House of Knives

Loved all the chefs. The cooking itself was great. The judging was detailed. But poor Scott Conant- it seemed as though he might pop a vein at any time. The premise was just hokey. House of Knives, culinary council, a throne. Just ridiculous. I was embarrassed just watching it.

Scott is a great chef and has been a judge on Chopped for Years. He has always made insightful comments. Apparently the producers of this show wanted drama and made poor Scott practically shout when he would say things like "take the throne!"and "your house has fallen." It was just too much. I laughed so much I started crying.

I'm not sure what the Food Network was thinking. This show is just same 'ol, same 'ol. Same concept as Iron Chef, Chopped and all of the other imagination-free cooking competitions on the Food Network. Same boring hosts, judges and outcomes. The concept has been done to death with different themes/cooking sets and, by far, the stupidest. Just the fact that Anne Burrell was a competitor tells me they know they're in trouble with the series. Big surprise she won.... Rigged as usual. In the end, she totally embarrassed herself by taking such a step down. Who's next, Bobby Flay? Don't waste your time watching this predictable show.

Ive watched alot of chooking shows some are ok and some are great this one is not good. It might be the first that i really disliked from the first words uttered by the host ....issues i have with this

1. The host has absolutley no flare for hosting a competive cooking show he has no inflection when he talks he waves his hands like an idiot and looks uncomfortable doing it.

2. The premise of the show is ok i guess but its judging aspect is really stupid ...im guessing they are trying to be different but it doesnt work ....oh we do are judging in secret? And the host is one of the judges? Really dumb they all know who cooked what and although other shows have done this they usually watch how its made and give feedback while tasting...this show just seems off.

3. The constant ONE of you is going to be banished? Banished? Why why use that terminology. Eliminated is fine ...the throne for a winner? Why highest graded dish is safe why this goofy throne ...

4. The loser of the winner of the second cook can go head to head with "ruler" (stupid title) or send in someone else and whoeber wins gets to be next ruler....overly complicated on top of that after someone is "banished"( very stupid) they bring in another chef...thsi show could easily be rigged so that it plays out how they want it too.

I doubt this will get any better but ill give it another episode if that next one is just as bad ill be done watching it.

As soon as they showed the contestants and judges and because the judges knew who cooked what, we knew who the winner was.

Scott Conant is a good judge but not a good host. The overall concept, what with all the medieval motif, is corny as hell.

The Asian chef can only cook Asian food but with an Asian judge that's no problem. For the noodle challenge she makes dumplings but still wins? All her dishes reminded the Asian judge of home and her childhood. Baloney.

How about a challenge that forces her to cook something Italian or Mexican or Southern?

Rigged from the getgo because of Food Network's new obsession with Asian cooks.

Concept never gels...a handful of Chefs, some you may have heard of, most not, in a dark silly set cooking for two judges who know who made each dish. So no mystery, no tiebreaker, and easily could be pre-determined who goes and who gets to sit on a pleather "throne" as the "Ruler" until the next round of cooking. With Anne Burrell looking so uncomfortable that she's gone from a long running Food Network series Host to a contestant on this lackluster show. Dreary to watch the forced reactions of both Judges and Chefs, standing the entire episode in their wrinkled, often sweat-soaked attire, and a waste of some otherwise entertaining and watchable talent.