Get to know the Top Chef fresh meat: Part one

Posted by Dan March 3rd, 2008 at 11:38am In Top Chef

Get it? Because meat is a food and Top Chef is about cooking food.

Set phasers to I’M AWESOME!

Anyway, Top Chef starts next week guys! Not to gloss over the finale of Project Runway (although it’s time to just let Christian win and put this season out to pasture), but we’ve got to get oriented about our new cast members. Otherwise we’re just going to go through the whole season premiere forgetting who everyone is.

Through the week, I’ll be bringing you bite-sized servings of new Top Chef contestants (I’m making a conscious decision to avoid usage of the word “cheftestant” — it’s a bit too Bravo establishment at this point). I’ll include real biographical information as well as ill-informed snap judgments.

Here’s your first crop:

Andrew
Age: 30
From: Fort Lauderdale
About him: He seems to be a bit of a culinary citizen of the world — drawing influences from all over the place.
Ill-informed snap judgment: I think he looks like he could be a long lost Fiennes brother. Am I crazy? It’s something about the eyes.

Manuel
Age: 33
From: Laredo, Texas
About him: A pretty accomplished chef who has worked with Molto Mario
Ill-informed snap judgement: Judging by his audition video, he’s probably too nice to give us any good drama. Good for him, though.

Spike
Age: 27
From: Williamsburg, NY by way of Clearwater, Florida (hipster Scientologist perhaps?)
About him: He’s trying to open a restaurant chain that focuses on hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and milkshakes. In other words, The Lord’s Work.
Ill-informed snap judgment: Again, with the hats? I’m against for a few reasons — it makes me think of the ska concert in the movie Clueless (which is wonderful, but has quickly become very dated) and because we already went through it last season with Mr. Malarkey.