Top Chef in the Media

[Omeletsmom]

On 9/23/2019 at 1:16 PM, mlp said:

I don't think that white dress did Padma any favors.   IMO Gail looked great.

Ironically, they are both by the same designer - Christian Siriano.  

[Darian]

It was tough to find the right thread for this, but since I was not lucky enough to dine at Tiffani Faison's new Orfano restaurant I thought I would share a review of the restaurant. Well, not a review of the food, or I'd have put it in the other thread, but a review of the bathroom. Well, not the whole bathroom, but one particular special stall. By one of my favorite authors, Roxane Gay. Fans of Tiffani (I am one) and Roxane will enjoy this Twitter thread. Gay does say the food was delicious. 

[dleighg]

If there's been discussion of where the next season of Top Chef is set, I must have missed it, but I just saw this, which specifies only that Restaurant Wars will be in October "on the West Coast."

https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/2-exclusive-tickets-to-participate-as-diner-in-1883000?preview=1&fbclid=IwAR3Q6vNdzgzCI1AWkqS-7BeyqBNEjwiu5vK357uNxV1iMu2DPiDZVVyHl2g

[biakbiak]

41 minutes ago, dleighg said:

If there's been discussion of where the next season of Top Chef is set, I must have missed it, but I just saw this, which specifies only that Restaurant Wars will be in October "on the West Coast."

https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/2-exclusive-tickets-to-participate-as-diner-in-1883000?preview=1&fbclid=IwAR3Q6vNdzgzCI1AWkqS-7BeyqBNEjwiu5vK357uNxV1iMu2DPiDZVVyHl2g

Interesting I was getting worried about the upcoming season because there has been absolutely no information about it! They usually film May/June and several mentions of challenges when filming is happening. I wonder if this means that this is an all-star season and doing it more on the down low.

Edited September 29, 2019 by biakbiak

[jpgr]

I read elsewhere that they were filming yesterday at a farmer's market near San Diego. There were several former cheftestants spotted, but the poster didn't know if it was all-stars or a mixed vetaran/newbie cast.

[Ellee]

Sounds like it will be forever before we see TC. Acckkk. 

Wrong place but does anyone know if a Season 3 of Top Chef Junior is in the works?  I really enjoyed that too. 

[LBS]

Tom tweeted last night that "Just wrapped in LA, now off to an undisclosed location for the finale"  

So we are getting closer!

[ilovebeaarthur]

3 hours ago, LBS said:

Tom tweeted last night that "Just wrapped in LA, now off to an undisclosed location for the finale"  

So we are getting closer!

Thanks for posting this update! I follow Padma on Instagram, and she posted a picture yesterday that she was back in NY.

[LBS]

So good news!  Top Chef will air in 2020.  Bad news - not until late winter 

[Lovecat]

1 hour ago, LBS said:

So good news!  Top Chef will air in 2020.  Bad news - not until late winter 

He probably means February/March 2020, not like November/December.  That's not really too far away, and if it is February, it at least gives us something to look forward to as we slog through the longest short month on the calendar 🙂

[LBS]

1 hour ago, Lovecat said:

He probably means February/March 2020, not like November/December.  That's not really too far away, and if it is February, it at least gives us something to look forward to as we slog through the longest short month on the calendar 🙂

You made my day!!!  I was totally thinking of December of next year and really perplexed about why they would sit on it for so long.  2020 sounds so far away.  I can't wait!

[Rahul]

Any word on why this cycle was delayed in filming?

[cooksdelight]

Probably doing a lot of vetting of guests and contestants, what with all the sex scandals causing various chefs to disappear. 

[biakbiak]

10 hours ago, Rahul said:

Any word on why this cycle was delayed in filming?

Coordinating the schedules of the returning players might have been an issue since it’s different that straight casting.

[dleighg]

here we go.... as we thought it's an all stars season

tI was also announced during the panel that Top Chef Season 17 will take place in Los Angeles, California, where Season 2 of the competition was also previously located.

https://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/bravocon/bravocon-2019-new-top-chef-all-stars-edition-announced?cid=soc_fb_TopChef_TopChef_Dish&fbclid=IwAR3kmNs7s7JzUkIGVjWd9xPO8m9Y956kVHqnvEDOZ0UvA7JoMCV8mJwygrs

Edited November 17, 2019 by dleighg

[NowVoyager]

21 hours ago, dleighg said:

here we go.... as we thought it's an all stars season

tI was also announced during the panel that Top Chef Season 17 will take place in Los Angeles, California, where Season 2 of the competition was also previously located.

https://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/bravocon/bravocon-2019-new-top-chef-all-stars-edition-announced?cid=soc_fb_TopChef_TopChef_Dish&fbclid=IwAR3kmNs7s7JzUkIGVjWd9xPO8m9Y956kVHqnvEDOZ0UvA7JoMCV8mJwygrs

!SPRING 2020!?! Noooooooooo! 😫😫😫😫

[biakbiak]

Full cast for season 17!

Quote

Eric Adjepong (Season 16: Kentucky)                              
Karen Akunowicz (Season 14: California)
 Jennifer Carroll (Season 6: Las Vegas, Season 8: All Stars, and Last Chance Kitchen Season 7)
• Stephanie Cmar (Season 11: New Orleans)
• Lisa Fernandes (Season 4: Chicago)
• Kevin Gillespie (Season 6: Las Vegas)
• Gregory Gourdet (Season 12: Boston)
• Melissa King (Season 12: Boston)
• Jamie Lynch (Season 14: Charleston)
• Brian Malarkey (Season 3: Miami)
• Nini Nguyen (Season 16: Kentucky)
• Joe Sasto (Season 15: Colorado)
• Angelo Sosa (Season 7: Washington D.C., and Season 8: All Stars)
• Bryan Voltaggio (Season 6: Las Vegas)
• Lee Anne Wong (Season 1: San Francisco, and Last Chance Kitchen Season 7)

i like everyone but Jen and Lisa. I had to look up Jamie, apparently he gave up immunity and got eliminated. I have absolutely no memory of him.

Edited December 12, 2019 by biakbiak

[LBS]

@biakbiak  Thank you!!!  I'm with you and like pretty much everyone too!  I'm particularly rooting for Eric since I thought he got robbed last season and I think he's an exceptional chef.  

Edited December 12, 2019 by LBS

[dleighg]

wow, I can visualize almost all of them and I'm really bad with faces! Should be an interesting season.

And my TV boyfriend Bryan V! (Wasn't he also on TC Masters?)

I've eaten at Karen and Bryan's restaurants....

[Ellee]

I'm going to hate eliminations. 

[AriAu]

Quote

I'm going to hate eliminations. 

Except the first one......Lisa Fernandez! The gorgon returns. The hate for her on TWOP was unreal! and technically, she beat Blais in that finale-lol

Also, not going to hate seeing Angelo or Joe Sasto crash and burn....and you just know that Jen Carroll is due for another epic meltdown. Also not sure how well Malarkey will hold up-is he still regularly in the kitchen?

Lee Anne has the edge and always will since she was the culinary director for several seasons after she lost and she did kick ass before the combo of pregnancy and altitude did her in, so I would install her as the favorite....with Bryan V on her heels, but it will be interesting to see how "older" contestants  will hold up after several years of not doing this.

Also, watch out for Karen-she is still in the kitchen all the time and just got a Beard nomination.

Can we ban Malarkey from wearing that stupid hat?

Edited December 12, 2019 by AriAu

[Bastet]

I'll have to look up a few, but I recognize most of them by name - which means they really are all-stars, because I usually don't.  I don't remember hating any of those I can put a face to, and there are a lot I liked.

Jen's friendship with the odious Mike Isabella has always made me question her on a personal level, but I loved watching her cook.  I remember her first episode, when some sexist twit assumed she was the pastry chef (or sous chef?) upon learning she worked for Eric Ripert, when she was actually executive chef, so I was in her professional corner from jump.  But I think I'd quit watching the season where she had the meltdown I always hear about but don't remember seeing.

Stephanie and Karen are two of my favorites from the whole series, and I also quite like Lee Anne and Eric (though I certainly do not think he was robbed).  This should be a great season - outstanding food, and tough elimination choices each round.

[dleighg]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet here but:

The show premieres March 19 on Bravo.

[cooksdelight]

Hope she pulls her hair out of her food. 

[Lovecat]

MALARKEY!!  Sorry, had to rep for the old-school MBTV/TWOP recaps.

Lee Anne for the win.

[Omeletsmom]

On 12/17/2019 at 1:31 PM, Lovecat said:

MALARKEY!!  Sorry, had to rep for the old-school MBTV/TWOP recaps.

Lee Anne for the win.

I still do that every time I see his name.

[cooksdelight]

I wonder if it’s just a coincidence that both Top Chef and Survivor are airing past contestants as the cast at the same time? A war for Wednesday night?

[biakbiak]

41 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I wonder if it’s just a coincidence that both Top Chef and Survivor are airing past contestants as the cast at the same time? A war for Wednesday night?

Top Chef now airs on Thursday night.

Edited December 21, 2019 by biakbiak

[cooksdelight]

Thanks, didn’t remember them moving. I guess they got tired of the ratings wars.

[xaxat]

 

[Vermicious Knid]

Sort of the other All-Stars season, Food Network's Tournament of Champions, which started tonight, features a whole bunch of TC alumni.

[cooksdelight]

22 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Sort of the other All-Stars season, Food Network's Tournament of Champions, which started tonight, features a whole bunch of TC alumni.

I fell asleep after the higher number seeds won their rounds. Surprise us for once, would you??

[Sew Sumi]

35 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I fell asleep after the higher number seeds won their rounds. Surprise us for once, would you??

Alex was the top seed and got upset.

[cooksdelight]

2 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Alex was the top seed and got upset.

Good, I can’t stand her smugness. Who beat her?

[Sew Sumi]

The African American kid. Don't remember his name. It was a low scoring affair featuring a waffle iron. He won by one point.

[biakbiak]

Launch date for Padma’s new Hulu show is June 19th. She and Tom are both on this season of Ugly Delicious which dropped today. 

 

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

The African American kid. Don't remember his name. It was a low scoring affair featuring a waffle iron. He won by one point.

Yeah he was pretty much the "guy who got in by a pre-qualifying win in a tennis tournament." I think he won the Food Network Thanksgiving Challenge (which I watched, but don't remember him) and he apparently also won GGG at least once. Alex was so smug strutting into the room like she owned the place (and the producers added a sound track to go with it--ha ha). Serves her right.

[Christina]

Anne Burrell has a six episode show on Food Networked named Vegas Chef Prizefight that is a lot like Top Chef. The first episode aired last Thursday. 

[Ashforth]

16 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Launch date for Padma’s new Hulu show is June 19th. She and Tom are both on this season of Ugly Delicious which dropped today. 

 

This will give me justification for keeping my HULU membership other than the horribly declining The Handmaids Tale.

[Ashforth]

Tom Colicchio is out front in publicizing that the need to feed our nation's children during the COVID-19 crisis is even more critical than it quietly is every "normal" day. With schools closing because of the pandemic, millions of kids in the U.S. will lose their primary source of nutrition. https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2174246/coronavirus-children-school-lunch/

Not only that, millions of people, especially in the service industry, are going to lose their incomes and may be faced with going hungry.

If you can afford to, please donate to your local food bank. You can save lives with a $5 donation.

[Quilt Fairy]

Daily Beast interview with Tom Colicchio.   

It's not really about TC much, more about the effect of the coronavirus on the restaurant industry.  But it's interesting.  There is one slight spoiler about the location of the finale.

[Msample]

Grim times, Colicchio had to temporarily close all his restaurants and lay off 300 people:

 

https://nypost.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-in-ny-uws-restaurateur-gives-2-weeks-of-food-to-100-laid-off-employees/

 

 

 

 

[Bastet]

Does anyone know how long ago they filmed the Watch What Happens Live episode with Tom, Padma, and Gail about the season premiere?  (I know it wasn't live, but I don't know how far in advance they taped it.)  Because Andy Cohen announced today he has tested positive for the coronavirus.

[Sew Sumi]

Andy just had a disclaimer at the top of the show that it was filmed before WWHL shut down production last week.

[xaxat]

Tom Colicchio is doing great work advocating on behalf of small owners (which would include himself) and local restaurants during these trying times. The major lobbies for the restaurant industry primarily put their efforts into supporting major chains. Tom is trying to make sure your local Italian/Mexican/Thai restaurant does not get forgotten in favor of the big franchises.

[BlackberryJam]

We are all making our own choices, but mine has been to only get carry out from the smaller, locally owned places. I like good food and don’t want to see these places go under.

[biakbiak]

A bunch of Top chef contestants and judges are doing #pantrygofish competition for charity on IG Live. Tomorrow it’s Nini vs. Gail.

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by biakbiak

[Ashforth]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/opinion/coronavirus-restaurants-danny-meyer.html

[HunterHunted]

Floyd Cardoz, Top Chef Masters season 3 winner, is dead. He was 59.

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/floyd-cardoz-dies-covid19-bombay-canteen

[CrazyInAlabama]

Frank Cardoz was one of my favorites from the Masters series.     He seemed like a lovely person, he will be missed.