Season three of Top Chef debuts with two high-profile Dallas chefs

by Laura Evans , Teresa Gubbins

Staffers Laura Evans and Teresa Gubbins play "Ebert and Roper" on Wednesday night's premiere of Top Chef, Season 3, starring Dallas chefs Tre Wilcox of Abacus and Casey Thompson of Shinsei.

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LAE: Hey Teresa, looks like there's a Dallasite on the new Top Chef. Don't know if that's newsworthy - thought I'd let ya know.

TG: Yeah I did something on it when they issued the press release. Did you watch it?

LAE: Yeah - I just hate that I can't taste it :)

TG: I'm not so sure if the two Dallas chefs "presented" very well. That Casey came off as rather cool. And Tre, I know he's the favorite, but I prefer modesty to over-confidence, dimples or not. I feel bad for Clay! The guy from Mississippi they kicked off. His father killed himself.

LAE: Really? I must have missed that part, that's sad.

TG: That's what he said, early in on the show. He seems like such a puppy dog. And then they kicked him off.

LAE: I know! that's exactly what I thought he looked like, a sad little puppy.

TG: I'll write him an email. "You were wonderful! Don't kill yourself, too!" How can we figure out how to score a life of living in that Miami high-rise?! That place was awesome.

LAE: God, no kidding.

TG: It's weird that there's TWO chefs who have a faux-hawk. And that it's one boy and one girl.

LAE: Which girl?

TG: She had the hilarious name: Sandee Birdsong. She "wanted to do something she was passionate about." The "passionate" thing irked me. Everyone says they're passionate about what they do. Shut UP. Who made the biggest impression on you?

LAE: I kinda like that quiet girl. Although I forget her name :). I like the no-nonsense people. How bout you?

TG: I probably like the Asian guy. Anyone who is willing to admit to being an a$$hole is someone I can relate to.

LAE: Ha, yeah, you can be an a$$hole as long as you fess up to it, I guess.

TG: I like that you, a quiet no-nonsense girl, liked the quiet-no-nonsense girl and I, who tend to bluntly admit my weak points, liked the guy who bluntly admitted his weak points. I also liked that Anthony Bourdain was the guest judge. Perfect choice for judging those mystery meats.

LAE: Sea urchin -- no thank you. I got one stuck in my foot once, so I wouldn't be too enthused to eat it.

TG: Torture. I've tried alligator. It grosses me out. I'd never heard of "black chicken" -- hey, this show is "educational."

LAE: That geoduck thing though - yikes!

TG: Which I noticed he pronounced "goyduck". I was phonetically working through "jee-o-duck."

LAE: I saw an episode of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery channel where they dug up geoducks, the sickest thing I have ever seen. They just look like abnormally large penises!!! No Thanks!!!

TG: HAHA.

LAE: That guy who said he owned a restaurant, but then didn't have time to put the frog legs on the plate -- what's up with that? He's in charge of a restaurant and time is usually of no concern to him? That makes no sense to me.

TG: Bourdain didn't like that either. I hope they keep showing more shots of Miami. I wonder if it'll make people want to move there? Supposedly every year they show the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, it makes another 100,000 people want to move to Calif.

LAE: Huh. Maybe after we get the Super Bowl, people will wanna move to Arlington. Or not.

TG: I guess it's a testament to Padma Lakshmi or whatever her name is that they let her come back.

LAE: So do you know what the scar is about?

TG: Scar?

LAE: On Padma's arm? Huuuuge scar.

TG: I know nothing about this scar.

LAE: Guess we could google it. Ah, car wreck.

TG: So, do we allow "a$$hole" on the site? Or should I use asterisks.

LAE: Yeah, although I prefer the money signs.

TG: A$$hole? That's good. OK, I'll do that.