...at the Food Network! Did you guys check out the "Daredevil Pastry Chef" competition tonight. How ludicris was that obstacle course at the end of the competition? I felt so badly for those poor guys (did you notice by the way, that they were ALL guys?). I mean, you now have to be able to lift a 100 lb. sculpture up and down stairs to show your talent? How discriminating and insulting! I am sending a letter to the network in hopes of never having to suffer through such a show again.
I'm laughing because you should have BEEN there!! I was and I tell ya, the gasps from the crowd were loud. 
( including mine) It hasn't come on yet tonight here but I will be watching. It was truely awesome to see this live.
They told us the reason they wanted to make an obstacle course was simply because if someone did order a sculpture, the decorater would have to make it and transport it from their kitchen to the vechicle, to the event location etc. Up and down stairs, through door ways, around tables or whatever. So it was mainly to show what it would really take and what the decorators go through. Those sculptures have to get to the client so this was Food Networks way of showing what happens.
They also told us that if you have to ask the price for something like that, you can't afford it. 
KimAZ
KimAZ...I can't even imagine what it felt like to actually witness this event. I almost had an anxiety attack from my living room. But, c'mon...you have to admit that the course is a little bit farfetched! First of all, a piece like those would never make it in a vehicle. One bump would send the whole darn thing crashing. They are usually set up right in the hotel that they are made in or transported in pieces wherever the event is held and put together upon arrival.
And besides, if they are getting paid an obscene amount of money to make it, then I am sure they can afford to pay someone to help them move it. My point was that all the contestants were pretty strong looking men. What if it was a petite woman (or man) competing? It totally eliminated them from competing! That is very insulting to me, especially in a field like this that one would think is easy for all to enjoy.
I just know I loved the work and absolutely hated the last 15 minutes.
how many times can you sit throught the "sme" show everytime they have a cake challenge on? it's pretty monotinous, always the same thing, watch for and hour, and by the end, you know who's gonna win. I haven't seen this show yet and may not, but I like the idea of changing things up, if we're gonna have to sit through "challenge after challenge".
There's a good reason it's named "daredevil" challenge. Moving a cake or whatever ind of sugar sculpture 6 feet to a table is more un-realistic than an obsticle course is.
Let me ask this, would people raise a stink it if was all women participating? there's not much fuss around here when people come in and say, "ladies" let me have your opinion on this or that, when there's plenty of guys here too.
I was really annoyed with the show also. I hated the end, obstacle course! What the heck, I know I wouldn't commission to build something that I wasn't sure would make it to its destination. I am very confused that this sugar stuff that they made is considered pastry? I am very new to this foodie stuff and have been really enjoying most of what the food network is airing. I even liked the chicken challenge.
Didn't see the show but the network's rationale is right on. If anyone has entered a contest, you know how the logistics work and how nerve-wracking and sometimes devastating the trek can be. Not every venue has a rolling cart available for use, so many times it must be carried.
And, the suspense makes for great TV!!
Let me ask this, would people raise a stink it if was all women participating? there's not much fuss around here when people come in and say, "ladies" let me have your opinion on this or that, when there's plenty of guys here too.
Personally, I don't think I have ever used the term "ladies" here unless I knew I was addressing women.
The point is that there was minimal (at best) chance of a woman competing in this because of physical issues. In my book, that is discrimination. I just don't see what an artistic talent has to do with the size of your forearms.
I'm in agreement with KimAZ, if you are going to even attempt to make something of that size, it has to hold up and be structurally (sp) sound and balanced out exactly right to take some movements.
I enjoy most of the challenges they air and look forward to more!
my point is/was that it's done without thinking by some people, about the 'ladies..." comment.
What no one here probably knows, is how they went about picking the contestants. Maybe it was told to anyone who was contacted, that this would happen, and no women wanted to participate, we may never know.
Would it have been more realistic to have them transport up and down stairs, a ramp etc, to a car or van in a parking lot? or X amount of feet away from the table? Sure it would.
Cakeman:
I agree, I have seen enough of the challenges already. In fact, around the holidays, many of those shows are repeats from the year before.
But, these shows will go on, since there are always new people interested in the concept.
Carilyn:
If you bought a wedding cake, you already unknowingly commmissioned something that might not get there intact!! 
I have been witness to several wedding cake mishaps. Luckily, cake tables are usually in a corner, so, mistakes can often be concealed! 
What no one here probably knows, is how they went about picking the contestants. Maybe it was told to anyone who was contacted, that this would happen, and no women wanted to participate, we may never know.
I agree, I'm sure they were told ahead of time. But why does that make it ok? Should we tell the Olympic weightlifting team that they will be judged on how much they lifted and what their cakes tasted like? My opinion is that one should have nothing to do with the other. Transporting, in reality, is nothing like what they showed on tv tonite. The artist (chef) has help and, like I said earlier, can always (and usually does) assemble the finished piece upon arrival.
It's the Food Network's show, of course it's ok. Especially as, IF as I said, no women wanted to participate. Look at the world of Chef's, you don't see many women head chef's, pastry or otherwise. Is this right or wrong? not for me to decide. I can't remember seeing a challenge yet that was totally realistic. As you say, most people finish the product after arrival, they dont' do this, after the products are transferred to the tables, after they hit the tables, they aren't allowed to touch them again, to add anything to them. So where is reality? It's blurred.
Food Network or the sponsers put up the money for these contests, not me. So I can't say, what happened to XXXXX? She's a great pastry chef! She should have been included. When we have our own networks, then I suppose we can include or exclude who we want.
there's not much fuss around here when people come in and say, "ladies" let me have your opinion on this or that, when there's plenty of guys here too.
Guilty as charged kiddo, I have done this before or mistakenly referred to someone as "she" when it was "he". And yes, the gentlemen on the site have taken it all in good stride along with the occasional episode of "male bashing" that was done in jest.
But you know, sometimes it would be really nice if we used a symbol that denoted whether the poster was male or female. Now you would think that using "man" in your site name would be obvious, but some ladies use it too. And some names can be either men or women, so it does get difficult to distinguish.
Hugs Squirrelly
SC...I usually refer to everyone as "hey guys"...sorry if offended any women on this site.
My stand remains that how the show was directed is as ridiculous as if they had each chef swim a lap or two at the end of the competition. Whether or not the Food Network "owns" the show, they didn't think it through.
They should concentrate more on showing how things are done. If we want obstacle courses, we could watch Survivor. On the other hand, I guess nobody is forcing me to watch, right? I think I'll go bake a cake......
(and then run up an down my front porch with it a few times.)
If you want high-brow tv, FN competitions are not something you should watch. FN competitions are entertainment. The free advertising for the cake decorators well worth any stunts FN puts them though.
I remember watching one of the holiday shows and wondering who would want a giant-scary as heck-santa head cake, but I kept watching b/c the show was entertaining.
It's not even entertainment so much anymore--as someone else already pointed out, it's the same old, same old with these "competitive" food challenges. You've seen one, you've seen them all.
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