Philly chefs will be represented on the two major culinary reality series.
Aug. 19 will see the premiere of the sixth season of Bravo's Top Chef with Jennifer Carroll of 10 Arts and Jennifer Zavala of El Camino Real.
Oct. 4 will be the premiere of Food Network's The Next Iron Chef and I've learned that Jose Garces will be one of 10 contestants. In four years, Garces has built a mini-empire - Amada, Tinto, Distrito and Chifa in Philadelphia, Mercat a la Planxa in his native Chicago, and next month, Village Whiskey near Rittenhouse Square. His cookbook Latin Evolution came out last year and he's supposedly partnering with the state Liquor Control Board on a bistro/wine store at 1111-13 Locust St. in Washington Square West. (I hear that the LCB started construction on the wine store last week.)
Click to see Garces' win over Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America last year.