So I was just watching a re-run of an old top chef on Bravo while eating lunch today and what pop's up? A plug for a new Bravo Show "Top Chef Masters"

Essentially it's Top Chef meets Celebrity apprentice, with celebrity cooks doing the stuff they've been putting all the other top chef participants through...unfortunately it's a new cast of judges (I'm more likely to watch anything with Padma in it than not)

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters/season-1/about

Looking forward to seeing how it plays out, hopefully as entertaining as top chef can be

WD

I am still 7 shows behind on Top Chef New York. I am ashamed of that fact considering how much I love the show, but think that I wasn't used to a season taking place during the non-summer tv season and got way behind. Anyway, I saw an ad for this and will tune in. Admittedly, I like the idea of younger or less famous chefs going at it, but anything in the Top Chef format is worth a look IMO.

First episode last night was pretty good. Each week 4 different established chefs compete. One wins and moves on to the final showdown. Quickfire challenge and a main challenge. The chef's are competeing for charities of their choice, $100,000 to the winners charity. If you're a Top Chef fan then I think you'll enjoy this. First quickfire, dessert in 60 minutes, judges.....4 Girl Scouts

Yeah, that was harsh! I love the comment, that red-haired girl is a future New York Times food critic.

The full challenge was no easy one either. Cook a three course meal with only a hot plate, a toaster oven, and a microwave available. Oh yeah, they actually had to do it in a dorm room as well.

It was pretty good, I was skeptical at first until I realized "no drama" just 100% world class chefs having a great time cooking.

Of course they start with a dessert challenge.

they sure aint makin this easy.

How the HELL does a chef confuse a freezer with a fridge????

OK, seriously. . .how friggin cool is Hubert Keller??

Chocolate mouse tails. shower pasta....cool as a cucumber

+1. I don't need the drama. How cool was it when Texas boy pulled it together and put out a great meal after freezing all of his food?

Pretty amazing.

Bravo was smart to keep Tom and Padma way the hell away from this thing, because these actual Top Chefs are making their usual cast of under-30 sous chefs and over-40 caterers look like rank amateurs. I actually walked past Christopher Lee's place, Aureole, about 400 times last year while I was at an industry conference. Per-meal limit on the company card meant I couldn't really indulge. I went across the hallway to Michael Mina's steakhouse instead, and rocked a killer carpacchio and a cocktail. There are not many places on this Earth where you will hear the sentence, "Compliments of the chef, sir, a collection of french fries for you".

Peace
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I wonder how Colicchio would do against these guys.

I would love to see him put up or shut up.

I bet he would shut up. Which is why he isnt participating I bet . . . .lol

He was in Vegas during WCOFF last year. We saw him. It'd be interesting to see him competing, but may be biased?

No kidding, where?

I could have done it with Megan Fox and not remembered considering my mental capacity from WCOFF last year.

We were in the lobby of Benihana at the Las Vegas Hilton having some drinks while waiting for our table. It's a pretty large absolutely beautiful lobby and almost no one was there. We walked in and him and 3 other people were sitting there drinking. Tina noticed him two tables over. We were going to walk over and say hi, but I don't really like to bother people while they're entertaining. We were about the only ones in there. I don't know if he was eating there or not. I doubt it, but the people out West were raving about Benihanas like it was the greatest place on Earth. Virginia has better food in places that cook at your table. We were disappointed in the meal and figured someone of his stature wouldn't eat there....who knows though. I'm convinced he was just drinking.

He owns a restaurant in Vegas.

He's got Craftsteak in the MGM

When it first opened about 2 years back he was there weekly, plays poker in the MGM poker room fairly often as well (low limit holdem)

wow, they REALLY wanted rick bayless to make it into the next round. they couldn't have possibly come up with a challenge more in his wheelhouse compared to the other competitors.

Finally got around to the last 2 episodes on tivo and was floored by Dale's cameo. I don't watch a lot of reality TV at all, but I've never seen anyone in any field of study go on national TV multiple times and mark themselves 100% un-hireable every single time. Incredible.

That having been said, I friggin LOVE Hubert Keller. Which is saying a lot because I can't stand the French.

I actually enjoyed Top Chef Master more than Top Chef. I hope they do it again.

The Mrs and I went to Bayless's restaurant in Chicago this weekend. The doors opened at 5pm and we got there at 4:45pm. The line was around the block! We decided to stick it out and it was a 2 hour wait. We put our names on the list and did a little bar hopping around the neighborhood. When we got back and sat down it was one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. The atmosphere was good and food was better. It was an awesome night!

we were in napa a couple of weekends ago and tried to get into michael chiarello's bottega for lunch or dinner... no dice (called a week or so in advance). went to tre vigne instead and had an amazing meal

I am definitely eating there next time we are in town, hopefully a bit of the top chef surge I am certainly they are currently experiencing will have died down by then. I really gained a lot of respect for him on the show.....everything he did was really thoughtful and creative, and looked and sounded delicious. through the whole show, he was probably the only person who never once made a really serious mistake. everything was at a really high level and he seems like a really good, down to earth guy.

He is offering the exact menu he did for the final as a tasting menu (plus a peach cobbler dessert) for $90.00 per person right now.

He is sold out on Fridays and Saturdays until November . . .lol

I want some of that mole'

My guess is your referring to Topolobampo. We went to The Frontera Grill which is right next door and does not take reservations, first come first served. For us about 2 hours. Although I would have loved to try his menu from the final it was not offered at The Frontera. However, we were able to get in and it was delicious.

Does he rotate between the 3 restaurants nightly, weekly or does most of his sous chefs do the cooking? I guess what I'm asking is he name only or do you have a shot to actually have him in the place cooking?

Not sure. I talked to a buddy of mine that has been to The Frontera a couple times and Bayless actually walked through and met with people one of those evenings. We didnt see him on Saturday but my guess is that he is pretty busy these days with the popularity of Top Chef. His new place, Frontera Fresco seems like a small lunch type place in the Macy's building. I highly doubt he is there very often. But like I said, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo share one building and it would be easy for him to be in both of those on any given night.

ETA: thought you might be interested in what we had and the cost:

APPITIZER:
Ceviche Yucateco: steamed organic shrimp and calamari tossed with lime, orange, habanero, avocado, jcama and cilantro. 12.50

ME:
Carne Asada a la Oaxaquena: Creekstone Natural Black Angus rib steak, marinated in spicy red chile and wood- grilled, served with black beans, sweet plantains with sour cream, and guacamole. 29.50

THE WIFE:
Falda Asada "Brava": spicy serrano-marinated grass fed flank steak (from Bill Kurtis's Tall Grass) with spicy salsa huevona (hand-crushed, grill-roasted tomatoes, jalapenos). Grilled knob onions and sweet corn tamales (topped with homemade sour cream and fresh cheese). 29.00

:stomachrumbling:

Yep. Tompolobampo. The #1 best restaurant in the year (I forget by what panel, I "think" James Beard . .)

I ate at topo and frontera a couple of years ago.

I thought the food was good but not great although I'm kind of a foodie so my standards are high.

Bayless was there and walked through the dining room a couple of times.

Curious where you've had better Mexican food.

Don't say Mexico.

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Was in SF this week and got to eat at Fleur de Lys. Definitely worth a visit. Had an appetizer consisting of smoked salmon tartare and foie gras followed by a scallops & chantrelles. I understand the show was not Top Scallop, but that dish rocked.