There was some conjecture a few days ago about where Bourdain (a guest judge a few episodes back) stood on all the contestants. He's guest blogging for Michael Ruhlman this week, and posted yesterday about the show. Here are a couple of excerpts:
Sam: Probably the closest thing to Chef material this season--with the most chefly demeanor and attitude (generally speaking). Though not the strongest craftsman (though very close to it), he was the best all-around cook--generally smart, consistent, with good technical skills. He managed to stay on the fringes of the worst behaviors, generally showed the kind of low ego, low maintenance attitude a cook should have at this point in his career. He helped others, took responsibility for his actions, didn't blame or explain when things went sour and consistently showed leadership qualities. Most likely to succeed--meaning he shall surely find the balance between leadership and culinary excellence in future. If you were going to invest in one contestant as a chef/business partner, Sam would be your guy.
Marcel: Diagnosis: Is there ANYTHING this guy doesn't want to foam? So slavishly devoted to what Ferran Adria was doing TEN YEARS AGO it's....scary and sad. This is a very talented kid--with enormous potential for culinary artistry and he's got BIG balls. He consistently took more chances and was more creative than any one else on the show. His range of knowledge and techniques was wider than the rest. But he's dangerously blind to the fact that much of his stuff was "over" years ago. He has a superb eye for presentation. But his Chef potential? Presently zero. You have to get along with the people you work with--and I can't imagine this guy "working with others" over time. He's petty, vindictive, immature, a loudmouth, not a team player by any stretch of the imagination. And it's all about Him. I can't imagine him ever running a kitchen that actually makes its food cost percents--or appeals to the public--as Marcel would likely be too busy celebrating his own perceived brilliance on the plate. He deserves to be in the final two. If he can ever pull back his food to what TASTES good FIRST--and pull his head out of his ass, there's hope. Otherwise? He's got a future as food blogger. Suggested Treatment: Put Marcel in a three star Michelin kitchen where he actually works on a day-to-day basis with someone like Robuchon (not in an outpost), or Gordon Ramsay. He needs a great chef--who he respects--to smash his ego and break down any delusions of grandeur--day by day, every day, dismantling his personality until he learns how to FEED people food that gives them pleasure. Being a great chef is about first knowing what gives people pleasure. And caring about that. (Like Thomas Keller, for instance.) Marcel strikes me as the sort of knucklehead/creative "genius" who insists on "educating the public" instead of finding new ways to please and delight and surprise them. There's nothing pleasing or surprising about foam anymore. He's NOT Ferran Adria. He's NOT Grant Achatz. He's NOT Wylie Dufresne. Nor is he anywhere in their league. Adria's cooking is (underneath the novelty) soulful. And that's what's missing from Marcel's food. His tormentors were right about one thing: he needs to get laid. And the Astro-Boy haircut is a liability in the kitchen--where co-workers and subordinates will identify him as a fucktard from Day One. Any cook who spends that much time on their hair is going to have a hard row to hoe. And any chef will sporting a Wolverine-Do will be the object of behind their back derision and mockery. Marcel has a LOT of growing up to do. A chef needs respect. A chef must be able to delegate. A chef needs to run a kitchen that actually turns a profit. I can't see Marcel doing any of those things.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
More, much more:
http://blog.ruhlman.com/
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