I've gotten emails from people who think I should take my foot off the gas or stop doing the Top Chef recaps. Poor Hugh also seems salty. Fair enough.
@hughacheson Eddie Huang: loving your review there champ! love, the guy with one eyebrow http://nyti.ms/aa3ZCe
I can understand that people would be pissed. But, if you go on Top Chef, Iron Chef, Dog and Pony Fill My Restaurant on Monday Night with this Appearance Chef, you're no longer a chef in that capacity. In your kitchen: chef. On TV: reality star. In the bedroom: Based God. Got it? Good.
I respect what these chefs and writers do. The things I say do not and should not reflect on their work in kitchen or in print (for the writers). I never ate at Tabla but I heard great things. I've hung out with Currence and I absolutely love the guy. I haven't worked with many other chefs, but he is the best I've seen. Does it mean he has immunity on the recaps? No. I'm on my job, Jon. I will still laugh when you continually apologize for the South. The South is fine, you are great, and Kelis loves Vietnamese Meatballs. To be perfectly honest, the only reason I thought about not doing Top Chef Recaps or even stopping after week 2 was because I respect Currence, but even if it seems like I'm just randomly ripping chefs in the recaps. There is a purpose.
When I started blogging, I had a goal. Show people what it was like in the most real sense to open, run, and cook in a restaurant. Over time, we've established Cam'ron's proper place in the hip hop hierarchy, addressed Asian identity, and taken a shit on numerous things that were before untouchable. As Hell Rell said... This is what I do.
I hate Top Chef. Before this season, I only watched one episode when Ssur Lee made Marge Simpson. I used to love Iron Chef Japan because it was quirky, strange, and introduced new ingredients/techniques/etc that I'd never seen. It wasn't like I'd go eat at their restaurants in Japan because I saw them on the show. There was a real Enter the Dragon quality to it. International battles, clash of civilizations, french v. japanese, to dub or not to dub, that is the question. Yes, people got press but it was before Food TV blew up. There was still something genuine about it. It was calculated for a Japanese audience but to an American kid who was dumb high in his college dorm room, it was real. Additionally, it was cool to have the tables turned i.e. consuming something on tv from another culture. We don't do it enough and we're very isolated. The rest of the world knows about us but we don't know about them. Anytime there's a hit like Office, Skins, or Iron Chef, we have to repackage it. American Ego out of control.
Now a days, food shows have handprints all over them. Chefs are savvy, they have Publicists and PR people. You're being sold a package. Which is fine... the world turns. I still watch some food TV, but once you cross realms you can't have the same expectations you would in a restaurant. I hate yelpers and I think they ruin a perfectly fine industry. Going into someone's restaurant is like going into someone's house, respect it. But, TV is different. Now you're coming into my house.
Most of these chefs have no business on TV cause they're not interesting, they're not entertaining, and let's be real you can't eat the god damn food. If we could eat the food, well, now you have a purpose. Just cause you're a good chef doesn't mean you should be on TV. You should have some ability above the average Joe to communicate a perspective, idea, or voice. Most of these cheftestants simply don't have it and that's why I make fun of them. Give the air time to someone who has a fucking story to tell. I would love to see Tyler Kord as the heir apparent to Alton Brown making strange things with bologna and broccoli in a lab. Scarcity is an issue and the fact that these competition shows take up an inordinate amount of air time is wack. Fighting for Air. Yes, between Hell Rell songs, I read books. The reason why they are prevalent is because they're easy to reproduce and it's a guaranteed hit watching people run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
I watch Bizarre Foods, No Reservations, and sometimes Diner's Drive-ins and Dives, that's it. I like the first two shows because it's educational, there's a real cultural element beyond what's on a plate I can't eat, and there's a real voice to the show. Both those guys are real. Diner's Drive-ins and Dives, I will frequently watch on mute just to see what people on the ground are doing. That's the type of food that I make so it's nice to see what The People are cookin' up. When I watch Top Chef, I can't relate. Yet, Tony goes to El Bulli and I'm down but only cause it was Tony bringing us there. The audience trusts him and he earned that trust by keeping it real for almost 3 decades. I want to one day have that credibility in whatever it is that I do. You may think I'm a punk or a fat ass, but you can't call me dishonest. Ok, so Sifton did once and he was right, but I have since apologized for introducing the world to Cheeto Fried Chicken.
My goal has always been to keep it real. And yes, keeping it real frequently goes wrong...
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