Top Chef Masters (Discussion)

[NotaGeek]

24 World-Renowned Competing Chefs Revealed Along With Guest Stars Neil Patrick Harris, Zooey Deschanel, Morgan Spurlock, And For The First Time Together All "Top Chef" Winners.

Froom Bravo.com:

BRAVO DISHES PREMIERE OF "TOP CHEF MASTERS" WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 AT 10 PM

NEW YORK - April 7, 2009 - Calling all foodies.it's time to salivate! "Top Chef Masters," the spin-off series of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning No. 1 food show on cable, "Top Chef," will premiere on Wednesday, June 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The judges' table has finally turned - and we'll see what happens when these top chefs are now on the other side. "Top Chef Masters" will pit 24 world-renowned chefs against each other and see how well they fare in the tried and true format of "Top Chef." In each episode, money will be at stake for the chefs, with the winners of eliminations being awarded cash donations for their charities. The first six episodes will consist of four chefs competing against each other to name one winner. The six winners of each episode will then meet up for the final four weeks when one person will get eliminated each episode until the finale where one winner is crowned Top Chef Master. The winning chef will receive $100,000 for the charity of their choice.

"Top Chef Masters" will feature guest stars and judges Neil Patrick Harris, Zooey Deschanel, "Lost" writers and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, "Flipping Out's" Jeff Lewis, and for the first time, all past "Top Chef" winners will be together during an episode. The series will also showcase chef'testant fan favorites as well as appearances by "Top Chef's" Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons.

"On 'Top Chef,' the biggest names in the industry join us as guests to pass judgment on the chef'testants," said Dan Cutforth, Executive Producer, Magical Elves. "Now we'll get to see how they handle equally tough challenges."

"We are thrilled to have such an amazing line up of celebrated chefs putting their reputations on the line for their charities," said Jane Lipsitz, Executive Producer, Magical Elves. "'Top Chef Masters' will take the kitchen competition to the next level."
To meet the cast of "Top Chef Masters," visit www.BravoTV.com.

Following are the 24 "Top Chef Masters" competing chefs:
- Rick Bayless - Frontera Grill, Chicago, Ill.
- Wilo Benet - Pikayo, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- John Besh - Restaurant August, New Orleans, LA
- Graham Elliot Bowles - Graham Elliot Restaurant, Chicago, Ill.
- Michael Chiarello - Bottega Restaurant, Yountville, Calif.
- Michael Cimarusti - Providence, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Wylie Dufresne - wd~50, New York, N.Y.
- Elizabeth Falkner - Orson, San Francisco, Calif.
- Hubert Keller - Fleur de Lys, San Francisco, Calif.
- Christopher Lee - Aureole, New York, N.Y.
- Ludo Lefebvre - Ludo Bites, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Anita Lo - Annisa, New York, N.Y.
- Tim Love - The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Fort Worth, Texas
- Rick Moonen - Rick Moonen's RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nev.
- Nils Noren - French Culinary Institute, New York, N.Y.
- Lachlan McKinnon Patterson - Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, Colo.
- Cindy Pawlcyn - Mustards Grill, Napa Valley, Calif.
- Mark Peel - Campanile, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Douglas Rodriguez - Alma de Cuba, Philadelphia, PA
- Michael Schlow - Radius Restaurant, Boston, Mass.
- Art Smith - Table Fifty-Two, Chicago, Ill.
- Suzanne Tracht - Jar, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Jonathan Waxman - Barbuto, New York, N.Y.
- Roy Yamaguchi - Roy's Restaurants, San Diego, Calif.

Kelly Choi, food journalist and creator, producer and host of NYC TV's weekly restaurant show "Eat Out NY," will host this highly competitive spin-off uniting some of the brightest stars in the world of food, showcasing the often cutthroat world of the culinary arts. A former model, Choi recently finished her book called "The 20 Most Delicious Dishes in New York," which is set to hit stores in spring of 2009.

Joining the judges' panel is Gael Greene, New York Magazine's famed restaurant critic for over 40 years, a best-selling author and co-founder of Citymeals-on-Wheels, which provides food to the homebound elderly. James Oseland, culinary expert and Editor-in-Chief of Saveur magazine, and British journalist, writer and broadcaster Jay Rayner, will also serve as regular judges for the series.

Each episode of "Top Chef Masters" holds two challenges for the chefs. The first is a twist on the classic "Top Chef" quickfire challenge which tests their basic abilities - for example in season 2 of "Top Chef" where the chef'testants had to create an amuse bouche out of items from a vending machine. Each quickfire challenge will be judged by a blind taste test and a five-star system, similar to fine dining reviews.
The second challenge is a more involved elimination challenge designed to test the versatility and invention of the chefs as they take on unique culinary trials such as working with unusual and exotic foods or catering for demanding clients. The food will be tasted and evaluated by the judges and a wide range of tasters for whom the challenge is aimed, whether it is patrons at a five-star restaurant or a room full of hungry kids - the food has to appeal to the diner as well as the critics if the chef is to survive.

[Melanie]

Where have I missed the ads for this? Sounds fun!!!

[NotaGeek]

I totally agree! I haven't seen an ad for it either, but I willl definitely be watching!

[JanetMegan]

Woo Hoo Another foodie fun show just in time for summer and all the other shows ending!

[TheDuckRocks]

Oh boy, oh boy!
I already have a favorite! Roy Yamaguchi is a truely nice man and his food and restaurants are amazing.

[PirateLover]

Sweeeeeeeeet! I love a good summer series!

[tinkwest]

Thanks for the scoop, Michael. Looking forward to it.

[NotaGeek]

Oh boy, oh boy!
I already have a favorite! Roy Yamaguchi is a truely nice man and his food and restaurants are amazing.

I totally agree! Roy's restaurants are one of my favorites!

[mainemajor]

Top Chef has a new show on right now - Top Chef Masters. On it there are real "Top Chefs" competing against each other for the title.
I have enjoyed this so far because it has shown these experienved chefs, often past judges on the show, how hard it is to compete in the quick fire and not so normal kitchen settings for the elimination challange.
Other differences between Top Chef and Masters is the competitors are all freindly with each other not cut throat like is often shown on the regular series. hile not cut throat they are all VERY competitive and none of them want to be upstaged by anyone. They also have much better "stew room" to wait in.
Overall if you like Top Chef give Masters a chance - I think you will enjoy it.

[Tick-Tock]

We've also been enjoying it. I like that the chefs are playing for charities, and some of them have very personal connections to their charities. I also like their can-do/will-do attitudes and their relatively friendly competition.

[JanetMegan]

I finally watched the first three episodes over the weekend, I guess there was not a new one last week? I don't like it as much as Top Chef but it is a fun summer show. I liked the cooking in the college dorm room big time

[Melanie]

As soon as we get settled in our new home I'm going to try and sit down to a marathon of this show. I've been really looking forward to watching but just haven't had the time.

[NotaGeek]

I really like it Melanie ... it's funny to see these top notch chefs have to do the same challenges -- and some have problems!

Have you seen that other show Chopped? It's hosted by Ted Allen -- I really like that one as well!

[JanetMegan]

I really like Chopped as well, I finally started watching Next Food Network Star last night so I'm 3 episodes behind on this one too

[Stich8818]

I'm liking the show also...Looking at the chefs right now..I think that Hubert Keller is the one to beat..He has been the only chef to my knowlege to ace both the quickfire and elimination...Plus the guy strained his pasta in a shower...that's MacGuyver if I have ever seen it.

[PirateLover]

Between vacation and moving I finally got to see some of this series a few days ago during a marathon. I'm enjoying it! The episode with Wiley and Elliott had me cracking up.

[TheDuckRocks]

I can't believe so many of my favorites have already made it to the finals; Rick Bayless, Michael Chiarello and Hubert Keller. Next week is going to be very rough as Roy Yamaguchi and Art Smith are on the same show. As an X-Hawaiian resident I'm still hoping to see Roy do well. There are many excellent chefs out there that get overlooked when lists of top chefs are being complied.

[ChipnDaleGal]

We have been watchng this show and Chopped as well. The Food Network has a lot of fun shows.

[mainemajor]

What great respect the Masters have for each other. With the surprise boxes prepared for other chefs they all picked items that they felt the other could use AND be successful. I don't think you would have found that level of co-operation on the regular Top Chef show. There is always at least one who would not be so honorable.

[PirateLover]

I was disappointed to see Art go. I thought he was funny and good hearted and brought some soul to the group. That being said I like everyone on the show. If I had to choose one person to win, I think it would be Rick.