James Beard Semi-Finalists Named

There are some familiar names among the James Beard semi-finalists this year. There were twenty names in each category - the pack will be thinned down yet again and finalists will be announced March 22 in New Orleans.

OUTSTANDING CHEF
Tom Colicchio, Craft, NYC (Host, Top Chef)
Mark Peel, Campanile, Los Angeles (Top Chef Masters 1 & 2)
Jerry Traunfeld, Poppy, Seattle (Top Chef Masters 2)

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR
Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta (Finalist, Top Chef 6)

BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC
Bryan Voltaggio, Volt, Frederick, MD (Finalist, Top Chef 6)

BEST CHEF: NEW YORK CITY
Wylie Dufresne, WD-50 (Top Chef Masters 1 & 2)
Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto (Top Chef Masters 1 & 2)

BEST CHEF: PACIFIC
Michael Cimarusti, Providence, Los Angeles (Top Chef Masters 1)

TC News & Information

On tonight's episode of Top Chef Masters, Chef Michael Cimarusti will be playing for the charity the Grameen Foundation. Its mission is to enable the poor, especially the poorest, to create a world without poverty. With as little as $50 or $100, a poor woman can start a very small business and begin her family’s journey out of devastating poverty. Grameen Foundation is a leader in the fight against poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Arab World and the Americas, where building strong local institutions that reach even more people in the poorest communities is a cornerstone of their work.

To learn why Chef Cimarusti supports this organization,watch the video below.



And in other news...

Three former Top Cheftestants will be involved in an "Iron Chef-style" competition, the Grand Garlic Showdown, at the Gilroy Garlic Festival this weekend. Season 5's Jamie Lauren and Season 4's Ryan Scott will be doing battle, while Season 5's Fabio Viviani will be hosting. Read more about it here.

Television Without Pity has some amusing suggestions for Padma Lakshmi's upcoming NBC series.

When Reality Worlds Collide: TC4's Nikki Cascone is getting married, and Project Runway winner Christian Siriano is designing her dress. Read her wedding blog here.

Here's an interview with TCM Critic Jay Rayner about...what else? criticism.

Don't forget to visit Bravotv.com and read the blogs! Here, season 1 champ Harold Dieterle gives his thoughts on the most recent episode of Top Chef Masters.

Here's an interview with TC 4s Richard Blais.

And finally...a rundown of last week's Eater panel discussion with Leah Cohen, Harold Dieterle, and Lee Ann Wong on life after Top Chef.

TC News & Information

Yuck or yum? TCM's Ludo Lefebvre cooks up some foie gras cupcakes.

Top Chef has received six Emmy nominations!

Dine LA has a Q&A with Top Chef Master Michael Cimarusti.

TC5's Stefan Richter is jumping on the knork bandwagon. What the heck is a knork, you ask? Check it out here.

Here's the weekly Top Chef Masters podcast from Creative Loafing.

Elizabeth Falkner writes about her experience on Top Chef Masters.

Bio - Michael Cimarusti

After graduating with honors in 1990 from the Culinary Institute of America, Michael Cimarusti got his start in the Big Apple working with celebrated chef Larry Forigone at An American Place. Cimarusti moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania where he was appointed chef de cuisine at The Forager House Restaurant, but soon migrated back to Manhattan. After a three-year run at Le Cirque where he worked with Paul Bocuse, Gerard Boyer, and Roger Vergé, Cimarusti moved to France to expand his culinary education at La Marée and Arpege. Back in New York, he became opening chef for Le Cirque’s new venture, Osteria Del Circo. Cimarusti went on to become chef de cuisine at the original Spago in Hollywood and went on to run the show as executive chef of Water Grill. He is currently Owner and Chef of Providence Restaurant in Los Angeles.