Marcel Vigneron - Season 2

[taffina]

Originally Posted by Veruka

I agree that many things went wrong -- but they all fall on Marcel's shoulders. I don't believe that anyone but Marcel is to blame for his losing ... well, unless you want to "Blame" Ilan for cooking the superior meal.

On the doctor's reference, I did not mean equipment being left in the patient. If a piece of equipment were not properly cleaned, the doctor used it, and it caused harm to the patient, the doctor would be held responsible. Even if he's not the one who cleans the equipment, he is responsible for making sure that the equipment is cleaned properly, and that the proper people are doing that job.

On Frank - threat considered, if I were standing in Marcel's shoes, I would have undoubtedly chosen him over Mike. It would have been a lesser of two evils choice to a degree, but I believe that Frank was the best of the bunch to be chosen. The only strike against him is that he threatened Marcel. The question then is, was that threat so serious that it was still standing? If Marcel had chosen him, would he have had to spend the entire time preparing the final meal in fear that Frank was going to attack him. My answer to that is no. I believe the threat was made in anger, and Frank has the ability to keep his temper in check to not haul off and attack Marcel in front of cameras. Not to mention that enough time had gone by to allow bygones to be bygones.

In contrast, the biggest weaknesses that Mike displayed are a lack of technical skill, a lack of motivation, and serving as a distraction in the kitchen to other members of his team on several occasions. Do those problems still exsist in Mike? Yes. So why choose weaknesses from one guy that still are present at the time of the competition over weaknesses from one guy whose weaknesses are most likely no longer present?

I agree that Marcel is the one to blame for his losing. There's no other way around it. It's his meal, it's his game to win or lose.


However, I disagree about chosing Frank over Mike.
It was not about the threat Frank made months before, it was the fact Frank had to pipe up when asked who he would like to work with and say "I want to be on Marcel's team, so I can learn him how to talk to people." (something along those lines)
Would you take someone so openly hostel?
I wouldn't.

[Google]

 

[taffina]

Originally Posted by Shady64

I don't think Mike was all that motivated but Sam was. What part of the meal that the judges had a problem with had anything to do with motivation or the lack of it? His salad choice was a disasterous decision. That was HUGE with the judges and had nothing to do with the sous chef's. The other part was the desert. While the judges loved it, Ilan hit it out of the park with his desert choices when compared side by side. That had nothing to do with motivation either. In one breath Marcel tells them they weren't motivated and in the next he confirms that Mr. Unmotivated help him with the best dish of the meal when something went missing. An ingredient the judges thought didn't need to be there once they knew about it. Where Marcel fell short were all issues that were his doing, not his sous chef's. He didn't know this when unwittingly tried to pass the blame onto them but the judges did.

Ilan let Elia and Betty do their job as a sous chefs, marcel wanted to do everything himself. Ilan was smart enough utilized his sous chefs, Marcel was not. That was yet one more poor decision of many poor decisons made by Marcel that lost it for him.

Ah, sorry for the third posting in a row.
I just wanted to say you made the best points so far.

[phoenix1964]

Originally Posted by Veruka

On the doctor's reference, I did not mean equipment being left in the patient. If a piece of equipment were not properly cleaned, the doctor used it, and it caused harm to the patient, the doctor would be held responsible. Even if he's not the one who cleans the equipment, he is responsible for making sure that the equipment is cleaned properly, and that the proper people are doing that job.

Side track post: If the surgery was conducted in a hospital and the investigation proved that the equipment was faulty (ie. not cleaned), the hospital would be charged for neligience because the staff who was responsible for cleaning the equipment was employed by the hospital. If the surgery happen in the doctor's office then the doctor's malpratice would handle it because it covers not only the doctor but his medical assistants and nurses, if he employs any.

[pg13]

Originally Posted by Veruka

On Frank - threat considered, if I were standing in Marcel's shoes, I would have undoubtedly chosen him over Mike. It would have been a lesser of two evils choice to a degree, but I believe that Frank was the best of the bunch to be chosen. The only strike against him is that he threatened Marcel. The question then is, was that threat so serious that it was still standing? If Marcel had chosen him, would he have had to spend the entire time preparing the final meal in fear that Frank was going to attack him. My answer to that is no. I believe the threat was made in anger, and Frank has the ability to keep his temper in check to not haul off and attack Marcel in front of cameras. Not to mention that enough time had gone by to allow bygones to be bygones.

Taffina made a good point about HOW Frank made his offer to work with Marcel--which was astonishingly hostile, especially compared to how Sam made HIS offer.

But more important than that or even the threat--Marcel had no faith in Frank's abilities in the kitchen. Frank butchered that fish, showing lack of basic knife skills...and Frank's palette was in question since the "competition of the sauces," where even Cliff had to agree that Marcel's sauce was by far the better tasting.

I still think that Marcel's decision to choose Mike was based mostly on his understanding how important Sam working to his fullest potential would be to his chances for winning...and if Sam wanted Mike, Sam'd get Mike.

Mike might not have been MY choice, had I been Marcel...but I don't think I'd have picked Frank, either. Mia was, if you'll pardon the unfortunate and unintended pun, the dark horse here...and Marcel went for a known quantity that he thought might help Sam help him--Mike.

In the end...it really wasn't Mike's fault nor Marcel's fault for having chosen Mike that lost it for him.

pg--IT WAS THE SALAD!--seattle

[Lex]

As much as I dislike Marcel, some of the dishes he made in Hawaii looked pretty good. With a few more years experience, he might actually turn into a decent chef. And that's something I never thought I'd say.

[BlondieGirl]

Originally Posted by Lex

As much as I dislike Marcel, some of the dishes he made in Hawaii looked pretty good. With a few more years experience, he might actually turn into a decent chef. And that's something I never thought I'd say.

Ditto this. Marcel is pompous and annoying like a gnat but he is a good chef or he wouldnt have made it that far.

[MMLEsq]

Saw this news article today...

'Top Chef' runner-up arrested on suspicion of DUI
Marcel Vigneron was taken in off Coast Highway in Laguna Beach on Saturday.
By KELLI HART
The Orange County Register

Before making a cooking demonstration at the Festival of Arts on Sunday, Marcel Vigneron of Bravo's reality show "Top Chef" first stopped at the Laguna Beach jail on Saturday.

Vigneron was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving at 12:45 a.m. Saturday off of Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, according to Laguna Beach police records.

Laguna Beach police pulled over the reality show star near Vista Del Sol and he was given a blood test when the officer noticed he may have been under the influence, said Sgt. Jason Kravetz of the Laguna Beach Police Department

Vigneron, who was initially stopped on suspicion of speeding, was taken into custody and his bail was set at $2,500.

Vigneron, runner-up on the second season of "Top Chef," was among the celebrities who attended the Pageant of the Masters benefit gala Saturday.

On Sunday, Vigneron made his scheduled appearance, where he gave a cooking demonstration.

Vigneron, a Las Vegas resident, can still drive a vehicle despite the DUI arrest, Kravetz said. He has 30 days to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles, but authorities here can also notify Nevada officials.

With the article, there was a picture of his mug shot. He looks pretty much the same -- more beard, hair a little less pouffy.

News: 'Top Chef' runner-up arrested on suspicion of DUI | vigneron, saturday, beach, laguna, top - OCRegister.com