After the underwhelming sophomore term of “Top Chef Masters,” with repetitive challenges and personality-free host Kelly Choi’s awkward line readings, season three returns Wednesday, and Bravo proves it knows the secret ingredients that keeps foodies coming back for more.
There is a heaping serving of fresh surprise with a new format, a new host and a revamped judging panel, along with 12 master cheftestants. The popular recipe to “Top Chef Masters” was that it inverted the usual reality competition show.
Rather than amateurs desperate to break out as fascinating TV personalities, the contestants are master chefs who already headline highly rated restaurants. They don’t really need the fame. They just want, as Choi blandly had overstated, “bragging rights FOREVER!”
Bravo appears to have run out of name-brand chefs, but there are potentially entertaining personalities, such as the amusing Savir Savan (of Devi in New York) and the annoying Naomi Pomery (Beast in Portland). Just steer clear of the no-nonsense Traci Des Jardins (JardiniÈre in San Francisco), who is as self-described, “mean.”
Taking over as host is “Celebrity Apprentice” star Curtis Stone who, in his bid to become the most over-exposed TV chef since Gordon Ramsay, is also on NBC’s “America’s Next Great Restaurant.” Stone was great on “Apprentice,” but hosting is a different animal. In the first episode previewed, he’s stiff yet still enthusiastic, and it’ll be interesting to see if he warms and proves to be more than a pretty-face host.
Stone presides over the format changes to model “Masters” closer to its parent “Top Chef.” While “Top Chef Masters” used to introduce a new group of chefs in each episode, with the winner moving onto the finals later in the season, this season chefs stick around until they’re eliminated. “Masters” remains just as genteel with self-criticism and mutual respect reigning over the trash-talking from “Top Chef” competitors. The chefs still lose their cool but iffiest words are bleeped. But the new scoring system should amp up the competitive tension in future episodes.
Say goodbye to last season’s judges Gael Greene (but thanks for the hats), Jay Rayner and Gail Simmons. Returning judge James Oseland, who smiles broadly while making cutting comments, is joined by Ruth Reichl, the former “Gourmet” magazine chief and a dueling diva as a New York Times food critic. Oseland and Reichl is a refreshing pairing, and with Reichl’s relish for each new dish she samples, the 10-episode series will be even more infectious.
Later in the season we learn if a bowl of worms can be made appetizing. In one memorable quickfire, Discovery’s “Man, Woman, Wild” challenges the competitors to make a winning dish out of creepy-crawlies.
Blair Howell is a freelance editor and writer.