‘Top Chef: New Orleans’ preview: The uncomfortable pig situation

We should start this “Top Chef: New Orleans” article with a warning: If you don’t like the idea of watching a clip all about a dead animal, then stop reading now. We don’t imagine you watching a show about cooking meat if you have an ethical problem with it, but since this is a little bit more extreme than most challenges, it’s an appropriate warning.

As a matter of fact, we’re a little grossed out watching this promo below for Wednesday night’s episode … and we say that as a person who has eaten their fair share of bacon over the years. The task seems to be in some ways all about the chefs trying to break down a whole hog and then do something with its parts, but there’s something just so cringe-worthy about watching the butchering process. While the pig’s already dead, you do see someone snap off its head. It’s pretty graphic from that standpoint, especially for those of you carnivores out there who like to not imagine something like this whenever you are picking up porkchops to make for dinner.

We wish that the preview gave us a little more insight when it came to the actual cooking and creativity, as well. Instead, we have what is literally a debate over whether or not there are too many cooks in the kitchen. You do not need a massive army of people in order to butcher a hog successfully, but this is what the chefs are being forced to deal with, anyway. We expected this to be chaos from the moment that we first heard about it, and from that standpoint alone, it did not disappoint. But when it comes to the actual point of the show, it’s a letdown. Hopefully the show itself gives us a little something more entertaining to sink or teeth into.

If you click here, you can prepare for this episode more by watching some sneak peeks as well as recent episodes of the “Last Chance Kitchen” web series.

Photo: Bravo