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January 24, 2008

Top Chef Hearts SF

Just one contender, chef Ryan Scott of Myth
Cafe is on his way to the top.

A while ago, a producer from Bravo called me to ask if 7x7 wanted to cover this new reality show on chefs because they were shooting the first season in SF. I asked for details, but they wouldn't reveal more—so I passed. My mistake.

Since then, Top Chef has garnered quite a fanatical following. I would like to say I’m one of its biggest fans, but as you’ll see from page four of a feature I wrote a while back on the Aspen Food & Wine Classic where I spent a good amount of time chatting with the affable Top Chef judge (and Craft chef) Tom Colicchio—and an hour later immediately appeared to forget that we’d ever met—I’m not exactly the most reliable source in town when it comes to TV personalities. But let's blame it on the wine.

What I can report with great confidence is that four of the 16 contenders are from SF this go around, which is good for a little fourth-season hometown pride.

• Erik Hopfinger, 38, Circa
• Jennifer Biesty, 35, Coco500
• Ryan Scott, 28, Myth Cafe
• Zoi Antonitas, 30, restaurant consultant

Equally unreliable word-on-the-street has it that Hopfinger might have actually won—due to the expression on his face when he was asked. Guess you’ll just have to wait till March 12th to find out. Or sit down for some eggs at Circa's relatively mellow brunch and ask Hopfinger yourself.