Posted 04/23/2008 in Top Chef 4

This quick-fire is short and sweet. The chefs must create a dessert that will satisfy the sweet-tooth of renowned pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini (Executive Pastry Chef at Jean Georges) with the winning recipe being featured in the Top Chef cookbook, due out in March. Then, the chef ‘testants get a lesson in improvisation from the legendary Chicago comedy troupe, Second City.
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Posted 04/18/2008 in Cast Interviews, Top Chef 4
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Ryan zeroed in on his desire to be a chef at the early age of nine when the "toys" at the top of his Christmas list included kitchen utensils, a wok and a food dehydrator. Growing up in the Central Valley of California he developed a passion for the culinary arts that has led to a very successful career spanning both coasts. His talent for creating simple, healthy and delicious Mediterranean and French-influenced cuisine drew long lines and…
Posted 04/04/2008 in Cast Interviews, Top Chef 4

Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: What got you started cooking?
A. Manuel, Top Chef 4: I grew up in a Mexican American household and food was very important. My mother is a phenomenal cook but stuck with the same 8 – 10 basic dishes. One day I asked her to try and make something new so she said, “Ok smart ass cook it yourself”, so I started cooking at age seven.
Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: Were you someone who knew about Top Chef and wanted to be on the show or were you approached by someone…
Posted 03/21/2008 in Top Chef 4

The Quickfire was at the Green City Market, where ingredients were purchased with $25 in 30 minutes to create one dish with no more than 5 ingredients, including all Kitchen ingredients except pepper, salt, sugar, or oil(which don't count). The guest judge was Wiley Dufresne, a Manhattan restauranteur noted for use of new food technologies. That market had wonderful greens and vegetables, variable meat, and no seafood(Chicago is 800 miles from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, although restaurants there certainly do have it) not even fish from the Great Lakes.
The bottom…
Posted 03/21/2008 in Cast Interviews, Top Chef 4

Born and raised in Chicago, Valerie has worked her way around popular Chicago restaurants for the past nine years and is currently working as a personal chef in her native city. Valerie has a passion for traveling and loves to incorporate influences from all over the world in her cooking. She believes food is the most universal part of life and enjoys cooking cuisine with elegance and simplicity.
Q. Mark, RealityWanted.com: What originally got you interested in cooking?
A. Valerie, Top Chef 4: I had gone to an undergraduate university at first and…