Top Chef

infobox television
show_name = Top Chef


caption = Eric Ripert (guest judge), Padma Lakshmi (host/judge), Tom Colicchio (judge), and Gail Simmons (judge) on "Top Chef".
format = Cooking, Reality, Competition
runtime = 60 minutes
executive producers = Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz
starring = Katie Lee Joel (Season One)
Padma Lakshmi (Season Two onward)
Tom Colicchio
Gail Simmons
Ted Allen (Season Three - Season Four [ [http://www.tedallen.net/Blog/Entries/2008/10/11_Food_Detectives_lands_second_season.html Blog entry confirming Allen has left "Top Chef"] ] )
Toby Young (Season Five onward)
country = United States
network = Bravo
first_aired = March 8, 2006
last_aired = present
num_episodes = 56 (as of June 18, 2008)
website = http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/
tv_com_id = 55264
imdb_id = 0765425

"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. The show is produced by Magical Elves Productions, the same company that created "Project Runway".

Two spinoffs extending the Top Chef brand are planned: Bravo has ordered "Top Chef Junior", featuring contestants in their early teens [ [http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/bravo-orders-new-top-chef-junior-spinoff-for-young-teenage-chefs-7267.php Bravo orders new 'Top Chef Junior' spinoff for young teenage chefs] ] ; a second spinoff under development will be called "", featuring "some of the brightest stars in the world of food, award-winning, widely-renowned chefs," according to Bravo's press release. [ [http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/bravo-announces-plans-for-new-top-chef-masters-spinoff-7479.php Bravo announces plans for new Top Chef: Masters spinoff] ]

how format

Basic 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).

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. Ingredients for Elimination Challenges are generally limited to what is present in the "Top Chef" pantry and what the chefs purchase at a food store, with a possibly limited budget. However, 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). After shopping, the contestants will cook for four judges, usually including at least 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.

After the Elimination Challenge ends, the chefs are taken to Judges' Table, where 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 [their] knives and go." This is usually followed by a knife packing sequence for the eliminated chef, and a clip of his or her exit video, to close out the episode. According to the credits, some elimination decisions (eg. Cliff Crooks's disqualification in Season 2) are made in consultation with the show's producers.

The show continues in this format for 10-13 episodes, until the Finale.

pecial formats

Midway through each season, the contestants participate in a "Restaurant Wars" (or similarly named) Elimination Challenge. They are split into two teams, created by the winner of the previous Quickfire Challenge, or by "drawing knives". In these teams, the chefs must transform an empty space into a restaurant within a set time limit and budget, selecting and creating the name, theme, decor, and menu. According to Dale Levitski, a Season Three finalist, this is one of the contestants' most anticipated challenges. Season Four had not only "Restaurant Wars", but also "Wedding Wars".

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 celebrity chefs (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. There is no Quickfire Challenge in this episode.

Guest judges

There have been 48 guest judges so far on all 4 seasons. 16 of these have won the Food and Wine Best New Chef award, including Head Judge Tom Colicchio. Of these 45 guests, 9 have appeared multiple times. Anthony Bourdain leads with 5 appearances, Rocco DiSpirito* and Eric Ripert with 3 (Ripert appeared a fourth time on the Top Chef Holiday Special, see below), and 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.)"

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. [http://realitytvwebsitecom.blogspot.com/2006/09/sponsors-announced-for-upcoming-season.html Sponsors Announced For Upcoming Season Of TOP CHEF - Includes Sears, Toyota, And Glad] ] "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.

how summary of seasons

pecial episodes

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.

*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.

Top Chef Holiday Special

This December 6, 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.

*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:
***First Course: Bacon-Wrapped Apples with Brussels Sprout Salad & Apple Chicken Jus
***Second Course: Roasted Duck Breast on Spaetzle with Wine & Orange Jus
***Third Course: Salted Butterscotch Pudding with Whipped Cream
***Surprise Course: Braised Veal on Puff Pastry with Truffle Butter.
*Guest Judges: Eric Ripert, Elizabeth Falkner, Norman van Aken, Alan Wong, Alfred Portale

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. [ [http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/nominations.php?action=search_db Primetime Emmy Award Nominations, 2007] ]

"Time" magazine's James Poniewozik named it one of the Top 10 Returning Series of 2007, ranking it at #10. [ [http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686244_1691412,00.html Poniewozik, James; Top 10 New TV Series; time.com] ]

References

External links

how-related sites

* [http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/ "Top Chef"] official web site
*imdb title|id=0765425

Recaps/Reviews

* [http://community.tvguide.com/forum.jspa?forumID=700010003 "Top Chef"] TV Guide Community: Top Chef
* [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933880.html?categoryid=32&cs=1 Top Chef 3 Review] at "Variety.com"
* [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1286412081.html?dids=1286412081:1286412081&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jun+12%2C+2007&author=ERICA+MARCUS&pub=Newsday&edition=Combined+editions&startpage=1&desc=Nights+of+the+long+knives+Another+season+of+cutthroat+cuisine+heats+up+on+Bravo Nights of the long knives Another season of cutthroat cuisine heats up on Bravo] , Newsday, June 12, 2007.