Top Chef Update

Ever since The Restaurant was on tv, I have had a negative impression of Rocco DiSpirito. He was just such a bad leader that trying to watch him run a restaurant was painful. Nevertheless, he appeared on Top Chef to promote a frozen Italian food line. The contestants were paired up for the competition, which involved creating their own frozen Italian food. Joey, the Italian guy, lost and was told to pack up his knives and go. The following week, the guest judge was one of the more normal guest judges, i.e., not as arrogant as most of the chefs, Govind Armstrong of Table 8. They thought they were getting the night off to go clubbing, but instead, they had to cook in mobile trailers for late night clubbers. Trey wins and Sara is sent home. This week, the eight remaining contestants were split into two teams and given a raw space in which to create their own restaurant. Brian and Dale, who worked the front of the house, were the worst two, but the judges did not send either of them home.

Fat Guys Win on Top Chef

Top Chef sneaks up on you as one of the better shows on tv in a low key way. The highlight of last week's Quickfire Challenge was Hung running around like a mad man in the kitchen, as he is prone to do. Joey, the fat guy with hair, had some pastry experience and won the challenge, which involved pie crust.

For the elimination challenge, the contestants had to cook latin food for Telemundo tv "stars." Howie decided to use pork again, and Joey questioned Howie's overuse of pork dishes. The time allowed was cut in half at the last minute unexpectedly. The other fat guy, Howie, won. The judges expressed concern over Hung's attitude. In the end, Lia was told to "please pack your knives and go."

Next week's guest judge is Rocco DiSpirito, of The Restaurant infamy.

Top Chef Star Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie are Divorcing

Padma Lakshmi, host of Bravo's "Top Chef," and recently knighted author Salman Rushdie are getting divorced.

I can't mention Salman Rushdie's name without thinking of Kramer in that Seinfeld episode.

The 60-year-old "Satanic Verses" author and the 36-year-old former model were married in 2004 in New York City. It was his fourth marriage.

"Salman Rushdie has agreed to divorce his wife, Padma Lakshmi, because of her desire to end their marriage," the couple's rep told Reuters. "He asks that the media respect his privacy at this difficult time."

News of the Rushdie-Lakshmi divorce comes just weeks after several momentous events for the couple. On June 16, Rushdie was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth, 18 years after the Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed a fatwa on the author, leading to a breakdown in diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Iran. Just days earlier, Bravo premiered "Top Chef: Miami," Lakshmi's second season as host.

Rushdie's novels include the Booker Prize-winning "Midnight's Children," "The Satanic Verses," "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" and, most recently, "Shalimar the Clown."

In addition to her "Top Chef" gig, Lakshmi has written several bestselling cook books, including most recently Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day, and appeared in the feature "Glitter."

Ilan Hall Wins Top Chef

Ilan Hall beat Marcel Vigneron in the season finale of Top Chef 2. Marcel has a massive ego and tried to be more "cutting edge," e.g., using foams a la Charlie Trotter, but his effort fell short.

Mia Sends Herself Home on Top Chef

The judges were dumbfounded as Mia declared that she should go home rather than Elia on Top Chef.