Winners get their own entries
May. 25th, 2006 08:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jlhThe Top Chef finale was awesome, and deserves better than just being crammed at the bottom of the AI entry.
First, that Tiffani essentially lost because of the way she'd behaved all season? That never happens on a reality show! That's why people are assholes, because they can do it without really paying for it (much like some people online, actually). But if Stephen (who I'm sure picked her just to be contrary) and Dave had the kind of "we want you to win" commitment to her that LeeAnne and Miguel had for Harold they wouldn't have got so drunk the night before. Her comment of "my back just ran into your knife" to Harold when she found out that everyone wanted him to win? So his being a nice, stand-up guy is him stabbing her in the back? Where is the logic there? Thank god he reacted so well, with a baffled, muttered "sorry."
Tiffani's had good concept-bad execution issues all season as well. She just allowed herself to get scared of Harold and overreached. Interesting that the favorite dish wasn't even hers; not surprising that Tom C. called her on it. Her answer to Drew Nieporent's bullshit question about "do you cook for yourself or for the customer" was pretty telling, I thought. It's all so very personal for her. No wonder, after this experience, she's working front of the house; she really needs to work on her people skills.
But it makes me feel, now, that having that reunion show was really exploitative of her and irresponsible of the producers. They knew, by the time they were taping in Vegas, that they had a hit on their hands, so I'm not sure why they couldn't have had the reunion then. But to bring her on there, when she didn't win, and didn't win because everyone hated her, and have her have to face everyone hating on her on video and in person, and pretend that she hadn't lost yet, was just cruel. No wonder she said "I'm not your monkey" though as they pointed out on the TWoP boards, she became their monkey when she signed up for the show.
Harold, of course, was classy all the way. He didn't want to pick between Miguel and Dave so he had them draw knives. The judges might have thought he played it safe but he was cooking his food his way. He was even able to articulate why he wanted to be collaborative—because folks work harder when they feel they have a say in what's going on. He's just a good leader, and Tom C was right when he said that mattered. I can see Harold running a restaurant much sooner than Tiffani because he just has that maturity level.
Also, I feel that he learned something from the challenges that he didn't do well on as much as the ones he rocked. He showed a lot of business savvy as he went along, like being familiar with Tom's 'wichcraft menu and making something that he felt it needed, or pulling out the charm in front of the ladies who microwave, or feeling that the streetcart loss was due to his lack of leadership. Never mind that his handling of Tiffani was always cautious and distant. He gave her credit when credit was due, but every time the judges asked him his opinion he was very fair—like making sure Dave went to Cannes, or that LeeAnne wasn't thrown under a bus for the wedding fiasco.
Tom C clearly loves Harold. You could even see a tiny disappointment in his eyes (though it could well have been editing) when Harold drew the knife to cook at Nob Hill rather than Craftsteak. His blog on how the judging went and how close it actually was was quite interesting, as well as how in the end it was about Harold's leadership. See, it wasn't just about the food. Mostly, but not entirely.
While we're on the subject of Tom C, I'm pleased that he and the producers are trying to work out a mentor/judge thing. I understand why we can't have a Tim Gunn in a kitchen, but Tom's drop-in's served only to freak everyone out. I think we all were less than impressed with Mrs. Billy Joel; while she showed more personality in this finale she couldn't stand up to Tom C. One always felt he was running things, rather than her; on PR I always feel that Heidi is the Voice of the Show. Gail? Fantastic! Can't wait until next year!
I'm also really looking forward to eating at Harold's restaurant once it opens!
First, that Tiffani essentially lost because of the way she'd behaved all season? That never happens on a reality show! That's why people are assholes, because they can do it without really paying for it (much like some people online, actually). But if Stephen (who I'm sure picked her just to be contrary) and Dave had the kind of "we want you to win" commitment to her that LeeAnne and Miguel had for Harold they wouldn't have got so drunk the night before. Her comment of "my back just ran into your knife" to Harold when she found out that everyone wanted him to win? So his being a nice, stand-up guy is him stabbing her in the back? Where is the logic there? Thank god he reacted so well, with a baffled, muttered "sorry."
Tiffani's had good concept-bad execution issues all season as well. She just allowed herself to get scared of Harold and overreached. Interesting that the favorite dish wasn't even hers; not surprising that Tom C. called her on it. Her answer to Drew Nieporent's bullshit question about "do you cook for yourself or for the customer" was pretty telling, I thought. It's all so very personal for her. No wonder, after this experience, she's working front of the house; she really needs to work on her people skills.
But it makes me feel, now, that having that reunion show was really exploitative of her and irresponsible of the producers. They knew, by the time they were taping in Vegas, that they had a hit on their hands, so I'm not sure why they couldn't have had the reunion then. But to bring her on there, when she didn't win, and didn't win because everyone hated her, and have her have to face everyone hating on her on video and in person, and pretend that she hadn't lost yet, was just cruel. No wonder she said "I'm not your monkey" though as they pointed out on the TWoP boards, she became their monkey when she signed up for the show.
Harold, of course, was classy all the way. He didn't want to pick between Miguel and Dave so he had them draw knives. The judges might have thought he played it safe but he was cooking his food his way. He was even able to articulate why he wanted to be collaborative—because folks work harder when they feel they have a say in what's going on. He's just a good leader, and Tom C was right when he said that mattered. I can see Harold running a restaurant much sooner than Tiffani because he just has that maturity level.
Also, I feel that he learned something from the challenges that he didn't do well on as much as the ones he rocked. He showed a lot of business savvy as he went along, like being familiar with Tom's 'wichcraft menu and making something that he felt it needed, or pulling out the charm in front of the ladies who microwave, or feeling that the streetcart loss was due to his lack of leadership. Never mind that his handling of Tiffani was always cautious and distant. He gave her credit when credit was due, but every time the judges asked him his opinion he was very fair—like making sure Dave went to Cannes, or that LeeAnne wasn't thrown under a bus for the wedding fiasco.
Tom C clearly loves Harold. You could even see a tiny disappointment in his eyes (though it could well have been editing) when Harold drew the knife to cook at Nob Hill rather than Craftsteak. His blog on how the judging went and how close it actually was was quite interesting, as well as how in the end it was about Harold's leadership. See, it wasn't just about the food. Mostly, but not entirely.
While we're on the subject of Tom C, I'm pleased that he and the producers are trying to work out a mentor/judge thing. I understand why we can't have a Tim Gunn in a kitchen, but Tom's drop-in's served only to freak everyone out. I think we all were less than impressed with Mrs. Billy Joel; while she showed more personality in this finale she couldn't stand up to Tom C. One always felt he was running things, rather than her; on PR I always feel that Heidi is the Voice of the Show. Gail? Fantastic! Can't wait until next year!
I'm also really looking forward to eating at Harold's restaurant once it opens!
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Date: 2006-05-25 01:45 pm (UTC)I thought that Gail's blog comment re. Harold's poor front of house being the reason menus EXIST was interesting, and it also really clarified the way I see Harold as just an enormous food geek. It also makes me think a lot about his character, and I wonder how much of his whole approach to the kitchen (keep your head down and focus on the food) is just his natural dweeby temperament and how much is a learned response - it's the food industry, and god knows that Stephen and Tiffani can't be the first kitchen divas he's run into.
The whole mentor/judge problem makes me wonder about Tom C, and wonder if he's having control issues. It WOULD be possible to do just one of those things. OTOH, god knows there have been times that I wish Tim could at least TALK to the judges - like during the florist challenge during S2? There's definitely some wiggle space to be explored in that relationship.
When it opens, I will come up and we'll take a meal. It'll be awesome.
Also, do we have a start date on PR3 yet? *bounces*
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Date: 2006-05-25 02:09 pm (UTC)July. And I can't. Fucking. Wait.
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Date: 2006-05-25 02:10 pm (UTC)I loved that Harold just hand wrote those menus in red pen with his crappy handwriting, and credited his entire team on them. It really was massively geeky, as was his getting intelligence from the front of house people. Clearly he won them over in like, ten seconds. Great point about the way he deals with divas, since he never had issues with, well, really with anyone.
Tom C has wicked control issues. He was hired to be Michael Kors and sort of Tim Gunn but he ends up being Heidi Klum as well because Katie Lee is so weak. I want them to either get a host that can keep him in check, or just make him the damn host.
P wants to go to the restaurant as well so maybe y'all can carpool. PR3 starts July 12, apparently, so will run through Fall Fashion Week (which is the second week of September).