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God bless ya, Season 4 hothead Dale, for refamiliarizing us with one of the simplest joys of this show: watching one person in chef's whites post up on another person in chef's whites because the first person in chef's whites feels the second person in chef's whites is HATING. You, sir, are our Gatorade, you refreshing bastard, you. Ahhh.
Bravo played up the clash between the former finalist and Top Chef Masters competitor Michael Chiarello like crazy in the teasers leading up to Wednesday night's penultimate episode, for obvious reasons: Most of the cheftestants on TCM have been too nice, too tired or too professional to flip out. That's where Dale, who got all "whatchu gon do about it?!" with Chiarello after being talked down to, came in. Best part? Dude didn't cheapen the gulliness by apologizing after the fact. From a bravotv.com statement on the incident:
Looking back, I cannot see myself handling it in a different way. When confronted by this "Master" chef, I took his comments and tone to be insulting. Had this situation taken place with, for example Joel Robuchon, Charlie Trotter, Thomas Keller, Alain Ducasse, I know I would react differently, as I have had nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for these great chefs.
My apologies if my reaction negatively impacted my team and the other chefs in any way. Do I think how I reacted was appropriate? No, but inappropriate is part of the chef's life. That�s who we are�� a degenerate, compulsive, irrational, egotistical and passionate breed that knows how to cook.
YO CHIARELLO, DALE IS COMING FOR YOU WITH THIS COMICALLY OVERSIZED WHISK!
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But Episode 9 did have another redeeming quality, aside from our dude's scrappy short-fuse antics. It gave us insight into the Masters finalists' managerial styles, a true testament to their acumen as executive chefs.
Some people came off better than others.
Quickfire: Host Kelly Choi blindfolded the final four -- Chiarello, Hubert Keller, Anita Lo and Rick Bayless -- and made them taste random stuff to see what they could ID, with a lineup of ingredients both easily nameable (peanut butter, corn) and rather random (a few of them got papadum). Chiarello, who referred to the challenge as a "culinary whiteout," ends up naming seven ingredients correctly, edging out Lo and Bayless (six apiece). Keller, who named only five, deserved some bonus points for wryly stating that the best part of the challenge was "Kelly putting the blindfold on me." Hubert, you French cad!
Elimination: The final four must prepare a buffet lunch for 200 "Hollywood insiders." To help, each chef is allowed to pick sous chefs from a crop of a dozen former Top Chef-fers. Bayless grabs Alex (S5), Betty (S2) and the dude Richard (S4; he talked to Meal Ticket back in November). Lo gets Dale, S2 winner Ilan and S5er Jamie, aka the Duchess of Scallopshire aka we used to hate on her unfairly but now love her. Keller gets Elia from S2 (remember when she chopped all her hair off?), Antonia (S4) and S5er/recent guest judge Spike. This leaves Chiarello with seafood chef Brian (S3, looked like he was wearing mad makeup), the never-not-entertaining Fabio (S5) and cut-up former volleyball player CJ (S3).
Prior to selections, the four finalists are allowed quickie interviews with their potential sous chefs. This is where Chiarello solidifies his dickwad status for the evening, forcing interviewees to chop carrots and scolding them when they mispronounce his last name. Strong work, Mike.
During the prep stage, with all manner of chefs running amok through the kitchen, it's easy to see how people could get heated. But it took a special brand of douchebaggery to get Dale to flip his shit the way he did -- in this case, it was Chiarello condescendingly calling the guest chef "young man" in reference to a question about a fridge that really set him off.
"For the first 20 years of my career, I ate three Dales for breakfast," Chia explains.
"Michael had it coming to him," observes Alex. "He was acting like a douche."
As the chefs scramble to get their buffets in order � each develops a menu in his/her wheelhouse, nothing too interesting to rehash here � Choi drops an unexpected twist: The 200-head buffet, originally slated for inside the SLS Hotel, will now be outside under the baking sun. This royally screws Lo, who'd tasked Jamie with popping hundreds of oysters/clams for an elaborate raw bar spread. Keller, who worked beautifully with his team, ends up earning the W with his beautiful and complex 18-tiny-dish approach, and Lo gets the ax, earning just 17 stars. This elimination kinda sucked because it was wholly conditional; the judges criticized quite a few of Chia's dishes, and it's not a stretch to guess the results might've been different had they served their grub in the AC.
Next week: Masters finale, and Vegas premiere. For now, please enjoy this disjointed list of quotes from our Episode 9 notes:
- "It's very odd-looking." - James Oseland on Chiarello's buffet
- "It's a Top Chef world, and we've just got to make the best of it." - Bayless
- "I'm sweating like a mountain goat at the beach." - Fabio
- "Tastes like Mexico!" - Oseland on Bayless' buffet
- "It was furry and mealy. I thought maybe it was old swordfish." - Gael Green on Chiarello's buffet
- "I'd give you a galaxy of stars if I could!" - Oseland on Keller's buffet
Dale isn't good enough to talk shit to real chefs. That guy whined his way through last season of Top Chef. Bad attitude, I've worked with plenty of people like that, they don't last anywhere. Rick Bayless and Hubert are killing it though. Knocking it out of the park.
HK: Bad attitude, but diamond entertainment! And yes absolutely, Bayless and Keller are both destroying...it's really tough to select a winner between those two (I don't think Chia has a shot), because they're both performing at such a high level AND the judges adore them equally (so important). My pick is Bayless.
I'd place a small wager that Dale and Spike were "encouraged" to start some drama.
Referring to Dale, young man is far more polite than a term I would have used you punk whiny crybaby no-talent loser.
Yes, Chia was being a hardass, but isn't that more or less standard for the head honcho in a kitchen? Dale's response was completely out of line, and I've been called a lot worse than "young man" just several times today. If Dale thought that was "belittling," that's a reflection of his wafer-thin ego, and nothing else. I suspect what happened was that after the former cheftestants grumbled to each other about Chia's general douchiness during the interviews, Dale thought he had a mandate to act out. Dale likes to act out. It was embarassing more than entertaining. I'm actually enjoying the Masters' civility and kindness; if you watch Top Chef for conflicts and onterpersonal drama, go to Big Brother, Survivor, VH1, Hell's Kitchen, and all that other mindless vomit.
Judging these two based on television alone I think it's clear who the punk with a chip on his shoulder is. And considering he's 5' nothing I suppose he feels it's warranted. It's not.
BIG fan of the TCMs, having come from "foodie country" - SF Bay Area. From years of working with chefs and cooks, it is my understanding that Michael C's management style is very traditional and that the style of Hubert and Rick is preferred by qualified cooks and chefs. Chef Dale still has dues to pay in my opinion and the bigger person would have gone along with the role and followed orders. Just glad Chef Dale isn't on a football team or the military!
chiarello wasn't his leader, he was leading a different team. screw him. fight on, dale! lol
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