FanFare

The final three all stars face off in an epic Italian showdown to cook the meal of their lives in an effort to take home the ultimate title and prize. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Jun 19, 2020 - 18 comments

The chefs are treated to a culinary dream trip to Parma, the legendary home of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma ham; the chefs must feature the ingredients in two courses and serve their dishes to a table of 16 Michelin stars. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Jun 11, 2020 - 12 comments

The final five travel to Italy, where the chefs must make an aperitivo for 30 locals from the town of Lucca that pairs perfectly with a Peroni beer; then, they hunt the elusive white truffle which they must use in a dish for a Tuscan food festival. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Jun 7, 2020 - 8 comments

Tom makes his final decision from "Last Chance Kitchen" on who should return to the competition; the chefs take off in a Quickfire with Padma and Jonathan Waxman making a two-course business class dish for an airline. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 30, 2020 - 8 comments

With only six chefs remaining, the challenges get even more difficult, when pastry super-chef Sherry Yard awaits the all stars for a dreaded dessert Quickfire; chefs endure a blindfolded taste test to pick their ingredients. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 22, 2020 - 12 comments

The chefs head to the mountains outside of Los Angeles to go to a summer camp where they are challenged to an outdoor grilling Quickfire for Padma and "Top Chef" Kentucky winner Kelsey Barnard Clark. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 15, 2020 - 9 comments

It's Restaurant Wars and this season Padma takes all the limitations off the table as the chefs can make as much food as they want and shop wherever they choose; two chefs are given 48 hours to pick their teams and create the restaurants. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 8, 2020 - 15 comments

A Last Chance Kitchen winner re-enters the competition, Danny Trejo drops by, and the chefs must pitch a concept for the upcoming Restaurant Wars. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on May 2, 2020 - 13 comments

Padma gets a real rise out of the chefs when she tasks them to make a Quickfire dish without any All-Purpose flour. Instead chefs must work with alternative flours from Blue Corn and Buckwheat to Coconut and Hazelnut. James Beard Award-Winning Chef Chris Bianco serves as the guest judge for the Quickfire Challenge. Then, the chefs are whisked off to the famous Walt Disney Concert Hall to meet legendary conductor Gustavo Dudamel who is about to celebrate the LA Philharmonic’s 100th anniversary. The Maestro inspires the chefs to treat their flavor profiles like musical instruments, each providing a counterbalance to the other. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs serve Dudamel and members of the LA Philharmonic at award-winning Otium restaurant along with Padma, Tom, Gail and Guest Judge, Bocuse d’Or finalist Timothy Hollingsworth. [more inside]
posted by praemunire on Apr 24, 2020 - 6 comments

A jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) in Los Angeles meet, with lots of dancing, singing, and bright colors. Directed and written by Damien Chazelle. Co-starring: the city of Los Angeles. Now playing in a few cities; a wider release coming Friday December 16th. [more inside]
posted by brainwane on Dec 15, 2016 - 50 comments

Reports of palm theft have appeared in LA, San Diego, and Texas; palm rustling also gets a mention in Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief. What the palm tree* means to America, what they're worth, and how they've democratized the California Dream. [more inside]
posted by psoas on Mar 12, 2015 - 2 comments