How I Pop Culture

Miguel Morales was given the title "Chunk La Funk" when he competed on season 1, but he wasn't given the title of "Top Chef." He certainly could cook, but a fluster of events led him to defeat. Cooking can only get you so far...if you know what I mean. If you don't, then listen in to find out!

"Top Chef and I" is a commentary analysis retrospective that takes a look at the performances of those that competed on the hit food comp...

Andrea Beaman's love of nuts, grains, and bowel movements shockingly got her to the halfway point of season 1...that is after she was brought back from the isle of elimination. Don't mistake her second run as pure luck though. She was just doing her thing when the show was trying to figure out theirs.

"Top Chef and I" is a commentary analysis retrospective that takes a look at the performances of those that competed on the hit ...

As the lone amateur of the bunch, Lisa Parks and her five-episode tenure on the first season might be considered underwhelming for some to analyze. I, however, find Lisa Parks to be a valuable asset to the show's season. In this episode, I specifically circulate around a pivotal idea she encompassed during her run that ultimately changed the course of Top Chef toward a brighter direction. Who says the average person can't make a di...

Candice Kumai was nothing more than a culinary student when she competed on the first season of Top Chef. What she has become since then is nothing less of a star.

From fighting her insecurities on the inside to fighting with a pompous sommelier on the outside, Candice's journey on Top Chef was the stepping stone to guide her life into becoming the "Golden Girl of Wellness." As I talk through said journey, I point out her radian...

Brian Hill came into the first season of Top Chef as a confidently suave chef that couldn't be bothered in toning down his food style or attention toward booty. While his tenure in the competition didn't last that long, he sworn that he gave it his all throughout. I can't be the sole decider in the accuracy of that statement because it's subjective, but I can tell you how his role as a personal chef for celebrities influenced how h...

From the first episode, Cynthia Sestito had a frantic energy that could not be ignored. Her kooky state of mind she evidently expressed outwardly throughout the show was as much of a remark to viewers watching as they were to her competitors cooking alongside her. While being kooky isn't anything abnormal for the Hampton gal, it was adjusted so direly during her time competing when she was simultaneously dealing with her father's c...

Ken Lee, notoriously known as the guy that dipped his finger in a pot of sauce among Top Chef fans, was the first contestant to ever be eliminated from the show. With a heinous attitude that was palpably felt from those nearby, he brought a level of fear that was intimating and even downright nerving...only for him to get shut down before he could ever get a good night's sleep. At least everyone else was able to sleep more peaceful...