Top Chef (2006– )

Stars:

Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 29 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Tom Colicchio	...	Himself - Head Judge (143 episodes, 2006-2013)
Padma Lakshmi	...	Herself - Host (134 episodes, 2006-2013)
Gail Simmons	...	Herself - Judge (102 episodes, 2006-2013)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

cooking competition | cooking | competition | food | non fiction

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Genres:

Reality-TV

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Top Chef All-Stars

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Magical Elves Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 1st season took place in San Francisco, California. The 2nd season took place in Los Angeles, California. The 3rd season took place in Miami, Florida. The 4th season took place in Chicago, Il.

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Connections

Referenced in Drop Dead Diva: Pick's & Pakes (2012)

User Reviews

Fairly derivative take on the reality knockout model (aka ANTM) but is entertaining enough for those that likes this sort of thing

A group of budding professional chefs come together to compete in a contest to see which of them will become "Top Chef". Each week they have a challenge and a "cook off" with the winner lauded by the panel of judges, while the individual deemed the weakest is sent home and takes no further part in the competition.

Yes, here we are in familiar territory with the reality contest model of a group of gradually dwindling people competing for a dream job. Fans of America's Next Top Model will recognise it and I'm sure it has been done many times in other guises in shows I just not aware of. Like ANTM, the contestants want to get a major jump in their chosen career and compete to get it. Each week we have the challenges, the in-fighting, the tensions and then the removal of one of the group. It is a winning approach so I can understand why others have just tried to apply that model to other disciplines – in this case cookery.

As with ANTM, the subject isn't really important because it the show is driven by the tension tensions between the characters. It may be clever editing but the most is made of the minor snaps at one another and the "diary room" comments are used to feed the minor fire. As such it is engaging enough guff that I find easy to watch without actually having to commit any emotion or brain power in watching. Everyone hates some characters and likes others and this is where the entertainment comes from. I confess that I found the judges quite dull and lacking in the sort of character and extremes that other similarly structured shows tend to have.

Overall then a fairly derivative affair perhaps but it is a formula that works and those that like this short of show will enjoy it. For my money though, it is distracting enough nonsense but nothing that I remember for more than five minutes after watching an episode.