Todd English Slums With Jeffrey Chodorow

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Wonder no more why Todd English might join Ming Tsai in criticizing Rocco DiSpirito's canceled NBC Reality TV show The Restaurant months after the show was forced off the air. First, here's what they said, as quoted by the Associated Press: Ming: A lot of chefs were a little bit miffed because it really portrayed the restaurant business as a negative place to be, which it's not, I mean, the buzz that we get as chefs is like the sports high when you run a marathon. Todd: It was an attack on our business in a way that I think ... took it down the wrong path. For some reason, they thought that it would be good TV. I think most people saw through it, and that's why it's not on anymore. (Both Tsai and English appear with author Michael Ruhlman on the PBS show Cooking Under Fire.) Nicely said -- except that Todd was just reported in The Boston Globe as claiming that he will be opening a new restaurant in New York called "English's Italian" -- teaming with Jeffrey Chodorow. Yes, Todd and Jeff plan to open a 280 place seat at 40th and 3rd, modeled on osterias ("Italian" now, not Tuscan for instance), serving "Italian" food like antipastis, pasta and meat courses, and mozzarella. Hello! Is there a conflict of interest here? Maybe Todd did indeed flipflop during the elections: now that Bush has won, is Todd adopting famous Bush/Rove Media tactics of ad hominem attacks? Nasty business, that. Besides, given the major dive Todd took in 2002 (with his partner, a financier, and his then-wife all filing lawsuits against him, while his flagship was closed twice for health violations -- this and more chronicled in Super Chef), is he really one to talk? Or will we see Rocco respond (don't do it, Rocco!) and wind up with a Swift Boat debate over which of the two did himself the worst damage during his own personal annus horribilis? It's bad enough that other chefs badmouth Rocco. Todd, leave the past alone, or do you really want to dreg up your own history? Let critics cast stones, and you just keep moving on. Cool? Previous articles: Todd English: Trip Over Table? Gordon Ramsay Joins Richard Branson in Fox's Reality TV Hell Rocco DiSpirito Wins TV Turkey Dinner Rocco DiSpirito: Ridiculed in the Rainbow Room More Reality TV Chefs (Or Less)?? Todd English Flipflops Between Bush and Kerry? Real TV Cooking? Kitchen Confidential a la Sex and the City Super Chef vs. Governator: Todd English Fights For Foie Gras Rights Rocco DiSpirito: Be Warned By Me! Iron Chef: America vs USA Todd English: American Chef Gone Wild Rocco Barred from Reality TV Restaurant Rocco: Trapped in Reality TV's Twilight Zone?