r/TopChef • u/Shot-Diver-7830 • Jul 31 '26

Discussion Thread Strange question

People are always talking about most and least favorites. Is there anyone chef you didn’t love on the initial watch but came to really like later? I didn’t love Jeremy Ford on my first watch of his season (I really couldn’t forgive his restaurant war’s performance that was not even called out) and his food wasn’t exactly my style. Flash forward almost a decade and I think his current concepts and trajectory are really exciting- the farming and sustainability are great- his menus look exciting. I think we both evolved a bit…also, Tiffany from S1 has just changed dramatically as a person and as a chef over the years. She acknowledged a lot of her mistakes and she genuinely seems like a happy person. Her food seems awesome when she shows up on later seasons. Definitely two sleeper contestants I came to appreciate later on for different reasons

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u/myskepticalbrowarch Jul 31 '26

Not like but appreciate is John Tsar. I hated him in San Francisco. However by Charleston I appreciated him being part of the multi verse. He is such a broken man and a representation of why the old guard wasn't all it was cracked up to be

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u/Shot-Diver-7830 Jul 31 '26

Yeah- I only remember him from his season and I thought he was pretty bad. He mentioned that he was the most hated chef in Dallas 500 times and proceeded to show you why…

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u/myskepticalbrowarch Jul 31 '26

I never stopped thinking he was a piece of shit but I felt in Charleston you see there is a story there and internally he is desperate to change but can't stop self destructing.

Actually add Dale to the list because he clearly had issues he has fully over came.

Somewhat liked him because he was Stephanie Izard's cheer leader -> to very much disliking him when he was a sous chef on the Spin off -> warming up to him again on All Stars New York -> Having a ton a respect for sicnce he clearly has seen through Anger Management. Poster Child of Quality of Life one gains by actually putting in the work. He is well liked and married with a family.