top chef las vegas

(S06E07) Here's what I love about this episode of Top Chef: Jen and her illness. Yes, it was lovely how she triumphed over adversity and made a kick-ass dish, but mainly, I like the way that it didn't change her at all. She had the exact same dead-eyed expression and monotone that we've all come to know and love. Sick Jen or well Jen, they're both pretty much dead inside-- and I find her hilarious.

This week's Quickfire Challenge involves a slot machine (as all good challenges in life do). I really enjoyed seeing what the chefs came up with, based solely on three random words that came up on the machine. Even when they pulled words that would seem to make it easy, like Ashley's "Blue Cheesy Middle Eastern," they still don't go in the expected direction: there was no blue cheese in her dish.

• TBS has Baseball Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Hank, followed by new episodes of The Middle, Modern Family, Cougar Town, and Eastwick.
• CBS has a new Old Christine at 8, then new episodes of Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY.
• NBC has new episodes of Mercy, Law and Order: SVU, and The Jay Leno Show.
• FOX has a new So You Think You Can Dance at 8, followed by a new Glee.
• There's a new America's Next Top Model on The CW at 8.
• Also at 8: ESPN2 has the WNBA Finals.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Mythbusters.
• History Channel has a new Nostradamus Effect at 9, then a new MysteryQuest.
• Syfy has a new Ghost Hunters at 9, then a new Destination Truth.
• At 10, Comedy Central has a new South Park, followed by the series premiere of Secret Girlfriend.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef: Las Vegas at 10.
• Travel Channel has a new Man vs. Food at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

They're used to fire on Top Chef, but not like this. A battery on a camera exploded as they were setting up to do a shot for the Bravo show, and luckily for us the whole thing was captured by another camera.

I blame Toby Young for some reason.

(S0605) Last week was a big one, with two contestants being eliminated. I'm all for double-eliminations, since the fewer contestants there are, the easier my job generally is. Though Mattin was spared, he is understandably a little embarrassed, since he's from France and completely biffed the French cuisine challenge. I mean, you don't see Kevin screwing up barbecue or anything.

Tim Love is the guest judge; he's one of those rough-and-tumble types who infuses rustic food into fine dining. So I love the idea of letting the audience choose this week's Quickfire Challenge, but the fact that Top Chef is trying to make me believe that with cactus, snake, and kangaroo as choices, 57% of the people asked for cactus? Shenanigans! You know that vote was for Kangaroo Jack to bite the big one. I simply will not believe otherwise.

(S06E04) If the names Joël Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, Laurent Tourondel and Jean Joho don't strike fear in your heart, you are probably not a Top Chef contestant. Even Tom Colicchio seemed über-impressed by these French chefs. This season the producers have really turned up the heat on Top Chef, pushing the chefs to truly earn the title of Top Chef as never before. This challenge -- cooking for the aforementioned master chefs -- was the most difficult in the series yet.

• At 7, ESPN2 has more coverage of The U.S. Open.
• At 8, ABC, CBS, NBC, C-SPAN, and the news channels have the Presidential Address.
• FOX has the season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance at 8, followed by the series premiere of Glee.
• The CW has the two-hour season premiere of America's Next Top Model.
• Cartoon Network has a new Bobb'e Says at 8, then a new Dude, What Would Happen?
• At 9, ABC has a new Wipeout, then a new Primetime: Crime.
• NBC has a new America's Got Talent at 9.
• There's a new Leverage on TNT at 9, followed by a new Dark Blue.
• Discovery has a new Man vs. Wild at 9.
• BBC America has a new Gordon Ramsay's F Word at 9.
• Showtime has a new Inside the NFL at 9.
• Also at 9: Syfy has a new Ghost Hunters.
• At 10, Bravo has a new Top Chef: Las Vegas.
• MTV has a new episode of The Real World at 10.
  
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns at 10.
• Food Network has a new Dinner: Impossible at 10.
• At 11, ION repeats the premiere of Durham County.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

(S0603) Bacon might be one of America's unhealthiest foods. But as comedian Jim Gaffigan pointed out in his last special, bacon also holds awesome powers that are far beyond the grasp of mere mortals.

Given enough patience and time, bacon can move mountains, eradicate poverty and help scientists discover a lifelong cure for herpes simplex one.

Bacon's divine power proved itself once again in last night's Top Chef.

For Top Chef fans, especially the ones disapointed by Top Chef Masters, tonight is a big night. It's the premiere of Top Chef: Las Vegas, when we get back to the regular version of the show. Here's a preview of the first episode (and you can meet the contestants and see more previews here).

Pack up your knives: 'Top Chef' is headed for Las Vegas.

The hit reality show's sixth season returns tonight (9PM on Bravo) with 17 new cheftestants. They'll each compete for a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at Aspen's Annual Food & Wine Classic, $100,000 of merchandise provided by Macy's and an additional cash prize of $125,000.

Returning this season are 'Top Chef''s usual suspects: Emmy nominees Tom Colicchio and Padma Lakshmi, along with Gail Simmons and love-him-or-hate-him judge Toby Young.

Also on the menu is a smorgasbord of celebrity guest judges, including Natalie Portman, Wolfgang Puck, Penn & Teller, Nigella Lawson, Tyler Florence and Daniel Boulud.

Want to know more about the 'Top Chef: Las Vegas' contestants (two of the competing chefs are brothers, and three are from Atlanta)? Check out their bios after the jump.

This week on TV: Shaq throws down, chefs book a trip to Vegas and the return of 'Runway.'

MONDAY, AUG. 17

'Cake Boss' (10PM, TLC) 1st season finale
All good things must come to an end, so even though Hoboken baker Buddy Valasco and his cake-bakin' buddies have been a great addition to the primetime line-up this summer, the first season comes to an end tonight. It does go out with a bang – literally – as Buddy goes to his son's school for "Bring Your Dad to School Day" and then concocts a fireworks-themed cake.

'Woodstock: Now & Then' – Celebrating 40th anniversary (8PM, History Channel)
'Glenn Martin DDS' – Dentist Glenn takes his fam on a permanent vacay (8PM, Nick) series premiere
'Dance Your Ass Off' – There's a major twist during eliminations (10PM, Oxygen)
'Weeds' – Esteban's daughter arrives (10PM, Showtime)
'Nurse Jackie' – Victor Garber guest stars (10:30PM, Showtime)

Calling all 'True Blood' fans: Get exclusive spoilers on upcoming episodes [Ausiello Files]

One writer is already predicting 'Project Runway''s top 3. Find out which contestants have the winning looks -- literally [PopWatch]

Hungry for more 'Top Chef'? Meet the season 6 contestants [SF Gate]

(more fun finds after the jump)

Michael Jackson memorial draws 31.1 million viewers, 'Top Chef: Las Vegas' finds a premiere date, Terry Kinney books 'The Mentalist' and more of today's top TV headlines.

Top Chef Masters returns to Bravo tonight (after a week off), but some fans aren't into this more "professional" edition of the reality show and are waiting patiently (or maybe not too patiently) for the "real" Top Chef to return. You only have about six more weeks to wait.

Top Chef Las Vegas will premiere on August 26. According to the press release, we're going to see a lot of stars in this season too (only not as contestants, of course), including Penn & Teller, Todd English, Natalie Portman, Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Palmer, Daniel Bouland, and Nigella Lawson. Padma Lakshmi will be back as host, along with judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Toby Young (who a lot of fans don't seem to like that much, at least in his role here).

This could be a very fun season, considering what Las Vegas is like (as famous now for its restaurants as its gambling).