Top Chef

Eli-minated from 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:36:49 GMT

Well duh.

After everything's been said and done, after 12 episodes, after a bunch of ceviches and halibuts, the Top Chef final four turned out to be exactly how most people predicted them - the V brothers, Kevin, and Jennifer. 25-year-old Atlanta-native and self-confessed "fat kid" Eli Kirshtein was eliminated on Top Chef this week, which means there won't be any upsets on our midst this season, except the little tumble between Mike I. and Robin a couple of weeks back.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.12 "Culinary Olympics"

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:56:08 GMT

The Winter Olympics won't happen until next year, and the Summer Games, not in another three years, but the culinary Olympics are here. At least on Top Chef.

Tonight on the Bravo cooking show, the five remaining chef-testants take on a challenge based on the Bocuse d'Or, a cooking competition commonly referred to as the Culinary Olympics, established by legendary French chef Paul Bocuse. Guest judges include Jerome Bocuse and Thomas Keller.

'Top Chef's Robin: They Hated Me

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:40:03 GMT

But not only that, axed Top Chef contestant Robin Leventhal says people have been telling her that it was Eli who should've been eliminated last week on the Bravo cooking show.

"So many people told me it should have been Eli. People thought it was going to be Eli."

Robin Finally Exits 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:12:54 GMT

And then there were five.

After staving off elimination on Top Chef for quite some time, Seattle native Robin Leventhal became 12th person eliminated on the Bravo cooking show, just one chef-testant shy of landing into the top five. The 43-year-old is seen as largely not in the same league as the remaining five contestants (with perhaps the exception of Eli), and the elimination of Mike I. two weeks ago was a shocker. This week, however, no upsets, as Robin was sent packing his knives.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 11 "Strip Around the World"

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:33:51 GMT

Hey how about it on Top Chef? The 11th episode on the 11th day of the 11th month? Coincidence? Tonight on the Bravo cooking show, it's back to regular programming after the "all-star dinner" last week. On "Strip Around the World" the six remaining chefs are tasked to create the perfect breakfast in bed for Nigella Lawson, an English food writer, journalist, and Padma Lakshmi.

As for the show's elimination challenge, they must prepare small plates inspired by Vegas casinos (this is after all Top Chef: Las Vegas). So they go through some of Sin City's most famous casinos in the Vegas strip to come up with a winning dish.

Watch Out for Upset on 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:56:56 GMT

Aside from Mike Isabella, that is. But that's hardly an upset, you say. This one promises to be, at least.

Anyway, a "shocking elimination" is reportedly in the offing on Top Chef, reports E! Online, where one of the four frontrunners will bite the dust faster than you can say more ceviche. One of these four chef-testants - Jennifer Carroll, Kevin Gillespie, Bryan Voltaggio and Mike Voltaggio - revealed that he or she doesn't make it all the way.

All Stars Dinner Tonight on 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:49:29 GMT

A month before the next Top Chef is crowned, we take a break from everything tonight as we welcome past Top Chef favorites with the hosting of Top Chef: All Stars Dinner at 10pm. Season five fan favorite Fabio Viviani take the reins as host of the get-together with a challenge as past chef-testants rehash their favorite moments on the series.

The Top Chef returnees include a mixture of both favorite sand winners, such as Harold Dieterle, Marcel Vigneron, Ilan Hall, Dale Levitski, Casey Thompson, Hung Huynh, Richard Blais, Carla Hall, and Stefan Richter. Marcel and Fabio will go head to head, so will Carla and Casey, but in a different fashion, as the two confront each other fro the first time since the controversial season five finale.

Mike I. Defends Sexist Comment on 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:49:17 GMT

It's probably ancient history now on Top Chef and the perpetrator was actually eliminated last week, but Mike Isabella's not-so-popular standing on the Bravo cooking show more or less stemmed from a sexist remark he made on the very first episode of Top Chef. It was the season's first quickfire challenge, a mise en place relay, when Mike said something like, "a girl shouldn't be at the same level I am" when he noticed that Jennifer was right up his pace.

After his sort of shocking elimination from Top Chef last week, Mike tells People that the sexist-sounding remark is the only thing he would rephrase given a chance to say anything differently, and that he actually meant it as a compliment.

Top Chef: Mike I. Denies Being Cocky

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:34:16 GMT

I'm not cocky, I'm just vocal.

In a nutshell, axed Top Chef contestant Michael Isabella tells TV Guide that he took offense with the judges telling him he was cocky during his stint on the Bravo cooking show.

'Top Chef' Frontrunner Falls

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:34:25 GMT

Things are finally shaking up on this season of Top Chef, when North Jersey native Michael Isabella, previously touted to reach at least the final four, was eliminated last night partly because his dish lacked an important ingredient and partly because he was arrogant.

Isabella, 34, was given the walking papers on the Natalie Portman episode of Top Chef with the Closer and Star Wars star, who turned out to be a vegetarian. He landed in the bottom of the elimination challenge where they had to cook vegetarian dishes for Portman and her friends at Tom's Craftsteak restaurant at MGM Grand.

'Top Chef' Dessert Spin-off Now Casting

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:27:18 GMT

First there was Top Chef, then there was Top Chef Masters, now there's Top Chef: Just Desserts.

If you've seen enough Top Chef episodes, you probably noticed that desserts haven't really been the forte of most Top Chef stand-outs. Apparently, the Bravo bigwigs pay attention too and have ordered another Top Chef spin-off that pits pastry chefs against each other Top Chef style.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.10 "Meat Natalie"

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:42:38 GMT

Tonight on Top Chef, Natalie Portman! Yes, the Star Wars and Closer star will drop by the Bravo cooking show as guest client during the episode's elimination challenge, along with friends at Craftsteak, Tom Colicchio's Las Vegas restaurant. Meanwhile, for the quickfire challenge, TV Guide's editors drop by to complicate things with their list of shows to use as inspiration for TV dinners.

Last week's Top Chef brought back the famed restaurant wars (not the Facebook variety, OK no that's Restaurant City and Mafia Wars, my bad). But prior to that was the very exciting quickfire, where teams of four had to cook one dish, with one person doing it step by step without any idea what's going on, or what the first person envisioned.

Laurine Eliminated from 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:59:56 GMT

After the famed Top Chef restaurant war, it was Laurine who got the boot on the last night's episode of the Bravo cooking show. The 38-year-old San Francisco native actually started pretty well in the episode, as part of the winning team in the quickfire challenge, along with Jennifer, Mike, and Kevin (what a team right?). but she struggled with the elimination challenge, when she was chosen as front of house for team Mission.

For the quickfire, the chefs were divided to two teams for a tag-team cook-off, with Rick Moonen as guest judge. In the knives-drawing, Jennifer and Michael drew the only one with messages, first choice and second choice.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.9 Restaurant Wars

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:32:19 GMT

Tonight on Top Chef, it's time for Restaurant Wars, but since we're in Vegas, it's Restaurant Wars Sin City style. For this season, the eight remaining chefs take over Top Chef Masters alum Rick Moonen's restaurant to focus on the food, service, and front of house. Of course, Moonen will there to oversee the proceedings and act as guest judge.

On last week's Top Chef, it was all about pork and pinot, as the chefs were tasked to create a dish that will work well with a selected type of Pinot using the cut of pork that they picked (of course everyone was after the belly). The winner of the challenge was Kevin (and not a lot of people, including him, were surprised), with his pork leg pate with mushroom salad and pickled cherries, paired with a 2006 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir.

'Top Chef' Renewed for Season 7, Casting Calls Launched

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:42:04 GMT

Midway through its Las Vegas edition, Bravo has renewed Top Chef for a seventh season, with the network citing its current 3.3-million strong ratings for the early pickup. It also announced that casting call for Top Chef kicked off yesterday, in The Parlor in San Francisco. Those who are interested can go to the Bravo site to download an application form.

The rest of the casting call locations and schedule are as follows:

Ash Gets the Axe on 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:33:51 GMT

From the (frankly creepy) comment he made on last week's episode, it was almost a given that Ash was next go on Top Chef. Nominated for elimination along with challenge partner Michael V., Ash admitted that he essentially played second fiddle to his partner during the conceptualization and preparation of their dish, the halibut topped with egg yolk ravioli and some salad with asparagus and fennel. He was totally at peace with the idea, even saying that it was OK, since he had high respect for Michael as a chef and it was like washing the paintbrush of Picasso.

Needless to say, the judges were pissed, because, after all, they are looking for Top Chef, not Top Sous Chef. And they had something to say about that. So on last night's episode, Ash's head was in the chopping block for the second week in a row. For a change this week, he was surprised to be on the bottom. According to the judges, his dish wasn't strong enough for the wine (they had to prepare pork dishes that would be perfectly paired with wine). In the end, he was axed because he sucked, and because he second-guessed his first instinct instead of following his gut.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.8 "Pigs and Pinot"

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:56:14 GMT

On tonight's episode of Top Chef, the nine chefs arrive at guest judge Charlie Palmer's Aureole restaurant at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, with a never-ending supply of wine. For the challenge, they must work in conjunction with Food & Wine magazine to host one of Palmer's famous Pigs and Pinot events.

On the last episode of Top Chef, the quickfire challenge required the chef to create a dish using three key words via - mood, taste and texture, and kind of cuisine, and in true Top Chef: Las Vegas fashion, they used a slot machine to determine the words. Some of the crazy combinations include: Stressed, crunchy, Asian; blue, cheesy, Middle-Eastern, stressed, umami, Latin American.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.6 "Penn and Teller"

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:41:24 GMT

On tonight's episode of Top chef, there's culinary magic, but kind of literally, because the 11 remaining chefs must "deconstruct" a classic dish for illusionists Penn and Teller. We also know that there will be a pressure cooker which explodes (Eli's), sending crap all over the kitchen, but mostly on Bryan, which is kind of reassuring, if only it will break that stoic countenance of his. That, plus some bull's testicles.

On the last episode of Top Chef, Michael informed everyone that he received his first Michelin star at age 26 and he doesn't brag about it - but what he did just do?

Top Chef: Au Revoir, Mattin!

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:19:36 GMT

It's bad enough when Mattin didn't win anything on the very French episode of Top Chef last week, but he gets eliminated tonight? Oh, man. At the very onset of the episode, we pretty much got an idea on how upset he was, growing up in the French countryside but not even making it in the top three of the two challenges on the French episode.

For the quickfire challenge, Top Chef fans had a say for the first time because they got to vote for whichever featured ingredient they'd love to see. Cactus won - go figure, and everyone had around 45 minutes to cook something up. For the record, I didn't even know you can eat cactus, so this was pretty exciting.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.5 "Camping"

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:54:39 GMT

On tonight's episode of Top Chef, everything will be outdoors, where the 11 remaining chefs will perform chuckwagon duties for some local cowboys. So as with the air force challenge two episodes ago, the otherwise used-to-fancy-kitchen chefs will need to make do with less than fancy kitchen tools for their dishes.

It's exciting whether the girls will be able to stop the bleeding and for a change have one of the guys eliminated. Prior to Hector saying goodbye last week, four girls have gone home - Jen, Eve, Preeti, and Jesse. I wonder if the girls this season just happen to be on either side of the spectrum - either they're really good, or they're really bad. In the escargot challenge, three girls landed in the bottom three, while Jen (obviously a frontrunner) was among the best.

'Top Chef' Double Elimination: No, Jesse, You Don't Suck This Bad

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:31:39 GMT

On Top Chef tonight, Jesse just showed us that there is such a thing as overdoing the underdog card. Sure, you can be a little unsure of yourself and therefore need a little push here and there, but seriously, Jesse! Cut yourself some slack. As you said, you don't suck this bad, and a little confidence would'vet taken you two, three episodes farther. Also, to your credit, your little tuna tartare with sorrel, gooseberries, fried quail egg and fried bread wasn't so bad.

Moving forward, it was all French cuisine on tonight's episode of Top Chef, and the guests include Hubert Keller, Jean Joho, Laurent Tourondel, Joel Robuchon - I have never heard of these people with the exception of Keller.

'Top Chef' 6.4 Vivre Las Vegas: More Jennifer and Mike!

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:36:57 GMT

Here's the synopsis for tonight's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas from Bravo:

The contestants must tap into their traditional cooking skills when they're asked to show their mastery of French cuisine, and as if that's not stress enough tonight's judges are some of the biggest names in the industry: Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, Joel Robuchon and Jean Joho.

I don't know what's to be more excited about - how Jennifer will probably kick ass in doing French cuisine or how the aftermath of Michael's almost elimination will look.

Top Chef: Goodbye, Preeti!

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:10:14 GMT

Despite being asked to head home, 33-year-old Californian Preeti said she was thankful to Top Chef for the experience, and contrary to criticism courtesy of Gail, she doesn't really give a hoot on being inventive, as she cares more about her customers' liking.

On last night's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas, the guest judge was Top Chef alum Mark Peel, who brought with him a mountain of potatoes for the quickfire challenge. The chef-testants had around 45 minutes to create an "out-of-this-world" dish using potatoes, which, according to Ash, are boring. Poor potatoes. Later on, the potatoes had their revenge, but with Ashely. With minutes left, she discovered that she had no boiling water for her gnocchi.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.3 "Thunderbirds"

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:09:54 GMT

On tonight's episode of Top Chef, the chef-testants are set to feed the troops (wait, what troops? Thought Obama -), specifically the Thunderbirds, Air Force's elite demonstration team. The chefs need to create a plentiful meal for 300 men and women stationed at Nellis Air Force Base and their families in a limited time. As expected, some of the more emotional contestants are overcome with joy when they find out who exactly they're serving. To ascertain their output, guest judging is former Top Chef contestant Mark Peel, who owns Los Angeles' Campanile restaurant.

Previously on Top Chef, the chef-testants were tasked to cater to a poolside bachelor and bachelorette party because Vegas is the land of quickie marriages. Celebrity chef Todd English served as guest judge, but not before the quickfire challenge, where the contestants rolled a pair of six-sided dice in the Top Chef kitchen to determine the number of ingredients they would need to include in their dishes. Pretty awesome things were at stake: immunity plus another $15,000.

Eve Leaves 'Top Chef'

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:56:56 GMT

The lone Michigan chef on Top Chef became the second person to be eliminated on the Bravo cooking show, after her shrimp and avocado ceviche didn't sit well with the judges - probably because there'd been far too many ceviche that have been on this show. The elimination challenge was to create a dish for a bachelor and a bachelorette party. After all, what is Vegas without weddings?

Starting off the Top Chef episode was a dice roll once again. This time, the contestants rolled the dice and the number they got would correspond to the number of ingredients they would have to use on the quickfire challenge. It's tough to tell whether you'd want something high or low in this quickfire challenge. But almost everyone got high numbers, except Laurine who rolled a 3, which wasn't necessarily bad since Todd English was judging and as we all know, he's all about simplicity.

Top Chef: Preview of Episode 6.2 "Bachelor/Ette Party"

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:28:59 GMT

No, it's not a crossover with the ABC reality shows. On tonight's episode of Top Chef, the men take on the women as they prepare competing events for a bachelor and a bachelorette. The quickfire challenge offers a very apt reward for the town in which it's located. So that means Vegas? Sin City? Sitting on the judging panel is Todd English, a Boston-based celebrity chef who is best known for his cooking show Cooking With Todd English.

One week into the competition, I think we pretty much have an idea how this season will go. Padma claimed that Top Chef has lined up their best group yet, including James Beard nominee Kevin (who coincidentally sports a beard), executive chefs, those who've trained under the best, and two rival siblings who cuss like sailors. There was also someone from France, Haiti, Michigan, one from New York, and a whole bunch from Atlanta. In consonance with its chosen city, luck also plays something major in this season.