Top Chef Chefs/Guest Judges in the News

[MFWalkoff]

Discuss the goings-on of familiar faces like Anthony Bourdain, Ted Allen, Michelle Bernstein, Rocco DiSpirito, or anyone who was a featured guest judge/chef on the show.

[MFWalkoff]

Lets start with chef Todd English, who apparently left his bride standing at the altar yesterday!

Celebrity chef Todd English split with his gorgeous bride-to-be, Erica Wang, just days before their wedding, but the raven-tressed beauty still enjoyed a party fit for a king in the top-floor ballroom of a swank Midtown hotel last night -- on her former flame's dime.

The blowout bash at the St. Regis Hotel, which should have been the couple's reception, was a lavish fete complete with champagne and a rollicking wedding band playing well into the night.

English -- a multimillionaire who owns an empire of eateries around the country including Union Square hotspot Olives and Financial District eatery Libertine -- and Wang, who once worked with him on the PBS cooking show, "Food Trip," were engaged in 2008.

Despite the cancellation just days ago, about 150 of Wang's closest friends and family packed into the posh party space 20 stories above Fifth Avenue. Nicknamed "The Roof" because of its ceiling mural depicting the night sky, the penthouse of the famed five-star hotel was decked out in a red-and-white Asian theme.

The guests' spirits were not dampened by the abandoned ceremony. "Everybody is having a fantastic time," said a source. "People are dancing their butts off."

Tonight Todd English stood up his would-be wife at the altar, essentially. Apparently he has been in Florida the last three days and never showed up at the wedding that was tonight at the St. Regis. However, since the wedding was already paid for by Todd himself, the bride decided to still party it up. She looked to be taking it really well and spent the night dancing. Todd's family stayed too.

Apparently he's been married before, and even broke off other engagements before. Eek!

[maude~flanders]

wow! the kind of thing that happens in movies, not real life!

[MFWalkoff]

This post started out as a shout-out to a show from a few years ago that's been airing late-nights on the Ovation Channel, After Hours with Daniel Boulud. Daniel goes to the back rooms of famous restaurants with other famous chefs and celebrities, and the chef/owner presents them with lots of out-of-this-world food and booze, and many laughs are had by all.

Right now I'm watching the episode where he visits Wylie Dufresne at WD-50, and one of his guests is Just Desserts' Johnny Iuzzini. Johnny went into a story about how he used to see Daniel on David Letterman years ago, and how David would drive him insane while he tried to cook a dish. This of course sent me to YouTube, where I found this.

Chef Daniel Boulud interview on Late Show with David Letterman ca 1996 - YouTube

Good to see Daniel Boulud without all the stuffiness and reverence that Tom Colicchio hoists upon him. Also, remember when Letterman was this edgy? Sigh...

[Arielflies]

Also, remember when Letterman was this edgy? Sigh...

Barely. That was a fun clip, thanks for bringing it over.

[Florimel]

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! I think for the most part everyone watching this series has let out at least a little sigh of relief at the master chef contestants of this series being so professional, so congenial, and so very cool. But, for those of you out there who were missing the whining and the carrying on, you should be bellying up to the table tonight, because Top Chef Masters is serving up a bellyful of bellyaching, just for you! Belly is a fun word, isn’t it?

The Lineup

Competing this week:

Wilo Bennet: the exec. chef and owner of Pikayo in San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to Tom, Wilo was Puerto Rico’s first celebrity chef. Wilo himself feels pressure at being on the other side of the judging table after telling Antonia she made slimy plantains back in season 4. He’s playing for San Jorge Children’s Foundation which is a children’s hospital. I just love hearing about what charities people are invested in. I’m nosy. And judgy.

Cindy Pawlcyn: proprietor of Mustards Grill in Napa, and a bona fide specialist in Cali cuisine. She has known she wanted to be a chef since age 13; that is both adorable and enviable. She’s playing for Clinic Ole, a clinic that provides health services to underprivileged folks in the Napa Valley area, which is awesome.

Ludo Lefebvre: Runs Ludo Bites in LA. French, French, French, and he’s worked with tons of important French people. Only nominated for a Beard award though. Amateur! Ludo is playing for C.H.A.S.E. for Life, which educates ordinary people on proper CPR procedures. Nice. Also? He don’t like to lose. Foreshadowing!

Aaaand Rick Bayless: He has been on every sort of food competition type thing ever, so I don’t think there’s anyone out there who doesn’t know who he is? So I will say, he rules, and he knows more about Mexican cuisine in particular than anyone else you know. I assure you. Also everyone loves him. He’s playing for Frontera Farmer Foundation, which does microfinancing for families in Mexico.

So the ever lovable Rick Bayless is moving on to the CHAMPION’S ROUND, and $10,000 is going to the Frontera Foundation to fund family farms. Fantastic! The chefs toast Rick; Ludo smiles and declares he wants to be on Masters 2, and Cindy vows to practice her menudo. Rick has his eye on the big prize, but there’s another Frenchman standing in the way.

Am I the only person on Earth who did not realize that Rick Bayless is the younger brother of ESPN's Skip Bayless, whom I cannot stand. I like Rick although Mexican cuisine is not my favorite, but I can't believe I didn't make that connection. I guess it's good that I didn't; if I had, I probably would have rooted against Rick just on general principals.