BIG APPLE, BIG STAKES - BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF: NEW YORK" PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 AT 10 PM ET/PT

NEW YORK October 1, 2008 Bright knives, Big city. The fifth season of the No. 1 food show on cable, Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series returns with "Top Chef: New York," premiering a super-sized episode Wednesday, November 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The 17 new chef'testants take on The Big Apple this season to see if they have what it takes to become Top Chef. Once again returning to the kitchen, cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi presides over the judge's table alongside head judge Tom Colicchio, renowned culinary figure and chef/owner Craft Restaurants, and judge Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine. This season introduces new judge Toby Young, food critic and best-selling author of the book "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People," which was the basis for an upcoming film. In what will prove to be the most challenging season yet, some of the biggest names in food, music and entertainment including Martha Stewart, Foo Fighters, Jean-Georges, Eric Ripert, Rocco DiSpirito, Wylie Dufresne, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Natasha Richardson will be featured this season on "Top Chef: New York."

The new cast is up here Season 5 Chefs

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