" fabulous dessert but in fact it was actually her sous chef's recipe and execution. I admired Casey for giving Howie all the kudos for the sirloin dish.
re: moymoy
I didn't say that Casey shouldn't have given credit where it was due; my point was that when all the credit for the best dish you've made belongs to the sous chef, it doesn't exactly make the best statement about your meal.
re: mercyteapot
That was the one moment that I really liked Casey -- she was honest about Howie making that dish. It doesn't say anything good about her abilities, but at least she was giving credit where credit is due.
I think she knew by then that she had lost the competition.
re: moymoy
The girl has integrity.
re: scubadoo97
Totally. And it must have been really hard for her to watch the finale and then have to be on live TV after hearing what they said about her food.
re: scubadoo97
agreed. that's one of the things i've liked most about her all along. it was sad to see the look of resignation on her face when she had to confess that her only successful dish of the night had been prepared by howie, but the admission showed a true strength of character.
once i knew that casey had completely blown her chances, i was pretty much rooting for dale because hung's attitude & immaturity have always bugged me and it was nice to see the underdog shine...but that odd, uncomfortable '100% 50/50 collaboration' comment he made about the scallop dish pissed me off. unless they tricked us with editing or cj was lying, dale didn't have much of anything to do with that dish...and he should have owned up to that fact at judges' table by at least recognizing that cj had been responsible for the entire plating/preparation.
it was at that moment that i had to swallow my negative feelings about hung's personality and accept the fact that he was truly the most deserving of victory.
re: moymoy
totally agree! Casey has class.
re: mercyteapot
I was disappointing that Casey didn't do better, and I think her main problem really was trying to do too much. There are so many times I have had dishes at restaurants that suffer from being overwrought. A chef can be innovative and exciting with just a few well-chosen ingredients and then make them work together. That said, I thought it was telling that Rocco and Tom both said that Hung's duck had a lot going on but it didn't seem like there were too many ingredients when you weer eating it...it takes a lot of skill to be complex (duh!).
If Casey had been more successful and won at least one of the courses, it might have tipped the scales toward either Dale or Hung, depending on which course she won. The 3-way competition had a lot of ways to play out, only one was the near tie between Dale and Hung.
re: mercyteapot
I think your assessment of Casey is spot on. She's done so well, but this wasn't the moment to, as you say, forget everything she's learned all season -- she simply couldn't win with a finale performance this bad.
As a side note, did anyone else think it was amusing/sad that Todd English himself couldn't name all of his restaurants? Maybe it was meant as a joke, but to me, he seems to have spread himself a little thin... the life of a celeb-chef, I guess. Overall though I loved the idea of the top three having these sous-chefs!
re: gyozagirl
Brian Malarky looked like he wanted to die during the final dinner. He was jealous, uncomfortable, freaked out and overwhelmed by being on the other side of the fence. I felt bad for him.
re: Brigita
yeah...so it was smart to have him eat instead of assist someone in cooking...
It was all a beautiful scene worthy of tears of joy until that smug wolverine walked onto the stage.
re: amanda3571
i thought it was telling though - he obviously wanted the spotlight but hung really wanted much more to do with his family. not sure he wants to be affiliated anymore!
re: amanda3571
Well... Marcel and Hung are friends. I'm sure Hung invited him to the live reveal. I doubt very highly that Marcel needs or wants any more time in the spotlight.
Also, I thought I saw that Marcel was the first person to give Hung a hug. Afterwards, Hung went down the line and hugged his family.
re: dave_c
Yes, I am aware they are friends. These comments are said (partially) in jest.
re: amanda3571
I thought Top Chef season 3 ended long ago? I am seriously out of the loop.
re: gyozagirl
Sorry...just thought it was over already. I guess they took a break before the finale? I was not an avid viewer..but after reading these posts, I am going to be next season.
re: dave_c
marcel went RUNNING out. it just looked like he wanted to be on tv. at least my take. hung did acknowledge him but just for a second - then went right to his family where he focused. that's all. i know they're friends. it was just marcel's not taking a back seat that i thought was telling.
re: revsharkie
Well, it DID seem as tho he was trying to horn in on Hung's "Day in the Sun."
re: ChefJune
Oh, I don't know about that. Marcel didn't even get up from his seat to congratulate Hung until Padma called him over.
Yeah Hung!
Dale *almost* won, which was great to see. Casey...well, she lost on her own merits.
Loved the guest sous chefs, hated the flat live bumpers. The live studio stuff is cheap to produce, and they didn't even DO anything with it except keep the security tight on who won. I'd rather see/hear more of what happened in Aspen.
I'd love to see more of cheftestants cooking without the absurd part of the challenges next year, at least by the end of the season. One or two gimmicky things are great, early on.
I'd like them to get dumped into a SEAsian grocery, or a Mexican grocery, or an Italian grocery, as well as a vending machine/gas station challenge.
enjoyed alton brown dissing the show while pimping The Next Iron Chef
re: pitu
Well, it was *supposed* to be "ocean-scented" - that was one thing I think Gail pointed out - where was the ocean scent?
After sleeping on it - while I don't mind that Hung won (nowhere near like last year when I didn't like either Ilan or Marcel and thought neither of them should have been in the Final 2), I do wish Dale had won it. I like his flashes of food brilliance and creativity. Hung just seems to do food I wouldn't be interested in eating (although the duck did look good!). And Casey just wasn't even in the contest this episode. I liked her (and as she said at JT live finale, she was whupping their butts in the past few weeks!), but she fell far short of what she seems capable of.
re: LabRat
Hard to beleive that the rice did not have an "ocean" flavor from that technique.
It ain't Bourdain, but Gail Simmons's blog is posted on the bravo website. Also Rocco gives a bit of insight into his sous chef period with Hung.
It was amazing to me how much the personailities of Dale and Hung came out in their "signature" dishes. Dale is a master at creating upscale comfort food (my favorite cusine) while Hung has such a mastery of technique he's able to turn classics into something modern and inventive. The deconstructed ratatoulie and the modern take on duck confit were just amazing - each would obviously be served at completely different restaurants but each has a place at a great establishment. In the end Dale's major problem throughout the competition has been reaching a bit too far and being overly ambitious - Dale's lobster dish clearly had that going for it and cost him the title. But I feel like comparing Dale and Hung would be like comparing Per Se and Babbo - both amazing restaurants but each does something completely different, Hung hit 2 home runs then did just enough not to loose, Dale hit 2 home runs but couldn't hit one more single.
re: wingman
I found it interesting that Marcel was there. I know he's friends with Hung. However, none of the other season 2 contestants were there. Marcel was the only one from season 2 who could match the quality of season 3.
Whats Ilan doing since he quit his job? I doubt he will be heard from again, at least at a restaurant. He's completely forgettable.
re: peachblossom
Even tho he won Top Chef last year, at 25 imho he has a LOT of learning to do before he's ready to open his own place.
re: wingman
What restaurant was Dale a part of before the owner retired? He mentioned in one episode it was one of the top 20 restaurants (in America?, in the world?). Kinda strange that owner would retire and restaurant would just close and Dale would be out of a job if the restaurant was that good.
re: Scott M
From Ted Allen's blog at bravo last week:
Before this show, [Dale] was cooking at the now dearly departed Trio, a nationally famous, avant-garde restaurant just north of Chicago that helped slingshot the careers of such great young chefs as Shawn McClain and Grant Achatz (both of whose food I've been privileged to eat there more than once). And then, owner Henry Adaniya decided to close Trio and retire.
Edited to add link: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi...
re: momjamin
Thanks, it seemed strange that Dale said he hadn't cooked in over a year before Top Chef or something along those lines. I would have thought he would be in high demand coming from a top restaurant.
re: Scott M
Well, then he got dumped on top of losing his dream job, and reportedly spiraled into depression. Understandably... Thus the talk of him finding his inner chef again.
re: Mushroom
I *think* it was something along the lines of doing a cookoff challenge between Rocco and AB - with Hung assisting Rocco. And it was a "see who wins then!" Essentially saying that Rocco and Hung would whup AB's butt.
re: LindaWhit
I thought it was a cookoff challenge between Hung and Rocco that AB wanted to see. I thought Rocco said they should open a restaurant together (Hung/Rocco) and he would never know. Maybe I have that wrong, but that was how I understood it.
re: Scott M
I heard Rocco say that, as well!
re: Scott M
Nope - you're right! Couldn't remember all the details. Work was a bear today so I couldn't concentrate on TC3. :-)
They should have let Casey go right after the challenge when they knew she was definitely out and instead of dragging out her inevitabe loss. She seemed a bit teary eyed at the end, probably moreso of embarassment. She should have stuck to her guns of less is more.
Huang definitely became more personable towards the end. Think he figured out even though he can cook he may be disliked based on his attitude and softened a bit.
re: steeltowngrl
You're right -- they should have let Casey go at judges table when it was clear Hung and Dale were head to head. It seemed cruel, after watching the show.
But then, they weren't showing that part until they did the live thing anyway . . .
I think she knew (actually, based on demeanor when they walked into the studio last night, I think both Dale and Casey and Hung knew in their hearts what the outcome was...)
While I know the contenders in TC are put through challenges, both quickfire and elimination, which require them to demonstrate their creativity, depth and breadth of experience, quick-wittedness and artistic skills, I can't help feeling that time is the truest and most accurate challenge for a chef. In ten years it will be interesting to look back at the top finishers in this series to see what they have accomplished, and what mark they have left in the culinary world.
Casey really bombed, which was disappointing, but congrats to Hung.
One thing I noticed throughout the season is that Hung kept going on and on about being classically-trained, so what would his chef-instructors say about duck sous-vide? It seems to me that that preparation method is not classical at all, and rather something he's picked up from working in fine-dining restaurants that are doing it. Am I wrong here? I have the latest edition of the CIA's "The Professional Chef" (8th Ed.) and I see nothing in there about sous-vide.
Does anyone know what the point was of filming the finale live in Chicago? Cutting to the Chicago studio for 30 seconds before going to commercial seemed utterly pointless and somewhat distracting.
All that said, I really had expected Casey to win. She was coming on so strong -- it was a surprise to see her fall apart at the end. Maybe my personal hatred of Hung's personality and arrogant style of cooking got in the way of accepting that he made an excellent meal, but Dale's dishes all truly spoke to me. I was surprised at the strength of his cooking as at the start of the competition I pegged him for an early loss. While Hung might have been crowned the winner of the competition, I think whatever Dale does will come across even more success.
re: JungMann
I agree. It seemed like something out of Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" and was pretty tacky. The only reason why (besides ratings) may be that that way they can prevent the name of the winner leaking out. This happened last year with Ilan.
It's interesting to me that how people's bias for/against the personalities of the contestants really color their view tremendously.
When you pay for a meal at a restaurant, you normally won't care about the chef's personality, likeability, or anything other than that they put out good chow in front of you.
The show is called Top Chef, not "Top Personality Chef". Casey and Dale have better on camera personalities, but at the end you have to judge the food.
I thought it was clear after Todd English's comment about the 3 star Michellin that it's Hung's to lose. He put out 2 good dishes, 1 great one and one good but boring one. The most they can fault him was that he underseasoned a little. Chocolate was a safe choice, but putting out a dessert course wasn't. He probably could have knocked it out of the park if he had put another meat course out like the others. However, in a 4 course meal in the real world you expect and demand dessert.
Casey really self-destructed, which is a pity, but being a Top Chef is to have grace under pressure, so I guess in that sense she didn't cut it.
When I first heard Dale's description of the curry lobster I was completely repulsed. I don't know how anything strong as a curry (powder) broth will not overwhelm the taste of delicate and sweet lobster. I guess if he use a lighter touch or more the Thai style curry he may have squeaked by. Once again a gnocchi did the contestant in.
Anyway, even though it's drawn out to be really close call, I didn't see how Dale can be that close to Hung if all he got was one great dish on his own, 1 great one that he shared with CJ, 1 OK one and 1 totally subpar one. The math doesn't add up.
Lastly, I am glad that they finally pick a contestant that does have skills, so at least I can put the travesity of season 2 Ilan Hall's win behind me.
re: notmartha
Excellent summary, notmartha!
re: notmartha
I agree with much of your summary. Also, don't forget that when the three of them were going over menus at the beginning, Dale had originally planned to use prawns, but switched to lobster when both the other two mentioned they were using prawns....I wonder if the prawns would have held up better to the curry broth?
re: susancinsf
Doubt any seafood will taste good if the broth is overwhelming. Plus he overcooked the lobster, so I just kept having a mental picture of rubberbands in curry powder broth.
My hubbie pointed out that the fairer way to judge is not to compare course by course, but just rank all the dishes. You can add extra points for top dishes, and deduct points for bottom ones. Since they inserted a surprise 4th dish, comparing courses head on seems kind of dumb. This is especially true when you compare a chocolate cake with lamb and beef?!
I'm glad Hung won. I think he is the most talented by far. Figured he wouldn't make anything that was less than very good in the final challenge.
Dale also performed pretty much as I expected. Mix of very good and very bad dishes. Seems to be much more of a "trial and error" type of chef than Hung is. Still have to wonder if his weak sense of smell causes him to make some bad choices in his spicing.
Not exactly sure what happened to Casey. Reading the blogs, it sounds like her dishes were almost right. She blew it by adding things like the roe to try to "fancy up" what she was offering. She's done best by going with homey, relatively simple food. Must have felt that approach just wouldn't cut it in the end.
re: Xericx
Haha, I thought the Hung and Padma hugs were kind of awkward too (and do note that there were 2!). The live taping all around was awkward, and you could tell how much editing they do for the real episodes!
re: Chew on That
Asians are more reserve in the 'feelings' dept.
re: DarthEater
you've obviously never met my relatives.
So I'm sure this has been hashed and rehashed already, but here's my two cents:
I felt so bad for Casey! I wanted her to win the whole time, but they picked her apart during that final meal and she knew it was coming that she didn't win! She handled it very classily though, and I'm a huge fan of hers!
Hung was hilarious when he found out he win. I'm glad he did because he deserved it for consistency sake, but he acted like a little kid! And Marcel...oh man, seeing the two of them together was classic.
Dale definitely put up a good fight for this challenge and I'm impressed by his growth during the season. He's talented but it took me and maybe him too awhile to realize it!
re: Chew on That
I'm just thrilled that this season, the show pulled itself up from that debacle of last year. I'm still determined to never spend one dollar in one of those brat's restaurants from last year. This year was very entertaining and it was a thrill that the competition right up to the last episode was nail-biting and very high quality. Game was on.
re: Chew on That
Oh! I forgot to mention, did anyone find it funny that Hung pulled out some foams in his final meal? No wonder Marcel and Hung are friends!
Right person won and he did it on coleman stoves.
Amazing what happened when the other two did not have anyone around to help them as they did for most of the season. People were always critical of Hungs independence, but in the end it helped. Casey just looked overwhelmed.
I could be off base and wrong, but people keep saying Hungs cake was safe. Yet it came out "perfectly executed". I think that is fairly impressive as the other two blamed the altitude for flaws in their food. Baking in high altitudes is difficult and different so I am suprised that was not mentioned.
Good Final, but Hung v CJ would have been better
re: ChrisZ
I will say that Dale really impressed me in the final as well. Going into judges table I did have them at 2 dishes each. Although I said CJ would have made a good finalist, I think Dale did put out food that was very impressive.
Alas, we come to a close of the Top Chef & HK threads for the season. In the end the duracell bunny won and i am glad. although i had my issues with how hung interacted with the other contestants, the show was about cooking and he pulled a great dishes. Some observations:
- Favorite moment - Casey telling the other two that she "kicked their asses" over the previous weeks.
- Game over moment - Casey choosing pork bellies. Way too sensitive for this competition. Then she double down with the knife challenge giving her Howie. But then Howie NAILED IT with the steak.
- Losing comment moment - Dale uttering "it was absolutely a 50-50 collaboration" with CJ. DUH,! this is you kitchen, everything that comes out of it is yours.
- Ping Pong Moment - Hung's effervescent description of his dishes and the return shot by the judges
- Yes I am a jerk moment - Every time Chef Collucci opened his mouth.
- We don't care moment - Dale uttering about English "and he's cute". Right up there with his unneeded comment two weeks ago, "I'm just a big gay chef." We're watching the show for entertainment and truly do not care about any of your preferences outside the kitchen
- I want to take a leek moment - Casey stating "there were no leeks." Tom response, "I saw them, they were about this big." At least we know where tom slept since he did not have time to shave.
- Who was that guy moment - The return of Howie. I guess the trick is oxygen deprivation makes him a nice guy.
- What did she mean moment - Food & Wine's offer to Dale. Was that a job offer?
- Stupid ending moment - the producer thought is would be so cool to have it live. It was a retarded version of American Idol meets the Apprentice.
- You gotta be kidding moment - Tom looking at Casey after he just blasted her and saying "i know where i can get a good meal in Dallas. Casey should have responded. "Sure I'll give the names of some good restos." Kick me when i'm down and then act like my friend?
Can't wait for the three-party cook-off amongst the seasons.
re: ChefJune
okeedokee, i will call him chef tom instead of butchering his last name.
re: moymoy
Someone has to play the heavy on that show in the judges for drama. Tom Colicchio does seem a bit mean, but I think he plays up whatever jerkiness he honestly possesses. It made the "triumph' comments he made to Dale and Hung seem better. Ooo we have impressed Big Bad Bald Tom!
re: Brigita
Not everyone cares for Tom Colicchio, I get it but I honestly feel that there is no guise behind his remarks. Yes, he rolls his eyes and smirks every so often but he does that to EVERY cheftestant and his style upon dismissing a chef at JT is to highlight the exiting chef's strong suit. Him saying that he knows where to get a good meal in Dallas is acknowledging the great chef that Casey is, there was no malice in that. In fact at times, I find Tom not mean enough...there have been chefs from seasons past that were disrespecting him at JT, particularly Carlos & Betty from Season 2.
re: moymoy
no disagreement that casey pulled a nose plant in the finals but chef tom spent the previous 15 minutes all over her and then tells her can't wait to eat her food. seemed that the timing could have been better. like telling the driver of the car you just hit that you really like his bmw.
re: jfood
I thought that was Chef Tom being tremendously kind to Casey and telling her he thought she was good, after she messed up thoroughly. I think it would mean a lot to her to have him say that, under any circumstances. Plus she's popular on the show, so someone had to say something nice to her!
As for jfood being bothered by the "big gay chef" chatter
+ Dale gave us most of the best comedic lines
+ consider it equal time for the playing up of Casey as the heterosexual girl next door, or the CJ hunkiness (I sooooo don't get that, but whatever - it's in the show)
re: jfood
jfood, it's not the choice of words - it is the idea you expressed:
"We're watching the show for entertainment and truly do not care about any of your preferences outside the kitchen"
but it's only a problem with the gayness, not other expressions of sexual preference that infuse the show SO . . .
I think that everything other than the cooking is of less interest, but that's not what you are objecting to when you are bothered by Dale's "big gay chef" patter.
His comments address views like the one you expressed.
re: pitu
ok, i understand, but i really do not care about their outside lives.
I also expressed complete disgust on these boards when Rock (winner of this year's HK) spoke of the congugal visit with his wife, so i have been pretty consistent and (a) gayness and (b) congugal visits with wives, have no business on either of these shows.
If i offended anyone with this comment, my apologies, and that applies to this thread and the thread when i commented on Rock's unneeded words.
re: dave_c
i thought it was better than i expected. And you should read Rocco's part 1. It is excellent.
Hung irritates me a little. But, he has consistantly proven that he deserves to be the Top Chef. He has excellent technique and execution. I was so happy for Dale though! No matter who won, Dale stepped up to the plate and actually gave Hung a run for his money. Too bad for Casey though, I thought for a while that she would win it all. I guess that just proves the best man won.
re: linz_e_moore
dale has already lined up backers and will open his restaurant in chicago. windy city is pretty excited about this. but first, dale has to fly out today to the caymens to cook with eric r. at the ritz. his future is bright.
hung hasn't tipped his hand yet. we'll see. the man can cook and that's a simple fact.
casey has global plane tickets (biz/first class) and her new macbook pro. road trip may be a good idea.
re: steve h.
Yeah, it's good to hear Dale ended up doing well. I think that even though Dale and Casey didn't end up with $100k I think it put them on the map. I thinked Chef Ripert seemed very interested in Dales talents and I am sure a lot of Casey's fans will visit her restaurant in Dallas.
By the time we got to the end I was happy with all three...whichever one won was fine with me. It seemed like they were playing Hung to be the next villain, a la Marcel, but it just didn't fit. There really wasn't anyone this season who was uniformly unlikeable, even with editing. Maybe if Howie had stayed longer...After season 2, I was quite impressed (after the few forgettable ones were weeded out, at least) with the quality and maturity level of all the contestants.
In the following interview Top Chef Farewell: Final Thoughts from Hung, when he was asked why Marcel seemed so excited to see him win, Hung commented that Marcel felt it was "me winning for him -- it was revenge time."
Hung says he'll be back at Guy Savoy, Caesar's for a while, but has plans to move on. The $100,000 will go towards enhancing his culinary education. He'll travel and work for a while in Chicago, Spain and Asia. And, he says that part of the money will be donated to Buddhist temples -- what a guy. Best of luck to you, Hung!
re: LindaWhit
I think he might want to see a doctor about that...
re: kenito799
re: janetofreno
Thanks for the lead... I didn't find the article yet, but also from the Las Vegas Review Journal an quick blurb from Oct 5th... "On hand in Chicago to offer support to Huynh was his Las Vegas pal, Marcel Vigneron, the Season 2 runner-up. They have talked about teaming up in the kitchen of their own Las Vegas restaurant."
Hung and Marcel opening their own place?!?!
Here's the link to the article mentioned by janetofreno: http://www.lvrj.com/living/10597017.html


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St. Paul ranks just ahead of Minneapolis in NerdWallet's list of the "Greenest Cities in America," but both cities crack the top 10.The list ranks the county's 95 largest cities using an algorithm that accounts for the median Air Quality Index, number of parks per 10,000 residents, the percentage of ... More >>
For all of the hype surrounding Prince in 2013, it looks like 2014 is actually going to be much bigger. The Purple One has just announced a full-scale North American tour in stadiums across the U.S. and Canada. Compared to his 2012-13 Hit N' Run dates, and several hastily announced Minnesota gigs, t ... More >>
On the same day that Kanye West unveiled his dates, Jay Z has announced he's bringing his Magna Carter World Tour to North America in late 2013 and early 2014. Still hanging on and dominating after two decades in the rough-and-tumble rap game, Mr. Shawn Carter did it by becoming one of the best perf ... More >>
A new type of cold war has taken over the tech world
The complex pop marvel that is Taylor Swift is heading back out on the road in 2013. Based upon her multiple car accidents during her recent interview time with Rolling Stone, let's just hope that she's not driving the bus. The 58-concert trek across the U.S. (and a little bit of Canada) in support ... More >>
See Also:Bassnectar at Epic: Halloween costumes and crazinessBassnectar blows up the VarsityAfter a headlining slot at Lollapalooza next week, the sonic thrust of Bassnectar takes over North America this fall. Every bit of junk in Target Center's trunk is gonna get rattled in the process.Touring on ... More >>
See Also:The Who Sell Out--ReallyOne of the loudest, most boisterous (and oldest) rock acts in the business, the Who, has just revealed details for their first tour in four years to touch North America. A stop in Minneapolis at the Target Center is included.The 1973 double album Quadrophenia gets sp ... More >>
Related:Justin Bieber's snake finds home at Owatonna Zoo (PHOTOS)The Justin Bieber experience is headed back to the Twin Cities in October. The Biebs just announced a fresh North American tour, and it includes about three months of dates beginning in late September, and continuing through most of Ja ... More >>
Classic rock fans of the Twin Cities, are you ready to dance the night away with Van Halen once again? The legendary arena rock band has reunited with original frontman David Lee Roth, and are set to reconnect with their fans in a big way on a massive U.S. tour that finds the combustible band ... More >>
Generation Complex and The Armageddon Experience
At the conclusion of a summer that will have seen nearly every major touring pop act stop through the Twin Cities, two of the most omnipresent forces in hip hop will cap things off on October 8 when Jay-Z and Kanye West bring their tour to the Target Center in Minneapolis. In a coy avoidance of t ... More >>
Local rock trio Now Now (formerly known as Now, Now Every Children) are one of the many Twin Cities bands who will caravan down to Austin, Texas this year for the SXSW festival, but they're getting a head start -- the band is already on the road and will complete a full lap of the US that won't f ... More >>
NKOTBSB on Ryan Seacrest/Dick Clark's New Year's show.Didn't get enough of the New Kids On the Block and the Backstreet Boys on ABC's New Year's Eve show last weekend? Well, you're in luck: The two groups of pre-Bieber heartthrobs announced they're adding a Target Center tour date on July 15 ... More >>
"No Negro's Allowed"Mark Prior has cheesed off a lot of folks in Abbotsford, Wis., and not just because he wants to open a strip joint right next to City Hall and the library. The real issue is that he posted a "No Negro's Allowed" sign on the front door of the property. (Yes, we see that he ... More >>
Photos by Peter Michael MillerGreensboro, North Carolina was tubular. There are nice folks, a nice joint called the green bean, and home to some youngster blue grass musicians that make me embarrassed to pick up a guitar ever again.
The Greensboro, Ala. "Pie Lab" brings the community together -- with the aim of ultimately making it better -- over a piece of pie.
Get your bracket out and advance the Gophers to Round 2. Here's why.
The Gopher's pedestrian finish didn't damn their NCAA hopes. Here's some initial analysis of the matchup. Get your bracketology on.
Fewer jobs. More debt. And more outsourcing.
Did a local Psychologist conjure a patient's "memories" of cannibalism and torture?

subset: commoncrawl


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Things are starting to come into focus as we head into the final days of February. At the same time, there's so much more still to be determined. Conference championships, automatic bids, bubbles burst and all the seed talk is just around the corner. After this past weekend, we have teams rising and teams falling.
Here are some observations, and a few things to look forward to:
Miami will not run the table
Shane Larkin of the Hurricanes said it best.
"Who would have ever thought Wake Forest beating Miami at home would have been a court-rushing scene?" he said Saturday.
It is a bit strange when you think about it, but it had been four years since Demon Deacon fans had something that sizeable to celebrate at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Wake Forest hit Miami hard from the start, led 42-29 at halftime and eventually defeated the nation's No. 2 team 80-65.
The whole storming the court thing has gotten out of hand this season, but I suppose you can't blame Wake Forest fans, who are struggling through a 5-9 ACC season.
Miami's 14-game winning streak ended, but the Hurricanes remain in control of the conference standings at 13-1. Duke is 10-3 and North Carolina 9-5. The Hurricanes have been the best story in college basketball this season and that doesn't change with one loss.
It could drop Miami off the No. 1 seed line for the NCAA tournament, however. Miami's game at Duke on March 2 looms larger and larger. No one would have thought that either -- back in November.
An emotional season for Jim Crews and Saint Louis is on the upswing headed into March.
Billikens take control
The Atlantic 10 upgraded itself with the addition of Butler and Virginia Commonwealth this season. No argument there. But Saint Louis clearly was not interested in being pushed around by the new kids on the block. How do we know? The Billikens proved that on the floor with victories over both last week -- three days apart.
They knocked off the Rams at home, 76-62, then traveled to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for a 65-61 win over Butler. It's difficult to win at Hinkle, and the Billikens pulled off a sweep of Butler this season. Friday night's win also gave Saint Louis sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10 with a 10-2 conference record.
"To lose to a team twice, it hurts more than most," Butler's Roosevelt Jones said.
Saint Louis moved into the Scout.com power rankings last week and then responded to the challenge in style. The Billikens have lost five games this season, but three of those (Santa Clara, Kansas, Washington) came before December.
This is a resilient team that has played through the emotional resignation and then death of coach Rick Majerus. Coach Jim Crews has stepped up and done an absolutely remarkable job. The best moments may be ahead for the Billikens.
Bears heating up in Pac-12
California may not win the Pac-12 regular-season title, but who will want to play the Bears in the conference tournament? Cal has won seven of its last eight games to strengthen its NCAA tournament resume and move up in the conference standings.
Arizona and Oregon remain tied for first place in the Pac-12 at 11-4, followed by UCLA at 10-4. But Cal is in fourth place with a 10-5 mark, just one game behind the leaders with home games remaining against Utah, Colorado and Stanford to end the regular season.
Check out Ken Davis' latest college basketball power rankings at FOXSports.com.
Mike Montgomery's team might head into the conference tournament on an eight-game winning streak, one that started with a 77-69 victory at Arizona. Allen Crabbe, the conference's top scorer, had 31 points in that win over the Wildcats.
The Bears have even survived that highly publicized incident when Montgomery shoved Crabbe and questioned his willingness to play. Montgomery was reprimanded by the Pac-12. Without a doubt, the Bears are a developing story.
Bill Self close to milestone win
Wasn't it just yesterday that everyone was asking, "What's wrong with Kansas?"
The Jayhawks brought that talk on themselves with a three-game losing streak to Oklahoma State, TCU and Oklahoma. Now Kansas has rattled off four consecutive victories, including a double-overtime win at Oklahoma State and a 74-48 payback win over TCU at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.
"Obviously, they were upset. I don't know for what," TCU coach Trent Johnson joked.
So now the Jayhawks have appeared on at least one list of teams "peaking at the right time." That may be true. Or perhaps it would be well advised to wait until late Monday night to judge that. Kansas (23-4, 11-3 Big 12) hits the road to play a good Iowa State (19-8, 9-5) team that is so difficult to beat at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. Kansas needs the win to keep pace with Kansas State in the conference standings.
After a three-game losing streak, Bill Self and Kansas are right back on track.
But there are historic overtones as well. Kansas coach Bill Self has 499 career victories and can join the 500 club in his 20th season. Roy Williams, the man Self replaced at Kansas when Williams left for North Carolina, was fastest to 500. Williams reached the milestone in his 19th season. Self is 292-57 in his 10th season at KU.
"We want that for him," center Jeff Withey told the Lawrence Journal-World. "He's done so much for us. It means a lot to us to be able to get that for him."
The Jayhawks are closing in on a remarkable ninth consecutive Big 12 championship, but they've got to beat Iowa State first.
Hoyas, Huskies trending
Step back in time to October when the Big East coaches announced their preseason poll. Georgetown was picked fifth. Connecticut was picked ninth.
Now, back to today. Georgetown, after its impressive victory over Syracuse before 35,000 nostalgic fans in the Carrier Dome, is in sole possession of first place in the Big East at 11-3. Syracuse, Louisville and Marquette are tied at 10-4, followed by Notre Dame (10-5) and UConn (9-5).
Much was made of the dying rivalry between the Orange and the Hoyas, but next up for Georgetown is a game at UConn on Wednesday night. The Huskies and the Hoyas have each won seven Big East tournament titles, tied for the most ever in conference history. And since the Huskies are banned from postseason play this season, perhaps this game against Georgetown will serve as UConn's Big East tournament game.
The Huskies, who already have a win over Syracuse this season, defeated Cincinnati and DePaul last week and need one more victory for a 20-win season. No one expected that type of success as Kevin Ollie took over for Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun with a team that lost Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, Alex Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith.
Ollie and Georgetown coach John Thompson III both deserve consideration for Big East coach of the year honors. In addition, Otto Porter of the Hoyas and Shabazz Napier of the Huskies should be contenders for Big East player of the year.


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Films By Paul Jansen
Adapted from a Guy de Maupassant story, the film shows how two people, with quite different problems, can help each other. ... Read more
Tapestry is one of the richest and oldest of the mural arts. The Victorian Tapestry Workshop was established in 1976 to encourage the art, and to establish a training ground for weavers and artists. ... This film documents the transformation of a Roger Kemp painting into a major tapestry, and by so ... Read more


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In the mood for authentic Mexican cuisine for only a few tamales? Stop by El Taquito, a quaint Fells Point restaurant where Mexico's colors fly proudly. Start the night off right with the chips with salsa and guacamole, followed by a choice of traditional burritos, fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, or a variety of specials that are served with rice, beans, and tortillas. Most entrées are your choice of beef, chicken, pork, or beans and cheese. For you (very) brave souls, they offer lamb, beef tongue, and rabbit to fill your tortillas. You won't need many greenbacks, but they don't take the plastic.
Neighborhood: Fells Point
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sole mates
by Miriam Naumann
Art Print
Collect your choice of gallery quality Giclée, or fine art prints custom trimmed by hand in a variety of sizes with a white border for framing.
Have you found your soul mate? How about your *sole* mate? Celebrate Valentine's Day or any other day of the year with these mismatched soles, and tell someone you care.
- 3Promote


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The Replacements Lyrics
The Replacements
f. 1979 in Minneapolis, MN, USA
This pop-punk group was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
USA in 1979, with Paul Westerberg (b. 31 December 1960,
Minneapolis, USA; guitar, vocals), Tommy Stinson (b. 6
October 1966, San Diego, California, USA; bass), Bob
Stinson (b. 17 December 1959, Mound, Minnesota, USA, d. 18
February 1995; guitar) and Chris Mars (b. 26 April 1961,
Minneapolis, USA; drums). Originally the Impediments, their
early shambolic, drunken gigs forced a name change to
secure further work. Their debut for More...
f. 1979 in Minneapolis, MN, USA
This pop-punk group was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
USA in 1979, with Paul Westerberg (b. 31 December 1960,
Minneapolis, USA; guitar, vocals), Tommy Stinson (b. 6
October 1966, San Diego, California, USA; bass), Bob
Stinson (b. 17 December 1959, Mound, Minnesota, USA, d. 18
February 1995; guitar) and Chris Mars (b. 26 April 1961,
Minneapolis, USA; drums). Originally the Impediments, their
early shambolic, drunken gigs forced a name change to
secure further work. Their debut for More...
Submit The Replacements New Lyrics
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- Somethin To Du Lyrics
- Something To Du Lyrics
- Stick In The Middle Lyrics
- Stuck In The Middle Lyrics
- Swingin' Party Lyrics
- Take Me Down To The Hospital Lyrics
- Takin' A Ride Lyrics
- Takin A Ride Lyrics
- Talent Show Lyrics
- The Last Lyrics
- The Ledge Lyrics
- TheLast Lyrics
- They're Blind Lyrics
- Till We're Nude Lyrics
- Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out Lyrics
- Torture Lyrics
- Tossin' & Turnin Lyrics
- Tossin' & Turnin (Lewis) Lyrics
- Treatment Bound Lyrics
- Twentieth Century Boy (M. Bolan) Lyrics
- Unsatisfied Lyrics
- Valentine Lyrics
- Waitress In The Sky Lyrics
- Wake Up Lyrics
- We'll Inherit The Earth Lyrics
- We're Comin' Out Lyrics
- We're the Replacements Lyrics
- We Know The Night Lyrics
- When It Began Lyrics
- White And Lazy Lyrics
- Who Knows Lyrics
- Willpower Lyrics
- Within Your Reach Lyrics
- You Lose Lyrics
Review about The Replacements songs
What's Westerberg's beef? | Reviewer: Paul
------ About the song Waitress In The Sky performed by The Replacements
That he has had problems with crappy service and attitudes from flight attendants is obvious. But why does he have to compare them to a time-honored occupation in a derogatory manner? I know many waitresses who love their jobs. They like dealing with people and they make a very decent living because they are good at it. It's easy to believe that Westerberg never tipped and never will.
Here comes a regular | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the song Here Comes A Regular performed by The Replacements
One of the saddest and most gorgeous songs I've ever heard. Westerberg captures the despair of those seeking escape from their disappointments in a bottle, and the loneliness of a bar, even if it's full of people. This is a song I thought of every now and then while struggling with drinking, and makes me glad that part of my life is over.
Answering Machine | Reviewer: Gogunn
------ About the song Answering Machine performed by The Replacements
Made me cry. I am the sensitive type. Remember answering machines? They had tapes in them. if you saved the tapes, they make for some hilarious listening years later. If Westerberg left any messages on your answering machine, I'd pay to give them a listen. In the meantime I'll listen to the two versions on the 2008 re-issue. The playing is Replacements amateurish, but what the hell, the song is great. It's perfect the way it is, played by a lonely guy and his guitar and maybe a bottle. Could've been a hit if Prince recorded it.
livin on the ledge | Reviewer: stas kusak
------ About the song The Ledge performed by The Replacements
My personal favorite Replacement song. Brings back all the extended middle fingers that were flown in my youth. God love rock and roll.
MATS AND HOTTIES NAMED KELLY | Reviewer: Tigggger
------ About the song THEY'RE BLIND performed by The Replacements
This song is awesome no matter who is singing it.
"They're Blind" is great at simply saying
"Maybe I'm talented;
the reason no sees that
I am talented
is that they are
Anyway, it was on "Don't
TELL A Soul" and Kelly
(Schwing!) Wills
album "What I Deserve."
You could review The Replacements in Biography page
You could review The Replacements album by visiting Album page
You could review The Replacements song by clicking the song which you like


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