Los Angeles Top Chef Contestants Present "A Backyard Pig Roast"

Chefs Nyesha Arrington of Wilshire Restaurant and Chris Crary of Whist Restaurant announced Wednesday a "backyard" pig roast to help fight childhood hunger at a benefit to be hosted April 22 at Wilshire Restaurant.

The potluck-style lunch will also feature barbecue sides and desserts from Alex Reznik, Antonia LaFaso, Ilan Hall, Jamie Lauren, Sally Camacho, Marcel Vigneron, CJ Jacobson, Danielle Keene, Mark Peel, and Suzanne Tracht.

Click here for tickets.

Proceeds benefit Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation.

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Congratulations, Fan Favorite Chris Crary!

Chris Crary racked up 63,504,625 points in this season's Fan Favorite competition. While there's some grumbling about his social media campaigning for votes, Fan Favorite is, after all, just a popularity contest.

Who was your favorite chef this season?

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All Top Chef Interview with Chris Crary

Top Chef Texas contestant, Chris Crary talks about his experience on the show.

Click here to learn more about Whist restaurant at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica.

Click below to play the podcast.

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Thank you Chef Chris!

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Bravo Exit Interview - Chris Crary

Click here for the interview.

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ATC Love to Chef Chris Crary

It was a difficult challenge this week, cooking so much barbecue - the right way, not just grilling - for 300 people. While six chefs ended up on the bottom, Chef Chris Crary was sent home because of some salty dry rub that he made for his team's batch of pork ribs.

Everyone seemed genuinely sad to say goodbye to Malibu Chris, but now he can get back to his second love - painting nudes. ;) Think Padma will miss him, too? And will she pose for him someday?

This post is only for positive comments about Chef Crary. If you have anything negative to say, please do so on our Reactions post.

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Congrats to Kevin Gillespie, and Mark Your Top Chef 2012 Calendars!

Photo by Fredrik Brauer in Forbes

Season 4 Finalist and Fan Favorite Kevin Gillespie made Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 List for food and wine. Click here for a video interview where he shares his reaction to the honor. If that wasn’t sweet enough, Kevin will also be cooking on a “Wine, Dine, and Jazz” cruise in French Polynesia in September.

Top Chef Texas contestant Chris Crary cooks a game dinner this Thursday at Whist in Santa Monica, featuring such dishes as Roasted Rabbit with Carrot Panna Cotta, Venison Neck with Coffee and Huckleberry Mustard, and Antelope Osso Buco. Check out the whole menu here. Chris will also be appearing with Sara Moulton at the 2012 Food + Wine Festival in Palm Desert March 23-35.

Another TC Texas contender, Sarah Greuneberg, faces off against her boss and mentor, Tony Mantuano, in a "quickfire" challenge/tasting on January 21 at Spiaggia in Chicago. And here's a nice interview with Tony from AV Club, where he reveals more about how both of them decided to go on Top Chef.

Got a Top Chef news tip for us? Email us at alltopchef@gmail.com.

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Congratulations, Green Team!

This week's chili contest proved no contest at all for Houston native Sarah Grueneberg and her Green Team, who wowed Tejas Rodeo attendees and earned them a big win.

We expect great things from these chefs, don't  you?

This post is only for positive comments about Chefs Crary, Valencia, and Grueneberg . If you have anything negative to say, please do so on our Reactions post.

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Meet the Chefs - Chris Crary

HOMETOWN: Bucyrus, OH
RESIDES: Los Angeles, CA
AGE: 30
HOMETOWN: Bucyrus, Ohio – currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
PROFESSION: Chef de Cuisine, Whist Restaurant @ Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica
CULINARY EDUCATION: B.S. Culinary Arts, Johnson and Wales Univ.
FAVORITE SIMPLE FALL DESSERT RECIPE: His mother’s Oreo Dirt Cake

Chris is the Chef de Cuisine for Whist restaurant at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica. Born in a small town in Ohio, Chris decided he wanted to venture into larger cities to follow his culinary passions. He attended Johnson &Wales University in both Norfolk, Virginia and Providence, Rhode Island where he received his Bachelors of Science degree in Culinary Arts. From there, he journeyed to California where he trained with his chef mentor Tony DiSalvo, former Executive Chef at Jean Georges in NYC. Chris incorporates Italian, Asian, and Spanish influences in his cooking, but never loses sight of the customer’s culinary journey. His focus is on flavor, texture, whimsy, and creating the most memorable dining experience possible. If he were given a last supper, he says, "It would have to include biscuits and gravy, to honor my southern roots. Who doesn't have a guilty pleasure of eating a plate of biscuits and sausage gravy?"

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