Dave Martin's Blog

I Scream, You Scream

November 01, 2006

We roll into episode 3 and it’s time to make one of my favorites, homemade ice cream. Yum! As much as I appreciate the efforts by Marcel (bacon avocado), Ilan (bacon & waffle) and Emily (chocolate & lavender), let’s not overthink it -- it’s ice cream guys and gals. You should really make something that people want to eat. Yes, I have had avocado ice cream and yes, it can be good. But is the general public going to want it? Uhhh, no. It’s important to think ahead of the game and it is a game, right. The chefs should have known that real people were going to be judging the flavors they created and not a bunch of chefs, so stop trying to impress each other and impress your potential audience. Kudos to Betty, Cliff, Sam and Carlos for making ice cream flavors that we want to eat.

Now talk to me here, Marisa (pastry chef, right?). I’m not sure what’s happened with her in the bake shop between the panna cotta and being on the bottom 3 in the ice cream challenge -- what’s up with that ?

And let’s visit our dear friend, Emily. Not sure where her bad attitude and grouchy demeanor come from. Some of the things that she said were outright mean -- yikes. I think that she might be in the wrong business. Cooking should be a passion and something that you put effort in for the accolades you receive from people trying your creations. I was really turned off by her comments.

So onto the TGIFriday’s Elimination Challenge and cooking for the fireman as judges. This is the best challenge that I’ve seen so far this season. You have a great opportunity for some major national exposure. How fun to create something from your past that appeals to the masses? Wow, Betty and Marcel were certainly going at it -- kinda nasty, it’ll be interesting watching where this goes next. And Emily is back at it again, complaining and even making fun of Emeril (and his catch phrase -- BAM!) …. PS. to Emily, Emeril helped to blaze the trail for food television and Top Chef wouldn’t even be around without help from his successes in the food tv game.

She even goes as far as needing to plate down her food -- seriously not a fan of Emily at all. Frank’s plate: scary. Micheal I thought would really do better in this challenge but no such luck. Sam was very creative but sorry TGIF peeps aren’t gonna order it. I like Ilan’s, Cliff and Betty’s choices. Comfort food is definitely a strength of Betty’s. The bottom three was easy to spot based on the comments the firemen had made. It’s interesting watching Tom from the outside looking in, you know he is a Sam fan (which I think Sam has some major talent, for sure), but I’m thinking he is definitely not a fan of Michael’s.

Sam, Betty and Cliff are the Top three with Sam getting praise for going outside of the box with his dish. Cliff’s food looked tasty and Betty scores a win with her grilled cheese and tasty soup. The bottom three are Emily, Michael and Frank for obvious reasons -- bad oversalted food, sloppy and poor execution, respectively. And the one packing their knives this week is good ol' Emily. Goodbye and good luck to you, so much attitude and negativity and she can’t even make good simple food. We all indeed get what we put out there and hopefully she learned something from this experience and takes a look at the show and see how she comes across on screen. So we are starting to see more of the characters develop and I think that we will have some interesting conflicts and interaction ahead. Until next week, have a great week and enjoy. -- Chef Dave Martin

Comments

Kathy Williams wrote:

This new season has some wild characters-cheaters, fighters and apparently molecular gastronomists???? Tom, my hero, you should have leveled the inadequate Michael. You showed much restraint. Bad food, bad attitude, bad combination. I loved Betty's dish, on the other hand. I could almost smell her soup as it was described. Emily deserved the "the boot." I am sick and tired of immature contestants expressing such venom towards children. That should automatically rate a DQ. I am an absolutely hooked viewer...I miss Dave and Harold, but am already falling in love with Cliff and Betty. Thanks for all of the creative challenges and great guest judges.

posted at November 2, 2006 01:03 PM

Matt Schantz wrote:

Dave - I understand through mutual friends we have that you make some ruling pumpkin ice cream? Sounds nice (insert Homer drooling sound)...

Was curious what you would have done for the Friday's challenge - it seems like a challenge you really would have excelled in.

posted at November 2, 2006 01:24 PM

Jason wrote:

Dave- That challenge really seperated the talent field on the show. Marcel talks so high of himself, but always has an excuse or blames someone else for his failures, what a complete weenie. Which do you prefer? Steven's or Marcel's hair? They both thought a lot of themselves and thier hair. Which chef's from Season 1 do you think would have excelled at the TGI Friday's challenge?
P.S.- When will you show off the bread pudding recipe from the Season 1 finale that Tiffany claimed?

posted at November 3, 2006 01:45 AM

Rachael G. wrote:

"PS. to Emily, Emeril helped to blaze the trail for food television and Top Chef wouldn’t even be around without help from his successes in the food tv game."

Thanks for making some SENSE here. Emeril might not be an amazing chef but I think a lot of chefs- particularly the ones who ended up on TV shows- owe him a debt of gratitude. Your other comments here are spot on too.

I hope you're doing very well these days! You were my favorite from last season and I think you have great character and personality AND talent in the kitchen to boot. It was so nice to be able to watch someone on a reality TV show who wasn't a backstabbing jerk. There aren't enough people like that on TV. ;)

posted at November 3, 2006 03:18 AM

Fred wrote:

Dave two things...

first- great blog this week. Actually glad to see you didn't go for the obvioius tiffany/emily comparison...

second- i think this is the challenge that you wouuld have absoltuely killed in the first season... so i'll add my name to the list of the curious crowd, what would you have made for these challenges. Also could you give us the recipes?

posted at November 3, 2006 04:05 PM

mindy wrote:

Dave - I agree that Emily's comments were mean-spirited. But coming from the author of "Bitch, I'm not your bitch," I don't think I would look to you as a model of diplomacy in the kitchen. Still, I love you because you have passion and are just so unadulteratedly genuine.

posted at November 3, 2006 06:39 PM

Clara wrote:

Hi Dave, I was really saddened when you got the cut..you and Harold were *my* favorites too!!
This season one could skip the first half of the episodes (while they weed out the morons)and then come back when there are five or six chefs left,to actually see some 'cooking' competition.
Count me in on the folks who would really appreciate it if you posted your recipe for the fabulous dessert YOU made in the final challenge. (you know, the one the bit** claimed was hers..what a joke!!) Keep on blogging..we love to hear how you're doing. Thank you for making season one so much fun to watch!! (~..^)

posted at November 3, 2006 07:03 PM

victoria wrote:

Well, at this point it's looking good for Cliff, Sam, and Betty, but Josie, Ilan, and Elia have potential as dark horses. Since at this point last season I would have considered you a dark horse there's obviously a lot of competition left to go. But I must say it will be as satisfying to see Marisa, Marcel, and Michael get booted off the show and back into their narrow little worlds as it was to see Steven, Brian and Miguel get their tickets home.

posted at November 3, 2006 08:54 PM

E.Jane+B. wrote:

I totally think that Marcel's ice cream was sooooooooooooooo gross!!!!! I mean, who wants to eat ice cream that tastes like dog crap!! Marcel thinks to much of himself!!!! Bacon+avocado!Yuck!

Top Chef's 1 Fans,
EJ+BM
P.S.Marcel needs and attitude ajustment like Tiffany!!!!!!!!

posted at November 4, 2006 10:49 AM

EF wrote:

You were definitely my favorite in last season. You exude so much passion, and that to me is the essence of being a Chef. This season has such an explosive cast, I almost think that someone is going to get into an actual fist fight....I hope they can worry about what's important....the food. I'm here in LA, so if you want to go out, and eat with another foodie...let's do it.

posted at November 4, 2006 01:27 PM

vncntdl wrote:

Disappointing comments, Dave.
First, correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm not), but didn't Carlos make an avocado ice cream? And wasn't he one of the favorites. Guess you weren't watching the show too closely.
Second, I thought if anyone could appreciate Emily's sense of humor it would be you (Ms. Drama Queen). Personally, I think she deserves bonus pts for her slurs on bratty children and fat mothers complaining that the ice cream needs more sugar!
Boy, these Top Chef blogs are a bore -- and there are so many of them!

posted at November 4, 2006 04:25 PM

Jason wrote:

Dave... I'm curious. I've been watching some old episodes of Top Chef and I keep hearing you say your food is "functional". What does that mean? Of course, food is "functional" in the sense that it feeds me, but why would you market your food as "functional"? Isn't all food "functional"? What are you trying to achieve here? It really makes no sense. Is your food maybe just simple and basic and your trying to pass it off as something more special? I mean, lets delve a little deeper than your buzz words.

posted at November 4, 2006 08:12 PM

Samantha wrote:

Dave! I am so happy to see you have a TC2 blog! I enjoyed watching you last season. You appear to be a very cool person.

Sam

posted at November 4, 2006 09:53 PM

Megan &Mom Cathy wrote:

You are our absolute favorite chef from season one.Long Beach loves you & says "hello". When will you open your restaurant here in LB? How was France? Lots of interest in what you are doing now. We would be honored & delighted to sample any dish that you create. You are adorable & represent Long Beach,CA very well.
Lots of love & luck,
Megan & Cathy

posted at November 4, 2006 10:40 PM

PeachPie wrote:

"Cooking should be a passion and something that you put effort in for the accolades you receive from people trying your creations".... you said it in a nutshell, Dave. The problem for a couple of the chef's (this season and last), is understanding that this is not "Top FINE DINING Chef".

I have to echo the comment you made in one of your last blogs... didn't these folks WATCH last season's TC? If they'd have, they'd have known that the dishes they make will very, very often be sampled by everyday people.

In my (very humble) opinion, a great chef simply loves to cook and create... and finds no style of cooking, no recipe, no ingredient, no genre beneath him or her. In fact, isn't it the opposite? Shouldn't a top chef be so in love with food, so comfortable, so creative, that he/she can take the most obvious and make it new and their own? Your (now famous with viewers) Mac & Cheese with truffles is a good example. As was the gas station challenge in season 1.

Don't get me wrong, I love seeing food creations by chef's who are, as Tom put it, "great technicians". In fact, I'm amazed by these talents. But, in the end, I dont care if someone can make Oysters and Pearls if he can't make a damn steak sandwich or edible skirt stake. lol.

Love reading your post every week!

posted at November 5, 2006 09:03 AM

Trisha_B wrote:

Hi (((Dave))) ... If I would have had the ability to jump through the TV screen and tap you on the shoulder and say "one more dish please" I would have done it in a New York second! But life goes on ... you're so talented, I know you'll do great!
I was wondering if you had a recipe for "Humble Pie"? I think that our friend (cough) Emily could stand to eat a great big peice ... I mean "snotty nosed little kids ... I hate kids ... four teeth and a fat ass ... hmmmmm makes a person wonder if this is how she treats all patron's for whom she cook?
Hugzzz to you Dave and very best wishes in your future of cooking!
Trisha

posted at November 5, 2006 01:47 PM

Shea wrote:

Dave, your insight is beautiful and accurate. I was totally stunned by Emily’s comments. How do you tell America that you hate kids? And no matter what type of chef you think you are, ice cream is supposed to be sweet. How did she get that wrong? This explains how she over salted the surf –n- turf.

Marissa being in the bottom three for the ice-cream quick fire is too hilarious and even more so when everyone who had never made ice-cream before scored higher. I get a laugh also during the replays of that episode at how the cameraperson cuts her off as she goes into some lame explanation that Cliff couldn’t possibly have won because of taste. How out of touch can she be to the reality that kids aren’t going to pretend to like ice cream they actually don’t like? I actually like Marissa for comic relief. But this also sends to the wrong message to business owners looking for a qualified pastry chef.

Dave, you are the best. Your food was the only food that I could vicariously taste while watching the show. I wish you all the best and will look forward to your blogs.

posted at November 5, 2006 11:54 PM

dave martin wrote:

Hello to all those fun and positive peeps out there and man it's so funny how the grouchy people post comments but don't leave a way to contact them...it's so easy to talk shit and not be able to be contacted for a rebuttal...gotta love the blogs....thanks for all the support from those of you that get it...for those that don't focus on trying to have a better day :) dave

posted at November 6, 2006 12:43 PM

Marilyn wrote:

Dearest Chef Dave...
I was in love with you from the get-go. You are funny, sensitive, and you did beautiful work. I miss last season's group, this season's group seems like they should be on "Hell's Kitchen" with their potty mouths and lack of professionalism. Good luck to you, you're the greatest. I love your blog...

posted at November 6, 2006 06:23 PM

Marilyn wrote:

posted at November 6, 2006 06:25 PM

PeachPie wrote:

If someone's leaving nasty comments, let us at 'em! I'll give them a good smack (espcecially if I haven't had my coffee yet). We LOVE ya! Keep posting.

posted at November 7, 2006 05:45 AM

Victoria wrote:

Dave,
I love your cooking and hope that you are up and running in your own place when you can. I do hope that they call on you to judge this season.
Best Wishes! Ilove your saying "it is what it is"

Take Care Dave

posted at November 7, 2006 11:43 AM

PeachPie wrote:

1. OMG did I never learn where the spell check button was?

2. OK, EVERYONE MUST LISTEN to this pod cast by Emily found on Chow.com. MAKE SURE YOU LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE THING! I almost gave her over salted food some slack when she delivered her explanation... almost. THEN I KEPT LISTENING. I'm reserving my comments. Let the listeners deside. : )

http://www.chow.com/stories/10194

posted at November 7, 2006 04:46 PM

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