carolelaine
Senior Cook
Last night was not really a surprise except that they are taking 3 instead of 2 to the finals. I was impressed by Dale, but he may have had an advantage as game was his specialty.
Top Chef Season 3
- Thread starter ironchef
- Start date
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ChefJune
Master Chef
mercyteapot
Cook
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 76
I think that Casey should count her lucky stars that they decided to take 3 instead of 2, because I don't see any way they could've avoided eliminating her last night otherwise. You have to hand it to Dale, he brought it when it counted. It should be a really interesting final!
Mylegsbig
Head Chef
Hung all the way. Remember that french cuisine episode where he said "I believe that in this next competition i will demoralize my opponents"
And then you hear the people saying "Man... Hung is going to kill it."
LOL!
Hung is surely cocky, but he is a technical master, and cool as a cucumber.
And then you hear the people saying "Man... Hung is going to kill it."
LOL!
Hung is surely cocky, but he is a technical master, and cool as a cucumber.
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Renee Attili
Head Chef
Well, THe final episode was pretty good last night.
I was really hoping Dale would win but, it was Hung all the way.
I will tell you I would love to have tasted Hungs duck and Dales scallop dish and lamb dish.
They looked like they were DELICIOUS!!!
I was really hoping Dale would win but, it was Hung all the way.
I will tell you I would love to have tasted Hungs duck and Dales scallop dish and lamb dish.
They looked like they were DELICIOUS!!!
carolelaine
Senior Cook
I would have liked for Dale to win also, but Hung is quite a chef. I would have loved to have tasted any one of those dishes, but the lamb looked incredible.
college_cook
Head Chef
Hung deserved it. He may not have as much or the same type of passion as Casey or Dale did, but he's a far better cook than either of them, if for nothing else than his supreme consistency and their lack thereof.
I was VERY impressed by Dale's duck-fat poached lamb- it's a genius idea and once you hear it, it immediately makes sense and you wonder, "Why don't people make this dish all the time?" However, his lobster/curry I thought was questionable from the get-go, since curry is so strong. Sure enough, it was the curry that brought that dish down. Hung duck was incredible as well. I never would have thought to sous-vide duck because when I think of duck I think of crispy skin. Obviously you don't need the skin if Todd English calls your duck dish Michelin-3 Star caliber.
Here's what I think it came down to: while Casey's errors were more glaring, I think she and Dale lost for the exact same reason, and that is inconsistency. Dale had 2 knockouts and one complete flop. Casey really flopped the pork belly, flopped what would have been a great scallop dish. Hung's hamachi and duck were great, and his others were really good. I do wish he would have gone a little over the top with dessert though. He def. played it safe there, and his reasoning was that he wanted to prove he oculd do dessert. Obviously he can, but he should have really gone all out, with plating and garnish if nothing else. Just show that you have some skill in patiserrie.
I was VERY impressed by Dale's duck-fat poached lamb- it's a genius idea and once you hear it, it immediately makes sense and you wonder, "Why don't people make this dish all the time?" However, his lobster/curry I thought was questionable from the get-go, since curry is so strong. Sure enough, it was the curry that brought that dish down. Hung duck was incredible as well. I never would have thought to sous-vide duck because when I think of duck I think of crispy skin. Obviously you don't need the skin if Todd English calls your duck dish Michelin-3 Star caliber.
Here's what I think it came down to: while Casey's errors were more glaring, I think she and Dale lost for the exact same reason, and that is inconsistency. Dale had 2 knockouts and one complete flop. Casey really flopped the pork belly, flopped what would have been a great scallop dish. Hung's hamachi and duck were great, and his others were really good. I do wish he would have gone a little over the top with dessert though. He def. played it safe there, and his reasoning was that he wanted to prove he oculd do dessert. Obviously he can, but he should have really gone all out, with plating and garnish if nothing else. Just show that you have some skill in patiserrie.
OP
OP
ironchef
Executive Chef
CC, nice synopsis. Now I don't have to type out anything that you did, I can just add in my thoughts.
I believe that Hung is the most passionate out of all the chefs, no matter what anyone thinks. It's that passion that drives him to perfection whether it's in his knife skills, or in perfectly cooking every single piece of food that he comes across. He doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeves like the others do, but that does not mean that he is less passionate. Passion and love is what makes a person reach for perfection. Michael Jordan is a great example of that.
On one hand, you look at Hung's dessert when compared to Casey and Dale's surprise dishes and it's easy to say that he played it safe. On the other hand, he went completely out of his comfort zone, and even made a dessert that many people can't even make at sea level, much less 11,000 feet---on the spur of the moment no less. But beyond that, he showed an understanding of a meal progression that Casey and Dale did not in the menus. Menus aren't just about throwing out your best dishes in random order. There's an art and a method involved. Hung's progression of raw hamachi, to lightly poached shrimp, to duck, and to dessert showed that he understands that.
To me, the highlight of the evening was when Tom told Hung that Todd English thought that his duck was worthy to serve in a three-star Michelin restaurant. For anyone that does not know the significance of that, I'd suggest you do some research on the web. For any cook or chef, that could be one of the highest compliments to ever receive.
Anyway, that was a great season and the food prepared in the finale was definitely a cut above the first two seasons. Hung, you are the man and you proved it from the first episode. I hope I get to taste your food one day.
I believe that Hung is the most passionate out of all the chefs, no matter what anyone thinks. It's that passion that drives him to perfection whether it's in his knife skills, or in perfectly cooking every single piece of food that he comes across. He doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeves like the others do, but that does not mean that he is less passionate. Passion and love is what makes a person reach for perfection. Michael Jordan is a great example of that.
On one hand, you look at Hung's dessert when compared to Casey and Dale's surprise dishes and it's easy to say that he played it safe. On the other hand, he went completely out of his comfort zone, and even made a dessert that many people can't even make at sea level, much less 11,000 feet---on the spur of the moment no less. But beyond that, he showed an understanding of a meal progression that Casey and Dale did not in the menus. Menus aren't just about throwing out your best dishes in random order. There's an art and a method involved. Hung's progression of raw hamachi, to lightly poached shrimp, to duck, and to dessert showed that he understands that.
To me, the highlight of the evening was when Tom told Hung that Todd English thought that his duck was worthy to serve in a three-star Michelin restaurant. For anyone that does not know the significance of that, I'd suggest you do some research on the web. For any cook or chef, that could be one of the highest compliments to ever receive.
Anyway, that was a great season and the food prepared in the finale was definitely a cut above the first two seasons. Hung, you are the man and you proved it from the first episode. I hope I get to taste your food one day.
That was a pretty good season but I 100 percent agree about the inconsistancy of the other two chefs. Dale was somewhat consistant cooking the food well and being creative, in some cases too much so. Still had some rad ideas, like the huckleberry/blackberry sauce.
Casey I really think was moreso inconsistant, at one point the only thing that kept her on the show was a light smokey sauce on absolutely raw elk. I would have voted her off right there, but thats just me.
Hung was by far the most consistant, and he was also very creative, but all of his ideas made sense and none of his dishes seemed out of place (except for his cereal quickfire...).
All in all fun to watch indeed.
Casey I really think was moreso inconsistant, at one point the only thing that kept her on the show was a light smokey sauce on absolutely raw elk. I would have voted her off right there, but thats just me.
Hung was by far the most consistant, and he was also very creative, but all of his ideas made sense and none of his dishes seemed out of place (except for his cereal quickfire...).
All in all fun to watch indeed.
ChefJune
Master Chef
It was more fun to watch than Season 2, by a long shot!
However, imho, because of the way they scored each episode completely separately, they eliminated the only two chefs who compared with Hung in ability (and possibly creativity) -- Lia and Tre -- very early in the competition, leaving Hung to compete, largely, with himself.
I would have loved to see the show with Hung, Lia and Tre as the final three!
However, imho, because of the way they scored each episode completely separately, they eliminated the only two chefs who compared with Hung in ability (and possibly creativity) -- Lia and Tre -- very early in the competition, leaving Hung to compete, largely, with himself.
I would have loved to see the show with Hung, Lia and Tre as the final three!
OP
OP
ironchef
Executive Chef
Note to producers (and no offense to anyone out there), but please make a sticky to yourselves and do not bring on any more caterers (Mia, Micah, etc.) or private chefs (CJ, Brian from season 1) to compete. Thank you.
