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Bravo’s ‘Top Chef Duels’ Lands Premiere Date, Celebrity Guests (Exclusive)

Bravo is adding another Top Chef series to the schedule: Top Chef Duels. Top Chef Duels pits 18 of the best, boldest and most talked-about personalities from past seasons of Top Chef and Top Chef Masters for a “battle royale” in the kitchen.

Looks interesting. Especially this first episode: “Richard Blais (Top Chef Chicago runner-up and Top Chef All-Stars winner) vs. Marcel Vigneron (Top Chef Season 2 runner-up)”

Top Chef Season 12 Will Be in Boston

Well, that was fast: Just days after rumors surfaced suggesting Top Chef would film its upcoming twelfth season in Boston, Bravo tells the Boston Globe that they are indeed…

This is going to be pretty cool, right? I’m excited to see what they do.

Top Chef Canada: Season 4 Episode 3

A couple quick thoughts on episode 3:

Still not enjoying the “extreme” nonsense or the battle of the sexes. I really prefer a dignified Top Chef.
Veggie burgers are so hard to make taste good, and despite chef Lauren Marshall winning episode 1 with a vegan dish seems like her veganness is catching up to her.
I was sad to see chef Dawn Doucette go. I want her to get out from under Earl’s and make her own way in the world. Also she has an angry resting face.
Mark McEwan said a really interesting thing at Judge’s Table. There were several bad dishes and he said they should discuss who has more potential to win the competition, something that goes directly against the Tom ethos of Top Chef Regular. Tom believes that you only judge based on the plate they just put out, nothing from before or after. Not sure which way I think is better for the show, just interesting to note the difference.

What were your thoughts about episode 3? Are you loving the Battle of the Sexes stuff?

Top Chef CANADA!

Top Chef Canada is back and I’m really excited. Well, I was until I watched the first episode, but more on that in a moment. We’re not going to have time to podcast about each episode but we are going to try really hard to write short blog posts each week to spark discussion and hopefully we’ll do a podcast at the end. Please comment with your thoughts or tweet at us @packyourmics.

Now, some thoughts about s04e01. I should say, I’ve absolutely loved this show before but I’m a bit discouraged by the first episode of the new season. Specifically:

I’m done with immunity forever. There has never been a point on the show when I’ve thought, “Thank goodness that person had immunity or a serious injustice would be done here.” The only time it matters is when it’s causing harm. Every Quickfire should be for money the end.
“The most extreme season”? Ugh. And part of that teaser included the mild insinuation that a chef dies in a fire. What the hell? I love talented people being talented, not chefs running from fires and being EXTREME.
Battle of the sexes? Ugh some more. More 90s reality TV tropes. You’re better than this!
The only chef I’m even a little interested in at this point is Gabriela Neda. Most of the other chefs seem like jerks and WAY under qualified compared to previous seasons. Did they have trouble casting this season?
On the plus side, at least the Canadians have their knife block at the ready when the season starts. MORE KNIFE BLOCK!

For those we encouraged to watch this show, I may have to apologize soon. Are you worried too? Did you find anything to love at this point? Let us know in the comments!

Top Chef Masters: Restaurant War Miracle

I’m interviewing Naomi Pomeroy next week on my talk show so I’m re-watching Top Chef Masters s03. In case you don’t remember, they started the season with Restaurant Wars and Naomi was a team leader, front of house, AND made dessert. Miraculously, she didn’t go home. Three kisses of death and she walks out alive. Very impressive.

A.V. Club: finale tarnishes Top Chef brand

Agree or disagree?

Well Done

How best to describe the arc of a successful reality show? Is it a souffle, puffed and impressive right out of the oven but with a tendency to deflate quickly? Or is it a risotto, a delicate melding…

What season was he watching that he thinks Nick and Nina were equally skilled and likable? But a lot of the points about the show trying to reinvent itself or running out of talent are interesting ones. And Top Chef Extreme? Ugh.