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Bravo Picks Up Second Season of Top Chef Masters

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:30:52 -0700

As Bravo's Top Chef Las Vegas reaches the halfway mark, the network continues to expand its Top Chef empire. First it released plans to shoot Top Chef 7, and now the network has announced that it's bringing back Top Chef Masters for a sophomore season.

The second season of Masters, which was the highest-rated first season competition series in Bravo history, will see the return of Gael Greene, James Oseland, and Jay Rayner as critics, as well as bubbly (and slightly bubbleheaded) host Kelly Choi. This time, however, Top Chef veteran judge Gail Simmons will also have a place at the Critics' Table.

Now for the fun part. Guessing who will star on the show next. Any takers? Here are my guesses: While it sounds like Ming Tsai probably won't be a contender, what about Marcus Samuelsson, Tom Douglas, Kent Rathbun, and Charlie Palmer?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Have You Ever Done a Cleanse?

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:47:09 -0700

I was asked recently if I've ever detoxed like Gwyneth Paltrow does. Personally, I've never committed myself to a rigid master cleanse or detox diet for a prescribed amount of time, but I've definitely made adjustments to my diet.

After an unusually indulgent holiday season spent away from home, I cut out alcohol and sugar for a month and ate nothing but brown rice and steamed veggies for two days. And though I do think putting limits on sugar and alcohol are helpful, you won't see me on a restrictive meal plan like that again. It's important for me to have a balanced diet that also consists of dairy, fruit, and lean protein, and most cleanses don't allow for that.

I have a few friends that cleanse at least four times a year and they swear it does wonders for them. What about you - have you ever cleansed?

Top Chef Masters: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:00:54 -0700

On Thursday, Bravo announced a second season of Top Chef Masters. When I heard the news, I had mixed feelings. While I'm a huge fan of Top Chef, the first season of Masters seemed to drag on. Kelly Choi was annoying and the critics lackluster. Although the participating chefs have not been announced, I'm not sure I want to watch. How about you? Am I the only one who is starting to tire of the Top Chef brand?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Lovely Little Vignettes: A Serene Master Bedroom

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:00:45 -0700

Have you joined my new group Lovely Little Vignettes? It's the perfect place to share photos of the small vignettes you create in your home, or those you see online or at a friend's home.

Lovely Little Vignettes member Edeegan shared this image of her master bedroom vignette with the group. She says, "This is my favorite spot in my home. Here, I play with the kids, snuggle with my husband, watch my favorite tv programs, and sleep."

For such a multifunctional space, this room certainly has a calm, serene feel to it. That lovely light blue wall color definitely helps establish the relaxed vibe, as do the symmetrical bedside tables and lamps and the well-placed artwork above the bed.

Want to know where Edeegan found that cool wall art, as well as the pillows on her bed? Find out when you read more.

Edeegan reveals, "I purchased the artwork from Focus Line Art's Etsy shop a few months back. I actually purchased four sets of three. I thought the three different sets looked nice together. Honestly, they are one of my favorite art purchases. After I purchased the art, I had some questions for him and he's fantastic... great customer service! I also think his artwork is amazing. The pieces look even better in person then they do in the photos. After I put up the art, I sent him the photo. I guess he liked it! I also want to mention that the pillows on my bed are another fantastic Etsy find. I purchased one pillow, and loved it so much I purchased another. You can check out similar pillows here."

Read more about Edeegan's makeover of the master bedroom on her blog!

Top Chef Masters: Season Finale

partysugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:15:13 -0700

One chef took home the $100,000 prize on the final episode of Top Chef Masters last night. It was a nostalgic show that looked back at the final three chefs' - Michael Chiarello, Rick Bayless, and Hubert Keller - food memories and culinary careers. Did you watch? Let's discuss the details (spoilers ahead) after the break.

Top Chef Masters: Episode 7

partysugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:20:13 -0700

Signature dishes spoke volumes on last night's episode of Top Chef Masters. We kicked off the champions round as the previous episodes' winners - Art Smith, Suzanne Tracht, Rick Bayless, Anita Lo, Michael Chiarello, and Hubert Keller -each returned to make a play at the master title.

Are you still watching? Thankful for the return of episode-by-episode elimination, now that the tournament-style part of the show is over? Then let's discuss when you read more.

Did you love watching the masters in the mise en place relay race? Were you surprised by their skills?
Which chef's signature dish would you rather eat? Whose would you rather reinvent?
Would you rather see the chefs cook for other chefs or for critics?
Seriously, who is funnier: Rick Bayless or Art Smith?
Did you agree that Art Smith's burger looked "terrifying"? How would you have cooked the burger and egg differently?
Did you like the more radical reinventions or the chefs who stayed truer to the dish?

Source: Bravo

Top Chef Masters: Episode 9

partysugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:15:14 -0700

Only four masters remained on last night's episode of Top Chef Masters. The best part was when the Top Chef alum showed up! Did you watch? To discuss the episode, read more.

Doesn't Rick Bayless's beard kinda remind you of Spencer Pratt's?
What do you think of Anito Lo?
How is your palette? Could you name those dishes?
Which ex-Top Chef contestant would you pick to be your sous chef?
Who was out of line: Dale or Chiarello?
How hot is Hubert Keller?
Who do you think will win?

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Top Chef Masters: Episode 6

partysugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:30:40 -0700

The first round of Top Chef Masters was completed last night. The final quartet of chefs included no females, but Jonathan Waxman, Roy Yamaguchi, Michael Cimarusti, and Art Smith. The best thing about this episode was the return of Gail Simmons. Did you watch? If you are interested in discussing, read more.

Is it bad that I secretly want Jonathan Waxman to win simply because he trained Bobby Flay?
Have you ever been to Roy's? Do you like his Hawaiian Fusion?
If you competed on Top Chef Masters, what would your charity be?
How fabulous is Art Smith? Wouldn't Richard from Top Chef 5 consider him a teddy bear?
Whose quickfire dish looked the best to you?
There was a lot of camaraderie between the masters, do you think the regular Top Chef contestants would have felt differently about the shop-for-each-other elimination challenge?
How inspiring was it when the chefs set each other up with wonderful ingredients?
When should a chef cook out of his comfort zone and when should he stick to what he knows?
"Gael Greene and I go way back." Do you think Jonathan and Gael had a fling in the 80s?
Are you excited for the Champions Round?

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Top Chef Masters: Episode 3

partysugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:01:19 -0700

Well, the next round of chefs competed this week on Top Chef Masters. It was interesting to see another set of professionals, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the host, Kelly Choi. What do you think of her? To discuss that and much more, read more.

So, after a couple of episodes, has Choi grown on you?
Is the Frenchman, Ludo, hot or what?
Do the masters not understand the time constraints?
Why is there always that one chef who forgets something major?
When Ludo was talking about cooking the pig's ears didn't he sound like Stefan?! "If you want to be the master, you need to know about food. I know how to cook the pig ear. I know cook the tripe, the tongue, the heart."
Does Wilo's accent remind you of Ingrid Hoffmann from the Food Network?
Ears, heart, stomach, tongue: which one are you most inclined to eat?
Do you know how to use a pressure cooker?
How do you feel about the judges? Gail? James? Jay?
Could Bayless go all the way?

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Top Chef Masters: Episode 5

partysugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:08:22 -0700

Since I heard Michael Chiarello was competing on Top Chef Masters, I've been anxiously awaiting the chef's return to television. The suspense ended with last night's episode. Chiarello competed against Nils Noren, Rick Moonen, and Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson. There was junk food and the stars of Flipping Out. Did you watch? To discuss the episode, read more.

I can't tell: is Lachlan hot or simply an ugly hot guy?
Whose quickfire dish looked the most appetizing?
Did you feel bad for Rick Zero Stars?
When the appliances don't work - like Chiarello's ice cream maker - I can't help but wonder if Bravo planted a faulty machine. Thoughts?
Do you wish Los Angeles played a bigger role in the competition?
Would deep-fried speck-wrapped pineapple taste good?
What did you think of Jay's description of Rick's dessert?: "A good panna cotta, if it's set right, is meant to wobble like a woman's breast."
Have you ever had a strawberry that tasted like meat?
Overall, how do you feel about Top Chef Masters?

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