Blais of Glory!

Because it's the season finale of "Top Chef" tonight, and I really want Atlanta's own Richard Blais to win, I thought I would comment on t.v. cooking shows in general today. I was talking to my coworker, "Jugs," about some of the cooking shows, and here is what we came up with:

1) Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - Just a cool chef all the way around. He probably has one of my three dream jobs. Who wouldn't want to travel to lesser known regions of countries most white folks wouldn't dream of going, sampling local fare and culture? Last night sealed the "must go to Asia" deal with me (as if that hadn't happened already - see my travel blog) when he visited Vietnam. What American is going to go willingly on vacation to Vietnam, and more specifically, to a region where people don't cook with electricity, cook rice in bamboo shoots, have their houses built on stilts so wildlife doesn't come into their home, etc. ? Sounds like a dream vacation for me. I'd love to immerse myself like "Tony" does.

2) Chef Gordon Ramsay: (Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares) - I love Chef Ramsay on Kitchen Nightmares. As soon as he became "Americanized" by Hell's Kitchen, I started to dislike American marketing more than the Chef himself. He has a tough exterior, but most people in the States judge him solely on Hell's Kitchen. If they researched a little more, they would see that the underlying reason for his show, Kitchen Nightmares, is because he had a restaurant in Europe. He offered high class fancy meals to the customers. He had to close the restaurant down as the locals didn't want the high class fancy meals - they just wanted good meals. Kitchen Nightmares' goal is to help turn around failing restaurants to keep them alive. Yah, he's brash. He uses "fuck me!" a lot, but he proves a point, and he helps. The people on Hell's Kitchen - disturb me. Also, there are now "Chef Ramsay" cooking sets, etc. popping up. Leave it to us to take a person and then market them like a commodity.

3) Top Chef: The show. I love Top Chef. I became hooked on it with season 1. It can be found on Bravo, home to Project Runway as well. These are the reality shows I enjoy. People with true talent and unique and creative ideas busting their ass for a final prize that actually makes sense. Unlike a lump sum of money as so many other reality shows have as a reward, Top Chef offers a spot at a Food Festival, an all-expense paid trip, $100,000 to start a restaurant, as well as many other things (appliances, etc.). The jist of the show: chefs compete in initial "quickfire" challenges where they must plan a dish (anywhere from 10-30 minutes) using whatever the judges tell them to use for it. The winner of the quickfire challenge either gets immunity from the vote that episode, or, when later in the season, get prizes. Tonight, Richard Blais is in the top 3. His style of cooking is unique and a breath of fresh air.

4) Rachel Ray: Methinks not. And yes, I can think on my own and don't have to read what other people say to come up with this opinion. Jugs and I agree. We liked her in the beginning. Now she has all of these funky shows, and let's face it...she lies. I remember one episode she made a lettuce, spinach, tomato, and sautéed onion salad topped with an entire chunk of steak saying, "you can make this for cheaper than you can buy it!" I don't know what world she's living in, but I can buy a steak salad for about $9. When you buy a chunk of steak that big - it's almost $9 on its own! I understand she's "trying" to make cooking fun, but I roll my eyes one too many times watching her.

5) Take Home Chef: I love this show. A British chef accosts people at a market and offers to bring himself home with them and help them cook a meal for whomever they want for dinner (usually one other person - sometimes whole families). He makes basic but great meals that are also low-cost.

Those are my assessments thus far. There's one guy I CAN'T stand who is a Bourdain wannabe, and he pisses me off. He tries "national dishes" in foreign countries that, yes, they do sound a little "interesting," but there's no need to be overdramatic with the faces, comments, and body language (see fake vomit). How insulting.