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"Top Chef 8: All-Stars" congregates a dream team of 18 past chef'testants who nearly won the title to return to see if they have what it takes when they're given a second chance. They're back and they're ready for redemption!
The 2010 Primetime Emmy Award-winning "Top Chef" returns to New York City for Season 8 with host Padma Lakshmi and head judge chef Tom Colicchio, alongside judges Gail Simmons and new this season, best-selling author and chef, Anthony Bourdain.
The powerhouse of "Top Chef 8" contestants going head-to-head include Carla Hall (season five finalist), Spike Mendelsohn (Season 4, top five), Fabio Viviani (voted fan fav, Season 5) and Marcel Vigneron (Season 2 finalist), Elia Aboumrad (Season 2, final four), Stephen Asprinio (Season 1, top five), Richard Blais (Season 4 finalist), Jennifer Carroll (Season 6, final four), Tiffany Derry (Season 7, top five), Tiffani Faison (Season 1 finalist), Michael Isabella (Season 6, top seven), Jamie Lauren (Season 5, top seven), Dale Levitsk (Season 3 finalist), Antonia Lofaso (Season 4, final four), Angelo Sosa (Season 7 finalist), Dale Talde (Season 4, top six), Casey Thompson (Season 3 finalist and fan favorite), and Tre Wilcox (Season 3, top eight).
Top Chef 7: DC
"Top Chef" Season 7 on Bravo brings back the culinary power of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning #1 food show on cable for "Top Chef: Washington DC." The 17 new contestants on "Top Chef: DC." come face to face in the nation's capitol for the ultimate power play that will determine just who has the chops to become Top Chef.
This season captures the varied tastes of Washington D.C. and features appearances by some of the town's top names including Apollo Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, White House chef Sam Kass, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, Congressman Aaron Schock of Illinois, Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, CIA Director Leon Panetta and NBC White House Correspondent Savannah Guthrie. The challenges featured will be some of the most creative and inventive yet: the chefs take over the concession stands at the Nationals stadium, go inside the CIA's closely guarded headquarters and literally receive out of this world direction on one challenge from a NASA astronaut orbiting Earth.
Once again returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, recent James Beard Award-winner and chef/owner Craft Restaurants, and judge Gail Simmons of Food & Wine magazine. Joining the series as a regular guest judge is Eric Ripert, award-winning chef and owner of the acclaimed Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City, the 15th ranked best restaurant in the world.
The Emmy-nominated Magical Elves return to produce "Top Chef: Washington DC." Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz ("Top Chef Masters," "Dance Your Ass Off"), Liz Cook and Casey Kriley serve as executive producers. Chaz Gray serves as co-executive producer.
The 17 "Top Chef: DC." chef'testants will be whittled down week by week as they compete to outshine their competition. The winning chef will receive $125,000 furnished by Dial Nutriskin, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and will earn the title of "Top Chef." The Washington Hilton served as the production location for "Top Chef: Washington DC."
Bravo's "Top Chef" offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business at the highest level. The series features seventeen aspiring chefs who compete for their shot at culinary stardom and the chance to earn the prestigious title of "Top Chef." Each episode holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a quickfire test of their basic abilities and the second is a more involved elimination challenge designed to test the versatility and inventiveness of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for a range of demanding clients. The challenges not only test their skills in the kitchen, but also uncover if they have the customer service, management and teamwork abilities required of a Top Chef. The competing chefs live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle that comes with being a master chef and each week someone is asked to "pack up their knives" and go home.
Top Chef 6: Las Vegas
What happens in Vegas will be delicious. The sixth season of the No. 1 food show on cable, Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series returns with "Top Chef 6: Las Vegas." The 17 new chef'testants take on Sin City this season to see if they have what it takes to become "Top Chef." Once again returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner Craft Restaurants, and judges Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine magazine and Toby Young, food critic and best-selling author of the book "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." Some of the top names in food, movies and entertainment including Wolfgang Puck, Todd English, Natalie Portman, Daniel Boulud, Penn & Teller, Hubert Keller, Laurent Tourondel, Tim Love, Michelle Bernstein, Tyler Florence, Charlie Palmer, Paul Bartolotta, Nigella Lawson, Jerome Bocuse and Thomas Keller will be featured this season on "Top Chef: Las Vegas."
Top Chef 5: New York
Bright knives, Big city. The fifth season of the No. 1 food show on cable, Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series returns with "Top Chef 5: New York." The 17 new chef'testants take on The Big Apple this season to see if they have what it takes to become Top Chef. Once again returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner, Craft Restaurants, and judge Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine. This season introduces new judge Toby Young, food critic and best-selling author of the book "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People," which was the basis for an upcoming film. In what will prove to be the most challenging season yet, some of the biggest names in food, music and entertainment including Martha Stewart, Foo Fighters, Jean-Georges, Eric Ripert, Rocco DiSpirito, Wylie Dufresne, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Natasha Richardson will be featured this season on "Top Chef 5: New York."
Top Chef 4: Chicago
Let the flames begin. On Bravo's "Top Chef 4: Chicago" the newest crop of 16 rising chefs from across the country take on the windy city of Chicago. Returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table on "Top Chef 4: Chicago" alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner, Craft Restaurants, judge Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine and judge Ted Allen, food and wine ambassador for Robert Mondavi Private selection wines. In what will prove to be the most exciting season yet, some of the biggest and most respected chefs will guest star on "Top Chef: Chicago."
The 16 "Top Chef: Chicago" cheftestants will be skewered down week by week as they compete to out-flavor, out-cook and out-do their competition. The winning chef will receive $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant, furnished by the makers of the Glad family of products, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, a gourmet dream vacation in the French Alps, and will earn the title of "Top Chef."
Top Chef 3: Miami
Just when you thought it safe to go back in the kitchen, Bravo's hit culinary competition series "Top Chef 3: Miami" returns with an hour-long special "Top Chef: 4-Star All-Stars." "Top Chef: 4-Star All-Stars" reunites four of the finalists from season's one and two - team one's inaugural winner Harold Dieterle, Stephen Asprinio, Tiffani Faison, and Dave Martin compete against season two's winner Ilan Hall, Fan Favorite Sam Talbot, Elia Aboumrad, and molecular gastronomist Marcel Vigneron in a $20,000 cook-off for charity. The cook-off concludes with the two teams serving their meals to "Top Chef 3 Miami's" 15 new chefs.
On "Top Chef 3: Miami," the latest crop of 15 of the country's most impressive rising chefs hit beautiful Miami Beach - where the sun is hot and the competition hotter - in this third tropical season. "Queer Eye's" culinary expert Ted Allen brings his expertise to the judges table this season, joining cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi; Tom Colicchio, celebrated culinary figure and co-founder of Craft Restaurants; and returning judge Gail Simmons of Food & Wine.
"The new chefs bring an undeniably high level of talent and expertise to the table this season," said Colicchio. "It'll be very interesting to see what they can do with Miami's flavorful fruits, fresh seafood, and cultural influences."
On "Top Chef 3: Miami," the 15 contestants will reside in the luxurious beachfront Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, where the season's production activity will be centered.
On "Top Chef 3: Miami," the winning chef will receives $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant, be featured in Food & Wine and earn the title of "Top Chef." "Top Chef" season one winner Dieterle recently opened his new restaurant Perilla in Manhattan's trendy West Village, and plans are underway for season two winner Hall to open his NYC-based restaurant later this year.
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