Never Underestimate the Palate of the Dishwasher

As the TOPCHEF junkie that I am...

- Excited that I now live where Bravo is carried by the local cable company.
- Thrilled that a new season has begun.
- Disappointed that the first quickfire challenge was and elimination round.
- Shocked at the lack of knife skills by some of the "chefs"
- Not surprised that the two "chefs" that made salads in the first episode have been eliminated. Did they miss what Tom said about salads not actually being "cooked" from a previous season.
- Not at all surprised that Eugene (the one that has worked his way up from dishwasher) was the among the top three "chefs" in the first elimination challenge. The Executive Chef of one of my former employers worked his way up from a teenager doing dishes. Cuyler was fantastic. The company thought so too. Sent him to culinary school, then gave him a restaurant.
Eugene probably ate many different things throughout his career that he developed the ability to recreate what he tastes. This might be why he was able to taste something at the Indian deli counter and recreate it. Classic Indian dish from someone that has never eaten Indian. That is a person that is able to breakdown flavor.
- Bothered with quickfire challenge from episode 2. Hot dogs are a fantastic canvas. Jill was the only one that used an actual HOT DOG. The "chefs" made all sorts of street cart foods, but none was a HOT DOG. And then there is Stefan...hello...street carts don't normally sell beer.
- Sorry Jill was sent home. Innovative to use ostrich egg for a quiche. Unfortunately, she did not present/defend herself well. I did not see her remaining much past the first handful of episodes, but Ariane should have been told "Please pack your knives and go." There should be a point that inedible loses to innovative.
- Disturbed about a "spherical olive". Fabio kicked ass and took names. But like I was about Marcel and Hung; don't mess with the chemical compound of food. Just serve me an olive. (In all fairness, I would pick off an olive. I don't eat them)
- Anticipating more catch phrases from this season. "I'm not your bitch, Bitch." "It is what it is." "I'm having a culinary boner" and what I imagine will become one of this season's "I will make you say my name and slap your mamma."