Excited
Bravo has announced the official lineup of Top Chef Masters, the spin-off show based on their wildly successful (and highly addicting) Top Chef series, where highly established and well-known chefs will compete against each other to win $100,000 for their favorite charity. Not only do the 24 contestants include chefs from some of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles but also Roy Yamaguchi, the famed Japanese-born-but-Hawaiian-based chef, restaurant owner, cookbook author, James Beard Award winner and Iron Chef celebrity. God, what an overachiever.
Yamaguchi, who now owns Roy’s restaurants all over the US, is competing against the likes of Rick Bayless, Hubert Keller and a bunch of other dudes that I don’t really know by name because let’s be honest, I’m not really an authentic upscale food snob since I still heart Ranch dressing. I just like to eat good food. I’m also a snob in other ways.
Let’s not forget contestant Anita Lo, a second generation Chinese American who owns Anissa in New York City and host Kelly Choi to help round out the Asian American representation!
But can we be honest here about Roy? I’ve eaten at his restaurant before, and I wasn’t too impressed with the food. I’m not a big fan of Asian fusion food (unless it somehow involves spam) and Roy’s does have that “fancy chain restaurant” feel. Overall, the food didn’t spark my imagination or inspiration. But hey, this could be due to the fact that I grew up with ponzu sauce and miso glazes on my fish.
I do, though, appreciate his work in bringing Hawaiian regional cuisine and Asian ingredients to mainstream America where many other chefs are only now learning to incorporate into their food. The Top Chef series has always featured non-Asian contestants who have specialized in Asian cuisine, so I’m interested to see what Roy Yamaguchi can bring to the table.
Maybe even more awesome knife skills than Hung? Less butterscotch miso scallops than Dale? I can’t wait!
Top Chef Masters premieres on June 10th at 10:00pm ET/PT on Bravo.
How does this post make you feel?
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
NOTE: 8Asians.com is a community, and we thank you for being a part of it. While we welcome and appreciate differences in opinion, if you're rude or you're promoting spam, we have a right to edit or delete your comment. Read our comment policy for more information.
If you see a comment that violates the 8Asians.com comment policy, you may flag the comment by mousing over the comment and clicking "FLAG."
I'd go for Anita Loi, she's the best
I'd go for Anita Loi, she's the best
Hootie Hoo! Carla's still my Top Chef.
that is all.
But yes, if you can't tell... I'm very excited.
Hootie Hoo! Carla's still my Top Chef.
that is all.
But yes, if you can't tell... I'm very excited.
Trackbacks
Custom Search
Recent Posts
- Chinese New Year Lanterns
- Is Kim Jong Un Dead? Assassination Rumors Hit the Internet
- Help Fight Stereoptypes With Asian Crew Clothing
- Deftones’ Chi Cheng Wakes Up From His 3-Year Coma
- SXSW 2012 Has a Nice Handful of Asian Movies
- Woman In China Gives Birth To 15 Lb Baby
- Naruto & Dragonball Now Available On Barnes & Noble Nook
Recent Comments
- : Funny, because in Russia European women prefer nice (Han )Chinese men over their abusive white men. Stereotypes are regional, and people tend to look more... – Why Do People Hate Asian Male/White Female Relationships?
- : Durex always has such dubious studies. – Study: "South Korean Men Are Second Most Unfaithful In World"
- : I'm gay and I'm asian myself. It's not that I think white are trash or ugly. But I never wanted a a white guy... I... – Blatant Anti-Asian Racism on Gay Websites Still Exists
- : Where is the Love? What if you were to accept what Biffer has to say as a minority talking to the Establisment of Black and... – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
- : My reply is actually to "Where is the love?" – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
APA Events
Feb 16: Adam WarRock and Kirby Krackle: West Cost Tour Dates!!!
Feb 16: (New York, NY) Amar Chitra Katha: Monica Ferrell, Chitra Ganesh, Keshni Kashyap, and Himanshu “Heems” Suri of Das Racist
Feb 17: (Los Angeles, CA) All My Sons
Feb 18: (Stanford, CA) Stanford’s 16th Listen to the Silence Conference- Feb 18: (San Francisco, CA) NAAAP-SF Lunar New Year Gala 2012
Feb 25: (Los Angeles, CA) Past Present I Future Imperatives: Queer Space Time
Mar 3: (New York, NY) Vong Pak’s ‘Electric Shaman’ Concert
Apr 30: (Sacramento, CA) California Asian Pacific Islander Policy Summit 2012: iAdvocate
Staff and Contributors
- Editors
- Ernie Hsiung - Founder, Editor-in-Chief
- Moye Ishimoto - Co-Editor, Editorial
- Joz Wang - Co-Editor, PR & APA Outreach
[...] not the only one glued to the television (or DVR) when it’s on. I’m waiting for Roy Yamaguchi’s episode to come on, since I’m curious to see what sort of Japanese/Hawaiian touch he can put on those [...]