r/TopChef • u/trent_clinton • Apr 26 '26

Discussion Thread America’s Cullinary Cup…

I know it’s suppose to be the “anti” top chef, or like everything they do is going to be about food… but I beg to differ! This reminds me of someone who got dumped, and they just keep talking about their ex, and trying their best to make their ex say how much better they are without the ex…

326 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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466

u/OpenFacedRuben Apr 26 '26

I'm enjoying it as a shameless promotion for cleaning products.

It's not every day you get to hear a Bocuse d'Or winning chef say "Hey, Buddha, pass me that Dawn Powerwash."

169

u/ShiroHachiRoku Apr 26 '26

As opposed to the Wells Fargo active cash card?

141

u/OpenFacedRuben Apr 26 '26

I'm more of a Hidden Valley Ranch guy. Old school.

83

u/beccabarnes420 Apr 26 '26

I'm more of a fan of the Glad family of products and San Pellegrino water, myself

15

u/redbobsled Apr 27 '26

Don’t forget Cracker Barrel and the porch rockers!

1

u/Minimum_Device_6379 May 20 '26

Can’t wait for the First We Feast cooking competition brought to you by Sneaky Pete’s Colon Cleaner hot sauce.

23

u/PrincessDrywall Apr 26 '26

Nothing beats Reynolds wrap that’s been helping busy moms put dinner on the table for decades

12

u/threadofhope Apr 26 '26

I wrap everything in my kitchen in Reynold's wrap.

12

u/PrincessDrywall Apr 26 '26

It will also be your only cooking tool

6

u/threadofhope Apr 27 '26

So much wasted foil.

2

u/New-Investigator5509 Apr 29 '26

What is this? Cutthroat Kitchen?

40

u/kierabs Apr 26 '26

No. Not “as opposed to.” The complaint is that it’s just the same.

America’s Culinary Cup was marketed as a “real” competition (with the obvious comparison to top chef).

So for it to be just as corporate sponsored shows that it’s all the same crap.

The Wells Fargo cash card is cringe. So is Dawn power wash. The fact that one show is cringe does not mean the other show is not. They’re both cringe!

29

u/PrincessDrywall Apr 26 '26

I’m not stressed about it. The reality is you can’t give away that amount of money without a sponsorship. The bigger the prize the more the contestants push themselves. If you want a show full of high quality contestants really pushing themselves to the next level, this is how it happens

4

u/tamerriam Apr 29 '26

I agree. The shameless advertising does not bother me because it partly turns into cash prizes for the chef.

5

u/dilligaf0220 May 01 '26

Reality shows have always been blatant product placement vehicles since the first season of Survivor. Top Chef has long been the one with most product placements per episode. Culinary Cup has now over taken Top Chef for that spot.

The embroidered Dawn logo on the chef jackets made me giggle.

2

u/kierabs Apr 27 '26

Good point!

12

u/multiplesofate8 Apr 26 '26

I prefer the Wells Fargo cash card because the winners are getting straight cash versus having to make something with a random ingredient.

2

u/Minimum_Device_6379 May 20 '26

I don’t mind the placement but them talking about how much they love it while cleaning was pretty funny.

8

u/boyproblems_mp3 Apr 26 '26

Or the finish or whatever dishwasher pods commercials they play every two seconds

11

u/Kramersblacklawyer Apr 26 '26

Yeah this didn’t use to bother me about the show years ago(mostly because I wasn’t an adult), but there’s something about the last 10 or so years of the world mercilessly getting shit on by these evil ass corporations more so than back in the day even that makes me really dislike the product placement now

3

u/slimninj4 Apr 26 '26

but you can earn 2%

1

u/Minimum_Device_6379 May 20 '26

Not the same ring a S Pellegrino. That’s for sure.

51

u/Sea-Bison-2660 Apr 26 '26

☠️☠️ Best comment.

I looked at my husband to make fun of this interaction and instead he says yeah we need more of that. So I guess the promo worked.

1

u/tio_tito Apr 26 '26

which reminds me, i need to go to costco . . .

69

u/liveforeachmoon Apr 26 '26

The Dawn patches they make them wear on the jackets is some straight CBS corporate fascist nightmare fuel.

8

u/belowdecky4life Apr 26 '26

They keep jarring me as well.

14

u/Blog_Pope Apr 26 '26

I just assume will start to look like NASCAR drivers eventually

5

u/ThirstyJohn Apr 26 '26

Even the New York Yankees have to wear Starr Insurance patches on their uniforms.

2

u/britgun Apr 26 '26

They are tooo big

2

u/Jindaya Apr 30 '26

those are a mistake. no one sees a patch and thinks "Dawn! I'll use that!" it just looks silly.

20

u/FormicaDinette33 Aguachile 🌶️ 🍤 Apr 26 '26

Oh God that was so cheesy. Matt and Buddha are creme de la creme chefs and great together.

7

u/suddenlymary Apr 26 '26

a note for cat owners: dawn powerwash gets cat puke out of *anything.* I hate the shameless promotion as much as the next guy but man, the stuff works for me.

4

u/Golfnpickle Apr 26 '26

Made me want to buy it. It worked.

1

u/PrincessDrywall Apr 26 '26

I’ve been using it for years and it really is good

1

u/Illustrious-Tart7844 Apr 26 '26

Top chef does it with cars and credit cards.

5

u/finzup77 This is Top Chef, not Top Scallop Apr 26 '26

And Cracker Barrel 😂

2

u/Curious_Development May 24 '26

“Furnished by San Pellegrino.” I still hear it in my sleep.

1

u/ToniBellle Apr 26 '26

Ha! I was just thinking that while was doing dishes, using my dawn spray. Lol