Stay ConnectedKevin Arnovitz and Tom Haberstroh bring their die-hard fanaticism of the hit TV show Top Chef and combine it with their NBA analytical instincts to draft “fantasy” teams, interview contestants and talk about America’s food and restaurant trends. Follow along weekly as the top cooking competition meets top-shelf analysis.
In Season 23, Chef Sara Bradley replaces Kevin as host to provide insight from the mind of former competitor and current kitchen guru.
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Tom and Sara get caught up in the web of mysteries following the events of Episode 7 and Last Chance Kitchen. With Restaurant Wars around the corner and some uncertainty floating in the air, there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Tom and Sara try to make sense of it all.
Step aside Top Chef and Top Scallop. Welcome to Top Sabayon. Tom wonders why every dish has sabayon this season and Sara spins her theories. While Tom and Sara vehemently disagree about Banana Laffy Taffy, they do agree on what they think happens next.
Plus, the second segment of a six-part Savor Charlotte series presented by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. Tom is joined by Callan Buckles, Executive Chef at Rada, which was named to the New York Times' most recent 50 Best Restaurants in America, to share his journey and why he chose to relocate to Charlotte from NYC.
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It was BBQ week at Top Chef! This week we debate western vs. eastern Carolina BBQ (seriously, who hates ketchup?), what we thought of the s'mores challenge and a discussion on how to score it, and dove into how well people's power rankings did this week.
As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on find-topchef.com and become a subscriber on packyourknives.com to get additional data-driven insights on Top Chef.
00:00 Hello and welcome!
04:33 Episode thoughts
09:23 Carly and Kendra’s power rankings
14:00 Bonus question
16:09 Power Rankings analysis
28:16 Thoughts on next week's episode
30:00 Fantasy leagues
37:29 Reminder to submit rankings
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The highly-anticipated Carolina barbecue episode is here. And we have thoughts.
Sara shares her barbecue experiences in food competition venues and Tom gives his scouting report on the various bbq joints (did you know you can get burnt ends at the Charlotte airport?).
Was this the best episode to date? Tom thinks so.
Why is immunity not a central talking point this season? Sara wonders.
They debate about the questionable strategery amongst the chefs and the legitimacy of s’mores. Sara unveils her secret ingredient for pig roasts (think kid juices) and her favorite way to cook a s’more. Also: get your gloves on because the fantasy matchup is heating up. Lastly, it’s time to head to Myrtle Beach for LCK.
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What a week! Turn around now and watch Episode 5 if you haven't already - because wow, do we have feelings about this episode!
From the Quickfire format to the Elimination challenge results, Kendra and Carly dive into how well (or shall we say, poorly?) people's power rankings did this week. We also talk about a scoring fix on the bonus questions, and give a shout out to the first player to get three bonus questions right!
As always, enter your scores each week before the episode airs on find-topchef.com.
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On this shocking episode, Team Tom survives the US Whitewater Center rapids while Team Sara capsizes into the rough waters. Tom and Sara break down what went wrong for the elminated chef, and take stock in the points standings. Has a new favorite emerged?
Find out what Sara thinks is “f—ed up” in this episode (and Tom can’t disagree). An old Top Chef debate surfaces about the extent to which chefs should help each other out.
Plus, with Last Chance Kitchen making its debut last week, the PYK gang bid a final farewell to one of the chefs, examine the new LCK path and look ahead to the next episode.
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We're back for episode four of Track Your Knives, the data-driven Top Chef companion podcast brought to you by Pack Your Knives. Carly and Kendra are here to break down YOUR power rankings and fantasy league results.
This week, in addition to our typical debrief of the episode, we talk about the answer to the bonus question: How many times will people mention that Tom hates Okra? Now that Last Chance Kitchen has started, we give our thoughts on how long it will last.
Don't forget to complete your Power Rankings five minutes before Top Chef airs on Bravo (East Coast time) - and make your best guess as to this week's bonus question: How many chefs will have pictures or videos of their kids shown?
Head over to find-topchef.com to submit your power rankings, and subscribe at packyourknives.com for deeper weekly insights.
02:15 Reactions to episode 4
08:50 Bonus question answer
10:35 Our Power Rankings
12:30 Power Rankings analysis
27:15 Our thoughts on next week
29:05 Fantasy League analysis
36:05 Discussion of Last Chance Kitchen
37:54 Closing and announcement of week 5's bonus question
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Tom got to eat the food! On this episode, Tom shares his experience of eating the Top Chef “Southern Sides” elimination challenge and why the edit was so different than his own meal.
With Tristan Epps-Long back on the show, Sara and Tom run through the the surprising underdog story of the quickfire. Sara tells Tom Colicchio to stop lying about his least favorite food :) and explains how timing is secretly a huge advantage on the show.
Sara and Tom also talk about meeting Brittany Cochran, Nana Araba Wilmot and Sieger Bayer at Sala in Charlotte and eating their food. Finally, Tom begrudgingly has to read out the scores from Sara’s vicious season of fantasy.
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We're back for episode three of Track Your Knives, the data-driven Top Chef companion podcast brought to you by Pack Your Knives. Carly and Kendra are here to break down YOUR power rankings and fantasy league results from episode 3.
If you're just finding us, head over to find-topchef.com to submit your power rankings and play along, and subscribe at packyourknives.com for deeper weekly insights.
01:56 Setting the record straight
07:46 Our favorite moment from episode 3
11:55 Power Rankings analysis
15:14 Predicting episode 3's winner
22:53 Thoughts on next week's episode
27:03 Fantasy Leagues analysis
32:27 Sign off and reminder to submit rankings!
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With Supperland hosting Top Chef this week, Tom and Sara took their talents to Supperland in Charlotte to recap the episode.
Liver mush. An incomplete dish. Flaccid pork.
Live in person, Tom and Sara together break down the episode with the help of Supperland’s Jamie Brown, who welcomed the Top Chef crew to her restaurant in Plaza Midwood. Tom and Sara didn’t hold back.
With Jamie Brown on the show, the PYK hosts ask her Charlotte, Supperland and bringing Top Chef into their restaurant. Were the dishes THAT muted? What was it like to be at the table with Emeril Lagasse? She share her experience with the pod.
Plus, Tom shrinks as he updates Sara on the fantasy scoring.
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We're back for episode two of Track Your Knives, the data-driven Top Chef companion podcast brought to you by Pack Your Knives. Carly and Kendra are here to break down YOUR power rankings and fantasy league results from episode 2.
If you're just finding us, head over to find-topchef.com to submit your power rankings and play along, and subscribe at packyourknives.com for deeper weekly insights.
This week did not disappoint! We've got 139 power rankings submitted, Rhoda making Top Chef history, and 86 leagues with 282 fantasy teams to dig into. Let's get into it.
00:00 Hello and welcome!
04:55 First episode, first impressions
08:18 Carly and Kendra’s power rankings
11:00 Orientation to Power Ranking results
11:42 Shout-outs to listeners/players doing well!
13:50 Power Rankings analysis
27:26 Thoughts on Power Rankings going into episode 2
35:35 Reminder to submit rankings and join Fantasy Leagues
Subscribe to the PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/
Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify, or watch PYK on YouTube!
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