The recipe for a good episode of Top Chef is time to plan and cook and shop, a good budget, and a goal that brings out the best in the chef instead of the worst.

All the examples you cite all pissed me off to no end as well.  (ohh, Nyesha, how you were robbed twice) I hated all those examples.  I enjoy Top Chef and Top Chef Masters more when they don't have these ridiculous curveballs, which occur in about 50 percent of the episodes.  There have been episodes with no…

All the examples you cite all pissed me off to no end as well.  (ohh, Nyesha, how you were robbed twice) I hated all those examples.  I enjoy Top Chef and Top Chef Masters more when they don't have these ridiculous curveballs, which occur in about 50 percent of the episodes.  There have been episodes with no…

B plus is a lot generous.  I think this episode earns a solid D minus.

B plus is a lot generous.  I think this episode earns a solid D minus.

they made that it was called the 4400 also surprisingly good but flawed.

they made that it was called the 4400 also surprisingly good but flawed.

fuck ron paul.

fuck ron paul.

Scumbag Obama

Scumbag Obama

was that a merkin or was it granny panties made of pubic hair?

was that a merkin or was it granny panties made of pubic hair?

I used to know some people in college who had a ritual of taking LSD each sunday, having a kinky orgy, and watching true blood as part of the come down.  It certainly doesn't hurt the watchability of the show.  I don't know if they still do that, but I'd like to think all over the world there are groups, covered in…

I used to know some people in college who had a ritual of taking LSD each sunday, having a kinky orgy, and watching true blood as part of the come down.  It certainly doesn't hurt the watchability of the show.  I don't know if they still do that, but I'd like to think all over the world there are groups, covered in…

Phenylacetic acid was an easy process. Synthesizing methylamine not so much. The chemist was talking about phenylacetic acid.

Phenylacetic acid was an easy process. Synthesizing methylamine not so much. The chemist was talking about phenylacetic acid.

I'm pretty sure he talked about playing basketball in college or going to a pro camp or something like that…did not come off as racist at the time, cause they were already talking about how he used to be involved in it…that's my recollection anyways…

I'm pretty sure he talked about playing basketball in college or going to a pro camp or something like that…did not come off as racist at the time, cause they were already talking about how he used to be involved in it…that's my recollection anyways…

The most disappointing part of these episodes is that no one had the stones to call their southern dish 'diabetes surprise' and make it out of nothing but butter mixed with sugar deep fried in lard.  It would of been totally worth getting kicked off the show to serve Paula Deen Diabetes Surprise.