Chris Cosentino wins Top Chef Masters
From Inside Scoop San Francisco:
Earlier this month, San Francisco’s own Chris Cosentino (Incanto, Boccalone) was declared “the best chef in history,” and if you were anywhere near the Twitter machine last night (or you know, a television), then you know that he followed it up with another cooking show win. Cosentino won the fourth season of Top Chef Masters, following in the footsteps of prior winners Rick Bayless, Marcus Samuellson and Floyd Cardoz.
Upon topping fellow finalist Kerry Heffernan, Cosentino uttered an instant classic of a slogan: “Guts prevail.” He explained that the way he won the show — using his signature offal cuts, on a national stage — was validation that America can and should be cooking with offal more often.
Cosentino’s win was also a victory for his charity of choice, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. He’s discussed his connection to Parkinson’s in the past, and now he’s contributed over $140,000 to the cause.
Here’s the winning moment:
Download a copy of Stuart’s anthology of ChefIlebrity Interviews.
ICA: Symon vs. Izard
Iron Chef Michael Symon faces off against challenger Stephanie Izard. Chef Izard, a James Beard Award nominee and Top Chef winner, is chef and owner of Girl & The Goat in Chicago. The Judges are Anthony Anderson, Karine Bakhoum and David Rocco (be sure to check out my exclusive interview with David HERE).
Stephanie Izard is no stranger to anyone who follows cheflebrities. She was the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef 4. Today she is easily the most accomplished and successful TC winner.
After graduating from the Le Cordon Bleu program at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Chef Izard worked at the Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, as well as a couple other restaurants, but then made the very spur-of-the-moment decision to pack up and move to Chicago in 2001. She’s been in love with the city ever since. After landing in Chicago, Stephanie got a gig as garde manger at Jean-George Vongerichten’s Chicago outpost of Vong.
After leaving Vong, Steph worked as a roundsman at Spring under Shawn McClain and then sous chef at La Tache with Dale Levitsky. In 2006, she branched out on her own with the Bucktown restaurant Scylla, which was quickly named one of the 10 best restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit. Being both owner and chef of her own place was a huge learning experience, but she opted to close in 2008.
That’s when she appeared on Top Chef, after which Izard assembled a team to open Girl & The Goat in Chicago’s West Loop. Food Network Star finalist and good friend Judson Allen assures me that Girl & The Goat is in his opinion the best restaurant in the Windy City. The lady can bring it.
Top Chef vs. Iron Chef. Izard vs. Symon. This should be one for the ages. Be sure to check out my exclusive interview with Iron Chef Symon HERE.
| Symon | Izard | |
| Taste | 27 | 27 |
| Originality | 14 | 12 |
| Plating | 15 | 13 |
| Total | 56 | 52 |
Review: Around the World in 80 Plates
Though I do greatly enjoy Top Chef Masters I don’t care for its predecessor Top Chef. It is not a show about food or cooking; it’s a show about yelling and backstabbing. Granted yelling and backstabbing between some very talented chefs but yelling and backstabbing just the same. It’s the same reason I don’t watch Hell’s Kitchen.
Recently I made sure to record a few episodes of Bravo’s new reality cooking competition Around the World in 80 Plates. The show is hosted by veteran TV chefs Curtis Stone and Cat Cora. Here’s the official Bravo description:
Around the World in 80 Plates takes culinary competition to the next level as 12 chefs travel across the globe testing their skills and determination. In each episode, the contestants will travel to a different international city where they will learn the local customs, cultures, and cuisines as they participate in a gauntlet of culinary challenges. Ultimately, they will face-off in a kitchen takeover where they will not only recreate, but reinvent the menus for world-renowned restaurants and their demanding owners.
After watching a few episodes I can’t say it’s appointment TV for me. Cat and Curtis, as expected, are great and the exotic locations are terrific. But basically it’s Top Chef on vacation. It’s not a cooking show it’s just another yelling and backstabbing show. If you enjoy Hell’s Kitchen or Top Chef or Big Bother or Survivor then you’ll probably dig it. I’d rather watch paint dry.
Congratulations to Top Chef Winner Paul Qui
The critically defamed Top Chef: Texas ended last night and Chef Paul Qui named the winner. Congrats, chef! BravoTV published this video with Qui:
For more on Chef Paul and his Top Chef victory check out this Q&A at BravoTV.com.
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