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Flavor is the Focus For Top Chef's Eli Kirshtein at Atlanta's ENO

Where: 800 Peachtree Street [map], Atlanta, GA, United States, 30308
November 19, 2009 at 4:44 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Spiky-haired, bespectacled Top Chef contestant Eli Kirshtein garnered the ire of Tom Colicchio after serving up what the judge deemed "raw lamb." That's no mark of a master chef, but as we know, even talented artisans are prone to missteps, perhaps owing to the pressure of a major prize and a national audience in the millions.

Off the show, Kirshtein serves as the Executive Chef of Atlanta's ENO Restaurant and Wine Bar. No relation to Brian Eno as far as we can tell, although that would make it infinitely cooler. Like many of his competitors, he's a locavore, sourcing ingredients for ENO's menu from farms and specialty stores around the great state of Georgia.

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Robin Leventhal of 'Top Chef' Pushes Truffled Popcorn In Seattle

Where: 115 Blanchard St [map], Seattle, WA, United States, 98121
November 12, 2009 at 2:29 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Even when the grand prize eludes them, Top Chef alums often find a way to get the maximum mileage out of their fifteen minutes. Take, for example, Robin Leventhal, who didn't earn many popularity points with her fellow cast mates, but did manage to land an Executive Chef gig at Seattle's See Sound Lounge in early October. A simple panna cotta proved to be Leventhal's Achilles' heel on the show, so it's a good thing that there aren't many desserts on See Sound's menu, aside from a couple ice cream sandwiches and the silly inclusion of candied orange peel.

See Sound talks up their new chef's pseudo-celebrity stature on their website, declaring with pride, "The show is extremely popular. Take heed, watching it makes you hungry!" However, it's going to take more than a paltry self-endorsement to convince us of the restaurant's culinary cred. In our experience, the focus of restaurant/lounges tend to be promoting a cool, sexy atmosphere, not quality dishes. Pre-judging? Maybe, but let's take a closer look at what's on the menu for more.

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Laurine Wickett Of 'Top Chef' Gives Left Coast Some Market-Fresh Options

November 5, 2009 at 3:29 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

This week's cheftestant profile involves travel to you, rather than a self-initiated jaunt to a cast member's restaurant. Laurine Wickett, whose tenure on Top Chef effectively ended after what is arguably the show's most difficult challenge, "Restaurant Wars," has since returned to San Francisco where she runs Left Coast Catering.

New York born, but Northern California bred—at least in the culinary sense—Laurine incorporates the Bay Area's various cultural influences into market-fresh menus for her clients. Whether left coast parents planning a Bat Mitzvah or bride-to-be hosting a dessert reception, Laurine will provide you with options galore. We perused some of her sample menus online, which reflect a flavorful Californian approach to cooking while turning to other regions of the world for inspiration. She does everything from sushi stations to steak and french fries, on the same menu if you'd like guests to have multiple options. Her ill-fated Pork Rillette (or, as Dana Cowin punishingly put it, "cat food") made no appearance on any of the menus we saw.

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Ash Fulk Cooks Up Friendly Swiss Fare at Trestle on Tenth, But Maybe Not For Padma

Where: 242 TENTH AVENUE [map], New York, NY, United States, 10001
October 29, 2009 at 2:24 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Northern California native Ash Fulk didn't have it easy during his run on Top Chef. He didn't win one challenge on the show, and was eventually asked to pack his knives and head back to New York City, where he serves as a Sous Chef at Trestle on Tenth. The Swiss-French-American restaurant is a neighborhood-y locale open for breakfast, brunch (on weekends), lunch and dinner, making it a go-to spot for Chelsea diners looking for elevated comfort food. And schnitzel.

Trestle's menus aren't intimidating in the way that many contemporary, haute cuisine restaurants tend to be. Here you'll find familiar dishes with a Swiss-French influence that makes them just different enough to be memorable, without being too perplexing or stomach-turning. We're still wondering why fellow TC contestant Hector would dare include Tofu Ceviche on his menu. No, Trestle is where you'll find a Signature House Burger, Cobb Salad, Roasted Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables in Consommè, and Coriander Hanger Steak.

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Jump (Onto A) Ship With Real-Life Top Chefs

October 22, 2009 at 4:03 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Sail away with Jacques Pepin

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Top Chef restaurant profile with food news of a different sort. Today, instead of highlighting an aspiring top chef, we're calling attention to a few names who earned their stripes after years in the industry and a consistent record of putting out great food. Nothing against the current crop of Vegas hopefuls, but there is something to be said for gaining cred in the days preceding reality television.

Some of these real-life top chefs, like Nancy Oakes of San Francisco's Boulevard and Jacques Pepin, will be joining 2010's Food & Wine Trails cruise roster, allowing fans to follow them to the ends of the Earth, in a manner of speaking.

As you can guess, deck volleyball isn't a high priority on-board. Travelers are there for tastings and pairings alongside some of the country's most famous wine makers, with stops at European cities and wineries—not one of those oh-so-perky family resorts you see advertised on television.

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Get Cozy With Top Chef's Mattin In San Francisco

Where: 701 Union Street [map], San Francisco, United States, 94133
October 15, 2009 at 5:08 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 1 Comment

As we uphold our weekly tradition of highlighting ex-cheftestants, giving due attention to the poor souls that didn't make it to the Final Three, we arrive at sprightly French chef Mattin Noblia. With a million-watt smile and red neckerchief that we hope he was wearing ironically, Noblia stole our hearts for being so disarmingly sweet...or maybe it was the accent. Either way, Padma and Co. bid Mattin au revoir after he presented a disastrous ceviche that Tom Colicchio found so offensive he actually spit it out. Tragic.

When he's not flashing his boyish grin on national television, Mattin can be found at Iluna Basque, his San Francisco restaurant. As you can guess from its name, the cuisine is inspired by the Basque region, served up on small plates that diners are encouraged to share.

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'Top Chef Master' Rick Bayless Recommends Baja For Wine

Where: Parcela A-1 s/n Col. Rusa de Guadalupe, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico
October 9, 2009 at 8:57 AM | by Jennifer Kester | 0 Comments

For oenophiles in search of a good grape escape, you have options other than Napa. Top Chef Master Rick Bayless suggests heading to Baja California, specifically Adobe Guadalupe, a winery in the Guadalupe Valley near Ensenada. Bayless tweeted that it was one of the best of the 50 wineries in the region.

Adobe Guadalupe's 60-yard vineyard produces varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Merlot and Viognier. The winery, which makes 5,000 cases of vino each year, names its blends after archangels, such as Gabriel, Serafiel and Uriel.

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Former Top Chef Hopeful Cooks 'With Heart and Balls' in Atlanta

Where: 656 N. Highland Ave. [map], Atlanta, CA, United States, 30306
October 8, 2009 at 3:38 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Axed Top Chef contestant Hector Santiago may be large in stature, but what he serves are small dishes—tapas, to be exact. Tapas, for the unfamiliar, are small plates meant to be shared among many and are traditional in Spanish cuisine. At his Atlanta restaurant, Pura Vida ("Pure Life"), Santiago has taken the communal style of eating and practices a "no-rules approach" to cooking. For him that means melding unusual flavors and eschewing tradition to come up with dishes like...Tofu "Ceviche." Oh, boy. Memories of Jennifer's seitan-stuffed peppers from Episode One are coming to mind.

A few questionable choices aside (Trout Ceviche with jelly, canchita corn and milk, anyone? We didn't think so.), many of these cross-cultural menu items are appealing precisely because they're unusual. We're dying to know more about his take on Duck Confit, which comes with caramelized plantains, and Chicken Picadillo Empanadas with a chile-sugar cane vinegar "pique." And, you can't go wrong with Button Mushrooms Pinchos in chipolte garlic butter, Santiago's take on Spanish champiñones.

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Ex-Top Chef Contestant Heats Things Up in Philly, No Seitan in Sight

Where: 408 S 2nd St. [map], Philadelphia, PA, United States, 19147
September 24, 2009 at 3:26 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Pierced and tattooed to the nines, recently booted Top Chef contestant Jennifer Zavala claimed to have a fiery temper on the first episode of this season, but her dish—a disastrous seitan-stuffed pepper—was anything but hot and enticing. It looked and apparently tasted like a mealy, flavorless mess, which ultimately confused the judges and sent her packing.

But Zavala, like many other Top Chef hopefuls, isn't a culinary novice and won't be crying over her Santoku knife now that she's returned to Philadelphia. Hot like fire Zavala, whose cooking, we hope, doesn't always go the way of bland vegan fare, is a sous chef at Philly's Xochitl. Say it with us: so-cheet. There she helps whip up new Mexican cuisine that's familiar, but with a modern, elevated twist.

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We Take You To Sin City As Top Chef Turns Up The Heat

September 2, 2009 at 5:36 PM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

Our sis site HotelChatter does a bang-up job of covering the latest news and trends in the hotel world. We're also including a few links from VegasChatter, the newest member to the family. So check in and stay awhile.

· Stay Tuned To VegasChatter, Your Top Chef Recap Headquarters

· How Much Is Too Much For A Hotel Room?

· Ten Girls To Avoid In Las Vegas (Hilarious)

· Looking For A Quirky Hotel? Try Ruedesheimer Schloss's Glockenspiel

· Good Rate, Bad Rate: The Standard Or Cooper Square For Labor Day?

· Who Is Matt Goss?

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Where Are They Now? Ex-Top Chef Contestants Love the Heat, Stay in the Kitchen

September 1, 2009 at 3:04 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

The Spicy Duck Burger at Perilla, owned by ex-contestant Harold Dieterle

The latest season of Top Chef has introduced us to a new batch of culinary hopefuls, many bearing tatted chef's sleeves which say, "I'll sous vide you into next Sunday."

Quickfire challenges, Sin City antics, and watching Padma Lakshmi sample dishes with sensual glee keep us invested in the motley Vegas crew, but what about cast members from seasons past? Where did Casey go after dropping the ball on the final challenge? Is Hung still breaking down chickens with lightning quick precision? And what about sometimes-rapper Marcel? The last time we saw him was at a taping of Top Chef Masters at Beverly Hills' SLS Hotel, sampling food and falling in line just like the other "Hollywood insiders."

You might argue that the series has yet to produce a Hubert Keller or a Rick Bayless, but we think it has the best show-to-real-life-success ratio of any reality programming. A good counter-example might be America's Next Top Model, a show whose title is a major misnomer.

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Top Chef's Stefan and Ariane Begin Culinary Adventures In LA

July 31, 2009 at 1:42 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 0 Comments

Top Chef Masters, the spin-off to Bravo's popular culinary reality show, sees some of the nation's most accomplished chefs competing in familiar challeneges—albeit slightly tweaked from the original's—as they vie to win money for various charities. While the series is missing a few of its predecessor's key elements, namely sultry Padma Lakshmi as host, some familiar faces have made guest appearances, oftentimes as contestants.

The Masters website features cast members from seasons past blogging about food, recreating winning dishes from the show, and extended commentary from judges. As wanderlusters, however, we're more interested in the cross-town LA antics of Season Five's Stefan and Ariane, who have an online video series aptly titled "Stefan and Ariane's Culinary Adventure."

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