If you like cooking competition shows, but you’re not looking for a weekly scream-fest (I’m looking at you, Gordon Ramsay) then you’ve probably enjoyed Top Chef.
But did you know they’ve got a site where former contestant Brian Malarkey whips up a “healthy remix” of the winning dish from each week’s episode? Nice.
Keep reading for more about that, and details on how to win the cookbook and the complete Season 5 DVD set.
Each week on the “Eat Tastefully” site, Malarkey provides recipes, a weekly blog and the “Healthy Remix” – in which he takes the “Top Chef” winning dish of the week and puts a healthy spin on it.
Regular readers of this blog will know my idea of “healthy” cooking isn’t quite the conventional wisdom, seeing as I cook with butter and bacon fat, I favor lard over shortening, and I avoid vegetable oils and corn syrup as much as possible. But I’m not going to tell anyone they should stop doing what’s working for them.
If you’d like to get a copy of the Top Chef Quickfire cookbook, plus the entire Top Chef Season 5 DVD set, leave a comment below with your favorite challenge that they’ve done. Next Wednesday I’ll pull one comment at random to get both the book and the DVDs.
(Don’t put your mailing address in the comments, but obviously I’ll need it if you win so I can send the stuff to you.)
37 Comments
Bryan should have won season 6….but I digress! My favorite from season 5 was Carla as she was all about the love! My favorite episode was the Foo Fighters Thanksgiving. Who'da thunk they'd be fans of the show? You food is better though, Drew. I like down home food, not all the gourmet stuff. I have a simple palette.
Wait. Is this show on one of the networks? Because if it's not, I can't watch it due to my lack of cable. And even if it IS, if it comes on after 9 p.m., I WON'T watch it because I'm in bed by then.
All this to say I've never seen it, although I've certainly heard a lot about it.
My favorite challenge (from Season ?) had Padma showing up at the contestants' house to have them cook breakfast for her. Still wishing someone would show up at my house to cook breakfast for me!
My favorite quickfire was from Masters when they had to do the junk food as fine dining for the guy from Flipping Out. I STILL want to try Chiarello's swordfish meatballs!
For an elimination challenge I really loved the Film Food challenge from Season 4 (the season that got me hooked). I LOVE coming up with food based on movies!
Drew,
The fact that you teach us readers how to make great food using all kinds of ingredients, fat grams and calories be damned, is why this site is so great and refreshing.
My favorite challenge of all time was the season 1 gas station challenge. On this past season, though, my favorite challenge was the classic TV dinners. It's funny how much trouble these chefs have making the simple things!
Looking forward to an exciting new year with HTCLYG! I hope you have some great things in store for us.
There are very few Top Chef episodes that I don't enjoy, but I loved the "Breakfast in Bed" challenge!
I don't get to watch it as much as I'd like, apparently there's something else on that my husband watches at the same time. I'm just amazed they can do the things they do in the short period of time they have.
Hmmmm….favorite challenge? I'll have to go with the Pigs and Pinot event. I am a huge pork fan.
"Breakfast in Bed challenge"!
Any time you can be served, is a good one.
Kevin should have won… Can't believe he messed up a pork dish!
Love, love, love Top Chef. I have watched all of them from the very beginning! My favorite challenge of this season would have to be the Campfire Challenge out in the desert. Watching some of them cook on an open fire was hilarious! I want that cookbook so pick me Drew!!
Hi, Drew! I am a Top Chef junkie for sure. I think my favorite show was when they had to cook food for the airline crew. Talk about having to adjust! I also think that was my favorite season. I was rooting for Casey…just think she got tired and lost focus. Can't wait until next season. And Drew…keep on rocking with this blog. I love, love, love it. Makes me miss my own grandmother…queen of Southern Cooking. Don't get much of that in Alaska.
I like the skills quick fires where they have to shuck oysters, etc. so fun!
I am always a huge fan of the relays…I only wish I could chop onions so efficiently!
I'm one of those without a tv hookup so I miss the cooking shows — durn it. On a fixed income, it's either tv or internet but not both. I figure I get more out of the internet, because how else would I have found you, Drew? (smile) Thanks for all you do!
I miss this show! But I would love to catch up with the DVD set and especially the cookbook!
I have always wanted to watch the show, but have never been able to get the channel, even when I had cable. I'd love to be able to see them!
Definitely the breakfast in bed challenge.
I can't pick just one favorite! I loved the pork challenge where they had to break down a whole pig, liked the relay race quickfire this year where they were blindfolded while the person before them cooked, love Wedding Wars and Restaurant Wars, like the quickfire where they had to shop with $10 (I think) at a convenience store… so many others. Great show.
For non cable viewers, there are episodes on Hulu. You can't watch the whole season there, but even individual eps are a good watch.
I think my favorite was on Top Chef masters when they had to cook out of a dorm room.
Who could forget the vending machine quick fire? The Cheetos crusted Snickers bar was grossly brilliant!
The breakfast challenge with Padma. I loved it!
I liked the one where they had to make a dish out of three different cans of food. Some of them were really creative, and it inspired me to raid my pantry to see what I could come up with.
I liked the episode where they had to cook with cactus! The camping episode. I love being inventive with ingredients and roughing it so this was totally up my alley! The cookbook looks awesome.
I love to camp out, so I really got a kick out of the Camping in the dessert challenge. Cooking over an open fire is one of the joys of my life(luv that dutch oven). And the stars at night…….wow! katklaw777 at yahoo dot com Great giveaway, thanks!
Definately the vending machine fiasco. Gourmet chefs with vending machine ingredients. Too funny!
I am new to this site but am looking forward to your ideas.
One can't have too many cookbooks – could really use one as I am a newbie!
The Christmas episode where they had to cater a Christmas cocktail party for a good cause
My favorite challenge this season was the deconstruction one. I thought it was such a cool concept and it left the biggest impression on me about the "art" of cooking. (PS: Kevin should have won! I love how he loves pork as much as I do!)
My favorite was the Top Chef Masters dorm room challenge. They were all perplexed by the microwaves. Hubert Keller said one of my favorite lines when he was trying to figure out how to use one, "I have one at home and it’s just to dry the newspaper."
I liked the street food challenge where they came up with bizarre ethnic collaborations.
I thought the quickfire where they had to create dishes inspired by tv shows was great, in all 6 seasons it might be my favorite. Bryan's interpretation of MASH was adorable.
My favorite challenge was the deconstruction challenge. They have always hated it in the past but alas, let them try it this season.
Jen's lasagna and Ashley's pot roast made me water.
I thought the challenge where Hung made the fantasy land out of crushed cereal was hilarious!
I really liked the restaurant wars episode. I always like those the best.
I have a favorite each season, and that would be too long to post, so let's say that this season, my favorite quick-fire was the "Angel/Devil" where Robin "mentions" she had cancer and just happens to win and everyone is peeved… priceless Top Chef drama!!
I'm not sure if I like the classic TV dinners or the breakfast in bed challenge better.
Loved the Breakfast Challenge!