Top Chef : Season 8 - All Stars

[KristiB50]

WARNING: there might be a HUGE Top Chef 7 spoiler in the linked post! However, I did not include it below.

http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/08/who-should-be-included-in-top-chef-all-stars/

Last week, rumors sprung up on Grub Street and Eater, indicating Top Chef's Season 8 is currently being filmed in New York City, this time billed as Top Chef All-Stars. The more popular chefs from the series have been spotted shopping at Brooklyn's Fairway grocery store and being filmed at the American Museum of Natural History. Of the 18 rumored chefs, here's a list of 14 (after the jump) that have been seen and identified by our top-secret Top Chef spies.

Read more: http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/08/who-should-be-included-in-top-chef-all-stars/#ixzz0z2CTvrym

Marcel Vigneron

Richard Blais

Fabio Viviani

Tiffany Derry

Michael Isabella

Dale Talde

Carla Hall

Tre Wilcox

[oakapple]

I believe Spike Mendelssohn has also been spotted.

[Emily_R]

This is fantastic news! Great list of contestants!

[saluki]

Are you sure about Tre Wilcox? I thought the season three contestants had been noticeably absent so far.

[jsmeeker]

Tre popped back up in at least one special that brought back several contestants from several seasons. IIRC, it was some sort of holiday special. Casey Thompson popped back up as a sous for one of the finalists in a recent season. Hung was a season three person, too. He's been back a few times, including very recently!

[dhardy123]

The All Star cast was revealed tonight on Bravo, right at the end of the "Watch What Happens" reunion show.

Here is the entire cast:

Season One: Stephen and Tiffani

Season Two: Elia and Marcel

Season Three: Tre, Casey and Dale

Season Four: Dale, Spike, Antonia and Richard

Season Five: Jamie, Fabio and Carla

Season Six: Mike Isabella and Jen C.

Season Seven: Tiffany and Angelo

It is supposed to premiere on December 1st.

[jsmeeker]

That looks like a solid line up. Nice to see three Dallas/Ft. Worth chefs in there.

[Holly Moore]

Agree on the interesting line-up, but not really Top Chef All Stars. Sort of like Major League Baseball fielding an All Star game with the No. 1 players at each position sitting on the bench.

Edited September 23, 2010 by Holly Moore (log)

[Chris Hennes]

It seems like it is more of a "second chances" show. Couldn't win the first go? Try, try again.

[Eatmywords]

Yea, like where's the other Voltagio, Kevin and Stephan? Although they brought in some very worthy contestants I feel like it'll be a show of Top Personalities or Top Attitudes making for top ratings. Ofcourse, I can't blame the producers. I'll be rooting for Richard.

[jsmeeker]

It's clear they made a concious decision to EXCLUDE past winners. I don't have a problem with that. But maybe the show needs a new name. Like the "Second Chances" Chris suggests. It's not like they are bringing back poor contestants.

[wkl]

i think the show is a good idea.

you got to remember, you can't just bring back whoever you want. for a lot of chefs, leaving their work place to participate is a pretty big deal. and there are many who just may not have any desire to go through it again. the prize money is nice but after taxes and lost wages (assuming some of them have to leave their job without pay)it's not that great of a reward, imo.

and based on this last cast, the show may be having trouble attracting top notch talent. this reunion show of sorts may be the best talent they could assemble.

[bolero]

who are everyone's early favorites for the show? I only started watching in season 6 so I'm not that familiar with some of the contestants. That being said, I really liked Jenn and Angelo. They both seemed to be really talented chefs but mentally started to break down as the show went on. It'll be interesting to see how they handle the increased pressure since coasting and waiting for the obviously weaker chefs to be weeded out won't be an option like in regular Top Chef.

[jsmeeker]

I didn't start watching until season 3, so I don't know too much about the season 1 and 2 people, but I have seen some of those people in subsequent TC shows. (Marcel and Stephen)

My favorites are going to be Tre, Casey, Richard, and Jen C.

[wkl]

it will be interesting to see if the earlier contestants have honed their craft or expanded their talents giving them a better chance to win.

my early favorites are dale (season 3), richard and angelo.

[jsmeeker]

The Bravo website also notes that Anthony Bourdain will be on TC 8 as a regular guest judge.

[dhardy123]

who are everyone's early favorites for the show?

They asked Tom, Gail and Eric this exact question.

Tom felt that Tiffani from Season 1 will do very well. He said she would have won Season 1 if she did a 1 course tasting menu rather than doing 2.

Gail felt that Tre went home early and thinks he will do well.

Eric Ripert is rooting for Jennifer as she works for him in Philadelphia but thinks Marcel could win it all IF he has learned new molecular techniques since Season 2.

Edited September 23, 2010 by dhardy123 (log)

[IndyRob]

It will be great to watch the first shows already knowing who's who. Usually, the first few shows are a little tough to follow because of so many new people.

[Chris Hennes]

I hadn't thought of that angle IndyRob: you're right, the early episodes will be much more watchable now.

[IndyRob]

But I think the first person eliminated is going to feel doubly gutted.

[Edit]And me along with them.

Edited September 23, 2010 by IndyRob (log)

[GwennP]

I'd love to see Jenn C or Richard win

[Eatmywords]

A molecular finale - Richard vs Marcel would be insanely awesome

[Tri2Cook]

Jen C. and Blais. Richard because his food is that blend of upscale and fun that I enjoy and Jennifer because her food was really refined and interesting the majority of the time.

[Pierogi]

Jen C. and Blais. Richard because his food is that blend of upscale and fun that I enjoy and Jennifer because her food was really refined and interesting the majority of the time.

Ditto that. Like the best of the traditional, classic (Jen) against the best of the "new breed" renegades (Richard).

Sorry, Marcel & Stephan aren't in the same league as Richard.

[John McNeilly]

Does anyone know or have any information of why last season's Kevin was excluded from the show? I thought he was one of the best chefs on any of the seasons let alone last year's stellar group. I think this format is great for a freshness injection for the show, particularly after this year's mediocre class. I'm also pleased that Richard will have a chance to redeem himself after clearly blowing it in the finale. Should be fun but I suspect, like others have noted, that the diva factor is going to run high.