Finally time to see how your tax dollars were put to work by Bravo and its Magical Elves.
As you'll recall, we reported back in July that Governor Rick Perry's office, that bastion of small government, spent $400,000 to promote the state's brand in the upcoming and Texas-themed season of Bravo's Top Chef, produced by Magical Elves.
The show is set to hit the air November 2 at 9 p.m., starting with 29 chefs who are quickly chopped down to 16. Those 16 then compete in challenges and quick fires in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas, the results of which will unfold through the fall and will be recapped fastidiously on this blog.
What else can we tell you? Guest appearances include Charlize Theron, Pee-wee Herman, Cat Cora, John Besh, Tim Love and Patti LaBelle. And two Texas chefs -- both from Austin -- compete.
Read on for the full list of chefs. More later, of course.
Nyesha Arrington, 28 - Los Angeles, Calif., Wilshire Restaurant. Lindsay Autry, 29 - West Palm Beach, Fla., Omphoy Ocean Resort &Michelle Bernstein Jonathan Baltazar, 36 - Long Beach, Calif., Heights Cuisine. Ty-Lör Boring, 34 - Brooklyn, N.Y., Spasso Molly Brandt, 30 - Hollywood, Fla., Allure of the Seas for Royal Caribbean Chaz Brown, 29 - New York, N.Y., Fatty Crab Kimberly Calichio, 27 - New York, N.Y., Fishtail by David Burke Beverly Kim, 31 - Chicago, Ill., Aria Restaurant Chris Crary, 29 - Los Angeles, Calif., Whist Restaurant in the Viceroy Hotel Andrew Curren, 32 - Austin, Texas , 24 Diner Berenice deAraujo, 33 - Miami, Fla., Sra. Martinez Janine Falvo, 37 - Atlanta, Ga., Briza Restaurant Richie Farina, 28 - Chicago, Ill., MOTO Sarah Grueneberg, 29 - Chicago, Ill., Spiaggia Chris Jones, 30 - Chicago, Ill., MOTO Edward Lee, 38 - Louisville, Ky., 610 Magnolia Whitney Otawka, 30 - Cumberland Island, Ga., Greyfield Inn Simon Pantet, 30 - Seattle, Wash., Twenty-Two Doors Colin Patterson, 37 - Seattle, Wash., Sutra Laurent Quenioux, 51 - Los Angeles, Calif., Vertical Wine Bistro Paul Qui, 30 - Austin, Texas, Uchiko Restaurant Keith Rhodes, 39 - Wilmington, N.C., Catch Restaurants Grayson Schmitz, 27 - New York, N.Y., Exec. Chef Tyler Stone, 22 - Sacramento, Calif., Personal Chef Heather Terhune, 39 - Chicago, Ill., Sable Kitchen and Bar Chuy Valencia, 25 - Chicago, Ill., Chilam Bilam Nina Vicente, 29 - Seattle, Wash., Spur Gastropub Ashley Villaluz, 25 - Seattle, Wash., Sous Chef Dakota Weiss , 35 - Los Angeles, Calif., 9:30 Restaurant and The Backyard
