Tiffani Faison
Encyclopedia
Tiffani Faison is an American
chef
and was one of two finalists on the first season
of Bravo's reality show
, Top Chef
. She finished second place to Harold Dieterle
.
Faison was born in Germany to American
parents and raised as a self-described "army brat
" in various parts of the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Northern California
. She worked briefly as a bartender at Lucky's Lounge in 2001 and had a brief and incredibly unsuccessful stint at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common as the Backlot's Food and Beverage Director later the same year. She attended Cambridge Culinary Institute. {2002,2003} She worked as a busser at Todd English's Bonfire in Boston in 2001. She worked at Perdix on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston in 2003. Perdix was rated as the gems of Boston for the culinary scene earlier that year. Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud
at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant
in the Wynn Las Vegas
and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.
After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts
, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca. In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English's
brasserie
, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana
. In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles
culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian
lifestyle and travel services company.
Faison took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef
season one
contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two
contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall
, Sam Talbot
and Marcel Vigneron
). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
charity
. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.
Faison also took part in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize.
Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue), a once popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December, 2010.
Faison returned as a contestant on season 8
of Top Chef, and was eliminated in the sixth episode.
Tiffani Faison (born August 20, 1977 in Germany
) is an American
chef
and was one of two finalists on the first season
of Bravo's reality show
, Top Chef
. She finished second place to Harold Dieterle
.
Faison was born in Germany to American
parents and raised as a self-described "army brat
" in various parts of the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Northern California
. She worked briefly as a bartender at Lucky's Lounge in 2001 and had a brief and incredibly unsuccessful stint at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common as the Backlot's Food and Beverage Director later the same year. She attended Cambridge Culinary Institute. {2002,2003} She worked as a busser at Todd English's Bonfire in Boston in 2001. She worked at Perdix on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston in 2003. Perdix was rated as the gems of Boston for the culinary scene earlier that year. Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud
at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant
in the Wynn Las Vegas
and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.
After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts
, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca. In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English's
brasserie
, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana
. In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles
culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian
lifestyle and travel services company.
Faison took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef
season one
contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two
contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall
, Sam Talbot
and Marcel Vigneron
). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
charity
. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.
Faison also took part in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize.
Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue), a once popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December, 2010.
Faison returned as a contestant on season 8
of Top Chef, and was eliminated in the sixth episode.
Tiffani Faison (born August 20, 1977 in Germany
) is an American
chef
and was one of two finalists on the first season
of Bravo's reality show
, Top Chef
. She finished second place to Harold Dieterle
.
Faison was born in Germany to American
parents and raised as a self-described "army brat
" in various parts of the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Northern California
. She worked briefly as a bartender at Lucky's Lounge in 2001 and had a brief and incredibly unsuccessful stint at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common as the Backlot's Food and Beverage Director later the same year. She attended Cambridge Culinary Institute. {2002,2003} She worked as a busser at Todd English's Bonfire in Boston in 2001. She worked at Perdix on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston in 2003. Perdix was rated as the gems of Boston for the culinary scene earlier that year. Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud
at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant
in the Wynn Las Vegas
and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.
After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts
, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca. In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English's
brasserie
, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana
. In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles
culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian
lifestyle and travel services company.
Faison took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef
season one
contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two
contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall
, Sam Talbot
and Marcel Vigneron
). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
charity
. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.
Faison also took part in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize.
Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue), a once popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December, 2010.
Faison returned as a contestant on season 8
of Top Chef, and was eliminated in the sixth episode.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and was one of two finalists on the first season
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
of Bravo's reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
. She finished second place to Harold Dieterle
Harold Dieterle
Harold Dieterle III is an American chef, best known as the winner of the first season of the Bravo television network's reality television series Top Chef. His signature dish is spicy duck meatballs....
.
Faison was born in Germany to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
parents and raised as a self-described "army brat
Military brat
A military brat describes people who spend their childhood or adolescence while a parent serve full-time in the armed forces, and can also refer to the unique subculture and lifestyle of American military brats, the term refers to both current and former children of such families.Lifestyle: The...
" in various parts of the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. She worked briefly as a bartender at Lucky's Lounge in 2001 and had a brief and incredibly unsuccessful stint at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common as the Backlot's Food and Beverage Director later the same year. She attended Cambridge Culinary Institute. {2002,2003} She worked as a busser at Todd English's Bonfire in Boston in 2001. She worked at Perdix on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston in 2003. Perdix was rated as the gems of Boston for the culinary scene earlier that year. Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud is a French chef and restaurateur with restaurants in New York City, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Beijing, and Singapore...
at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in the Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas is a resort and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The US $2.7 billion resort is named after casino developer Steve Wynn and is the flagship property of Wynn Resorts Limited. The resort covers . It is located on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue Wynn Las...
and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.
After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca. In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English's
Todd English
William Todd English is a celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, entrepreneur, and television personality based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
brasserie
Brasserie
In France and the Francophone world, a brasserie is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed, upscale setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. The word 'brasserie' is also French for "brewery" and, by extension, "the brewing business"...
, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
lifestyle and travel services company.
Faison took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
season one
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two
Top Chef (season 2)
Top Chef: Los Angeles is the second season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Los Angeles, California, and concluded in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The season premiered on Bravo on October 18, 2006 and ended on January 31, 2007. Padma Lakshmi took over as host,...
contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall
Ilan Hall
Ilan D. Hall is an American chef, best known as the winner of the second season of the Bravo television network's reality series Top Chef.Hall is a native of Great Neck, New York...
, Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot is a Sicilian-American chef from Charlotte, North Carolina, best known as a semi-finalist on Season 2 of Bravo's Top Chef, eventually placing third. Talbot returned to Top Chef for the episode "Four Star All Stars" with Elia Aboumrad, Marcel Vigneron, and Ilan Hall...
and Marcel Vigneron
Marcel Vigneron
Marcel Vigneron is an American chef best known as the runner-up of the second season of Top Chef, placing behind Ilan Hall...
). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.
Faison also took part in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize.
Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue), a once popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December, 2010.
Faison returned as a contestant on season 8
Top Chef (season 8)
Top Chef: All-Stars is the eighth season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in New York City, New York and concluded in The Bahamas. This season consists of chefs from the previous 7 seasons who did not win the Title of Top Chef. The season premiered on December 1,...
of Top Chef, and was eliminated in the sixth episode.
External links
- Riche by Todd English official website
- Straight Wharf Restaurant official website
- http://www.throng.co.nz/top-chef
- Simmer down 18 August 2006 The Boston Globe interview
- MEAT THE CHEF: Gramercy Tavern Honcho Gives Pointers 22 October 2006 New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
Tom ColicchioTom ColicchioThomas Patrick "Tom" Colicchio is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants...
interview - Riche at Harrah's November 2006 Country Roads Magazine article
- The Grinder 1 January 2007 Chow.com interview excerpt
- Quick Bites 5 January 2007 The Times-Picayune article
Tiffani Faison (born August 20, 1977 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and was one of two finalists on the first season
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
of Bravo's reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
. She finished second place to Harold Dieterle
Harold Dieterle
Harold Dieterle III is an American chef, best known as the winner of the first season of the Bravo television network's reality television series Top Chef. His signature dish is spicy duck meatballs....
.
Faison was born in Germany to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
parents and raised as a self-described "army brat
Military brat
A military brat describes people who spend their childhood or adolescence while a parent serve full-time in the armed forces, and can also refer to the unique subculture and lifestyle of American military brats, the term refers to both current and former children of such families.Lifestyle: The...
" in various parts of the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. She worked briefly as a bartender at Lucky's Lounge in 2001 and had a brief and incredibly unsuccessful stint at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common as the Backlot's Food and Beverage Director later the same year. She attended Cambridge Culinary Institute. {2002,2003} She worked as a busser at Todd English's Bonfire in Boston in 2001. She worked at Perdix on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston in 2003. Perdix was rated as the gems of Boston for the culinary scene earlier that year. Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud is a French chef and restaurateur with restaurants in New York City, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Beijing, and Singapore...
at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in the Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas is a resort and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The US $2.7 billion resort is named after casino developer Steve Wynn and is the flagship property of Wynn Resorts Limited. The resort covers . It is located on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue Wynn Las...
and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.
After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca. In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English's
Todd English
William Todd English is a celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, entrepreneur, and television personality based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
brasserie
Brasserie
In France and the Francophone world, a brasserie is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed, upscale setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. The word 'brasserie' is also French for "brewery" and, by extension, "the brewing business"...
, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
lifestyle and travel services company.
Faison took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
season one
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two
Top Chef (season 2)
Top Chef: Los Angeles is the second season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Los Angeles, California, and concluded in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The season premiered on Bravo on October 18, 2006 and ended on January 31, 2007. Padma Lakshmi took over as host,...
contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall
Ilan Hall
Ilan D. Hall is an American chef, best known as the winner of the second season of the Bravo television network's reality series Top Chef.Hall is a native of Great Neck, New York...
, Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot is a Sicilian-American chef from Charlotte, North Carolina, best known as a semi-finalist on Season 2 of Bravo's Top Chef, eventually placing third. Talbot returned to Top Chef for the episode "Four Star All Stars" with Elia Aboumrad, Marcel Vigneron, and Ilan Hall...
and Marcel Vigneron
Marcel Vigneron
Marcel Vigneron is an American chef best known as the runner-up of the second season of Top Chef, placing behind Ilan Hall...
). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.
Faison also took part in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize.
Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue), a once popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December, 2010.
Faison returned as a contestant on season 8
Top Chef (season 8)
Top Chef: All-Stars is the eighth season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in New York City, New York and concluded in The Bahamas. This season consists of chefs from the previous 7 seasons who did not win the Title of Top Chef. The season premiered on December 1,...
of Top Chef, and was eliminated in the sixth episode.
External links
- Riche by Todd English official website
- Straight Wharf Restaurant official website
- http://www.throng.co.nz/top-chef
- Simmer down 18 August 2006 The Boston Globe interview
- MEAT THE CHEF: Gramercy Tavern Honcho Gives Pointers 22 October 2006 New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
Tom ColicchioTom ColicchioThomas Patrick "Tom" Colicchio is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants...
interview - Riche at Harrah's November 2006 Country Roads Magazine article
- The Grinder 1 January 2007 Chow.com interview excerpt
- Quick Bites 5 January 2007 The Times-Picayune article
Tiffani Faison (born August 20, 1977 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and was one of two finalists on the first season
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
of Bravo's reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
. She finished second place to Harold Dieterle
Harold Dieterle
Harold Dieterle III is an American chef, best known as the winner of the first season of the Bravo television network's reality television series Top Chef. His signature dish is spicy duck meatballs....
.
Faison was born in Germany to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
parents and raised as a self-described "army brat
Military brat
A military brat describes people who spend their childhood or adolescence while a parent serve full-time in the armed forces, and can also refer to the unique subculture and lifestyle of American military brats, the term refers to both current and former children of such families.Lifestyle: The...
" in various parts of the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts, and Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. She worked briefly as a bartender at Lucky's Lounge in 2001 and had a brief and incredibly unsuccessful stint at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common as the Backlot's Food and Beverage Director later the same year. She attended Cambridge Culinary Institute. {2002,2003} She worked as a busser at Todd English's Bonfire in Boston in 2001. She worked at Perdix on Tremont Street in the South End of Boston in 2003. Perdix was rated as the gems of Boston for the culinary scene earlier that year. Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud
Daniel Boulud is a French chef and restaurateur with restaurants in New York City, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Beijing, and Singapore...
at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in the Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas
Wynn Las Vegas is a resort and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The US $2.7 billion resort is named after casino developer Steve Wynn and is the flagship property of Wynn Resorts Limited. The resort covers . It is located on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue Wynn Las...
and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.
After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca. In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English's
Todd English
William Todd English is a celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, entrepreneur, and television personality based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
brasserie
Brasserie
In France and the Francophone world, a brasserie is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed, upscale setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. The word 'brasserie' is also French for "brewery" and, by extension, "the brewing business"...
, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
lifestyle and travel services company.
Faison took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
season one
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two
Top Chef (season 2)
Top Chef: Los Angeles is the second season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Los Angeles, California, and concluded in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The season premiered on Bravo on October 18, 2006 and ended on January 31, 2007. Padma Lakshmi took over as host,...
contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall
Ilan Hall
Ilan D. Hall is an American chef, best known as the winner of the second season of the Bravo television network's reality series Top Chef.Hall is a native of Great Neck, New York...
, Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot is a Sicilian-American chef from Charlotte, North Carolina, best known as a semi-finalist on Season 2 of Bravo's Top Chef, eventually placing third. Talbot returned to Top Chef for the episode "Four Star All Stars" with Elia Aboumrad, Marcel Vigneron, and Ilan Hall...
and Marcel Vigneron
Marcel Vigneron
Marcel Vigneron is an American chef best known as the runner-up of the second season of Top Chef, placing behind Ilan Hall...
). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.
Faison also took part in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize.
Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Rocca Kitchen & Bar (500 Harrison Avenue), a once popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December, 2010.
Faison returned as a contestant on season 8
Top Chef (season 8)
Top Chef: All-Stars is the eighth season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in New York City, New York and concluded in The Bahamas. This season consists of chefs from the previous 7 seasons who did not win the Title of Top Chef. The season premiered on December 1,...
of Top Chef, and was eliminated in the sixth episode.
External links
- Riche by Todd English official website
- Straight Wharf Restaurant official website
- http://www.throng.co.nz/top-chef
- Simmer down 18 August 2006 The Boston Globe interview
- MEAT THE CHEF: Gramercy Tavern Honcho Gives Pointers 22 October 2006 New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
Tom ColicchioTom ColicchioThomas Patrick "Tom" Colicchio is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants...
interview - Riche at Harrah's November 2006 Country Roads Magazine article
- The Grinder 1 January 2007 Chow.com interview excerpt
- Quick Bites 5 January 2007 The Times-Picayune article