Famed chef Eric Ripert, who owns the popular local restaurant Westend Bistro, will be a regular guest judge on the next edition of Bravo's seventh season of "Top Chef," which was filmed in the District.
Ripert, better known for his famous Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City, will be judging 17 chefs in this series, including two with local ties.
Tamesha Warren, 24, is originally from Barbados, but now works as the sous chef at The Oval Room.
Timothy Dean, 39, was born in the District and now lives in Baltimore, where he is the chef and owner of Prime Steak House. Dean, a Howard University graduate, is slated to open another restaurant in the District this summer.
Fresh off the heels of a disappointing viewership for MTV's "Real World DC," this season's Top Chef episodes also will have a D.C. flair. The production location was the Washington Hilton, and there will be special appearances by White House chef Sam Kass, Nancy Pelosi, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, Leon Panetta and NBC News correspondent Savannah Guthrie.
The first episode is scheduled for 9 p.m. on June 16.
The chef lineup:
- Amanda Baumgarten, 27 – Hometown/Resides in: Los Angeles, CA
- Tracey Bloom, 33 – Hometown: Rochester, NY/Resides in Atlanta, GA
- Ed Cotton, 32 – Hometown: Boston, MA; Resides in New York, NY.
- Andrea Curto-Randazzo, 39 – Hometown: Vero Beach, FL/Resides in: Miami Beach, FL.
- Timothy Dean, 39 – Hometown: Washington D.C./Resides in Baltimore, MD
- Tiffany Derry, 26 – Hometown: Beaumont, TX/Resides in: Dallas, TX
- Lynne Gigliotti, 51 – Hometown: Philadelphia, PA/Resides in Hyde Park, NY.
- Kenny Gilbert, 36 – Hometown: Cleveland, OH/Resides in: Telluride, CO
- Stephen Hopcraft, 40 – Hometown: Cleveland, OH.; Resides in Las Vegas, NV
- Kelly Liken, 33 – Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA/Resides in: Vail, CO.
- Jacqueline Lombard, 33 – Hometown: Boston, MA/Resides in Brooklyn, NY.
- Arnold Myint, 32 – Hometown/Resides in: Nashville, TN.
- Alex Reznik, 33 – Hometown: Brooklyn, NY; Resides in Hollywood, CA
- Kevin Sbraga, 30 – Hometown/Resides in: Willingboro, NJ.
- John Somerville, 42 – Hometown/Resides in: West Bloomfield, MI.
- Angelo Sosa, 34 – Hometown: Connecticut; Resides in New York, NY.
- Tamesha Warren, 24 – Hometown: Barbados; Resides in Washington D.C.
For full bios on the contestants, click here.
