The fifth season of Top Chef has made itself at home in Brooklyn, and is currently in production. That means that there have been chef sightings in the New York City area, although perhaps the biggest news is how few of them there are, especially in a city like New York.
Last week, Eater published a report from someone who saw the chefs at Whole Foods, where they’re apparently continuing to shop this season. An actual sign proved it was them: At the Bowery Whole Foods, there was “a sign announcing that anyone entering the store would automatically agree to being filmed for a production by ‘Magical Elves,’” Eater says. And Time for Cheese spotted the chefs at Craft, Tom Colicchio’s restaurant.
When they’re not cooking, the “cast has definitely been living for about two weeks now in a terraced duplex penthouse in Williamsburg overlooking McCarren Park,” The New York Observer reports, citing “an extremely well-placed source” who says the chefs are “leaving around 8 or 9 in the mornings for a soundstage in Greenpoint and coming straight back in the evenings.”
[reality blurred]
Top Chef: A Peek at the Cheftestants In Action
Thursday, July 24, 2008, by Amanda
Looks like Whole Foods is going to remain the gourmet grocery store of choice for the Top Chef production crew. A reader and Top Chef obsessive at the Bowery branch at 7:30 p.m. yesterday spotted the crew in addition to a sign announcing that anyone entering the store would automatically agree to being filmed for a production by 'Magical Elves.' Our spy followed the film crew around the corner to Chrystie Street and spotted all of the contestants loading their coolers of food into large white vans (they don't really drive around in Rav4s all day). Here are her descriptions of all of the contestants:
· 20-something Indian-American woman, on the short side and looking a bit bedraggled
· 40ish man, balding, gray hair, trim beard, smoking a cigarette and looking tough, black leather clogs.
· Late 30s man, tall, husky, like a mix between Season 3's Joey, Howie and Season' 4's Eric all rolled into one.
· Shorter Asian dude, wearing a wife beater, exceedingly tan, and covered with black tattoos.
· Tall, African-American woman with a bandana
· Late 20s dude, dark hair, with the soft paunch of a Williamsburg hipster.
·Tall, thin pretty/crunchy looking female, no makeup
· Another shorter, more non-descript female.
· There was another chick, tall, thin, blond, an indie pin-up, who might have been part of the crew.
· One of the coolers had the name "Gene" written on it
Note, the descriptors were the spy's, not ours. According to the man behind the fish counter he sold over $600 worth of seafood to the contestants. Perhaps for a Ripert challenge? Anyone who can ID the cheftestants from the above descriptions, please share. To the rest of you aspiring spies, more Top Chef intel is always welcome.
Thursday, July 24, 2008, by Amanda
Looks like Whole Foods is going to remain the gourmet grocery store of choice for the Top Chef production crew. A reader and Top Chef obsessive at the Bowery branch at 7:30 p.m. yesterday spotted the crew in addition to a sign announcing that anyone entering the store would automatically agree to being filmed for a production by 'Magical Elves.' Our spy followed the film crew around the corner to Chrystie Street and spotted all of the contestants loading their coolers of food into large white vans (they don't really drive around in Rav4s all day). Here are her descriptions of all of the contestants:
· 20-something Indian-American woman, on the short side and looking a bit bedraggled
· 40ish man, balding, gray hair, trim beard, smoking a cigarette and looking tough, black leather clogs.
· Late 30s man, tall, husky, like a mix between Season 3's Joey, Howie and Season' 4's Eric all rolled into one.
· Shorter Asian dude, wearing a wife beater, exceedingly tan, and covered with black tattoos.
· Tall, African-American woman with a bandana
· Late 20s dude, dark hair, with the soft paunch of a Williamsburg hipster.
·Tall, thin pretty/crunchy looking female, no makeup
· Another shorter, more non-descript female.
· There was another chick, tall, thin, blond, an indie pin-up, who might have been part of the crew.
· One of the coolers had the name "Gene" written on it
Note, the descriptors were the spy's, not ours. According to the man behind the fish counter he sold over $600 worth of seafood to the contestants. Perhaps for a Ripert challenge? Anyone who can ID the cheftestants from the above descriptions, please share. To the rest of you aspiring spies, more Top Chef intel is always welcome.
[eater]
20 BAYARD
It's more or less an open secret, but we've learned that the Top Chef cast has definitely been living for about two weeks now in a terraced duplex penthouse in Williamsburg overlooking McCarren Park. So far, the chefs have pretty much kept to themselves, said an extremely well-placed source, leaving around 8 or 9 in the mornings for a soundstage in Greenpoint and coming straight back in the evenings. “They’re not allowed to talk to anyone, really, or even do their own thing,” the source said. They’re trying to keep things under control before the paparazzi start camping out.” Luckily, it sounds like they have the typical luxe reality show digs, complete with a private roof deck and a sweeping view of the city skyline, to occupy them when they are not shopping, cooking or shooting. Though the source would not say which of the two "identical" parkview penthouses the cast is living in, a 1,368-square-foot, 16th-floor unit was sold in April for $1.4 million, according to StreetEasy. (Meanwhile the neighboring unit, 16A, is in contract for $1.295 million.) According to the duplex floor plans on the 20 Bayard Web site, the first floor has an open-air kitchen, foyer, eating area and living room--with a balcony--and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking McCarren Park and Manhattan. The kitchen is outfitted with a 36-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Viking gas range with Caesar stone, and Calacutta Gold marble countertops and backsplash. The two first-floor bedrooms overlook the buildng courtyard, while the master bedroom—with a huge en suite bathroom and private terrace—occupies the entire second floor. The sleek, American Psycho-esque standard penthouse pictured on the site is far from shabby as it is, but we’re told Bravo has done some redecorating. “They’re already awesome, but they’ve furnished it like a celeb would,” the source said. “One wall is orange, one is gray, one is purple. They’ve got that funky Real World look going on.” So far the cast has remained pretty incognito. Few people from neighboring buildings were even aware Top Chef was shooting in Williamsburg. “No way,” said the cashier at Urban Rustic, an organic market down the street, who is a fan of the show. “That’s awesome.” So will the cast do any shopping there? “That would be cool, but I doubt it," the cashier said. "They usually give them a budget.” [observer] If you enjoyed this post, other posts and enjoy reading LA*SURFPUNK HOLLYWOOD--Please take a moment to make a donation to keep this blog alive!!! You can click the donate button at the top right of the page. We thank you!! Read more of my blog by clicking the title or subject listings on the right. Email friends of my postings with the EMAIL icon at the bottom of each post. And as always, feel free to comment.
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