it would be great a VEGAN Top CHEF!!!

my prediction is micheal,kevin,bryan,jennifer should have been gone several episodes ago.

I love you! By Kath Brazil.

How excellent to drop in here to see if a new episode is airing tonight and to find these blog posts by you. I think I'll have to stop by more often. Congrats on that new baby!

Very interesting that Michael V did not applaud Robin's quick fire . He was pretty obvious holding his hands behind his back as the other chefs applauded .Looks like things may be heating up !

Tom, I just want to thank you for such a wonderful blog. It is very refreshing to know that such a successful and busy man will take the time to write an in-depth response to episodes & viewers. Thank you. This is my most favorite show ever.

Have you ever considered having Christopher Kimball of America's Test Kitchen as a guest judge? He might bring a different perspective to the judge's table. He is very practical, and thorough.

I would love to know how you "deconstruct" fish & chips. It's 2 items, 3 if you count the batter on the fish. Please lose Toby Young.

I can understand how disappointed Michael V. was on so many
of quickfires and eliminations challanges. He's a great chef!!
However the judges decide not the audience at home.

Congratulations Tom to you and your spouse on your new baby!! If I
may make a comment regarding Mike Isabella after first challange
and "One less old lady to worry about" No class
Maureen from Ma

Tom like to thank you for a great show .. i watch and really love the show ,i have learned so much about cooking and try to take the challange to my own table top.the family loves when we try out TOP CHEF COOK-OFF challanges.i DONT ALWAYS WIN AND OUR PRIZES ARE WAY SMALLER !!!but makes life fun so thanks .cant wait to de-construct pumpkin pie teebird style!

I think the reason that they did not have a progam this week was because they are trying to have enough time to do until after the holidays because if you have ever watched Top Chef before and I think you all have you know that they have alot of programs throughout the holidays. I love Top Chef I have watched every season I really did not get as involved with the program as I have until Season 2 but I have watched all the reruns and will continue to watch. Congratulations, Padma.

Top chef is the best show i had got this tattoo at Davinci Tattoo, Titusville, FL hope to be on the show one day.

Aw, Tom, I am obsessed with deconstruction now; this week, I made a red pepper vinaigrette that had parmesan cheese in it, so it tasted like a pimento cheese sandwich. I served it on the bottom of the plate, topped with butter lettuce and fresh toasted croutons.

Anywy, I love it when some one acts up at judge's table, and they flash your reaction: eye roll! Pretty darn funny. Top Chef is rich entertainment. THANK YOU.

Haven't been back to the post for a while. Thanks, TimD for your response to my prior comment re: seafood generally. And I understand that most seafood can be prepared and cooked quickly, but so can just about any other type of entree save coq au vin...from what I've heard from chefs on various shows. ;)

I never commented about the deconstruction portion of last week's show in my prior comment and have this to offer:

Making a shepherd's pie without a potato is akin to making meat lasagna without meat, or a caesar's salad without romaine, or a rueben without corned beef or sauerkrat---errr! nevermind! you get the point. I'm on the fence about comments about Laurine and Ash though...there are so many options to providing an alternative to chips or mashed potatoes...surely, they could have come up with something better than they did...and if they were that worried had ample time to make two varieties of potatoes at the outset.

Also, I'm worn-out on all the purees--it reminds me of watching the Jetsons, or some product from Ron Popeil, or baby food. Ugh! I get that it's more sophisticated and sometimes is very complimentary to a dish, but, not always. Sometimes it's better to go for the actual item, not a liquified sauce version that merely makes for appealing plating, but often doesn't necessarily appease the taste buds or quench your hunger for more. Oh well! That's just me.

Looking forward to a new episode next Wednesday. I'll be back.

I am so disappointed in Ann's comment. While, I too, wanted Carla to win last season I don't any of the judge's decisions were based on her race. In my opinion should she had one and her ethnicity had played a part it would have cheapened the title Top Chef.

It is unfortunate the race card is so freely and irresponsibly played.

Tom , is it true that Padma is expecting?If so I wish her good health and happiness.When will we ever get to see your wife and baby?I would like to see these chefs make good old comfort foods to feed real families. I love their dishes but I can't see my Grankids eating escargot or drunken shrimp.I don't expect the whole show to be this but maybe one time .Thanks... love your blogs.

Dear Tom, i asked a question a few months ago, regarding the new series top chef masters. may i begin by saying honestly prior to the show i had never heard of you. i mean no disrespect, however, i try very hard to keep up with the big players in our industry, and your name never came up. thanks to the show i have been able to appreciate you as an absolute innovator in our field.(congrats, on Craft, outstanding)so here is my question again. when are we as a viewing community going to see you and perhaps Padma,put your SKILLS to the test? Allow yourselves to be judged? you aren't scared are you? please respond, your public is waiting..

Pagma, you should have informed first that you were expecting. That night was amazing by the way.

I find this is season not as exciting as the last two seasons, personally I think Carla should have won last year, sometimes I think the judges are off base in making their decisions in who has the best dish, I was very disappointed in the finale last year, has there ever been an AA to win Top Chef? and why not? from the looks of things I think it will be one of the twins that will win, I will be surprised if there is a female in the finale! this season is kind of boring.

Top Chef was not on yesterday, 9/30, for those complaining. For whatever reason, they didn't have an episode this week. It should be back next week. The last episode aired was the Penn & Teller episode.

Hi Tom - I hate to admit this, but I live to see each new episode! It is the best t.v. ever...but, what happened yesterday? I live in Maryland, and our Bravo station did not broadcast Top Chef at all yesterday. My daughter, my sister, and I all looked for it but couldn't find an episode. What happened? Just wanted to let you know how important you are to us...

I would like to Thank Tom, Padma, judges, contestants, writers, directors and anyone else connected with Top Chef for providing six years of fantastic television but more importantly, opening the eyes, imaginations and taste buds of my family, specifically my three teenage sons.
We discovered the show mid-way through the first season, when my children were pre-teens. Top Chef stated as curiosity, sparking question and conversations about “What exactly are the Chefs cooking?” to now we are preparing some of the dishes we have seen on TV in our home.
It’s “the only” show that the entire family gathers to watch, together, and Thank You for just that, bringing our entire family together. Due to our hectic schedules, we don’t always have a chance to gather around the dinner table to share a meal and to discuss what is going on in our lives, but we do find time to gather around “Judges Table”.
Yes, your show is great TV, but I ask this question “During the shows inception was there any thought that you would be educating or introducing Fine Dinning or at the least more interesting dining to a broader audience?” Was that a goal or consideration, or was the conversation centered around making an interesting TV Show?
I do not want to over state the impact of your show on our family, after all at the end of the day it’s still just a TV show, but it has left a very lasting imprint on all us. I suspect a very lasting impact. Just a few examples:
• One of my sons has been taking some of the culinary classes offered at his high school, as electives, not to pursue a career, just to learn more.
• My youngest son (now 13, eight when the show started) has been selecting recipes out of the Top Chef cookbook to cook with mom. They made a mean cocovan a few weeks back! Three years ago we didn’t know what Cocovan was!
• Were attending food and wine tasting events.
• For a birthday celebration, the kids, wife and I, prepared a meal for eight of our friends with the help of an executive chef in his presentation kitchen.
• The kids no longer want to go out to dinner to at nearby franchise restaurant, but instead are seeking out unique dining experiences. Its killing my wallet, but it is sure more interesting than another trip to Applesbees.
On the funny side, a trip to a restaurant, food event or even dinner around the family dining table often becomes a mini judges table, my family critiquing and complimenting the food. Often repeating the comments they hear on the show.
Again Thanks! Whether it was by design or by good luck, Top Chef has opened our eyes, educated us and enriched our lives.

Thank You:

I just heard Padma is pregnant! So exciting!

http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2009/10/padma_lakshmi_pregnant_baby_top_ch...

Why weren't viewers informed in advance that the 9/30th show was a rerun of the 9/23rd program? This is not the way to treat an audience who often plans the evening around watching Top Chef. My husband and I were VERY disappointed.

WHY WAS THE PENN & TELLER EPOSIDE REPEATED THIS WEEK? I TUNED IN EXPECTING A NEW EPISODE BUT WAS GIVEN THIS REPEAT!

Trying to get my head around this deconstruction thing. More specifically the Fish and Chips. Does anyone else think that an interesting play on the chip could be a potato souffle?

Hello Tom!

Do you always agree with who the guest judge picks as the winner of the elimination challenge?

The brothers, Kevin, and Jen are my picks for the best chefs this season!
I still think Stefan should have won last year!!!

Hi tom, Why did we see a repeat of last weeks show. I was disappointed.I don't mind watching repeats but not a week after the other. Did somebody make a boo boo?

I LOVE deconstructions and was thrilled with this episode. Deconstruction is the reverse-engineering of techno-gadgets, it's de-coding software, it's doing dissections to study anatomy, it's studying the individual elements that go into your profession and re-working them..in other words, it's the most simple act of breaking down a structure you should be familiar with, into its individual building blocks in order re-build it. Which, if you're good at your field, you can do, period.

Thus this, in my mind, was a benchmark indicator of a chef's combined expertise and creativity and a much better test of individual skill and art than many other challenges over the seasons.

It's almost inexcusable to not know what a Shepherd's Pie is. But of course it could be worse--I'm always shocked that the chefs repeatedly fear desserts. Every freaking housewife faced with not enough butter in the fridge when she went to make one, learned how to deconstruct an apple pie!

Why wasn't a new episode aired this week?

Tom- This may have been covered in the past, but if you judges really want to prove yourselves, try isolated judging. I find it hard to believe how rare there is a difference of opinion between the judges. It's embarrassing how all of you sit around and wait for someone to project a firm opinion on the quality of a dish and them follow suit. For just one episode, nut up and judge the dishes in isolation with full disclosure. Let's see how it turns out.

I have to make a comment similar to Deidre's:

Tom - I know you have covered this topic before, but I am still unsure about the best move a cheftestant can make when one of their components goes wrong. Time and time again, we see the judges criticize chefs for including poorly cooked/seasoned/etc. components. However, in Ash's case, he left said poor component out and did the best he could. However, he still got nailed by the judges for this choice with his remaining ingredients. Tom - was he doomed to fail either way? Is there a "quick fix" for gummy parsnips of any sort? Is it better to leave something off the plate and miss a component, or "roll the dice" (thanks, Vegas) and hope that even if it tastes like crap, it's not TOO crappy? More explanation would be helpful.

Thanks!

Finally, no ceviche! I'm so tired of it. Or "ceveech" as the woman who works for the French god chooses to say. I'd be happy to see ceviche and tartare anything banned from being made.

I wasn't a big fan of the deconstruction challenge and am still at a loss as to how I would approach Toby's suggestion of how to deconstruct a french fry.....but anyway.

Cass, I think a big part of the ceviche/scallop/seafood content on the show has to do with the time constraints. Ceviche calls for about 20 minutes in citrus juice - it'll get its cooking time even while waiting for the judges and I am not sure you can "overcook" ceviche. Scallops just need a quick sear and a bit of time to cook all the way through. Most other seafood is the same way - even squid. With squid, you either grill it hot and quick or braise it low and slow.

I find falling back on pork a bit odd, since you can do a piece of beef to a nice medium rare in the same time, or less, it takes to properly cook a piece of pork. I would think a New York strip would be the fall back to keep in mind.

I want to see someone get called for the ceviche/carpaccio/tartar dishes. Remember when Tom voted for Sam to leave in episode 12 of Season 2? "It's a cooking competition; he didn't cook anything"

Tim D.

I have been watching top chef all day! I really like the show BUT UNTIL I SAW THIS MARCEL AND HOW HE USED EVERYONE AND THE JUDGES I WILL STOP WATCHING THE SHOW FOR AWHILE! I DO NOT WANT TO WATCH A SHOW WHERE HE CAN GET AWAY WITH EVERYTHING AND THE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS ARE UNDER A DIFF. STANDARD!

I watch many cooking shows--competitive ones or otherwise and, after reading your blog and comments, I wanted to add my two cents. That's what this whole blogging thing is about, right? I have to agree with some of the comments about the scallop/ceviche overkill. Firstly, I'm the rare bird that despises seafood--growing up with immigrant grandparents from Sweden, I went into overkill quickly on the whole notion of smelly fish. I often get confused on whether your season has a live finale, or is all taped way in advance, so several of my comments are not pertinent, i would guess, to this season. However, here are additional thoughts on the show and last week's episode.

I know beef is easy for chefs, but there are so many kinds and flavors and sauces that make or break the dish. I'd love to see someone rave about a great piece of meat, aside from chefs merely cooking it when forced to do so with challenges. Lamb/Pork seems to be the fallback when chefs don't have seafood on the menu or challenge. Does every chef really think most people want seafood all the time? I live in a metropolitan area (Dallas, in fact, and, sorry, I've never experienced your Craft location here) and most people I know eat meat! I'd say at least 70% of the people that I've enjoyed fine dining experiences with in my 20 years in Dallas generally want a beef dish. So, WHERE IS THE BEEF? I know last week, there were a couple on the challenge, e.g., pot roast and meat lasagna--both of which made the top cut. Brian thankfully gives us beef sometimes...but, really, endless seafood. It's wearing me out! A lot of cooks that watch want to make similar dishes at home and I think your show is not placating a large audience base.

Comments about Robin's remark about cancer. Well, in my opinon, it's relevant. Anyone I know that survived (I've lost several friends in their 20's, 30's, and 40's to cancer) the disease will never forget their struggle and it never leaves them. Ashley talking about growing up poor all the time and it defines her too (however, that silly comment that she actually had an outhouse growing up---really? nearly did me in). French guy--okay, we heard he was from France TIME and TIME again! ugh! And the whole lived on a farm thing, etc. Surfer bro Mike and conservative bro Brian. LOVE THAT! Anyway, we get a glimpse of background about nearly everyone on the show and I think it's one of the facets of the show that the audience likes.

I'm expecting that Kevin, the brothers, Jennifer, and maybe dark horses Ashley and Michael will be around for a while.

Blah, blah, blah. I talk about the show enough to friends and thought I'd tell you some of my comments and those of others in Dallas that also watch the show!

Cassandra

Tom,
I see your ratings getting deconstructed if we see many more deconstruction challenges...
That doesn't look like dinner to me, it looks like an appetizer!
I'm sure it is a good measure of a chef, but I'll bet most of the audience feels the same as I do.

As an eater and not a chef I don't understand deconstruction either. How are you suppose to eat all these arrangements of stuff? Is it first bite from the left side of the plate? Biggest pile to smallest? What?
Anyway.
I would like to request certian ingredients and dishes being banned. It's been a lot of seasons now and I am really bored with seared scallops,any kind of ceviche (I swear I hear that word and I want to change the channel!)
and risotto---enough already!

Tom - love the show. Glad to have Toby back too!
one question on the deconstruction challenge - about Ash's Deconstructed Shepard's Pie - and this goes to all the judges - everyone has mentioned that you can't have a deconstructed dish without all of the parts of the original dish - and obviously mashed potatoes are a big part of shepards pie - however Ash admitted he did potatoes but they were so pasty that he could not serve them - would he have been better off serving bad potatoes then leaving them off altogether? just curious as to your thoughts on that!
thanks!

Thanks for doing this blog Tom, it provides great insights to the show. I love the show and watch every week with my 7 yr old son - he wishes we cooked like top chefs!

Tom, thank you so much for your blogs. Often, after watching these judging shows, I have felt frustrated. What was shown on TV didn't mesh with the judges decision. The comments shown from the judges didn't support the final decision. Your blog tells us the whole story - why a decision was reached, how you and the panel reached it. Thank you for filling in the gaps.

Tom,

I have searched the bravo website and could not find an area to post show suggestions. So I am going to post it here and see if it gets read.

Two suggestions, the first is to have an easy to find suggestion box. The second is a suggestion for a quick fire contest. Over the weekend I was in line at the local super market and I started to look at the items in everyone else's basket.

So Here is my suggested Quick fire:
Contestants pick a knife with numbers on it to select their order. Then they go to Whole Foods and wait at the register for a customer that purchases more than say $100 of food. The first number gets the first $100+ and so on. Then the contestant is required to make a dish from the items that the customer has purchased.

It would be interesting to see what they can come up with when using ordinary products.

Re: Kevin's winning recipe . . .

I went to the recipe - and somehow the "chicken sausage mixture" goes from being in plastic wrap in the Fridge - to being plated.

I then watched Fabio make the dish - and it was no where near the same dish.

Can someone please post the cooking instructions for the "De-Constructed chicken Mole Negro's meat sausage or paste"?

Or if the cooking instructions are there . . . show me where I am missing this on the instructions?

Thanks so much in advance . . . Michelle in Laguna

Stacie Writes: "As much as I look forward to the show on Wednesday nights, I also look forward to reading your blog. Thank you for taking the time to write this for us every week."

I agree with Stacie, thanks for taking the time to blog.

i love eli...i think he's great...i don't think he's up there with kevin yet, but i think he will be one day...robin? i think she's a caterer and always will be...she's betty and always will be...she yammers and jabbers and drives everyone nuts...how do i know? look at everyones faces as they work with her...they, not us, are spending those constant hours living in that house, working on those challenges with her and just watching those 6 shows so far has made me dislike robin...show me 1 good dish she's made so far...she's been in the bottom in every single show...they only reason she's still on the program is sheer luck plain and simple...she is not even close to being top chef material

Tom u and Padma are the bomb! My honey and I have date night every Wed. and go to whold foods before the shoe and have are own taste tests!! We just enjoy the show so much, and I have u to look at and my man has Padma!

still waiting for that vegetarian challenge! thanks. :)

Hi Tom,
Thanks for explaining the timing. It's not necessary for all the ins and outs of production to be shown during the broadcast, but some of us are interested in the details.

In your blog you always take pains to insist that judging is based only on the quality of the food, not the personalities or backstage drama. So for Eli to suggest that Michele Bernstein would award a win because of sympathy for Robin's story is an insult. Michele is a real-life top chef herself and has been a respected judge on the show. Eli owes her an apology for questioning her integrity.

Two questions:

1 - In the elimination challenges do the judges get more than one chance to taste the different dishes? How do you remember all the subtleties of the first dishes after trying so many others? Do you take notes?

2 - Would you please continue to give examples of possible solutions to the challenges? I really didn't understand deconstruction, despite the explanations, until you suggested how you might deconstruct a minestrone. Thanks for that!

I found the argument about how paella is pronounced kind of interesting - in New Zealand we pronounce it pah-ella, or pay-ella much like Toby Young did.

The merriam-webster online dictionary demonstrates both Tobys and your own pronunciation of the word, which would be a real pain if I was trying to win money on the correct pronunciation!!!

I'm looking forward to the American vs British "erb/herb" pronunciation war.

Tom, one thing has bothered me over the life of TC, but it was especially on display in this episode, and it is the issue of feedback. Yes, Robin had immunity, but her dish and its level of creativity was so incredibly poor that even tho she has immunity, she should have been called into the 'disappointing dish' round to have it explained that while she had immunity, she needs to know how awful the dish was. Not having the feedback, regardless of the immunity situation, leaves the cook to assume their food is better than those who are eventually selected to leave. Please consider this for the future.