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for next season please visit our new web site !
http://www.topchefseason5.blogspot.com

check out video final 4

http://video.bravotv.com/player/?id=253753

Top Chef Final in Puerto Rico

Stephanie Izard tops ‘Top Chef: Chicago’!
Posted by Joe Gray
Hello finals! Stephanie Izard, the lone Chicago chef left on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef,” won tonight’s Elimination Challenge, not only securing her place in the finals of the reality TV cooking competition show, but doing so handily. After 12 episodes, 12 Quickfire Challenges, 12 Elimination Challenges, about seven weeks of taping in Chicago, Stephanie made it to Puerto Rico for the two-part finale.
The former chef/owner of Scylla, Stephanie closed her restaurant last summer and joined 15 other contestants on the popular cable show. Cooking competently, creatively and often brilliantly, Stephanie pulled it all together in tonight’s challenge at Rick Tramonto’s Tramonto Steak and Seafood in Wheeling. Tramonto called her efforts the most well-rounded of the night’s dishes. She and the rest of the final four, Antonia, Richard and Lisa, compete in two more episodes that were filmed in Puerto Rico about two weeks ago and will air June 4 and June 11.

"Vitello Tramonto": Hamachi, Crispy Sweetbreads, Radish & Yuzu

Trim Hamachi and portion into bacon-like strips. Marinate in salt, pepper, olive oil and lime juice (reserve some lime juice for later use).
Fry sweetbread and set aside.
Mix mayonnaise with ginger juice (reserve some ginger juice for later use) and truffle oil.
Marinate radishes, apple, jalapeno and canotes in lime and ginger juice.
To Plate:Add Hamachi then sweetbreads to plate with bacon and marinated avocados-radishes mixture. Drizzle mayonnaise along side of plate.


Ingredients:
16 large pieces Hamachi bellySalt and pepper to tasteDrizzle of olive oil2 limes, juiced1 cup sweetbread “nuggets”1 cup mayonnaise1 cup ginger juice Truffle oil to tasteA few radishes, sliced1 apple, julienned1 jalapeno, sliced1/4 cup canotes1/2 cup crisped bacon, chopped2 avocados, sliced

Richard top chef

Grilled New York Strip with Turnips & Apples

2 apples, peeled, small diced2 cups apple cider2T sugar2 cups balsamicOlive oil1 large turnip10 oz New York stripSalt and pepper

Place apples in pot with cider, sugar and one tablespoons balsamic; reduce until apples are soft.
Heat olive oil in pan and saute turnip for one minute. Add a little cider and lightly braise until just tender. Add balsamic and sugar in pot; reduce to syrup. Season New York strip with salt and pepper then grill. Julienne some apple and turnip. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.
To serve, add turnips to plate then apple sauce; top with beef. Drizzle with balsamic. Top with julienned apple and turnip.

Stephanie top chef

7 left ??? who will win top chef ???

If i was a betting man i would put my money on Richard to win it all !!, & dale to be come up short , ( 2nd Place ) !!! Your thoughts ???

top chef braised beef brisket

Richard's recipe:
Braised Brisket of Beef:1 beef brisketA good amount Cajun spicesSalt and pepper to taste2 boxes dark brown sugar3 cups mustard (golden)
Andrew's recipe:
Creamed Spinach with Star Anise:4 cloves garlic (minced)Star anise to taste1 oz extra-virgin olive oil4 bags spinach1 pint heavy cream1/4 lb plugra (type of butter)2 lemons
Antonia's recipe:
Potato Gratin:1 cup creamSalt and pepper to taste1t garlic, minced4 Yukon potatoesReggiano to taste4T Butter
Caramelized Corn (for asparagus salad):4 corn cobsSalt and pepper to tasteSugar to tasteButter for sauteingSmall package asparagus

Richard's recipe:
Braised Brisket of Beef:Season brisket with spices, salt and pepper and grill aggressively to get a good flavor. Rub with brown sugar and mustard. Wrap in aluminum foil and cook at 250 degrees for 12 to 14 hours.
Andrew's recipe:
Creamed Spinach with Star Anise:Saute garlic and star anise in olive oil, add spinach and cover to allow spinach to wilt. Once spinach is wilted remove and drain. Place spinach in meat grinder and grind; set aside. Put cream on stove and reduce by 25% then fold in spinach. Just before service stir in butter and lemon juice.
Antonia's recipe:
Potato Gratin:Bring cream, salt, pepper and garlic to boil. Slice potatoes thin and layer potato, cream mixture, reggiano and butter until pan is full. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Caramelize top before service.
Caramelized Corn (for asparagus salad):Remove corn from cob. Saute in salt, pepper, sugar and butter until brown then add in asparagus and saute for several more minutes.

Top Tufo Winning plate

Dale and Richard's recipe:
Almond-Cashew Crusted Tofu:8 oz rendered beef fat2 pieces tofu, cut into 3 oz blocks
Almond Crust:2 oz cashews toasted, microplaned2 oz almonds2 oz macadamia nuts1T white pepper3T coriander
Green Curry Sauce:5 oz sugar5 oz green curry paste3 pieces onion sliced3 oz lemongrass3T coriander9 pieces cardamom4 pieces jalapeno, sliced in half4 cans coconut milk4 oz fish sauce4 oz lime juice
Crispy Eggplant: 2 pieces Japanese eggplant2 cups water1 cup cornstarch1t saltPepper to taste1 gallon canola oil
Chinese Long Beans:1 bunch long beans4 oz extra-virgin olive oil2 cloves garlic3T sweet soy

Dale and Richard's recipe:
Almond-Cashew Crusted Tofu:Render beef fat, press tofu in perforated hotel pan then marinate tofu in beef fat.
Almond Crust:Mix all ingredients in bowl. Crust tofu with almond crust and roast in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until hot.
Green Curry Sauce:In a pan start with sugar and turn heat to medium-high to make a caramel, then add curry paste and toast. After curry has toasted then add remaining ingredients, except for coconut milk, fish sauce and lime juice. Sweat ingredients then add coconut milk and let simmer for half an hour. Strain and season with fish sauce and lime juice.
Crispy Eggplant:Cut Japanese eggplant into half rounds. Bring 1 cup water to a boil and mix in some cornstarch to make a slurry, then remaining water. Season with salt and pepper then cool.
Bring oil to 350 degrees. Coat Japanese eggplant with cornstarch then coat in thicken slurry then in cornstarch again. Cook in oil for 5 minutes.
Chinese Long Beans:Get cast iron pan hot and dry, then add oil, chopped garlic and long beans. Char and remove when soft. Then coat with sweet soy.
Finish plate dressed with herb salad.

Dale"s winning tandori pork recipe

Tandori Pork:

4T coriander4T madras curry9 pieces cardamom pods2T mustard seeds2T white pepper4T chili powder4T garam masala3 quarts yogurt4T chicken bouillon1 cup white soy12 sides pork ribsWater for poaching1/2 cup vinegarSugar to taste2 quarts hot sauce4T salt1 piece pineapple skin
Potato Salad with Golden Raisins, Dried Mango & Turmeric:30 pieces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled6 pieces white onion, sliced3 cups white vinegar3 cups golden raisins3 cups dried mangoes, chopped 3T toasted coriander, groundDrizzle of olive oil2T salt and pepper1 lb fusilli (mixed with fresh coriander)1/2 bunch scallions, choppedTurmeric to taste

Tandori Pork Ribs:Toast all spices and combine with yogurt, bouillon and white soy; blend in blender. Poach ribs in water, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, salt and pineapple skin. After ribs have been poached tender; let cool then mix in yogurt-bouillon marinade. Grill ribs, on medium flame brushed with marinade.
Potato Salad with Golden Raisins, Dried Mango & Turmeric:Slice potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cook in water until tender but still firm in middle. In pan, add onions and sweat until translucent. Add vinegar, golden raisins and dried mangoes, then add coriander. Grill potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper then when cooked through combine with onion, raisins, dried mangoes, fusilli, scallions and turmeric.

Grilled shrimp w/ pickled salad ( top chef winning recipe )

Dale's recipe:
Pickled Chili-Relish:1 lb Christmas bell peppers1 lb banana peppers2 lb jalapenos3 lb lipstick peppers5 cups rice wine vinegar2 cups mirin2 cups sugar2T salt2 lb seedless English cucumbers, shaved thin3 cups canola oil1/2 cup sesame oil

Stephanie's recipe:
Shrimp:4 cloves garlic1T ginger, minced1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil2t sambal, chili garlicSalt and pepper to taste1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
Deviled Aioli:2 egg yolks1t Dijon2 cups canola or grapeseed oil4 eggs, hardboiled, whites discarded1T lemon juice1/2 sambal1t garlic chili sauce1t soy

Lisa's recipe:
Miso Syrup:1 cup shiro (white) miso1/2 cup maple syrup2 cups rice wine vinegar1 1/2 cups mirin1/2 lb bacon

Directions:

Dale's recipe:
Pickled Chili-Relish:On Japanese mandolin, slice peppers into 1/8-inch rings. Wash rings repeatedly under cold water to remove seeds. In pot, add vinegar, mirin, sugar and salt; bring to a simmer. Pour vinegar-sugar mixture over peppers and cucumbers; let marinate for 1 hour. Bring oils to smoking point and pour over peppers and cucumbers.

Stephanie's recipe:
Shrimp:Mix together all ingredients and toss with shrimp. Let sit for at least one hour then grill.
Deviled Aioli:In bowl, mix raw yolks with Dijon. Slowly whisk in oil until thickened like mayonnaise. Push hardboiled egg through small side of cheese grater. Whisk in remaining ingredients.

Lisa's recipe:
Miso Syrup:In saucepot, cook miso, syrup, wine vinegar and mirin together. Whisk together and reduce on low heat until thick and glossy. Meanwhile, lay bacon on silpat or parchment paper overlapping and facing same direction. Lay another parchment on top and place smaller sheet pan on top (weigh down with saute pans). Bake at 375 degrees for about 11 minutes. When bacon is crispy, take out without removing weights.
Remove bacon from pan and lay on new sheet pan with parchment. Heavily glaze the bacon with the miso syrup and bake 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool and cut into even long strips.

Smoked Salmon with Faux Caviar & White Chocolate Wasabi Sauce

Winning Dish !

Andrew's recipe:
Tapioca:1 box tapioca pearls3 quarts water2 cups mushroom soy1 cup white soy1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1/2 cup olive oil
Dale and Richard's recipe:
Salmon:8 pieces sushi style salmon, cut into 1-oz pieces2T cayenne pepper2T black sesame seedsSalt to taste3 oz rice flour2 oz lime juice2 oz ginger juiceMaldon sea salt to taste
Richard's recipe:
Sauce:1/2 lb white chocolate1 pint heavy cream1 celery root2T wasabi paste

Andrew recipe:

Tapioca:Bring water to a boil. Add tapioca and cook for 17-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to avoid clumping. Once tapioca is three-fourths cooked (centers are still white) drain in chinoise and wash with cold water for 5 minutes. Once starch is washed out combine all ingredients with exception of olive oil and submerge tapioca. Afterwards, float tapioca with olive oil and allow to sit for at least 1 hour.
Dale and Richard's recipe:
Salmon:Season salmon lightly with cayenne, black sesame seeds and salt. Dust skins with rice flour. In hot pan, add oil to cover, then pour out excess. Sear salmon skin side down, take out of pan then brush with lime and ginger juices. Season with maldon sea salt. Lightly smoke salmon.
Richard's recipe:
Sauce:Heat white chocolate and all but a few tablespoons heavy cream to make white chocolate ganache. Cook celery root in remaining heavy cream and puree; season. Mix wasabi, celery puree and white chocolate for sauce. ( top chef bravo )

Corny Corn Dog !!

Nothing more worse than a soggy corn dog , next !

Vote what Animal u would pick ??

Now onto this weeks vote and our trip to the Lincoln Park zoo in Chicago.Based on the 5 animals and using the key components of their respective diets, which knife would you like to select ? And Explain why, and what u would cook ??

Duck AL"Orange ( Recipe )

Got Mayo ??? Andrew

Andrew, also gets the first “what?” moment of the season by not knowing eggs and oil make mayo. While Andrew was doing his force to be reckoned with act around the kitchen, and brooding because the Top Chef kitchen didn’t have mayo, Rich calmly prepared his dish and ignored him. Andrew then asked Richard if he saw any mayo around the kitchen, to which Richard answered no, then proceeded to pull a jar of mayo that he purchased from the store out of his bag of goodies and use it for his dish. Then later offered it to Andrew !!

Top 10 reasons to watch 'Top Chef'

St. Petersburg Times

"Top Chef's" fourth season, which premiered last night with 16 "chef-testants" boiling over in one of America's great restaurant cities: Chicago. What? You haven't seen the show and you like to cook? Catch up now, while you can. (Since it's on Bravo, you've got lots of chances to watch, including tonight.)
Here are 10 reasons why you'll become addicted. (Read contestant profiles and more at http://www.bravo.com/.)
1. Star chefs. As Top Chef has grown more successful, the caliber of guest judges has risen. Expect more this season, such as the hunky, acclaimed pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini and tapas master Jose Andres. Let's face it: Only the allure of showbiz could have made the sophisticated Eric Ripert dress up as Santa for last season's holiday special. Hmm, what do you think "Top Chef" would have to do to entice the renowned Thomas Keller?

2. Padma. Host Padma Lakshmi is a former model (natch) and a recent cookbook author who must have studied at the Tyra Banks School of Delayed Diction. As a judge, Padma isn't afraid to challenge the opinions of her esteemed colleagues. As a host, she isn't afraid to unleash her bare midriff in the kitchen.

3. Food crimes. Sure, chefs would never have to cook with ingredients from a vending machine or gas station convenience store (when in doubt, look for the Krispy Kremes), and you know they don't teach those skills in culinary school. That's why it makes for good TV.

4. Chicago. It's the latest stop following San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami on the show's nationwide culinary tour. And even though the first challenge is all too predictable (deep-dish pizza), we can look forward to Chicago's culinary talent showing up: Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand and Rick Bayless. Maybe we'll even see Charlie Trotter around finals time. Oh, and did we mention Oprah's chef?

5. Blogs. Sure, every reality show has them, but there's some real writing talent that you'll appreciate on the "Top Chef" blogs: Ted Allen ("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"), Gail Simmons (Food & Wine magazine) and Anthony Bourdain ("Kitchen Confidential"). Allen is funny and entertaining, Simmons is informative, and Bourdain is his usual bad self.
6. Tom Colicchio. The chef of New York's Craft is the stern but fair head judge who tries to set contestants on the right path with a simple comment ("You're really going to try to make a souffle?"). Oh, if only more of the chefs listened.

7. Sharp knives. These are the ones that the contestants bury in one another's backs. Will this season's contestants ever top Dave's now-classic retort to Tiffani on Season 1: "I'm not your b--, b--"?

8. Satisfaction. Surely there's nothing a home cook can learn from this culinary chaos? Wrong. The show reminds chefs of the basics: Simple is best. Use fresh ingredients and don't overwhelm them with too many flavors. Taste, taste, taste (and use salt). Pastry isn't something you should attempt on the fly. Oh, and bacon is your friend.

9. You can play at home. Bravo and Whole Foods sponsor the At-Home Quickfire Challenge for those who want to test their culinary creativity. The current challenge: an Audacious Burger. Check out the rules on bravo.com.

10. Anthony Bourdain. Best. Guest. Judge. Ever. "What kind of crack house are you running here?" he asked in a Season 2 episode, and we immediately knew that we would see more of him. He shows up tonight, and we hope the producers can pry him away from his Travel Channel show ("No Reservations") for the finale. *

Top Chef News ( Caliber of chefs are better ? )

By Richard Leong
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - "Top Chef", the reality food show that serves up drama along with creative dishes each week, has gained the respect of culinary experts as well as a loyal following of foodies.
Sixteen contestants will be vying for the top $100,000 prize in the fourth season of the show that begins on Wednesday.
"The caliber of chefs just gets deeper. Any of these chefs could come away and win," said award-winning chef and member of the judging panel Tom Colicchio.
Each week Colicchio and a panel of judges led by host Padma Lakshmi dismiss a contestant whom they deem made the worst dish.
Although better chefs meant better food, it also made the judging harder.
"It made me a nicer person at the judges' table," said Canadian food critic Gail Simmons, one of the regular judges.
"Although I was better fed, my job became more difficult," she added.
The show on the Bravo cable channel attracted an average of nearly 2.5 million viewers last season and leading chefs like Eric Ripert, who acted as a guest judge.
Top restaurants like Le Cirque in New York have also opened their doors for filming of the series, which also attracts reality-show buffs who are hooked on the clashes between contestants.
Contrary to the perception of some viewers, Colicchio insisted that he and other judges rate the contestants on their cooking, not their personality.
"We are not allowed to interact with the contestants at all during shooting," he explained in an interview.
In addition to the food, the interpersonal stories provide the fun and narrative twists in each episode of the series which has grown in popularity each year.
The judges were tight-lipped about the new season's contestants. While the finalists of the series that was filmed in Chicago have been determined, the winner has not been chosen.
"The viewers are going to think what they are going to think," Colicchio said.
"We don't choose the nice guy. We choose the best food."

Top Chef Bios ( Season 4 )

By Christopher Rocchio, 01/23/2008Bravo has revealed the identities of the 16 culinary up-and-comers who will be competing on Top Chef: Chicago, the fourth season of the network's Top Chef reality series, which will premiere Wednesday, March 12 at 10PM ET/PT.
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Top Chef: Chicago's contestants will be competing for a grand-prize package similar to the show's earlier seasons: $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant; a feature in Food & Wine magazine; a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen; a "gourmet dream vacation" in the French Alps; and -- of course -- the title of "Top Chef." "This season the chefs bring a diverse wealth of talent and skill to the table that we've not seen before," said Top Chef judge and restaurateur Tom Colicchio. "The title Top Chef has proven to be an amazing opportunity for these chefs to make a name for themselves in the competitive culinary world." Rounding out the judging panel with Colicchio will be Padma Lakshmi (returning for her third season of hosting duties), Food & Wine magazine editor Gail Simmons, and Ted Allen, the former Queer Eye food and wine expert who will be returning for his second season. Top Chef: Chicago's cast is the largest in the show's history, as it's Spring 2006 first season featured 12 contestants while its Fall 2006 second season and Summer 2007 third season each featured 15. The cast -- which ranges between 26 and 38 years old -- is split evenly along sex lines and features eight men and eight women. Seven of the contestants currently reside in New York while five are from California and two each are from Georgia and Illinois. Top Chef: Chicago, which began shooting last fall, is the second consecutive installment of the show to film outside of California (Season 3 -- dubbed Top Chef 3 Miami -- filmed in Miami, Season 2 filmed in Los Angeles, and Season 1 filmed in San Francisco). Top Chef: Chicago's 16 contestants -- as well as their Bravo-supplied bios -- are:

Andrew, a 30-year-old sous chef from Fort Lauderdale, FL who currently resides in New York City For the past two years, Andrew has studied everything from the French cuisine of Raymond Blanc to the molecular gastronomy of Ferran Adria. With food influences that range from African, Spanish, French and Thai to Vietnamese, Japanese, Latino and Indian, Andrew prides himself on being diverse in the kitchen. When Andrew isn't working, you can find him researching cuisines at a bookstore or shopping for spices that are uncommon and of multicultural influences to adapt to his cuisine. He believes in translating the flavors and techniques from different cultures into innovative interpretations that do not stray far from their origins. His goal is to leave a legacy like the chefs before his time, which shaped him and his fellow chefs minds and refined their techniques. He says he doesn't make food for mere sustenance, but to create an experience that impacts the soul.

Antonia, a 31-year-old executive chef from Los Angeles, CA Antonia worked for executive chef Lee Hefter at Spago restaurant for six years and is now Executive Chef at the popular L.A. restaurant Foxtail. A single mother living in Los Angeles with her 7-year-old daughter, Antonia comes from an Italian background and says fresh linguine with white truffle is her favorite thing to cook. She always has aged balsamic and extra virgin olive oil on hand, and root beer floats with her daughter are her favorite indulgence.

Dale, a 29-year-old sous chef from Chicago, IL who currently resides in New York City Dale, a sous chef at Buddakan, one of New York's hottest restaurants, was born and raised in Chicago, where he helped open the renowned restaurant Jean Georges Vong. In Chicago, Dale worked with distinguished chefs like Carrie Nahabedian and Shawn Mcclain. With his Filipino background, Dale focuses on Asian flavors. "I love the balance that Asian cuisine offers the salty, sweet, bitter and sour and the textures it provides for different experiences in every bite." One of Dale's kitchen favorites is a dry aged kobe rib eye. Dale says cooking meats is one of his favorite things to do in the kitchen and the technique that goes into properly searing and basting a rack of lamb or steak shows a lot of love. A motto that drives Dale is "expect perfection, because if you fall short your left with greatness."

Erik, a 38-year-old executive chef from Chappaqua, NY who currently resides in San Francisco, CA A third generation chef, Erik gets his love of cooking from his grandfather and mother, who are both chefs. He worked his way through the ranks of several New York City restaurants before becoming sous chef at Eros and then Tapas Lounge. He eventually tired of the cold and decided to move to California, where he now works as executive chef at Circa Restaurant in San Francisco. He says his favorite thing to cook is Circa's popular pan-seared Chilean Sea Bass with wild chanterelle, truffles and caramelized leek ragout.

Jennifer, a 35-year-old executive chef from Brooklyn, NY who currently resides in San Francisco, CA Born in Brooklyn, NY, and trained in classic French and Mediterranean cuisine, Jennifer believes in cooking for the season and stimulating the palette. She has lived and worked in both Paris and London and always tries to incorporate French, Italian and Spanish influences in her cooking. Jennifer is currently working as an executive chef at the popular San Francisco restaurant, COCO500, but says if she could cook anywhere in the world it would be Cinque Terre, Italy.

Lisa, a 27-year-old chef from Toronto, Canada who currently resides in New York City Being drawn to the flavors of Asian cuisine since a young age, Lisa moved to New York City where she decided food was her passion and career choice. At only 17, she attended Johnson & Wales University and received a B.S. in food service management. She moved to south Florida to diversify her cooking palette, absorbing the local flair of Latin food. With Asian cuisine still in her heart, Lisa moved back to New York to get involved with more Asian restaurants, working at Asia de Cuba, Rain and then Public. Lisa says she always exercises Asian flair in her dishes and has taught herself as much as she can about the cuisine. Lisa hopes to open an Asian influenced restaurant in New York in the years to come.

Manuel, a 33-year-old executive chef from Laredo, TX who currently resides in New York City As executive chef of Dos Caminos Third Avenue, Manuel brings authentic Mexican fare to the heart of Midtown in New York City. Growing up in the border town of Laredo, Texas and influenced by his Mexican heritage, Manuel began cooking at an early age and has never stopped. Manuel was classically French trained at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. After moving up the ranks from Garde Manger to Tournant at New York's Le Cirque 2000, he then worked with executive chef Mario Batali at Babbo Restaurant where he quickly rose to sous chef. Manuel believes that it is always good to inject new ideas and stir things up.

Mark, a 29-year-old sous chef from Invercargill, New Zealand who currently resides in New York City Born and raised on a sheep farm in New Zealand, Mark developed a great appreciation for cooking from scratch. After leaving school at the age of 16, he went to work at a slaughterhouse before leaving New Zealand to travel the world. Over the past eight years, Mark has worked his way up the kitchen ladder from dishwasher to sous chef and has worked in New Zealand, Melbourne, Tokyo, and New York.

Nikki, a 35-year-old chef and restaurant co-owner from New York City Nikki operates 24 Prince Restaurant in New York City as the chef and co-owner. Trained for many years in back of house and in front of house operations with great chefs like Jean-Georges, Shaun Doty and Anne Quatrano, Nikki believes a great chef must understand how to run a business as well as possess outstanding cooking skills. She is also a certified sommelier with extensive wine knowledge. Nikki loves not being restricted to any one particular cuisine and experiments with flavors and ingredients from all over the world. She considers growing up in New York to be the best culinary education one can obtain and says her family and friends constantly tease her about how passionate she is about food. Her future plans are to expand her restaurant group with several new concepts.

Nimma, a 26-year-old chef from Peachtree City, GA who currently resides in Atlanta, GA A native of Peachtree City, GA., Nimma earned her culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America and is currently working as a chef at Repast restaurant in Atlanta. Her favorite thing to cook is pasta and she says she always has salt, pepper, green tea, coffee, and butter on hand.
Richard, a 35-year-old chef and culinary designer from Uniondale, NY who currently resides in Atlanta, GA Richard is not only a chef, but also a culinary designer, working all over the east coast. He and his wife reside in Atlanta, GA., with their two weimaraners and are expecting their first child in the spring. He is known for his innovative and personal take on classical cuisine and has studied under luminaries such as Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Ferran Adria. Richard believes cooking is an art and a craft and food is meant to stimulate on many levels. He incorporates global ingredients, modern cooking methods, wit and a sense of humor to all his food. He says if he were a food he would be an artichoke. "It's tough, difficult to work with, even dangerous at its core; but when you come down to it, it's simple, beautiful and delicious."

Ryan, a 28-year-old chef from Los Banos, CA who currently resides in San Francisco, CA Ryan zeroed in on his desire to be a chef at the early age of nine when the "toys" at the top of his Christmas list included kitchen utensils, a wok and food dehydrator. Growing up in the Central Valley of California he developed a passion for the culinary arts that has led to a very successful career spanning both coasts. His talent for creating simple, healthy and delicious Mediterranean and French-influenced cuisine draws long lines and wide acclaim at Myth Cafe in San Francisco, where he has been chef since 2005. Ryan strongly believes in "giving back" as much as possible and works extensively with Bay Area community organizations. This fall, he led a team of over 30 volunteers in his first "Thanksgiving Bag Lunch Giveaway," which involved creating 1,000 bag lunches -- from scratch -- for people in need.

Spike, a 27-year-old chef de cuisine from Clearwater Beach, FL who currently resides in Williamsburg, NY Spike works as the chef de cuisine at Tribeca's new hotspot restaurant, MAi-House, which was named as one of the New York Times' top ten best restaurants. Born in Montreal, Canada and trained in classic French cuisine in restaurants around the world, Spike has worked with Gerard Boyer at Les Crayeres, Thomas Keller at Bouchon and The Maccioni Family at Le Cirque and at Good Stuff Eatery in Washington D.C. Spike believes in learning the basics to become the best. His latest venture is opening a new chain, Good Stuff Eatery, with his family. The new restaurant features his weakness -- hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and milkshakes.

Stephanie, a 31-year-old chef from Stamford, CT who currently resides in Chicago, IL Until recently, Stephanie was the chef/owner of Scylla in Chicago. She is now enjoying traveling, both domestically and abroad, while planning her next exciting venture. Stephanie's biggest lure in cooking is seafood because the same fish can be cooked so many different ways -- grilled, poached, cured, pan roasted -- and this brings out different attributes, flavors and textures. Stephanie says in her cooking, contrasting and complementary elements are essential, but balance is non-negotiable. She has always been very driven and a bit of a risk-taker. "Once I set my mind to something, I follow through. It always has to be 110%."

Valerie, a 32-year-old personal chef from Chicago, IL Born and raised in Chicago, Valerie has worked her way around popular Chicago restaurants for the past nine years and is currently working as a personal chef in her native city. Valerie has a passion for traveling and loves to incorporate influences from all over the world in her cooking. She believes food is the most universal part of life and enjoys cooking cuisine with elegance and simplicity.
Zoi, a 30-year-old chef and restaurant consultant from Seattle, WA who currently resides in San Francisco, CA A restaurant consultant living in San Francisco, Zoi began cooking at the age of 19 and has worked with some of the greatest chefs on the West Coast. After traveling extensively through Europe, she believes her food reflects her love of Greece and Italy. Zoi describes her cooking as simple and rustic and emphasizes the importance of using local, seasonal ingredients whenever possible.

New Top Chefs Profile

New chefs?! Season Four, Bravo has 60 second video's of each of the chefs. Click HERE to begin with Dale and to access the others. Top Chefs Chicago

Top Chef Season Four ( 4 ) News

ABOUT THE SHOW
16 Hot New Chefs Take To The Kitchen Along With Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons And Ted Allen

Let the flames begin. The newest crop of 16 rising chefs from across the country take on the windy city of Chicago. Returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner, Craft Restaurants, judge Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine and judge Ted Allen, Emmy-winning cookbook author and TV personality. In what will prove to be the most exciting season yet, some of the biggest and most respected chefs will guest star on "Top Chef: Chicago."

The 16 "Top Chef: Chicago" cheftestants will be skewered down week by week as they compete to out-flavor, out-cook and out-do their competition. The winning chef will receive $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant, furnished by the makers of the Glad family of products, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, a gourmet dream vacation in the French Alps, and will earn the title of "Top Chef.