The Corner Table: Top Chef Wisconsin

Restaurant Wars is an iconic "Top Chef" challenge. Chefs must create a whole restaurant with a coherent concept, smooth service and good food in 24 hours, all on TV.  Everyone on the episode this week, including me, dined at Restaurant Wars during "Top Chef Wisconsin." Up top, we've got guest judges Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, the chefs and co-owners of Fairchild restaura

This week on the podcast, we're talking ballpark food.  Loren B. Rue grew up loving baseball, and now has his dream job — executive chef at American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. Rue manages everything from the concession stands to the on-site brewery, J. Leinenkugel's Barrel Yard, and a new market hall serving arepas, smoked brisket nachos, tortas and sus

Chef Paul Bartolotta, the Milwaukee restaurateur and two-time James Beard winner, was bemused by a recent challenge on "Top Chef Wisconsin."  "When I heard 'chaos cuisine' I was like, what the hell does that mean?" Bartolotta said on this week's podcast. Bartolotta spent years working to bring "Top Chef" to Wisconsin. Here, he shares judging perspective and reflects on how the

No drone shot of Madison would be complete without a view of the Memorial Union Terrace and its iconic sunburst chairs. That, in fact, is where "Top Chef" producers first got the idea for a challenge featuring historic Black chef and TV host Carson Gulley, whose cookbook inspired a saucy farmers market Quickfire on Episode 5 of "Top Chef Wisconsin."  This week on the podcast w

This week on our "Top Chef Wisconsin" companion podcast, we have a full Madison episode! First, host Lindsay Christians takes a deeper dive into the Taliesin challenge with food and arts writer Gwen Rice, who was also a docent for two seasons in Spring Green. Turns out Frank Lloyd Wright excelled under pressure, but was a terrible collaborator.  Then Harvey House owner Shaina

The architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright inspired the challenges this week, on episode 4 of Top Chef Wisconsin. Host Lindsay Christians talks with Taliesin executive director Carrie Rodamaker, who hosted film crews at Frank Lloyd Wright's historic school in Spring Green.  Then chef Lauren Montelbano, the Madison caterer and meal kit maker behind The Vibrant Veg, shares what it w

Theater artist and educator Erica Halverson has seen every episode of "Top Chef" from Season 1 to now. This week, the UW-Madison professor and host of the podcast Arts Educators Save the World shares thoughts on the Miller Caves beer snacks challenge, why she considers chefs to be artists, and which "Top Chef" challenge is her favorite. (It involves a blindfold.)Then I'm talki

We walked the red carpet in Milwaukee, and all the stars were there.  This week, Destination Madison's Sarah Warner and I, Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians, got gussied up for our first Wisconsin television premiere, held at Discovery World in Milwaukee. We met the judges, we drank the wine, and we're perfecting our Wisconsin culinary elevator pitches. Then I talk

This week, Corner Table co-host Chris Lay joins to talk about the first episode (mild spoilers, with ample warning!) and reflect on whether one chef has gotten the "villain edit."  Then we hear from Travel Wisconsin's communications director Craig Trost about taking 'Top Chef' crews around Wisconsin, why the series matters to all Wisconsinities and who he's rooting for in Seas

Lindsay Christians, food editor at the Cap Times, resurrects The Corner Table podcast for a special, limited series all about Top Chef Wisconsin. It took 21 seasons, but the reality cooking show Top Chef has finally come to Wisconsin. On March 20, Bravo and Magical Elves drop the first episode of a fast-paced 14-week showcase of the state’s best chefs and brightest culinary l