Jaunted

This week, Season Two winner (and noted Marcel nemesis) Ilan Hall opened the doors of The Gorbals at the Alexandria Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles to much local fanfare. The name comes from the Glasgow neighborhood where his father was raised, but his dishes are informed by diverse ethnic influences, from Spanish to American. Case and point: You'll find a haggis burger, not a traditional Niman Ranch 8 oz., on the menu.

Other ex-cast members are enjoying fame beyond their allotted 15-minutes. While the Top Chef connection is what might lure diners through the front door, it's the food that will either keep seats filled or drive away the masses faster than you can say "soggy blini." Below is a guide to where you can find some of our favorite Bravo stars cooking up a storm today, either at their own restaurants, or, in Jamie's case, as Executive Chef of a well-respected San Francisco eatery.

If you pay any of these places a visit, we think no sighting of the chefs in question is a good thing; hopefully it means they're in the kitchen doing what they do best.

Contestant: Harold Dieterle, Season One
Restaurant: Perilla, New York City
Sample Dish:: Tasting of "three little pigs " with berkshire tenderloin, crispy wild boar belly & spicy hampshire pork booty pate

Contestant: Ilan Hall, Season Two
Restaurant: The Gorbals, Los Angeles
Sample Dish:: Haggis burger with turnip pickles and Highland Park aioli

Contestant: Spike Mendelsohn, Season Four
Restaurant: Good Stuff Eatery, Washington, D.C.
Sample Dish: Spike's 5 napkin burger with dairy fresh cheese, applewood bacon, a farm fresh fried egg on a brioche bun with good stuff sauce

Contestant: Jamie Lauren
Restaurant: Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, San Francisco
Sample Dish: Vaudovan scented carrot risotto with English peas, pea leaves, heirloom baby carrots

Have you sat down to gnosh at one of these Top Chef alumni's restaurants? Let us know in the comments how they're doing!

Related Stories
· Top Chef: Las Vegas [Official Site]
· Top Chef's Stefan and Ariane Begin Culinary Adventures In LA [Jaunted]
· Top Chef coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Yogma]