FanFare

For the season’s final challenge, the three remaining chefs must create the best four-course progressive meal of their careers. For their last “Top Chef” service, the chefs will present their dishes to a lineup of culinary greats, including chefs David Zilber, Bricia Lopez, Carries Nahabedian, Justin Pichetrungsi and guest judge Emeril Lagasse, who will join Kristen, Tom and Gail to determine which cheftestant will walk away with the $250,000 grand prize and the title of Top Chef.
posted by Frayed Knot on Jun 20, 2024 - 5 comments

The final four chefs arrive in Curaçao for their last Quickfire Challenge and must create a dish highlighting fish and cheese to impress Kristen, Tom, Gail and local guest judge Helim Smeulders. The chefs then set sail on Holland America Line’s Eurodam where they enjoy a meal prepared by chef and Fresh Fish Ambassador Morimoto. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs are tasked with showcasing different preparation styles of fish. “Top Chef” alum Ed Lee joins Kristen, Tom and Gail at the judges’ table.
posted by Frayed Knot on Jun 13, 2024 - 8 comments

In this week’s Quickfire Challenge, the chefs are tasked with identifying as many ingredients as they can in a blind taste test. For the Elimination Challenge, they must create a dish that exemplifies their culinary growth throughout their time in Wisconsin. The judges are joined by returning guest judge Paul Bartolotta.
posted by Frayed Knot on Jun 6, 2024 - 8 comments

A familiar face returns to the competition from “Last Chance Kitchen.” In this week’s Quickfire challenge, the chefs must put their detective skills to work when Tom cooks up a dish that Kristen and Gail couldn’t resist and left little on the plate after tasting it. The chefs ask Tom a series of yes and no questions to determine what ingredients they need to recreate the dish. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs leave it all on the table when they’re tasked with serving their creations directly on a tabletop to Kristen, Tom, Gail, and guest judge and two Michelin star chef Curtis Duffy.
posted by Frayed Knot on May 30, 2024 - 12 comments

Celebrating a Wisconsin classic, this week’s Quickfire Challenge has the chefs participating in a meat raffle. Guest judge and chef Art Smith joins Kristen, Tom and Gail to determine which protein dish reigns supreme. For the Elimination Challenge, the heat is turned up when the chefs host their very own Door County fish boil to 100 hungry guests, including six “Top Chef” All-Stars at Grant Park Beach.
posted by Frayed Knot on May 23, 2024 - 10 comments

Kristen is joined by judges Tom and Gail for this week’s Quickfire Challenge as the chefs are tasked to create dishes featuring cranberries in a unique way. The chefs are then treated to a special meal prepared by celebrated Indigenous chefs and guest judges Sean Sherman and Elean Terry. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must prepare modern dishes using only indigenous ingredients.
posted by Frayed Knot on May 18, 2024 - 3 comments

Bryan Voltaggio joins Kristen for a two-part Quickfire Challenge testing the chefs’ flambé and charring skills. Amar Santana heads to the kitchen with the famous Milwaukee Brewers Racing Sausages. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs divide into two teams and compete in a head-to-head race at American Family Field (home of the Brewers) where they’ll serve sausage-forward dishes to a panel of experts, including former Brewer Ryan Braun and actress Brittany Snow.
posted by Frayed Knot on May 2, 2024 - 5 comments

The chefs are shocked by a “Last Chance Kitchen” surprise that changes the game. Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi joins Kristen for a sweet Quickfire that requires the chefs to create a dairy-forward dessert. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs must serve a dish that exemplifies chaos cuisine. The judges are joined by “The Bear” actor and chef Matty Matheson and chef Sofia Roe.
posted by Frayed Knot on Apr 25, 2024 - 7 comments

While in Madison, the chefs receive a message bright and early from Kristen alerting them that they’ll be shopping for their Quickfire Challenge at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the largest producer only farmers market in the nation. However, they won’t know what their challenge is until after they shop. Joining Kristen as judges for the Quickfire Challenge are local chef Tory Miller and comedian, director and activist W. Kamau Bell. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs will be participating the time-honored Wisconsin tradition the Supper Club where they’ll be split into two teams to create a traditional supper club menu that they’ll cook and serve at the Harvey House, owned by this week’s guest judges Joe and Shaina Papach.
posted by Frayed Knot on Apr 19, 2024 - 4 comments

With no Quickfire this week, the chefs hit the road and take the Frank Lloyd Wright trail to Madison, touring a few of the Wisconsin native’s notable sites, including Burnham Block, Monona Terrace and Taliesin. For the elimination challenge, the chefs are tasked with creating dishes in teams of two that feature duality and celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy as “America’s Architect.” These dishes are more important than ever because this week is a double elimination. Kristen, Tom and Gail are joined by last season’s winner, Buddha Lo, and French chef Dominique Crenn at the judges’ table.
posted by Frayed Knot on Apr 12, 2024 - 8 comments

“Top Chef” Colorado winner Joe Flamm joins Kristen for the Quickfire Challenge, tasking the chefs to create a dish featuring hops. For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs visit the historic Miller Caves where they must team up to serve a seven-course progressive meal featuring elevated bar snacks. [more inside]
posted by Frayed Knot on Mar 28, 2024 - 10 comments

“Top Chef” heads to Wisconsin with 15 new chefs, new rules and new host Kristen Kish. With no Quickfire Challenge this week, Kristen, Tom and Gail each task five chefs with cooking a dish they believe is a worthy test of being a good chef. The three favorites from each of the judges’ challenge will be up for the win while the three least favorite will be up for elimination. Before anyone goes home, there will be one more major twist to keep the chefs on their toes. The judges are joined by Wisconsin locals Chef Paul Bartolotta and Chef/Owner of Lupi & Iris, Adam Siegel. (from bravotv.com)
posted by Frayed Knot on Mar 25, 2024 - 8 comments

When the Blink Drive self activates during a diagnostic, the Raza and its crew are transported through space and time. [more inside]
posted by jojo and the benjamins on Aug 6, 2017 - 5 comments

Week of 10/23:

• The final debate of the election, and some highlights of awful Trump statements made during it, particularly his promise to keep us "in suspense" as to whether he'd accept a loss or not. Clinton and Trump were also both present at the Al Smith dinner in New York, where Trump spoke, and bombed. Henry Kissinger's reaction to Trump's speech: "Dis is not good." At the end, in order to allow Trump to save face should he lose the election, Oliver makes a bet with Trump on-air: he will bet Trump that he wins the elction, with the stakes being Oliver's Emmy award statuette.
• And Now: You'll Never Guess What Christ Matthews' Favorite Movie Is
• Main story: The rise of addictive opioid prescription pain killers (Oxycontin, Vicodin, Percocet), resulting in over 30,000 overdose deaths a year, and actively promoted, predictably, by the pharmaceutical industry. YouTube (19m)
• People Who Somehow Got Elected: US Representative from Wisconsin's 6th District Glenn Grothman.

Bonus! If you were as enchanted by that guy with the shocked expression in the Al Smith dinner segment as I was, here he is in animated GIF form! [more inside]
posted by JHarris on Nov 6, 2016 - 2 comments

This week:

• Restrictive voting laws struck down in Wisconsin, Texas and North Carolina. (4m)
• A military coup fails in Turkey, and the Turkish President Erdogan seeks revenge. (4m)
• How Is This Still A Thing: Tanning Beds
• The 2016 Democratic National Convention (18m)
• And Now: Some More Highlights from the Democratic National Convention

[more inside]
posted by JHarris on Aug 3, 2016 - 3 comments

Pam's sister (Alison Tolman!) is getting married, and Archer agrees to be her date for the wedding. Barry crashes. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Jan 30, 2015 - 10 comments