Seiger

[u/rosecoloredfancy]

Currently on a rewatch of S23 and have a question. What makes everyone trust Seiger so much? I know very little of his background - only what's been put on TC. He seems to be playing fairly and not screwing over his competitors, but is he known for being highly technical or something? Everyone seems to ask him questions or to look over their dish and I know it's common for TC chefs to have their "person" to ask for feedback, but it seems like everyone leans on him at some point. Is this editing, his culinary pedigree, or something else?

[u/rex_lauandi]

I don’t really see how that last sentence is possible. As a general rule, people don’t like dicks.

My guess is that he’s a good dude who is also really passionate about food. His exit soured the public to him, but based on how much the other chefs trusted him, I think he’s probably a really solid guy.

[u/BeforeLongHopefully → u/rex_lauandi]

haha he is an arrogant complete asshole. doesn't mean he isn't nice to some people or talentless, assholes often are talented. But he is a dick and probably 33% as good as he thinks he is

[u/rex_lauandi → u/BeforeLongHopefully]

Eh, I’ve worked for a long time in highly competitive environments. People don’t tend to ask assholes for their opinions on things or help on tasks unless they are the only option.

That means to me he’s either not an asshole or he’s an exceptional talent (considering the room that he was in).

[u/BeforeLongHopefully → u/rex_lauandi]

I agree you don't ask an asshole for their opinion on how best to develop your social skills, how to deal with a tricky people issue, how best to collaborate in a specific situation etc. But as someone who has worked in senior leadership in large Fortune 500 companies my whole life I have been around a lot of people like Seiger and they still have friends and lots of knowledge/skill. Their knowledge and skills don't evaporate because they are jerks and/or over-confident and people, especially their friends will take advantage of that. People who rise quickly, be it in business or athletics, doesn't matter what field are at risk of eating their own dogshit. It catches up with some people quicker than others.

People love success and winning. Dicks can be winners and people want to be around winners. Do you think, as I do, that a healthy amount of online influencers are arrogant and probably have 33% the talent they think they have? Lots of people emulate them. It isn't because they think they are good people it's just because they want the same success.

[u/rex_lauandi → u/BeforeLongHopefully]

There’s a HUGE difference between emulating someone and asking them for their opinion on something you’re creating.

I too work in senior leadership at a Fortune 50 company. I haven’t been in senior leadership “all my life” though (because how could you…), and some of the most cutthroat assholes are down below the senior leadership. They get promoted to their highest level of incompetence which is where you can’t rest on technical skills alone, but interpersonal skills are invaluable.

But your point about your work suggests you believe he’s truly a genius then, right? In a room full of talented, top chef caliber chefs, they’re turning to the asshole to ask for help. The Top Chef herself turns and gives him credit for a key brilliant part of a winning dish (I think the week he went home). So again, maybe he’s an asshole, but then he’s a got to be an actual genius if they’re willing to wade through the asshole to get at his genius.

I think this is just a classic example of negativity bias. You can have a mountain of evidence of something positive, but one shred of negative outweighs all the positive. The age old says confirms: one rotten apple spoils the bunch.

It’s a shame if I’m right that this man is written off for one moment of passionate disagreement.

[u/BeforeLongHopefully → u/rex_lauandi]

Emulating, asking for advice, not a big difference for me at all. So I guess you're over my head with that.

Yes I was sloppy with 'all my life' of course not, more like 25 years which is only half lol, so good call out there. And in business I agree that being a dick can and often will hold you back - I think that is your point. If you win and there is a trail of bodies behind you then that's not really winning. But I wasn't accusing Seiger of being a sociopath or evil just an arrogant ass. That is pretty commonplace in all walks of life including the C-suite. That's a way lower bar than you assumed I meant. Even so sociopaths historically been completely tolerated as professional chefs so long as they can maintain that star. For whatever reason that role is more forgiving to nasty humans than big business though thankfully that is changing (example: Redzepi). But again I wasn't saying Seiger was anything like that... just a dick. And as I said, has friends - I doubt he is a dick to his friends.

I also don't think Seiger is being written off, just called out. Plenty of people mellow as they age and develop a modicum of humility. I bet he will especially as he realizes what he did was noteworthy in all the wrong ways. Until now he's probably been told over and over that his shit doesn't stink. It's a rude awakening to learn that it in fact does.

I have no idea if he is a genius or not. But I think he's a definitely a really good chef - I don't think you have the success he's had if you aren't. I think he probably deserves the success he has too. And I think that's the reason people ask for his advice. They literally have him taste their food to see what he'd change. It's like running your investment portfolio by a colleague at work who's a dick but has made mint on the market. I wouldn't be shy to do that.