Top Chef (TV Show)

SF Weekly's 7-Day Dish

Attention Faux-Hawks: Top Chef Casting Call

Vittles du Video

Throughout my television-viewing life there have been certain programs that I've obsessed over, planned my schedule around, discussed with my fellow zealots over water cooler and barstool and, in short, made a point to watch without fail, but nowadays there's only one show I can't live without, Top ... More >>

Orson Not Well

Ambitious, edgy California cuisine flirts with the future in uneven fashion.

Bewiched

A top chef expands his brand, and we follow

Twitter-Size Recipes: Jen Biesty

If you think you recognize the executive chef of Scala's Bistro (432 Powell at Post) wihtout ever having eaten there, it's because Jen Biesty competed on the fourth season of Bravo's Top Chef in 2008, where she cooked meals inspired by penguins and the film Il Postino. SFoodie challenged Biesty to c ... More >>

Hubert Keller Wins First Top Chef Masters Episode with Dorm-Room Mac and Cheese

On last night's premiere of Top Chef Masters, Hubert Keller, executive chef/owner of Fleur de Lys (777 Sutter at Taylor) charmed a gaggle of Girl Scouts and a mess of college students and whipped up the winning meal: Cold Scottish salmon, hardy carrot and petit pea soup with cinnamon croutons, and ... More >>

S.F. Chef Falkner Takes on 'Top Chef Masters' with Boar, Beef Jerky, and Extra-Credit Cookies

S.F.'s own Elizabeth Falkner (pictured, second from left, with Wylie Dufresne, Graham Elliot Bowles, and Suzanne Tracht) competed in last night's episode of Bravo's Top Chef Masters. And while she didn't win (that honor went to Tracht), the Orson/Citizen Cake maven's dishes were certainly memora ... More >>

Ten Gourmet Hot Dogs That'll Make You Sit Up and Beg

A dog with ketchup and mustard? Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you crave a bit more refinement than the classic red hot provides. There's a whole of craving going on these days -- gourmet wieners are poised to become a national (even an international) phenom, and that's just fine with u ... More >>

Our Handicap for 'Top Chef' Season 6: Will S.F. Root for the East Bay's Little Bear?

Ash Fulk/Facebook Ash Fulk: Will the Bay Area native prove a local fave? In case you've turned to reading and misanthropy lately, allow us to break the news that Season 6 of Top Chef begins on Bravo tonight (9 p.m., channel 48 on Comcast). It's based in Sin City this time around, so expect pl ... More >>

Preeti Mistry of 'Top Chef' Season Six: The SFoodie Interview

Bravo TV​We were worried when local girl Preeti Mistry turned to her three colleagues last week during the first Quickfire Challenge of Top Chef Las Vegas -- a mise-en-place battle for which she'd have to open 15 clams before others on her team could move on to other tasks, including trimming ... More >>

Laurine Wickett of 'Top Chef': The SFoodie Interview

Left Coast CateringWickett: Not exactly in love with Vegas.​The 38-year-old Rochester, New York, native has an earthy, tousled vibe that makes you think of a Montessori teacher sipping post-pilates soy chais in Cole Valley. When she arrived in S.F. in 1990, Wickett started cooking at long-defu ... More >>

Local Gal Preeti Mistry Got Canned from 'Top Chef' Last Night. We Have Her Exit Interview

Bravo TVPlanning to launch a taco truck?​Watching last night's episode of Top Chef, we were nervous as soon as we saw our two S.F. homegirls --- teamed up for the big feed-the-troops challenge -- preparing pasta salad. With bowties and sundried tomatoes, no less! Oy. Meanwhile, the competition ... More >>

Mattin Noblia of 'Top Chef': The SFoodie Interview

ModelMayhemThe French-born chef isn't without cheesy model shots.​An ooh-la-la, scarf-wearing dirty blond, 29-year-old Biarritz native Mattin Noblia is the Frenchy eye candy -- complete with model portfolio -- of Top Chef Season Six. He opened his own restaurant, Iluna Basque, in North Beach, ... More >>

'Top Chef' Postmort: Mattin Gets Drunk and Cocky, Then Cocks up His Velouté

ModelMayhemMaybe he should've stuck with modeling. Or not.​S.F.'s own Mattin Noblia, chef-proprietor of Iluna Basque, did not cover himself with glory (or even the tricoleur) in last night's French-themed episode of Top Chef. The escargot Quickfire challenge pleased him: "I feel good," he sa ... More >>

Top Chef's Ash Fulk Got Kicked to the Curb. He's Not Bitter -- Except About Padma

Fulk: He won't be inviting Padma over for snacks.​In case you were glued to Glee last night, you missed Ash Fulk getting bounced from Top Chef. Fulk might be the nicest contestant ever. "I was outcooked," he said this morning by phone. And he wouldn't diss anybody on the show -- except for Pad ... More >>

S.F.'s Laurine Wickett Got Canned from Top Chef Last Night. Now She's Cooking Up an Homage to Balls

Bravo TVWickett: Not totally bummed about getting axed.​Laurine Wickett of San Francisco's Left Coast Catering made it all the way to Episode Nine on Top Chef, last night's infamous Restaurant Wars competition, by pretty much flying below the radar. Things looked tense in Episode Three, when t ... More >>

Bay Links: Scarifying Halloween Edition

This will unavoidable this Halloween.​Spooky Muni! [Muni Diaries]Trick or Treat! Who wants to live in a candy factory? [Curbed]Absolutely ridiculous photo collection of pets in costume. [SF Gate]Need a last minute costume idea? Go as the entire city of San Francisco. [The Tens]Snarf, Kris Kringle. ... More >>

Next Week: Top Chef Contenders Try to Keep the Magic Alive at Brisbane Book Event

Feel the burn.​Top Chef has evolved from a way popular TV show to a media entity that launches cooks into fame, complete with charity events, books, and appearances. As proof, consider the arrival of the Top Chef Quickfire Cookbook (Chronicle Books, $29.95) and newly released Top Chef Quickfi ... More >>

Waking Up with Tom Colicchio: A Delicious, Runny Mess

T. PalmerGood morning, Tom.​When the S.F. outpost of Tom Colicchio's 'Wichcraft (868 Mission at Fourth St.) appeared a few years ago, it seemed to generate a pompous air around itself. The Top Chef host splashed out with a huge space on the ground floor of the then-new Westfield Centre, as if Coli ... More >>

Outstanding in the Field Tix Suffer Glitch; Dinner Featuring Flour Water Chef Added

Flour Water's Thomas McNaughton.​On Saturday morning, early birds scheming on Outstanding in the Field tickets got snagged in an unruly shrub of technical difficulties. The release was postponed until next Saturday, March 27. Events scheduled May 1 through July 31 will go on sale at 9 a.m. E ... More >>

When You're Here, You're Family

Flour Water's Thomas McNaughton.​On Saturday morning, early birds scheming on Outstanding in the Field tickets got snagged in an unruly shrub of technical difficulties. The release was postponed until next Saturday, March 27. Events scheduled May 1 through July 31 will go on sale at 9 a.m. E ... More >>

Top Chef: Just Desserts, Episode 1: The Good, the Bad, and the Bitchy

Bravo TVPretty boy swag: Taste Catering's Yigit Pura.​Following Kevin asking "I am?" seconds after being told he was Season 7's Top Chef last night, thereby restoring some reality-show dignity to New Jersey (it's taken a beating from the Housewives and Jersey Shore kids) something oh-so-sweet ... More >>

Top Chef: Just Desserts, Week 3: It Was Glee All Over Again, Minus the Britney Crazy

1weddingsource.comIt's Sylvia, bitch!​Was the Britney Spears Glee episode this week not sweet enough for you? Top Chef: Just Desserts tried to carry out the same overhyped (school) spirit on last night's episode. Unfortunately, both Glee and Top Chef were misses compared to last week's crazine ... More >>

My Moment with Yigit: The View from Top Chef's Victory Bash

Catherine BergstromThe author, in full-on gush mode with Pura.​Since Episode 1 of Top Chef: Just Desserts, I've been rooting for San Francisco cutie-pie cheftestant Yigit Pura. We admit it: The boy's rosy cheeks, dimples, well-thought-out desserts, and overall sweetness make me gush. So last ... More >>

Top Chef: All-Stars: Festival of Losers Brings the Heat

BravoTVEx-Absinthe chef (and former Top Chef loser) Jamie Lauren.​Last night was the premiere of Top Chef: All-Stars, and it was also the first night of Chanukah. For those of you un-chosen folks, you celebrate the first night by lighting the shamash (helper candle) that will light the first c ... More >>

Ryan Scott's 3-Sum Eats Debuts at Off the Grid

Jonathan Kauffman3-Sum's short-rib sandwich, $9.​ Last night, 24 hours after some of his fellow Top Chef alumni made their return to Bravo to chase the fame dragon one more time, Ryan Scott returned to the public eye in another form: behind the windows of a food truck. Scott ― known locally for ... More >>

Top Chef: All-Stars, Week 5: Hong Kong Like Donkey Kong!

Joseph Schell/SF WeeklyNice tats, Jamie. Now go home!​Last night's Top Chef: All-Stars marked the 100th episode for the Bravo franchise, so we had some high hopes (especially since the show skipped last week). The special night's Quickfire Challenge featured Tom Colicchio in the kitchen, cooki ... More >>

Top Chef: All-Stars, Week 6: Hooked and Gutted

Bravo TVThe sharks are circling for bait-bro Marcel. ​Last night's Top Chef: All-Stars began with a continuation of douchey Marcel showing his poor sportsmanship. He was drinking gin from the bottle and all up in Dale T.'s face about last week's competition. Ugh, did they forget that this was ... More >>

Top Chef: All-Stars, Week 10: Ironing Chef

Delfi Jingles/FlickrCookie Monster: "C" is for "kooky."​Last night's Top Chef: All-Stars began with Dale mouthing off. "I'm not like these new-school parents who are like 'we're all winners' ― f@ck that. That's bullshit, man! Who ever said losing is okay? In what country is that cool?" In ... More >>

Is Top Chef: All-Stars the Worst Series Ever?

SanFranAnnie/FlickrPack up your knives: Not even Padma can save this series from sucking.​The Bahamas, Eric Ripert, the promise of Padma in a bikini: What could bad about the finale of Top Chef: All-Stars? Well, everything. Last night's show was the most boring episode to date. Things began ... More >>

Top Chef Loses a Fan, San Francisco Sweets Gain THC

What's missing from this season's Top Chef? A little San Francisco magic, maybe.​Highlights from the blog this week:1. Carina Ost, our Top Chef chronicler, may be a devoted fan of the cooking show, but her patience with the series is wearing out. Quickfire, Bravo! Time to re-season this show. Mayb ... More >>

Bring On the Finale Already: Top Chef: All-Stars Is Down to the Final Two

BravoTVTop Chef's boys' club...​We are still in it, and the real season finale for Top Chef: All-Stars is still not even upon us. Let the torture stop and the recap begin! Last night's Quickfire Challenge was the Quickfire of all Quickfires. The cheftestants each got to assign a Top Chef Quic ... More >>

Top Chef Masters, Week 1: Traci Snarls, La Cocina Wins!

SF CHEFS/FlickrDo not fuck with Des Jardins.​We are still suffering from a bit of Top Chef overload, but the new season of Top Chef Masters with new host, format, and judges brought us right back into the world of cheftestants, Quickfires, and knife packings. We tuned in last night for the Sea ... More >>

Basque-Style Gastropub Txoko Nears Debut, Top Chef Alum's Restaurant/Club Opens

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. Eater SF reports Enrico's replacement, Txoko (504 Broadway at Kearny), is set to open before the end of the month. The Basque-inspired menu from chef Ian Begg will offer small bites, larger dishes, and ch ... More >>

Jeremy Fox Collaborates, Commis and Locavore See Chef Changes, Marin Food Trucks, More!

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. More news on chef changes, collaborations, and owner switch ups. Earlier we mentioned, via Grub Street, that Jeremy Fox would take over Saison for a week. Now Grub Street reports he'll be collaborating wi ... More >>

Top Chef Masters Recap: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Microwave

bravotv.comHugh and his magnificent eyebrow.​After last week's rerun, we were amped for last night's all new Top Chef Masters. What we were not so amped about? The episode's title, "Blinded me with Science." We didn't go blind, but we came close pulling an optic nerve rolling our eyes at the l ... More >>

Sparkling Mojito at Rendezvous, Grand Opening This Weekend

Tamara Palmer​Rendezvous Tapas Lounge has a small but focused cocktail list, with an interesting twist on a traditional mojito. Theirs mixes Bacardi rum, lime, mint, and simple syrup and is topped with sparkling wine for a fizzy feel. Top Chef Season 6 contestant Mattin Noblia, last spotted a ... More >>

111 Minna's Daily Lunch Transformation, Two Sisters and a Book, and Richard Blais is Coming!

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. From a nightclub, to an art gallery, and now, a lunch spot. Tablehopper reports starting in August, 111 Minna will play host to chef Josh Birch's lunch and happy hour restaurant, Da Bettina, named after h ... More >>

Top Chef Masters: Family Ties

​ We were unsure of how we'd manage without Hugh(nibrow) on Top Chef Masters and for the first episode without him, we were tweezed in two. Luckily, we still managed to stay tuned. For the Quickfire, the cheftestants had to have their cooking station divided and work with a mystery teammate ... More >>

Top Chef: The Tour Quick-Firing at Embarcadero

Jonathan KauffmanThe Top Chef Tour's San Francisco stop.​Bravo TV trailers and "Top Chef" tents have colonized Justin Herman Plaza this morning. Is Bravo flash-filming a segment for the next series? Is Traci Des Jardins throwing a semi-celebratory Top Chef Masters gala? No -- it's the Top Chef Tou ... More >>

Reality Cooks, Our Favorite Dive Bar Folds, and More Chef Pop Ups

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. All cooks seeking reality show fame should show up at Ducca tomorrow. The Feast shares that the producers of Top Chef will be at the Italian restaurant for the casting of a new cooking-themed show for B ... More >>

Top Chef's Josie Debuts Pop-up "Global Soul Café" in the Mission

Josie Smith-Malave​Chef Josie Smith-Malave hopes that locals in San Francisco will be hankering for local food from 3,000 miles away -- Cuban-inspired Miami food, to be exact. The "Top Chef" alumnus is hitting the ever-trendy pop-up scene with three Saturday dinners in a row at the Corner in ... More >>

'Top Chef' Runner-Up Wants to Borrow Your SF Home For Cooking Show

Richard Blais​We don't normally run apartment-rental ads here on SFoodie, but this one's a little different. Richard Blais, a runner-up on "Top Chef" Season 4, is planning to film a new show for the Cooking Channel next month in San Francisco. But the budget apparently is so small that the pr ... More >>

Don't Worry About the Future of the Cookbook

Is this the future of cookbooks? (Cross your fingers.)​Yesterday, the New York edition of Grub Street published a great essay by Hugh Merwin on the bright future of cookbooks, even as more and more readers are switching to e-readers and bookstores are flailing. Cookbook sales are still strong, an ... More >>

Chef Hunter Would Be Better if the Food Network Actually Hunted Chefs for Sports

​Each week we take a quick, cautious look at what's going on with televised cooking. This week: Chef Hunter, a one-hour show that does not take place on a private island, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on the Food Network. In Chef Hunter, unemployed chefs show up at the door of an important restauran ... More >>

Top Chef Alum Preeti Mistry Launches Juhu Beach Club Dinners at La Victoria

​Although Juhu Beach Club, the Indian food pop-up from Top Chef alum Preeti Mistry, stopped serving lunch this fall, Mistry's relaunching it as a series of dinners at La Victoria Bakery this week -- in preparation for opening her own restaurant in the Mission sometime this year. Mistry says, ... More >>

Fresh Eats: New Indian: Preeti Mistry Relaunches Juhu Beach Club as Popup

​Although Juhu Beach Club, the Indian food pop-up from Top Chef alum Preeti Mistry, stopped serving lunch this fall, Mistry's relaunching it as a series of dinners at La Victoria Bakery this week -- in preparation for opening her own restaurant in the Mission sometime this year. Mistry says, ... More >>

Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off: The Food Network Craps Out

She has ways of making him talk.​Each week we take a quick, cautious look at what's going on with televised cooking. This week: Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off, a one-hour show about the debt ceiling, Sundays at 9 p.m. on the Food Network. There used to be only A and B-list celebrities, di ... More >>

Top Chef Casting Calls Coming to SF

She has ways of making him talk.​Each week we take a quick, cautious look at what's going on with televised cooking. This week: Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off, a one-hour show about the debt ceiling, Sundays at 9 p.m. on the Food Network. There used to be only A and B-list celebrities, di ... More >>