Other Great Reality Shows > Other Reality TV Shows & News

Top Chef New York Season 5

<< < (64/73) > >>

TexasLady:

--- Quote from: catzoid on February 27, 2009, 08:26:52 AM ---Hi, fellow foodies/TV watchers. First post here...

There is a short article in today's Washington Post about how Carla's catering (?)business has taken off despite the bad economy. And Carla being Carla, she spoke of how grateful she was that the Top Chef exposure allowed this to happen, and how sad she is for her colleagues in the business who are facing hard times.

As for Casey's comments, Casey is prickly but probably right at the heart of it. In a kinder interpretation, I suspect Carla's nerves got the best of her, causing her to rely on Casey too much. Carla strikes me as one of those chefs who would benefit greatly from more time to think and plan and experiment (they all would, but her especially IMO). Under those circumstances, she did an amazing job on this show.

Overall, though, I thought this was a weak season.


--- End quote ---

I'm happy for Carla and her business! It sounds about right concerning Carla and her nerves. It must be very difficult to know exactly what you are going to prepare when TC is known for throwing in a clinker in the works. Casey got trashed in the after-show comments that I've read as well and I'm sure that is part of the reason she reacted the way she did.

Welcome to RFF catzoid! We're glad you joined us! 
:bigwelcome

apskip:
I have been away and just had the chance to catch up on the Top Chef 5 Semi-finals and I watched the Finale on Wednesday night. It is clear to me that:

1. Carla totally blew it. It was hers to win but "soul, heart and love" in the food will NEVER beat flavor when Tom Colicchio is head judge and it shouldn't. I consider Carla's "I put more love into my food" comment from a few episodes back to be pure rubbish.
2. I am willing to accept Casey's comments on how things went in that kitchen. It was Carla's decision to do a cheese souffle; Casey only recommended it. It appeared that the sous vide was the problem (Casey's idea which Carla accepted) but it appears that Carla messes up her chances by then grilling it. I think Carla acted like a big baby in trying to pin her loss on Casey and my opinion of her has dropped accordinagly.
3. Stefan blew it on the carpaccio by using frozen salmon and halibut. If he had used fresh fish even if they were different, I am willing to speculate that Stefan would be Top Chef.
4. Hosea totally earned the title and the $100,000 by being rock-steady throughout the Finale.
5. I do not like the "use only this evening's meal as the basis for decisions" principle and do not agree with it, but like in the Amazing Race the uncertainty makes for more exciting reality TV.

Wasn't it interesting to see the fans vote 60% for Carla? Since none were tasting the food, it was a personality contest. Of course Carla would win that over Stefan (Mr. Personality) and Hosea (much less colorful than the other two). So I say, "where was Fabio when you need him in the kitchen competing?" His ouster was unfortunate and undoubtedly very close.

TexasLady:
Thanks for your comments Apskip.  :waves:  It was Carla's to win and she lost it by not thinking ahead, and not cooking the food she is known for.

BTW, I really wish someone would explain to me what "soul" has to do with food. How can you tell "soul" from really delicious food. ???  I know the difference between so-so food, bad food... ill prepared food, and yummy food, but  soul food? :umn:

TexasLady:
A chat with the winner of Top Chef 5

Top Chef 5: Conference Call with Hosea Rosenberg
Friday, February 27, 2009

Hosea Rosenberg's ascent to the top spot on Top Chef 5 was certainly not a smooth ride. From the stress of a father ill with cancer, to the poorly-timed dalliance with Leah Cohen that seemed to rattle his focus, to several brushes with the bottom, it was never a sure thing that he would emerge with the win.

But he did win, and he spoke with us today about the competition, what he thinks about the reaction to his victory, and what exactly is going on with Leah Cohen now that the show is over.

Hosea said he did not go into the finale positive he would win, but he was more focused than he had been. The last few challenges in New York were difficult, but with the break before New Orleans, he was able to refocus and regroup to go into New Orleans with his “head down” and the determination to cook the best food he could.

He says that the rivalry between him and Stefan Richter was not the main focal point as it was edited to be, and that his comments about it were maybe “five percent” of his overall interviews. Although his feelings about competing against Carla didn't make it into the show, he saw her as just as much of a competitor as Stefan. He said that once he heard her menu, he was thinking she was the one to beat, as he himself found the list of dishes quite appealing.

While he sticks with his decision to not make a dessert course, he says he had an idea for one in his back pocket in case that infamous twist was to add another course. He would have made chicory custard with a beignet as a play on coffee and donuts.

Overall, throughout his time on the show, he feels the foie gras and scallop dish from the finale was one of his strongest, as well as the trio of fish he made early on. The one dish he regrets is the one served at Eric Ripert's Le Bernadin, saying he messed up his timing on that one.

Although that one brush with a French culinary luminary might have been less than stellar, his win gave him the chance for another. He says he's not sure how his time of Top Chef 5 will ultimately be received in the food world. At a recent event, though, restaurant world heavyweight Daniel Boulud approached him and asked when they would cook together, so he feels pretty hopeful about the professional reception.

As to the fans, he hasn't had time since the finale to read much of the fallout from the show and some of those Top Chef 5 viewers who might not be thrilled with his win. That said, he says he “worked [his] ass off” to get there, and that he doesn't need to apologize for winning. He doesn't necessarily think he is a better chef than the other cooks, but does feel he did the best in that final moment. He said he doesn't really understand the negativity.

I noted that I thought the fan reaction might be due in part to his edit. After all, other than the brief mention of his father, the only thing we ever really got to know about Hosea was that he kissed Leah (while having a girlfriend back home) and that he was in a rivalry with Stefan. It's hard to get a sense of personality when someone is only presented in relation to other people. I asked him what he wished had been shown in the show about him and his background.

His answer gave me, at least, a much better sense of what is likable and relatable about the chef. I did not realize that he had a degree in engineering, and so the fact that this self-taught chef who admits he hasn't been in the business very long was able to do so well is pretty remarkable. He also noted, though, that while not directly related, he thinks his background in science helped with cooking as it gave him a foundation in math and organizing information.

He says that the people who know and work with him back in Colorado have respect for him and know that he is a “caring” person. He says he's got a large network of farmers, growers and ranchers that he's developed, and it's part of the reason why he doesn't plan to leave Colorado in the immediate future.

And it's partially that geographic complication that means that while neither he nor Leah are still with their previous romantic partners, they're also not currently boyfriend/girlfriend themselves. That said, when asked if recent Page Six reports of a make-out session were true, he admitted that they are both now single and have kissed again since the show. He said that they would be going out to dinner while he was in New York, and that if they lived in the same town, they would probably be dating.

With regard to some of the other Top Chef contestants, he says that he and Stefan are friends. He also confirmed that Fabio Viviani is pretty much as funny as he came across, noting that one of the funniest things that happened while they were all together was Fabio hitting his crotch as he got down from what Fabio calls “bunky beds” and cursing up a blue streak in a combination of Italian and English.

As to his future plans, he's taking the money from the Top Chef 5 win and using it to spend more time with his father, who unfortunately is not doing better with his cancer. Hosea also hopes to open his own restaurant and will be doing some work with a packaged food company.

- Leslie Seaton, BuddyTV Staff Columnist. 

Source: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/top-chef/top-chef-5-conference-call-wit-26636.aspx

apskip:
Tonight in the usual time slot is the BRAVO TOP CHEF 5 Reunion, hosted by Andy Cohen. I was curious on who Any Cohen is, so I investigated and discovered that he is the Sr. Vice President of Programming and Production for the BRAVO network. He loves to ohst reunion shows of all types, but his main job is to decided what shows get or do not get onto BRAVO and then overseeing them. I expect that Carla will walk away with the $10,000 prize tonight for the fans' most popular chef. Ariane has a slight chance and Fabio has a decent chance.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page