Eat All About It

We’re finally seeing more Seattle chefs compete on reality TV, now some of our amateur cooks are going to get a chance too.

Master Chef, the new Fox TV reality show featuring Gordon Ramsey, is scheduling auditions in Seattle for Jan. 10. The Hollywood Reporter calls the show, based on a hit show in the U.K. and Australia,  ”a culinary American Idol” where contestents around the country will create dishes for a judging panel to consider. 

The key prerequisite for applicants: You can’t be a professional cook. They’re looking for “amateur chefs, passionate foodies, the ultimate dinner party host/hostesses.”   

Want to get a jump on the process? Not too intimidated by the idea of working with Mr. “SHUT IT DOWN”? Email masterchefseattle@gmail.com, and give the casting folks your name, age, occupation, current photo, contact number and a brief description of your cooking experience and style. Put Seattle, WA as the subject of the email. The Seattle casting call will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Sur La Table in Kirkland, 90 Central Way.

*updated 12/10

The new season of Top Chef starts tonight, with — finally! — not one, but two Seattle chefs on board. Due to the hyper-secrecy of reality TV, Robin Leventhal and Ashley Merriman didn’t know until they arrived in Las Vegas that there would be any other chefs from home. (They already knew each other; Leventhal had offered Merriman a job at Crave “on the spot” when Merriman moved to Seattle, though she ultimately ended up at Tilth and  Branzino.)

I talked with both chefs, separately, by phone this morning in advance of the first show. Merriman, currently driving across country to help mentor Alex Guarneschelli open a New York restaurant (she’ll return to Branzino), will watch from Minneapolis. Leventhal will watch from Seattle with friends and family. “I even got DVR.”

Here’s an peek at what each one had to say about the Top Chef life. I’ll be rooting for both:

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