Top Chef: All-Star: Ties to NY & Episode 2 Recap
This season brings some strong ties to NY restaurants and chefs. Ties Include Jean-Georges; Buddakan; Eric Ripert & Le Bernardin; Morimoto. Full details below:
Season 8: All Star Chef-testant ties to New York:
Season 7
Angelo Sosa: Early in his career, he met Jean-Georges Vongerichten who became his mentor, and went on to work for him at Jean Georges, Dune, and Spice Market, where he served as Executive Sous Chef
Opened and owned sandwich shop Xie Xie for a short time but it was closed in Oct of this year
Angelo also consults on the menu for Buddakan
Season 6
Michael Isabella: Has worked in many fine dining restaurants in NYC that are not revealed on Bravotv.com (I did some research but also did not find him linked to any of our restaurants).
Jennifer Carrol: Acted as sous Chef at Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin prior to competing on Top Chef
Personally selected by Ripert to lead 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge, located in The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia
Season 5
Jamie Lauren: originally from NYC & attended CIA
Season 4
Richard Blais: Native New Yorker currently resides in Atlanta, GA
Spike Mendelson: Spike worked as the chef de cuisine at NYC hotspot restaurant, Mai House, which was named as one of The New York Times’ top ten best restaurants during his tenure.
Trained with the Maccioni Family at Le Cirque.
Season 2
Dale Talde: In 2005, he moved to New York City to open Morimoto with the Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto
Current Chef de Cuisine at Buddakan
Season 1
Stephen Asprinio: Trained under highly acclaimed chefs such as Morimoto Masaharu at Nobu,
Graduated from the CIA and Cornell University
Owns New York City based hospitality firm, S.A. Hospitality Innovations
Plans on opening a NYC restaurant venture in 2011.
Recap:
Delayed a week for this post but great episode. I’m a kid at heart and would love spending a night at the Museum of Natural History
New York Spot: Museum of Natural History
Quickfire: Night at the Museum Sleepover. Make a midnight snack for 150 kids.
Guest Judges: Joe Jonas (really Top Chef?)
Katie Lee: Host of the first Season
Favorites:
- Spike: Carrot Chips and Marshmallow/Marscapone Dip
- Tiffany: Chocolate Moon Pie (spin-off of a rice krispy treat ball) WINNER
Bottom:
- Tiffany: Coconut Rice Pudding
- Chocolate Coconut Corn Bar with Coconut Milk
- Stephen: Snicker Doodle Sandwich
Elimination Challenge: Create a breakfast inspired by a dinosaur’s diet for kids and parents that are spending the night at the Museum
Judges Table
Top Team:
Brontosaurus
Dale & Mike Fresh Corn Grits, Stewed Peppers, Salsa Verde
WIINNER: Marcel, Richardo & Angelo: Banana Parfait with Seasonal Fruit, Tandoori Maple
Carla & Spike: V9 Gazpacho with Fruits & Vegetables
Fabio & Stephen: Potato Gnocchi with Leeks, Spinach & Mushrooms
Bottom Team:
T-Rex
Antonia & Tiffany D: Mini Frittatas Bacon & Cheedar; Ham & Cheese Chervre
Tre & Casey: Salmon with Shrimp, Apple & Smoked Bacon Sauce
Jen & Jamie: Braised Bacon & Hardboiled Eggs
Dale L & Tiffani F: Steak & Eggs with Hollandaise
Packed Knives: Jennifer Carrol
Pissed she was one of my favs and I think that’s because she grew up in the Le Bernardin kitchen
Dishes I most wanted to eat:
All of the kids dishes for the Quickfire looked either way to sweet or cheesy
Potato Gnocchi with Leeks, Spinach & Mushrooms
Banana Parfait
Braised Bacon & Hardboiled Eggs
--DBlockTop Chef New York City Style Part 1
With the premier on December 1st, I thought this was a perfect time to revisit one of my favorite Foodie shows of all time, Top Chef. Season Eight: Top Chef All-Stars has returned to New York City. New York, the “culinary capital of the United States,” has always been an integral part of the show. Many contestants and guest judges have tried their best to succeed in New York City or have come from NYC to make a guest appearance. Season Five was the last season to be filmed here. Over the next several weeks I will be posting a season by season overview of New York’s involvement in the show with a recap of the week’s episode. Today I start with the hosts & judges of Top Chef All Stars.
Host
Padma Lakshmi: I met Padma at a Rangers game which gives me reason to believe that she is a New York resident but I could not find any documentation proving it.
Judges:
Anthony Bourdain:
- Born in New York City and current resident
- He studied at Vassar College and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America
- Linked to heading kitchens at New York City’s Supper Club, One Fifth Avenue, and Sullivan’s
- Currently the executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles
Gail Simmons:
- Currently resides in NYC
- Trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque and Vong restaurant
- Contributed to Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City cookbook
Tom Colicchio
- Colicchio cooked at prominent New York restaurants such as The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill, Rakel, and Mondrian prior to opening his own flagship NYC multiple star restaurants
- In July of 1994, Colicchio, along with partner Danny Meyer, opened Gramercy Tavern
- Craft, one block south of Gramercy Tavern was opened one year later in 1995 (one of my top five NYC Restaurants)
- Later on he opened the sandwich chain, ‘wichcraft (14 New York City locations)
- Tom opened Colicchio & Sons in New York in January 2010
- Most recently he opened Riverpark in October 2010
Top Chef All Stars cast for the New York City eigth Season
Episode One Recap:
New York Spot: Russian Tea Room Kitchen
Quickfire Challenge: chefs from each season work as one team to make one dish representing their host city. All members of the winning team, Chicago Season 4, received immunity.
Favorites:
- Season 3: Pork Tenderloin with Avocado Lime Puree
- Season 4: Chicago style hot dog Pork & Black Pepper Sausage with Mustard Ice cream (winner)
- Season 6: Las Vegas Bucatini with Lobster Carbonara
Bottom:
- Season 1: San Francisco made a Cioppino Gazpacho with Sourdough
- Season 2: LA Shrimp tacos with Guac & Apple Wrapper
- Season 5: NY Trio of Apple
- Season 7: DC Crab cake Essence with Rock Fish
Main Challenge: “Turn the dish that sent you home a Success”. GENIUS.
Top Three:
- Spike: frozen scallops
- Jamie: Eric Ripert’s fish dish
- Angelo: Ramen dish (winner)
Bottom Three:
- Fabio: Crawfish & Crab Pasta
- Stephen: Lobster, oyster, crab appetizers
- Elia: steamed fish dish
Dishes I most wanted to eat (and not just because they were the winners):
- Chicago team’s Homemade Sausage with Mustard Ice cream
- Angelo’s Ramen with Sweet Glazed Pork Belly & Watermelon
Packed Knives: Elia
--DBlock
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