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| Graham E. Bowles | David Burke | Tony Mantuano | M. Samuelsson | Rick Tramonto |
For technical reasons, the entry form has been moved to ChicagoChefContest.com. If you have already entered here, don’t worry, we’ll move your entry for you.
Start the betting, folks.
Chefs from five Chicago restaurants will vie for the title of “Top Chef Master” in the new season of the Bravo cooking-contest TV show, beginning April 7. Chef Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill in River North won the first round. Can our city keep the title?
What do you think? Give us your prediction of how the season will go and we’ll give you a prize if you get it right.
Among the 22 chefs competing are:
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Graham Elliot Bowles of Graham Elliot in River North.
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David Burke of David Burke’s Primehouse in River North.
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Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia on the Magnificent Mile.
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Marcus Samuelsson of C-House in Streeterville.
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Rick Tramonto of Tru in Streeterville.
Yeah, we know that Burke and Samuelsson aren’t full-time local chefs, but if they win, we’ll be glad to claim them. Check out the competition.
Before April 7, post a comment here post your entry at ChicagoChefContest.com predicting which of these five chefs will win or come closest to winning and why.
We’ll offer a prize (to be determined) to whoever gets it right. (If more than one reader predicts the last Chicago chef standing, we’ll judge based how eloquent and close the entries are.)
Graham Elliot Bowles will win or come closest to winning. He’s got the inventiveness, the style and panache to show the judges some food prepared in ways they’ve never seen before, and that, I believe, will cinch the title for him. Or at least put him ahead of the rest of the pack of distinguished chefs.
Another thing he has going for him: He came very close to winning Top Chef, so I’m guessing that “experience in the ring” will serve him well.
Also, he’s fun to watch cook…and that couldn’t hurt.
So, here’s the order of winning: Bowles, Samuelsson, Mantuano, Tramanto & Burke.
Tramanto
Graham Elliot Bowles will win because of his creativity.
Don Newcomb
I think Rick Tramanto can win it, because he has experience in the realms of both “gee whiz” and homely comfort food.
So my bet: Tramanto, Bowles, Samuelsson, Burke, Mantuano
Bowles
Burke
Tramanto
Mantuano
Samuelsson
I am a neophyte – but this seems to make the most sense to me.
(Never trust a skinny chef)
Burke
Elliot
Samuelson
Tramanto
Mantuano
My reasoning is convoluted, mathematical and random. Even I don’t understand it, but I stand by it. Good luck, Chicago chefs!
I’ll vote for Tramanto, for his blend of classic style and subdued inventiveness (as compared to wacky GEB). But I’d be amazed if Top Chef went to a Chicago guy for a second time in a row, deserved or not.
Bowles
Burke
Samuelson
Mantuano
Tramanto
[...] We have upped the ante in our Top Chef Masters contest! [...]