An almost eerily calm Suzanne Tracht (executive chef and owner of Jar) took last week’s Top Chef Masters, beating out the likes of Wylie Dufresne, Graham Elliot Bowles and Elizabeth Falkner. Tracht won the judges over with her retro-inspired quick-fire dish of Frito-encrusted shallot rings with Dr. Pepper aoli. She then proceeded to open a can of whoopie pie on the rest of the contestants during the elimination challenge, when the chefs prepared dishes for the cast and crew of "Lost" from preserved, canned -- and jarred -- goods. (Coincidence? I think not!)

Being a California girl spoiled by ample local produce, she almost showed that she was a teensy bit flustered but managed to hold back.

You never would have guessed that she had won frp, the blank stares and monotone wrap-up interview, but I'm sure the folks at the food bank she donated to are jumping for joy...

Maybe Angeleno chefs can pull off a back-to-back victory. Tonight, chef Ludo Lefebvre (formerly of L’Orangerie and Bastide) will be competing against Rick Bayless, Cindy Pawlcyn and Wilo Benet in a street-food challenge. Lefebvre, now cooking for Ludo Bites at Breadbar, will compete to win cash for C.H.A.S.E. for Life — an organization dedicated to educating parents and caregivers in how to perform CPR on children. Lefebvre will be tweeting play-by-play commentary on Twitter @chefludo. Let’s hope he doesn’t choke.



source : http://latimesblogs.latimes.com