TC News and Info 5.2.11

Tre Wilcox's new restaurant, Marquee Grill, has opened in Dallas. Feast has a video interview with the chef here.

Robin Leventhal's newest venture, Shopsky's Delicatessen, is slated to open on Mercer Island in May. She talks to the Seattle Times about the eclectic "modern Jewish deli with a Pacific Northwest twist" here. Snake River wagyu pastrami, anyone? How about salmon cured in local gin?

Dave Martin is contributing the menu to NYC's first French fry truck, The Frying Dutchman. Eater has a sneak peek at the fries and sauces, including a cinnamon apple maple butter (for the sweet potato fries), a gorgonzola cream cut with buffalo sauce, and a sour cream, applewood smoked-bacon and cheddar cheese sauce.

And Preeti Mistry demos Indian Street Food from her current venture, Juhu Beach Club, for Thrillist in this video.

Marking the first anniversary of his restaurant, Plein Sud, Ed Cotton talks to Zagat about how the menu has evolved and other lessons along the way.

Hugh Acheson did this interview prior to his weekend appearance at the Good Food Block Party in Athens, Georgia, talking about his charity, Wholesome Wave, and saying this about competing on TC Masters: "Best thing is the camaraderie. The only downside is that it is mildly exhausting."

Eric Ripert offers some interesting food and music pairings to Maxim, and reels off an intriguing list of musicians he'd invite if he could have anyone to dinner, including: "Definitely Prince! I would also invite Maria Callas and Amy Winehouse. I think those two would be a really good combination." Ripert also tells WWD he would never compete on TC Masters.

The May issue of Esquire has an Tom Colicchio (done prior to the birth of his new son).

The Martha Stewart Radio show also has some audio clips of Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Harold Dieterle about Top Chef.

And here's a piece about the Top Chef Tour's stop in Biloxi, where Eli Kirshtein and Tiffany Derry went head to head.

Finally, don't miss Top Chef: The Musical from Grub Street! The Top Chef-ers who would be willing to participate - or not - are a hoot.


Posted on AllTopChef.com

TC News and Information 3.28.11

Did you feel punk'd, er Puck'd, by the ultimate decision to boot Antonio Lofaso on last week's show? TV Guide reports: "After chatting with head judge Tom Colicchio during a break in filming, Puck changed his mind, and Antonia was sent packing by a 4-3 judges margin. Colicchio swore he hadn't influenced Puck's decision, but joked, "I smell scandal!" Fellow judge Gail Simmons laughingly declared it "Bahamas-gate." In the end, producers decided to leave the switcheroo out of the episode "because the discussion happened off-camera," exec producer Dan Cutforth explained. "So there was no real way to do that in the format of the show." "People are going to get pissed off about everything," Colicchio says."

I can't say I'm a happier camper after reading Gail Simmons' blog on EW this week, where she says: "The whole Quickfire was absurd. We knew it was absurd. We just kept piling it on to see how they’d react . . . They all delivered edible food . . ." Yeah, "edible" food - just what we look forward to leading up to a finale.

OK, so this Wednesday is (at last) the actual All-Stars finale. Wanna know who's judging? Click here.

Meanwhile, the Voltaggio Brothers took the win for best small plate at this year's Pigs and Pinot fundraiser in Healdsburg, CA.

Tre Wilcox is working hard to ready his new restaurant, Marquee Grill and Bar, for its opening, which you can read more about here.

News from two of the women of Season 6: Preeti Mistry does lunch pop-up style at the Juhu Beach Club. And Robin Leventhal does deli on Mercer Island, reports Seattle Weekly.

Finally, what is with Top Chef and HBO? Bourdain is writing for Treme, and now Colicchio is cooking for Game of Thrones: Here's more, including a video where he describes his inspiration for the dishes - which will be available from food trucks in NY this week and LA next week.

Colicchio also tutored Kate Winslett in HBO's Mildred Pierce miniseries, which premiered last night. And we were tickled to read on Top Chef Just Desserts' Eric Wolitsky's facebook page: "That's Kate Winslet with pies made by me and my staff from Baked!"

And if you're still hungry for Angelo Sosa's food, check out this piece about a special dinner he did at the Turtle Club in Hoboken.

TC News and Information 3.14.11

Wanna eat at Restaurant Wars for Season 9? A table is being auctioned off for the episode, to be filmed "sometime in July or August, 2011," reports Eater. Estimated value: $20K, to benefit the Endometriosis Foundation of America.

Season 2 Finalist Sam Talbot’s new restaurant, Imperial No. 9 at the Mondrian Hotel in NYC has finally opened, and the New York Times offers up a lengthy piece in - of all places - its Fashion and Style section. If you’re looking for info about the food he’s cooking, you won’t find much here. What you will find is an assertion by the NYT’s writer that Sam “is among a new breed of celebrity chefs who have coasted into culinary fame, less by grueling dues-paying, and more on their telegenic brand. The group includes the brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, Ludo Lefebvre, Spike Mendelsohn, Sam Mason, Fabio Viviani and Marcel Vigneron.”

Ouch! Both Michael Voltaggio and Top Chef Masters’ Ludo Lefebvre took issue with inclusion on NYT list, and contacted the LA Times with their own rebuttals.

If you are actually interested in Sam's food, Eater has a round-up of early blogger buzz about No. 9, some of it from fans who find the chef a hunk and are perhaps not too discerning in the food department. On the other hand, there seems to be something about those cauliflower fritters . . .

In other news, Richard Blais does baby food, partnering with organic baby food maker Jack’s Harvest. Their first product offering, featuring cauliflower and quinoa, debuted March 1. (What is it with cauliflower?)

We reported previously that Top Chef Master Rick Bayless has opened a spot in Chicago's O'Hare airport. Now comes news that his fellow Masters contestant, pop-up king Ludo Lefebvre may open a "chicken shack" at LAX.

Starting tomorrow, Season 6’s Preeti Mistry launches a weekday lunch pop-up in San Francisco called Juhu Beach Club featuring Indian street food, according to this item.

Floyd Cardoz of the upcoming Top Chef Masters 3 is slated to helm a new Danny Meyer restaurant in NYC to open near the end of the year, according to NYT and Grub Street.

Finally, although I haven't read anything official about this year's traveling Top Chef road show yet, Season 6's Hector Santiago posted on facebook: "TC 2011 tour starts in ST. Louis , on April 15,c you there Y'all ...their will b quick fire challenges this time aroud , fun fun ;)" Let us know if you hear about the Top Chef Tour coming to your city.

TC News & Information 9.04.09

Here's an interview with Ashley Merriman who thinks this season kicks ass.

Televisionary talks to Jennifer Carroll, who couldn't live without her sauce spoon, here.

This week's eliminated chef, Preeti Mistry, participated in a conference call, the transcript of which can be found here.

For yet another interview with a Top Cheftestant, check out this one with Season 5 winner Hosea Rosenberg.

Season 4's Antonio LoFaso will be presenting a wine-paired dinner at Winefest Des Moines on September 13th. Click here for details. And in October, Season 3's Tre Wilcox will be in town for a couple of cooking classes.

Top Chef Master Rick Bayless is opening a new restaurant, Xoco, that serves the street foods of Mexico. Read more about it here.

Finally, Gail Simmons talks to CNN's Reggie Aqui:

Exit Interviews - Preeti Mistry TCLV

ATC Love to Chef Mistry

This week we said goodbye to Google's Chef Mistry, who underwhelmed the judges with her role in the colorful, but apparently not quite up to snuff, vegetarian pasta salad.

Chef Mistry had a tough go of it from the first episode, but the other chefs seemed to like her low-key vibe.

This post is only for positive words for Chef Mistry. If you have anything negative to say about her or another chef, please click here.

TC News & Information

SF Weekly has an interview with homegirl Preeti Mistry. Click here to read.

JSOnline has an interview with Stephanie Izard.

Starchefs.com announced its Class of 2009 Rising Stars Award Winners and season one champ Harold Dieterle is the winner of the Community Award. Congrats, Harold! The gala and awards ceremony will be held at the Mandarin Oriental on September 22nd. Tickets are $150 per person and part of the proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks. Click here for ticket information.

Because season 6 was filmed in Las Vegas, it seems that some folks are setting odds on the cheftestants. Bookmaking pro Johnny Avello compiles his odds here.

Season two winner Ilan Hall's restaurant, The Gorbals, opened last night. He's watching Top Chef 6 and apparently has a favorite cheftestant already.

Top Chef 6 Bio - Preeti Mistry

AGE: 33
HOMETOWN: San Francisco, Calif.
PROFESSION: Executive Chef, Google, Bon Appetit Management Company
CULINARY EDUCATION: Le Cordon Bleu, London
FAVORITE SIMPLE SUMMER RECIPE: Fennel Crust Marin Sun Farms’ Rack of Lamb, Saffron Parsnip Puree, Heirloom Carrot and English Pea Ragout with Pinot Noir Reduction

Preeti works as an Executive Chef for Bon Appetit Management Company at Google’s headquarters south of San Francisco and previously the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Born in London and raised in the US, Preeti’s Indian culture, extensive international travel, classic French culinary training and access to the best local California ingredients inspire her cooking. She enjoys building intense flavors, and truly shines when working with sauces, soups and vinaigrettes. Preeti’s commitment to seasonality, and her relationship with small local farmers are at the core of her cuisine. If she were a food, she says, “I would be a green zebra tomato – extremely distinctive from all the others, a little hard on the outside, but pure love at the center.”