I havne't watched the last episodes but after Ludo's behavior during the Latin Challenge episode i'm glad he lost. He was so immature.

Oh Marcus's team won!! YAY I wanted Marcus to win. If I were going on the Taste I would go with Marcus. Anthony Bourdain is ...well Anthony Bourdain, but I like Marcus's mentoring style. I'd go with Nigella as a mentor over Ludo.

In terms of Bravo food shows, I really like the three that are in the final three (and am not opposed to either of the last chance kitchen folk). Maybe that makes it a boring season, but I like.

I also really like the new Best New Restaurant show. It's got a lot of potential IMO.

Happy with the results on The Taste. I don't like Ludo but I think he's a good mentor for people that don't mind yelling. He picks really good things for his team to make during the team challenges and teaches technique well. Nigella picks horrible things and doesn't really teach well, which is odd given her background. I would definitely pick Marcus. Tony plays favorites to often.

Nigella isn't very strategic with her team challenge choices. Both in terms of what she picks and which bite she picks. The only thing I can throw out as an example is the Holiday challenge when she went with a dessert KNOWING that chefs don't like sweet. And she had to know that chef in particular didn't like sweets. (She's an exec producer, she had to know that).

I was sorry to see Dan go home but I thought it was really classy the way he stepped up. I didn't like Jen at first but I thought she really caught on and learned and got better (or maybe they edited her better), plus she refused to name someone on her team to go home. I get why the mentors do that, but pick someone.

I haven't watched the semi finals or the finale but I'll go back and watch. I just wish on demand didn't have the fast forward function locked out.

Thank you, Frank and Brenda. She's my favorite to win the season.

The Taste: I'm just happy that Ludo's team lost, because he's such a whiny brat, even though I really liked Jen. I was happy that Marcus's team won. I was pulling for team Tony until he kept the asshole over the other two.

I also really like the new Best New Restaurant show. It's got a lot of potential IMO.

I liked it a lot more than I was expecting to.

I was pulling for team Tony until he kept the asshole over the other two.

Eric was definitely my least favorite. Usually I like Tony's people but this season I really didn't.

And I don't like Ludo but I liked his team. Favorites overall were Dan, Tristen, Mia, and (eventually) Jen.

Nigella isn't very strategic with her team challenge choices. Both in terms of what she picks and which bite she picks. The only thing I can throw out as an example is the Holiday challenge when she went with a dessert KNOWING that chefs don't like sweet. And she had to know that chef in particular didn't like sweets. (She's an exec producer, she had to know that).

I think Nigella gets really screwed because no one picks her over other chefs so she gets the leftovers. Pun intended.

That said, besides the dessert stupidity: Shellfish in miso broth for Under the Sea? Way too specific. Oysters and champagne for Happy New Year? Not a good choice for a one-bite cooking challenge. Mac and Cheese for Childhood was probably the only good one and then she picked the fried option.

I'm not much of a baker so I'm constantly hearing terms on The Great British Baking Show that I have never heard before. This weeks new to me term was hot water crust.

sj, I think some of it is just British.

Vortex, I figured that was also part of it. It's very amusing.

Yeah, I was really interested in hot water crust, because we're so obsessed with keeping the butter cold for flaky fruit pie crusts.