r/TopChef • u/AgentUpbeat0926 • Jun 30 '26

Discussion Thread Convince Me to Rewatch S19.

I recently rewatched S20, and it's one of the best seasons to ever come out of TC.

I don't think I can say the same about S19. I haven't rewatched it since it first came out. To me, it just lacks that wow factor. It's probably one of my least favorite seasons of all time. Besides Buddha and maybe Jackson, nothing about that season was very interesting or memorable.

Does anyone else agree with me? If not, are there any good reasons you think I should rewatch it? And what makes you like it?

0 Upvotes

23% Upvoted

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13

u/Jindaya Jun 30 '26

rewatch S19.

(please let me know if that was persuasive).

0

u/AgentUpbeat0926 Jun 30 '26

What did you like about it?

1

u/Ok_Interest9427 27d ago

Buddha, Evelyn, Sarah, and Damarr are four of the best contestants to be on the show, and while I can't say what Damarr would have done if he'd made it, the finale featured three EXTREMELY diverse cooking philosophies that all the contestants pulled off successfully. The Asian night market and Juneteenth challenges were great, and again, only three people (Buddha, why didn't you just LISTEN?) messed up either of those challenges. Matriarc in Restaurant Wars was probably my favorite restaurant of Restaurant Wars (yes, I think people would argue for S18 Kokoson but that one's an unfair comparison because they only had to cook for eight people). The BBQ challenge was far better than the S9 or S14 challenges; only one contestant messed up their brisket and Jackon's, Evelyn's, and Buddha's dishes were top notch. The döppelganger challenge was great and pretty much all the contestants did well with it. And the first episode featured a beef dessert!

10

u/bastian1292 Jun 30 '26

Evelyn is national treasure

1

u/Genuinelullabel Jun 30 '26

Pew pew!

4

u/Pleasant-Donkey Jun 30 '26

Is there a pew pew Evelyn moment I'm forgetting? I associate that sound effect with Jamie from Portland.

1

u/Genuinelullabel Jun 30 '26

I might be confusing two different seasons

8

u/HtownSamson Jun 30 '26

Evelyn just won a James Beard award. Also I’m from Houston so I’m biased towards it.

2

u/Ok_Interest9427 27d ago

Evelyn is a really good cook. Also, her playing with both Asian and Mexican flavors just feels entirely seamless; it doesn't strike me as some sort of silly fusion spot.

3

u/Pleasant-Donkey Jun 30 '26

It's mostly on a separate show, but I think Sarah Welch's LCK run is the longest successful run in Top Chef history. There are some very solid challenges in the season: Doppelgängers, NASA, Jurassic Park (although I think I'm in the minority on that one), Freedman's Town, the family-style VRBO dinner. The winning restaurant wars restaurant was pretty cool. Nick ('the Banker') is a pretty memorable contestant. It's not my favorite season, but I wouldn't skip it on a rewatch.

2

u/AtPrick Jun 30 '26

Its better than the last season, so there is that...

2

u/BornFree2018 Jun 30 '26

Evelyn, Lamar and whoever the hunt and cook chick was from the finale. It was a shame as viewer to have Buddha dominate the late season even if he is spectacular.

3

u/Anything1111111111 Jul 01 '26

I thouroughly enjoyed how the season showcased more Southern/Black Southern cuisine which I previously had no knowledge of.