Fair enough. But I still dislike Brando's tone. *My* "regular average household" cooks south asian food.
Well our vote is only to pick a fan favorite... this is not America's Got Talent.
What exactly is a "regular average household"?
RE: coconut oil. I used to think so too. But trans fats are the things you want to avoid.. There was a bit of a scare about a generation ago that solid vegetable oils were harmful, but it turned out to not be quite true. My brother is a major health food expert and pretty much always cooks with coconut oil. (Gee I just realized my brother should go on this show... But I digress). What luvcookin said...
I am with you, but Alton Brown is awesome. My kid likes him, too, for just those mad scientist/wise-ass qualities. I don't care for Robin. She seems like a too-perfect soccer mom that I am cordial with but don't particularly feel like talking to at a school function.
Hey Special K - Miss K here. I love Indian food and I love Middle Eastern food even more. No hidden agenda here. The first time I had a falafel sandwich when I was a little kid at an arts and crafts fair... well, it was one of the most memorable food moments of my life. Some of the best restaurants I have ever been to have been Indian (NYC, London). If you don't like these cuisines, fine. If you don't like a cooking show, don't watch it. I really don't care for Sandra Lee. She is way too Barbie for my tastes. Do I think that I am being force-fed Barbie Doll Cocktail Parties by the fact of her being on the air? Nah, I just don't watch her show.
I like hot and spicy, as do a lot of people. Witness the popularity of salsa. Most popular condiment in the US. A lot of people simply don't know Indian cooking. South Asia is so foreign is some ways, that many people don't even know the difference between Indian cooking and Middle Eastern cooking. I have NO idea how you would think Aarti is creepy. There must be some personal association there... maybe you don't like British-y accents or short women with curly hair. Just a thought. At any rate, Aarti's last dish WAS actually more Arabic than Indian (as she said), and it also looked wonderful.
Aarti continues to impress. She is still my favorite in the competition. Brianna opened up a bit and seemed a little more interesting. I sense a lot of defenses with her, and that that is where the Diva thing comes from. Brad needs more of an angle than "I am a pro". The fact of being a chef is not *that* compelling unto itself (I used to work at a cooking school and one sees a lot of students come and go at such a place) it is what you do with it. Why does it seem so few of them have really strong angles? I will keep watching, but I wonder if whomever wins would be able to break out of that Sunday morning zone and become a nighttime star like Guy Fieri.
I should preface this with saying that I only occasionally watch this show. Last year seemed more about "making stuff". This year seems more about these abstract power plays. I don't care for any of the personalities. Nina is a boho bully. The ones they have eliminated so far seem very boring.
On a positive note, the set design is much improved. Last year the set looked like a sci-fi parole board hearing room, with the dark interior, heavy lighted door and giant, precarious stepping platforms. I kept thinking "this is an interior design show? With such a scary interior?"
But after Nina's win, I turned it off without finding out who lost. I am not engaged.
The angle of the show has changed. The challenges are maybe 60-70% about building Star Power and 20-30% about food. There is probably some strategy behind this, but I think it is producing a shallower show.
Aarti is the one I would like to watch on a show on a regular basis. She has a lovely face and sweet demeanor, I love her accent, and she has a fresh point of view. I would really truly love to learn her version of Indian cooking. I am glad she won this week: I do hope she gets more confident with time. Aria and Herb are both good, too, though I know "where they are coming from" in that I already know a lot about mediterranean-influenced home style cooking and about gourmet health food. So, for me, Aarti is the choice for really going into new territory.
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Miss K 
Thingamajig