Author: Hanh Nguyen

March 16, 2016 2:00pm PT by Hanh Nguyen

 Courtesy of Dale Berman/Bravo

The judge weighs in on the best season, the worst bites and if ‘Top Chef Junior’ will ever happen.

Ten years ago, Bravo introduced a different flavor into the culinary competition show landscape. Top Chef eschewed the usual pageantry, shiny personalities and screaming drama already seen on the likes of Iron Chef or Hell’s Kitchen.

Instead, Top Chef’s passionate, tattooed warriors presented a gritty and grounded view of what makes our favorite restaurants tick. These so-called chef’testants were on the front lines in making precision, artful cookery, but the best part was the potential to actually create these imaginative dishes in real life. By virtue of demonstrating their prowess on TV, an overwhelming number of Top Chef alums — not just the winners — have gone on to have hugely successful careers at top restaurants.

“We’re bringing real chefs who then go on to open restaurants that do really well,” chef, series judge and executive producer Tom Colicchio tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Multiple restaurants and multiple James Beard Award winners, Food & Wine Best New Restaurant and Best New Chef winners, there are Michelin star restaurants: they’re serious chefs. It’s not about some personality, it’s not about who can be the most outrageous, it’s about who has the most talent.”

Colicchio spoke with THR about how Top Chef has evolved, the season 13 finale on Thursday and why neither he nor fans are ready for the show to pack its knives and go anytime soon.

Can you think back to when this started and what attracted you to doing Top Chef?

I’m sure I said “no” about three times and then I finally agreed to do it. I got a sense that they weren’t doing a show that was sensationalized and that it was about actual talent. The other reason that I agreed to do the show was that from the very beginning, the producers said that they would have no input on who wins. We weren’t going to be a bunch of pawns, and they weren’t going to make decisions based on ratings or personality.

What is Top Chef‘s biggest incentive for these chefs?

It gives them instant marketability. They get pretty deep into the competition, so when they’re looking to raise money, it just becomes easier. But also, if you look at the amount of chefs, if you look at any reality TV show, and if you compare those and what they’ve gone on to do in their field whatever they’re competing in, there’s no track record like Top Chef.

Now that MasterChef Junior is doing so well, do you think the Top Chef Junior idea will ever be revisited?

A long time ago, before MasterChef Junior was on, we had kicked the idea around because there are so many kids who we meet when we’re out who love the show. But now I’m not sure. We have a different budget from network TV, and kids on set can only work six hours at a time, they have to have tutors. We shoot five weeks, six weeks and we’re done. Also, every [adult] chef who comes on the show, if they get halfway through it, they’re all beat and they start to talk about how tired they are, about how grueling it is.

What did you initially think about the concept for the web series Last Chance Kitchen, which allows eliminated chefs a chance to return to Top Chef? 

I loved the idea from the beginning. What I think it really does is I think some of the chefs may really take risks because they know they have a safety valve. I think back to [season 10 winner] Kristen Kish. She stood there and even though someone else was responsible [for a mistake], she said, “Nope, I’m not going to go there. I’ll take responsibility and I’ll go down.” I think chefs can take a risk. Also, because it’s less produced, you get a good sense of the chefs when they’re on Last Chance Kitchen. They’re a little lighter, they’re having fun. 

Season six with the Voltaggio Brothers was one of the most iconic and entertaining. Do you have a favorite season? 

Yes, that Las Vegas season, that was the deepest pool of chefs that we had, meaning that we had eight that could win. They have an edge, they do things differently, they look at food differently, they’re very quick… But as far as the competition, I think the current season is my favorite. You’re seeing chefs enjoy the game, you see the love of cooking. It’s almost like a new breakout season for us. 

Are there standout dishes that stick with you, either good or bad?

As far as the good, [season nine winner] Paul Qui did a very simple dish of vegetables. There were some artichokes and leeks with a simple dashi. It was stunning. There were only two dishes that I spit out. One was caught on camera. We were in the desert in Las Vegas, and it was about 110 degrees. We were served more than room temperature raw fish. It was pretty gross. There was another one that didn’t get caught on camera. It was a clam and it was kind of warm as well with lychee, and something about it just made that gag reflex go off. [Laughs] We don’t get a lot of bad dishes.

It seems like the level of competition draws a lot of celebrities to this show. What have some of them said to you? 

Liev Schreiber said to me, “I love the show. One reason I watch it is the process by watching someone get an idea and instantly put it into practice and onto a plate is fascinating.” That was a great compliment, it was a great compliment to the chefs. 

Can you discuss the reasons why you cooked for the finalists on Thursday’s Top Chef?

The moment wasn’t about me cooking so much, it was about the chefs eating a meal because when they’re sitting there eating, they start talking about food, they start thinking about what they’re going to do, they start thinking about what’s in front of them.

How would you assess this season’s finalists: Jeremy Ford and Amar Santana?

If someone actually spends some time working under a world-class chef, I know they’re well trained. Jeremy works for Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Amar worked under Charlie Palmer and Gerry Hayden. A chef like Charlie Palmer is bold with strong flavors and more of an American sensibility, whereas Jean-Georges, his flavors are very light, very complex and has much more of a European sensibility. So I would expect that each chef probably has very similar styles to their mentors. 

How much more life is in Top Chef?

After this season I think we’ve still got a few more years left. The one thing I love is that it’s not formula, where we’ve done the same thing from day one. Every season, there’s always something different that we’re doing. For example, the format at the Judges’ Table is different, having the chefs out there now when we’re deliberating and critiquing…  So I think as long as we put that effort in there and it remains fun, we’ll have a good five years more for our run. I can see us getting to Top Chef 20. 

The finale of Top Chef season 13 airs Thursday at 9 p.m. on Bravo.

Bravo

March 11, 2016 7:00pm PT by Hanh Nguyen

 Courtesy of NBC

David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf discuss the surprising reversals of fortune and the trouble that lies ahead for Nick & Co.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Friday’s episode of Grimm, “Into the Schwarzland.”]

The age of miracles may be past, but Grimm pulled one out in its 100th episode on Friday.

Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) looked like a goner after coming down with blood poisoning from a Wesen bite on his arm, but before the Blutbad bid his final adieu, he suddenly, miraculously recovered thanks to Nick (David Giuntoli) accidentally touching his friend’s arm with a plain-looking stick. This clearly was no ordinary piece of wood though, which explains why during the Crusades, seven Grimm knights hid it in a trunk in some German catacombs.

Meanwhile, Capt. Renard (Sasha Roiz) discovered that the Black Claw organization was behind the assassination of mayoral candidate Andrew Dixon (Michael Sheets) because they want Renard to run instead. Earlier at the Spice Shop, Adalind’s (Claire Coffee) powers returned in a gnarly way while defending Rosalee (Bree Turner) from her ex, Tony (Joseph Kathrein). 

Co-creators Jim Kouf and David Greenwalt chatted with The Hollywood Reporter about that stick, rotten ex-boyfriends and the trouble that lies ahead.

What can you say about the miraculous healing stick and what we’ll be seeing next? Is it based on anything?

Jim Kouf: The answer is in real history. 

Besides being healed, will Monroe have any other side effects from the stick? 

David Greenwalt: We don’t know yet. There are other things that will happen because of it, but not necessarily to him. 

Speaking of strange effects, Adalind’s powers seem to be back. Is this a good or bad development? 

Kouf: It’s going to be a pretty mixed bag, but the thing you fear the most frequently come unto you. And she’s still afraid of what will happen to her relationship with Nick? What will happen to her relationship with her son? Will Nick in fact try to kill her if she’s a Hexenbiest again? So it brings up all kinds of nice, shiny problems. 

Nick can’t catch a break with his love life! Does this mean we already have a potential rift between the new lovers?

Kouf: Oh, yeah. 

Greenwalt: You may remember that in the pilot, Aunt Marie said to Nick, “Juliette is perfect for you. You have to leave her.” And Aunt Marie’s point of view was that it was impossible to be a Grimm and have a happy, loving relationship. Now his mother, when she returned, said that after living alone as a gunslinger person, she encouraged him to have a relationship. It’s pretty hard as a Grimm because they came to their house many times. Really bad things happened right in that house. 

Adalind’s powers came out because of Rosalee’s ex-boyfriend, Tony. Is that the last we’ll see of him? 

Greenwalt: Nope. We like him. He’s a really great actor and he’s a really creepy character. 

What type of Wesen is Tony? I couldn’t catch it when he woged.

Kouf: Kackenkopf. 

Greenwalt: It literally means, “crap head,” so he’s a dung beetle because he’s such a crap head. 

Kouf: It’s the description of a rotten boyfriend. 

On the flip side, our golden boy Renard is being courted to run for mayor (and with an Obama-ized campaign poster!)

Greenwalt: It’s a hell of a journey coming up. 

Kouf: He’s going to make a lot of people angry. 

Will he be be wooed to the dark side? Will he become a double agent? 

Greenwalt: Not so much a double agent. As Shakespeare said, “Neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.” He is the guy who nothing is either good or bad to. He never chooses sides unless it’s his own side. There is some really wild stuff coming to Renard and to Nick, too. 

What can we expect from Hadrian’s Wall and the Black Claw? Are we gearing up for big fight?

Greenwalt: We are. They’ve got to come to terms and grips with each other, and it may not go so beautifully for the side you think should win. 

Hadrian’s Wall just shuffled off Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni) to another country quickly. When will she be back? 

Greenwalt: She’s coming back for many of the last episodes. She’s been away fighting bad guys all over the world, but now she’s back because she’s needed here in Portland so much. You’ll be seeing her towards the end of the season quite a bit. 

Let’s talk all about Eve (Bitsie Tulloch): Will we learn more about what Hadrian’s Wall did to her and what the extent of her powers are? 

Kouf: We’ll learn all of that for sure. And she’s an extra-specially strong Hexenbiest. A long time ago, I think it was Rosalee who said that the Hexenbiest that are made, not born are even worse than regular Hexenbiests. Or stronger. 

Grimm airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Grimm

March 09, 2016 8:00pm PT by Hanh Nguyen

 Ryan Green/ABC

The showrunner also explains the critically acclaimed drama’s bold choices in season two.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from American Crime‘s season two finale.]

American Crime wrapped up its critically acclaimed second season Thursday and finally gave fans some answers — of sorts.

On one hand, the majority of the characters dealt with the fallout from their calculated machinations. Leyland School headmistress Leslie Graham (Felicity Huffman) lost her job, hacker Sebastian de la Torre (Richard Cabral) had the cyberstalking tables turned on him, Terri LeCroix’s (Regina King) leaked emails returned to haunt her, and the Sullivans watched their daughter sentenced for dealing drugs.

On the other hand, the show ended on major cliffhangers for Taylor Blaine (Connor Jessup), who said he was drugged and raped at a party, and Eric Tanner (Joey Pollari), the alleged rapist who claimed that the interaction was consensual. Throughout the season, however, both made major missteps that call into question their judgment and veracity, whether it was Eric’s phone call that lured Taylor out to get beaten up by the basketball team or Taylor shooting and killing one of his assailants.

In the season’s final scenes, Taylor considers taking a plea deal for the aforementioned murder, while Eric is about to approach a muscle car for an anonymous hookup or possible getaway. But just as the camera zooms into each boy’s face, the scene cuts to black … and then the credits roll. The Hollywood Reporter spoke with creator John Ridley about those cliffhangers, this season’s challenges and the future of the anthology drama at ABC.

In the finale, Taylor’s and Eric’s fates are left hanging when it cuts to black. Can you discuss the decision to end this way?

We started the entire storytelling with two particular perspectives and maintaining every step of the way that their story was the truth. I believe if we deviate from that, even in the last moment, that it would be disingenuous storytelling, maddening as it may be. That is the difficult thing about moments like this, that we the observer may never truly know what happened. My wife said to me, “I want it to be a hopeful ending. I want there to be hope.” I said to her, “Well, then it can be. If we told you what the ending was, then it terminates. That ending then becomes sacrosanct.”

There’s a really good line when the judge asks Taylor if he wants the plea deal: “Do you accept or reject that which has been presented to you?” Does this line reflect the theme throughout the series?

Yes, absolutely that line was meant to give a picture of the whole season. It was very much about Taylor’s character, it was very much about Eric’s character, but it was also about the LaCroix family, it was also about the Sullivan family, having done everything to protect their daughter. It was very much about accepting the unfortunate part of the things that we put on young people, the expectations that we as adults put on young people.

Even beyond basketball many characters focused on winning. Do you think this was their undoing?

Unfortunately, in sports we see that a lot, that winning trumps all. A lot will be forgiven. We see that in all walks of life where everybody loves the winner. I did want to open that discussion because these people are just becoming petty at that point, especially with Dan [Timothy Hutton] and Leslie, it’s not about doing right, it’s about winning. We’re going through an election cycle right now, and we’re seeing politicians who are more interested in winning than doing right or having discourse.

Ultimately, Leslie lost everything despite how smart she was and all of her maneuvering.

I had a conversation with Felicity about that at one point. I said, “To me, Leslie is the consummate politician.” Felicity was like, “Ah, I don’t know if that’s the right way to phrase it; nobody likes politicians.” But the definition of politics is the art of the possible. I said, “That’s the way I want us to think about it, that Leslie has the ability to make all things possible.” It’s not about liking or disliking, but do we understand this person? Can we see their investment in the situation?

What were some of the big conversations you’ve had in reaction to the show this season?

In the second episode, teachers were sitting around talking about the breakfast program. It really stood out to people because they were stunned and surprised that in a broadcast television show, you could have two minutes with just teachers talking about inside baseball. Also, I think it was episode nine where the Monica character [Stephanie Sigman] is talking to Evy [Angelique Rivera] and the scene is all in Spanish [without English subtitles]. It’s a minute-and-a-half scene and it’s all in Spanish. It was very important to me to have a scene in Spanish because the point was that these characters are more comfortable speaking … and for the rest of us, it’s a little uncomfortable because we’re thinking, “How long is this scene going to go on? What are they talking about?”

With Channing Dungey as the new entertainment president at ABC, what does that mean for American Crime?

I don’t know. I was made aware by ABC that they would do some early pickups and I’m not surprised by the shows that got picked up. They’re doing phenomenal. Channing, since she’s been at ABC, has been an instrumental part of American Crime from the beginning. Nobody is a bigger fan or supporter. So I’m confident that everything is going to work out the way that it should in the end. I don’t think people can lament the passing of American Crime should it come to pass. I’ve been shooting a pilot for ABC and for another project I’ve been getting ready to go to London for ABC Studios. I haven’t really had a great deal of time to sit and ponder it. I really and sincerely believe that things will happen as they should.

What did you think of the American Crime finale? Do you want the show to return?

American Crime