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Let's Dish: Top Chef 4.10 - Light n' Healthy

YumSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:01:33 -0700

This week's Top Chef took another turn towards the catering when the cheftestants had to cook for the folks at the Chicago Policy Academy. In the end we traded in last week's wedding wars for lunchbox wars. We also got a nice dose of against the grain drama. Did you watch? What did you think? Check out my thoughts and tell me yours when you read more.

Once the episode started I got three emails from pals declaring their love for guest judge Sam Talbot. Are you on the same page as them?
Did you like the salad challenge? I thought Antonia's poached egg salad was total food porn. Even Sam said it was sexy!
I groaned a bit when I found out the elimination challenge was another catering-type challenge.
Do you think Spike spent more time trying to mess with his opponents than he did planning his meal?
You know, I couldn't help but think of former cheftestant Ryan Scott. He headed up Myth Cafe, which was known for their great boxed lunches. Too bad he didn't make it this far.
Okay the big drama came from Lisa's camp. Do you think someone really sabotaged her rice?
I thought it was interesting that Stephanie and Dale were the best in this challenge. They're both from the Chicago area and I wondered if that helped them at all.
Do you think Dale deserved to win? Who had your vote?
It was tense at judge's panel. Do you think it was bad of Lisa to call out the fact that Andrew didn't follow the rules to a T?
And finally, who are you rooting for now? Got any votes for the top four?

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Photos courtesy of Bravo

Steamy Sam Talbot Is Glad

partysugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 06:01:31 -0800

Glad has announced the results of this summer's steamiest chef contest. A promotion for their microwave steaming bags, the contest allowed online readers to vote for the best looking Glad chef. Surprise, surprise, the winner is ~~my future husband~~ Sam Talbot. The fan fave from Top Chef Season 2 totally blew away the rest of his steamy competitors.

As his reward, Glad's donating $30,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Sam's charity of choice. The money isn't the only thing Glad's giving away. They've created a free downloadable calendar featuring all five of the chefs and their recipes. I've already printed out mine and will be hanging it in the kitchen where I can read the recipes and admire the good looking chefs!

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The Search For America's Steamiest Chef

YumSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:01:31 -0700

Some of you were upset with our list of the hottest guys on Food Network, so to make up for it, I have to tell you all about Glad's new "steamy chef" contest.

To promote their new SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags, the folks at Glad have selected five chefs - they're calling them the "Culinary Fab Five" - who will compete for the title of America's Steamiest Chef. The chefs don't have to do much, as it's up to you to decide who's "steamiest." The winner of the contest will have $30,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, while the other four chefs will donate $5,000 each.

So who's in the running to be the steamy chef? The current leader is Top Chef Season 2 fan-fave Sam Talbot, but he's followed closely by Dave Lieberman, Govind Armstrong, G. Garvin and Aaron Sanchez. Of these five guys, who would you want steaming up your kitchen? And while you're voting, don't forget to enter the contest. The winner gets to go to Miami for a Top Chef VIP prize and dinner with the Steamiest Chef!

Source: PR Newwire

The Live Action Top Chef Cook-Off Results Are In!

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 06:58:31 -0700

Yesterday, to kick off New York's Restaurant Week, Bravo TV hosted a cook-off pitting season 2 crowd-favorite Sam Talbot against season 2 winner Ilan Hall. I was really hoping that Sam would show everyone that the wrong winner was chosen, but as it turns out, Ilan won the cook-off with a softshell crab dish. His winning dish, which beat out a quail entrée from Sam, will be tentatively added to some of the top restaurants' menu during restaurant week.

Also present at the event were Top Chef judges Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi and the cast of Season 3 (which starts tonight!).

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Source: TV Cocktail

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Yummy Link: Top Chef Live Cook-Off!

YumSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:00:18 -0700

If you're a Top Chef fan who lives in New York, you might want to head over to NYC's Union Square Park next Tuesday. To kick off the 16th Annual Restaurant week, Bravo TV is hosting a Taste of Top Chef Cook-Off pitting season two winner Ilan Hall against season two fan favorite, Sam Talbot. Man I wish I lived in New York. - Will Work For Food

Food & Wine Magazine Celebrates The Best New Chefs

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:58:48 -0700

Yesterday I mentioned how Food & Wine magazine announced their Best New Chefs of 2007, well turns out that when you announce this kind of a list, you throw a big party to celebrate it too. Last night in Manhattan at 7 World Trade Center, past Best New Chefs, along with Top Chef winners Harold Dieterle and Ilan Hall (and I'm guessing Sam Talbot too, based on the fact that he looks like he's ready for the kitchen in this photo), prepared dishes for the new winners. The 2007 Best New Chefs will be featured in the July issue of Food & Wine.

To check out more pictures of the new best chefs, your favorite former Top Chef contestants (including Miguel, Dave "I'm not Your Bitch Bitch" and Andrea), the party atmosphere and the Food & Wine Staff (yep, Gail is there too),
read more

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Why Open a Restaurant When There's Bling to Be Had?

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:59:12 -0800

Okay, now what's wrong with this picture from the South Beach Wine and Food Festival party? Go on take a good look.
Here we have Top Chef winner Ilan Hall, Gail Simmons, Sam Talbot and Tom Colicchio hanging out at the Food & Wine magazine after party. Have you figured it out? I'll give you a hint it has to do with attire. No it's not that Sam is looking under-dressed (although you have to admit that he is), it's that Ilan looks like he's spending his Top Chef winnings on fancy suits and bling!

In fact the folks over at snack spotted Ilan getting on to the plane for Miami and have put together their breakdown of Ilan's attire choices, including a $12,000 diamond encrusted watch.

Moncler black vest: $375
Pink shoe laces for white Nikes: $4
Louis Vuitton duffel bag: $1,100
Louis Vuitton white belt with candy-colored logo:$350
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce watch in pure white (with diamonds): $11,950

To check out more pictures of our favorite Top Chef crew partying the night away, read more

In other Ilan news, looks like I missed Ilan's swoonworthy Orzo in one of the latest issues of Life & Style magazine. I absolutely love orzo, but the comments the folks have left definitely aren't too kind.

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Yummy Links: From Mocklate to Sam Talbot

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 13:13:13 -0700

Don't let them F with our chocolate folks. The FDA wants to change the definition of chocolate to include products that do not include cocoa butter. This means that consumers can purchase things labeled as chocolate, but are really "mocklate" chocolate coating. Sneaky ploy for new marketing if you ask me... - Candyblog
Just in time for Easter, check out these little rabbit shaped steamed buns. I think I might try to make these this weekend! - Just Hungry
To promote the new Mr. Bean movie, the Observer Food Monthly has compiled Mr. Bean's Idiots Guide to French Cuisine. - Serious Eats
We've talked about Peeps before, and how to make your own, but these Peeps are saffron flavored. - Slashfood
Ever wonder how nonalcoholic beer and wine is made? - Chow
DearSugar wants to know, which celeb would you like to cook with? - DearSugar
Pizza, dear pizza, how do I love thee... be sure to check out this gorgeous jamon and ricotta pizza with rocket salad. I think I will have to try this out sooner than later. - Seven Spoons via Tastespotting
And finally, he may not have won Top Chef, but Sam Talbot is going forward with his restaurant in NYC's Lower East Side, currently called Spitzer's Corner. - Eater via They Cook. We Dish

The Best of Top Chef

partysugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:00:35 -0800

No contestant was eliminated on this week's episode of Top Chef, so I didn't get to interview the losing chef. Thus, I've decided it's a great time to take a look back at what happened on the show this year.

2008 was an exciting time for the reality competition: viewers got to indulge in two exciting seasons in two important cities - Chicago and New York.

We witnessed the crowning of the first female chef and watched what happened when Europeans were thrown into the mix. Here, I've rounded up my favorite moments from season four and the first half of season five.

My crouton cooking lesson with Ryan Scott.
Spike showing off his mad butchering skills.
The return of Sam Talbot as a guest judge.
Andrew's introduction of the phrase "culinary boner" to the food industry.
Padma and Rocco together again: eating 16 deep-dish pizzas.
The first competing couple.
The ongoing, entertaining feud between Dale and Lisa.
Gail's bridal shower!
The contestants putting the competition aside to help Radhika and Hosea get their dishes done.

Did I forget something? What were your favorite Top Chef moments?

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Waking Up With Top Chef's Andrew D'Ambrosi

YumSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:00:45 -0700

Yesterday morning, I got up pretty early to chat with outgoing Top Chef contestant Andrew D'Ambrosi. Just like the last time I chatted with him, he was delightful, fun, and full of energy. I wasn't fully awake yet, but talking to Andrew was like getting a shot of adrenaline. I went from nearly asleep to wide awake as I tried to keep up with everything he was saying.

I know a lot of your were rooting for him - he's got words for those of you who were! - and those that weren't, you have to admit he was enjoyable to watch right? To find out what we chatted about, read more.

YumSugar: Hey thanks for talking to us this morning.
Andrew D'Ambrosi: Yeah, I've finally got a coffee in my hand and am ready to start answering some questions.

YS: Oh good, I'm on the West Coast so it's pretty early. I'll try to keep up.
AD: Alright, let's go.

YS: So how was the whole Top Chef experience for you?
AD: It was one of the weirdest, strangest, coolest experiences of my life.

YS: Was it what you expected?
AD: I couldn't have ever imagined all the production that goes on behind the scenes. There's a lot of stuff that you don't get to see on TV.

YS: Were you happy with how you were portrayed?
AD: I was portrayed as me. So well, sure. The editing, they did a great job cutting out weird one liners. But the one thing I had a problem with is that anytime I was in the top three and anyone complimented me, they showed me making a funny face instead of saying something intelligent. I definitely said things up there, but they showed a funny face instead. I guess that goes with the culinary boner quotes.

YS: Are you okay with being the "culinary boner" guy in our pop culture world?
AD: It's bigger than life. Ha ha get it? [laughs] I don't know, I thought it was something that I said that was really fun, but then in my mind, I say some really funny sh*t. When they aired it at the end of that one episode, it definitely caught me off guard then.

YS: In one of last night's exit clips, you said you were never going to talk to any of the other contestants again. Did you mean that?
AD: No, no. I still talk to these contestants, but I work a lot and I don't even talk to my family much. I have nothing against these people they're really talented chefs. This is just an experience we've all had together. I mean, when we're 60 I'll call up Blaise and say [goes in to an old man voice], "remember when we were on that show together?" [laughs]

YS: So despite your heated time at judge's panel, I thought you bowed out pretty gracefully. What was going through your mind during all of that?
AD: I was really drunk [laughs], no don't put that. Okay you can put that. No, what was going on through my head. I was feeling, well I'm one of the most enjoyable people on the show, now it's going to be called SuckFest 2008. [laughs] I displayed my enthusiasm, and I was not angry at the decision. I was upset that I was leaving and at the situation, but I wasn't angry.

YS: Did you think you were going to be sent home?
AD: The judging is kind of erratic. It's not like I can say this person didn't follow the rules and they're going home, because this person did. A few episodes before, if I recall correctly, someone didn't use polish sausage and used fish instead. And that seemed like a rule and yet no one got thrown off. It was really hypocritical and totally erratic.

YS: Well speaking of that someone, do you think it was hypocritical that she called you out for not following the rules?
AD: I feel she didn't need to go there at all. One, I forgot the rules, and two, it apparently didn't taste good, because they don't eat raw foods. [pause] Oh sh*t, what was the question? [I repeat the question.] Oh no, it wasn't necessary, and kind of apparent, so she didn't need to bring it up. It actually just makes her look bad.

YS: What was it like to watch yourself on TV?
AD: Hold on a sec, I have to change my shirt. Okay, it was interesting. Hey there I am. I didn't think it was too weird, I kept trying to see what was my good side, and if the camera really added 10 pounds.

YS: Did it add 10 pounds?
AD: No, I think I look pretty manly, but as long as Sam Talbot keeps wearing those shoulder pads, I have no choice. [laughs]

YS: So what are you taking away from this experience?
AD: [Faux sales voice] I'm going to start selling my T-shirts online. [laughs] Just kidding. Now I have a face with a name. People who saw the show or who know Top Chef, they know I'm whatever. I'm young in my career, but I think they saw my passion, enthusiasm, and energy.

YS: So what's next for you?
AD: I think I said the same thing last time. I'm just going to continue to focus and continue to develop my craft and be the best I can be.

YS: Sounds great, one last question. A lot of our readers have been rooting for you. Do you have anything to say to them?
AD: Wow, thank you so much for enjoying me. And um, god I don't know. I'm super appreciative of anyone who saw the show. And if I got someone to think I was a douchebag, I'm appreciative of that too.

Photos courtesy of Bravo