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The takes varied greatly based on what was being shot. For instance, there's just one take for each quickfire. The chefs really only get the set time to cook. There are no do-overs. But Padma might have a couple takes to explain the challenge and to count down the remaining minutes. At one quickfire I saw, she walked back into the kitchen after all the contestants had left to do "pick-ups," where she said "Five minutes, chefs, five minutes" a couple times. It was kind of funny to watch her talk to an empty room.

I think the biggest difference between watching the production and the final episodes is all the down time. On TV, it looks like the chefs have just seconds to decide what dish they're going to make, but they really have a few minutes to debrief on the challenge before starting it. They also have to wait in a "stew room" before and after receiving quickfire challenges. It really is an all-day effort.

From an email for the first dining experience I attended: "We cannot accommodate food allergies or dietary restrictions." Basically, if you can't eat it, you're out of luck. And if you don't like it, well, hopefully you'll get to say what you dislike on national TV.

I only got to personally eat at one restaurant, Thistle. But I think I agree with the judges' pick. Third Coast seemed like an absolute mess, and Thistle had a lot of inconsistencies. My table ordered two of each dish, and one of our appetizers came out without its sauce. Our two short ribs were cooked completely differently. And the puree on the scallop dish was, as the judges said, sickeningly sweet. So I see why Pablo was sent home. Also, my god, anyone who spends all night creating a server manual needs to be rewarded, so I was glad to see Brian win.

I *believe* they were employed by the catering company that hosted the challenge. Which means they probably didn't have the same experience with a table system that a restaurant server would have.

I didn't really get a good look at the finished plates, so I can't throw out a percent. But a crew member did tell one of my co-workers who attended a challenge that Padma gains a few pounds each season. I'd say they're eating quite a bit of the food.