Top Chef 6 - Las Vegas Cast Profiles
Tom Colicchio Returns to Judge Bravo’s Hit Cooking Reality Series
Jul 24, 2009
For five seasons, Top Chef contestants have faced Quickfire and Elimination Challenges in the hopes of winning $100,000 to advance their culinary careers. While the spin-off, Top Chef Masters, is airing, another season is in production. The hit Bravo reality show returns for a sixth season, filmed in Las Vegas. Many of the best chefs in the world have opened restaurants in Sin City, so this season promises many surprises and great food.
Top Chef Judges Head to Las Vegas
The permanent judges from past seasons have returned to Top Chef. Padma Lakshmi hosts the show, Chef Tom Colicchio is the head judge, and both Gail Simmons and Toby Young return for another season. Each week, the contestants will face the panel at Judges’ Table to find out which chef will win the week and which one will have to pack their knives and go.
Many guest judges and celebrities will visit this season of Top Chef to issue challenges. Some old favorites and new visitors will make appearances, including Wolfgang Puck, Todd English, Natalie Portman, Daniel Boulud, Penn & Teller, Hubert Keller, Michelle Bernstein, Tyler Florence, Charlie Palmer, Paul Bartolotta, Nigella Lawson and Jerome Bocuse.
Season Six Top Chef Contestants
- Ash Fulk, 29 — This self-taught California native currently lives in New York City, where he focuses on regional and seasonal ingredients.
- Ashley Merriman, 32 — Ashley attended the Institute of Culinary Education in New York after college and moved to Seattle, where she is the chef at Tilth.
- Bryan Voltaggio, 33 — This protégé of Chef Charlie Palmer is the chef and partner of a restaurant in Maryland.
- Eli Kirshtein, 25 — Eli trained at the Culinary Institute of America and worked under a variety of chefs before opening his own restaurant in Atlanta.
- Eve Aronoff, 40 — Even is the chef-owner of an Ann Arbor restaurant, focusing on French cuisine with a wide range of influences.
- Hector Santiago, 41 — Hector began his career in his native Puerto Rico and currently owns a restaurant in Atlanta.
- Jennifer Carroll, 33 — The first Jennifer originally planned on studying law, but changed course to cooking. She become sous chef at Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin and currently leads one of his kitchens in Philadelphia.
- Jennifer Zavala, 33 — This Philadelphia executive chef uses her Mexican and Italian heritage to inspire her food.
- Jesse Sandlin, 30 — Jesse is a self-taught Baltimore executive chef who has worked in kitchens around the world.
- Kevin Gillespie, 26 — Atlanta chef Kevin cooked his way through the Art Institute of Atlanta, holding down part time jobs in kitchens while going to school.
- Laurine Wickett Hope, 38 — Laurine wanted to be a chef from the age of 12, and fulfills her desire in San Fransisco, focusing on fresh, local ingredients.
- Mattin Noblia, 29 — Born and raised in France, Mattin is the owner and chef of a San Fransisco restaurant. He uses a fusion of French and Spanish flavors in his food.
- Michael Isabella, 34 — This chef is originally from New Jersey, but resides in Washingto, D.C. His focus is Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine.
- Michael Voltaggio, 30 — Michael started working in restaurants when he was 15. Now living in Los Angeles, this Chef de Cuisine likes to incorporate modern technology into his cooking.
- Preeti Mistry, 33 — Preeti is an Indian chef, born in London and raised in the US. She is an Executive Chef for Bon Appetit Management Company at Google’s headquarters near San Francisco.
- Robin Leventhal, 43 — The Seattle chef began as an artist, with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts. She is self-taught and uses her talents to fundraise for cancer research organizations.
- Ron Duprat, 40 — This Hatian-born executive chef currently resides in Hollywood, Florida and Naples, Florida. He likes to combine exotic ingredients and bold flavors.
Stay tuned for more information and episode summaries once the show hits the air. Check out the official Top Chef website for information on Top Chef and Bravo’s other reality TV shows.
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