Bryan Caswell

We've got more details on one of Food Network's brand-new primetime television shows, Best in Smoke: turns out the reality TV series, which premieres May 8 at 10 p.m., will be hosted by none other than The Next Iron Chef's "linebacker ballerina" Bryan Caswell.

The Texas restaurateur, who's no amateur when it comes to barbecue himself, will follow America's best pitmasters as they compete head to head in venues across Manhattan for a $50,000 grand prize and the title of "best in smoke." He'll be joined by judges celebrity chef Tim Love, cookbook author Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, and James Beard Foundation executive Mitchell Davis.

Contestants include "Famous Dave" Anderson, founder of Famous Dave's America; Chris Hart, winner of the 2009 Jack Daniel's Invitational; Sara Horowitz, runner-up at the Versus National BBQ Championship series; Matt Lang, former head chef at New York's Fette Sau; Chris Lilly, vice president at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q Restaurant; and Brad Orrison, founder of The Shed BBQ.

I'm a huge fan of both barbecue and Bryan, so I can already smell the hickory smoke coming out of my TV screen. Will you tune in to watch?

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In Taiwan, it's not uncommon to go far for a bowl of perfectly-cooked beef noodle soup. But apparently, some aren't just willing to travel the distance; they're also willing to pay a steep price — 10,000 New Taiwan dollars, to be exact.

At Niu Ba Ba in Taipei, Taiwan, noodle-slurpers shell out the equivalent of $324 US dollars for a bowl of the world's most expensive noodles. Though I love niu rou mien, and I read owner Wang Cong-Yuan's explanation for the high cost, I don't think I'd ever spend that kind of dough when I could get a meal at The French Laundry for the same price.

The concept left me recounting the most I've ever paid for a meal. I think it might've been the $250 bill I footed while dining at Bryan Caswell's Houston restaurant, Reef. What's the most you've ever spent on food?

Source: Flickr User vixyao

Food Network's The Next Iron Chef is down to its final four contestants. Slashfood caught up with the most recent chef eliminated, Houston restaurateur Bryan Caswell. The chef, who was affectionately dubbed "the linebacker ballerina" by the judging panel for his hulking stature but delicate food presentation, explains why he took on the televised challenge.

His main motivation for starring? To shed a positive light on Gulf Coast cuisine and give visibility to Bayou City: "I grew up around here, I love it, and I think it gets very little play as a viable culinary resource," he says of Houston, adding that Gulf seafood is "in fantastic shape." Head over to Slashfood to read more of Caswell's reflections.
Photo Courtesy Food Network

Hot off the heels of Aarti Sequeira's win on The Next Food Network Star comes announcement of new contestants slated for season three of The Next Iron Chef, and the lineup is a little surprising.

Those hoping to become the next Kitchen Stadium superstar include none other than Ming Tsai, who is already an established television personality on PBS, as well as Food & Wine Best New Chef Bryan Caswell. Another notable participant is Marco Canora, owner of New York hotspots Hearth and Terroir. See all 10 chefs who will be competing — as well as my thoughts on the roster — when you keep reading.