Top Chef (Again)

I know you are probably a little tired of hearing me talk (or reading my thoughts) about Top Chef, but I wanted to announce to anyone who reads this why it's the best reality show out there.

1) The people are real. The cast does not include a "cast" in the traditional sense where it consists of a bunch of obscenely colorful characters, scripted angels and demons, and a bunch of ridiculousness.

2) I don't get the impression that anything is scripted. With a lot of reality shows you DO get that feeling, and if it isn't flat out "read what I write for you," I'm sure the producers are poking and prodding the interviewed to say the desired lines anyway.

3) There is skill. Food Network's show, the Next Food Network Star does a great job at showcasing people with little or no talent. This isn't to say they can't COOK, but there's o culinary skill there and in the rare contestant where it does exist, the whole show is pretty much a dog and pony show to get to the end so he can officially become the winner and get his own show(s). Watching the first season, there was no doubt that Guy was going to win.

Hell's Kitchen takes it one step up getting (for the most part) chefs that do this for a living, NOT mom fresh from the house's kitchen, but they might work for a retirement home, or Waffle House. The culinary skill is a bit more obvious, but it still feels very... I don't know. Amateurish.

But Top Chef consists of (again, for the most part) chefs that are either executive chefs at real restaurants or people that OWN their own restaurant. I seriously doubt that winning the show is going to blast open a ton of doors for them as they are pretty much already set up. It just seems like a good competition, not something where at the end you get a job at a fancy new restaurant owned by one of the judges.

4) There's drama, but not a ridiculous amount. Sometimes with reality shows you just get so sick of the drama that you turn it off. That never happens with Top Chef.

It's a great show and I urge anyone to watch it. I watched one episode during a lunch break once at work and was hooked.