Cooking With Miklb

So it seems Top Chef is coming back around for a third season. But before it kicks off June 13th, a mini "grudge" match between the top two chefs of the first two seasons will fill the time slot.

I've been generally pleased with the quality of the show, despite the overwhelming commercialization. (I'm sure a drinking game could easily be made, every time Padma says, "Sears Kenmore", or "Glad" you take a drink of Viogner). I do think less emphasis is put on professional cooking skills, and more so on ability to think outside the box (convenience store food quick-fire challenges, making an amuse bouche from snack machines), but sometimes that can really show a cook's creative side, and true understanding of flavor.From a professional standpoint, which wouldn't fly with the soccer mom crowd, I would like to see more emphasis on skills, and not just culinary ones. Sure, give them all a whole fish, of about the same weight, and see who can yield the most usable product (bonus points for cheeks, collars, etc), or more budget oriented dish creation. Heck, take them into a typical person's home, and see who can produce the most elegant meal. But for the same reasons The Donald didn't have people balancing ledgers, you will not see those challenges on Top Chef.

This season's cast does seem to be of a higher caliber, at least from their small bios. Hailing from kitchens of the likes of Mark Milletello (a chef I admired while learning my chops, and still do) and Jean George, the profile of the types of kitchen's they've worked in seems to be on a much higher scale.

All in all, I find it quite entertaining as reality TV goes, and look forward to the escape.