Packing no breathing room between Top Chef All-Stars and the next TC spin-off, Bravo is premiering Top Chef Masters Season 3 tonight at 10/9c. A dozen award-winning chefs will compete for weekly cash prizes and a final $100,000 donation to charity.
This season's cheftestants include NY toques George Mendes of Aldea (who was just named Best New Chef by Food & Wine Magazine last night) and Floyd Cardoz (formerly of Tabla), as well as San Francisco-based Traci Des Jardins, LA's John River Sedlar of Playa, and others. Aussie food star Curtis Stone is the new host (also seen in Bobby Flay's snoozefest America's Next Great Restaurant), and will be joined by former Gourmet boss Ruth Reichl and Saveur Editor-in-Chief James Oseland.
During a recent Feast Talks panel, NOLA chef John Besh discussed starring on Top Chef Masters Season 1, during which he competed for the Make It Right organization, whose mission it is to rebuild New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward.
Did he feel like he was selling out to do the show? His answer, and a chime-in from NY-based chef Marc Forgione (of The Next Iron Chef) in the clip above.
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