TOP CHEF REPORT: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

TOP CHEF REPORT: 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Top Chef doesn't return until January 7th, but you can still get your weekly 

fix and catch up with your favorites from season's past.

SEAON FOUR

Stephanie Izard (winner):

Is working on opening another restaurant, after she closed her Chicago restaurant to go on to the show.  It is set to open sometime in the Spring 2009 called "The Drunken Goat."  

Richard Blais:

Is currently living in Atlanta with his wife and newborn son Riley Maddox.  He has started a consulting company called Trail-Blais.  He is operating HOME which is a farm to table restaurant (I love these kinds of restaurants, may I recommend FARM in Bloomington, IN and Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, MD).  The menu is modern, southern style cuisine.  He also owns consulting company, Trail-Blais.  His most recent project is developing a modern hamburger concept called "FLIP."  He also competed on Iron Chef America, but lost against Mario Batalli in a chick pea competition. 

Andrew D'Ambrosi:

Twitters under the name bravotvchef along with Spike.  They are on the East Coast and totally spoil the show for us West Coasters, so don't read their updates if you are on pacific time.  

Nikki Cascone:

Has a line of hospitality major wear coming out soon. She will be making front of the house and back of the house uniforms.  She is also working on opening a new restaurant which will be a lot of seafood and light fare.  

Ryan Scott (hottie):

Has taken over as chef/partner of Mission Beach Cafe in San Francisco.  

Spike Mendelson:

Has just opened a new restaurant in Washington, DC called "Good Stuff Eatery."  It's focus is comfort food, burgers, fries and milkshakes.  http://www.goodstuffeatery.com/.  I hope to check this place out when I go home later this week.  I will of course write about it.

SEASON THREE

Hung Huynh (winner):

Hung is the executive chef at SOLO on Madison Ave, in NY which is a Kosher Mediterranean-Asian restaurant.

Casey Thompson:

Is now living in San Francisco working with Fischer Winery in Napa.  Casey caters dinner parties and pairs the courses with their meals.  

Brian Malarkey:

Continues to work at Oceanaire Seafood room where he is the exceutive chef and managing partner at the San Diego location.

Tre Wilcox:

Is a private chef in Dallas focusing on contemporary European cuisine.  He is also a spokesperson for Chantal cookware.  

Micah Edelstein:

Owns her own catery company, The Wandering Chefs in Boca Raton, Fla.  She is also working on a children's book titled "Silly Tilly Cooks Fusilli."

Dale Levitski:

Is dating Jack Mackenroth from Project Runway.  He has opened up Town and Country restaurant in Chicago.  

SEASON TWO

Ilan Hall (winner):

Hall moved to Los Angeles recently to open "Gorbles", named after the area in Scotland where his father was born.  Hall decribes his food as, "Jewish food date raped by bacon."  Hmm, so he is opening up, what will be a much less successful Jerry's Deli.  The place is set to open by New Years of this year, but it hasn't opened yet (it doesn't even have a website up yet!).  I met Ilan about two years ago at a wine and food event in Virgina and he cooked me the worst mussels I've ever had!  Good luck with your new restaurant!

Marcel Vigneron (runner up):

I am personally still bitter about Marcel's loss.  He was so funny, entertaining and truly talented.  Before the show Marcel was living and working in Las Vegas at Joel Robuchon, one of our top rated restaurants.  Since, the show, Marcel has had no trouble making headlines.  A few years ago a female viewer struck Marcel in the face with a beer bottle in a club, which required him to need alot of stitches.  He was also pulled over for a DUI in Lagana Beach this past August.  It's not all bad for our runner up, he is currently working as a sous chef at THE BAZAAR in the new SLS HOTEL in Beverly Hills, CA.

Betty Fraser:

Okay, so I was totally on team Marcel and can't stand Betty.  I think her trash talking was totally unproffessional.  Since the show Betty has continued to run her restaurant Grub in Los Angeles, which was nominated for "best morning after brunch spot" in January 2008. Has anyone eaten here?http://www.grub-la.com/menu.html

Cliff Crooks:

Cliff has a real chance of winning before assaulting contestant Marcel and getting himself kicked off of the show.  He is currently in NYC working at Blue Water Grill which was on Zagat's most popular New York Restaurants this year.  

Michael Midgley:

Michael was one of my favorites.  He was so charasmatic and hilarious!  He currently owns Midgley Catering http://www.midgleycatering.com/ in California.  Take a look at his website, the food looks awesome.

Mia Gaines-Alt

After eliminating herself (I think she would have been eliminated that episode anyway), Mia has closed her restaurant in Oakdale, CA.  It is rumored that she was not paying rent and the building was foreclosed.  After the closing of her restaurant, Mia moved to Hawaii and now works at Hotel Molokai.  

Sam Talbot:

Is off the market (sad face)!  Sam married model Paola Guerrero at City Hall this past November in New York.  Since the show he has opened The Surf Lodge in Montauk (The Hamptons), NY.  http://www.thesurflodge.com/restaurant.html  He has also signed on to be the executive chef of a new restaurant for the Mondrian Hotel (opening late 2009 in Chinatown).

SEASON ONE

Harold Dieterle (winner):

After winning top chef he has gone on to open Perilla Restaurant in New York City http://www.perillanyc.com/ in May 2007.

Stephen Asprinio:

In the Fall of 2007, Stephen opened Forte di Asprinio in West Palm Beach, Fla, an Italian restaurant.  http://fortepalmbeach.com/.  He has also the estate sommelier at the Livemano and Caselvento wineries in Tuscany, Italy.  www.livemano.it

Tiffani Faison:

Runner up Tiffani is currently the executive chef at Todd English's brasserie RICHE in New Orleans.  In May 2007 Tiffani cohosted a Greek Isles culinary cruise for "Olivia", a lesbian lifestyle and travel company.  Faison also won the $20,000 prize during the December 2007 holiday special.

Dave Martin:

Dave is currently living in New York where he is busy with his new restaurant Crave on 42nd.  He also teaches at the Culinary Loft in Soho.  He is currently working on opening a new restaurant called Bandolero, which has a Latin American/Southwestern and New Mexico fusion restaurant.  

Lee Anne Wong:

Lee Anne is currently working as one of the culinary producers on the fifth season of top chef.  She sources and styles the various ingredients for various challenges (UM awesome f-ing job!!!).  Lee Anne also blogs about top chef and has a podast and webcast called "The Wong Way to Cook."  Wong was also a chef consultant in 2007 for the movies Mostly Martha and No Reservations.