Meet Your 'Top Chef: New York' Chef'testants

By Hanh Nguyen, Zap2It.com | October 1, 2008

Lauren, 'Top Chef: New York'

Martha Stewart and the Foo Fighters will also turn up the heat for the chefs

The latest contestants of the "Top Chef" franchise will have some surprises in store for them, including Martha Stewart, the Foo Fighters and a new judge.

Bravo announced Wednesday (Oct. 1) the lucky 17 new chef'testants to vie for the the title of "Top Chef: New York," the fifth season of the cable network's tastiest reality competition show.

"Being in New York this season, we've upped the ante –- because this is our home turf -– so the pressure's on for the chefs to impress us," says head judge and Craft Restaurant chef/owner Tom Colicchio.

As usual, the competitors will test their culinary mastery against each other, in hopes of winning $100,00 in seed money, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and the title of Top Chef.

But they'll be in for a few surprises as well, including a brand new judge. Toby Young is a British journalist, food critic and author of "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People," a memoir that has been adapted into a movie starring Simon Pegg that will open on Friday, Oct. 3. Young will join the returning Colicchio, Gail Simmons and host Padma Lakshmi.

In addition, the chefs will meet a range of celebrities this season including lifestyle mogul Martha Stuart, the Foo Fighters, actress Natasha Richardson, Jean-Georges, Eric Ripert, Rocco DiSpirito, Wylie Dufresne and Jean-Christophe Novelli.

"Top Chef: New York" will premiere on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

Following are the 17 new "Top Chef: New York" chef'testants:

Name: Alex
Age: 33
Hometown: New York, NY
Resides in: Los Angeles, CA

Name: Ariane
Age: 41
Resides in: Verona, NJ

Name: Carla
Age: 44
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Resides in: Washington, DC

Name: Danny
Age: 26
Resides in: New Hyde Park, NY

Name: Fabio
Age: 30
Hometown: Florence, Italy
Resides in: Moorpark, CA

Name: Gene
Age: 33
Hometown: Whitmore Village, HI
Resides in: Las Vegas, NV

Name: Hosea
Age: 34
Hometown: Taos, NM
Resides in: Boulder, CO

Name: Jamie
Age: 30
Hometown: New York, NY
Resides in: San Francisco, CA

Name: Jeff
Age: 30
Hometown: Niceville, FL
Resides in: Miami, FL

Name: Jill
Age: 28
Hometown: Latrobe, PA
Resides in: Baltimore, MD

Name: Lauren
Age: 24
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Currently stationed in: Fort Stewart

Name: Leah
Age: 27
Hometown: Scarsdale, NY
Resides in: New York, NY

Name: Melissa
Age: 28
Hometown: Maryland
Resides in: Boulder, CO

Name: Patrick
Age: 21
Hometown: Quincy, MA
Resides in: Hyde Park, NY

Name: Radhika
Age: 28
Hometown/Resides in: Chicago, IL

Name: Richard
Age: 27
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Resides in: San Diego, CA

Name: Stefan
Age: 35
Hometown: Tampere, Finland
Resides in: Santa Monica, CA