Top Chef Masters 3 begins filming next week! So says Curtis Stone, recently announced replacement TCM host for Kelly Choi, in this interview with Slashfood. Eater speculates Top Chef Masters 3 will be filmed in LA once again. I dunno. If Bravo is really looking to change things up, a change of location might be in order. Of course, the Masters don't have to sleep in "bunky beds" or be quarantined after they're auf'd. So we'll have to watch what happens.
When Curtis Stone was asked whether he's glad he's hosting rather than competing in Top Chef Masters, he said: "I've just been going through all of the challenges and I'm so glad that I'm not going to have to do them myself -- they're tough challenges. But these guys are brilliant chefs. And as much as it's difficult -- you'll see them stand there shaking their head because they're angry at the challenge -- but they'll still go make great food. I think my role is to sort of empathize with the chefs since I appreciate the technical skill. Food writers just can't."
While it's not surprising the Top Chef Masters 3 cast is already in place, here's an update on that casting call for Top Chef 9 and Just Desserts 2: Hopefuls can email the Magical Elves directly. Methinks Padma's gonna have some quiet time with her new kidlet before we see her on the Bravo airwaves anytime soon after Top Chef All-Stars concludes.
Last week's Restaurant Wars introduced viewers across the country to the concept of pop-ups. TC: Just Desserts' Zac Young of Flex Mussels is doing a two-week donut pop-up in NYC's Grand Central Station featuring "salted cajeta (goat's milk caramel), raspberry, spiced chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and two more changing options." Don't you wish your commute included donuts like these?
Just Desserts' finalist Danielle Keene has a new gig at L.A. Creamery, where she will be rolling out ice creams like "Hot Chocolate flavored with chili powder, cinnamon, vanilla bean and cocoa nibs, Milk Chocolate Chai flavored with black tea and seven spices, Sassafras flavored with sassafras bark, Honeycomb ice cream layered with handmade honeycomb seafoam candy, Roasted Banana made with fresh bananas roasted with brown sugar and butter until caramelized, then blended in a lightly flavored rum base, and a non-dairy Chocolate Sorbet made with bittersweet chocolate, sugar and water."
Got a hankering for a more back-to-basics dessert that even Sylvia Weinstock would love? Just Desserts' Erika Davis and her "Ultimate Cookie Dough Company" website are now up and running, with cookie dough you can receive in the mail and bake yourself: Oatmeal Walnut Raisins, Chocolate Chip Walnut, Peanut Butter Cookie, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut, and Thousand Dollar Chocolate Chip Cookie. I'm thinking that if a tub of any of them arrived in my mailbox, I'd probably sit down and demolish them with a spoon before they ever hit the oven :) You can read more about Erika's Culinary Wonders USA and her scholarship efforts here.
Congrats to Top Chef: Just Desserts for being nominated for a GLAAD award in the "Outstanding Reality Program" category!
Need a red-carpet fix? Here's video of Fabio Viviani and his business partner at the Tasty Awards.
Meanwhile, there is no new episode of Top Chef All-Stars this week, so adjust your DVRs and expectations accordingly.
If you need some comfort food of the savory variety to get you through a chilly week without a new episode, how about a nice gooey grilled cheese from Dale Levitski's Chicago restaurant, Sprout?
