As executive chef, wasn't he more responsible for his team's loss than a chef?
shareSometimes you hire the wrong people.. I gots no help. I’m still cute. It was him. My dog ate the menu, it wasn’t my fault I swear to Gaaaawd!!! (Gives eyes).
shareJohn was more responsible for the team's failure, but it was Katsuji's mouth that got him talked off the show! He tried to pass it on to John and the judges were having none of it I guess! Both are too slick to be liked with massive egos! They had a nice set-up; judges loved the ambience of the place, but the kitchen sabotaged the whole thing! John was trying to just expedite and wasn't actually doing anything to help the situation with his ticket stacking! Funny how he started sounding like Emily; "I helped you peel your tomatoes and set up your cobblers all day!"
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This would have been the episode for a double elimination if there ever was one.
shareMakes sense to me! Both need to go!
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Exactly, they both sabotaged their team, but I really did feel like John deserved to be eliminated this time. He brags about opening 21 restaurants, then acts brand new when he has to expedite??
Also, he was blaming the servers for taking plates when they shouldn't. Weren't they the same servers who worked with the other team? They seemed competent to me.
It was all just very strange.
The servers were more than competent! The problem was leadership or lack thereof! This is why restaurants go under! The snowball effect of John's incompetence was off and running from the 2nd or 3rd ticket! He's such a buck passer even when he says "I take full responsibility for...;" not really! Talking about assaulting Katsuji tells you all you need to know about "the change" in John! He's not mellowing with age!
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It's pretty obvious why he's opened (and closed presumably) 21 restaurants. He's just in the wrong business.
shareThat’s nonsense and not what’s happening in the industry. Chef’s from all around try out new ideas in my area all the time, some click some not. What it does mean is he can partner and get backing. When moving around gets old and a style matures, then roots are put down in a region. Not all chefs are empire builders either, quality declines with greed, then only the ‘brand’ survives.
shareThe big city I'm from has a chef/restauranteur who has a history of opening and closing multiple places. He the stereotypical young chef with all the stereotypical young chef issues...cocaine, affairs with staff, temper, bad business sense. I still don't believe he's been anywhere near John's number. I understand that restaurants open and close constantly.
I could very well be wrong, but I don't believe my theory qualifies as "nonsense". John has always been a difficult person by his own admission. It just seems like a bit of a high number but it could be true. I would think after a dozen or so attempts, most people would realize that maybe they are doing something wrong.
I’m not trying to champion the guy, but the assumptions and perceptions don’t really meet the reality beyond social media memes and made for TV drama. For starters he’s more at the end of his career, pushing age 60 and winding down, priorities change. Somewhere in that arc there was no doubt some colorful partying moments including creating his self-proclaimed image.. He hired Anthony Bourdain and inspired him, that’s saying something as they came up together. Even introduced him to Eric Rupert. No doubt alcohol and cocaine was in picture, it was the 80’s then. He is the Jimmy Sears character in Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential.
The way the industry is now, and in no small part from TV and some features even; if you aren’t changing to trends and willing to walk away, customers will tire and want the next new thing. What has increased are the number of investor groups with liquidity and personal food interest finding new talent in trends to back, losses are expected and become written off. New openings and changes are part of the game and a credential for a growing chef. It’s usually family concerns that ties one down to a locale.
My ex was in payroll and related how at an attraction here, the head chefs are generally changed every three years at all their specialty restaurants. Some were on seasonal rotations. Ranges then were starting from $150k to well over a $450k base salary. That’s more indicative of chefs at the top of their game, most don’t want their own restaurant or public status, but can set up menus and can start them up successfully planning to leave. Some had as few as 20 to 150 or more unique openings to date with no end in sight, that’s master level, not pop TV level or franchise restaurateurs in a town making a name.
The simple reality is no one is going to want to partner and work with him if he loses money. Seems he has retirement plans now anyway, a book in the works, 11,000 SF of additional restaurant coming. Any nonsense here is in the assumption of failure and closings, the reality of him is one of a successful contemporary chef with chops that knew when to move on to independence and security. Not a failure, not at all, he’s in demand. I’m neither a fan nor a foodie, but have gotten around long enough to keep up and see changes.
This would have been the episode for a double elimination if there ever was one.Truer words were never spoken. They both made a team challenge all about themselves and sank everybody. But I do think John was the one that should've gone home. He made the dish that everyone hated, but Katsuji made the dish they all like form this team. share
Katsuji and his scrambled up brain finally backfired on him!
sharePretty much, for attempting a macho chef move. He’s the epitome of many things, subterfuge and subtle aren’t. That belongs in the Casey (Spider Woman) camp. His agressivo baiting strategy came back to bite, the judges could barely contain their laughter. I think he tried sabotage on Top Chef Mexico and got the boot there as well.
John’s dish was a throwaway to begin with, it was done and plated before service, and the judges knew that. Much of John and Casey’s time was used for the ambitions of Katsuji, they knew that. Even Casey’s simple meringue was apparently done by Katsuji, she topped a 1,000(‘s?) strawberries and told servers to get the family style plates on the table, clever strategy.