Top Chef Masters

My only current reality-TV addiction is Top Chef. And now there’s a special season to tide me over til fall! In each new episode, 4 famous chefs compete as Top Chef Masters.

The competition is decidedly not fierce. The chefs have already established names for themselves in their industry. They’re all competing for charity. On the regular seasons of Top Chef, the competition is cutthroat as newcomers compete for a big break.

Still, it’s amazing to see what these guys do within the crazy restrictions of the judges’ challenges. And also to see them goof around with each other. Highlights so far…

Master Chef Hubert Keller makes a whipped-cream mouse, delighting 3 junior Girl Scouts. (And me.) Wins competition.
New York City food critic Gael Greene. Period.

While awaiting the judges’ decisions, pastry chef Elizabeth Falkner of Citizen Cake (best restaurant name ever) decides to have the chefs bake cookies together. A deadpan Wiley Dufresne makes fun of his wacky creative side (and the fact he's not a pastry chef): “Can you microwave a cookie? Deep fry? Pan sear?”

I'm psyched for the real competition to begin again, but this is good fun in the meantime.