I remember when the first season of top chef ran back in 05 when i was living in the college dorms. I thought it was ok, but I really fell in love with the show during the second season (and totally had a crush on the winner, Ilan). Now i am addicted. the Miami season wrapped just when i was beginning culinary school and now that the Chicago one premiered, i haven't realized how i view the show in a completely different light now. Before, i did have an interest in their food, but more into the drama (which i am sure is semi-staged, as with all reality shows). So i thought each week, I'd give a quick overview and my thoughts of the weeks episode. I dont know if any of my readers care or even watch the show, but maybe if you just listen to my ramblings about it, you won't even need to watch. Now i know i am sort of jumping into this kind of late in the game since its already had three episodes for the new Chicago season but I'll briefly fill you in. Right now, theres a lesbian couple who new each other from before the show (Jennifer and Zoi), a quirky new Zealand (Marc), a kinda cute wise crack (I have a crush on on of the chefs in EVERY season, last season it was CJ, this time its Spike, the token Latina (Antonia), the other cute but kinda dumb guy (Ryan), a know it all gastronomy whiz (Richard), the token Asian (cause every top chef season needs one or they would be prejudice, Dale), the quiet ladies (Valerie, who was voted off, Lisa and Stephanie), the token black girl (they always need someone black, in this case it was nimma, voted off the first episode), the scary tattoo dawning guy (Erik, voted off last week for soggy corn dogs), the pretty girl with little culinary knowledge (they always need some really pretty girl, usually shes just eye candy for producers, she wont win, but will be around for beauty's sake, its sad but its a pattern I've noticed, anyway, this season its Nikki), the comic relief (Andrew), and the quiet guy (Manuel, who was voted off this past episode). I think they cast strategically, as with all reality shows, but i love the show for the fun culinary creations and challenges, not for the "diverse" cast. I like that Ted Allen is one of the judges this season, joining Padma Lakshmi (Salman Rushdie's ex wife) and Tom Collichio (a very good chef i might ad, just opened Craft in LA and it got three stars in the times which is very rare). I wont go over the first two episodes because that could take a while, but I just loved this past one. They had to do a dish with a partner based or inspired by a movie with film critic, Richard Roeper, and kick-ass actress, Aisha Tyler, as guest judges. One team did Vietnamese Spring rolls for the film, "Good Morning Vietnam" and Padma commented that she though they chose the film because they want to make Vietnamese food, when it should have been the other way around. I agreed with her, and if it were me I might make something like twist on chili and corn bread (a la one of my favorite films, "Blazing Saddles")or some southern inspired dish (a la "Gone with the Wind", don't make fun, i still cry when i watch it!). What would your film/dish be? imagine if someone chose Silence of the Lambs! what would they serve, their partner's kidneys or liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti!?
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