Top Chef Masters

[Reignking]

TC:M will be back for a second season, as we all expected...

http://www.bravotv.com/blogs/the-dish/top-chef-masters-returns

Foodies, rejoice! Top Chef Masters will be back for a second season. Get ready for another round of culinary competion featuring some of the world's most accomplished chefs.

Kelly Choi will return to her hosting duties, and gastronomic gurus Gael Greene, James Oseland, and Jay Rayner will be coming back as judges. You'll also be seeing another familiar face at judges' table. Gail Simmons is on board to serve as judge too!

We can't wait to see which world-renowned chefs will go toe-to-toe this season, and what kind of culinary creations they'll be bringing to the table. Can they bring the fire like Rick Bayless? What adjectives will James Oseland use to describe a delicious dish? Will anyone "feel the love" as much as Art Smith? So many questions!

[KristiB50]

Can't wait for a date and a chef list!

[mattsea]

Gail! This makes me so happy. I hope she keeps doing regular TC, too!!

[pogophiles]

Yay! So glad to see that Jay is returning for a 2nd go round!

[CKatCook]

OHHHHHH!! I cannot wait to see the chef list!

[MattyC]

Yeah, i'll be really excited to see the lineup this time. While for the most part they were all pretty good, honestly I only really got 'excited' for wylie, graham, and bayless. Hoping I'll see some faces I can really get jazzed up about.

[john b]

I'd love to see Colicchio on Top Chef Masters. Put him on "the other side" of the show. I think he'd be great.

[Tri2Cook]

Yeah, i'll be really excited to see the lineup this time. While for the most part they were all pretty good, honestly I only really got 'excited' for wylie, graham, and bayless. Hoping I'll see some faces I can really get jazzed up about.

Just wrote Hubert Keller right off huh?

Sorry, couldn't resist. He was one of my pre-game favorites and my top pick to win (got that one wrong) because I thought it more likely the various judges would "get" and accept as legit what he does compared to what Wylie does. I think Wylie and Homaro Cantu are two of the ballsiest chefs out there right now. They have a middle-finger-to-the-critics thing going on in their creativity that I respect. They refuse to bend to any rumored backlash against what they do in the culinary world. That can get them in trouble with those who don't find it amusing though so I wasn't betting on him sticking around for the whole thing regardless of how well he performed.

[MattyC]

Just wrote Hubert Keller right off huh?

Sorry, couldn't resist. He was one of my pre-game favorites and my top pick to win (got that one wrong) because I thought it more likely the various judges would "get" and accept as legit what he does compared to what Wylie does. I think Wylie and Homaro Cantu are two of the ballsiest chefs out there right now. They have a middle-finger-to-the-critics thing going on in their creativity that I respect. They refuse to bend to any rumored backlash against what they do in the culinary world. That can get them in trouble with those who don't find it amusing though so I wasn't betting on him sticking around for the whole thing regardless of how well he performed.

lol not that I didn't love keller, I mean, we all know he's awesome, I just really got excited to watch wylie. I look up to him I guess you could say, partially for that 'middle finger to the critics' way of creativity, and knew what he did would at least be entertaining. I knew keller would do french, and we all knew he would do well. Cantu would be pretty interesting to see on there.

I do agree though, that I never really thought wylie would make it too far. Even if his performance was stellar, I figured critics would miss what he was going for.

[mattsea]

Trying to think who would be on my wishlist.

David Chang perhaps?

April Bloomfield?

[oakapple]

I'd love to see Colicchio on Top Chef Masters. Put him on "the other side" of the show. I think he'd be great.

I agree it would be fun (force the guy to eat his own dogfood), but he's listed as a producer, so it would surely be a conflict of interest.

I would be surprised if David Chang agreed to do this type of show. There's probably more downside than upside for him.

[DanM]

It looks like we are in luck! Bravo has announced Top Chef: Just Desserts. There are very few details so far... http://www.bravotv.com/blogs/the-dish/bravo-announces-top-chef-just-desserts

Dan

[Eatmywords]

I'm excited too. I'd be really interested in seeing how the iron chefs would fare. Morimoto would go far I believe. Flay, out in the first or second round? I have a feeling the Food Network has a pretty tight contractual leash on them though. Another fun group to put in the hot seat would be the signature cookware set. Let's see Emeril, Wolfgang, Paula and Todd English prove their shitty pots and pans merit purchasing. Love to see them get spanked.

[jayrayner]

For those in the UK, season one of Top Chef Masters starts screening on the Good Food Channel at 8pm, tomorrow, January 4.

[Tri2Cook]

For those in the UK, season one of Top Chef Masters starts screening on the Good Food Channel at 8pm, tomorrow, January 4.

...and on the food network in Canada as well.

[Reignking]

I don't know many of these -- not as star-studded as last time.

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/02/09/top-chef-masters-season-2/

The complete list of Top Chef Masters season 2’s 22 competing chefs:

* — returning from season 1

Jody Adams – Rialto Restaurant, Cambridge, Mass.

Govind Armstrong – 8 oz Burger Bar, Los Angeles, Calif.

Graham Elliot Bowles – Graham Elliot Restaurant, Chicago, Ill. *

Jimmy Bradley – The Red Cat, New York, N.Y.

David Burke – David Burke Townhouse, New York, N.Y.

Wylie Dufresne – wd~50, New York, N.Y. *

Susan Feniger – Street, Los Angeles, Calif.

Debbie Gold – The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo.

Carmen Gonzalez – Chef Consultant, New York, N.Y.

Maria Hines – Tilth, Seattle, Wash.

Susur Lee – Madeline’s, Toronto, Canada

Ludo Lefebvre – Ludo Bites, Los Angeles, Calif. *

Tony Mantuano – Spiaggia, Chicago, Ill.

Rick Moonen – Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nev. *

Mark Peel – Campanile, Los Angeles, Calif. *

Monica Pope – t’afla, Houston, Texas

Thierry Rautureau – Rover’s, Seattle, Wash.

Marcus Samuelsson – The Red Rooster, New York, N.Y.

Ana Sortun – Oleana, Cambridge, Mass.

Rick Tramonto – TRU, Chicago, Ill.

Jerry Traunfeld – Poppy, Seattle, Wash.

Jonathan Waxman – Barbuto, New York, N.Y. *

[Shalmanese]

A couple of repeats and a couple of interesting new editions. I'm excited to see Govind Armstrong, Maria Hines & Susur Lee perform. Glad Rick Moonen & Johnathan Waxman are back.

[jsmeeker]

I find it interesting that there are so many chefs returning from season 1. Did they have a hard time finding enough new chefs to fill out the field, or did some of the chefs from season 1 that got knocked out early really want to come back for some sort of redemption?

[Claudia Greco]

"Redemption", indeed. I personally think the word is overused (and misused), but I think that, sure, there might be more than a few chefs who'd like a second shot at the title. All good PR for their restaurants/food empires.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Claudia Greco (log)

[emmalish]

Watching season 1, it seemed that the chefs were really having fun with the competition and challenges, and enjoyed the opportunity to cook with other "masters". I'm not surprised some of them want to come back.

[CKatCook]

WOOOOHOOO! I love the list! I am not at all surprised some of them want to come back. It didn't seem like a one of them didn't have a good time.

[laurelm]

I wish John Besh would have come back, his stint was disappointing and I love watching him!

[oakapple]

Actually, this strikes me as a pretty cushy gig, to which most chefs would be happy to come back. They get great PR for their restaurant(s) and for themselves, and a chance to help their favorite charity. I believe it says, in the small print, that even the "losing" chefs earn something for their charities.

Unlike the regular Top Chef series, the time commitment is pretty modest, and although they aren't compensated, I'm sure their expenses are covered. Why wouldn't they want to do this?

[MattyC]

Glad Wylie, Graham, and Moonen are back, but I do agree though that the list just doesn't seem as 'star-studded' as the first season.

Only one episode in, but still just doesn't really grab me - i'm really trying to give it another shot. It's ok if there isn't anything else on, but it's just not an exciting watch. I'm pretty sure i'll watch and follow along, only because there are a hand full of chefs I am interested in watching and rooting for, but overall, I think again, my attitude towards it is 'meh'.

[Doodad]

I do hope the show improves from here. I found the first date thing kind of strained. And if the editorializing continues, yeah I know it is Bravo, I will find something else to record.