Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants eliminated each week. Season Three began airing in June 2007. In July 2007, production began on Season Four to be shot in Chicago.^[1] The show is produced by Magical Elves Productions, the same company that created Project Runway. Image File history File links Judgestable. ... Eric Ripert (born 1965 in Antibes, France) is a French chef working in New York City. ... Padma Lakshmi, September 2007 Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie (born September 1, 1970 in Chennai, India)[4] is an Indian-American cookbook author, actress, and model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Cooking is the act of preparing food. ... // This article is about the genre of TV shows. ... Competition is the act of striving against others for the purpose of achieving gain, such as income, pride, amusement, or dominance. ... Katie Lee Joel (born 1981 in Huntington, West Virginia) is a celebrity and television personality. ... Season 1 of Top Chef was taped in October and November 2005 in San Francisco, California. ... Padma Lakshmi, September 2007 Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie (born September 1, 1970 in Chennai, India)[4] is an Indian-American cookbook author, actress, and model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. ... The second season of Top Chef began airing on Bravo on October 18, 2006. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Ted Allen (born Edward R. Allen on May 20, 1965 in Columbus, Ohio) is the food and wine connoisseur on the American Bravo networks Emmy-winning television program Queer Eye. ... The third season of American reality television series Top Chef (also advertised as Top Chef Miami) began airing on Bravo on June 13, 2007. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... // This article is about the genre of TV shows. ... Cable TV redirects here. ... The third season of American reality television series Top Chef (also advertised as Top Chef Miami) began airing on Bravo on June 13, 2007. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... For the current American season, see Project Runway (season 4). ...

Show format

Each episode of Top Chef, save for the finale, has had two challenges.

In the Quickfire Challenge, each chef is asked to cook a dish with certain requirements (for example, using specific ingredients or to inspire a certain taste) or participate in a culinary-related challenge (for example, a mise en place relay or a taste test). They are usually given an hour or less to complete these tasks. A guest judge selects one or more chefs as the best in the challenge. In most cases, the winning chef(s) are granted immunity from the following Elimination Challenge, though they may also gain an additional reward (such as being team captains for a team challenge). For other uses, see Chef (disambiguation). ... A dish in gastronomy is a specific food preparation, a distinct article or variety of food[1], ready to eat. ... This article is about ingredients in general. ... For the social and aesthetic aspects of taste, see taste (sociology). ... Mise en place (IPA pronunciation: ), literally translated from French, means setting in place. ... Taste Test may refer to: Taste Test, a song by Sleater-Kinney from their 1996 album Call the Doctor Blind wine tasting, a wine taste test involving no knowledge of the wines identity on the part of the tasters Category: ... The hour (symbol: h) is a unit of time. ... Judge can refer to: a legal career. ... Immunity may refer to: Immunity (medical), a state of having sufficient biological defenses to avoid infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion, and is related to the functions of the immune system Immunity (legal), conferring a status on a person or body that makes that person or body free from... A prize is an award given to a person or a group of people to recognise and reward actions or achievements. ... In team sports, a captain is an honorary title given to the member of the team primarily responsible for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. ...

In the Elimination Challenge, the chefs have to prepare one or more dishes to meet the challenge requirements. Many of these are individual challenges and may require several courses, although some instances require teams to complete the challenge. Teams may be selected by the remaining contestants among themselves, but more often are selected by the random process of "drawing knives" from a butcher's block, with the team identification revealed on the blade of the knife. The chefs may have from a few hours to a few days to complete this challenge. If specified by the challenge, the chefs are given a limited budget to shop at a specific food store and place setting stores to complete their task. The contestants then cook for four judges. The four judges may include one guest judge. In most cases, the contestants cook for the four judges and a group of guests or customers (for example, the cowboys in Colorado). The judges and the guests sample the food and rate the individuals or teams. At the end of the challenge, the chefs wait to be brought to the Judges' Table, where the four judges discuss the dishes. At Judges' Table, the four judges consider the guests' comments and deliberate on the best and worst dishes. The top individuals or teams are called in, and may be asked questions of their meals before they are notified of their placement. One individual is named the winner of the challenge and may be awarded an additional prize by the guest judge. Then, the bottom individuals or teams are brought to the judges, and similar discussion of their courses is played out. From this group, one chef or team is determined to be the worst, and then the host asks one chef to "pack your knives and go." This is followed by a knife packing sequence for the eliminated chef, and a clip of his or her exit video, to close out the episode. For the River in the North-East of England, see River Team. ... For the rental car company, see Budget Rent a Car. ... For a large scale grocery store, see supermarket. ... Look up Rate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the tool. ...

Ingredients for courses are generally limited to what is present in the "Top Chef" pantry and what the chefs purchase at a store as part of the challenge, but certain challenges may provide specific ingredients or limit the type or number of ingredients that can be used, while others require non-traditional methods of obtaining ingredients (such as asking people door-to-door). In Seasons 1 through 3, the final challenge allowed the remaining contestants to utilize up to $200 of "special ingredients" they brought with them to the challenge in addition to any other provided allotment. In Season 4, unless stated, the contestants were allowed to use these ingredients at any time.

There have been 45 guest judges so far on all 3 and a half seasons. 16 of the 45 guest judges have won the Food and Wine Best New Chef award, including the beloved Tom Colicchio. Of these 45 guests, 8 have appeared multiples times. Anthony Bourdain leads with 4 appearances, Rocco DiSpirito* with 3, the rest tie with two: Wylie Dufresne*, Hubert Keller*, Daniel Boulud*, Michelle Bernstein, Ming Tsai and Mike Yakura. Of these 8, 4 were winners of Food and Wine Best New Chef. * denotes a Food and Wine Best New Chef Winner.

Midway through each season, the contestants participate in a "Restaurant Wars" (or similarly named) Elimination Challenge. They are split into two teams, which must each transform an empty room into a restaurant within a set time limit and budget, choosing the name, theme, decor, and menu. According to Dale Levitski in the third season Restaurant Wars episode, this is one of the contestants' most anticipated challenges. For other uses, see Restaurant (disambiguation). ...

In the final challenge, the two (or three) remaining chefs prepare a multiple course dinner with the help of other chefs. These other chefs could be previously eliminated chefs or culinary legends (for example, Rocco Dispirito). The winning chef is selected based on several factors including food quality, their ability to lead their selected chefs, and general performance during the show. In its strictest sense, a celebrity chef is a someone who has become well-known for his/her cooking. ... Rocco DiSpirito (born November 19, 1966) is an American chef based in New York City. ... Leader redirects here. ...

According to the credits, some elimination decisions (eg. Cliff Crook's disqualification in Season 2) are made in consultation with the show's producers.

Prizes and sponsors

• Editorial feature in Food & Wine Magazine
• Appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado
• $100,000 prize money (awarded since Season One but underwritten by Glad beginning with Season Two)
• Suite of Sears Kenmore kitchen appliances (Seasons One and Two)
• Culinary tour of the French Alps (furnished by Evian beginning with Seasons Three and Four)

Sears had been a series sponsor since Season One, along with Calphalon and Toyota.^[2] Top Chef began using GE appliances in Season Three. Other sponsors have included Kingsford Charcoal, Wild Oats, Bertolli, Cold Stone Creamery, Kraft Foods, Nestlé, Baileys Irish Cream, T.G.I. Friday's, Red Robin, Continental Airlines, Breville, and Bombay Sapphire. Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. ... The Food & Wine Classic is an annual event presented by Food & Wine Magazine. ... The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city and the county seat of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. ... Glad is an American company specializing in trash bags and other plastic storage containers. ... Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) is the fourth largest retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, and Kroger. ... Kenmore may refer to: Kenmore, Scotland. ... The French Alps are simply those parts of the Alps mountain range which lie in France. ... Country France Source Évian-les-Bains Type still pH 7. ... Season 1 of Top Chef was taped in October and November 2005 in San Francisco, California. ... Calphalon is a brand of cookware products owned by Newell Rubbermaid. ... This article is about the automaker. ... GE redirects here. ... Kingsford is a brand of charcoal used for grilling, along with related products. ... Wild Oats Markets - US and Canadian supermarkets featuring organic groceries, chemical and preservative-free foods, supplements, cruelty free body care, and environmentally friendly house products. ... Bertolli is a brand of Italian and Mediterranean Food. ... Current official company logo. ... Kraft Foods Inc. ... This article is about the company. ... Advertisement for Baileys in Dublin 200 ml bottle of Baileys Irish Cream Baileys Irish Cream (the registered trade mark omits the apostrophe), is an Irish whiskey and cream based liqueur, made by R. A. Bailey & Co. ... A location in Eden Prairie, MN T.G.I. Fridays (often shortened to Fridays) is an American restaurant chain focusing on casual dining, with over 500 restaurants worldwide. ... This article is about the restaurant chain. ... Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) is a U.S. certificated air carrier. ... Breville is the name of a corporation that produces kitchen small appliances. ... Bombay Sapphire is a brand of gin distributed by Bacardi, launched in 1987, having been named via a competitive process whereby a number of leading Madison Avenue agencies were played off against each other. ...

Show summary

Season 1 of Top Chef was taped in October and November 2005 in San Francisco, California. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Katie Lee Joel (born 1981 in Huntington, West Virginia) is a celebrity and television personality. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Harold Dieterle, III (born 1977) of West Babylon, New York, was the winner of the first season of the Bravo cable television network reality television program Top Chef. ... Tiffani Faison (born October, 1977 in Germany) is a chef and was contestant and one of two finalists on the first season of the Bravos reality television program Top Chef. ... Lee Anne Wong is an American chef and was one of the last four contestants on the first season of Bravos reality show, Top Chef. ... San Francisco redirects here. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ... The second season of Top Chef began airing on Bravo on October 18, 2006. ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Padma Lakshmi, September 2007 Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie (born September 1, 1970 in Chennai, India)[4] is an Indian-American cookbook author, actress, and model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Ilan D. Hall (born April 6, 1982) is an American chef, best known as the winner of the second season of the Bravo television networks reality series Top Chef, ahead of Marcel Vigneron. ... Marcel Vigneron is a 26 year old chef originally from Bainbridge, Washington, and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Sam Talbot (b. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... Waikoloa Village is a census-designated place located in Hawaii County, Hawaii. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ... The third season of American reality television series Top Chef (also advertised as Top Chef Miami) began airing on Bravo on June 13, 2007. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Padma Lakshmi, September 2007 Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie (born September 1, 1970 in Chennai, India)[4] is an Indian-American cookbook author, actress, and model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Ted Allen (born Edward R. Allen on May 20, 1965 in Columbus, Ohio) is the food and wine connoisseur on the American Bravo networks Emmy-winning television program Queer Eye. ... The third season of American reality television series Top Chef (also advertised as Top Chef Miami) began airing on Bravo on June 13, 2007. ... Location in Miami-Dade and the state of Florida. ... The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city and the county seat of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Padma Lakshmi, September 2007 Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie (born September 1, 1970 in Chennai, India)[4] is an Indian-American cookbook author, actress, and model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Ted Allen (born Edward R. Allen on May 20, 1965 in Columbus, Ohio) is the food and wine connoisseur on the American Bravo networks Emmy-winning television program Queer Eye. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ...

4 Star All Star (Season One vs. Season Two)

On June 6, 2007, as part of the buildup for Season 3, Bravo aired a special charity episode called "4 Star All Star," which awarded $20,000 to the charity of the winning team's choice. The show brought together Season 1 contestants Stephen, Harold, Dave, and Tiffani, and pitted them against Season 2 contestants Ilan, Elia, Marcel, and Sam. The show format was kept the same, with a Quickfire Challenge to start, followed by an Elimination Challenge. The show was filmed in Miami Beach at the kitchen and hotel used for Season 3. Padma Lakshmi hosted. is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

• Quickfire Challenge: Create a two-egg breakfast dish in 10 minutes, using only one hand. Prize: An extra $100 for the overall winner's team to spend on groceries for the Elimination Challenge.
  • SEASON 1 TEAM WINNER: Stephen.
  • SEASON 2 TEAM WINNER: Marcel.
  • OVERALL WINNER: Season 1
• Elimination Challenge: Prepare a four-course meal for the Season 3 contestants consisting of scallops, lobster, duck, and Kobe beef. Teams were given 30 minutes of shopping time, with Season 1 able to spend $300 and Season 2 able to spend $200. Teams were given two hours of cooking time. Courses were served head to head, with the team that wins the most courses winning the challenge.
  • SCALLOPS: Dave made cold smoked scallops & triple olive tapenade with lemon vinaigrette. Elia made a scallop duo with citrus marmalade and endive salad. Elia won.
  • LOBSTER: Stephen made lobster poached in beurre blanc with cauliflower crème anglaise. Marcel made a lobster duo with vanilla gelée and lobster foam. Stephen won.
  • DUCK: Harold made spicy duck meatballs with minted gnocchi. Ilan made almond stuffed duck breast with wild rice, white asparagus & raw egg yolk. Harold won.
  • KOBE BEEF: Tiffani made Kobe beef two ways served with creamy polenta. Sam made seared Kobe beef with mushroom confit & onion relish. Tiffani won.
  • OVERALL WINNER: Season 1, with three wins.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Ted Allen.
• Stephen, as winner of the Season 1 team in the Quickfire, became team captain for the Elimination and got to choose his team's charity. He chose Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
• Marcel, as winner of the Season 2 team in the Quickfire, became team captain for his team. He chose Share Our Strength for his charity.
• Prior to the Quickfire Challenge, Season 1 contestant Lee Anne Wong was introduced as having been hired as a food consultant for Top Chef. This also explained Lee Anne's absence from the competition, as she was the fourth-place contestant in the first season of the show.

Chicken egg (left) and quail eggs (right), the types of egg commonly used as food An egg is a body consisting of an ovum surrounded by layers of membranes and an outer casing of some type, which acts to nourish and protect a developing embryo. ... Genera See text. ... Subfamilies and Genera Neophoberinae Acanthacaris Thymopinae Nephropsis Nephropides Thymops Thymopsis Nephropinae Homarus Nephrops Homarinus Metanephrops Eunephrops Thymopides Clawed lobsters comprise a family (Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine crustaceans. ... Subfamilies Dendrocygninae Oxyurinae Anatinae Aythyinae Merginae Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae family of birds. ... Kobe beef for sukiyaki Kobe beef ) refers to beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. ... Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, is an organization supporting breast cancer research. ... Share Our Strength Share Our Strength, one of the nations leading anti-hunger organizations, is committed to building the first hunger-free generation in America. ... Lee Anne Wong is an American chef and was one of the last four contestants on the first season of Bravos reality show, Top Chef. ...

Top Chef Holiday Special

This December 6th, 2007 special brought selected chefs from all three seasons back with a prize of $20,000 for the winner. Padma Lakshmi presided as host, with regulars Ted Allen, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons among the judges. The following Chefs participated: Tiffani and Stephen (Season 1); Josie, Marcel, and Betty (Season 2); CJ, Tre, and Sandee (Season 3). It was shot in Chicago, Illinois. Padma Lakshmi, September 2007 Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie (born September 1, 1970 in Chennai, India)[4] is an Indian-American cookbook author, actress, and model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. ... Ted Allen (born Edward R. Allen on May 20, 1965 in Columbus, Ohio) is the food and wine connoisseur on the American Bravo networks Emmy-winning television program Queer Eye. ... Thomas Patrick Tom Colicchio (August 15, 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is a noted American chef. ... This article should appear in one or more categories. ... Tiffani Faison (born October, 1977 in Germany) is a chef and was contestant and one of two finalists on the first season of the Bravos reality television program Top Chef. ... Marcel Vigneron is a 26 year old chef originally from Bainbridge, Washington, and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. ...

• Quickfire Challenge: Chefs drew knives to determine the order in which they would choose gifts -- ingredients -- from under the tree. Upon their turn, the chef could either choose to 'steal' an already opened gift of another chef, or take a new gift from under the tree.
  • Winner: CJ (Roasted walnuts sauteéd with apples & shrimp)
  • Guest Judge: Eric Ripert
  • Prize: One free pass to the next round during the Elimination Challenge. (The pass could not be used to advance to the final round.)
• Elimination Challenge: Create a three-course meal for a party of nine. After each course, two chefs will be eliminated.
  • Course 1: Stephen and Sandee eliminated.
  • Course 2: Josie and Betty eliminated.
  • Course 3: Marcel and CJ eliminated.
• Surprise Challenge: After the three courses, Tiffani and Tre were given a surprise challenge to create an additional dish, utilizing anything left in the kitchen, in 30 minutes.
  • Winner: Tiffani
  • Winning Menu: Bacon-Wrapped Apples with Brussels Sprout Salad & Apple Chicken Jus; Roasted Duck Breast on Spaetzle with Wine & Orange Jus; Salted Butterscotch Pudding with Whipped Cream; Braised Veal on Puff Pastry with Truffle Butter.
• Guest Judges: Eric Ripert, Elizabeth Falkner, Norman van Aken, Alan Wong, Alfred Portale

Eric Ripert (born 1965 in Antibes, France) is a French chef working in New York City. ... Marcel Vigneron is a 26 year old chef originally from Bainbridge, Washington, and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Tiffani Faison (born October, 1977 in Germany) is a chef and was contestant and one of two finalists on the first season of the Bravos reality television program Top Chef. ... spaetzle with butter Spaetzle (German: Spätzle, sometimes explained as being derived from Spatz sparrows) are noodles much used in southern Germany and Alsace. ... For the singer/beatboxer who appeared on Americas Got Talent, see Butterscotch (performer). ... Species Tuber melanosporum Tuber brumale Tuber aestivum Tuber uncinatum Tuber mesentericum Tuber magnatum Truffle describes a group of edible mycorrhizal (symbiotic relationship between fungus and plant) fungi (genus Tuber, class Ascomycetes, division Ascomycota). ... Eric Ripert (born 1965 in Antibes, France) is a French chef working in New York City. ... is a P P P P P P PENGUIN Elizabeth Falkner is the Executive Pastry Chef and Owner of Citizen Cake in San Francisco, CA. // Chef Falkner graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1989 with a BA in fine arts. ... Alan married a woman/man from Burma named Shang Ho. ... Alfred Portale is the chef and owner of Gotham Bar and Grill in Manhattan. ...

Reception

Top Chef has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program as well as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming in the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards for its second season.^[3] Outstanding Reality-Competition Program is a Primetime Emmy Award given out during the primetime telecas. ... The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, September 16, 2007 and were televised live on FOX and CTV at 8:00 p. ...

Time magazine's James Poniewozik named it one of the Top 10 Returning Series of 2007, ranking it at #10.^[4] TIME redirects here. ...

References

1. ^ Top Chef cooks up a move to Chicago
2. ^ Sponsors Announced For Upcoming Season Of TOP CHEF - Includes Sears, Toyota, And Glad
3. ^ Primetime Emmy Award Nominations, 2007
4. ^ Poniewozik, James; Top 10 New TV Series; time.com

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Top Chef

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. ...

Show-related sites

• Top Chef official web site
• Top Chef at the Internet Movie Database

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ...

Recaps/Reviews

• Top Chef TV Guide Community: Top Chef
• Top Chef 3 Review at Variety.com
• Nights of the long knives Another season of cutthroat cuisine heats up on Bravo, Newsday, June 12, 2007.
• Top Chef Chicago (Season 4)