House of Knives

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.

So in my opinion , anything artistic weather it be photography, painting, cooking ...etc should be anonymous judging, meaning the judges do not know who cook what, so you you have to judge the food not the cook and be persuaded by personal bias. That's why i love watching Tournament of Champions or Triple Threat. This is neat twist in cooking but the Judging is Joke. No disrespect to the judging I'm talking about the judging format. They probably already have their winner picked out.

We all love watching our favorites cook I just think to be a fair format the judges should never know who cooked what especially if its something that produces a finish product. They didnt say they were being judge on watching them cook, from the judging it looks like they just want to make sure the food meets the challenge and the test. Theres not even a score card to average the scores like they do on Guys Grocery Games. Just my opinion, I think it be more interesting if it was a blind taste test and the judges never know who cooked what. Go TOC.

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.

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.

Another reviewer complained that many of the competing chefs were little known. I think that's wrong, although talented chefs not frequently seen on television are a real positive. The episode I am watching now (S1 E3) features Ann Burrell, Shirley Chung, Jonathan Sawyer. Hardly unknown. Chefs Claudette Zepeda, Hign Tesar, and Martel Stone are impressive. Other chefs are skilled and not out of place.

Marcus Samuelsson and Judy Joo are very successful in their culinary careers and both are capable and fair judges here.

Host Scott Conant may be more conventional than the spiked hair, jewelry draped Guy that dominates food shows on TV, but Conant is knowledgeable, respectful, articulate, and authentic.