Eric Ripert, Padma Lakshmi, and Gail Simmons spilled the beans on Top Chef during their appearance at the New York Times Arts & Leisure weekend.
Entertainment Weekly has the scoop, but here are some highlights.
Chocolate and chicken liver don’t mix: The worst dish Eric Ripert, who has made a total of five appearances on Top Chef, ever ate on the show was Ilan’s chocolate ganache with chicken liver on season 2. Padma added: “It had a rubbery, spring action, and we had to eat it. That’s the thing about our jobs.”
The most distasteful contest: “Michael Midgley [from season 2] was as offensive off camera as he was on camera,” Padma said. “On his audition tape, he talked about ‘blanking chicks.’ I didn’t even want to taste the food he handled.”
The most egregious act of brown-nosing: Contestants are supposed to keep a safe distance from judges while on the show, but season five’s Stefan gave Padma the leftover roses from his challenge dish. A producer kindly came over and snatched the flowers out of Padma’s hand.
Who do the judges keep in touch with? Gail, who was quick to note that she socializes with contestants only after the finale airs, still talks to season one winner Harold and season four’s Nikki. Padma has kept in touch with Dale (season 3) and Hung (season 3 winner), but both women sang the praises of Lee Anne Wong, who went from season one cheftestant to Top Chef culinary producer until the end of season six. “She’s such a great unsung hero,” Padma said.
Kevin is as verbose as he is jolly: “Eeeeveryone loves Kevin,” Gail said. “He would start talking and kept talking [at the finale in Napa Valley]. We were transfixed. He’s so articulate and scientific.” To which Padma said: “For every two minutes of what Kevin said at judges’ table, there was a one-and-a-half hour culinary soliloquy.”
Speaking of judges’ table: They sometimes last eight hours. When Gail recalled the season three judges’ table finale in Aspen, there was a collective groan between her and Padma; the decision-making had gone on until about 4 a.m. “If we can’t make a decision, the producers will sit us there,” Padma said. “It’s like detention.” But Eric added: “It’s really great TV because at 5 a.m. you truly say what you mean!”
There’s an unofficial fifth judge at that table: Sometimes when the judges can’t decide, the producers will look to the camera operator they call T-Bone, who shoots the still-life shots of the contestants’ dishes, which he eats afterward.
Other fun facts: Black beans give Gail “the heebie-jeebies,” and the reason Padma sounds so robotic when she describes the challenges is because she’s wearing an earpiece through which all of the legally approved info is being fed to her.
Padma Lakshmi lost the custody battle with her babydaddy Adam Dell. He now gets expanded visitation rights and the child, Krishna, will carry his name as well as that of her mother. More here, along with a rather unflattering shot of Padma (first frame of the video).
Slashfood has compiled lists of the hottest men and women in food and it's really no surprise to find that there are several Top Cheftestants, guest judges, and hosts in the mix.
Eric Ripert, Padma Lakshmi, and Gail Simmons spilled the beans on Top Chef during their appearance at the New York Times Arts & Leisure weekend. Entertainment Weekly has the scoop, but here are some highlights.
Top Chef guest judge Eric Ripert, a hugely pregnant Padma Lakshmi, and Gail Simmons attended the 9th Annual New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend at TheTimesCenter on January 9, 2010 in New York City.
What was Gail doing to former NYT restaurant critic Frank Bruni? Doesn't he look terrified?
The results of All Top Chef's very informal, extremely unscientific poll are in. We asked you who of several men was most likely to be the father of Padma Lakshmi's baby. Almost a quarter of you were honest and didn't venture a guess, choosing "I don't know." Billionaire Ted Forstman came in first among the actual candidates, with 19% percent of the vote. And amusingly, Michael Voltaggio came in second with 17%.
