|
|
About Top Chef, Season 1 Top Chef is a Bravo TV network show that began with Season 1 on March 8th, 2005. Chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs, which includes Tom Colicchio of Craft Restaurants and Gail Simmons of Food & Wine magazine. Katie Lee Joel, wife of Billy Joel, serves as host as well as judge. One or more contestants is eliminated each week.Other notables from the food and wine industry are also featured: Ted Allen from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; Jeffery Chodorow, financier of the TV show "The Restaurant"; final judge is Lorraine Bracco from "The Sopranos." The winning chef receives $100,000 to begin his or her culinary career, is featured in Food & Wine magazine, and appears at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. Each episode includes two challenges. The Quickfire Challenge is a short, simple challenge with a varying reward each week. The Elimination Challenge is a more complex challenge that determines who is sent home. Each week's elimination was announced in a segment called "Judges' Table." |