261 replies to this topic

[Screamie]

He strangely reminds me of Cesear Milan. I think he's worthy of his cockiness, so far anyway.

[Constantinople]

I'm not sure why they used subtitles when Fabio spoke, or that he felt the need write out his comments to the judges first.

Fabio speaks English better than the Mark the Muttering Marmalite from S4, and they never used subtitles with him.

[lulee]

Just saw this gem in his Bravo bio:

Additionally, Fabio also works as William Shatner's private chef.

So if any challenge involves dealing with bizarre pompous windbags, he clearly has experience.

[firefox]

This guy is TV gold. I can't stop laughing. He's such a Guido. I can't figure out if he's actually that funny or it's just his accent and pronunciation. Omg, his back pedaling at judges table was hilarious.

[ocvictor]

Omg, his back pedaling at judges table was hilarious.

Oh yeah, although I like that he didn't get there and automatically assume he was winning.

[Mell]

Some of the laughter in the judging room seemed to come from the crew. Hee! I like him and I'm rooting for him.

[TudorQueen]

I have to admit, I found his reactions at Judges' Table adorable - first he thinks he's bottom three and admits that he doesn't know why, then is thrilled that they liked his dish, then is even more thrilled that he won, and practically blows the judges kisses of gratitude. And he's so excited that he reverts to Italian.

He's starting to win me over.

[chefashley]

I like him so far. At least better than the other half of the "Euro Duo."

Yes, he's cocky, but adorably so. It doesn't come across as conceited as it did with, say, Hung.

I think the accent and the fact that he occassionally breaks into Italian is cute, and I loved what happened at JT. I also like Hosea, but I like it better when they don't automatically assume that they've won.

[roorooby]

Pretty smile. I am shallow.

That said, what is up with the cheftestant roster being overweighted with pretty people? Are TPTB throwing their weight around to excess with that? Not that Harold and Hung - who IMO are also cute - can't cook - but it is beginning to annoy. This isn't Days Of Our Lives, or Work Out.

Yes, he's cocky, but adorably so.

When he went into his mini-rant about his dish for "craft", with the olives, and then Padma interrupted him to say "You're here because we liked it" - well, I laughed for 5 minutes. And he had a good recovery. TC hasn't been that funny to me since, like, Season One.

Edited by roorooby, Nov 30, 2008 @ 4:54 AM.

[cek125]

He is one of my early favorites to make it to the finals. He makes me laugh and he doesn't hurt the eyes either.

[garbagebag]

Fabio, it's "pull it OFF." OFF!

[ObstinantGirl]

He's adorable, and I totally have a TV Crush on him!

[hung10]

I died from laughter when, during the soup-conversion quickfire challenge, Fabio described his dish as the "plate of Michael".

He's lively, entertaining, and butchers the English language nonstop. He's great TV.

[Kismetized]

I love Fabio, even if he feigns ignorance to the English language when he probably knows better. I mean, he is married to an American woman, owns a restaurant in California, surely he must know a little more about the language than he is letting on. Regardless, he is totally adorable and I love his style of cooking. I predict he will be in it for the long haul with the likes of Stefan & Jamie.

[roorooby]

Who's the last cheftestant with this skill level and this TVQ?
Richard? Hung?
Tiffani? Stephen?
Harold?

Love him. Worth a trip to the Left Coast just to go to his restaurant.

[Studentpilot]

He's so darling and often self-deprecating, but you can tell there's just enough conceit in his abilities to give him confidence yet he doesn't feel the need to put down others to raise himself up. Of all of them, and despite the pressure and the crazy, Fabio looks like he is actually enjoying himself.

[Mell]

Who's the last cheftestant with this skill level and this TVQ?

Good question. He's a rare one. I'd love to see him in the top 3. I think he has the skills and the talent to make it.

[Anthony A]

I like him, even when he is a sore loser like last week's breakfast quickfire when they criticized his Espresso cream drink and Rocco said he prefers something more savory for braekfast.

" Next time I make some bullshit bacon and eggs!"

[PorDios]

I think I'm in love.

That is all.

[Rabrab]

when they criticized his Espresso cream drink and Rocco said he prefers something more savory for braekfast.

I can completely understand that little outburst. The challenge wasn't to make a savory breakfast amuse, it was to make a breakfast amuse, and Rocco dismissed Fabio's dish, apparently not because it wasn't good, but because it wasn't what he, personally, likes. That's petty, and I'd expect better of a cooking-competition judge.

Heck, even Padma managed to be more professional than that in the Season 3 breakfast QF; she admitted that she didn't much care for steak and eggs, and still gave the win to Hung's steak and eggs. So did Meredith Viera on this season's Today show challenge. She can't eat watermelon, but she could look past that and say that Ariane's watermelon and tomato thing was the best. Rocco couldn't get past his own prejudice against sweet breakfasts. What's he doing judging a food competition if he can't put aside his own preferences? I'd be miffed, too.

[notsarahlee]

I thought that Rocco and Padma both agreed that Fabio's QF dish seemed more like a dessert than a breakfast. That's not just because it was sweet - it was also a sort of creamy custard type thing, wasn't it? It could be a stretch to call custard a breakfast item*, and, no matter how tasty Fabio's dish, I can see why he didn't make the top three. His concept was off.

In general, though, he's a great chef, and I really hope to see him in the finals. His wedding pictures were great, too - his wife is gorgeous.

*At least in the U.S.

Edited by notsarahlee, Dec 12, 2008 @ 1:41 PM.

[BigHig]

They were both crazysexy in those wedding pictures.

[thinkgreen]

My prediction - Fabio will at least be in the Final 4.

[lulee]

I thought Rocco and Padma both said they breakfast was too rich even though Fabio said he didn't want it to be too heavy. A couple others had dishes with sweet components and weren't dinged for it.

[Rabrab]

Maybe it was too rich. I just don't see a fundamental difference between having a cherry danish and a cup of coffee for breakfast and having a piece of cherry streudel and a cup of coffee for dessert. It's pretty much the same dish, the only real difference is in what time of day you eat it, and what it's called.

[lulee]

I just don't see a fundamental difference between having a cherry danish and a cup of coffee for breakfast and having a piece of cherry streudel and a cup of coffee for dessert. It's pretty much the same dish, the only real difference is in what time of day you eat it, and what it's called.

That's just some people's preference (not mine - I love me some French toast). It shouldn't have affected the judging, and because Padma and Rocco said there were other problems (it was more like a cherry danish oozing with frosting), we can't be sure that it did, even if Fabio thought it did.

Edited by lulee, Dec 13, 2008 @ 6:36 PM.

[duandsku]

Does he truly believe that green and yellow equals blue? Now, I'm no visual artist by trade, but I'm pretty sure combining green and yellow equals light green. If he REALLY wanted to make a stretch, you could maybe say that green and purple equals blue, though in reality it's more like a black, but at least you wouldn't be downright lying to your patrons.

[TudorQueen]

I would definitely visit his restaurant if I ever found myself out there. Even his 'failed' dishes look appetizing to me, and his charm and boyish enthusiasm are just a bonus. Of the two Europeans - both of whom admittedly can cook - he's my favorite, and so far I wouldn't mind seeing him win, although his 'boring' performance this week [per the judges] means he has to be really on point now.

I also like the way he can sometimes start to argue back, to defend himself or his team or his dish, but then reads the temp of the room pretty quickly and withdraws.

[cjtathome]

Okay, he's beginning to win me over, just like Carla did, only it is taking him a little longer. I thought he was overplaying the "off the boat" schtick at first (and both sets of my grandparents came off that boat), but he seems pretty genuine. Besides, could he and Stefan be any more of a pair of stereotypes about cold aloof Northern Europeans and warm, sunny southern ones?

Re the breakfast QF: I thought Rocco's choice of words about simply preferring something bacony or savory were off base, but I didn't think that meant that Fabio's dish was ultimately judged unfairly. Too much sweetness would be offputting anyway, and I'm not sure about where that separate creamy concoction belongs in an amuse bouche. Of course, if Rocco had just said THAT, I think Fabio would have been fine with it.

Finally, Fabio was able to "charm" the ladies at Gail's shower, and laugh about doing it, without coming across as "I am so hot, the ladies, they fall for me EVERY time." It seemed more like a joke he was sharing WITH them, instead.

[While A Coyote]

Does he truly believe that green and yellow equals blue?

Actually, its EITHER yellow and blue equal green, or green and blue equals yellow, depending on which system you use.

With paints and pigments (the classic RYB system they teach in art classes), adding additional yellow to green does NOT yield blue--it just takes the resulting color FURTHER away from blue. You get a kind of olive looking color, called something like "yellow green". Errr. here, look.

The newer RGB (for visible light) says that green and blue equals yellow. AGAIN not what he claimed. In this case specifically, the actual mix of green and yellow has a name: cyan. And its NOT blue.

Edited by While A Coyote, Dec 17, 2008 @ 1:03 PM.