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Top Chef Quiz: Sin City Vice

partysugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:50:35 -0700

The sixth season of Top Chef started with a bang last night. The competition is full of heavily tattooed contestants who are eager to display their culinary prowess. The return of Tom, Gail, and Padma was refreshing and who knew Wolfgang Puck was so funny?! How well were you watching the first episode? Find out now when you take my quiz.

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Top Chef Masters: Episode 4

partysugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:01:39 -0700

After a week hiatus, Top Chef Masters was back last night with Douglas Rodriguez, John Besh, Anita Lo, and Mark Peel competing for their respective charities. Eggs, magic, Tom Colicchio, and Doogie Howser played supporting roles. Did you watch? Want to discuss the episode? Keep reading.

Lauren: "Film Is Very Different From Food"

partysugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:10 -0800

Yesterday I spoke with Lauren, the first contestant to pack up her knives on the fifth season of Top Chef. The confident, young pastry chef was emotional when she spoke of her deployed husband and opinionated as she discussed the difference between the food and film industries. To find out what she had to say about Padma, read more.

On being the first contestant kicked off the show: I was miserable. Honestly it's absolutely embarrassing. I was shocked. I went into the competition so confident in myself. I thought I was going to be Top Chef.

Her impression of Tom and Padma: I feel that Tom was portrayed accurately. He's very kind and well educated. He's obviously earned his place in the industry. As for Padma, they do a very nice job editing and she comes out looking nice. She's not a person I would like to hang out with. I'm pretty easy going and not high maintenance. Everyone has to do their own hair and makeup, but she has a glam squad surrounding her at all times. They had to stop filming every two minutes to powder her nose. I was disenchanted with the beauty side of the film industry. Film is very different from the food industry.

On watching friend Patrick be kicked off after her: You always hope you will be the one to make it, but if it can't be you, at least you hope for your friends. I wanted him to do well. Now I'm rooting for the other three contestants who graduated from the CIA.

How she prepared for Top Chef: I don't think there is anything that could have prepared me more than watching the show. I watched every episode multiple times, but it never compares to being there. Going to culinary school definitely prepared me for the challenge.

On being inexperienced: I didn't feel out of my league until I met my competitors. I thought, I am being trumped by experience and decades. I'm still very young in my career.

On telling her husband in Iraq she was kicked off: Breaking it to him, telling him that I was the first one kicked off was the hardest thing I've ever done.

On returning for another season of Top Chef: I would need a lot of experience to go back into the competition. Right now I want to open a bakery and get more experience.

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Will You Watch Top Chef Junior?

partysugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:15:48 -0700

This morning Bravo announced its plans for Top Chef Junior. Similar to Top Chef, the eight-episode series will feature teens battling it out in the kitchen and competing in culinary challenges. Frances Berwick, the general manager of Bravo Media, explains the network's decision to expand the Top Chef brand:

With Top Chef as the No. 1 food show on cable comes the natural expansion in our food domain. With Top Chef Junior we're reaching a growing market and are developing a series that will teach and test the skills of younger aspiring chefs and appeal to the whole family.

Bravo is also planning another untitled, food-related reality series highlighting the life of "the world's sexiest chef," Jean-Christophe Novelli.

Knowing Bravo's track record, these shows have the potential to be smashing hits. Will you watch?

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Top Chef Producers to Create NBC Restaurateur Show

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:10:49 -0800

From Magical Elves, the producers of Bravo's Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, and the soon-to-air Top Chef: Just Desserts, comes yet another reality TV show, tentatively titled United Plates of America.

Unlike its sister productions, United Plates will air on NBC. The premise: aspiring restaurateurs compete in a number of challenges involving the restaurant's concept, cuisine, management, and marketability. The judges' panel will include wealthy investors in the culinary and business world.The prize is being called "among the biggest in reality show history" - the winner will receive a restaurant chain that opens in four locations across the US - funded by the investors themselves. "It's a culinary competition that anybody can take part in," said executive producer Dan Cutforth. "All you need is a great idea for a restaurant."

Finally, a different foodie reality TV concept. This show could be wildly captivating and educational, because the average American viewer doesn't have an inkling of knowledge about the operations behind a restaurant. I would definitely tune in to check out the show. What about you?

Greg Grossman, Child Caterer, Lands Reality TV Show

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:30:58 -0700

Precocious child chefs and foodies - a trend to hit the media circuit last year - apparently aren't over yet. Remember Greg Grossman, the 13-year-old rising caterer on the Hamptons circuit? Now 14, the kid caterer is no longer a novice to the world of publicity, and has recently landed a deal to develop his own television show.

At the National Restaurant Association Show last month, the preteen told the Chicago Tribune of his plans to help out in the kitchen at Alinea, shoot a TV series, and pen a book.

Now Grossman has reportedly signed a contract with Picture This Television, the production company behind Kathy Griffin's show, My Life on the D-List. "The moment we met Greg, we knew he was a one-of-a-kind-talent," said Bryan Scott, a partner at Picture This. "It's not every day you encounter a kid who goes to junior high school during the day and cooks with some of the world's leading chefs at night."

While I do believe that kids shouldn't rush to grow up, there's a pretty good chance that I'll tune into this show out of curiosity. Will you watch a celebrity kid chef on reality TV?

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Jamie Oliver and Ryan Seacrest Serving Up Reality Show

YumSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:45:14 -0700

Seems Jamie Oliver and Ryan Seacrest have more in common than a shared love of spiky hairdos. They also want to help Americans eat better. The British chef is preparing a new reality show produced by Seacrest, where Oliver will touch down in America's unhealthiest cities and give its residents good-food makeovers using local resources.

This isn't Oliver's first stab at improving the eating habits of everyday folks. In the UK, he has worked extensively on children's nutrition, including a 2005 TV series called Jamie's School Lunches, which prompted education officials to remake school meals. The idea struck a chord with radio host/TV producer Seacrest:

Seacrest said he talked about school lunches during a segment on his KISS FM morning radio show and was struck by the amount of listener response. Then he heard Oliver was looking to bring his public service campaign stateside. The resulting ABC show will not only tackle a city's schools, but workplaces and other avenues for change.

ABC has already ordered at least six hours of the show, which will focus on cities that have shown on up lists of "America's fattest." But ABC exec Vicki Dummer says the point isn't to make fun of Americans: "Jamie has been through this mission before. He will be an advocate for change, but not act like, 'I'm from Britain and you Americans are fat.'"

What do you think of this idea for a show? Do you think it sends the right message?

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Who Is Your Favorite Food Reality Contestant of 2008?

partysugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:45:24 -0800

What would the food industry be without reality TV food competitions? 2008 was filled with interesting characters, odd-ball personalities, and plenty of heat in the kitchen. We covered the three main shows: Top Chef, Next Food Network Star, and Hell's Kitchen. While we love Stefan and Fabio from Top Chef 5, we thought to be fair, the poll should include only contestants from completed seasons. So as part of our ongoing Best of 2008 coverage, tell us: which cheftestant is your fav?

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Marco Pierre White Is on The Chopping Block

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:18:51 -0700

If you're a foodie with access to BBC America (or BBC regular), then you've probably caught an episode of Last Restaurant Standing. The reality show pits couples - many with little or no professional cooking experience - against each other as they compete to open a restaurant. The BBC version is hosted by Raymond Blanc, a two-star Michelin chef and food personality. I've caught a few episodes, but can't quite seem to get into it.

I wonder then, will I give it a chance when its Americanized version begins? NBC has just announced that Marco Pierre White will be hosting a new show called The Chopping Block. The show will feature eight couples running two neighboring restaurants, and one will be eliminated each time. It's a little bit different, but the bones sure do look like Last Restaurant Standing.

If you're wondering who Marco Pierre White is, it should be noted that he's tough enough to make Gordon Ramsay cry. He's one of Britain's original celebrity chefs, and the current host of the UK version of Hell's Kitchen. I imagine there's going to be a lot of swearing and yelling in his new show. Maybe this less-civilized version of LRS will be more fun?

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2007's Favorite Foodie Reality Show Is...

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:01:01 -0800

As part of our Best of 2007 coverage, we asked you what your favorite foodie reality show of 2007 is. The response was phenomenal and Top Chef won by a huge landslide.

We debated a bit here at the YumSugar HQ, however in the end Top Chef won us over as well. This year we almost had a female winner - maybe next year it'll finally happen? - and the competition was front and center. While the other shows also entertained, I loved the way Top Chef constantly had a mix of drama - but not too much - and really delicious looking eats. Also, their guest judges constantly kept things interesting and the local Miami produce and backdrop really added to the fun.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments!

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