I love Bourdain on Rocco --

***A Final Note:

Concerning Rocco DiSpirito's typically gracious and good humored response on this site to my torrent of abuse: It is natural, as some have suggested, to assume that I'm jealous of Rocco. In fact, I am. I'm jealous of Rocco's talent in the kitchen. He had an extraordinary proficiency with food -- one most cooks would cheerfully have sawn off a finger or an arm to replicate -- and an ability to "envision" (and then execute) truly delicious and original creations. That he chose to turn his back on this rare and unique gift does indeed stick in my craw.

That's what I figured that Bourdain disliked about Rocco. And he and Harold have the same advice for him.

I don't know that Howie is necessarily a misogynist. He was just as big of an asshole to Joey. I think that we've just seen him in conflict with women more.

I hated Sara whining about her heels. If I'd been in the supermarket with heels, I would have thrown those suckers into the cart and gone barefoot. Not an option in the kitchen, I understand, but gotta work with what you have. Tre just shucked his shirt and handled business in his wife beater (mmmmmm, he can cook for me ANYTIME) Sara was putting out the food too slowly, you could see that easily. Sara was too nice for the competition, but that doesn't mean that you can't assert yourself.

Although I support the decision to let Sara, Howie should have been kicked off for being stupid enough to make a cuban sandwich in Miami and make it WRONG and BADLY.

I don't know why nobody got on Sara to get more burgers made -- how difficult is it to communicate that?

I don't know that Howie is necessarily a misogynist. He was just as big of an asshole to Joey. I think that we've just seen him in conflict with women more.

It was different. First off, Joey started it with him. When it came to Casey, Sara and Sarah, he pretty much made it clear that he doesn't think any of them have any business being chefs, and whereas, instead of a macho "blowing off steam," like it was with Joey, he relentlessly lit into his female competitors, attacking their abilities, their maturity, their characters. Go back and watch how he interacts with these women. There's a deep, seething loathing boiling out of him. He's got big-time issues.

I don't know why nobody got on Sara to get more burgers made -- how difficult is it to communicate that?

I know. people were too wrapped up in their own thing. CJ is the one who should have realized that there was an issue and told Sara to step it up, since he was in front and knew how quickly the food was coming out.

When it came to Casey, Sara and Sarah, he pretty much made it clear that he doesn't think any of them have any business being chefs,

his hate of Casey was clearly because she's pretty, which is misogynistic, but so common that I didn't even think about it. I saw his issues with Sara(h) (the one who didn't get kicked off) as issues with her cooking and style. I would have had issues with what she was doing, but I also think that she would have worked better with communication and collaboration, which Howie doesn't know how to do.

Howie is a bully, and bullies pick on people weaker than they are. When Casey stepped up in this challenge, he left her alone. He's also a shitty team player, because he will throw anyone under the bus in the most negative way possible to save his own ass. His comments about Sara were unsolicited and completely derogatory.

His comments about Sara were unsolicited and completely derogatory.

Exactly. All around, I think he's a pretty depolorable human being, and I think it's past the point where the edit can be blamed.

Whereas Hung, who is completely egotistical and self-serving, at the very least seems capable of working with others (Joey fiasco aside -- you can't work with someone who won't listen.)

C.J. needs to step up a bit and call bullshit a little stronger. It's obvious he sees it, but hasn't found the fortitude to keep order. I think it's his challenge to move on from being a cook to being a leader.

Whereas Tres? My god, the man has finally hit the stride his early showings promised. Currently my chef to beat.

Oh yeah, Tre is looking good for the win.

Can't decide who else I'd like to see in the finale: but I can imagine that Malarkey will be there and possibly CJ.

Hung is kind of washing out for me -- he's doing crazy stuff or bad stuff - he really hasn't had a good day in weeks.

Cauliflower.

How could that EVER possibly be good with/on/in ice cream?

Hung is kind of washing out for me -- he's doing crazy stuff or bad stuff - he really hasn't had a good day in weeks.

It's telling he hasn't won anything yet (besides a Quickfire). Whereas I think a few of the chefs took some time to adapt to the situation they're in, with it's unique pressures and constraints, I think Hung's floundering because of his own ego and inflexibility.

I also don't want to count Casey out -- she's sharp, and a lot of her failures have been interesting. I think she may make it to at least near the end, if not the finale.