I was appreciative/entertained that many of the groups had someone who at least had rudimentary Spanish, and several better than that. Because it surprised me in past seasons how few people seemed to know any other languages in places they'd go! Even in places where they spoke Spanish, which I assume lots of people at least took in school, y'know? Possibly they just showed more of the attempts to speak to the cab drivers than usual, but still, it made me feel like maybe some of them prepared a little?

I thought I was going to like the Afghan kids (and they have beautiful Spanish) but they wound up really annoying me. Sad.

They were not as bad I had feared, when they opened with "Afghanimals"!!!

But seriously, shoutout to the producers for that casting. Afghan-Americans can be as douchy and Spanish-speaking as any other Americans!

But messing up on the walk versus other transport is Amazing Race 101.

Yeah, I am not filled with confidence about their skills as crack ER doctors. This is how people lose limbs in surgery by mistake!

Afghan-Americans can be as douchy and Spanish-speaking as any other Americans!

HA, yes.

FWIW, it had to have been one hell of a long leg by the time they got to the rowing -- I just checked Kayak, and it looks like the best you could do from LAX to Iquique is 18+ hours. (I couldn't even find any direct flights from LAX to Santiago Chile). And then they had most of a day -- the last rower ended up in the dark. That's got to be enough time to get really really tired.

Regular Top Chef does start tomorrow. And is in New Orleans, which I'm looking forward to.

Me too! I got a couple invites to be in the challenge event, but couldn't make it unfortunately. In super fun news, the Padma's Picks webseries (which was also included when I bought a season pass on Amazon) highlights 10 different local chefs, a couple of whom I know personally pretty well. (well, one I know really well and one I have met several times but know his wife better.)

The restaurants/bars that Padma went to in those segments were also legit local spots.

Wheee!

(Note: since I get my TV through Amazon, I get it the day after it airs, so that will be the reason for any delay in posting here.)

Yeah, getting down to Chile is a haul. LAN Chile is about the only airline that regularly has direct flights from LA to Santiago. Any other airline and you are likely to have at least one layover in either Panama, Colombia or Peru. Then once you reach Santiago, you are on another plane up to Iquique which is like the second northernmost beach city in the whole country (only Arica is further up). So I'm sure they were all a little travel weary. But still, it's the first leg! We can't have clue non-reading and killer fatigue on the first league. These kids will never survive India that way.

YAY, Top Chef New Orleans!

Dear Douchey McDoucherson- when a local is trying to tell you about the city, don't fucking bitch about it. Learn something, fool.

Interesting that the two New Orleans chefs got immunity. I guess the challenge where they won their spots was just the day before. Or they didn't want to lose a local chef right away.

So, here's the insider look at the show: [link] I guess this was filmed in late May which is already no fun, heat wise. I know the first episode I was invited to participate in was the Halloween episode which was filmed in mid June.

I don't know any Dinner Lab people! Dang, I was hoping to catch glimpses of folks I knew.

Top Chef New Orleans!

I really liked the Caribbean chef (St. Lucia?) and I would've liked to try her dish. I also enjoyed the chatty chef from China who made a recipe she stole from her mother-in-law and the chef who made the really spicy dish which Emeril was also feeling. I also really liked the Mexican dude who came here illegally and recently earned a Michelin star for his restaurant. His dish didn't seem to wow folks this time, but I bet he can really cook! I wanted to like the Australian chef and I'm glad that it at least seems like she made a good dish, but you can't play the "I'm more than just a pretty face" role and then show up in the kitchen in flip flops and Daisy Dukes. Boo!

The hotshot, big ego dudes all kinda blended into a blob for me. There was the hot one and then his friend, the less hot one, and maybe one of them was the same as the one who was complaining about how the local chef wouldn't shut up on the way to the market, but then that local chef with the curly hair (I think he works at Galatoire's?) also seemed kinda like a hotshot, big ego dude himself? I don't know. There are still way too many people. But fun first episode. I want to be a part of this Dinner Lab!