Top Chef Masters: Season 1

While the quality isn't the greatest, as they didn't have HD back then, season 1 is one of the best seasons of Top Chef Masters (I'd probably go 1,5,2,3,4). I kind of wish they had markings to skip the intro each episode but I can live with that.

I decided to watch this after becoming interested in Rick Bayless's work and having already been a big Top Chef fan. This series did not disappoint. It was really wonderful to see so many great chefs competing with the utmost respect for each other and for such great charitable causes. There was no need for the standard drama, the mutual respect was much more enjoyable. I also disagree with a previous comment and think that Kelly Choi was a wonderful and elegant hostess. I also liked the judges very much. Definitely worth the watch even all these years later.

I'm addicted to Top Chef... And I'm a fan of Chef Hubert Keller. So, Top Chef Masters is like a dream come true. All the Chefs that participate are usually the judges or part of the challenges in the regular show, which makes the experience double exciting, especially with some quite neurotic Chefs, some rare species that are incredibly humble and gifted at the same time and some worthy chefs that they themselves accept don't have much experience. The challenges are very interesting and difficult because, as they say, in most of them the chefs alone prepare everything without their sous-chefs and other cooks. The only two things I should like to change are that the show should be longer and we are need more desserts. One awesome plus is that at the end, there’s a special feature in which you get plenty of the recipes you see on the show with directions and ingredients, prepared entirely by 2-3 Chefs almost in real time for beginners with ADD, just like me.

The only reason I have not rated this at 5 stars is that the host (I guess that's what she's called), Kelly Choi, is just decorative eye candy. She knows zilch about cooking, is not a chef, appears to me she is just reading through her lines but with no real understanding of the cooking issues. That said, the chefs on this series are truly inspiring to watch ... in particular the last episode before the final, when the chefs had to choose mystery baskets for another competing chef and all were very focused on picking ingredients they knew the other chef would do well. So much support for each other ... it was grand. Not sure if there is a Season 2, but if Kelly Choi is still in charge, will not purchase and watch it.

Being Top Chef fans we were excited to see this show and we weren't disappointed. It may not have the tension of top chef but that's because these chefs are so good they don't need to prove anything. They truly want to make the best food possible for the people who are going to eat it. We enjoyed the show being about the food and not so much about the personalities.We enjoyed the mutual respect the chefs had for each other and the camaraderie they showed during the show. The challenges are difficult enough to challenge these experts. It was exciting to see how they overcame obstacles to create amazing dishes. The judging is critical, honest and without favoritism. We appreciated that the diners' scores were included, and not simply considered, in tabulating the overall score.This show is great and we are looking forward to watching the remaining episodes.

I like OG series better. This rendition of the show is just kind of low energy and not as exciting to watch. Wish i was able to rent it instead of buy. Wasn’t as good as I’d hoped for.

This was an awful purchase and I would not recommend anyone use the vendor named Clicknship who sold me the DVD. It was advertised as a complete season but what I got was a single CD with a single episode 3 only and some bonus clips nothing else. it was really disappointing, I felt totally taken advantage of and ripped off.

First of all I am a 'foodie' this does not mean I am a great cook or chef. Enjoy watching Food Network and Bravo's Top Chef . The competition between the Top Chefs Masters is entirely different than that of the Top Chefs. It appears that the Masters - or professionals - hold each other in higher regard and would not be subversive to win the competition. I cannot wait until Season 2 is released on DVD. We are such fanatics - we have kept weekly scorecards with winners and those who have been eliminated and it is shared among our group.Also, for Christmas gifts I have received the Quickfire Cookbook and a Top Chef coat.

No surprises. As expected.