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Bravo to Document Life After Top Chef

Susannah Chen — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:27:17 PDT

If Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, and Top Chef Just Desserts isn't enough for you, Bravo's announced a brand-new series, Life After Top Chef, which will follow four former contestants around the country. Bravo states:

For the first time cameras are taken outside of the Top Chef kitchen and into the lives of Bravo's most beloved former contestants as they reach milestones in their personal lives and culinary careers. From opening their own restaurants to expanding their growing franchises, viewers will follow Jen Carroll in Philadelphia, Richard Blais in Atlanta, Fabio Viviani in Los Angeles, and Spike Mendelsohn in DC.

Sounds like Fabio wasn't kidding when he told us last month that he had further plans for reality TV. "You're going to see me getting up in the morning, you're going to see me doing some sports, some hobbies I have, but my show will be more about everything that's going on in my life rather than let's see who Fabio's dating, or let's see who Fabio's barking at," he told us.

Will you watch Life After Top Chef?

Photos: Camilla Salem, Diane Bondareff, courtesy of the National Pork Board

8 Things to Know About Top Chef Texas Winner Paul Qui

Susannah Chen — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:22:21 PST

In case you missed it, last night Paul Qui took home the title on season nine of Top Chef. The executive chef of Uchiko and East Side King in Austin, TX, who won eight of the 16 elimination challenges on Top Chef Texas, beat out fellow finalist Sarah Grueneberg by coming out on top in an elimination challenge with a clam dashi broth and coconut-Thai chile ice cream.

Besides holding the champion title and being $125,000 richer, Qui now faces a higher public profile than he's ever held before. Whether you watch the show or now, there's no doubt you'll be seeing much more of him - so here are a few things you should know about the newly crowned Top Chef.

He's a James Beard Award semifinalist. Qui's been nominated as a semifinalist for the Best Chef: Southwest award and will find out if he's a finalist come March 19. Qui was named a semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef award category last year but didn't make it to the finalist round. Perhaps this year's TV win will give him the extra edge?
He hopes to expand his culinary presence. Qui has expressed interest in opening an eatery in New York someday.

For more on Qui, keep reading.

Gail Simmons on Her New Book, Her Future, and the Question She Never Needs to Hear Again

Susannah Chen — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:55:25 PST

Gail Simmons has a pretty full plate right now: in addition to being in charge of special projects at Food & Wine magazine, she's also got some pretty steady gigs as a judge on Top Chef and the host of Top Chef: Just Desserts. But on top of that, her first book, Talking With My Mouth Full, was just released yesterday.

Over the phone, we caught up with Gail, who despite being at the top of her game, offered plenty of her time to share candid thoughts on everything from the health hazards of celebrity chefdom to her plans 15 years from now.

Find out her thoughts on current food issues, her plans for now (and later), and the one question she'd be happy to never hear again, when you keep reading.

Emma Watson to Reunite With Her Harry Potter Director

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:50:08 PST

Find out about Emma Watson's next film with director David Yates - NextMovie
The 20 best post-Super Bowl TV episodes - BuddyTV
Daniel Radcliffe picks his five favorite movies! - Rotten Tomatoes
Check out the Western set of Quentin Tarantino's latest film - Moviefone
See which Bravo show just got renewed for a 10th season - HuffPost TV
Is Simon Cowell trying to woo Beyoncé for The X Factor? - Zap2It
Here's the villainous role you can see Gary Oldman in next - The Hollywood Reporter
The 10 funniest Super Bowl food commercials - YumSugar

What's Been Your Favorite Top Chef Season So Far?

Susannah Chen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:51:44 PST

Between Top Chef All-Stars and Top Chef Texas, it's sure has been a busy year for Bravo. (That doesn't even include the network's spin-offs, like Top Chef Masters and Top Chef Just Desserts.) After more than half a dozen seasons under its belt, the Emmy Award-winning show decided 2011 was the year to mix things up a bit. First came an exciting twist to the show with an all-star cast that brought back fan faves like Richard Blais, Marcel Vigneron, and Dale Levitski. Faced with the challenge of topping a gripping eighth season, Bravo execs made the move to transform season nine into Top Chef Texas.

Before the year ends and the show's 10th(!) season rolls around, we'd like to ask you what your favorite's been thus far. In the history of Top Chef, what season's been the all-time best? Do weigh in below with your comments.

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Must See or Skip? Top Chef: Texas

Nancy Einhart — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:18 PDT

We met the 16 Top Chef 9 hopefuls, and now Bravo has released the first promo for the upcoming season, set in Texas and debuting Nov. 2. The teaser doesn't offer too many reveals, though Pee-wee Herman makes an appearance, even if Houston does not. Take a look at the promo and tell us: are you excited to watch the new season or will you skip it?

Take a Look at the Toques Lined Up For Top Chef: Texas

Susannah Chen — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:36:07 PDT

Bravo's just released the list of contestants for season nine of Top Chef, which premieres Nov. 2, and the network's switching things up a bit. Instead of one series location, this season will be shot between three cities, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, and there's a list of 29 hopefuls, which will be whittled down to 16 real cheftestants.

Charlize Theron, Pee-wee Herman, Patti LaBelle, Cat Cora, John Besh, and Tim Love will make appearances - and let's not forget new judges Emeril Lagasse and Hugh Acheson. Keep reading to see all the hopefuls competing on Top Chef: Texas.

Top Chef Healthy Showdown: A Gimmick Worth Watching?

Susannah Chen — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 05:06:45 PDT

The Top Chef empire just keeps on multiplying. The latest addition to the franchise? The ConAgra-backed Top Chef Healthy Showdown, a weekly, cobranded web series filled with quickfires and elimination challenges using only healthy ingredients.

On the so-called show, four contestants - Sara Nguyen of season three, season four's Ryan Scott, and Casey Thompson and Tre Wilcox of season 3 and Top Chef All-Stars - compete for a $25,000 prize (and, in promotion-heavy Bravo land, the opportunity to launch a Top Chef line of Healthy Choice entrées).

The first episode is riddled with plenty of clichéd phrases like "the competition is stiff, food is skinny, and the stakes are high" ("This is redemption for me," Scott declares in one particularly dramatic moment). Still, with only wholesome ingredients, creative use of kitchen techniques will be more important than ever. I'm curious to watch for that reason alone, and it makes me wonder why they don't have an entire season of Top Chef dedicated to healthy cooking. Will you tune in?

Bravo Confirms: Top Chef 9 Will Be in Texas

Susannah Chen — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:59:37 PDT

We've been wondering for some time: how will Bravo top last season's Top Chef All-Stars? The answer, we're assuming, lies in the location. After more than a month of speculation in the blogosphere, the folks at Bravo have finally confirmed that Top Chef is headed to Texas.

According to the announcement, the season will take place in "not one, but three cities - Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio." Houston is glaringly missing. In addition, the show will feature not only the regular cast of characters (Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons), but also Emeril Lagasse and and former Top Chef Masters contestant Hugh Acheson.

As a native of the Bayou City, I'm undeniably biased, but it's hard to believe that Houston - the largest city in the state, the fourth-largest in America, and home to Bryan Caswell, Chris Shepherd, and some of the country's biggest rising stars - has officially been snubbed. We should pray that this season won't get caught up in Texas stereotypes, but the announcement - which is already full of cheesy references like "everything's bigger" and "we hope the cheftestants' cowboy boots are made for walking" - almost certainly foreshadows campy challenges and hokey one-liners. I'm already predicting a kill-your-own challenge on a ranch, a guest appearance (or five) from Dallas star chef Tim Love, and a trip to Smitty's, Salt Lick, Kreuz, or another famous Austin-area barbecue joint. Will you tune in?

Yummy Links: From Spanish Paella to Japanese Whisky

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:45:51 PDT

7 showstopping recipes for paella. - KitchenDaily
Photographic evidence that Top Chef 9 is in Texas. - Eater
A week with Alinea's serviceware designer. - Huffington Post Food
Why legalizing food trucks will only make things worse. - New York Times
The future of famous French spot Le Bec-Fin doesn't look so hot. - Grub Street Philly
What you should know before going vegan. - The Daily Meal
Most common food product substitutes. - TLC
Scotch lovers: try drinking Japanese whisky. - Food Republic