Top Chef

I'm not a top chef in real life, but I play one on TV. Not really. Okay, I dream about being a top chef on television. I've watched every episode, every season of Top Chef. I cheered when quiet Harold won season one. I shook my head when Ilan won in season two. I booed when Hung won season three. I danced around the room when Stephanie won season four. I didn't want Hosea to win season five--he just rubbed me the wrong way. And winner of season six, Michael Voltaggio, ranked right next to Hung for a chef I didn't want to win. (I wanted red-headed Kevin to win. He rocked)

I don't like or appreciate arrogance in the kitchen. And many of the top chefs competing in this competition are arrogant. Maybe they use it as a defensive mechanism in coping with the challenges and critiques they face on a daily basis? I just don't like it. Confidence with compassion is more of my mantra. Confidence with arrogance is just out and out rude.

I am nowhere near the level of the chefs competing. I am so far from their level that I can barely see the bottom of their shoes. Seriously. But in my heart, I cook with the best of them.

I grew up watching PBS cooking shows--Julia, Embassy Chefs (I loved the announcer's sexy smooth voice), Martin Yan Can Cook, Jeff Smith, and the "I Guaranteeeeee" Cajun chef Justin Wilson. He used to crack me up. I swear he got drunk making his recipes.

Top Chef now gives me my culinary fix. I don't know how they do it. No cookbooks, no cheat sheets, all from your brains create gourmet food in 30 minutes or you are out of there. Ughh. I'd crack faster than eggs sliding loose in the back of my SUV.

I love to see the faces of the chefs when they are asked to do a dessert challenge. Most of those chefs can't cook desserts. There is a difference between making meals without recipes and winging it and making desserts. You really can't wing a dessert.

When you cook a dessert from scratch you need to be precise in your measurements. You can't guess how much baking powder to use, or how much butter is in your mix. It gets really bad, really fast.

I hear the heads at Bravo are coming up with a Top Chef Just Desserts competition. I can't wait. That will be quite interesting to see how these chefs do what they do best and still win.

Yes, I'm a foodie. Deal with it or get out of the kitchen.