It's not just voters who are celebrating in Washington state today—the tenth season of Top Chef, Bravo's culinary Olympics reality show, is headed to Seattle and is doing its part to build the foodie buzz both in the Emerald City and across the Pacific Northwest. Premiering tonight on Bravo at 10 EST, Top Chef: Seattle will introduce viewers to 21 "chef-testants" hailing from acclaimed restaurants, nonprofit programs, and culinary schools all over the country. If Top Chef anticipation has your mouth watering, don't fret-you can sample the fare fresh from the kitchens where this season's contenders honed their skills. See photos of the contestants here, and check out our list of their restaurants (with a couple menu highlights) below.
(Entrée price guide: $ = $15 and under; $$ = $15-30; $$$ = $30 and up).
Anthony Gray, Executive Chef, Southern Art Bourbon Bar, Atlanta, Ga. (Southern, $$): Try an elegant spin on homestyle southern classics like shrimp and grits and cornmeal-dusted catfish.
Bart Vandaele, Belga Café, Washington, D.C.
(Belgian, $$): Try the Belgian steak with "real" Belgian fries, or the mussels with garlic butter, curry crème, or white beer.
Brooke Williamson
Hudson House, Redondo Beach, Calif. (Gastropub, $): Enjoy an avocado and fennel salad or grilled shrimp tacos with one of the pub's 50 beers.
The Tripel, Playa del Rey, Calif. (Gastropub, $): Sip one of the funky bar's "libations" while snacking on coconut and red curry dumplings or a calamari po'boy.
Carla Pellegrino
Bacio, Las Vegas, Nev. (Italian, $$): The menu at the revamped Tropicana's upscale Italian restaurant includes classics like risotto al gamberi (shrimp risotto) and scaloppini alla romana (veal with artichoke and prosciutto).
Bratalian, Henderson, Nev. (Italian, $$): Or try the traditional family-style dishes at this "Neapolitan cantina," such as penne alla vodka or salsicceand pepperoni (sausage and peppers).
Danyele McPherson, Sous Chef, The Grape, Dallas, Tex.
(New American, $$): The eatery, a Dallas standby for 40 years, offers coffee-rubbed pork chop and olive and mustard braised rabbit.
Eliza Gavin, 221 South Oak, Telluride, Colo.
(New American, $$$): Locally-sourced options include Rocky Mountain trout dusted with truffle oil and mushroom-crusted Colorado lamb shank.
Elizabeth Binder, Bar Bambino, San Francisco, Calif. (Italian, $$): Try the bigolli with local sardines and zesty Pantalleria capers, or the goat cheese and savory fig-pear preserve panino from the restaurant's café-style Pronto menu.
John Tesar, Spoon Bar & Kitchen, Dallas, Tex. (Seafood, $$$): Inventive seafood dishes include fusilli with braised octopus and monkfish "osso bucco."
Jorel Pierce, Chef de Cuisine, Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen, Denver, Colo. (Gastropub, $): Take your pick from an extensive menu of beers and playful eats like "fries with eyes" (smelt, vinegar aioli, and tarragon-doused fries) and a chicken schnitzel sandwich.
Joshua Valentine, Pastry Chef, FT33, Dallas, Tex. (New American, $$-$$$): highlights on the simple yet elegant menu include pork loin with Carolina gold rice and scallop with piquillo chile, grapes, and capers.
Micah Fields, The Standard Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif.
(New American, $$): The 24/7 eatery at the trendy downtown LA hotel offers chicken 'n waffles and a customizable mac and cheese mini-menu.
Sheldon Simeon, Executive Chef, Star Noodle, Lahaina, Hawaii (Asian Fusion, $): Classics from East and Southeast Asia get a Hawaiian twist: a Big Island rib eye with shiitake and negi, or "Hapa ramen" with roast pork, baby bok choy, and kamabako.
Stephanie Cmar, Rounds Cook, No. 9 Park, Boston, Mass.
(French, Italian, $$$): Menu offerings include Vermont quail with chestnut milk and slow-roasted elk loin.
Tyler Wiard, Executive Chef and Culinary Director, Elway's, Denver, Colo. (Steakhouse, $$$): The "Classics" section of the menu includes a Colorado rack of lamb with a rosemary crust and parmesan-crusted Pacific grouper with Louisiana Creole sauce and andouille sausage.
Tina Bourbeau, Executive Chef/ Senior Director of Research and Development, FreshDirect
: many readers may already be familiar with FreshDirect, which delivers, fresh, high-quality ingredients and pre-prepared meals to doorsteps nationwide.
Gina Keatley, Dietitian and Founder, Nourishing USA, Harlem, NY:
The New York City-based non-profit is dedicated to fighting hunger with a network of food pantries and soup kitchens across the nation.
Kristen Kish, Chef de Cuisine, Stir, Boston, Mass.: This Beantown school of fine cooking offers classes from $100 a session.
Daniel O'Brien, Seasonal Pantry, Washington D.C.: foodies can sign up for cooking classes or seasonal "supper club" menus available through advance reservations.
Rounding out the chef-testant lineup: Chrissy Camba of Chicago's soon-to-open Bar Pastoral;
Kuniko Yagi, Executive Chef of an upcoming David Myers restaurant in Los Angeles; and personal chef Jeffrey Jew, who has worked at restaurants in London and Washington, D.C.