There will be a Top Chef Masters season 5 and the competitors have been announced:
David Burke (David Burke Townhouse, NYC)
Douglas Keane (formerly of Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA)
Sue Zemanick (Gautreau's, New Orleans)
Richard Sandoval (Richard Sandoval Restaurants)
Bryan Voltaggio (Volt, Frederick, MD)
Franklin Becker (Abe & Arthur's, NYC)
Lynn Crawford (Ruby Watchco, Toronto, Canada)
Odette Fada (formerly of San Domenico, NYC)
Neal Fraser (formerly of Grace, Los Angeles)
Jennifer Jasinski (Bistro Vendôme, Denver, CO)
Jenn Louis (Lincoln Restaurant, Portland, OR)
Herbert Wilson (Sushi Samba, Las Vegas)
Sang Yoon (Father's Office, Los Angeles)
Bryan Voltaggio! Hmm...might actually have to watch this season!
Chef Sue Zemanick was so lovely and helpful to her fellow chefs in the kitchen, when the time came to get her own dishes ready to serve, she couldn't get all of the elements on the plate. The judges weren't impressed with what she did serve, and so her time on Top Chef Masters was sadly cut short.
The show will make a donation to her charity, the Louisiana SPCA, so all is not lost.
Chef Zemanick, we here at All Top Chef hope to see good things from you in the future!
This post is only for nice comments about Chef Zemanick and her dishes. If you have anything negative to say, please do so here.
So, what did you think of the new format and team of host and "critics" for Masters 3?
If you're among those wondering "Who the Hell is Curtis Stone?" Eater has a pretty thorough run-down of answers, and WWD has an insightful piece as well (Stone does not seem to be a Housewives fan - lol).
Bravo has blogs up from Ruth Reichl and James Oseland, both of whom vigorously disagree with the diners, who were allowed to select the winning TCM Restaurant Wars team. Bravo also continues its extended Judges' (ahem, not "Critics') Table videos, and in this week's clip, Oseland talks about how "weird" and "space-alien-like" he found poor Hugh Acheson's scallops.
Before you become too attached to Ruth Reichl as a Masters critic, read this TV Guide interview with Magical Elves producer Dan Cutforth. Ruth was not available to film all the episodes (kind of like we were teased that Anthony Bourdain would be on more All-Stars episodes than proved to be the case?). However, Cutforth says Gael Greene will be back for “a few” episodes, Gail Simmons for “a couple,” and Padma Lakshmi for “one.” Sadly, no mention of bringing back Jay Rayner.
Cutforth also talks about the difference between “critics” and “judges” and says: “We were actually really happy with the panel of critics we had assembled, but you always want to keep evolving and keep things moving... That said, we wanted to reflect the new reality of food criticism, which is that food blogs and online criticism are a huge part of the restaurant business now. So critics panel will also include people from sites like Grub Street and RestaurantGirl." Danyelle Freeman of the blog Restaurant Girl was, of course, among the critics for the first TCM3 episode. Grub Street (New York Magazine's food blog) fesses up that its own Alan Sytsma is also a guest judge this season.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal has an interesting piece on Masters contestant Naomi Pomeroy, with more of her back story (plus a recipe for the former Mrs. Hebberoy's Potato and Green Garlic Soup).
Mary Sue Milliken turned down TC Masters repeatedly, accordingly to the Las Vegas Sun.
And here's an interesting interview with Masters contestant Sue Zemanick, of New Orleans' Gautreau, who says she prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
While Top Chef Masters contenders are competing on behalf of charities of their choice, other TC'ers are lending their names to causes as well, including All-Stars Richard Blais, Mike Isabella, Carla Hall, Antonia LoFaso, Jennifer Carroll, Angelo Sosa, Dale Levitski, Jamie Lauren, Dale Talde, Tre Wilcox, Casey Thompson, and Fabio Viviani, who have signed onto the Humane Society of the United States’ Protect Seals boycott of Canadian seafood in an effort to end Canada’s commercial seal slaughter.
As we reported previously (and othersources have reiterated), this season's "finale" runs four weeks. So don't let the name of tomorrow night's episode, "Last Supper," fool you. The final installment of the finale airs March 30. The All-Stars Reunion airs April 6 in the usual 10:00 p.m. Eastern time-slot, followed by the premiere of Top Chef Masters Season 3 at 11:00. Fan Favorite will be revealed on "Watch What Happens" March 31, according to host Andy Cohen on Sunday night's WWH, which featured Carla Hall. OK, I get it that the reunion show was filmed before Fan Fave voting was completed. But I'm still bummed Bravo chose not to figure out a way to announce Fan Fave winner within the context/time-slot of the reunion show. I'm hoping for a Housewives-free "Watch What Happens" March 31 following the actual All-Stars finale, but who knows.
In case you missed Carla Sunday night on WWH, here's a brief clip via Eater without Housewife interruption.
Meanwhile, this year's Top Chef Tour dates and cities have been announced. Details on these tours have been notoriously sketchy in the past, but I'm hoping they may be getting their act together as they take it on the road this year - especially since the schedule includes two cities in my metropolitan area and rumor has it that Richard Blais may be here . . . If you hear of details in your city, please email us and we'll be happy to share!
On to Monday's announcements about the 2011 James Beard Awards, where Top Chef Season 7 is in the running in the "Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location" category - hmmm. Making the short list in the Chef and Restaurant section are TC winner Stephanie Izard for her Girl and The Goat as Best New Restaurant, and upcoming Top Chef Masters Season 3 contestant Sue Zemanick for Rising Star Chef of the Year (her third nomination in that category). Naomi Pomeroy, another Top Chef Masters S3 contestant, prepared "Cattail Creek poached lamb pastry with pickled sour cherry and spring herb salsa verde" for the pre-announcement James Beard event in Portland, OR, according to this.
If you haven't read this juicy interview with Tom Collichio from AV Club, check it out now. It includes some hints about the reunion.
Dale Levitski launched what some have called a "no-kids" brunch at his Chicago restaurant, Sprout, last weekend. (He says he just doesn't offer a kids menu.) Chicago Time-Out's coverage here, and Huffington post has more - including photos - here. Lingonberry French Toast or Foie Gras Deviled Eggs, anyone?
For news about Kevin Gillespie's long-anticipated new bbq restaurant, click here.
For video of the interior of Sam Talbot's long-delayed restaurant, Imperial No. 9 at the Mondrian Hotel in NYC, and a recipe demo from Feast, click here.
And for info about The Voltaggio Brothers Cookbook scheduled for release October 25, click here.
Sue Zemanick knew at an early age she wanted to be a chef and has accumulated quite a cache of accolades in her young career. She was a 2008 Food & Wine “Top 10 Best New Chef,” named 2008 “Chef of the Year” by New Orleans Magazine, one of “5 Chefs to Watch” by Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine and a Finalist for James Beard’s “Rising Star Chef” Award in 2009 and 2010 among other honors. Born and raised in Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania, she attended a summer program at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New Hyde Park, New York. At the age of 15, she was immediately hooked on the culinary profession and in 2001 graduated from the CIA. After stints in upstate New York and at Oceana in New York City, Zemanick moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2003. She began working at the city’s famed Commander’s Palace before moving to Gautreau’s in 2004. She was named executive chef in 2005 where she is still bringing culinary wonders to the Uptown area. Gautreau’s was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina and closed for a year and a half to go under repair and renovation. Once it reopened in February 2007, Zemanick was able to put her mark on the new Gautreau’s. The restaurant offers Modern French and contemporary Louisiana fare using only fresh ingredients.
