Top Chef Season 15 RHAP-up Podcast

Mike Bloom (@AMikeBloomType) and Haley Strong (@hstrong_) are joined once again by Top Chef season 10 finalist and season 14 winner Brooke Williamson (@chefbrookew), a connoisseur of finales, to talk through the final episode of Top Chef Colorado. The Judges Table RHAP-Up would like to thank you all for listening all season long to our coverage! We will be back to head back down south as Top Chef goes to Kentucky for season 16. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT – WINNER! * Joseph Flamm (ELIMINATED Ep. 9, RETURNED Ep. 11, WINNER!) * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham (RUNNER-UP) * Carrie Baird (ELIMINATED Ep. 12)   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott (ELIMINATED Ep. 11) * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto (ELIMINATED Ep. 13) * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom and Haley Strong are joined by podcasting power couple Josh Wigler (@roundhoward) and Emily Fox (@emelette) to fish for topics about the penultimate episode of Top Chef Colorado, finding plenty of tasty digressions along the way. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm (ELIMINATED Ep. 9, RETURNED Ep. 11) * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird (ELIMINATED Ep. 12)   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott (ELIMINATED Ep. 11) * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto (ELIMINATED Ep. 13) * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Author, sports writer, and quiz shot host AJ Mass (@AJMass) joins Mike Bloom and Haley Strong to get down to the nuts and Volts of this week’s episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm (ELIMINATED Ep. 9, RETURNED Ep. 11) * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird (ELIMINATED Ep. 12)   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott (ELIMINATED Ep. 11) * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom and Haley Strong are joined by podcast returnee and sarsaparilla aficionado Jim Smith (@chiefjimsmith) to talk about the most recent episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm (ELIMINATED Ep. 9, RETURNED Ep. 11) * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott (ELIMINATED Ep. 11) * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom and Haley Strong are joined by the complete opposite of their worst nightmare in the form of Survivor 35 contestant and Top Chef superfan Roark Luskin (@RoarksTweets) to talk about the most recent episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom and Haley Strong are joined by original host of the Judges Roundtable podcast Antonio Mazzaro to talk crystals, cauliflower, and controversial tailgate food on the most recent episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali (ELIMINATED Ep. 9) * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)  

Mike Bloom and Haley Strong are joined by Top Chef Charleston cheftestant and bonafide historian of the show Jim “Jims” Smith (@chefjimsmith) to discuss the Restaurant Wars episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5, RE-ELIMINATED Ep. 8) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom, Haley Strong, and Curt Clark talk gold medals and cold shoulders as they recap the latest episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali * Tanya Holland (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom, Haley Strong, and Curt Clark welcome Top Chef season 10 finalist and season 14 winner Brooke Williamson (@chefbrookew) to hear about her experience on the show, as well as talk everything germane and German about the most recent episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali * Tanya Holland * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5, ELIMINATED Ep. 6)

Mike Bloom , Haley Strong, and Curt Clark chill out and pull out their mics around the campfire to talk about this week’s episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm * Tu David Phu (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali * Tanya Holland * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2, RETURNED Ep. 5) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee (Lee Anne Wong – RETURNED Ep. 5)

It’s time to unpack your knives and stay, Colorado-style! The Top Chef Judges Roundtable is back at Reality TV RHAP-Ups! Hosts Mike Bloom, Curt Clark, and Haley Strong cover each episode of the Top Chef season, giving their takes on all dishes delicious and disgusting. Join the head, heart and guts of the Roundtable as they discuss the highs and lows of Season 15, Episode 4: Little Tools, Big Challenge…and they keep track of how many times Haley burst into tears during this episode. The team starts by discussing the Quickfire, its incorporation of “Cutthroat Kitchen” elements and how inadequate they feel next to kids who can cook.  They follow-up by looking at how heritage and background play into the cheftestants’ dishes during the Elimination Challenge, while digging into their own cultural menus.  Finally, the Last Chance Kitchen twist is discussed…along with who each co-host thinks might make it back into the competition. Make sure you subscribe to Reality TV RHAP-Ups and the Top Chef feed to hear from the panel weekly throughout the season!

Mike Bloom, Curt Clark, and Haley Strong try not to make their food truck innuendos as overdone as a Denver omelet as they talk about the third episode of Top Chef Colorado. TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm * Tu David Phu * Laura Cole (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali * Tanya Holland * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins (ELIMINATED Ep. 2) * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird   TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee

It’s time to unpack your knives and stay, Colorado-style! The Top Chef Judges Roundtable is back at Reality TV RHAP-Ups! Hosts Mike Bloom, Curt Clark, and Haley Strong cover each episode of the Top Chef season, giving their takes on all dishes delicious and disgusting. Episode 2 opens with our Roundtable discussing a mainstay of nearly every Top Chef season, the Mise en Place Relay.  In addition to breaking down the strategic decisions of each team, Mike, Curt and Haley discuss which of the Quickfire dishes most tempted their appetites.  Next, it’s a celebration of cheese as Haley professes her love of ricotta and Curt debates which state is truly the Dairy State.  The fate of the losing chef is discussed, both in how they fared at Judges’ Table…as well as in Last Chance Kitchen. And Mike shares his experience attending the Live Quickfire Challenge that Gail, Tom, Padma and Graham participated in on Facebook this past week. Make sure you subscribe to Reality TV RHAP-Ups and the Top Chef feed to hear from the panel weekly throughout the season!

It’s time to unpack your knives and stay, Colorado-style! The Top Chef Judges Roundtable is back at Reality TV RHAP-Ups! Hosts Mike Bloom, Curt Clark, and Haley Strong cover each episode of the Top Chef season, giving their takes on all dishes delicious and disgusting. This season of Top Chef heads out west to Colorado and pits fifteen new contestants against the trials and tribulations of the culinary world. The panel gives their thoughts on the season premiere, the new twisty Last Chance Kitchen, a panel done by the judges in New York City before the premiere, and the spinoff Top Chef Junior. Additionally, they do their traditional “winner take all” draft of the remaining chefs. Make sure you subscribe to Reality TV RHAP-Ups and the Top Chef feed to hear from the panel weekly throughout the season! TOP CHEF 15 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT: TEAM CURT * Joseph Flamm * Tu David Phu * Laura Cole * Bruce Kalman * Rogelio Garcia TEAM HALEY * Fatima Ali * Tanya Holland * Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins * Adrienne Cheatham * Carrie Baird TEAM MIKE * Christopher Scott * Tyler Anderson * Joe Sasto * Brother Luck * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee

Antonio Mazzaro (@acmazzaro), Josh Wigler (@roundhoward) Mike Bloom (@AMikeBloomType), and Curt Clark (@CurtClark) dish on the emotional Top Chef 14 finale, as well as their thoughts on the season overall and what they hope to see in the next iteration of the show. The Judges Table RHAP-Up would like to thank you all for listening all season long to our coverage! We hope to be back later this year for Top Chef 15, if not sooner. Until then, always make sure you have your pork belly properly ordered and hope you avoid any word jams! LINKS FROM THE SHOW: Vulture interview with Brooke and Shirley Pre-finale live Quickfire Challenge from the Top Chef Facebook page Padma, Tom, Brooke, and Shirley on “Watch What Happens Live” TOP CHEF 14 JUDGES TABLE DRAFT:   TEAM MIKE * Brooke Williamson (ELIMINATED Ep. 11) * Sheldon Simeon (ELIMINATED Ep. 13) * John Tesar (ELIMINATED Ep. 12) * Katsuji Tanabe (ELIMINATED Ep. 8) TEAM JOSH * Jim Smith (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Silvia Barban (ELIMINATED Ep. 5) * BJ Smith (ELIMINATED Ep. 4) * Casey Thompson (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) TEAM ANTONIO * Shirley Chung (RUNNER-UP) * Sylva Senat (ELIMINATED Ep. 10) * Jamie Lynch (ELIMINATED Ep. 7) * Annie Pettry (ELIMINATED Ep. 2) TEAM CURT – WINNER! * Sam Talbot (ELIMINATED Ep. 3) * Last Chance Kitchen Returnee – Brooke Williamson (WINNER!) * Amanda Baumgarten (ELIMINATED Ep. 6) * Emily Hahn (ELIMINATED Ep. 9)