The Taste. Ok. I
debated with myself on if I wanted to write about this show now because I've
since forgotten some of the things I wanted to say. I’m also not good with people. Some people look alike (Like Lee and Jeff ---
one has earrings and the other doesn't otherwise they look very similar and I
can’t recall who has the earrings or who is in what kitchen unless I’m watching
the show.) I also can’t spell… so I know
I’m going to royally mess up these names.
I may go back and correct them after looking them up.
Anyway… I’ll try to recall my thoughts.
The first show I watched was not the *first show*. I also believe there is at least one
previous season. Basically, after I got
my new TV I got back into watching TV. I
like chopped, but as that is a “cable” show that I've only been able to watch
at my parent’s or friend’s house, I really don’t see it much. So I decided to try “The Taste” as a
substitute.
First thing I noticed, unlike “Chopped”, “The Taste” is
formatted more like “American Idol”. In
fact… I’d say “Idol” was/is the template for shows like this. The – start with a bunch/group of people and
whittle it down to one winner over the course of a season format. There are many shows like that now – in fact
I’m seeing commercials on TV about a home development/decorator show with the
same idea… and I’m like REALLY? I guess
these are the new “reality shows”. In
fact now that I read a little blurb of the set up (which I missed) the show
sounds close to “The Voice” I actually would prefer “Chopped” which has 4
different people each show and is formatted more like a game show.
ANYWAY….
I missed the first epi of this season which must have shown
the Chefs’ selections as to who will be in their Kitchens. So the first epi for me was the first
eliminations. One of the things I
noticed right away is the clash between Nigella
and her cooks. Now me… I do not
like cooking. I am afraid of cutting myself, I have burned myself before so I
don’t like taking stuff in and out of the oven… and it just plain takes too
long. So… with me I could understand
her telling me/showing me how to cut things but I’d think a pro cook (which I
thought all of these people were) would KNOW that. So QUIT TELLING THEM HOW TO USE THEIR KNIFE
AND QUIT WORRYING ABOUT THEM CUTTING THEMSELVES. On the big cooking shows even the pro’s cut
themselves… I even heard of - I think on Iron chef- someone cutting the tip of
their finger off.
Then she clashed with a lady whose name I've completely
forgotten – who reminded me of her. Even
the other contestants said that this lady dressed like “N” did. But they even sounded the same (though the
lady didn't have the same accent) as they argued. Total clash.
Really.
So when N’s team lost the team challenge I really wasn't
surprised when “N” let this lady go, even though her dish wasn't the one picked
and therefore not the one that lost the challenge. There
was a clear personality conflict.
Then N lost another member in the individual challenge. I admit I felt sorry for Jay… as one of my
cats is named “Jay”…. (yeah yeah I know
I’m weird. – and the cat is actually Jacinth… I just call him Jay.)
I have seen every epi since then and there was a few things
that struck me.
First, Audrey, the food blogger. I was curious about her blog so I did look it
up. I’m not posting it here as I’m not
sure it has what I was looking for yet or not.
It irritated me that the other contestants seemed to be bothered by her
mentioning her blog --- but apparently behind the scenes the *producers* kept
pushing her to mention her blog. (Ok she said that on her blog… so she could
have been lying but I seriously doubt it.)
When she was eliminated she came out and said she had a pain
disease. (I forgot what it was called.) This hampered her because of course the
episodes are not filmed as wham bam thank you… so it was a lot of waiting
around the set in hard chairs. I feel
for her… but I also winced because I’m sorry it sounded like an excuse. *whine* I was in pain and thinking about
quitting anyway *whine*. I don’t think
she meant it that way and it can be hard to decide when to mention something
like this but, I honestly believe she should have said this up-front. In fact… I think this kind of thing should be
*required* to be disclosed prior to someone being on a show like this. Can you imagine someone winning American
Idol for example and then you find out that the person has cystic fibrosis
which will kill them in a few years… worse – as it is a lung disease – may mean
that they won’t be able to sing for very much longer? (I just looked this up to make sure I was
thinking of the correct disease – I was but it looks like the life expectancy
has been improved… when I was in Collage in the 90s the life expectancy was in
the 20s. Now it’s in the 30s to
40s.)
Anyway I feel these shows should make you sign a disclaimer
form about such things. It may have
helped – because they would either have not allowed her to participate or would
have been able to accommodate her better to allow her to perform to her true
potential.
And speaking of hiding things vs telling them … how in the
WORLD did a vegetarian cook get on that show without anyone knowing about
it? I mean REALLY? That was the other thing that bothered
me. I think the lady was Cassandra and
she doesn't want to try her mentor’s dish because it has meat in it and he
looks surprised when she admits she is a vegetarian! Like I said earlier I missed the “selection”
shows but gee.. I would guess she had cooked a veggie dish to start with and
when picked I’d guess that they would have to explain the dish right? So at that point she should have said – well
you see I’m a vegetarian and… etc. He should have KNOWN. They should have KNOWN… and either not
allowed her on the show or not FORCED her to cook with meat. I mean the other contestants were criticize her
in the little blurbs about “how can she be a chef if she can’t taste her own
cooking” well, gee… (sarcastic) I
wonder. I mean HELLLO! in the real world she isn’t going to cook
with meat! She’d be a chef for a
vegetarian restaurant or run a vegetarian catering service or something of that
nature and of COURSE then she’d be fine tasting her own cooking then!
When I first saw her I wondered what kind of vegetarian she
was --- the kind that ate for preference and/or health – or the kind that ate
veggies because she didn't like the
killing of animals – which quite frankly meant she shouldn't be on that show as
those type of people typically don’t like ANYONE eating meat and are more
radical. However, as she went ahead and
tried stuff anyway – even if she didn't like it (and I don’t think I’d like
goose liver either) to the delight of
her mentor. In fact, her mentor (I’m forgetting who it was
and am running out of time to write this.)
totally fought for her. But what’s
weird to me with her – and with some of the others that left – people were
acting like they would NEVER see them again.
Friends, possibly more, mentor/student – all upset. And I’m like… this is not the 18th
century people! There is facebook,
email, smart phones with nationwide calling plans and unlimited minutes… you
can keep in touch with each-other it is NOT the end of the world!
Anyway (I know I keep saying that) there was more I wanted to say but it’s late
now and I wanted to post this Wed, as the next “The Taste” show is tomorrow and
I wanted to try to blog it as I watched it --- though I’m also watching the Olympics.
I checked Wikipedia and it looks like there is only two
more episodes. But there are SIX people
left – so I wonder, 2 more tomorrow and then like the first season (according
to Wiki) 1 dropped and 1 winner with 2 runner up? Or… 3 tomorrow? I guess I’ll find out.
Signing off. :)
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