09.29.09 · 10:38 PM

Top Chef Odds Week 7: Betting on the breakdown

On last week’s episode of Top Chef the word was “deconstruction” – the breaking down of a dish into its components for a completely new plate that tastes surprisingly familiar. It proved an opportunity to shine for chefs like Michael Voltaggio, Jennifer, Ashley and episode winner Kevin. But for other competitors, the challenge caused a deconstruction of a different kind. Ron, in particular, struggled to break down a classic paella, and the likeable chef was told to pack his knives ... Read more...

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09.25.09 · 9:20 AM

The Jet Stream: The devil’s in the deconstruction

The Angel/Devil Quickfire this week was supposed to represent the good vs. bad or nice vs. naughty opposites of cooking. My angel and devil would have been a Thai duo, as I’m sitting in Bangkok writing this piece. I would make Thai chicken two ways. The first would be my devil dish, what we call Gai Baan, or home style fried chicken. You take some lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and shallots and mince then into tiny bits like breadcrumbs, then ... Read more...

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09.24.09 · 12:22 PM

Top Chef Episode 6: Parts > Whole

When is the whole not greater than the sum of its parts? When those parts, purposefully parsed into an array of ingredients, recombine into a single deceptively delicious bite. It may seem counterintuitive for “Top Chef: Las Vegas” to ask the chef’testants to take comforting dishes like meat lasagna, the Reuben, fish and chips and Caesar salad and break them down and build them back up, but that’s exactly what guest judge Michelle Bernstein did on the sixth episode. Only ... Read more...

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09.22.09 · 3:43 PM

Top Chef Odds Week 6: Losers walk

Another week, another shake up in the lines for “Top Chef: Las Vegas,” well, for the chefs in the bottom half, at least. Not surprisingly, the chef’testants who seem to have the complete package of technical skills, creative flavors and come-what-may dexterity are hovering at the top for the sixth season of Bravo’s culinary competition. Expect to see someone with the last name Voltaggio in the top tier of chefs almost every week. The bottom is where it gets messy. ... Read more...

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09.17.09 · 11:26 PM

Top Chef Episode 5: Countrified competition

Like kiddie pools and foot-long hot dogs, cacti are one of those things that are better in theory. They’re low maintenance plants, yes, but once the novelty of having something green that requires almost no water wears off, you’re left with a prickly bush that isn’t conducive to having picnics, playing football or, apparently, making lunch. On this week’s episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas, guest judge Tim Love of Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Fort Worth, Texas brought the ... Read more...

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09.17.09 · 3:16 PM

The Jet Stream: Not feeling the Love

It all was about cowboys this week, from cactus to ranch hands. Chef Tim Love, whose personality is dryer than a desert, presided over the top chefs. Tim’s advice for working with cactus this week was…wait for it… “Be careful!” Thanks Tim. He also had some good one-liners such as “It tastes like I sucked on a piece of chlorine” and “I’m not well from it (Mattin’s dish); I’m flippin’ sick.” A true cowboy chef/poet. Cool Quickfire this week with ... Read more...

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09.11.09 · 6:50 PM

Top Chef Odds Week 5: It’s all in the eyes

In Kenny Rogers’ classic song “The Gambler,” the title character tells his train-mate, “Son, I’ve made a life out of readin’ people’s face/And knowin’ what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.” But that skill goes way past the poker table. Wynn Las Vegas Director of Race & Sports Operations Johnny Avello is pretty good at reading people, too, and he’s had his eyes on the faces of Top Chef: Las Vegas’ 12 remaining chef’testants. Catch a ... Read more...

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09.10.09 · 5:59 PM

The Jet Stream: Death by single-edged sushi knife

This week marks the first of three guest judge appearances by Wynn chefs. Daniel Boulud is, of course, not just a Wynn chef, but also a man of many hats: He has his own restaurant empire and is a true industry legend. The Escargot Quickfire was brilliant and really set the tone for a classic French episode of TC. Adding to the excitement, it turned into an elimination Quickfire. Brutal! So, what would I have done for this week’s Quickfire ... Read more...

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09.10.09 · 5:01 PM

Top Chef Episode 4: En Francais, si’il vous plait

It was either a dream come true or a nightmare come to life: On last night’s episode of Top Chef the competitors were asked to cook French food for some of the best French chefs in the world: Jean Joho of Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Laurent Tourondel of BLT Burger, Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys, Daniel Boulud of Daniel Boulud Brasserie and the man himself, “Chef of the Century” (well, the last century) Joël Robuchon. Tackling French flavors in front ... Read more...

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09.3.09 · 6:44 PM

The Jet Stream: Taters and haters

Like I said last week, Preeti was in trouble. I’m a little bummed she was eliminated, because I am also a Bamco (Bon Appetit Management Company) Alum! They do some amazing stuff in the culinary world, but unfortunately, Preeti did not represent. All in all, not a very dramatic week until the judges’ table. Preeti took a well deserved spanking from Tom for mouthing off and trying to throw Jesse and Ron’s clam chowder under the bus. Tsk tsk…When on ... Read more...

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09.3.09 · 3:03 PM

Top Chef Episode 3: Preeti takes the plunge

Is it me, or did Preeti and Laurine go off the deep end last night on the third installment of Top Chef: Las Vegas? Charged with cooking for airmen at Nellis Air Force Base, the team paired up to create one epically mediocre dish that not only earned the judges’ wrath for being bland, but also seemed downright boring. Episode three was all about creating meals for the masses – a mission that was somewhat in conflict with the show’s ... Read more...

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Featured Cocktail

Cocktail of the Week May 15, 2013
by Sabrina Chapman

The Golden Pillar: An architectural cocktail built for XS

This Sunday, XS nightclub celebrates the grand reopening of its after-dark pool party, Night Swim. Along with the bash comes a new offering of signature cocktails served by the pitcher, ...
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