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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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

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Top Chef Contestant to Open Stacked Doughnuts in Boston

A contestant on a popular food show--and a cook at one of Boston's best-known restaurants--is planning to open a doughnut shop somewhere in the city.

The Chowder blog of Boston Magazine reports that Stephanie Cmar of No. 9 Park is eyeing locations for Stacked, a doughnut shop that could open within the next year or so.The article mentions that Cmar, who is competing on the upcoming season of Bravo's Top Chef, is looking at a few locations for her shop, including the Back Bay, the Innovation District, and the South End. Some doughnut options that will be available at Stacked include cider, nutella and caramelized white chocolate, toffee, and vanilla bean and raspberry.

[February 18, 2014 update: Stacked is not yet open, but Eater Boston mentions that Stephanie Cmar will be having a series of pop-ups for her upcoming doughnut shop, with the first three taking place at The Butcher Shop in Boston's South End over the course of the next three Saturdays starting at 9:00 AM and going until the doughnuts run out. EB also says that the doughnuts will be $3 each, with Bavarian-filled and citrus-glazed being a couple of options. (Note: Cmar will be looking for new places for the pop-ups once the ones at The Butcher Shop end.) ]

[March 13, 2014 update: Eater Boston says that Stacked will be continuing its pop-ups, this time at Commonwealth in Cambridge's Kendall Square on the next two Sundays (March 16 and 23). The doughnut flavors at these pop-ups will be salted chocolate and raspberry along with maple crumble, according to EB.]

[April 3, 2014 update: Zagat states that Stacked will be at The Salty Pig in Boston this Saturday and Sunday starting at 10:30 AM each day, and Fairsted Kitchen in Brookline on Monday night starting at 10:00 PM, and now Stephanie Cmar and her pop-up doughnut shop will be pairing up with Trademark Tarts, a business focusing on freshly-made pop tarts that was started by Justin Burke-Samson of the Mass Farmers Markets.]

[May 7, 2014 update: The pop-ups continue for Stacked (and Trademark Tarts), with a Twitter post mentioning that the next one is coming to Whole Foods Symphony on Westland Avenue this Saturday (May 10) from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Proceeds from this pop-up will help support Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer.]

[May 14, 2014 update: Another pop-up alert for Stacked and Trademark Tarts--according to a Twitter post from the latter, they will be at The Merchant on Franklin Street in Boston's Financial District this Friday (May 16) starting at 8:30 AM, and then again on Sunday (May 18) starting at 10:30 AM.]

Stephanie Cmar graduated from Johnson & Wales in Providence and has worked as a sous chef at Stir Boston in addition to her job as rounds cook at No. 9 Park, according to her bio on the Bravo site.


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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

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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

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