Endless Simmer Can't Keep Their Mouth Shut and We Love It!

Check out Endless Simmer for their snap impressions of a few of the TC5 chefs.


Thanks Brendan

A Weekend Food and Wine Getaway

Our own Sous Chef Humor has relocated from sunny southern California to the beautiful Texas Hill country. This past weekend, she ventured out to the Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest.

Since I am new to Texas, I wanted the opportunity to taste and to learn more about the foods and wines that make Texas the wonderful state that it is. I had the opportunity to sit in several cooking demonstrations, learn about area fresh food markets, and tasted some wonderful wine.

Texas is known for friendly people and this event was packed with wine lovers, awesome vendors and down to earth folks, all enjoying a great time.

I discovered Fischer & Wieser. As a lover of raspberries, I purchased their Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle sauce. Ah... the holidays are going to be nice.

With so many fine Texas Hill Country wineries to try, I sampled many but with a name like Sous Chef Humor...

I could not resist a winery titled Three Dudes Winery. out of San Marcos, Texas. I purchased a great bottle of Texas White Zinfandel.

But there was more than just food and wine. I came upon Farm Fresh Soaps and purchased several of their Herbal Bath teas. These are dried herbs sealed in jumbo bath tea bags that you can use for a relaxation bath.

To top it off, I discovered Arte Y Chocolate out of Austin Texas. Turns out the wonderful ladies working their booth are big Top Chef fans and will be joining the rest of us this season in our weekly chat room.


If you are visiting food and wine events, please feel free to share the experience with us and we will post them here on the blog.

So while I wait for season 5 to begin, I am off with a fine bottle of wine, some outstanding chocolate and bath teas for a relaxing bath. Be sure to pamper yourselves before season 5 begins.

Top Chef Season 5 -Meet The Chefs

We have 4 to go. Help us welcome Chef Patrick, the youngest of all the chefs.

age 21
hometown Quincy, MA resides in Hyde Park, NY
Culinary student
Culinary Education:
A.O.S. Culinary Arts, C.I.A. working on BPS Culinary Arts Management
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For summer: Berries with balsamic, honey, mint, basil and tart yogurt. For spring: Fresh pasta with fresh morels sautéed in butter and white wine.

bio: Patrick is currently a student at the Culinary Institute of America. With an inherent love for cooking, he was inspired as a child by his mother and grandmother and today by food writer Michael Pollan. Patrick has always had a love for the arts, both performing and visual and tries to incorporate them into every dish he creates. With ingredients as his medium of art, he is inspired by quality and freshness and enjoys making fresh vegetable dishes like succotash, pisto and ratatouille. He has a passion for sustainable agriculture and hopes to educate and promote support for local farmers and growers.

Tell us what you think of Chef Patrick.

Top Chef Season 5- Meet The Chefs

Welcome our second Chef, from the state of Colorado. Chef Melissa

Melissa
age ?
hometown Maryland resides in Boulder, CO
Sous Chef, Centro Latin Kitchen and Refreshment Palace
Culinary Education:
Baltimore International College
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For spring: Spicy snap pea salad

bio: Born in Maryland and raised on a horse farm, Melissa spent her youth surrounded by farm fresh produce and livestock. Her upbringing influenced her love of food and cooking from an early age. After receiving her culinary degree from Baltimore International College, Melissa relocated to Boulder, Colorado where she currently serves as a Sous Chef at Centro Latin Kitchen and Refreshment Palace. Dedicated to creating soulful Latin America cuisine, her favorite part of cooking is making people happy. Melissa's goals and plans for the future include endless travel, culinary endeavors and continually expanding her food knowledge.

Tell us what you think of Chef Melissa.

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Welcome Chef Leah to BTC

age 27
hometown Scarsdale, NY resides in New York City
Sous Chef, Centro Vinoteca
Culinary Education:
A.O.S./ B.A., C.I.A.
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For summer: Ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms and panzanella salad
bio: Leah currently works as a Sous Chef at Centro Vinoteca in New York City. Apart from the year and a half that she worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy, she has spent her entire life in New York and comes from a Filipino, Russian-Romanian Jewish background. Her favorite chef is Marco Pierre White and she counts salt, olive oil, butter, garlic and any pork product as her must-have ingredients. She loves Italian, Filipino and Thai cuisine, but homemade pasta is what she enjoys making the most.

What do you think of Chef Leah?

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Help us now welcome Chef Lauren

age 24
hometown Cincinnati, OH resides in Stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia
Chef Tournant, Jag’s Steak and Seafood
Culinary Education:
B.P.S. Culinary Arts Management, C.I.A.
Favorite Simple Recipes:
Spring pea mousse in phyllo cups with creme fraiche and caviar

bio: Lauren works as the Tournant at Jag's Steak and Seafood, the most luxurious and contemporary steakhouse in Cincinnati, Ohio. Sparked by an Easy Bake Oven as a little girl, Lauren's passion for pastry and the culinary arts bloomed throughout her childhood and into her current career. While attending the prestigious CIA in Hyde Park, New York, Lauren met her husband, a USMA cadet. Together they have traveled the country, influencing Lauren's eclectic and free-form culinary style. If she were a food, she says she would be a sweet and sassy box of chocolates because "you never know what you're going to get, but its always going to be good!"

Tell us what you think of Chef Lauren.

Interview with Top Chef Stephanie Izard

We are thrilled that our BFF, Laura K from Blogging Project Runway , had the opportunity to meet with Season 4 winner Chef Stephanie Izard. Laura took the time to share her interview with all of us.
Thank you so much Laura!

LK: Hi Stephanie, what brings you to Scottsdale?

SI: I’m here for Eats3. I’ll be doing a cooking demonstration on Saturday. Also my parents live here and I went to The Scottsdale Culinary Institute from 1998 – 2000. I love Scottsdale.

LK: What have you been doing since winning season four of Top Chef?

SI: Traveling, doing personal appearances at food and wine festivals and some television shows. I was recently on the Rachael Ray show and next week I will be filming a Diet Dr. Pepper commercial. I have also been working on a cookbook and shopping for a condo and a restaurant location in Chicago.

LK: Are you recognized in the streets?

SI: Yes, all the time. The first time I was recognized was the curbside check-in guy at the airport after only a few episodes had aired. Now it happens almost every day. Just today, the person who served my coffee recognized me!

LK: When you aren’t cooking, what do you do for fun?

SI: I love to scuba dive. My sister and I recently went diving in Honduras. We swam with dolphins and sharks. If I wasn’t a chef I would love to be a scuba instructor.

LK: Do you have just one sister?

SI: Yes, her name is Stacey, she is two years older.

LK: Who was your favorite guest judge on the show.

SI: Definitely Daniel Boulud. Tom is really sweet too. The judges don’t really interact with the contestants, it’s only afterward that I have gotten to know them.

LK: Does Padma really eat the food? How does she stay so thin?

SI: She really does eat it!

LK: Do you watch any cooking shows?

SI: I like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations.

LK: Any other reality shows?

SI: Project Runway.

LK: Will you be at the Top Chef event in NYC next week?

SI: No, I have to be in LA filming the Diet Dr. Pepper commercial.

LK: Do you have an agent?

SI: Yes!

LK: Do you know any of the season five chefs?

SI: Yes, I know Radhika. She is from Chicago and I have eaten at her restaurant and hung out with her.

LK: What advice would you give to the Top Chef contestants?

SI: The same advice that Dale gave me. Don’t trash talk the other chefs and there is a lot of junk food on the set.

LK: Junk food?

SI: Yes, a lot of Doritos!

LK: Is there still a “boy’s club” in the kitchen or have times changed?

SI: There are more women chefs today but it is still a physically demanding job. I have to ask for help lifting the heavy stock pots. It is a fact that women have more sensitive palates. There are a lot of women in culinary school. Maybe the tide will turn.

LK: Do you read the websites and blogs?

SI: I did, but I would read something mean and it would ruin my day. So, now my dad pre-screens everything for me and sends me links to the good stuff!

LK: How did you become interested in cooking?

SI: I think about cooking and food constantly. I even dream about food. I wander through a farmer’s market and imagine combinations of foods in my mind. I will never run out of things that I want to try.

When I was eight years old my family went to Epcot Center and we went to a French restaurant and had a crepe dish. When I returned home I told my mom that I was going to make it. I found a recipe and with a little help I recreated the dish.

LK: You were eight?

SI: Yes.

LK: Are there any special causes that you are interested in?

SI: Yes. Common Threads. They educate underprivileged kids about food and nutrition. Along with other Top Chef contestants, I am doing an event for them in Chicago on October 29th. I have been working with them since before I appeared on the show!

LK: One more question – do you have a sweetheart?

SI: Not right now. Time Out Chicago actually has a feature about single chefs in the current issue. I am one of the profiles!

LK: Thank you Stephanie!

Our thanks to both Chef Stephanie and to Laura K for sharing this wonderful interview with us.

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Next to stir the sauce pan... Chef Jill

age 28
hometown Latrobe, PA resides in Baltimore
Executive Chef, Red Maple
Culinary Education:
Baltimore International College
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For spring: Grilled shrimp with pea tendrils and roasted baby beets

bio: Born in Latrobe, Pa., Jill's culinary interests were sparked at an early age when she began helping on her uncle's farm, picking berries and baking cookies to sell at the local farmer's market. She didn't plan on becoming a chef, but counts her decision to attend culinary school as one of her best moves. After moving to Baltimore, Jill studied under the celebrated chef and restaurateur Spike Gjerde. She loves to create imaginative sushi rolls and unique desserts and the five ingredients she always keeps on hand are semi-sweet chocolate, sushi rice, micro-herbs, Banyuls vinegar and champagne. Her goal is to one day own a small resort that serves amazing food and features rides in her hot air balloon.

Tell us what you think of Chef Jill.

Top Chef Columbus Ohio Report!

Again one of our fellow TC fans is kind enough to share their road trip to see Chef Richard and Chef Hung in Ohio. This event was on July 12th.

From Guest Chef reporter Catherine.

This stop on the TC tour was a little different. Instead of parking at a Whole Foods Top Chef brought it to the historic North Market , one of my favorite places. This weekend was also the Ohio Food and Wine Festival.

Richard and Hung were our chefs for the day. They were both funny and excited to cook for us. Hung's recipe was all about "explosive flavors" encouraging the group to use some different ingredients like tamarind, oyster sauce, and fish sauce. He filled us in that his new restaurant in the West Village will feature seafood.

Richard talked about his new restaurant Flip, which will be a burger place. Richard also talked about a 'fried food comeback' mentioning a fried mayonnaise and cheese sandwich, we'll just have to see if that one makes it on the menu!

Both chefs answered quite a few questions from the crowd, here are the highlights:
-How do you cut salt in a dish? Hung: add lime juice, tamarind, or chilies
-What do you like to eat? Richard: I grew up eating hamburgers and fries. I love ranch dressing and honey mustard and I make no apologies for it.
-Will you be on TV again?Hung: no interest
Richard: has a show 'in the works'
-What is in your fridge at home?Hung: water, if that
Richard: usually leftover pizza and Gatorade, but more food now that my wife is home with the baby.
-What advice would you give young chefs? Both: Tough, hard punishment-get ready.

On to the recipes! Both chefs made great dishes. I suspect Richard had something else in mind-- the oven was heating up and he checked the temperature during Hung's segment, but when he was up he made a salad.

Click HERE to see the recipes.

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet the Chefs

Up next... meet Chef Jeff

age 30
hometown Niceville, FL resides in Miami
Chef de Cuisine, the DiLido Beach Club
Culinary Education:
Johnson & Wales University
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For summer: Melon sorbet salad

bio: Jeff got his culinary start at age 15 by cleaning local fish while working on Florida fishing boats and a year later began peeling shrimp, cleaning squid and cutting fish for The Marina Café. Jeff embarked on his professional career as a Sous Chef at Atlanticville Restaurant and Café outside of Charleston, South Carolina while attending school at Johnson & Wales University. He went on to hone his culinary skills as a Sous Chef in San Francisco at Azie, an upscale Asian fusion restaurant, and later served as a Sous Chef at the Five Star Orient Express resort in Virginia where he expanded on his knowledge of French and American cuisines. Returning to his native Florida, Jeff worked directly under Chef Norman Van Aken and then joined The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach culinary team. He currently serves as Chef de Cuisine of The DiLido Beach Club. His recent sabbaticals include traveling to North Africa, Turkey, Italy, and the Greek Isles to discover new techniques which he uses daily at home with Florida ingredients.

Update: We now have the second picture of Chef Jeff and down below, we have the second picture of Chef Jamie. Equal time for all.
Tell us what you think of Chef Jeff.

Where Food and Fame Meet: A Guide to Top Chef Restaurants

Spicy Ducky Burger at Harold Dieterle’s restaurant, Perilla in New York City


Read this interesting, informative, and hunger inducing article by Angie Walls here.


Thanks Laryssa & tooshytostop.com

Photo by Yogma

Top Chef Fantasy Game

It`s that time again!




Click here to to play and be sure to check out the improved Group section. Play against friends and have your own leader boards and forum discussions.

Plus, check out the Top Chef CONTEST going on where you could win Richard or Casey's from Top Chef 3 & 4 autographed pics, plus the Top Chef Cookbook!


Thanks Megan & Fafarazzi.com

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner

Click here to read the story.

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Next up at the grill is Chef Jamie

age 30
hometown New York City resides in San Francisco
Executive Chef, Absinthe Brasserie and Bar
Culinary Education:
A.O.S. Culinary Arts, C.I.A.
Favorite Simple Recipes: For spring: Asparagus salad with charred onion vinaigrette, Burrata cheese, wild arugula and speck.

bio: Jamie works as the Executive Chef at Absinthe, one of the busiest restaurants in San Francisco. Born in New York City and trained in classic French technique, she believes in cooking from within. Jamie loves to work with local and seasonal ingredients and focuses most of her menu around organic foods. She enjoys participating in local charitable events and using her talent to support important causes. Her favorite thing to eat is Indian food and she is obsessed with onions.

Tell us what you think of Chef Jamie

Update 10.21.08. We now have the second picture of Chef Jamie

Top Chef Season 5- Meet The Chefs

Please help us welcome Chef Hosea

age 34
hometown Taos, NM resides in Boulder, CO
Executive Chef, Jax Fish House
Culinary Education:
Self-taught
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For spring: Sea scallops with morels, asparagus, potato puree and Madeira cream sauce.

bio: Hosea has been the Executive Chef at Jax Fish House in Boulder for the past four and a half years. During his tenure at Jax, he has won numerous awards including Best Chef at the Denver International Wine Festival (2006, 2007) and is the seven-time, undefeated winner of the Flatiron Chef Competition. While pursuing his BS in Engineering Physics from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Hosea worked at a variety of restaurants from diners to fine dining establishments. It was only after he graduated in 1997 that he realized he wanted to change course and become a professional chef. In 1998 he began working for Wolfgang Puck and got his first job as head chef just three years later. When it comes to food, quality ingredients, integrity and focus are paramount to Hosea.

Tell us what you think of Chef Hosea

Rocco DiSpirito got served!

Click here to see for yourself.


(AP Photo/ABC, Kelsey McNeal)



Thanks HoInMo

Some Ted Allen news

Click Here to read Teds blog.


Thanks Barry

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet the Chefs

Welcome Chef Gene to Top Chef.

Gene
age 33
hometown Whitmore Village, Hawaii resides in Las Vegas
Executive Chef, Executive Sushi Chef & Chef Consultant
Culinary Education:
Self-taught
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For summer: Ahi tuna, green onions, ginger, garlic, cilantro, bonito and hot peanut oil. For spring: Mesclun lettuce, chopped romaine, roasted macadamia nuts, boursin cheese, strawberries and mango yuzu vinaigrette.

bio: Gene is currently developing menus for major corporations and is the soon to be Executive Chef of a new concept for a major hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Born and raised in Hawaii, he relocated to Las Vegas and began his career as a dishwasher. Through hard work and dedication over the years, he has experienced all facets of life in the professional kitchen. He has gained wisdom and experience in management positions at various restaurants and has been blessed to work for and with some of the most extraordinary chefs in the world. His cooking philosophy has always been "think outside the box" and his love for pacific fusion compliments his cooking style. He is trained in basic French and Italian with an emphasis on Pacific Rim, Hawaiian fusion, and the art of sushi.

Tell us what you think.

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Please help us welcome Chef Fabio

Fabio
age 30
hometown Florence, Italy resides in Moorpark, CA
Owner, Cafe Firenze Italian Restaurant Martini Bar
Culinary Education:
I.P.S.S.A.R. Aurelio Saffi, Hotel and Restaurant Management School in Florence, Italy
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For summer: Seared black sea bass, heirloom tomato and purple basil with extra virgin olive oil.

bio: Fabio is the Owner and Executive Chef of Café Firenze Italian Restaurant and Martini Bar, one of the most recognized restaurants in Ventura County. Born and raised in Florence, Italy, he has traveled across Europe and is trained in classic Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. He incorporates Italian, French and Spanish influences in his dishes and believes that cooking is a craft. He is currently working on opening the Firenze4Kids Foundation, which will emphasize the promotion of health and wellness for kids through good nutrition and will also launch kidshealthcafe.com, the largest informative resource library available online, designed to enhance a healthy and safe lifestyle for children. Additionally, Fabio also works as William Shatner's private chef.

Sous Chef Humors first reaction was, " Does Chef Spike, from season 4, have a twin?
Tell us what you think.

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Next in line is Chef Danny

age 26
hometown New Hyde Park, NY
Chef De Cuisine, Babylon Carriage House
Culinary Education:
C.I.A. Hyde Park
Favorite Simple Recipes: For summer: Fresh calamari salad with pepper, red onions, fresh garlic, lemon, lime, pepper, salt to my liking

Tell us what you think of Chef Danny!

Top Chef Season 5 - Meet The Chefs

Please help us welcome Chef Carla

age 44
hometown Nashville, TN resides in Washington, DC
Owner/Chef, Alchemy Caterers
Culinary Education:
C.C.T. L’Academie de Cuisine
Favorite Simple Recipes:
For summer: Small shaped pasta with hand-mashed salted heirloom tomatoes, garlic, red wine vinegar, chilies and a great extra virgin olive oil. For spring: Pea salad with radishes and feta cheese.

bio: Carla is the chef and owner of Alchemy Caterers in Washington, D.C. Her food balances the heart and soul of the South and the refinement of her classic French training. She enjoys creating memorable comfort dishes with fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Carla approaches each event as an opportunity to make a connection with the client and to change the way they experience food. She always has good European butter, Couverture chocolate, bacon, heavy cream, olive oil - pomace and extra virgin - on hand and pies are one of her favorite things to make.

Tell us what you think of Chef Carla.

Top Chef Season 5 -Meet The Chefs

Ariane
age 41
hometown Verona, NJ resides in Verona, NJ
Chef/owner of CulinAriane in Montclair, NJ
Culinary Education:
AOS, Culinary Institute of America
Favorite Simple Recipes:
Roasted asparagus, artichokes, fava beans and morels on herb goat cheese grilled focaccia

bio: Ariane is the chef/owner of CulinAriane, a four-star restaurant located in Montclair, N.J. She was inspired to cook at a young age by her grandmothers. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, she worked at some of the best restaurants in the country before she and her husband, Michael, opened CulinAriane. While much of her time is spent at her restaurant, she loves spending time with her daughters, especially at the beach. She also enjoys entertaining for family and friends. Her strong belief is that anything can be fixed and to keep smiling.

Tell us what you think of Chef Ariane .

Say It Isn't So

As in seasons past, Tom, Padma and Gail are returning for season 5 of Top Chef
Click HERE to see what these three have to say about season 5.

but...

NO TED!?!?!

WTF!!!

Nope, Ted is being replaced with....(drum roll) Toby Young. Toby is a food critic and best-selling author of the book How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, which was the basis for an upcoming film. (Uh.. lose friends and alienate people? Guess we know what kind of judging will be going on. Let the blood bath begin).

Click HERE and HERE to learn more. Also,check out Toby`s UK website here.

As for our beloved Ted ( we are still consoling Sous Chef Humor, who can not stop crying), he has a new show "Food Detective" over on the Food Network.

We Still Love You Ted!!!

BTW,as reported on another TC blog,there is no Anthony Bourdain this season. Read the story here. Yup,the Big Shamu not only saw Bourdain in person,she had some fancy treats and got his autograph. Whats that smell you ask? Why,its chef biatch burning up with envy!

Top Chef 5 - Let's Meet The Chefs

It is that time again. Top Chef season 5 is coming November 12th. Mark your calendars.

Our favorite number 1 food show on cable selected 17 new cheftestants to take on the Big Apple of New York.

For the next few weeks, let's meet these cheftestants and get your first reaction to them. Using their bio's, help us welcome...

Chef Alex
age 33
Hometown New York City resides in Los Angeles
Position: Executive chef, Restaurant 15
Culinary Education:
The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) – New York, NY
Favorite Simple Recipes: For fall: Duck confit – duck breast, onions, carrots, celery, cloves, cinnamon, duck fat, fresh herbs. For spring: Red snapper with guava beurre blanc, guavaberry and sweet plantain hash.

Bio: Alex currently serves as Executive Chef /Partner at a small boutique restaurant in Los Angeles, Calif., Restaurant 15. His culinary career is based primarily in small individually owned restaurants, which is fitting since he has a personal relationship with food and finds his creativity is best expressed in those intimate circumstances. Born in Madrid, raised in the Dominican Republic and then New York City, he has a very distinct cultural background that fuels his passion for cooking. Classically trained in French and Spanish cuisine, he often plays with Caribbean flair to add depth to his food. When not training for marathons, he enjoys making one of his favorite dishes, Paella.

Your thoughts on Chef Alex? Leave them in the comment area below.

Is There Anything He Can Not Do?

We have seen him Sous Chef in the final of season3. We have seen him judge and have read his blog but now....

Is there anything he can not do? Good luck Chef Ricco!

Top Chef 5

Check it out here.



Thanks Kristine


Update: We just got this in,

Thanks so much for getting back to me. Top 5 returns Wednesday, November 12^th @10pm on Bravo. Guest judges and stars this season include Martha Stewart, Foo Fighters, Jean-Georges, Eric Ripert, Rocco DiSpirito, Wylie Dufresne, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Natasha Richardson.