I got into this show last summer and loved it. Looking forward to the new season.

Nothing to spoilerize here. It's a pretty generic description of season 4.

16 Hot New Chefs Take To The Kitchen Along With Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons And Ted Allen

Let the flames begin. The newest crop of 16 rising chefs from across the country take on the windy city of Chicago. Returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner, Craft Restaurants, judge Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine and judge Ted Allen, Emmy-winning cookbook author and TV personality. In what will prove to be the most exciting season yet, some of the biggest and most respected chefs will guest star on "Top Chef: Chicago."

The 16 "Top Chef: Chicago" cheftestants will be skewered down week by week as they compete to out-flavor, out-cook and out-do their competition. The winning chef will receive $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant, furnished by the makers of the Glad family of products, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, a gourmet dream vacation in the French Alps, and will earn the title of "Top Chef."

Bios for the new contestants:

http://www.bravotv.com/Top_Chef/season/4/bios/index.php


No need to worry in case you miss the premiere. Bravo literally re-airs the show 10 times a day.

They certainly churn these out a lot faster than the Project Runways. Enjoy the show a lot, but it is all harder to actually judge since we can't taste the food.

Well, Ill start with the show, but I dont know if I can handle another go with it... Between Padma doing her best incoherent Paula Abdul impression and Colicchio and his self important double talk, its just gets old. Really depends on the likeability of the contestants.

Being a foodie, I always look forward to the cooking shows. I'll definitely be watching tonight. For behind the scenes info, you should go over to www.bravotv.com and read the weekly blogs after each episode. They are usually quite amusing. I also noticed a commercial during AI that Hell's Kitchen will be starting up in April this year.

Yeah, love this show... watched it religiously last season. Just hope they lay off a bit on how they edit the show. You kind of had a feeling who would be voted off (or at least very narrowed down) by how they focused on specific people in the 'sub-plots'.

Hell yes. Ditto. Exactly.

Tom: This dish was in-edible.
Padma: It was in-edible.
Gale: There was no taste.
Padma: I just couldn't taste anything.
Tom: I own several successful resturants and I wouldn't do that.
Padma: Some of the other panelist own resturants and wouldn't do that.

Its those types of exchanges that had me tuning out last season.

I'd watch Gail Simmons do just about anything. Count me in.
Looking at that bio page, I can't help but wonder if Sandy from last season didn't re-enter this season as a guy named Richard.

I looked up his restaurant and couldn't find it. All I can find is a myspace page with a link to a restaurant (named after him) that doesn't work. There are reviews from 2004, but the place doesn't appear to be open anymore.

I know the other person from Atlanta's restaurant. I've never eaten there personally, though (maybe I should this weekend).

I recently got into this show, so I'm looking forward to being able to watch a whole season of it in order as it happens.

Here you go... Richard Blais' Element closed in October:

http://blissfulglutton.blogspot.com/...-food-lab.html

Apparently, he's a foam / experimental guy, like Marcel.

4 from SF are in the show, so I'll watch it, never watched a season of it yet.

Who didn't see that send-off coming. Although I though the woman who won wouldn't do very well given how nervous she was.

guess I need to pad that recording a little, ended before the winner was even announced.

I like the guy who says "fuck" and "motherfucker" a lot.

Weird, since I already think he's an annoying douche. But to his credit, his is the only face (but not name) I remember at the moment; everyone else is just a blob in a chef's coat.

Interesting about the couple there. Unless I missed something, did they apply at separate times and not tell each other, or did they apply together? Either way, I look forward to the pressures of 24-7 cameras and fierce competition slowly eroding their relationship for my entertainment.

What's up, fellow Bay Area DVDTalker?

Not a surprise that the premiere ran 75 minutes long. Luckily Tivo has been pretty good with these shows that are running extra long.

Pretty solid premiere. The guy who curses like crazy is already my least favorite. I'm already sensing the Asian guy will have some similarities to Hung from last season, especially in the ego department.

I liked seeing Tony Bourdain once again moonlight on this show. So, there was no prize to winning the 1st challenge?

Agreed. Also, for two people having the Sandy haircut.

I have to say, even though it was 75 minutes or whatnot, it was a really solid showing, and not overwhelmingly ad-filled like most reality shows.

I like the bald guy. I picked the girl who was going first from the first time they showed her. I think they kinda framed her as the really awful one.

Actually I was lucky enough to see in the paper that the premiere was 75 minutes, I was suprised by this as I do not believe that any of the 1st 3 seasons ran that long. Growing up here in Chicago, I was just getting more and more squemish as I watched the contestants doing some terrible stuff to the pizzas. I was in fear at what the heck the New York ladies pizza was going to look like when she put that much dough into the tin. Seriously did she not just eat some pizza at Pizzerea Uno? Did she think the dough was actually going to shrink. Looks like the season should be good although even though she won the challenge I am not holding too much hope for my 2 locals to do well in the show.

From the previews definitely can't wait to see what kind of "tailgate" food they make for the Bears fans. I'm guessing they will also try and do a "create your version of the hot dog" for a quickfire and I am hoping/guessing they use this local propritor (Hot Doug's)that does amazing things with game meats into sausage casings and on Fri/Sat even does his fries in duck fat which is supposed to be amazing. Also I am not sure that they will get him on, but I cannot see how they do not have Charlie Trotter on for an episode as well.

Holla..

I do have to watch this on the night it airs, as sf.eater.com will no doubt be talking about it. Good blog on the restaurant world if you don't already know about it.

^

There have definitely been 75 minute episodes from previous seasons. After the initial showing, they will edit this episode down to a 60 minute time slot for the reruns.

Crap, I missed it. So the re-run won't be the full episode?

My Cox box isn't showing the episode descriptions in the guide. There are about 40 Top Chef's playing this week, does anyone know which one is the repeat?

It's on tonight at 9 Eastern Time and it is only for an hour.

I wonder what parts will be cut?

Nimma was an annoying bitch. Glad she's gone.

To be honest, after this premiere, if they just voted everyone off and told us to wait a few more months to find new contestants, I probably would be happy as well.

The lack of hot chicks makes me give this four thumbs down.