I consider myself a "foodie," and love to cook. Top Chef has taught me a ton! But, I often wonder if the judges are a little "over the top" about certain things.

Acid - I never realized how important acid was in cooking. I've learned a lot about balancing a dish and cutting through richness with acid.

Rice - I seriously cannot remember EVER having "bad" rice. Yet, it sends home more chefs than any other ingredient. I understand overcooked and under cooked. But, what killed me was the season 20 rice challenge when Victiore put her rice in a bowl and molded it into the shape of a ball. The judges complained that this "breaks the rice." Call me crazy, but if it's properly cooked, breaking it isn't going to change the taste or texture. Close your eyes and you won't even know. I just don't get it.

Sweet - It seems like the judges are always complaining about things being too sweet - even desserts. I would just like to try some of these desserts to see if they are actually really sweet, or if the judges just don't like anything sweet.

Scrambled Eggs - (This was from another cooking show, but I'm compelled to share anyway.) I never really cared for them. The texture was "icky" to me. Then, I learned that my family was hammering them. Once I learned to cook them properly, I discovered I love them!