Get ready for Quickfire Challenges, drama and tears in the kitchen, and of course, the hostess with the mostest, the lovely Padma Lakshmi (pictured here with head judge and famed restauranteur Tom Colicchio). Tonight at 10pm (9pm Central) on Bravo, Season 5 of Top Chef kicks off with a fresh batch of 17 Cheftestants. New faces at the judges' table this season include food critic Toby Young, who also penned the bestselling-novel-turned-movie How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, along with cameos from Martha Stewart, the Foo Fighters, and Dancing with the Stars' Rocco DiSpirito among others. List of contestants below:
- Alex, 33; hometown: New York
- Ariane, 41; hometown: Verona, N.J.
- Carla, 44; hometown: Nashville
- Danny, 26; hometown: New Hyde Park, N.Y.
- Fabio, 30; hometown: Florence, Italy
- Gene, 33; hometown: Whitmore Village, Hawaii
- Hosea, 34; hometown: Taos, N. M.
- Jamie, 30; hometown: New York
- Jeff, 33; hometown: Niceville, Fla.
- Jill, 28; hometown: Latrobe, Pa.
- Lauren, 24; hometown: Cincinnati
- Leah, 27; hometown: Scarsdale, N.Y.
- Melissa, 28; hometown: Maryland
- Patrick, 21; hometown: Quincy, Mass.
- Radhika, 28; hometown: Chicago
- Richard, 27; hometown: Long Island
- Stefan, 35; hometown: Tampere, Finland
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