Top Chef: Chicago

[YourCaptor]

It’s starting Wednesday, 3/12

Anyone exited, I know I sure am

I hope it can top last season that would be awesome.

The introduction vids for the contestants are up, anyone willing to place an early bet?

and how about Padma, shes looks mature and talks mature, but the way she moves, it says daddys girl to me. Anyone else see it?

Will Bourdain be judging again?

Whos your favorite contestant from the last seasons?

All things and anything on the subject, lets talk top chef

 

[YourCaptor]

I think Stephanie could make it far, something about her impresses me.

I hope she doesn’t disappoint.

The seasons starting tonight, are their no fans here?

 

[Essene]

Oh I don't have to work tonight. I'll probably watch it.

 

[Millificent]

I might watch it. Haven't decided yet. Depends on if I'm too tired.

Last season was okay. Everyone kind of annoyed me though. Of course, Padma annoys me too. Just the way she talks and acts just...gah!

That one guy from last season (can't think of his name to save my life) that sweated all the time. He was just gross.

I haven't seen any of the new ones yet, so no opinion there.

 

[fishercat]

I'll be watching. I love this show, despite the fact that I can't cook at all, and that we can't taste or smell what they're preparing. I used to live in downtown Chicago, so I'm excited to see a show set there.

 

[YourCaptor]

Ha, how do you like that, I picked the winning chef.

I was worried at first, leave it to me to pick out the impressionable one.

She did get the luck of the draw, and I think the dish she made she had made 1000 times before. I think she’s got some creativity stored away, just hope she can trust herself enough to use it.

Bourdain was on again, that settles that.

How about the couple, Jennifer and Zoi. I think it gives them an unfair advantage. They can compare notes on other contestants and get a better read on them. They also know each others strengths.

Anyway, looks like it will be a good season

 

[midwestyankee]

I've only caught a few episodes of previous seasons of Top Chef and did not see the entire episode last night. That said, I laughed my ass off at how terrible most of the traditional Chicago deep-dish pizzas looked. Now, some of the flavor and texture combinations that showed up on those pizzas sounded amazing (perhaps our favorite librarian will teach us all about Marmite?) so they get a pass from me. I haven't yet become familiar with the contestants (and may not) but I'll probably tune back in occasionally to check out the food.

 

[Netzach]

Unlike PR I just can't get into this show. It's hard for me to get into food by just staring at it where I can't even smell it.

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

I've only caught a few episodes of previous seasons of Top Chef and did not see the entire episode last night. That said, I laughed my ass off at how terrible most of the traditional Chicago deep-dish pizzas looked. Now, some of the flavor and texture combinations that showed up on those pizzas sounded amazing (perhaps our favorite librarian will teach us all about Marmite?) so they get a pass from me. I haven't yet become familiar with the contestants (and may not) but I'll probably tune back in occasionally to check out the food.

: laughs, head desk : Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew, 'marmite pizza', dammit where's the hard limit thread , I need to run over to the Talk Section for a moment . Seriously , we have some odd combinations here ( ham & pineapple comes to mind ) but marmite never. I think the most unusual though delightful pizza I have had to date was at the California Pizza Kitchen at Kahala Mall in Oahu, we always ordered Peking Duck Pizza, it was actually pretty good.

Now I did the 'vegemite' thing, tell me please that hasn't set a precedent for me being summoned to lick marmite off random bits of stuff and report back here had it Mr MWY : smiles :

 

[midwestyankee]

: laughs, head desk : Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew, 'marmite pizza', dammit where's the hard limit thread , I need to run over to the Talk Section for a moment . Seriously , we have some odd combinations here ( ham & pineapple comes to mind ) but marmite never. I think the most unusual though delightful pizza I have had to date was at the California Pizza Kitchen at Kahala Mall in Oahu, we always ordered Peking Duck Pizza, it was actually pretty good.

Now I did the 'vegemite' thing, tell me please that hasn't set a precedent for me being summoned to lick marmite off random bits of stuff and report back here had it Mr MWY : smiles :

I believe that the pizza in question was dominated by other flavors and ingredients but included a marmite jelly in the sauce. I think you're perfectly safe on the licking-marmite-or-vegemite-off-bodies front, though I'm not at all averse to considering other substances in the right company.

Thanks for your thoughts. Oh, and btw, CPK has dropped the Peking Duck pizza from their menu, more's the shame.

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

I believe that the pizza in question was dominated by other flavors and ingredients but included a marmite jelly in the sauce.

Wellllllllll now you put it that way : hopeless :

Can that be 'ordered' as a main ? You know, just the dominated part.

I think you're perfectly safe on the licking-marmite-or-vegemite-off-bodies front, though I'm not at all averse to considering other substances in the right company.

Oh my and ummmn 'noted' : smiles :

Thanks for your thoughts. Oh, and btw, CPK has dropped the Peking Duck pizza from their menu, more's the shame.

My pleasure, shame. I do my own version of Peking Duck now, when we ( me ! ) get a real craving for it. It's pretty simple actually

 

[midwestyankee]

Wellllllllll now you put it that way : hopeless :

Can that be 'ordered' as a main ? You know, just the dominated part.

In my kitchen it can be.

Oh my and ummmn 'noted' : smiles :

My pleasure, shame. I do my own version of Peking Duck now, when we ( me ! ) get a real craving for it. It's pretty simple actually

A woman who can whip up a bit of Peking duck on call passes several of my screening tests in one pass.

 

[YourCaptor]

I was in Chicago earlier this year and had some of that serious deep dish. I got to say, deep dish dominates over NY style. However, NY style is the king of street food pizza, Chicago style requires you to sit down.

Anyway, it was super delicious, and was also nice prep for the bar hop escapade that followed.

I have never been in Australia though, once had the opportunity to go to Sydney for $20, but opted out because I couldn’t afford the flight back. Rule number one: always have an exit. And so I have never had vegemite or marmite… isn’t vegemite referred to as worth with other countries? Got to wiki it.

 

[LilyBart]

On pizza, and a bit of PR for my side of the world: The New York Times pronounced my own little favorite restaurant, Pizzeria Bianco as making the best pizza in America.

Who knew fabulous pizza could show up in a desert restaurant.? OK, Chris Bianco is from the Bronx. But still, the good pizza is here!

Although I still love Chicago deep dish. Mostly because I love carbs. A bit too much...

I missed the show last night. I will tune in next week, if for no other reason than that I love Anthony Bourdain. A lot.

(And if someone can tell me how to hotlink here, I will link the NY Times article.)

 

[Kierae]

I love to cook so I love this show and have watched it from the beginning. I think some of the chefs to watch for this season would be Richard (very creative), Dale, Spike, Andrew and Jennifer. There are a couple of others who are the dark sheep but they are all self taught and that tends to bite them in the ass eventually on a challenge - either they are required to make a classical dish and/or they piss off/disappoint a classically trained chef judge. This season looks like it has great potential!

Last season I really loved Tre and Hung and Dale. And I adore Padma but I have to admit the lower regions of my bod appreciates her the most...lol.

 

[fishercat]

I've only caught a few episodes of previous seasons of Top Chef and did not see the entire episode last night. That said, I laughed my ass off at how terrible most of the traditional Chicago deep-dish pizzas looked. Now, some of the flavor and texture combinations that showed up on those pizzas sounded amazing (perhaps our favorite librarian will teach us all about Marmite?) so they get a pass from me. I haven't yet become familiar with the contestants (and may not) but I'll probably tune back in occasionally to check out the food.

I could not believe how awful some of those pizzas looked! It was beyond funny, it was scary. Some of them did sound interesting, in terms of unusual ingredients, but others just sounded gross.

And Uno's? Come on, the best pizza is at Giordano's, no comparison!

 

[midwestyankee]

I could not believe how awful some of those pizzas looked! It was beyond funny, it was scary. Some of them did sound interesting, in terms of unusual ingredients, but others just sounded gross.

And Uno's? Come on, the best pizza is at Giordano's, no comparison!

Back when Chicago magazine hailed Giordano's as the best pizza in town, I once drove 45 minutes each way to pick up three or four of their stuffed pizzas for a party. From Hyde Park to someplace about four or five miles west of the Dan Ryan (so yes, through some fairly chancy neighborhoods). It was okay.

I'm a classic deep dish kind of guy, I guess. Uno's or Gino's East is the best and Lou Malnati's is a close second (except that I despise Malnati's sausage pizza).

 

[LilyBart]

Back when Chicago magazine hailed Giordano's as the best pizza in town, I once drove 45 minutes each way to pick up three or four of their stuffed pizzas for a party. From Hyde Park to someplace about four or five miles west of the Dan Ryan (so yes, through some fairly chancy neighborhoods). It was okay.

I'm a classic deep dish kind of guy, I guess. Uno's or Gino's East is the best and Lou Malnati's is a close second (except that I despise Malnati's sausage pizza).

I get the deep dish appreciation. Note my love of carbs, above.

I love both Giordano's and Gino's. Uno is good as well (and I first ate their pizza in Chicago before they branched out.) Uno is all across America, now...I think. At least I have one in my neighborhood. I would vote for Gino's first, though.

I haven't tried Malnati's. I will plan a test on my next visit. I love testing food.

 

[fishercat]

Back when Chicago magazine hailed Giordano's as the best pizza in town, I once drove 45 minutes each way to pick up three or four of their stuffed pizzas for a party. From Hyde Park to someplace about four or five miles west of the Dan Ryan (so yes, through some fairly chancy neighborhoods). It was okay.

I'm a classic deep dish kind of guy, I guess. Uno's or Gino's East is the best and Lou Malnati's is a close second (except that I despise Malnati's sausage pizza).

Yeah, Gino's East is pretty good too. Now, I haven't been in town since the early 1980's and I'm sure things have changed. And since I lived about 5 blocks from the Giordano's on Chicago Avenue, I may be biased since I ate there pretty often!

I miss Chicago so much!

 

[midwestyankee]

Yeah, Gino's East is pretty good too. Now, I haven't been in town since the early 1980's and I'm sure things have changed. And since I lived about 5 blocks from the Giordano's on Chicago Avenue, I may be biased since I ate there pretty often!

I miss Chicago so much!

Familiarity will do that to you. Notice what happens to all those people who are forced to live near new york pizza places.

 

[fishercat]

Familiarity will do that to you. Notice what happens to all those people who are forced to live near new york pizza places.

Exactly. Pizza should not be fold-able.

Of course, St. Louis pizza is the equivalent of tomato sauce on paperboard. Comes from a place called Imo's. I recommend it be avoided at all costs.

 

[midwestyankee]

Exactly. Pizza should not be fold-able.

Of course, St. Louis pizza is the equivalent of tomato sauce on paperboard. Comes from a place called Imo's. I recommend it be avoided at all costs.

Been there. Ketchup on soggy saltines with bad cheese. Aside from that, the beer was cheap.

 

[fishercat]

Been there. Ketchup on soggy saltines with bad cheese. Aside from that, the beer was cheap.

Personally, I like the clydesdales better than the beer.

 

[midwestyankee]

Personally, I like the clydesdales better than the beer.

They're certainly stronger and prettier.

 

[fishercat]

They're certainly stronger and prettier.

Oh yes. Sleek and elegant, yet powerful. And so noble.

I'm suddenly wondering if I'm describing a horse or my dream Dom.

Okay, back to the food. /hijack