Top Chef 3 Miami (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The third season of American reality television series Top Chef (also advertised as Top Chef Miami) began airing on Bravo on June 13, 2007. Padma Lakshmi returned with Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and new judge Ted Allen, who will switch off with Simmons throughout the season. First season contestant Lee Anne Wong was brought in as a food consultant and assisted in planning the challenges. Production took place in April and May 2007 in Miami Beach, Florida, with 15 contestants living, and the production activity centered, at the historic Fontainebleau Hotel . As with Season 2, the winning recipe from each week's episode of Season 3 is featured on Bravo's Top Chef website and prepared by Season 1 contestant Lee Anne Wong in a web video called The Wong Way to Cook. Another former contestant, Season 2's Carlos Fernandez, is featured on a Yahoo!/Telemundo blog called Sabrosazon in which he presents recipes and writes about Season 3 in Spanish, as well as a Bravo blog called Miami Spice in which he presents recipes in English.

Host, judges, and special appearances

Permanent

• Tom Colicchio (Head Judge)
• Padma Lakshmi (Host)
• Gail Simmons (Judge)
• Ted Allen (Judge)

As of this season, Simmons and Allen will alternate episodes beginning with the preview episode "Four-Star All Stars," which features a cookoff between teams of four top chefs from the first two seasons.

Guest judges

• Anthony Bourdain (Ep. 1 Elimination)
• Norman van Aken (Ep. 2 Quickfire and Elimination)
• Alfred Portale (Ep. 3 Quickfire and Elimination)
• Jamie Walker of Bombay Sapphire (Ep. 4 Quickfire)
• Barton G. Weiss (Ep. 4 Elimination)
• Maria Frumkin (Ep. 5 Quickfire and Elimination)
• Rocco DiSpirito (Ep. 7¹ Quickfire and Elimination)
• Govind Armstrong (Ep. 8 Quickfire and Elimination)
• Daniel Boulud (Ep. 9 Quickfire and Elimination)
• Geoffrey Zakarian (Ep. 10 Elimination)
• Michael Schwartz (Ep. 11 Quickfire and Elimination)

¹Episode 6 was a reunion special

Special Appearances

• Members of Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
• Cast and Crew of Telemundo's Dame Chocolate
• Andrea Strong, author of the food blog The Strong Buzz
• Christopher Ciccone, brother of Madonna
• Stephen Asprinio from Season 1
• Esteban Cortazar, fashion designer

Contestants

The contestants for Season 3 were announced on May 9, 2007.

In alphabetical order, they are:

• Brian Malarkey, age 34, San Diego, California (Hometown: Bend, Oregon)
• Camille Becerra, age 34, Brooklyn, New York (Hometown: Elizabeth, New Jersey)
• Casey Thompson, age 29, Dallas, Texas (Hometown: Cedar Hill, Texas)
• Chris Jacobsen (C.J.), age 31, Venice, California (Hometown: El Toro, California)
• Clay Bowen, age 28, Santa Barbara, California (Hometown: Northern Mississippi)
• Dale Levitski, age 34, Chicago, Illinois, formerly of Trio in Evanston, Illinois (Hometown: Chicago, Illinois)
• Howie Kleinberg, age 31, Miami, Florida (Hometown: Miami, Florida)
• Hung Huynh, age 29, Las Vegas, Nevada (Hometown: Pittsfield, Massachusetts)
• Joey Paulino, age 29, New York, New York (Hometown: Franklin Square, Long Island, New York)
• Lia Bardeen, age 28, Brooklyn, New York (Hometown: Tacoma, Washington)
• Micah Edelstein, age 33, Boca Raton, Florida (Hometown: South Africa)
• Sandee Birdsong, age 39, Miami Beach, Florida (Hometown: St. Simons Island, Georgia)
• Sara Mair, age 34, Miami, Florida (Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica)
• Sara Nguyen, age 25, New York, New York (Hometown: Santa Monica, California)
• Tre Wilcox, age 30, Cedar Hill, Texas (Hometown: Duncanville, Texas)

Ages listed are at the time of taping of Top Chef 3 in April and May of 2007. Locations are according to contestants' official Bravo biographies.

Credit order: Brian, Joey, Hung, Sara M, Howie, Dale, Micah, Tre, Lia, Sandee, Sara N, Clay, Casey, CJ, Camille.

Contestant progress

Episode	1	2	3	4	5	71	8	92,3	10	11	Comments
Quickfire Winner	Micah	Hung	Brian	Casey	Joey	Casey	Dale	CJ	Howie Sara M. Hung Dale	Brian
Brian	LOW	WIN	LOW	HIGH	IN	IN	HIGH	IN	LOW	LOW
Casey	IN	IN	IN	LOW	LOW	HIGH	LOW	IN	LOW	WIN
CJ	IN	IN	LOW	IN	IN	WIN	LOW	IN	LOW	HIGH
Dale	LOW	IN	HIGH	LOW	IN	HIGH	IN4	IN	HIGH	LOW
Hung	HIGH	IN	IN	HIGH	LOW	LOW	HIGH	IN	HIGH	LOW
Sara M.	IN	IN	LOW	LOW	IN	LOW	HIGH	IN	WIN	HIGH
Howie	LOW	LOW	WIN	LOW	WIN	LOW	LOW	IN	HIGH	OUT	Elimin: Chef Overboard
Tre	WIN	LOW	IN	IN	IN	WIN	WIN	IN	OUT		Elimin: Second Helping
Sara N.	IN	HIGH	IN	IN	LOW	IN	OUT				Elimin: Guilty Pleasures
Joey	IN	LOW	IN	LOW	HIGH	OUT					Elimin: Freezer Burn
Lia	IN	IN	LOW	WIN	OUT						Elimin: Latin Lunch
Camille	IN	IN	IN	OUT							Elimin: Cooking By The Numbers
Micah	IN	HIGH	OUT								Elimin: Family Favorites
Sandee	IN	OUT									Elimin: Sunny Delights
Clay	OUT										Elimin: First Impressions

Note 1: Episode 6 was a non-competition reunion special.
Note 2: From Episode 9 forward, the winner of the Quickfire does not receive immunity from elimination.
Note 3: No one was eliminated in Episode 9. As both teams performed equally poorly, the judges asked them to repeat the Elimination Challenge in Episode 10.
Note 4: Dale, as winner of the Quickfire, was excused from the Elimination Challenge.

{{colorbox}} (WIN) The chef won the series and was crowned Top Chef.

{{colorbox}} (WIN) The chef won that episode's Elimination Challenge.

{{colorbox}} (HIGH) The chef was selected as one of the top entries in the Elimination Challenge, but did not win.

{{colorbox}} (LOW) The chef was selected as one of the bottom entries in the Elimination Challenge, but was not eliminated.

{{colorbox}} (OUT) The chef lost that week's Elimination Challenge and was out of the competition.

Episodes

Each episode includes two challenges. The Quickfire Challenge is a short, simple challenge with a varying reward each week; in the initial episodes of the season, it usually guarantees the winner immunity from being sent home that week. The Elimination Challenge is a more complex challenge that determines who goes home. One or more guest judges join the show each week to evaluate both the Quickfire and Elimination challenges. Each week's elimination is announced in a segment called "Judges' Table."

Episode 1: First Impressions

• Quickfire Challenge: Create an amuse bouche within 10 minutes using only existing appetizer food and the plastic service-ware from their introductory party. Prize: Immunity from elimination.
  • WINNER: Micah. ("Tuscan Sushi Revisited": Prosciutto with figs & balsamic dressing)
• Elimination Challenge: Create a "surf and turf" dish within two hours, but using exotic proteins, such as ostrich, buffalo, abalone, alligator, snake, black chicken, geoduck and eel.
  • WINNER: Tre. (Seared ostrich filet with heirloom tomato risotto & abalone reduction)
  • ELIMINATED: Clay. (Pan seared rack of wild boar & scorpionfish cornbread dressing cake)
• Elimination Challenge Prize: Collection of books by Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain also promised to take the winner out for yakitori in New York City.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons and guest judge Anthony Bourdain (Elimination Challenge).
• Tre Wilcox became the first contestant to win the introductory elimination challenge without proceeding to win the title of Top Chef for that season.
• First aired June 13, 2007

Episode 2: Sunny Delights

• Quickfire Challenge: Create a dish featuring Florida citrus within 30 minutes using oranges, lemons, key limes, grapefruit, tangeloes, and/or blood oranges from the display and any items from the Top Chef pantry. Prize: Immunity from elimination.
  • WINNER: Hung. (Slow roasted sea bass, citrus crumble watercress & radish salad)
• Elimination Challenge: Sponsored by Kingsford charcoal. Create an "upscale barbecue" dish with two hours to prep and two hours the following day to cook on a barbecue grill on location at a barbecue party.
  • WINNER: Brian. ("Chino Latino": Scallops, shrimp & seabass sausage with ginger slaw & chili glaze)
  • ELIMINATED: Sandee. (Vanilla lobster & pancetta wrapped date skewers with black truffle & walnut slaw)
• Elimination Challenge Prize: None noted in the broadcast airing.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons and guest judge Norman van Aken (Quickfire and Elimination Challenges).
• First aired June 20, 2007

Episode 3: Family Favorites

• Quickfire Challenge: "Catch and cook" a shellfish dish in 30 minutes after using nets to fish scallops, crawfish, and conch out of tanks. Prize: Immunity from elimination.
  • WINNER: Brian. ("Tres Rios" (3 Rivers): Wine, butter, garlic, chives with clams, scallops, mussels & crawfish; oyster mignonette; conch toast)
• Elimination Challenge: Update traditional "family favorites" such as tuna casserole, stuffed cabbage, and chicken and dumplings by creating a healthier, more modern dish with reduced cholesterol in one hour for judgment by members of an Elks club.
  • WINNER: Howie. (Fennel crusted pork chops with apple fennel salad & sultana raisin emulsion)
  • ELIMINATED: Micah. (Italian style meatloaf with smashed garlic potato & roasted pepper sauces)
• Elimination Challenge Prize: Three books from guest judge, Chef Alfred Portale and an invitation to spend a week at the Gotham Bar and Grill working with Chef Portale and his staff.
• Micah Edelstein set the record for the earliest elimination of any contestant who won a Quickfire Challenge. Micah's elimination in Episode 3 eclipsed the previous Episode 6 eliminations of Season One's Andrea Beaman and Season Two's Carlos Fernandez.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Ted Allen and guest judge Alfred Portale (Quickfire and Elimination Challenge).
• First aired June 27, 2007

Episode 4: Cooking By The Numbers

• Quickfire Challenge: Contestants are challenged to create an appetizer to pair with Bombay Sapphire mixed drinks; the specific drink was selected by random draw. Prize: Immunity from elimination.
  • WINNER: Casey. (French toast baguette with pecan crusted foie gras & raspberry sauce paired with a strawberry balsamic rickey)
• Elimination Challenge: In teams of three, contestants prepare a tasting menu of four courses, each consisting of trios around a central ingredient . The contestants were to divide themselves up into teams, select the main ingredient for each course, and the order of the courses.
  • First Course: A trio of shrimp (Brian, Hung, Lia)
  • Second Course: A trio of tuna (Casey, Howie, Joey)
  • Third Course: A trio of beef (CJ, Sara N., Tre)
  • Fourth Course: A trio of pineapple (Camille, Dale, Sara M.)
• The meal is served to the judges and members of Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. The Barton G. restaurant, owned by one of the diners, Barton G. Weiss, served as the venue.
  • WINNER: Lia. (Olive oil poached Key West pink shrimp with avocado, cucumber, lime & grilled pepper salad) The team of Brian, Hung, and Lia was judged the best trio, and Lia was declared the winner.
  • ELIMINATED: Camille. (Pineapple upside down cake with ginger sabayon)
• Elimination Challenge prize: The opportunity to be featured chef at a charity event in the Hamptons.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Ted Allen, Jamie Walker of Bombay Sapphire (Quickfire), Barton G. Weiss (Elimination).
• First aired July 11, 2007

Episode 5: Latin Lunch

• Quickfire Challenge: Contestants are challenged to create a course starting with a pre-made pie crust, using additional ingredients from the Top Chef pantry.
  • WINNER: Joey ("A Trio of Tarts": Berry cream with balsamic vinegar, roasted mango puree with rum, warm apple compote with brandied whipped cream & cardamom syrup.)
• Elimination Challenge: Contestants are asked to prepare a classical Latin lunch course to be served to the cast and crew of the Telemundo telenovela Dame Chocolate. They had $150 in grocery money to spend and initially had three hours to prep but were told, on the day of the lunch, that they only had 90 minutes to complete their meals and pack them for service.
  • WINNER: Howie (Braised pork shoulder with yucca & sour orange mojo).
  • ELIMINATED: Lia (Smoked rainbow trout with poblano-charred corn polenta cake & pico de gallo).
• Elimination Challenge prize: A bottle of Argentine wine from guest judge Maria Frumkin (which Howie gave to Joey).
• Lia Bardeen set the record for the earliest elimination of any contestant who won an Elimination Challenge. Lia's elimination in Episode 5 eclipsed the previous Episode 7 eliminations of Season One's Miguel Morales and Season Two's Frank Terzoli.
• Judges Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons, Maria Frumkin (Quickfire and Elimination Challenge).
• First aired July 18, 2007

Episode 6: Watch What Happens

• Various chefs from all three seasons are reunited to discuss the series. Hosted by Bravo vice president and bravotv.com blogger Andy Cohen, the episode includes Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and guest judge Ted Allen, along with Season 1 chefs Harold, Lee Anne, and Dave; Season 2 chefs Ilan, Michael, Cliff, and Sam; and Season 3 chefs Clay, Camille, Lia, Micah and Sandee. Participants were asked questions drawn from viewer emails, and were shown video segments highlighting footage from all three seasons. Questions included what Cliff thought when he saw himself wrestling with Marcel; whether Lee Anne and Harold are dating (Lee Anne says "no"); and what Micah really thought about American comfort food. Clips include Harold introducing his restaurant, Perilla, and Ilan competing in a cook-off against Jacques Pepin at the Food & Wine Classic.
• First aired July 25, 2007

Episode 7: Freezer Burn

• Quickfire Challenge: The contestants are challenged to the culinary equivalent of a spelling bee, and have to identify foods by either taste or appearance.
  • Winner: Casey (Correctly identified: fish paste, bowtie pasta, Chinese five spice, chayote, and roasted red bell pepper.)
• Elimination Challenge: The contestants are randomly paired up and challenged to create Bertolli-inspired Mediterranean entrees that will be frozen overnight. The food will be served to shoppers the next day in the style of pre-packaged frozen dinners. They are given $100 to shop at Fresh Market to buy enough food to make 15 full courses and sampling dishes, two hours to prepare prior to freezing, and another hour after freezing before serving their meals.
  • Team 1: Hung & Joey (Tri-color fusilli with garlic & sun-dried tomato sauce & chicken.)
  • Team 2: Howie & Sara M. (Mediterranean shrimp pasta with fennel & sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.)
  • Team 3: Brian & Sara N. (Chicken rigatoni with kalamata olives, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes & rosemary.)
  • Team 4: Tre & CJ (Black truffle & parmesan linguini, kale, tomato confit & grilled chicken.)
  • Team 5: Casey & Dale (Turkey & pork meatballs with orecchiette & pesto.)
  • WINNERS: Tre and CJ (Prize: Two tickets to Italy for each member of the team)
  • ELIMINATED: Joey
• Judges Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons, Rocco Dispirito (Quickfire and Elimination Challenges)
• First aired August 1, 2007

Episode 8: Guilty Pleasures

• Quickfire Challenge: The chefs are given 45 minutes to prepare ingredients to be mixed into Cold Stone Creamery ice cream just prior to serving.
  • Winner: Dale. (Cobbler topping: flambéed peaches with candied pecans) Prize: A free pass from participating in the Elimination Challenge and dinner with restauranteur Govind Armstrong at Table 8.
• Elimination Challenge: The chefs initially are told they were to have the night off to enjoy Miami nightlife. They discover later that they would be cooking outdoors for patrons at the Nikki Beach night club. The eight chefs drew knives to divide into two groups: Black Team (Brian, Hung, Sara M., and Tre) and Orange Team (Casey, CJ, Howie, and Sara N.). Each team was given a catering truck to use as a mobile kitchen; thirty minutes and $300 to shop; and two hours to prepare a number of "late-night" bar food dishes. The menus were:
  • Black Team: Oysters in a half shell with watermelon and spicy ceviche taco (Brian); onion rings and teriyaki chicken wings (Hung); jerk flank steak soft taco with cilantro cream & pico de gallo (Sara M.); and bacon wrapped shrimp, cheese grits with tomato chipotle butter (Tre).
  • Orange Team: Four cheese quesadilla with roasted tomatillo salsa (Casey); ceviche taco with shrimp, scallops, chili, green onions & cilantro (CJ); "Media Noche": cuban pork sandwich with plantain chips (Howie); and beef sliders with caramelized onions & plantain chips (Sara N.).
  • WINNERS: The Black Team won the challenge, and Tre was chosen as the individual winner.
  • Elimination Challenge Prize: A first-edition copy of Armstrong's book and a platinum card good for entry into all Club Nikki locations.
  • ELIMINATED: Sara N.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Ted Allen, Govind Armstrong (Quickfire and Elimination Challenges)
• First aired August 8, 2007

Episode 9: Restaurant Wars

• Quickfire Challenge: The chefs are given 30 minutes to prepare a burger, as inspired by Red Robin's line of "Adventuresome" Burgers.

• Winner: CJ. (Scallop Mousse & Shrimp Burger with Tangerine) Prize: First choice of three teammates for the upcoming Elimination Challenge.

Note: As of this episode, Quickfire Challenge winners will no longer receive immunity.

• Elimination Challenge: The chefs divide into two teams, and each one will be responsible for taking an empty space and opening an operating restaurant out of it in 24 hours; teams have $2,500 and 45 minutes to purchase decor items, and $500 and 30 minutes to shop for food items at The Fresh Market. Each restaurant is connected to the Top Chef kitchens and thus teams would share the kitchen space. As CJ won the Quickfire, he will select all 3 members of his team. The teams are unaware prior to the challenge that Andrea Strong, author of the food blog "The Strong Buzz", would also be dining in each restaurant and commenting on decor, service, and food, with her comments partially influencing the judging decisions.

Restaurant April - Brian, Casey, CJ, Tre

• Amuse bouche: Bluepoint oyster with ginger & watermelon granita
• First course: Seared sea scallop on corn & black truffle custard
• Second course: Seared grouper with shellfish, basil pistou & artichoke hearts
• Third course: Wild mushroom & gorgonzola crusted beef tenderloin on smoked fingerling potatoes
• Desserts: Mango lemongrass & sake sorbet, tarte Tatin with brandy sauce & creme anglaise.

The Garage - Dale, Howie, Hung, Sara M.

• First course: Tuna tartare with egg vinaigrette, nicoise olive puree & herb salad
• Second course: Wild mushroom risotto with foie gras & black truffles
• Third course: Braised lamb shank with sunchoke potatoes & baby vegetables
• Dessert: Sweet crêpes with dark chocolate & orange Grand Marnier sauce.

• WINNERS: No team won the Elimination Challenge, since the judges felt both teams' respective successes in their restaurants were canceled out by the relative mis-steps. However, the judges decided not to send anyone home this round, rather opting for a re-do of the challenge the next day, where someone will be going home afterwards.
• Elimination Challenge Prize: Each chef received a copy of Guest Judge Daniel Boulud's Letters to a Young Chef.
• ELIMINATED: No one.

• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Ted Allen, Daniel Boulud (Quickfire and Elimination Challenges)
• First aired August 15, 2007
• One unusually vocal diner, who complained about food tasting like metal and protested the scented candle on his table by putting it out with his napkin and setting it on the floor, was later identified by Bravo staff as Christopher Ciccone, brother of Madonna. Bravo executive Andy Cohen also mentioned at that time that Ciccone would be appearing in the following week's episode in an unnamed capacity. Ciccone would reappear in Episode 10 to assist with interior decoration for both restaurants.

Episode 10: Second Helping

• Quickfire Challenge: Continuing with the same teams from the previous week, both teams compete to be the first to complete the following mise en place tasks, in relay:

1. Shucking 15 oysters (Howie v. Brian)
2. Finely chopping 5 large onions (Sara M. v. Casey)
3. Breaking down 4 whole chickens (Hung v. Tre)
4. Separating 3 egg whites and beating them until the peaks stand in an upside-down bowl for at least five seconds without falling out. (Dale v. C.J.)

• Winner: Team "Garage" Prize: The team receives the help of Season 1 contestant and sommelier Stephen Asprinio for pairing wine with their courses, along with an extra $200 to spend on wine.

• Elimination Challenge: Each team will reopen their restaurant, using input from the previous challenge, along with the assistance of Christopher Ciccone (who appeared as a diner in the previous episode) for interior decoration. Team were allowed to change anything else they wanted with their restaurant, including its name. Each team will need to prepare two different options for 3 of the 4 courses. They are given 4 hours of preparation time before both restaurants opened. Tom Colicchio is present in the kitchen during the preparation time and into the serving period.

Restaurant April

• First course: Seared sea scallop on corn & black truffle custard or wild king salmon with macadamia nut pesto & grapefruit
• Second course: Chilled carrot & ginger soup or lobster salad with arugula & caramelized cauliflower
• Third course: Wild mushroom & gorgonzola crusted beef tenderloin on smoked fingerling potatoes or monkfish with mascarpone potatoes
• Dessert: Apple & brioche bread pudding with cinnamon & brandy anglaise.

Quatre (formerly The Garage)

• First course: Tuna tartare with egg vinaigrette, nicoise olive puree & herb salad or poussin with mint gnocchi, sweet pea purée, carrots & hazelnuts
• Second course: Halibut with grapes & braised leeks or lamb with white beans & haricots vert
• Dessert: Panna cotta with fresh berries or sweet crêpes with dark chocolate & orange Grand Marnier sauce.

• WINNERS: Team "Quatre" won the overall challenge, and Sara M. was selected as the overall winner.

• ELIMINATED: Tre.
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Ted Allen, Geoffrey Zakarian (Elimination Challenge)
• First aired August 22, 2007
• Eliminated chefs were among the diners. Joey and Sara N. dined at Quatre, while Camille and Lia dined at April.

Episode 11: Chef Overboard

• Quickfire Challenge: The chefs draw numbered knives corresponding to an aisle in a supermarket. Each chef has 20 minutes to create a dish using only $10 worth of products from that aisle, in addition to a limited selection of items from the Top Chef pantry.

• Winner: Brian (Spam, Corned Beef Hash & Fried Egg with Onions & Balsamic Reduction).
  Prize: Ability to choose the team leader for the Elimination Challenge.
  Brian chose himself to be team leader.
• NOTE: Howie failed to present any dish for judging.

• Elimination Challenge: Working as a team, the chefs are to cater a party for fashion designer Esteban Cortazar and 60 guests aboard a yacht (the Venetian Lady) chartered by the Pure nightclub. The entire team has a total of $350 to spend for supplies, and has 2 hours of preparation time on board the yacht prior to service.
• WINNER: Casey (Beef Carpaccio with Watercress & Fried Caper, Shiitake Broth).
  Prize: A 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro laptop computer.
• ELIMINATED: Howie (Asparagus & Prosciutto "Cigars" with Parmesan Cheese; Mushroom Duxelle on Puff Pastry).
• Judges: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Michael Schwartz (Quickfire and Elimination Challenges), Dana Cowin (Elimination Challenge)
• First aired September 5, 2007
• During Judges' Table, Howie initially tried to withdraw from the competition and his request was denied by the judges. They then said that his two dishes were the worst and eliminated him anyway.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Top Chef (Season 3)". Reality TV World is not responsible for any errors or omissions this article may contain.