Learn it Live with Top Cheftestants!

Learn It Live is offering a series of online cooking courses with former Top Cheftestants Sam Talbot, Casey Thompson, Dave Martin, Fabio Viviani, Andrea Beaman, and Nikki Cascone. Sessions start on  September 4th, which is just around the corner! For more information, including descriptions of the classes, check out http://www.learnitlive.com/top-chef.php.

Normally $40 each, All Top Chef readers get a special 75% discount on any one class of their choosing. Simply send an email to info@learnitlive.com, indicating which session you're interested in, and you'll receive a special code good for $30 off.

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TC News and Information 8.7.11 - Happy Anniversary to the Magical Elves!

Variety spotlights the production company behind Top Chef as the Magical Elves turn 10! Take a trip down memory lane here. And read more about upcoming Top Chef Season 9 here, where a Bravo exec discloses “We started things a little differently with more chefs. A big challenge for us after ‘All Stars’ is to make everything seem big again and I think we've succeeded. The challenges are inventive, there are a lot of special guests and there will be a traveling element, which is new.”

Meanwhile, Top Chef Masters has been renewed for a 4th season and the Elves are casting a new Bravo series, ‘Around the World in Eighty Plates,’ which “will follow up-and-coming chefs as they travel to various cities around the world to compete in culinary challenges. Contestants will have to learn the local cuisine, culture and customs so that they can best reinvent the menu at world-renowned restaurants,” according to TV Guide.

In other news, check out this New York Times item about head judge Tom Colicchio’s “secret farm” next his new Riverpark restaurant. (Take that, Elia.)

Top Chef Masters judge/former Gourmet editor/food memoirist Ruth Reichl is penning a new novel “set in World War II and the present.” It may involve food.

TC Season 2 and All-Stars contestant Marcel Vigneron is doing low-tech street tacos for The Gap.

We hear Season 6 finalist and Fan Favorite Kevin Gillespie won the Celebrity Chef Cookoff at this weekend’s Gig Harbor Wine and Food Festival in Washington State. Don’t miss this great video interview with the Bearded One filmed prior to the event. Turns out this Atlanta boy used to cook in the Pacific Northwest.

TC All-Star Dale Levitski and the team from his Chicago restaurant Sprout (which includes his Season 3 co-contestant and bff Sara Nguyen) were invited to cook at the James Beard House in NYC. Don’t miss the photos of their feast from Feast.

Season 3’s Camille Becerra’s newest gig is as a culinary producer of “pop-up” dinners in Manhattan. The Daily Meal explains.

Season 4’s Nikki Cascone is in on the culinary producer action as well, with “Southampton Supper Under the Stars” August 27, where she’ll be joined by TC contestants Manuel Trevino and Angelo Sosa, and a Bravo Housewife (or three?).

And reaching into the “way-back machine,” we’re glad to see Cynthia Sestito (who elected to leave at the beginning of the first Season of Top Chef due to her father’s illness) is out and about and picnicking with panache. Check out these photos from a recent Grey Goose event in the Hamptons.

Only two weeks and change until Top Chef returns to Wednesday nights, with Season 2 of Top Chef: Just Desserts! I’m especially excited because one of the contestants, Megan Ketover, is from my city (Cincinnati) and I have Downtown Restaurant Week reservations to taste her food! Anyone else have a hometown contestant to root for?

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TC News & Information 6.6.2011

If you haven't been able to make it to any of the stops on the latest Top Chef tour, Angelo Sosa and Nikki Cascone share a taste of it in this video.

Cookbook news: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Antonio LoFaso is penning The Busy Moms Cookbook, slated for Fall 2012. Top Chef Masters "regular" judge Ruth Reichl is also writing a cookbook...based on her Tweets.

Rocco DiSpirito talks about the difference between his upcoming Rocco's Dinner Party and that trainwreck called The Restaurant. (Hint: he's not less-douchy in the new show.)

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TC News & Information 5.26.11

In a case of "research before you promote," fitness author Mark Vaughan is accusing Curtis Stone of "health washing" Post Great Grains cereal, which the Top Chef Masters host has been promoting. Apparently the cereal has a ton of sugar, according to this article. Really, we've probably seen enough of Curtis' mug on everything...what with the Merillat cabinet commercials, plus America's Next Great Restaurant and Top Chef Masters, I'm definitely burned out.

Gothamist has listed six Top Chefs that are still cooking in NYC. Unfortunately, one of them is no longer Nikki Cascone, as her restaurant Octavia's Porch has closed after only 6 months. (Thanks to David Dust for the link.)

Zagatbuzz shares a quote from season 2 cutie Sam Talbot and a tiny image of one of his paintings. Hemp seed trail mix?

Tom Colicchio is opening the Lot on Tap, a food truck court/taproom, under Manhattan's Highline park. In the past, he's flip-flopped on the subject of food trucks, and now he's curating them? I guess it's wise to go where the money is, huh?

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TC News and Information 1.09.11

"Top Chef "and TC judge Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" have been nominated for Producers Guild of America awards (in separate categories).

Bravo grand fromage Andy Cohen gets a lengthy write-up in the New York Times.

Congrats to Season 4's Nikki Cascone on the birth of her son, and on her newly opened NYC restaurant, Octavia's Porch. Nikki talks about her "global Jewish" Lower East Side restaurant here.

For those of you who've been thinking Mike Isabella looks pudgier on All-Stars than he did back in Season 6, here's what he has to say.

Richard Blais was working the Bravo stage at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. You can see him demonstrate how to make "popcorn-sicles" in this video.

Blais is also cooking a James Bond-themed Valentine’s Day dinner for the Nashville Film Festival. Tickets are, um, $2,500 per couple or $8,000 a table.

Or you could attend this January 11 dinner in Denver prepared by Hosea Rosenberg for a mere $75 per person.

Staying in and cooking at home during the lean, chilly winter months? Chicagoan Dale Levitski offers suggestions on that topic and more in this new interview.

And you still have until January 31 to enter a fish taco recipe in the Wild Alaska fish taco competition, which Top Chef Masters contestant Susan Feniger talks about in this podcast.

Casey Thompson may have been PYKAG'd last week, but her restaurant, Brownstone, made Eater's "Heat Map" of 9 top Dallas restaurants to eat at "right now." You can also read Casey's own take on the episode that led to her departure on her blog.

Hanukkah Latkes with Nikki Cascone

Former cheftestant Nikki Cascone shared her recipe for sweet potato latkes with lime creme fraiche on the Today Show the other morning:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A Top Chef Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for most Americans. It's a time to get together with family and enjoy great company and lots and lots of food. We posed two questions to Top Cheftestants from all 6 seasons: What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? and What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? Here are the answers we got back....

What is your favorite Thanksgiving Dish?

Michael Voltaggio: When I'm cooking, I break turkeys down whole and cook them sous vide, and you can quote me on this, I serve turkey that's not dry.
Fave Thanksgiving dish to eat: I love stuffing - any kind of stuffing. I don't eat it thorughout the year, only on Thanksgiving.

Bryan Voltaggio: I love pumpkin pie or pumpkin custard. I wait until Thanksgiving. I never eat it any other time of the year.

Season 1's Stephen Asprinio: Caramelized Pumpkin with Guanciale, Pecans, Sage-Brown Butter & Pecorino Romano

Season 4 champ Stephanie Izard: my favorite thanksgiving dish is green bean casserole! can not live without it! and i love to have a tasty suckling pig instead of turkey :)

Season 5 finalist Stefan Richter: Gravy, dark meat and stuffing

Season 4's Nikki Cascone: My favorite dish is the simplist thing my mom made year after year my entire life.. Candied Yams. I alwasy get one whole tray she makes just for me and I feed on it for a week!! I am a pretty healthy eater so I love Thanksgiving becasue it is glutonous and glorious for food memories. My mom made those candoed yams smothered in brown sugar, butter and LOTS of mini MARSHMALLOWS. With all of my cooking experience I have learned to lighten up the dish a little when I prepare it but for the most part I dont change a thing!! and I have one other very crazy thing I love about Thanksgiving besides the time spent with family..jellied cranberry sauce right from the can! I love, love, love it but I only eat it on thanksgiving and very often right along side the FRESH cranberry sauce that I make!

What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?

Michael: When I first started working in the kitchen when I was 15, I was helping make the big Thanksgiving buffet and they made me dress up like a pilgrm. I don't know if it's my favorite, but it's one that stands out...maybe it's more of a traumatizing experience.

Bryan: The last time in 2001 or 2002, it was the last time Michael, Staci (their sister) and I were with our mother for Thanksgiving. We're normally never in the same state, or kitchen.

Stephen: Cooking with my grandmother for the first time on Thanksgiving Day

Stephanie Izard: my best memory was at my aunt nancy's house. my sister decided to make a baked brie which she poured liquor over before placing in the oven to bake...bad idea. when she opened up the oven to take a peak, a huge flame burst out and singed quite a bit of her curly hair. priceless moment. i could not stop laughing, the nice sister that i am.

Stefan Richter: I got laid for the first time on Thanksgiving.

Nikki Cascone: I have a very large family so the best memories I have are the ones where the most of us make it under one roof!

Bonus Wine Tip from Stephen: When selecting a wine for Thanksgiving, go American with the wine we can call our own, California Zinfandel. If your looking for a killer Zin at a reasonable price point, check out Ravenswood, Seghesio or Renwood.

Top Chefs at the Green Living Expo

(Brentwood, NY) The Green Living Expo is returning to Suffolk Community College next month with some very special guests. Stars of Bravo’s hit TV series TOP CHEF will be amongst this Fall’s featured lecturers.

This collection of “Cheftestants” are coming together to speak about the importance of cooking naturally and to share their views on Organic, farm to table cooking and “green” culinary trends with you. CS4 Entertainment and Nikki Cascone, Season 4 Contestant, executive chef and owner of NYC’s 24 Prince restaurant will moderate this all-star panel which will include: Season 1 Finalist Lee Anne Wong as well as cast mate Andrea Beaman, Season 3 fan favorite Josie Smith-Malave, Season 4 Winner Stephanie Izard and Season 5’s Ariane Duarte and Leah Cohen. This collaboration of chefs each bring a strong individual view of how going green relates to the Food industry with their unique experiences.

"Myself, along with these other incredible chefs, are looking so forward to sharing the message of local, organic kitchens and the positive effect these choices have had on both our restaurants and personal lives,” said Chef Nikki Cascone.

The Panel of Top Chefs will be appearing at the Expo on Sunday November 22nd at 1PM in the Expo Hall. There will be a meet and greet with the chefs immediately following the lecture.

The Green Living Expo will take place on Saturday November 21st and Sunday November 22nd 2009 at Suffolk Community College’s Brentwood Campus. The Campus is located at 1001 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood, NY.

This Fall’s Green Living Expo theme is a “Holiday Harvest.” Their will be a special concentration on Green Holiday gifts, an expanded children’s pavilion including special appearances by the Long Island Rough Riders and the Kids Kloset, a travelling consigment shop where you can buy and sell children’s clothing and items. There will also be continuous cooking demos, informative lectures, free raffles and over 100 vendors.

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.