Dishin' Dat: January 2007

Jan 31, 2007

Eenie Wienie Mini Moe...

Let's just say that Marcel acquitted himself well. I am rather sick at the results. More later, Top Chef Fans.

Eye Candy: Top Chef 2 Judge Winner (Part 1)

Thank you for voting!

Eric Ripert is in a tie with Harold Dieterle.

Running close in third place is Ted Allen

No surprises here!

Running close behind were Anthony Bourdain and Raphael Lunetta, who finished in a dead heat. Only one vote behind was Alan Wong. Stay tuned for the next voting competition! We will pitt these six winners against the final judges.

Live Chat DURING the Finale, Dahlings. Oh, Such Fun!

Hot off the Top Chef 2: They Cook, We Dish Presses!

Tonight, the Big Shamu and Java Junkie of Top Chef 2: They Cook, We Dish, along with Charlus & XaXa of Amuse-Biatch and Ms. Place of Dish n'dat, will be hosting a live chat for our readers. We'd love to hear from you all on this final night of the season. A special link will be provided to access the chat just prior to the beginning of the show. Provided eveything goes well on the technical end, we look forward to chatting with some of our wonderful readers on this last night of the competition!! (Many thanks to Ms. Place for suggesting the chat.)

And she's prepared to take the blame, if things don't turn out right!

Clarification, for top chef readers. Ms. Place is joining the Top Chef 2: They Cook, We Dish and Amuse Biatch teams for tonight's live chat. This is a one time teaming only (though I love Shamu, Java, Charlus, and Miss XaXa dearly.)

Flirt that she is, Ms. Place will also be joining the Blogging Top Chef: They Cook, We Roast team to dish Top Design. This new team, aptly named Top Design Blogger, will deconstruct and shred and tear our tender designers apart for the next 10 weeks. How utterly and thrillingly divine.

Confused? Dahlings, so am I. Wait 'till tonight. My tongue and brains will be totally scrambled.

Waiting for the Big Thud and the Big Bang

Well, dahlings, no matter what happens tonight on Bravo, Ms. Place realizes she'll need to fortify herself with a half case of divine bubbly to get through the evening.

First, there's the big thud.
The "Who cares who wins, but I'm gonna see it anyway" finale of Top Chef 2 will be aired. Last year I was salivating as I awaited the verdict: Tiffany or Harold? This year, eh. Yawn. I think I'll do something at the same time, like chat with friends.

Then, there's the Big Bang!
Tonight Bravo will air the first installment in what promises to be a dynamite show filled with over the top personalities and talent: Top Design. As you know, Ms. Place has joined the Top Design Blogger team. So, just come on over, dahlings, the gals, Eric, and I are on tenterhooks waiting to dish them.

Leaving Parsons

Onward and upward in my career, dear fans!

I'm leaving Parson's and going to Liz's place
(Claiborne, that is.)

Carry on!

(Breaking News from WWD)

Jan 30, 2007

Top Chef 2: The Sound of Mucus

Well, dear readers, we're down to the final two. Oh, ick! But won't let my prejudice against both cheftestants rule this post. We'll let esteemed guest judge Anthony Bourdain speak about Ilan aka Chuckie the Evil Kewpie Doll, and Marcel aka Marcel Jekyll and Marcel Hyde.

I quote Chef Bourdain verbatum in the good, the bad, and the fugly sections:

Ilan aka Chuckie, the Evil Kewpie Doll

The Good
I suspect, he'll go all the way.
That his food was derivative is no dishonor. Smart chefs must first know what their strengths and weaknesses are. And who to steal from. He did both well.

The Bad
He DID manage to get others to do his dirty work (if ineptly). Also a useful skill. If not the most admirable of young men--it is certainly well within reason to imagine him as a successful chef who serves good food at a prof.
If Ilan has a fatal flaw, it's that he let Marcel get up his nose so easily and predictably.
And that when he (again and again) conspired to sabotage or screw over his enemy--either directly or through surrogates, he was both obviously behind it--his fingerprints all over the place, and worse--FAR worse--unsuccessful! it.

The Fugly
And he's a manipulative, conspiratorial, vindictive, weasely little shit....(Hardly impediments to a career as a chef). These are classic assets.

Marcel Jekyll and Marcel Hyde

The Good
He deserves to be in the final two.
If he can ever pull his head out of his ass, there's hope.
He consistently took more chances.
He's got BIG balls.

The Bad
His Chef potential? Presently zero.
Marcel would likely be too busy celebrating his own perceived brilliance on the plate.
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.
His tormentors were right about one thing: he needs to get laid.
And the Astro-Boy haircut is a liability in the kitchen; co-workers and subordinates will identify him as a fucktard from Day One.
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.

The Fugly
He's petty, vindictive, immature, a loudmouth, not a team player by any stretch of the imagination. It's all about Him.

A fan's comment on the Ruhlman blog:
Upon reading it again, I am more appalled - lots of harsh words regarding the personalities of snaky smarmy Ilan and "petty immature loudmouth" (in quotes because I do not agree with m. bordain) Marcel but no call outs for Betty the shrill shrew or Elia the cyrbaby, backstabbing queeter. WTF is up with that?

M. Bordain - if this is going to be a character assisination at least give equal due to all contestants.

Posted by: Former fan redux January 30, 2007 at 06:30 PM

Ms. Place's suggestion for these two immature but talented chefs?

Kiss and make up, you weenies. Life's too short to be a fucktardy selfish crybaby with balls too big for your britches. There, I said it. Ooooh, I feel so much better!

Andy's New Set Revealed

Dahlings, the designers over at Top Design have been busy already! Go check out their work for Andy Cohen's new set here.

This photo should give you enough of a hint! It's the before!

Go to Top Design Blogger to view the "After."

As always, dahlings, Ms. Place is all about Tongue in Chic!

Jan 29, 2007

It's a Pink Navy!

Look what's newly steamed into view in the Top Designer blog harbor, chiclets: Pink Navy!

Ah, the title conjuresup visions of Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. Those two handsome doofuses were steamrollered by those clever WWII nurses in Operation Petticoat. In their quest to show how resourceful they were, these brave pointy bra'd women even ungirdled their girlie loins to fix all those rusted but manly pipes.

Our fearless nurses sacrificed their flat stomachs in order to give that evil man Hitler (that dastardly Teutonic Non Plus Ultra Uber bastard) a, er, well, uh, to ...

Yes, Charlus and Miss XaXa have toiled and sweated and slaved for weeks to spawn Pink Navy from their fertile minds! Get ready, dahlings, for what promises to be the most fabulous bitchy fun this season. (Well, next to Top Design Blogger, that is.) And don't blame me if you think Charlus' and Miss XaXa's observations are a wee bit acerbic and over the top!

Upon hearing that Charlus was arriving mis-en-scene to cleverly stage the unveiling of Pink Navy, Miss XaXa, fresh from her visit with Chef Carlos, grabbed her pink submarine bag and dashed off to Miami's harbor. She arrived just in time to see Charlus head a phalanx (or phallus?) of pink vehicles, ready to do verbal battle with those who would arbite our tastes!

Ah, dahlings. Can you wait just a few days? I can't. Click here, sweetlings, for a sneak peek!

Top Chef 2: Miss XaXa and Chef Carlos Trip the Dish Fantastic

After leaving Wiki Watchee, Miss Xa Xa high TAILED it down to Fort Lauderdale for her assignation with Chef Carlos, passing the fabulous beaches near St. Augustine in her fabulous T-Bird.

Brringgg!

Ms. Place: "Ja?"

Miss XaXa: "Missy, Sweetie, I'm only hours from the Hi-Life Cafe! I simply can't contain myself"

Ms. Place: "Am totally jealous, dahling. Am swallowing my disappointment by sunbathing on my cousin's beach in Curacao!

Ms. XaXa: "Dayum, Missy. I wished you'd come along instead of sulking on some tropical island with your tush hanging out. Chef Carlos is SPECIAL!

Ms. Place: "Don't I know it, Sweetie. I am BEREFT. Send me photos of your meeting, will ya?"

Miss XaXa: "Funny you mentioned. Here are some post cards of Fort Lauderdale to keep you happy...."

And a few photos of when I arrived at the Hi-Life Cafe!

Oh, Missy, I just couldn't contain myself!

Look how darling Chef Carlos looked when he greeted me!

Don't we make the cutest couple? I had an absolute blast, Missy. Carlos is such a hoot! I mean, just take a gander at one of his more conservative Sunday Suits!"

Chef Carlos insisted on making his special Coca Cola cake in honor of meee!

Recipe for Coca Cola Cake (Not Chef Carlos'!)

But this silly man thought the cake was a slurpie and insisted on licking it off his plate!

Believe me, our dear chef took it all in good stride!

I HATED to leave. Well, ta, dahling. Be home soon! Can't wait to share my trip with you.

Jan 28, 2007

Dishin' Dat Named in Top Blog Spot

Dahlings, my visitor numbers are modest compared to Blogging Top Chef or Amuse Biatch. But I must direct you to this wonderful site. These folks have class and taste! They have placed my blog in their blog roll list! Aren't they divine?

Click here to check out Top Chef BoxXet.

Yoo hoo! You fabulous people in the blogosphere! Ms. Place sends you a kiss from across the ether. I've added you to my blog roll as well.

Jan 26, 2007

Top Chef Judge: Vote for Your Favorite Eye Candy!

Here Are Season Two's Judges so far, dahlings. Who would be your top three picks for my next Eye Candy post?

Harold Dieterle, Season 1 winner. (Ep.1 Quickfire & Elimination)