Official Chopped Thread

[nate]

Does anyone watch?  I think Katie and Gotbeer watch.  It is a cooking competition show on the food network.  It is a good show to learn about cooking.

 

Anyway, the last episode was people who lost in the final round previously.  It was a good episode but the woman that won was a total bitch.

[Stradling]

I love that channel, but don't care for that show.  Something about being given a basket of random and having to cook a meal out of it.  "OK Chefs open your baskets, we have a white fish, peanut butter, some chili paste and an old shoe, you have thirty minutes and it starts, now!"

[nate]

That is the best part, Strad.  The way they look at the ingredients and put them to use is really creative.

[Stradling]

Yea, but the meal most of the time is like science fiction.  How much of that food would you eat when they give you these whack ingredients to cook with?  It's like watching Iron Chef, which I haven't watched in years, ever since Bobby disgraced Morimoto by standing on the cutting board.   That show literally never had a single thing I would eat.   I guess I just like watching them cook stuff that I would actually consider eating. 

[gotbeer]

Sometimes I wonder how good those dishes are.  Same with Iron Chef.  One of these days I'll have to check out one of those fancy pancy places, and see if it's really that good.  Although i will say that Giada's spagetti sauce is real good for a bottled brand.  

 

As for Chopped.  Yeah, I watch it when it's on.  The redemption ones are usually entertaining.  But some of those chefs are sometimes too egotistical.  And I always root against the Boston Chefs.  They love to talk how superior they are to other chefs.  One thing I don't like about Chopped is how all the chefs are from NY or the NorthEast.  Which tells me they aren't looking for the best chefs, but which are convenient to their location in NY.  

[nate]

Lots of chefs from Louisiana too.  Sometimes they have Vegas chefs but you are right, most of them are from NY.

[Blarg]

Most likely the costs of sending crews to the hometown of the contestants is prohibitive and also outside of the major cities on the East coast there are not that many talented chefs out there. Think about it, the road to fame and glory in America's kitchens is not in Bismarck North Dakota.

[nate]

Yep, along with the travel costs for the contestants themselves.

[Tank]

We watch chopped all the time. I like the all stars edition, when the judges themselves have to compete.

Scott Conant is always described as a brilliant chef, but no ones ever seen him cook. Put him on the line with a mystery basket of ketchup, Brussels sprouts, egg nog, and won ton wrappers.

[nate]

My favorite three judges are Conant, Santos and Frietag.

[Jim]

I'm a Diners Drive-ins and Dives connoisseur myself. When I get a chance, Restaurant Impossible is enjoyable viewing.

[katie]

This is the only show I watch on the food network and the only cooking show I can stand. I love it.

[katie]

I liked iron chef when it wasn't iron chef America

[gotbeer]

My favorite three judges are Conant, Santos and Frietag.

 

 

Frietag showed some chops in next iron chef.  

[nate]

This is the only show I watch on the food network and the only cooking show I can stand. I love it.

 

Same here, I can't watch any of those other shows, they are so boring.

[gotbeer]

I liked iron chef when it wasn't iron chef America

 

 

The original iron chef was fun to watch.  Anyone remember the first reboot, when Shatner was the Chairman?  The beginning of Iron Chef America was good when it was Betalli, Flay, Morimoto.  Was never a fan of Cora.  They have really watered it down with a new Iron Chef every year though.  

[gotbeer]

Same here, I can't watch any of those other shows, they are so boring.

 

 

Worst Cooks in America.  So fun to watch.  Probably because I could be on that show.  Well, maybe not, I know that when you make grill cheese, you don't literally try and grill the cheese on the grill.  

 

I also enjoy restaurant impossible, just because you can see why those places are failing, and just wonder.  Although of all the places they had on the show, there was really only one that you really felt sorry for the people for.  A place in Katies neck of the woods, in SD area somewhere called the Trails.  That's the one where Irvine was saying the food was good, the decor wasn't bad, and had a hard time trying to figure out why people weren't coming.  

 

Restaurant Stakeout is another I watch.  Just because I can see those same things happening when I go to some restaurants, and have always wondered.  

 

But for plain cooking shows, don't watch any of those.  

[mtangelsfan]

I watch it regularly and you are right Nate.  That chick was was a nasty woman. 

 

I actually like brussel sprouts now because of chopped.  Cook them up with in olive oil with bacon then a few chili flakes.

[Adam]

Chopped is great.

[Adam]

Also a fan of Master Chef. That show is probably the best if you are into real food that most of us actually eat on a regular basis.

[katie]

I think worst cooks is fake. There's a guy on there that was on The Glass House (a big brother rip off)

[mtangelsfan]

what channel is Master Chef on Adam?

[nate]

Pretty good episode this week.  That woman that got chopped in the second round was really irritating.  I was glad when she got chopped.

[nate]

Anyone watch the episodes this week?  The All Stars thing seems pretty cool.  I am looking forward to seeing some of the Chopped judges on there.

 

The episode last night was "viewers choice" where the viewers picked the basket ingredients.  They were totally brutal baskets.  At first it was cool but it got old fast.  All the chefs struggled a lot.

[mtangelsfan]

Watched it, it was stupid.  What's the point if you simply can't make good food out of the basket?

 

BTW, is every female chef this season going to be a witch?