It’s too early to know if Washington will get to host Season 7 of the Bravo reality TV show “Top Chef,” but the show’s production company is at least scouting the District for talent.
On Wednesday, culinary hopefuls gathered at the Occidental Grill & Seafood restaurant at the Willard Hotel to participate in roundtable talks with producers.
“We tell them to leave their knives at home,” said casting producer Donna Lee.
Apparently, the cooking comes later. The meet and greet brought out hopefuls from Maryland, West Virginia and even Idaho.
Adam Hegsted of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, told Yeas & Nays he hoped to use the show to talk about sustainable cooking.
“I think to just be a cheerleader for it, it’s a good platform,” he said.
Another prospective reality star, Melissa Fordham of Westminster, Md., said she wanted to show off her unique cooking style.
“I like to take some classic Eastern Shore food and twist it up and get it a little more modern and gourmet,” she said.
And while D.C.’s casting call drew prospective chefs from several hours away, representation from the District was a little lacking. May we suggest a White House chef?
“If a White House chef would like to apply, we’d love to have them,” Lee said. “I wonder if they are fans of the show?”
