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Bravo's Top Chef shows Houston no loveSorry Houston, you are not top enough to rate a close-up on “Top Chef.”
The ninth season of Bravo’s hit food show will be called “Top Chef: Texas” and feature competition set against the backdrop of three Texas cities – Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
That Houston was not included in the new chef competition series has been the subject of much curiosity and teeth gnashing (and a bit of outrage) with the culinary community, especially in Houston over the past month. Bravo would not even confirm that “Top Chef” would be set in Texas, let alone whether Houston would be included in the series.
But Tuesday morning Bravo issued its first official release about the new season, confirming that the competition would be set in the state that “does everything bigger.”
The cable network’s press release acknowledged the ongoing Texas speculation calling it “possibly the worst kept locale secret in this moment’s culinary universe.”
Now that Bravo has confirmed Texas as the subject of the next season of “Top Chef,” left unanswered is why Houston was shut out. A Bravo spokesperson would not address that question.
What is known about the new season is this: it will air later this fall and will include chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse and chef Hugh Acheson joining host Padma Lakshmi and judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. Bravo viewers will remember Acheson as a contestant in season 3 of “Top Chef Masters.”
Bravo will announce the cast and the series schedule at a later date.
It figures, Houston is never included in anything, we get dissed all the time.
I can tell you in two words why Top Chef is not coming to Houston.
Adam Dell. His contentious custody battle with Padma lakshmi will keep her far from our Town.
Won't be watching, but I didn't watch before. This does not encourage me to start.
Especially odd considering three of the contestants on the upcoming Top Chefs - Just Desserts are either from Houston or currently working in Houston.
Haha those cities suck except for Austin.
Austin doesn't suck, it pretentiously gargles then artfully swallows.
Suitable for framing.
I see bumper sticker in your future.
The other cities paid for them to come and we didn't. We're the best culinary scene, why would we pay?
Real foodies, like Bon Appetit magazine, know Houston is #1.
As Cee-Lo Green would say "Forget (not really) You"
It figures Houston is left out of everything when it comes to TV land. We always get a bad rap - not fair because we have AWESOME chefs & restaurants in this city, in my opinion much better than San Antonio. Oh, well Bravo will not be on my radar this season.....
you can only cook tamales so many different ways - San Antonio? Really?
Sour grapes?? LOL Houston has MORE than its own share of mexican food restaurants.
what an ignorant comment. This is why Houston was not chosen.
HAHAHAHAHA ...true.
Hardly ever even glance at that "what channel is it?", so I don't give a dime(not really)!
Dallas sucks, San Antonio is stuck in Tex-Mex and Austin...do they eat anything REAL
Houston is not there becuse Houston is too International for that Texas-hickety-hawing they need for good TV.
I love Texas and I'm a native, but give me the flare of Houston any day of the week.
Amen!
Never heard of this show.
OMG, Rick hasn't heard of this show! It should be cancelled now! Why is this story being reported? RICK has not heard of it!!! Ha!
Just don't watch. Maybe their ratings will fall some. I gave up on this show after seeing how slanted it is.
I don't know about Dallas, but I don't think S.A. and Austin are known for their restaurant and food scenes?
Obviously you aren't from TX if you don't know that Austin has an awesome food scene.
I lived in Austin for several years and outside of BBQ, their food/restaurants SUCK compared to Houston.
There's a reason Houston makes the top 10 lists for best restaurant cities in the US... and the other Texas cities (especially Austin and San Antonio) are not even close.
no big loss
San Antonio? All they got is Tex-Mex. I don't watch the show so no loss for me.
I think it's because Houston isn't "pretty" like Austin and San Antonio. I was in the San Antonio area recently and I thought to myself that Houston doesn't get the love because it's just not that great to look at. I'm a life long Houstonian but it is what it is.
the only pretty part of SA is the river walk
I think it's because Houston isn't "pretty" like Austin and San Antonio. I was in the San Antonio area recently and I thought to myself that Houston doesn't get the love because it's just not that great to look at. I'm a life long Houstonian but it is what it is.
It's worth remembering that San Antonio has a branch of the CIA. That might easily have tipped the balance in their favor.
The Central Intelligence Agency? Nice.
CIA: Culinary Institute of America
i'm guessing you know houston is great, so why do you feel the need to have it broadcast to the rest of the world so they can move here and drive up my rent and add to our traffic camera revenues? congrats san ant!
I hear ya... once people come here they love it and obviously they do not leave look at the traffic.
I hear ya... once people come here they love it and obviously they do not leave look at the traffic.
NRR has it right...I love my HTown but it is down right UGLY....who cares anyway...who in the hell is watching bravo????
I'm sure the fact that Colicchio having a steakhouse in Dallas has a lot to do with it.
This city gets no love because they don't make this an attractive place to be, I'm from here and this place sucks in every aspect of it. You think because you are a huge metropolitan city that everybody is supposed to bow down. NO I've been to cities smaller than Houston and there is way more things to do than here, no matter if you are single, married, kids or no kids there isn't very much going on in this city, whereas other cities embrace their many cultures and make it grand we just say here, here you go. I hate the make up of this city and it needs to change.
Amen! It looks like a city till you get here... Not to mention Houston invested nothing compared to other cities into the Arts and Entertainment. Those are almost bad words here. The only thing that matters to Houston is Oil, Titty Bars, and Criminal Millionaires!
Houston is the only city in Texas with ALL the performing arts.
You know not of what you speak.
Limelight, you're going to be ripped apart by that statement, and I'm going to do it. To say Houston invested nothing compared to other cities in Arts and Entertainment is completely false. Houston has more than 500 cultural, visual and performing arts organizations, 90 of which are devoted to multicultural and minority arts and is one of five U.S. cities that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts (i.e. symphony, ballet, theater). Houston has a Theater District second only to New York City with its concentration of seats in one geographic area. Located downtown, the 17-block Theater District is home to eight performing arts organizations with more than 12,000 seats. Let us not forget the museum of fine arts, museum of natural science, the Menil, the health museum, a recently remodeled children's museum, and all the professional sports teams we have, all equipped or going to be equipped with state of the art facilities. If you don't like it here, leave, what is stopping you? Nobody likes a complainer.
As for Top Chef, I could care less, keep the cameras out of my town please. You're bound to have people on the show making your town look bad.
You are the "they". Get out there and do you part to make Houston pretty.
that's bc you're stupid and nobody likes you.
leave
interstate 10 goes both way
the airport has arrivals and depatures
Love the Show, I watch every series under the Top Chef Brand, sad to see they're not including Houston, but it's about time they come to the Great State of Texas. Hoping they do some smoking of brisket or ribs, but I'll be happy either way.
Ignorance on their part, same as most others when it comes to Houston. Well, some stupidity too.
Maybe there are plans for "Top Chef-Houston".
=D
Cities are required to pay the show close to a half-million dollars in order to be considered. It's extortion and Houston refuses to pay. Houston would be an amazing place for the show to come, but screw them if they want us to pony up a half-million of our tax dollars.
I am glad we did not pay
Well duh! This happens with everything here, media, retail, companies. They usually always pass up Houston, at least initially, instead, choosing "trendy" cities like Dallas and Austin. Sadly, even San Antonio has more of branded image due to its tourism. Houston on the other hand, has always had a very serious P.R./image problem with the rest of the country. The problem is that the city doesn't seem to care about its image! Unfortunately, Houston will most likely never achieve a heightened state of so called "trendiness" in the eyes of the rest of the country.
While you worry about retail, media and trendyness the real drivers like Houston having fortune 500 than any city outside New York and more consulates than any city in Texas (combined) are lost on you.
The world and the fortune 500 know Houston. Don't cry becuase we are not on some lame cable show.
we lost Astroworld, too... Dallas has theirs still up cranking away. I miss living there. Oil jobs though...
I hate that Houston got passed up! Love "Top Chef." BTW, if you don't watch it, why bother commenting?!! Are people that narcissistic that they believe every story that "doesn't" interest them shouldn't be posted?!!
Boo Hoo!, if it's not on the food network or D.D.D. then it doesn't matter. Maybe Houston can give them a "0" market share for that program. God Bless Texas
And you're all surprised? Do any of you actually live here? First, we're are ugliest, dirtiest and most polluted city in the nation. All one has to do is drive in from either airport to see slums as far as the eye can see, enjoy the forests of 50' high billboards selling boobie bars and cars, the inviting mattresses, washers, dryers, refrigerators, dog carcasses lying for days on end in the middle of the freeways and scores of dead palm trees even in the nicest of neighborhoods. Once you get into the city it gets no better with empty, littered lots full of beer cans and torn up, rotting sofas, a hideous ribbon of elevated freeways circling a down town of outdated, 80's skyscrapers, and hundreds, if not thousands, of homeless folks looking for a handout. Unless we invest in our infrastructure and make our city attractive and appealing -- as well as add destinations of ANYTHING other than a sports stadium and convention center, we will continue to be passed up over, and over, and over again.
Um, seriously? I'll give you the billboards (too many of them) but the rest of your comments are fallacy. Just look on any recent list and Houston is not even close to being most polluted, in any form. Ugliest and dirtiest? Have you traveled anywhere else? Apparently not. You need to get out more, both within Houston and to other cities.
I don't like Top Chef anyway. They try to be too high brow. Now Guy Fieri, he's the guy. He's been all over Houston and surrounding areas and LOVES IT!
Top Chef sucks, and Houston sucks too, as do all of you idiots whining about this garbage...
What's Top Chef???
Don't know how many of you know this but San Antonio has the CIA. Austin has the TCA. Those two cities combined have a huge culinary fast track in both education and business. I'm not saying we as a city don't also deserve Top Chef, as I am also disappointed. It doesn't mean they're never coming to Houston. Top Chef isn't over. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the upcoming season. Can't believe one person actually said they wouldn't watch Bravo because of it! Really?!
What an outrage! I started watching this after the first couple of seasons. Austin and San Antonio are next door to each other. I'd rather see them go to Dallas and Fort Worth! It's like national weather reports.....major networks seem to think that the weather in Dallas is the same for all of us. And those of you who don't like it in Houston, MOVE. We still have the Dome, the MedCenter, Space Center (even though we didn't get a shuttle). We moved here in '73 from Detroit.....you know, after the riots. We still love Detroit, but why don't some of you go up there and try to make it work?
I agree that San Antonio and Austin are "next door" to each other but the cities are very different from each other. There is a very different feel to each city that makes them very unique in their own way.
As for some people complaining about San Antonio being nothing but Tex-Mex...maybe that's a big part of why they chose SA?? That and the fact the CIA has one of their 4 worldwide campuses here. For the record, SA is not only about Tex-Mex. Andrew Weismann had one of the top 10 restaurants in the nation (and the consensus top in the state) in Le Reve. He has since closed it and opened up a couple of others at the Pearl (where the CIA is located) and one (Il Sogno) was named one of the top 10 new restaurants in the nation last year. John Besh just opened a restaurant here earlier this year cause he fell in love with the city after relocating here during Katrina so don't sell the food scene short here. It is definitely on an upswing. I see it every week as I go try a new place that has popped into existence.
I'm not saying that Houston doesn't have a fantastic food scene but it is so vast and has so much diversity that perhaps the Bravo people were looking for somthing more focused like SA has with the Latin influences. As for why they chose Dallass over Houston, I think Tom having a place up there has a LOT to do with it. As for Austin...c'mon that is like the hippest, trendiest city in Texas that everyone around the nation hears about and wants to visit. They are always at the tops of the lists about best places for business, best places for young people, best place to live, etc. etc. etc. (I'm actually getting pretty tired of hearing about it). I was genuinely surprised that they filmed most of the episodes here in SA rather than filming the bulk in Austin.
It saddens me to see so many comments about how ugly our city is or how bad the weather is here. I've been to other cities and we're not the only one with billboards along our freeways. Our weather is actually pretty moderate compared to other places (we can't all be San Diego). I'd take three months of extreme heat and nine months of pretty moderate weather over five months of cold. New Orleans has our same weather and I rarely hear anyone mention it, but people always say how hot it is here. Houston is like a really unpopular teenager who has no confidence. Why would anyone like us if all commentors are so negative?
And another thing, why is it good that the city wouldn't pay the money for the show to be here? It seems to me that is one of the problems. We'll spend hundreds of millions of dollars for a sports team because it's supposed to be good for our image, but we can't pony up a half-million for some marketing on Bravo? It would be a boost to the city and our image.
how dumb ..if it going to be top chef from Texas then they need to look @ HOUSTon ...I think it becuse of the riverwalk and state capitalthat they pick these city.but to be a sight seeier is not loo a all the greatness of Houston has ....hell why is corpus christi on the list....there alot to see here and our food and chef do great thing with food ...seafood, bbq,steak, what ever you want and fine mexican food ,greek, ect...many ,many kinds of food.....love top chef....but I dont think who ever is do this show is showing THE GREATNESS OF TEXAS...AND IF YOU EVER LIVE HERE YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN...
It's Houston, not the other Texas cities, that consistently ranks in the top 10 restaurant cities in the US. Fact is, HOUSTON has the best restaurant and food scene in the state.
Bravo are idiots. It's obviously all about the dollar for them, not the facts.
I don't know about Dallas, but I'm pretty sure Austin and San Antonio put up the cash to have the show come to their cities... Austin especially never misses a chance to try and pretend it's the oasis of the Western Hemisphere. It's all about perception, and the one-sided marketing has worked... tons of people moving there and now their traffic is as bad or worse than Houston's.
what you don't realize, is so many of our chef community have actually said no to top chef. they are asked to interview and decline the invitation...as if they are too good for the show. it happens more often than you think. maybe that's why Top Chef has no love for Houston.
A friend commented on Top Chef's Facebook page regarding this snub and brought up the pay-for-play allegations... the posts were deleted by Bravo/Top Chef! They don't want the truth getting out on the fact that they were asking cities to pay to be on the show... how dubious.
Burns Bar BQ8307 De Priest St , Houston , TX , 77088-6215This mostly carry out spot is a faroivte for slow hickory-smoked barbecue, fresh made sides and North Houston charm.The Diner1017 61st St , Galveston , TX , 77551This understated and simply named cafe is an Island faroivte, fueling fishing enthusiasts and other early-risers for years.Quattro at Four Seasons Houston1300 Lamar St , Houston , TX , 77010Four Seasons restaurant features fashionable Italian dining in Euro-sleek style.YAO Restaurant & Bar9755 Westheimer Rd , Houston , TX , 77042Houston Rocket Yao Ming brings big (literally), bold decor and classic Chinese dishes to his namesake restaurant.Mama's Cafe6019 Westheimer Rd , Houston , TX , 77057-4501Southern-fried comfort food in a homey, late-night setting.Amazon Grill5114 Kirby Dr , Houston , TX , 77098-5012A "come as you are" South American eatery from the people who brought you Americas and Churrascos.Charivari Restaurant-Home Of European Cuisine2521 Bagby St , Houston , TX , 77006Old World charm graces the table with a warm mix of European classics.Becks Prime1001 E Memorial Loop , Houston , TX , 77007This homegrown chain of upscale drive-thrus is known for its grilled swordfish sandwiches and thick strawberry milkshakes.Damian's Cucina Italiana3011 Smith St , Houston , TX , 77006Perched on the edge of downtown, this eatery balances novelty Italian with a palatable sophisticated freshness.Lupe Tortilla's2414 Southwest Fwy , Houston , TX , 77098-4602Family-friendly and Tex-Mex skilled, this outpost satisfies the craving for home-style fare in a cheerfully painted casa.Romano's Pizza1528 W Gray St , Houston , TX , 77019-4948This little slice of Italy is a gem among chains, vying to make pies you can't refuse.Spindletop1200 Louisiana St , Houston , TX , 77002Hyatt Regency's revolving restaurant is still a faroivte for special occasions.Chez Nous217 S Avenue G , Humble , TX , 77338Fine French dining that's well worth the drive.Luigi's Ristorante Italiano2328 Strand St , Galveston , TX , 77550-1548Reminiscent of a cozy trattoria, this posh restaurant serves up good Italian fare in a casual yet upscale setting.Azuma-Downtown909 Texas Ste E , Houston , TX , 77002This trendy downtown version of the West U staple gives sushi lovers a new reason to stay in town after work.