I watched the first season of Rachael vs. Guy. While I felt the format of the show needed to be re-formatted I did appreciate seeing what the celebrities came up with in the way of dishes. I was inspired by one of the episodes to giving Buctani pasta with tomato sauce and basil a try – I have grown to love that pasta. I hope to be inspired once again but just watching what others like to cook.
Each week I will do a breakdown of what I thought of each celebrity’s performance. Here is this week’s breakdown:
Breakdown of the Celebrities
| Team Rachel | |
|---|---|
| Carnie Wilson | I liked her energy and that she was still able to focus. |
| Hines Ward | He kind of was just in the background for me in this episode yet his chicken wing dish was beloved by all. |
| Kathy Najimy | She claimed that she was tasting and seasoning over and over but when the reviews for her mushroom dish came out people were unimpressed. |
| Gilbert Gottfried | Before the first commercial break I figured he would be the first one out the door. He didn't have a clue about what to cook. As the show continued on I wondered if I was watching Worst Cooks in America instead as he was burning PB&J. By the end of the show it was clear they just brought him on the show for his comedic skills and he really was a waste of a spot. |
| Although it would have been fun to watch him make more peanut butter sandwiches for weeks | maybe it was for the best he was the first one packing. |
| Team Guy | |
|---|---|
| Dean McDermott | What I liked about him right off the bat was the fact that he knew doing a short rib on a short amount of time was short of smart. He didn't become immediately set in this thinking and being flexible in the kitchen is a huge strength. |
| Chilli | Guy was worried about her under seasoning but she was too worried about over seasoning. But it ended up being just right. |
| Cornelia Guest | I appreciate her taking responsibility for not making enough dessert. |
| Johnny Weir | Not following your leader's advise is a recipe to being send home early in this show. Johnny rejected Guy's idea of not working all the fat out of his chicken meatballs. As expect the meatballs were dry. |
The Food
I am not going to cover all the dishes just highlight a few items.
1. I liked Dean’s idea of the skirt steak paired with the creamy polenta. I have not tried this combo before but this makes me want to try it.
2. Corneila used 3 different types of beans in her chili. I like pairing different versions of the same veggie together, like when cooking multiple colors of carrots together. Time was a factor of course her case so I can forgive her for using canned beans which I never use.
3. Carnie made mac & cheese but in an unique without being obnoxious way. She featured Gruyère in her dish which I like that she didn’t just go the cheddar route. I will confess my love of a cheddar mac & cheese sauce all day long but it’s fun to mix it up add a little Gouda for that flavor and muenster for a creamy element.
