By: Monica A. Reyhani
I've already (embarrassingly) told you how excited I am for Top Chef All-Stars, and that was before I could even share who the cheftestants competing are! Well, the wait is over! Andy Cohen made the cast announcement during tonight's Top Chef D.C. Watch What Happens Reunion. And if you missed it, you can watch it again right here.
Here's the list, too:
Elia Aboumrad; Season 2, final four
Stephen Asprinio; Season 1, top five
Richard Blais; Season 4 finalist
Jennifer Carroll; Season 6, final four
Tiffany Derry; Season 7, top five
Tiffani Faison; Season 1 finalist
Carla Hall; Season 5 finalist
Mike Isabella; Season 6, top seven
Jamie Lauren; Season 5, top seven
Dale Levitski; Season 3 finalist
Antonia Lofaso; Season 4, final four
Spike Mendelsohn; Season 4, top five
Angelo Sosa; Season 7 finalist
Dale Talde; Season 4, top six
Casey Thompson; Season 3 finalist and Fan Favorite
Marcel Vigneron; Season 2 finalist
Fabio Viviani; Season 5, final four and Fan Favorite
Tre Wilcox; Season 3, top eight
Tell me who you're most excited to see return in the Comments section below!
I am SO excited to see Tiffany from Season 7 on the show! I love Tiffany; I still think she should have won!
Looking forward to seeing Tiffany Derry, season 7 top five. Did she get married? She won some amazing gifts and I'm surprised that she did not go further in the competition. I love her and wish her luck.
I'm happy for Kevin too, season 7 winner, since he's from my home town of Willingboro.
I am so glad to see Tiffany Derry selected as a Top Chef All-Star. I hope she goes all the way to the top this time. She deserves it. Top Chef has become my favorite tv show. It has changed the way I cook and I love to cook. I not only have learned about things like mascarpone, but can make an excellent chocolate ganache. I never even knew what that was a year ago.
I will be watching for Tiffany Derry, Carla Hall, Elia Aboumrad, and Spike Mendelsohn to do well. But I was hoping that there would be more persons of color; 5 out of 18 is very disappointing.
Im so excited to see a wonderful cast! All of these contestants deserved to be Top Chef! I'm also very happy to see a few of my favorite chefs from all the different seasons. I was reallly rooting for Tiffani from season one and Jami from season 5! I was so disappointed when Tre was sent home I really thought it would be between and Hung in the finale! So many of my favorites are chefs are competing I don't know who I want to win. I can't wait for the season to start, it will be for sure fun to watch. We are going to see some great food and some a good competition! Good luck to all the chefs!
Looking forward to seeing Jennifer, Antonia, Carla, Richard, Tiffany, Fabio. I agree with Top Chef fan - Brian V should have been here.
I'm totally bummed at the list of all-stars. Bryan Voltaggio should have been on the list. He was the best contestant of all the seasons! Why isn't he on there? And i don't like Marcel at all. The only one I'm really excited about is Fabio. I thought the word All-Stars meant that the best of the best were competing and this is not the best lineup. Bryan and Sam should have been on there!
I am looking forward to Tiffani Faison, Richard Blais and Casey Thompson battling it out. I think that Bryan Voltaggio would have completed the bunch. I feel that these chefs are the most talented of the finalists.
I wonder how many people were asked to compete but turned it down for whatever reason. Based on the fact I watched every one of the episodes of every season, I'm putting my money on Richard Blais to win, with Jennifer Carol and Tiffani Faison to make the final with him.
Maybe they turned down the invitation? I'd imagine the lives of many of these competitors are pretty crazy since they were on the show.
Excited for Fabio, Richard, Elia and Carla. Would have been nice to see Kevin and his ginger beard...I do wish the cast were all finalists (or at least top 4). I understand that some would turn it down for a plethora of different reasons but still that would have been so proper!
What about Kevin Gillespie???
I like most of the cast, but I must say that I'm on Team Jennifer Carroll! The talent of last year's cast was off the charts! Though I'm sure Tiffani, Richard, and Tre will be ridiculously stiff competition.
Also noticed that Andy turned to Padma and said, "See you next season." Are Tom and Gail not going to be present next season?? That would be thoroughly disappointing seeing how they were the 2 judges for ALL of the seasons and are clearly the best to evaluate the contestants' food. Also hope Eric Ripert stays on as a judge... and can we invite Anthony Bourdain to be a permanent judge already??
really looking forward to this
i wonder what changes they'll make to the format. how will they stop spoilers from going out on the internet when people see who the remaining chefs are as they shop at whole foods?
match-ups i'd like to see: jennifer v tiffany, dale t. v angelo, richard v marcel. too bad kenny's not on or tre v kenny would have been good, too
The reason why other favorites and clearly wonderful chefs didn't make the list is because many have their own very successful businesses or other projects that they couldn't take the time off to attend. I do like a large group of the cast, and don't agree with some of them, but such is life. I'm not a huge Marcel fan, but I still think that he got robbed and stuck with a group of helpers in the finale that hindered his results.
I think it's a great line-up. I'm sure some of the top people were asked and declined, so if you're missing a fav like Kenny or Bryan, they probably opted out to go on with their lives.
In this order Marcel, Fabio, Carla, Elia, Richard, & Spike. I love this idea. Can't wait, very excited.
Eric Ripert can't be a regular judge for All Stars because Jennifer Carroll is his employee and I believe mentor. Sad but good because I always thought Jennifer was a serious contender even though Mike rightfully won that season. I was very disappointed to see Kenny not selected in the cast, I really believe with a second chance, he could have won and to me he was very personable and I enjoyed watching him.
Spike? Seriously? Didn't he just skim by in the middle the whole time? And Tre? The guy they did Restaurant Wars twice for and he still got kicked off?
Love the idea of Top Chef All-Stars, but Andy, Andy, Andy WHERE IS BRYAN VOLTAGGIO...that gorgeous, suave, fabulous chef ?????? How is it that he is not in the line up...
Love most of the chefs on the list: Fabio, Carla, Jennifer... Glad to see Tre get another chance.
CAN'T WAIT...
OMG!!!!! CANT WAIT!!!! Fantastic line-up great chefs powerful personalities will not miss a single episode!!!!!
We can play a game of 'Which one does not belong with the others?' with Spike and Marcil.
And I agree Stefan should be there.
And maybe Ed?
Notable absent: Kevin and Brian V (Season 6), Stefan (Season 5), and maybe Sam (Season 2). I agree that they all probably were approached but declined. I am most excited for Steven from Season 1! Best Top Chef moment was when he was serving street food to passerbys in his bowtie, admitting that they probably weren't his target audience. Can't wait to see him back on TV...thought he was robbed to be kicked off for front of the house in Restaurant Wars. He was a great chef and I'm hoping he wins! (I might have been rooting for Kevin had he gotten involved.)
First off, I'm very glad to see to that Angelo will be making it back for season 8. He's clearly the most talented and professional chef from season 7. Also looking forward to seeing Jen Carroll, Richard Blais, Mike Isabella, and Dale Talde. All of which should have won or made it alot further than they did. And with Bourdain as a judge this should be the best season of top chef yet. Cant Wait!
Really, Bravo? Mike Isabella over Kevin Gillespie and Brian Voltaggio? Really? Your choice for a better chef and/or more compelling personality? Really? Really?
I would have loved to see Kelly Liken in Season 8 Top Chef All-Stars. I'm wondering if it was because she didn't bring enough drama/excitement to the show. She just seemed to be so thoughtful in her food selections and cooking techniques, but I guess she would be considered one of the quieter chefs that have appeared on these shows.
For those of you who are looking for Ed, he is one of Kat Cora's sous chefs this season on IRON CHEF. The Tasmanian Devil of the kitchen is putting his speed to good use.
As far as favorites, I will be rooting in equal parts for Tre, Fabio, and Carla... and I will be keeping one eye on Dale L.. He spent most of Season 3 getting his mojo back, and if he is on target he could definite make a game of it.
I AM SO EXCITED!
Jen and Jamie; both Dales; Casey and Carla and Tre gets his shot. But Blais...he's got it.
Angelo, Marcel and spike are on my least favorite list.
How about a round of Champions ? All Finalists only! The top of each season battling each other to determine the best of all seasons.
I can't wait for this to start. I'm thrilled that Marcel is coming back. I still think he was robbed, and should have won over what's-his-name.
I am disappointed Dave Martin is not returning as a contestant. He made it to final 3 so he's proven to be an outstanding chef. I enjoyed his craziness. And Bourdain?! NO, no, no. Charlie Palmer would have been a better choice. He know how to pick potential greatness in young chefs and is a chef's chef. Bourdain, by his own admission, is merely a cook and his judgment has been clouded by cheftestant's personalities (Dale Talde), and not the taste of the dish.
The cast is good and I can't wait to watch, but can the viewers be given a chance to vote for who they would like to see on a future all star season?
GIRL POWER! TIFFANY, CASEY & CARLA!!! It's time to see a woman win again. I would LOVE to see one of these three gals win it on the next ALL STAR season of TOP Chef... #1 Favorite is Tiffany. I was shocked she didn't go onto the final this last season. She's amazing. She was winning those challenges and so great in Wash. D.C. I am rooting for her for the GOLD GIRL! Then, my other two favorites are Casey, you are great girl, go for it- beat those guys!!! Then, Carla, you grew on me as a steady competitor with a good attitude. With all the chef drama, OH My .."The Top CheF Dessert show" takes the CAKE on Drama Queens!!! Too much!#!?! Let's see some real chef women bring it home for a Gold, Silver, Bronze finale in the ALL STAR Season! GO GIRLS!!!!
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I would have liked to see Sam from season 2 instead of Marcel.
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