Everyone, I thought I'd linked the piece twice (once at the top, and once in the middle), but I didn't. Shit. Fixed, the rest of it's just as good. Hope you read it.
Mo MoDo promoted this comment
Edited by funyuns are awesome in phx at 10/11/09 8:02 PM
funyuns are awesome in phx was starred
funyuns are awesome in phx was unstarred
@funyuns are awesome in phx: I picture him as an former boy band member. Not the heart throb, nor the bad boy or the obviously gay one. The schlubby one who never sings lead and appeals to the shy, smart girls with glasses.
Bourdain went off again the next day on Fieri at the Times Talk with Frank Bruni. It was hilarious. He also went off on not being able to go off on Rachel Ray anymore because of a fruit basket, fat people, Alice Waters, and still being bitter about being a non-smoker.
@unclevanya: his exact thoughts were that he applauds her thought/theory but that she's so out of touch with the rest of the world and what they can afford to do. He harped a lot on her using 6 quarts of wood to cook a single egg for someone on 60 Minutes a few times.
@blamenotmylute: That part I can understand. Watching her in action, I usually endn up making a checklist of reasons in my head why I can't practically do what she's doing. She still has some great ideas, though.
@The Glad Family of Products: Bourdain's take on Top Chef is that it is fair because the best chef that day wins and the worst one goes home. He give Colicchio credit for the meritocracy.
Fieri got on TV by winning the second season of "The Next Food Network Star." So of you don't like him, blame the judges, whoever they are.
Personally, I enjoy Bourdain's show, but I like "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" too. It showcases American versions of the exact same kind of local joints that Bourdain looks for in places like Sri Lanka or Uruguay. And if people eat in diners where high-quality ingredients are cooked fresh instead of in McDonald's or Denny's, more power to them.
@TedSez: I don't know anything about Fieri, so I have no opinion on him ... except this: If that's a picture of him up there, well, there's just no excuse for that facial hair. Nor the head hair for that matter.
In fact, the whole head/facial hair combo is just ... well, like I said: There's just no excuse.
@TedSez: I like "Triple D" as well. Not really all that ashamed of it, either. Whenever I go visit my parents, my mom and I will inevitably end up watching this show. It brings us together. Aww.
@MisterHippity:
I'm not about to try to defend that look. Although I will say that Bourdain's artfully tousled hair, '70s rock T-shirts and leather jackets are just as contrived.
@TedSez: On Bourdain's show, he likes street food in foreign countries precisely because it's generally cooked with fresh ingredients, with care, by someone who knows how to cook that one dish. The garbage in Triple D is occasionally cooked by someone competent that's true, but is more often than not just a heaped up load of refried crap ingredients loaded on a plate in multi-pound portions.
@Pope John Peeps II: I admittedly haven't seen all the episodes, and I'm sure a lot of the food is pretty lousy. But in the ones I've seen there were real chefs who wouldn't ordinarily be working at a diner, but decided to make diner-style meals with fresh, high-end ingredients.
On the other hand, there was also that one place where they've been deep-frying hamburger patties in the same grease for 100 years.
@TedSez: I've only seen two myself, but one was about a towering, 1 pound burger thing with onion rings on it... And the other was about a famous corn dog restaurant, where Guy made his own oversized disgusting corn dog and then ate it. UGh. Revolting.
Bourdain is fantastic; Chang speaks the truth. I watched Guy Fieri for the first time a few weeks ago as he dug into a fried, baconated mess that looked like a puddle of puke in a fraternity basement. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Pass the diabetes.
@pmarble: He does, but there is one significant difference: Guy Fieri's show focuses on gimmicks like the biggest hamburger in the midwest, or the spiciest chili in Texas. It is a program that centers itself as much on gluttony as it does diner food. It's far more akin to "Man Vs. Food"--or whatever that crapfest on the Travel Channel is called. Bourdain doesn't.
Bourdain and Chang are both culinary gods but why pick on Fieri? Sure he's the most douchetastic chef out there now but he actually seems like a nice guy and Diners Drive-Ins and Dives is the best show on the Food Network hands down.
@Omni Consumer Products: His show is more of a travelogue than a cooking show. It's not really feasible to cook the stuff on his show in residential kitchens -- nor would anyone want to. Everything requires really good deep-fat fryers. Also, whereas other cooking shows give background on certain ingredients and certain techniques, Fieri merely shows a bunch of fast-paced scenes of him eating and describing the way things taste. Some things look tasty, but he really doesn't walk you through the practical knowledge involved in making one of those tasty diner burgers he features on his show. It's basically a food show for people who don't cook and who aren't that interested in anything else than American food. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, but that's a way of thinking about food that runs completely counter to Chang. I guess for me, I get annoyed watching the show because he doesn't seem to know anything about the food he's eating and he's just really loud.
@i'm a bottle: Fieri also has a cooking show, though...Guy's Big Bite, I think it's called? I saw one episode where he advocated breading fish with tater tots. Think about that.
@Foster Kamer: Chang seems like a complete asshole. His food is good, but he's gotten so cocky that I wouldn't be surprised if he became the next Rocco DiSpirito. His hubris is already apparent at the Milk Bar. Ice cream that tastes like spoilt milk? Cookie cake with a layer of salt? Please. I think he's already veering into "I can do whatever I want and everyone will love it" territory.
@Foster Kamer: Oh ya, Foster. I believe they call it "Cereal Milk" or some nonsense like that. Basically, Chang and his pastry chef are so confident of their godlike existence, that they know mere mortals would be delighted to find out what Chang's cereal milk tastes like 6 hours after it's been sitting at room temperature. I've tried it and can tell you that it tasted, looked and smelled exactly like baby spit up. Positively vile.
I did like sitting in our little dive watching the matron of the place feed Fieri red chile hot enough to take the top of one's head right off. He sat there and wuffed and chuffed and wiped his red face as the camera rolled and tried to think of something kind to say about her fine, fine chile and could only come up with "that's hot."
I love Bourdain for sticking up for Top Chef, even tho fans still hate him for sending Dale home (I don't; the boy has issues).
But Diners, Drive-thrus and Dives isn't made with David Chang in mind. He doesn't have to like it. It's made for mopes like me. I like it. Although I would love to see one episode where Fieri actually doesn't like the 4,000 calorie pile in front of him. Just once.
I guess I'll stay with Bourdain during the week, and Fieri can pick me up on weekends. Chang was never an influence in my life, so he can go scratch.
@unclevanya: But that's the problem. If he didn't like it, it wouldn't be as good of a show. These entire networks are disingenuous. Even Iron Chef is kind of a joke, ask anybody who's been to a taping.
@Foster Kamer: The novelty of Iron Chef wore off on me before it was imported to America. Part of its original appeal was that it was a dubbed Japanese show. Looking at the US version, any chef that participates as a supposed "Iron Chef" now looks kind of silly doing so.
Food Network always played to the cheap seats. Eric Ripert, Jacques Pepin and Rick Bayless still do it right, on public TV.
I wonder if Bourdain would have to clam up about Fieri if DD&D moved to he Travel Channel, which would actually be a better fit.
@unclevanya: I doubt it. Man Vs. Food is pretty similar to DD&D in its theme, style and bottom-feeding. Bourdain has been pretty rough on that show as well. I think he's an equal-opportunity critic, which kind of makes me respect him more.
@Tchotchke: I don't think he's been rough on Man vs. Food, other than to say that he's concerned that the travel channel is slowly killing the host of that show. He does seem to have a contempt for the other show, where the guy eats gross food, though.
Whoa wait.. stop the presses who are your sources on TGIF moving to Union Square? Is it the Virgin space? Good God I shouldjust move to suburban Chandler, AZ and save some damn money... starting to look like Manhattan anyway.. wtf!?
Get over it. "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" is my version of Masterpiece Theatre...oh, and if there is too much served, you really can leave food on your plate...really.
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[newyork.grubstreet.com]
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A Guy Fieri sighting in the wild. Bourdain had some sympathy for Guy since he has to wake up every day and put on that silly costume.
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it was awesome.
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He used to get off on Rachel Ray?
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Never mind.
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He's the only man on earth I would suggest to take up smoking again.
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Bruni's face at that comment was priceless.
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Personally, I enjoy Bourdain's show, but I like "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" too. It showcases American versions of the exact same kind of local joints that Bourdain looks for in places like Sri Lanka or Uruguay. And if people eat in diners where high-quality ingredients are cooked fresh instead of in McDonald's or Denny's, more power to them.
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In fact, the whole head/facial hair combo is just ... well, like I said: There's just no excuse.
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I'm not about to try to defend that look. Although I will say that Bourdain's artfully tousled hair, '70s rock T-shirts and leather jackets are just as contrived.
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On the other hand, there was also that one place where they've been deep-frying hamburger patties in the same grease for 100 years.
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[www.youtube.com]
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If so, definition, please.
If not, OED, please.
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Suck it, Tex Wasabi.
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But Diners, Drive-thrus and Dives isn't made with David Chang in mind. He doesn't have to like it. It's made for mopes like me. I like it. Although I would love to see one episode where Fieri actually doesn't like the 4,000 calorie pile in front of him. Just once.
I guess I'll stay with Bourdain during the week, and Fieri can pick me up on weekends. Chang was never an influence in my life, so he can go scratch.
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Food Network always played to the cheap seats. Eric Ripert, Jacques Pepin and Rick Bayless still do it right, on public TV.
I wonder if Bourdain would have to clam up about Fieri if DD&D moved to he Travel Channel, which would actually be a better fit.
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Scripps also is the majority owner of the Food Network.
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