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Top Chef Masters

Rick Bayless Is YumSugar's Favorite Male Chef of 2009
celebrity chefs

The Year's Favorite Male Chef

With the debut of Top Chef Masters and a second season of the Next Iron Chef, it was a great year for male restaurant chefs.
by partysugar

With the debut of Top Chef Masters and a second season of the Next Iron Chef, it was a great year for male restaurant chefs. When we asked you who your favorite was, the results were across the board. Food Network kings Bobby Flay and Alton Brown came in with 19% and 21%, respectively. But it was Rick Bayless, the champion of Top Chef Masters, who took home the majority and 28% of your votes. With his approachable attitude and love for authentic Mexican cuisine, we have to agree: Rick Bayless was our favorite chef of 2009, too. Stay tuned for more of our Best of 2009 coverage and if you want to weigh in and share your opinions, join the conversation in the community!

Photo courtesy of Bravo

NBC Picks Up New Reality Competition Show United Plates of America
TV

Are There Too Many Chef Shows on TV?

We've already talked about the abundance of dance shows on TV, but there's another genre that seems to be taking over the networks — competitive cooking.
by

We've already talked about the abundance of dance shows on TV, but there's another genre that seems to be taking over the networks — competitive cooking. NBC just picked up United Plates of America, a new series by the producers of Top Chef which will pit hopeful restaurateurs against each other for the ultimate prize of starting their own chain. The winner gets to open four locations on the night of the finale. That's a pretty cool gift package, but it has me thinking — don't we have enough of this programming on TV already?

The premise does sound more unique than most, but it used to be that the Food Network was the only TV cooking choice with its popular Iron Chef franchise. Since then, other channels have gotten in on the act, too, like Fox's Hell's Kitchen and of course Bravo with Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Top Chef: Just Desserts . . . need I go on?

Of course, if you're a foodie, you may be excited to have yet another show for your TiVo queue, but I wonder if all of this is overkill. How about you?

Link Time: Watch Kris Allen's Video For "Live Like We're Dying"
Parks and Recreation

Link Time: Watch Kris Allen's Video For "Live Like We're Dying"

  • Kris Allen's music video for "Live Like We're Dying" is here — Music Mix
  • Jemaine Clement says that he and Bret may not return for Flight of the Conchords because they're dads now — Vulture
  • New Moon's Jamie Campbell Bower thinks Tim Burton should direct Breaking Dawn — MTV Movies Blog
  • Watch Jay-Z and U2 perform "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" in Berlin — Pitchfork
  • Five Mad Men spinoffs that would be great ideas — TV.com
  • Jim Carrey's new website may freak you out — MTV Movies Blog
  • JJ Abrams is directing and exec-producing the pilot for his show Undercovers for NBC — Coming Soon
  • Top Chef Masters is cooking for the cast of Modern Family today! — Steve Levitan's Twitter
  • This week's Parks and Recreation brings up an interesting relationship issue — TresSugar
  • Stephen Frears reunites with his High Fidelity screenwriter D.V. De Vincentis for Lay the Favorite — Cinematical
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  • Kris Allen's music video for "Live Like We're Dying" is here — Music Mix
  • Jemaine Clement says that he and Bret may not return for Flight of the Conchords because they're dads now — Vulture
  • New Moon's Jamie Campbell Bower thinks Tim Burton should direct Breaking Dawn — MTV Movies Blog
  • Watch Jay-Z and U2 perform "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" in Berlin — Pitchfork
  • Five Mad Men spinoffs that would be great ideas — TV.com
  • Jim Carrey's new website may freak you out — MTV Movies Blog
  • JJ Abrams is directing and exec-producing the pilot for his show Undercovers for NBC — Coming Soon
  • Top Chef Masters is cooking for the cast of Modern Family today! — Steve Levitan's Twitter
  • This week's Parks and Recreation brings up an interesting relationship issue — TresSugar
  • Stephen Frears reunites with his High Fidelity screenwriter D.V. De Vincentis for Lay the Favorite — Cinematical
    • Top Chef Masters: Love It or Hate It?
    Love It or Hate It

    Top Chef Masters: Love It or Hate It?

    On Thursday, Bravo announced a second season of Top Chef Masters.
    by partysugar

    On Thursday, Bravo announced a second season of Top Chef Masters. When I heard the news, I had mixed feelings. While I'm a huge fan of Top Chef, the first season of Masters seemed to drag on. Kelly Choi was annoying and the critics lackluster. Although the participating chefs have not been announced, I'm not sure I want to watch. How about you? Am I the only one who is starting to tire of the Top Chef brand?

    Photo courtesy of Bravo

    Link Time! Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst Cast in Upside Down
    Link Time

    Link Time! Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst Cast in Upside Down

    by
    Bravo Picks Up Second Season of Top Chef Masters
    News

    Bravo Picks Up Second Season of Top Chef Masters

    As Bravo's Top Chef Las Vegas reaches the halfway mark, the network continues to expand its Top Chef empire.
    by

    As Bravo's Top Chef Las Vegas reaches the halfway mark, the network continues to expand its Top Chef empire. First it released plans to shoot Top Chef 7, and now the network has announced that it's bringing back Top Chef Masters for a sophomore season.

    The second season of Masters, which was the highest-rated first season competition series in Bravo history, will see the return of Gael Greene, James Oseland, and Jay Rayner as critics, as well as bubbly (and slightly bubbleheaded) host Kelly Choi. This time, however, Top Chef veteran judge Gail Simmons will also have a place at the Critics' Table.

    Now for the fun part. Guessing who will star on the show next. Any takers? Here are my guesses: While it sounds like Ming Tsai probably won't be a contender, what about Marcus Samuelsson, Tom Douglas, Kent Rathbun, and Charlie Palmer?

    Photo courtesy of Bravo

    Q&A Interview With Ming Tsai, Part 1
    celebrity chefs

    Ming Tsai Talks Food, Cooking, and Top Chef Masters

    I've been sold on Ming Tsai ever since he was a barrel of laughs in Aspen, so when I heard he was headed west, I knew I had to meet him.
    by

    I've been sold on Ming Tsai ever since he was a barrel of laughs in Aspen, so when I heard he was headed west, I knew I had to meet him. Ming was in town hosting a benefit for Macy's Come Together, a campaign to provide 10 million meals for families in need. I caught up with him in the green room before his demo, where he shared his thoughts on the importance of cooking for others, why you shouldn't buy a $4.99 skillet, and whether we're likely to see him on Top Chef Masters. Read his thoughts after the jump

    Rick Bayless Facts
    celebrity chefs

    How Well Do You Know Chef Rick Bayless?

    By now you probably know that the winner of Top Chef Masters was chef Rick Bayless from Chicago.
    by partysugar


    By now you probably know that the winner of Top Chef Masters was chef Rick Bayless from Chicago. From watching the final episode we learned a little bit about Rick's history. For example, his parents owned a barbecue joint that served a special homemade barbecue sauce.

    But, other than that, you probably don't know that much about Bayless. Thus, I've put together a quiz that teaches you about the acclaimed Mexican cuisine expert. Sound like fun? Take it now!

    Source

    Take the Quiz
    Recap Top Chef Masters Season Finale
    Reality TV

    Top Chef Masters: Season Finale

    One chef took home the $100,000 prize on the final episode of Top Chef Masters last night.
    by partysugar

    One chef took home the $100,000 prize on the final episode of Top Chef Masters last night. It was a nostalgic show that looked back at the final three chefs' — Michael Chiarello, Rick Bayless, and Hubert Keller — food memories and culinary careers. Did you watch? Let's discuss the details (spoilers ahead) after the break.