The new Top Chef Duels premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on Bravo. In a fighting format hosted by Curtis Stone, past top chef competitors go head-to-head against each other with a few twists.
First up, it’s sometimes Atlanta chef Richard Blais vs. Los Angeles chef/caterer Marcel Vigneron in a duel Bravo hypes this way:
Two of the most notorious “mad scientists” in Top Chef history face-off once again, Top Chef All Stars winner Richard Blais and competitor celebrity chef Marcel Vigneron. First, Marcel challenges Richard to make a dessert featuring both a hot and cold component while Richard chooses to challenge Marcel to make one of his specialties, a burger. And for their Duel that will decide who moves on to the finale, Richard and Marcel must concoct a three-course meal specifically designed to entice each of the judges' senses. Although Richard won the title when they competed against one another on Top Chef All Stars, never underestimate the power of revenge!
Later on in the season, it will be Art Smith vs. Kevin Gillespie, and Hugh Acheson will guest judge on three episodes.
“It’s head-to-head competition for a whole episode,” Acheson said earlier today in a phone call. “In the first part, each chef gets to choose a challenge. After they complete those two challenges, it culminates in a final cook-off.”
“Obviously, we know these personalities through these years of Top Chef and we’ve nurtured relationships with them as the viewing public. It’s kind of hair down to a really simpler function of cookery, which to me was exciting to watch and judge. You kind of know what you’re gonna get because you’ve seen them before, but it’s exciting because they’re all great at what they do.”
Asked if there’s any real chef knife-slinging or bad blood, Acheson laughed.
“I was only judging on three but I think a lot of them are people who maybe really didn’t really like each other all that much when they were on the show. That’s always fun. You always want to put people into a cauldron and see who gets out first.”
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