Top Chef Miami to Bring the Summertime Sizzle
Top Chef Miami to Bring the Summertime Sizzle by Roxanne McDonald
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In keeping with the trend of suffixing not a number but a locale, “Top Chef 3”—er, “Top Chef Miami”— promises more cutting edge competition, whatever they name it. |
“The Apprentice” distinguished itself with the addition of Los Angeles (instead of identifying as installment 6); hairdressing Bravo show (that is really quite entertaining) separated itself by losing the “Top” moniker and calling itself “Sheer Genius.” And Top Chef, to stand out from Top Model (WB) and Top Design (Bravo), has gone the way of the CSI: and the aforementioned “Apprentice,” becoming not just “Top Chef 3” but “Top Chef Miami.”
This lengthy introduction as interesting as, oh, say, the technique of underlining and linking place names in emails and on news sites, I digress…to express excitement that whatever they call the third cycle of “Top Chef,” we devotees will be there: Wednesday, June 13, 2007.
The host of “Top Chef 2”, Padma Lakshmi, and renowned
chef Tom Colicchio and food and wine expert and critic Gail Simmons will be the judges again this season. So will Ted Allen, food and wine connoisseur of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” be a featured guest judge again.
According to Jenn Brasler of Reality News Online, Celebrity Spider, and BravoTV.com, the following contestants will come to Miami from all over the globe to compete for the 100,000, the feature piece in Food and Wine Magazine, and the title of Top Chef [Miami]!
Brian, 34
Originally from Bend, Oregon, Brian currently resides in San Diego, California. He studied at the Western Culinary Institute, and now works as executive chef at The Oceanaire Seafood Room. Inspired by grandmother’s cooking and his love of seafood, Brian brings the title of 2007 Best Chef in San Diego; his simple summer recipe of cold beer, cold wine, and cold seafood; and tons of energy and the attitude that can be heard in his credo: “Love, peace, and happiness.” At the same time, Brian brings to the new competition the intention to “do everything bigger and better….”
Camille, 34
Native of Puerto Rico, formerly of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Camille currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her five-year-old daughter. There she is chef of Brooklyn’s Paloma, which she owns and operates. A former student of Culinary School and Academy of Culinary Arts, the level-headed Camille brings meditating with a 100-year0old Zen master to the competition, as well as her “Latin spice,” her favorite simple summer recipe of mixed greens sald with baby grains, and the attitude that the “world would be a better place if everyone knew how to cook.”
Casey, 29
Originally from Cedar Hills, Texas and now living in Dallas, Casey is a self-taught chef working as executive chef at Shinsei Restaurant, also in Dallas, Texas. Specializing in Asian and Mexican cuisines, Casey serves up a simple summer recipe of big burgers; finds tartare to be “the most romantic” of dishes as it is “raw, risky, ice cold and delicious;” and comes to the “Top Chef” competition with the belief that a good chef will “serve food that people want more of.”
Chris, 31
Originally from El Toro and now residing in Venice, California, Chris is an ex-volleyball player, a testicular cancer survivor, and a private chef. He will come to the competition with a dossier that includes having cooked for Ariana Huffington and Guess Corporation’s Marciano family, and brings a motivated, confident, and spirited approach that includes “living life to the fullest.”
Clay, 28
Currently residing in Santa Barbara, California, Clay is a self-proclaimed “good ol’ boy from Mississippi” who as a self-taught chef has used what he believes is innate talent to develop his skills and work his way through such restaurants as that at Santa Barbara University Club, where he is a sous chef. Besides the positive attitude and belief in his skills, Cliff brings a specialty of southern cooking to “Top Chef Miami.”
Dale, 34
A native Chicagoan, Dale is self-taught and on his way to opening his own restaurant. With Croque Monsieur his signature dish, the chef and cooking consultant with six
years experience has also devised the formula, “flavor math,” which he says is the “right number of spices…[to] bring perfect flavor and taste.” Dale dives, does gymnastics, and brings an aggressive competitive attitude to his craft, which is influenced by French and American cultures/cuisines and which includes a smirky joy at the possibility of the other “Top Chef” contestants being “out-cooked by a queer.”
Howie, 31
Miami, Florida native Howie is a self-taught executive chef…a “a true chef at heart” who quips he has a “home-court” advantage. But location really just an added plus, it is passion and superb communication skills Howie also brings. His father died prematurely, and having been raised by women, this specialist of American, Asian, and Mediterranean cuisines not only can speak up and do what he thinks the “Top Chef” judges are looking for—“cook and cry at the same time”–but allows the creations he does, sourced by the best products, to “speak for themselves.” One such dish is his simple summer favorite, seared scallops with chorizo and corn emulsion.
Hung, 29
Born in Vietnam and then growing up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and now living in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hung is an executive sous chef at the high-end restaurant, Guy Savoy. He has trained in classic French and Asian cuisines at A.O.S. Culinary Arts and Culinary Institute of America, and brings a love of seafood in particular (because there “a million varieties and flavors to choose from”) and a respect for food and cooking in general. Hung’s philosophy is about “cooking from the soul;” and that soul has been all over the world, knows and speaks four languages; and includes a repertoire of Asian, French, and Spanish influences. While his offering of a favorite summer recipe is for heirloom tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, basil, mint, and extra virgin olive oil, and while his favorite food is seafood, his attitude suggests differently: he says if he were a food he would be spicy chili, for though “it takes a while to get used to…, once you eat it, you always come back for more.”
Joey, 29
From Franklin Square, Long Island, New York to New York City to Miami comes executive chef at Café Des Artistes. A graduate of Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School, Joey is a four-star chef who has worked several top-end restaurants—including Water’s Edge, Jean Georges, and Vong. Offering simple, light food [“always on a hot plate”], such as caramelized diver sea scallops with a wild Mushroom and truffle risotto, Joey brings influences by world cultures, “intense passion,” a romantic side, and a no-nonsense bluntness: he will easily tell anyone who “can’t stand the heat” to “get the f—k out of the kitchen!”
Lia, 28
Originally from Tacoma, Washington and now residing in Brooklyn, New York, Lia is an executive sous chef at Jean Georges. First a lit major, Lia became a self-taught line cook with a passion for cooking that she has never regretted. Influenced by several styles and cuisines, she identifies her signature style as eclectic, so that whether she is offering her simple summer recipe of guacamole or any other of the many fine foods she trained under “the best” to prepare, she does so with pride—saying that one should “always be proud” of what one does.
Micah, 33
Originally from South Africa and currently living in Boca Raton, Florida, Micah is a former literature major, restaurant reviewer, and present single mom and self-taught caterer and owner of The Wandering Chef Caterers. She offers a simple summer favorite of gazpacho made from sun-almost-ripened tomatoes, but tells us she is best known for her eclectic world cuisine, for such much-applauded recipes as her guava chili glazed lamb chop with passion fruit mint sauce specialty. Micah will bring success and passion to the competition, and will highlight her progress by “thriving” on how she is often underestimated. This delights her as much as do her hobbies of racing sailboats and fishing…and cooking her catches.
Sandee, 39
Formerly of Saint Simon’s Islands, Georgia, Sandee currently resides in Miami Beach, Florida, where this self-taught executive chef studied and practiced her way from line cook to executive chef at Tantra, a “hot South Beach restaurant.” With her specialty in southern soul food, Sandee suggests a simple summer recipe of grilled watermelon and brings a signature dish of grilled hamachi collar with southern collard greens and soy sherry reduction, with jalapeño corn bread. These and other dishes have earned her a three-star rating and “rave reviews.” Also not interested in the opposition, whom she says will be playing it safe while she continues to bring the hard work ethic that will help her succeed, Sandee says she only knows one way, to “Dream as if you’ll live forever, and live as if you’ll die today.”
Sara M., 34
Originally from Kingston, Jamaica and currently residing in Miami, Florida, Sara M. brings an A.A. in culinary arts and a very defined specialty: she loves cheese, wants to bring cheese back to her home turf, Jamiaca, and is at present a professional cheese maker. Sara M. has a distinguished palate, and also has an impressive background, training under New Florida cuisine progenitor Chef Mark Militello, working as sous chef for Michelle Bernstein at Tantra, in Miami, and working as chef de cuisine at Ortanique, also in Miami. Sara M. also brings passion to the competition, speaking the golden credo she lives by, “Do unto others as you would do unto yourself.”
Sara N., 25
From Santa Monica, California to New York City to “Top Chef Miami” comes the executive sous chef of Boucarou. She was formally trained and has a degree in culinary arts/management from the Institute of Culinary Education, and continues to bring a passion to her special skills in fine dining, corporate and private catering, and preparing what she believes should be simple, seasonal, and satisfying foods. Some of those include her signature French-Asian Cuisine and her suggestion of grilled soft-shelled crab for simple summer fare. Sara N. is good at managing people, she says, has innate skills, and is ready to either find a way or make a way through the competition.
Tre, 30
Hailing first from Duncanville, Texas and now from Cedar Hill, Texas, Tre is a father of two and a self-taught chef de cuisine, currently at Abacus Restaurant. With a signature of contemporary global cuisine, Tre says food is “all about presentation…,” which, if it is not done right the first time should be done again. As he proclaims, “Make it nice or make it twice.” Also studying and practicing, training hard to work his way toward his goal—to become “nationally recognized”—Tre hopes to take the competition with his offerings, done by his artistic hand which holds his spoon that is for him a paintbrush.
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