Mildly Preferable to Hunger

Merlin, Max, and Alex conclude their run of Top Scallops by eating some gross food and breaking down why reality TV often does not meet our expectations. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes 'Top Chef' secrets revealed: From the judges' mouths to your ears The Top Chef: Seattle Finale Was Ruined by Meddlesome Magical Elves Pulling Back the Curtain on Top Chef The lowdown on the making of 'Top Chef' Reality Bites: How Top Chef Contestants Stay Undercover Top Chef: What It's Like to Be a Diner at the Taping 18 Things You Learn While Attending the ‘Top Chef’ Finale How 'Top Chef' Cooks Up Fresh Integrations Bravo's 'Top Chef Masters' Sprinkled With More Upscale Sponsors Top Chef Seattle Finale Recap: David Rees on Chicken Butts and Washed Scallops 'Top Chef: New Orleans:' A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the season premiere Reality TV Contract How Reality TV Works 5 Horrible Provisions You Might Find In A Reality Show Contract La Mancha Screw Job Don Quixote Salesman In Pod-Based Community Living, Rent Is Cheap, But Sex Is Banned Adventure Cats As You Know, Bob Citizens of Pawnee Montage Friendshipping Vinyl Battleship Trailer Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Merlin, Max, and Alex respond to some constructive listener feedback before recapping the finale of Top Chef. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes Watch Ep 15: Finale | Top Chef Behind the Scenes of the Top Chef Finale | Top Chef Photos Ep 37 – “Stay True to Your Art”: How Max Temkin Raised $10 Million on Kickstarter with NO Paid Advertising, Rejecting “Marketing Tricks”, and Ignoring “Guru Advice” (Like Mine!) | Entrepreneur: Uncut Top Chef season 13 finale recap: The winner is... | EW.com ‘Top Chef’ Season 13 Finale: And the Winner Is... - Eater ‘Top Chef’ Finale Controversy: Did The Wrong Guy Win? Conversation Parade: An Adventure Time Podcast | Podcast | Infinite Guest Podcast Network George Takei Impersonates Donald Trump '2+2' Answer Trump Solo - The New Yorker Top Chef Season 13 Cheftestants: Where Are They Now? | Top Chef Blog Entrepreneur Uncut Ep 37 – “Stay True to Your Art”: How Max Temkin Raised $10 Million on Kickstarter with NO Paid Advertising, Rejecting “Marketing Tricks”, and Ignoring “Guru Advice” John Gruber & Merlin Mann at SxSW 2009 Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Max visits Merlin in his office to talk about structure and change, the downfall of TV, and "magic" shows. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes Watch Ep 14: Magic Hour | Top Chef Episode 14: Magic Hour | Top Chef Photos Top Chef recap: Magic Hour | EW.com Top Chef Pre-Finale Recap: It’s Magic! -- Grub Street 15 Delicious Facts About ‘Top Chef’ | Mental Floss David Copperfield (illusionist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia DAVID COPPERFIELD 2016 MEET & GREET Duck's Quacks Don't Echo? : snopes.com How to Replace AT&T; Voice Mail With Google Voice | The Classroom | Synonym Bill Hader Reveals All the Things Seth Taught Him at SNL - Late Night with Seth Meyers - YouTube Watch Episode 12: Give Me Your Huddled Masses | Top Chef Watch Top Chef Online - Give Me Your Huddled Masses | Hulu Henry Birdseye (@tehawesome) | Twitter Dan Harmon, Community 'West Wing' Uncensored: Aaron Sorkin, Rob Lowe, More Look Back on Early Fears, Long Hours, Contract Battles and the Real Reason for Those Departures The Great British Baking Show Master Chef Junior The Leftovers The 100 Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Max and Merlin talk about politics and do some soul searching. And then what happens? Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes Watch Ep 13: Where it all Started | Top Chef Episode 13: Where It All Started | Top Chef Photos Bravo Top Chefs Held Final Dinner at Fleur de Lys, Made 'Artisanal Toast' - Eater SF ‘Top Chef’ Season 13 Episode 13: Quickfire, Sudden Death, and the Final Three - Eater Top Chef Recap: It’s Not Long; It’s ‘Supersized’ -- Grub Street Top Chef recap: Back Where It All Started | EW.com Mana Goy Vox on Trump and the rise of American Authoritarianism Toasties Recipes and Ideas for New Zealanders | Kiwi Faves Padma on Weekend Edition Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Merlin, Max, and Alex argue about the Oscars and eventually get around to Top Chef. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes Watch Ep 12: Wok This Way | Top Chef Episode 12: Wok This Way | Top Chef Photos Richard: The Classiest Moment in Top Chef History | Top Chef Blog Top Chef Recap: Frozen Waffles and Lobster Chop Suey -- Grub Street Top Chef recap: Wok This Way | EW.com Top Chef Recap: Wok This Way | The Braiser Amar Santana Keeps Bringing It Top Chef: California | OC Weekly San Francisco | M.Y.China List of fictional bears - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Giant Pool of Money | This American Life Alex Gibney - IMDb Pio of Pietrelcina - Wikipedia, the free tencyclopedia -Double-elimination tournament - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! For Feb. 27, 2016 : Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! : NPR Roderick on the Line: The Pan Man Bane Outtakes Tina Belcher Groan Oscars : Behind the Scenes in the TV truck Flip camera founder's next act: cheeseburgers? Lin-Manuel Miranda on 60 Minutes Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Merlin and Max bravely take on the tough issues, and Alex doesn't cut anything out. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes: Watch Ep 11: Hammer Time | Top Chef Episode 11: Hammer Time | Top Chef Photos Gail Simmons: I'm Re-in Love with MC Hammer | Top Chef Blog Jonathan Waxman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Chez Panisse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ‘Top Chef’ Season 13 Episode 11: Hammer Time - Eater Top Chef recap: Hammer Time | EW.com MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This - YouTube MC Hammer - 2 Legit 2 Quit - YouTube Main Library :: San Francisco Public Library San Francisco Public Library - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar | Home Jobbo | You Look Nice Today Five hip-hop pseudonyms I’ve considered for myself | 5ives Ender's Game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Poo Sphere 2000 Fear No Fruit Road Work 3 Hamilton Performance at the Grammy's Merlin Mann - “Sick of You” (ca. 1992) Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Merlin and Alex discuss Top Chef's mythic qualities, secrecy around rules of the show, and their cats. Max is away at Hot Dog University. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes: Watch Ep 10: Restaurant Wars, Part 2 | Top Chef Top Chef Recap: Champagne Salads and Strawberry Dreams -- Grub Street Top Chef recap: Restaurant Wars, Part 2 | EW.com ‘Top Chef’ Season 13 Episode 10: Restaurant Wars, Dinner Is Served - Eater Hot Dog University, Learning the Art of the Cart | Vienna Beef Feline immunodeficiency virus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Canary: A complete security system in a single device The Great British Baking Show The 10 Commandments Of Top Chef: How to Get Kicked Off Early Sweetbread - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Parks and Recreation's Amazing Craig Middlebrooks (All Scenes, Season 6) - YouTube Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Special guest Nick Kokonas of three Michelin star restaurant Alinea discusses running a kitchen, the production problems behind Top Chef, and being broth blocked. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes: Watch Ep 9: Restaurant Wars, Part 1 | Top Chef Episode 9: Restaurant Wars Part 1 | Top Chef Photos Nick Kokonas Tock Alinea The Aviary Top Chef recap: Restaurant Wars, Part 1 | EW.com Top Chef Recap: It’s Time for Restaurant Wars -- Grub Street Top Chef Season 13 Episode 9: The Return of Restaurant Wars - Eater Grant Achatz | Top Chef Blog Grant Achatz Discusses His Top Chef Stint: Gothamist Crucial Detail Martin Kastner – Crucial Detail Garde manger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Kaiseki - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Nick's Japanese Restaurant Reccomendations Hot Dog University, Learning the Art of the Cart | Vienna Beef Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music! Thanks again to Nick for stopping by the studio!

Merlin and Max discuss misperceptions of our own creative work, and Alex is still mad at Phillip. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show Notes: Watch Ep 8: Where's the Beef? | Top Chef Watch LCK Ep 7: Beef! | Last Chance Kitchen Videos soigné - Wiktionary Beefsteak Top Chef recap: Where's the Beef? | EW.com Top Chef Season 13 Episode 8: Big Reveals and Beefsteaks - Eater Top Chef Recap: Eating with Eyes and Hands - Young & Hungry Top Chef's Instagram Episode Makes It Clearer Than Ever: 'Camera Cuisine' Is Here to Stay - The Atlantic 'Top Chef' competitor Isaac Toups' on Ep. 8: 'I absolutely disagreed with the judges' | NOLA.com Simulacra and Simulation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "The World of Wrestling" by Roland Barthes Honing vs. Sharpening a Knife How to Sharpen a Knife with a Whetstone Craig on Parks and Recreation Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork, and Seth Boyer for our music!

Max and Merlin discuss what people mean when they think about inspiration, the finer side of fast food, and mandolin catastrophes. Subscribe to Top Scallops on iTunes or via RSS. Thank you to our friends at Backblaze for sponsoring the Top Scallops podcast. Show notes: Episode 7: 10th Anniversary | Top Chef Photos - Watch LCK Ep 6: Boring Ingredients, Awesome Dish | Last Chance Kitchen Videos Mr. Show: The Dewey Awards (full) including Bob Lamonta Story - YouTube Supertaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Padma’s a Super Taster Interview: Nick Offerman, Author Of 'Gumption' : NPR Not My Job: We Quiz Nick Offerman On The Finer Points Of Manhood : NPR Home - Woodworkers Collective - Los Angeles - Offerman Woodshop Hamburger University - McDonald's :: AboutMcDonalds.com Culver's New Wearable Feed Bags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less Morton Salt Building Collapse The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life: Twyla Tharp, Lauren Fortgang: 0889290308436: Amazon.com: Books Back to Work 251: Mana Goy Soy Vay Thanks to our producer Alex Cox for editing, Kevin Budnik for our show artwork and Seth Boyer for our music!