Hyphen TV: Scallops Take 2

December 6, 2010

Dale Talde has plenty to smile about on Top Chef: All-Stars

Top Chef All-Stars, you guys! Top Chef! All-Stars! As if it weren't enough that the beloved show has returned along with some of its most skilled and/or beloved past contestants, Filipino American, New York City-based Chef de Cuisine (fancy!) Dale Talde of season four is back. The guy's got a known feisty streak (see: clip of him punching a locker in his season), is big on bringing Pinoy food to the mainstream (YES, fire up the pork adobo and keep it comin'), and he has plenty to prove (see: Anthony Bourdain calling Dale's butterscotch scallops the worst dish in the show's history during season four).

"Dude, how could my butterscotch scallops have been worse than your frozen ones?"


So how'd our man do? He was part of the winning Quickfire team with a gourmet take on a Chicago hot dog, and he received praise from Bourdain on his much-improved butterscotch miso scallops. How genius was it, by the way, for the Elimination challenge to have the chefs re-imagine the dishes that got them sent home previously? Top Chef producers: so clever. This is definitely shaping up to be an exciting season, and my fingers are crossed that Dale will make it far amongst his tough competition -- and have the chance to showcase some tasty Asian flavors.

So I'm guessing from the total radio silence after last week's column that you guys aren't fans of The Fashion Show. Which is fine; I don't blame you. I will say that Calvin Tran made a gorgeous skirt this week that was inspired by his assigned year of 1957, which made him think Audrey Hepburn. Wish I could show you a picture of the very pretty back, but the front is nice.

Okay, maybe Calvin's lapels are a little bonkers here.


Also wish I could show you guys a photo of Calvin modeling his own look in the workroom, heels and all. He's starting to seem kind of cute -- is my iced-over heart melting? Guess no one cares but me. That's okay, though.

Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.) was featured in this week's episode of Glee with a song that featured the talented dancing duo of Mike and Brittany. There was also a rumor that the dance partners were doing more than just dancing, leading Tina to attempt to reclaim her boyfriend's attention with some goth cheerleader gear. Don't worry Tina, he and his abs are still totally into you! It's hardly new at this point, but I still feel tingly seeing Asian American teens being portrayed as regular ol' teens. And nary a math geek or anime-obsession stereotype among them! SIGH.

Loved how one of the plotlines on this week's episode of The Office revolved around Michael's overblown and out-of-touch panic over China. His fervor brought the show's scope far, far beyond its usual realm (the show's meat and potatoes is its pitch-perfect, extremely localized version of small business America, hardly a place for discussion of international industry) and also provided some great funny-because-it's-true lines about American attitudes on China: "My whole life, I believed that America was number one. That was the saying. Not 'America's number two.' England is number two. China should be like eight;" "I want you all to imagine a world in which America is not the number one superpower. Where forks are irrelevant. And where every man, woman, and child is expected to learn how to play the cello." As usual, those brilliant Office writers nail it: preposterous as they are, these ideas are along the lines of what many Americans think of (or at least what some of the media and politicians want to scare people into thinking of) when it comes to China's growth. Oh, and would-be comedy writers? That is how you handle the thorny subject of race, not this (yes, very old news, but that's my alma mater and I can hold a grudge for FOREVER, people). Boom.

Glenn made it to the end of the season finale of The Walking Dead alive! Yippee! And he didn't even have to show any Asian glow to do it (is that a concept that's known to the average hillbilly-type guy, or just the racist ones?). Looking forward to more from Glenn in...oh man, almost a year. Can't wait.

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Dianne Choie

columnist

Dianne Choie's TV is in Brooklyn, NY. She has a cat, several reusable shopping bags, and other mildly annoying stereotypes of youngish people who live in Brooklyn.

Comments

Comments

Agreed, that was a weird moment--where they gave the hick a line written by someone who hung out with lots of Asians in college. Yeah, a year is too long between seasons! (Too short for most of the rest of life.) p.s. Very interesting remarks on The OFfice (though I don't follow it)  Enjoyed the piece, thanks!