The only thing that would make me happier is if Eric Ripert were in the mix somewhere.

On Monday, I caught a rerun of No Reservations where Bourdain went back to his old stomping grounds of Les Halles (restaurant in NYC) and worked the line as a sous chef for the day. For the dinner shift, he brought in Ripert to work the grill, who (of course) handled it much better than Bourdain did.

Nora: @@@@@@@@@@

What Nora said. Seriously.

I was stunned at the level of asshattery from Chhhhiarello. I mean, we'd talked before about how he can come off as a jerk but that was something else. The contrast between him and Bayless was amazing.

Huh. Wikipedia informs me that Keller co-authored Dean Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less book. I might actually have to check that out.

Yeah, I no like Chiarello anymore. His ego can't fit in the whole continent of Asia.

Yeah, I no like Chiarello anymore. His ego can't fit in the whole continent of Asia.

I was really hoping Dale (or even Spike) would pop him one. I liked him during the quickfire, when he thought he was completely messing up, but he was such a flaming asshole when he was interviewing the sous chefs that I'm now seriously actively rooting against him.

My money's on Hubert, but I hope it's Rick. I think it will be closest between those two, though.

Frank is me. On the predictions. But now that I think about it, also on the wishing someone would pop him one.

(A point on the fight with Dale - they may have played, and MC may have seen it as, him throwing his weight around against a junior sous chef over who got the good fridge.

But what he was acutally saying was that it was Anita, the chef Hung was working for, who should get her ass to a fridge in the back room rather than him.)

TCM- Anita apparently said in an interview that she never saw any such behavior from Chiarello and she thinks that whole thing was edited to make him look like an asshole.

Is this possible?

Is this possible?

Maybe on the sous chef interviews, but I don't see how it could have been the case with confrontation with Dale. He was even talking about it in his interview segment.

The earlier episodes, maybe, but I don't buy it on this one.

I caught these snippets from Bourdain, and I am in a fit of giggles over here:

PAULA DEEN: I’m reluctant to bash what seems to be a nice old lady. Even if her supporting cast is beginning to look like the Hills Have Eyes--and her food a True Buffet of Horrors. A recent Hawaii show was indistinguishable from an early John Waters film. And the food on a par with the last scene of Pink Flamingos. But I’d like to see her mad. Like her look-alike, Divine in the classic, “Female Trouble.“ Paula Deen on a Baltimore Killing Spree would be something to see. Let her get Rachael in a headlock--and it’s all over.

and, of course:

SANDRA LEE: Pure evil. This frightening Hell Spawn of Kathie Lee and Betty Crocker seems on a mission to kill her fans, one meal at a time. She Must Be Stopped. Her death-dealing can-opening ways will cut a swath of destruction through the world if not contained. I would likely be arrested if I suggested on television that any children watching should promptly go to a wooded area with a gun and harm themselves. What’s the difference between that and Sandra suggesting we fill our mouths with Ritz Crackers, jam a can of Cheez Wiz in after and press hard? None that I can see. This is simply irresponsible programming. Its only possible use might be as a psychological warfare strategy against the resurgent Taliban--or dangerous insurgent groups. A large-racked blonde repeatedly urging Afghans and angry Iraqis to stuff themseles with fatty, processed American foods might be just the weapon we need to win the war on terror.

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