Sixteen chefs entered, three remain. The season finale of Top Chef: Chicago airs tonight with lesbian chef Lisa Fernandes among the three finalists left to battle for the title. New Yorker Lisa, Chicagoan Stephanie Izard and Atlantan Richard Blais will now cook their “meals of a lifetime” to impress the judges in the culmination of the fourth season of the Bravo reality series.

The season started with three lesbian chefs, the most in the show’s history. The finale will also break ground with the most-ever female chefs competing for the top prize. The finale of the two-part season ender set in Puerto Rico has the contestants prepare their ultimate meal for the judges – host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio and Food & Wine special projects manager Gail Simmons and former Queer Eye food guru Ted Allen. Something tells me they all know their salad fork from their dessert fork. … continue reading

Foodies and Padmaites rejoice! The Top Chef: Chicago two-part finale begins tonight and among the final four is chefbian Lisa Fernandes. (The second half of the finale will air next week and conclude with the naming of the new Top Chef). Out New Yorker Lisa outlasted 12 other contestants to make it to the finale, which was filmed in Puerto Rico. Joining her are Chicago chef Stephanie Izard, Los Angeles chef Antonia Lofaso and Atlanta chef Richard Blais.

Stephanie, Lisa, Antonia and Richard

It’s been a long, sometimes infuriating, sometimes exhilarating season on the Bravo reality series. (To see exactly how long and how exhilarating, check out my Top Chef recaps.) The culinary challenge pits up-and-coming chefs from around the country against one another in a series of challenges with one chef being told to pack his/her knives and leave each episode by the show’s delectable host Padma Lakshmi (AfterEllen.com Hottie No. 85).

For the first time in the show’s four seasons, three women have made it to the finals. If one of the trio goes on to win, she will also become the first female Top Chef ever. As much as I like Richard and his faux lesbian haircut, I am totally rooting for one of the ladies to prevail. … continue reading

Recently the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced that it has approved a new Emmy Award category for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. The competitive shoe will be on the other foot when the hosts battle it out with each other at the 2008 Emmy Awards. The category is open to hosts only so "reactive participants or judges" are not eligible to receive the award (sorry, Paula Abdul.)

Hosting is no easy task: each week these women help us wade through the competitive waters of posing, food plating, dating and hem lines. Let’s hope that some of these ladies have a chance at Emmy gold when they go up against some of the already assumed male nominees (I’m talking to you, Seacrest.)

Padma Lakshmi

Cookbook author, model, recent Hot 100 listmaker, and an ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women: what is not to love about Padma Lakshmi? The TV host of Bravo’s Top Chef has the dutiful tasks of explaining elimination challenges and sitting at judges table critiquing the creations of talented chefs each week. A typical day for Padma may include discerning which tastes better: braised and grilled beef short ribs with mushrooms or a truffle and cognac cream macaroni and cheese? Talk about Sophie’s choice.

Padma balances respectability and likeability among the contestants despite having to be the one to deliver her signature send off to the ousted chefs each week: “Please pack your knives and go.” See, she even says “please.” What other host on reality TV has that kind etiquette? … continue reading