MasterChef Goes Stateside

MasterChef makes its FOX debut this Tuesday night and I have to admit that I'm actually looking forward to it.

Co-produced and hosted by chef and FOX staple Gordon Ramsay, U.S. MasterChef will be based on the popular Australian version of the culinary competition series.  The basic setup:  50 amateur cooks (selected following a nationwide casting call) compete in various challenges week to week until a new "MasterChef" is crowned.   Gordon will be joined on the judging panel by restaurateur/winemaker Joe Bastianich and Chicago chef/restaurateur Graham Elliot Bowles (who competed in both seasons of Top Chef Masters).

Now, I haven't been that crazy about the Foxification of Ramsay's other shows (Kitchen Nightmares comes to mind, and I thought that Cookalong special was lame), but I'm feeling a bit optimistic about U.S. MasterChef (call me crazy).  While I've watched some of the UK variations of MasterChef (I'm a fan of The Professionals series and was pleasantly surprised by what I've seen of the Celebrity version), I've never watched the Aussie version which Fox's show will be based on.  I'll be tuning in on Tuesday night-don't disappoint me Fox.  MasterChef premieres Tuesday July 27 at 9 PM EDT on FOX.

A preview clip from FOX TV:

Foodie Events: April 30-May 7

• The Urban Picnic returns to the Sweet Auburn Curb Market tomorrow April 30 between 11 AM and 2 PM.  Presented by the Atlanta Street Food Coalition, the event brings together over a dozen aspiring street food vendors offering delicious treats for you to sample during the lunch hour.   Artichoke Bliss, Good Food Truck, Hankook Taqueria, Souper Jenny and Black Tie Barbecue are just a few of the vendors who'll be on hand for The Urban Picnic.  If you're looking for some great street grub and happen to be near the area, why not swing by on your lunch break?  This is one of those instances when I really wish I worked intown!  For more details and a list of the participating vendors, click here to visit The Urban Picnic's Facebook page.

• Speaking of Black Tie Barbecue, they're back with another edition of their Secret Supper in celebration of Cinco De Mayo.  Why go to some lame bar for tired Tex-Mex and tortilla chips when you can celebrate in style with a delicious multicourse meal complete with margaritas and cerveza!   I've heard nothing but raves about Black Tie's Secret Supper events-everything is top notch and you are sure to be treated to a fantastic evening.   The event will be held next Wednesday from 6-10PM: all of the other deets will be revealed a couple of days prior to the event.  Tickets are available at $36 per person, but you'll want to purchase yours ASAP because their Secret Supper events usually sell out quickly.  I purchased my ticket this evening; I'm really looking forward to finally being able to attend one of these!  To purchase your tickets and for more info on Black Tie Barbecue, click here.

• The folks from Food Network will be in town this weekend to hold a casting call for the upcoming second season of Worst Cooks In America.  The casting call will be held this Saturday, May 1 from 10 AM-3 PM at the W Atlanta-Midtown.  They are in search of candidates who are genuine disasters in the kitchen and are willing to go through a "culinary boot camp" to improve their cooking skills.  If you know of someone who fits the bill and would be interested in participating, email the casting team at worstcooksatlanta@gmail.com.   In the email, explain why you (or your nominee) is the most pitiful home cook in the country and should be selected for the new season.  In your email, include the nominee's name, age, occupation, hometown, contact number and a recent photo of the potential candidate.   For additional information, visit their website at www.worstcookscasting.com

Foodie TV: Bravo's Chef Academy Premieres Monday @ 11 PM

Award-winning chef Jean-Christophe Novelli comes to Bravo in the new nine-part series Chef Academy.  The series will follow Novelli (a very popular celebrity chef in the UK) as he attempts to launch a U.S. branch of his cooking school in Southern California.   In this preview from bravotv.com,  prospects must impress Chef Novelli and his executive chef Steve Kitchen in order to earn one of nine spots in an eight week long test program for his culinary academy.

The French-born chef's Novelli Academy Cookery School was voted one of the Top 25 Cookery Schools in the World.  Will he be able to duplicate this success across the pond?  Chef Academy premieres this Monday night at 11 ET/PT on Bravo.

Foodie TV: Top Chef Las Vegas Preview-Restaurant Wars!

Ah, Restaurant Wars.  A staple of every season of Top Chef, and I'm sure we can count on Las Vegas to bring the drama!  In this preview from bravotv.com, we have conflict between Mike V. and Robin (shocking, I know).

I'm still not over Tre Wilcox getting clipped in season three's Restaurant Wars-here's hoping my fave Kevin Gillespie won't be this season's casualty.  Top Chef Las Vegas airs tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on Bravo.  Oh, and don't forget to check out AJC "food dude" John Kessler's Top Chef episode recaps on his Food and More blog-always a good read!

Foodie TV: Avec Eric Coming To WPBA 30 Beginning October 17 @ 1 PM

You've seen him on Top Chef.  Some of  you have been fortunate enough to dine at his 3 Michelin star restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City.  Now Chef Eric Ripert has a new show airing on PBS stations nationwide simply titled Avec Eric.  Says Chef Ripert, "The show will take you with me to the source of some of my culinary inspiration and then back with me to my restaurant and my home kitchen to see how that inspiration turns into a recipe."  Here's a sample (from http://aveceric.com):

I'm a big fan of Chef Ripert's so I've been looking forward to this new show.  Avec Eric will air on Atlanta's PBA30 beginning Saturday October 17 at 1 PM.  Full episodes are also available for viewing at the show's website.

 

Foodie TV: Anthony Bourdain visits Sardinia on No Reservations tonight @ 10

Must see TV for the hopeless foodie: another new episode of No Reservations airs tonight at 10 ET/PT on Travel Channel.  This week Anthony Bourdain visits Sardinia-here's a preview (from TravelChannelTV):

Congratulations to Anthony and the No Reservations crew for their well deserved Emmy award win!

Foodie TV: Man v. Food visits Hawaii & Top Chef Las Vegas tonight @10 ET/PT

I don't know why the tv scheduling gods must put two of my favorite shows in the same Wednesday night time slot.  Thankfully Bravo re-airs Top Chef Las Vegas immediately following the first 10 o'clock airing, allowing me to watch Man v Food (and the awesome Adam Richman) on Travel Channel first!

This week finds our boy in Hawaii taking on a stack of ginormous, manhole-sized blueberry pancakes.  This is going to be a tough one-he's really going to have to fight "the itis" when those pancakes settle in his stomach like a ton of bricks. Go Adam! (hopeless foodie tries to throw up the MVF hand sign thing Adam does...fails miserably)

Meanwhile, Top Chef  Las Vegas continues tonight as the cheftestants try their best to impress Joël Robichon, Daniel Boulud, Top Chef Masters finalist Hubert Keller, Laurent Tourondel and Jean Joho.  I'll be rooting for my ATL boys (Kevin, Eli and Hector)!  Who will pack their knives and go?  Probably not a Voltaggio brother. Yeah, I know I went out on a limb with that one.

From Bravo TV-Last week's eliminated cheftestant Preeti shares her thoughts on life in the house:

Foodie TV: Chopped Champions begins tonight at 10 PM

I'm so looking forward to this!  Chopped (one of my foodie tv faves and one of the very few shows I watch on Food Network these days) begins a limited four-part Champions series tonight at 10 PM ET/PT.  Previous winners return to see who will keep their undefeated record intact and become the ultimate Chopped Champ.  What ridiculous combo of ingredients will find their way into the baskets this week?  In this clip, the chefs must work their magic with blackberries, kiwi, wonton wrappers and gummy bears in the dessert challenge.