Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Top Chef 4.2

So I didn't get to blog last week because I was in California.

Quick impressions from last week and boy is it hard with 16 people. Of the guys, Erik may look like someone you wouldn't meet in a dark alley but is a big softie, Ryan is arrogant, Andrew gets my vote for most likely to go postal. I also want Bret and Jermaine to come by and say hello, mate, to Mark.

The women seemed stronger talents this time, but still didn't make that much of an impression as far as personality -- except maybe Stephanie with her shaking hand, her Yoda backpack and sweet smile when she won. About the couple: I wish they'd explain how that's supposed to work considering the no noogie rule.

Going to the Green Market! Since the meat was frozen you'd think that the chefs would come up with vegetarian type dishes, but they seemed pretty determined to get that protein in there.

Mark was definitely getting marked as a winner or a loser with forgetting his bag of lettuce but he seemed to pull it off. Didn't sound that appetizing and I guess they must have been at the market when peaches were in prime because a lot of people seemed to incorporate them. Mark seemed to follow the Anthony Bourdain decree from Kitchen Confidential: butter and then some more butter. Guess it's a winning ingredient.

What I'm liking about Richard is he takes risks. though eucalyptis sounds kind of gross. And Wylie Dufresne wasn't impressed, despite the molecular connection. Wylie looks more a mad computer geek figuring the best way to hack into Microsoft than a superstar chef. Figures he's a molecular gastronomist, though he seemed fairly humble about the whole thing.

Vultures, Lions and Bears, oh my. And penguins and gorillas too. But beets and lions, really? Not in the wild, surely, even if that's what the zoo feeds them. and what is up with insisting on protein when gorillas are vegetarians? I know gourmet chefs tend to be down on vegetarian dishes, but come on.

Looks like a lot of macho buttholes this year. Dale is a charmless, too intense Hung. Well, Hung was pretty intense too, but he had a goofy side.

Manuel is so low-key. Is he holding back? Apparently Bill Buford of Heat fame worked with him at Mario Battali's Babbo's and says he should take it home. He doesn't seem to be standing out so far.

I wish the editors weren't so obvious. Valerie, Stephanie and Nikki were getting the loser edits. Argh, the women on the bottom again. It was looking hopeful last week when three of the four winner noms were female and three of the four loser noms were male.

Andrew seemed downright mellow this ep. Maybe he didn't drink as much coffee. But I would have voted for Mark. Fresh anchovies, mmmmmmmmmm. Learned to love them in Spain, especially hot off the grill. Still hate the canned kind, except with judicial use in puttanesca sauce. On pizza? quelle horreur, to S's dismay.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Project Runway 4 Final Finale

What happened to our self-confident Sister Christian? And he's actually saying nice things about Rami's and Jillian's clothes?!!

It won't last, I predict.

Tim is right. Christian is overdesigning things -- a sign of youth and insecurity. And why in hades didn't Rami submit that gown with the interlocking lace for the walkoff last week? That looks absolutely stunning.

Here's Jillian, being whiny and overthinking things again. It shows how much self-doubt exists in the female of the species. Sweet P, who looked like a radical, was full of self doubt too.

Oh, the avuncular Uncle Daddy Tim. I want him as my lifetime teacher/mentor. One of the blogs posted this fabulous walkoff between Tim and Christian. His posture never flinched or slouched. Until Heidi tickled him.

Wonder what time they had to be there. 4 a.m.? 3 a.m. ? And I wonder how late the judging went?

Group hugs galore!

Sister Christian has leprachaun feet!

And he hairsprays his own hair in the midst of the stress over missing and late models.

I really, really, really liked Jillian's collection. I love her jackets and her tailoring. I want to own one of her jackets. There were a couple of looks I didn't get, but overall, good job. Hated her music. It must have been hard for the models to walk to.

Rami's was very elegant, surprise, surprise. The two dresses with the interlocking weaving were stunning. And that black gown that Nina criticized last week for the saddlebags did move down the runway like liquid.

The first thing you think when Christian's stuff went down the runway is monochromatic much? Geez, black on black on black. But it was, as Kevin put it, pretty mind-blowing and edgy. He did edit those feathered pants and plucked the feathers at Tim's advice.

So I guess it depends on what the judges want: wearable, elegant or edgy?

This was really the best runway finale they've had. Before, I've had a sense of disappointment and letdown. I liked all the collections this time.

Workmanlike is the kiss of death. Bye Rami! Huh, Jillian is the first one out. I would have guessed Rami would be first out.

Christian looks ready to cry even before they announce the winner. And he wins. His reaction is surprising given his portrayal through out the show.

You're uber-fierce, Heidi tells Christian. Quote of the day.