Showing posts with label Bravo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bravo. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Season 13 of "Top Chef" to Include Two Contestants from the Boston Area

A popular food-based reality show is getting ready for a brand new season, and this year, a couple of locals will be included among the contestants.

Eater Boston is reporting that Karen Akunowicz, who is executive chef of Myers + Chang in the South End, and Carl Dooley, who is a former chef de cuisine at Craigie on Main in Cambridge (and soon opening a new North Cambridge spot called The Table), will be competing in Season 13 of Bravo's "Top Chef," which will take place in a number of cities along the California coast rather than being in just one city. According to EB, this year's judges will be Richard Blais, Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse, Padma Lakshmi, and Gail Simmons, while the contestants will be cooking for celebrities such as rapper MC Hammer and supermodel Chrissy Teigen.

"Top Chef" has featured several Boston-area folks on the show in the past, including Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks, Michael Schlow of Tico, Alta Strada, and Doretta Tavern. Stephanie Cmar of Stacked Donuts and Kristen Kish (formerly of Menton).

For more information on Season 13 of "Top Chef"--which premiers on December 2--please go to the link below:

Top Chef Season 13 Kicks Off in December with Cameos from Chrissy Teigen and MC Hammer

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[Note: Please join the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Group Page to get more info on dining spots and also chat with others about Boston-area restaurants.]



Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Top Chef Is Coming to Boston for Season 12

The recent rumors of a food-based reality show coming to Boston have come true.

The Boston Globe is reporting that the 12th season of "Top Chef" will be filmed in and around the city this spring and early summer, with the Bravo show looking to film in Boston and along the coast (a couple of spots mentioned include Fenway Park and Plimoth Plantation). Two years ago, rumors had also been swirling about the show coming to the city, but Season 10 ended up being filmed in Seattle.

As mentioned in the article, "Top Chef" has featured some local folks on the show, including Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks and Michael Schlow of Tico, Alta Strada, and Via Matta. Stephanie Cmar of Stacked Donuts and Kristen Kish (formerly of Menton) are two other chefs who have been on the show.

The website for Top Chef can be found at http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Steve "Nookie" Postal Is Opening Commonwealth in Cambridge's Kendall Square

[Ed note: This article was updated on October 15 and October 19, and then again on July 31, 2013, to reflect new information that came in, including a location given to the upcoming restaurant.]

The executive chef for the Boston Red Sox who was also a finalist on a food-based reality competition show is planning to open a restaurant in Cambridge.

An article on the Skinny Beet site reiterates what an earlier interview on the Eater Boston site indicated, namely that  Steve "Nookie" Postal of Fenway Park and Bravo's Around the World in 80 Plates is bringing a restaurant to the Kendall Square section of the city, as well as another dining spot to New York. No name has been given for the Cambridge eatery as of yet, but Postal says in the Eater article that "it's going to be pretty big and pretty awesome."

[October 15 update: The Boston Business Journal reports that the new restaurant from Steve Postal will be called Commonwealth, and it will be located in the upcoming Watermark II apartment building at 350 Third Street. The article mentions that Commonwealth will be a farm-to-table eatery where diners can create their own menus, and the place will have a feel "like a Vermont barn," according to Postal. In addition, part of the space will also be dedicated to a food market with a setup that may be much like City Feed and Supply in Jamaica Plain. Expect the new restaurant to be open sometime next fall.]

[October 19 update: According to a post in the Chowder blog of Boston Magazine, "Commonwealth" is just a working title, and the restaurant may end up having a different name. The article also mentions that the space is very large (6,500 square feet), with a private dining room and a private courtyard being part of the plans, along with the aforementioned main restaurant area and market.]

[July 31, 2013 update: A new Boston Magazine article mentions that the restaurant will indeed be called Commonwealth, and that it should be opening in late September or early October. Also, the address given is 11 Broad Canal Way.]

[October 31, 2013 update: The Restaurant Hub blog of The Boston Globe states that Commonwealth plans to open next week, with such items as Island Creek oysters, roasted Niman Ranch pork chop, Pineland Farm beef shortrib, Georges Bank swordfish, and duck fat fries being on the menu. Also, the article gives mention to Eater Boston's series on Steve "Nookie" Postal, which can be found here.]

[November 1, 2013 update: A new Eater Boston article indicates that Commonwealth will open to the public on Tuesday (November 5).]

Postal has worked at such restaurants as Casablanca, Chez Henri, Icarus (now closed), and Oleana, according to Eater Boston.



Thursday, May 17, 2012

Top Chef Is (Briefly) Heading to Boston

Last month we reported that Top Chef would not be coming to Boston for Season 10, dashing the hopes of many who were encouraged by the possibility of the city being in the running for the food-based reality show that appears on Bravo. Now it has been learned that the show will actually be coming to Beantown, but only for a very brief appearance.

Grub Street Boston is reporting that Boston is going to be part of the fifth annual Top Chef tour, with Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks competing against Season Five winner (and Boulder, CO resident) Hosea Rosenberg at Faneuil Hall. The Top Chef site is showing that the event is being held on Tuesday, May 22, and Wednesday, May 23 starting at 10:30 AM, with two other showings at 12:00 noon and 1:30 PM. According to Grub Street, guests will be able to rate the dishes, which will be a first for the tour.

More information about the Top Chef tour (including how to register for the free event) can be found at http://www.bravotv.com/thetour

[Earlier Article]
Boston Will Apparently Not Be Home to Top Chef for Season 10


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Boston Will Apparently Not Be Home to Top Chef for Season 10

It appears that the possibility of a food-based reality show coming to Boston are quickly fading.

The Boston Herald is reporting that attempts to bring Top Chef to Boston have apparently failed, with the show likely coming to Seattle or Portland, OR, instead. The article mentions that there was not enough cash raised for the show to come to the city, nor was there a sufficient sponsorship deal. The office of Mayor Menino had no comment, according to the Herald.

Over the past winter, word had been going around that Boston might be able to bring Bravo's cooking competition show to the city for Season 10, with Portland being another top possibility.

The website for Top Chef can be found at http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef