wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] john from chelsea December 16, 2008 - 01:14PM

  If this recession brings down commercial rents (as it should) it may be the best thing that has happened to NY restaurants in the last 5 years. The cost of a decent location had become prohibitive.

  
  
• [2] aulaire from valley cottage, NY December 16, 2008 - 01:14PM

  Having worked as a restaurant pastry chef in the past, I watch Top Chef and the other shows on this topic with glee and the occasional belly laugh. It's a brutal business! If you're ready to deal with tremendous pressure, personality disorders, and scrubbing down hot stoves with wire brushes at midnight, it's a perfect career choice.

  
  
• [3] Barbara Hanson from Manhattan December 16, 2008 - 01:17PM

  I was horrified to hear the cavalier comment that only "the strong and the best" will survive. That is precisely what is wrong...the attitude toward mom-and-pops and neighborhood joints. East Village just lost Five Roses, a wonderful old pizzeria, due to a massive rent increase. It was located, ironically, next door to Momofuko Ko. I'd take a good pizzeria over pretentious nonsense any time, but apparently I'm not going to have that choice for much longer.

  
  
• [4] Brett Carneiro from New York, NY December 16, 2008 - 01:23PM

  Chef Colicchio - I would love to apprentice in one of your NYC kitchens, have any room for an aspiring cook who doesn't have enough money for the FCI?

  
  
• [5] db from nyc December 16, 2008 - 01:25PM

  ... you have to be fresh out of your 1M finance job to be able to afford to work in the restaurant industry!!! Let's hope you saved last year's super-bonus!

  Can you really afford to transition to a $9 an hour job, mid-career?

  Why don't we talk about the reality of racking-up a huge student loan debt in the thousands and end-up working at minimum wage for years.

  The food industry is not unlike the sports industry; one in a million get a frying pan endorsement.

  
  
• [6] Paula from Brooklyn December 16, 2008 - 01:25PM

  will Top Chef ever give a chance to experienced older chef's , they have dreams too, I personally worked in the industry for oiver 20 years.

  Why not give the chef's in there 40' and 50's a chance to win the money.

  
  
• [7] Jennifer K. from New York City December 16, 2008 - 01:26PM

  I worked at Craft for 2 years (2005-07), and worked at two other 3 star restaurants; I was ALWAYS treated fairly and generously.

  Thank you Craft for a rich experience.

  Jennifer.

  
  
• [8] Arthur Hainline from New Hyde Park December 16, 2008 - 01:26PM

  My wife and I love top chef. She is in medical school and I always tell her that when she finishes her residency, I am going to retire and train to be a chef. I cook much more and much more adventurously at home for my wife and for guests because of the show.

  
  
• [9] john from East Village December 16, 2008 - 01:31PM

  Momofuku the hottest restaurant? Maybe for the new transplanted suburbanites.

  
  
• [10] Larry Love December 16, 2008 - 01:32PM

  The ads for Top Chef scare the bejezzus out of me, nevermind the show! But Tom's book 'Think like a Chef' has been a great source for me.

  
  
• [11] Bob from New Jersey December 16, 2008 - 02:49PM

  Please!!!! My brother has been a chef for about 22 years. He graduated from the CIA and went to Europe for further training. He told me that Restaurant business is in a real slump these days. He just hopes that his job will survive.

  
  
• [12] B. C. from Manhattan December 16, 2008 - 07:41PM

  Just reading Frank Brunis article in the Times would contradict these two tooting their horns. Dorothy is annoying

  
  
• [13] Martin Parker from Montclair, NJ December 17, 2008 - 02:12PM

  On yesterdays show Mr. Colicchio mentioned a charity that looking to serve meals to children. Could you please send me the web site for this charity.

  Thanks.