MIDTOWN EAST— This just in over the wire, apparently from a huge Manuel Trevino fan: "Top Chef season 4's Manuel Trevino was let go from Dos Caminos yesterday morning for no apparent reason...Manuel's departure came as a shock to the staff at the restaurant, where he was deeply loved and greatly respected. The shock was felt company wide as many managers and chefs...quietly expressed their disgust in fear that they might be next." BR Guest, naturally, tells a different side to the story. Here's their official statement:

"Effective immediately, Manuel Trevino, executive chef of Dos Caminos Third Avenue, has left B.R. Guest Restaurants to pursue other opportunities. B.R. Guest Restaurants wishes Manuel the best of luck in future endeavors and we will be rooting for him during this season of Top Chef. Dos Caminos Third Avenue will be overseen by Corporate Executive Chef of Dos Caminos Scott Linquist."
Either way, the man had to pack his knives. No word on the effect this has on his Top Chef odds, but we're going to go out on a limb to say he doesn't make it to the final three. [EaterWire]

Anyone care to discuss?

Are you guys seriously watching this show? I watched a few episodes of the first season and thought it was ridiculous. I know that it gets covered by alot of media outlets but I thought that was all paid marketing. Because I honestly do not know a single person that watches this show nor do I ever hear it being discussed anywhere.

I didn't even know that there's a Dos Camminos on 3rd ave?>

Me too!

I honestly have no idea what's going on with Top Chef.

You don't watch Top Chef? WHAAAA? Yeah, I know its a complete joke/set up/ shamless 1 hour advertisement, but its sooo tempting. Like watching a car wreck...you've just got to see how fucked up things really are. I have nothing against the chefs, not really; it's the set up of the show that's like a bad dream you'd have after eating at a "tours of the world" buffet. But NOT watching, you don't know what you're missing.

ChefWife, I LOVE this comment -



(from the Eater thread beating up our Spike for "milking" the TC gig to promote his family's new restaurant)

If I am not mistaken Nikki was a former JG employee.

But not in the kitchen..........she was a GM @ V Steakhouse

Subj: LIBERATION
Saturday, xxx, 200x 6:46 PM
From:
"Nikki Cascone" <ncascone@xxxx.com>
To:
pxthis@yahoo.com

SO I HAVE WORKED AT MANY OF THE SAME PLACES AS YOU, IN FACT WE WORKED AT [withheld] AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS A BARTENDER. YOUR BOOK LIBERATED ME IN SOME SMALL WAY SINCE I AM NOW [withheld].... SO YOU SEE IT IS ALL ABOUT ME. SERIOUSLY, I STAYED UP UNTIL 2AM LAST NIGHT, THE BOOK WAS AS ADDICTING AS SEX IN THE CITY. AND DON’T TAKE THAT THE WRONG WAY , IT WAS CLEVER AND LIBERATING. I WISH YOU SO MUCH SUCCESS AND I ADMIRE YOU. AFTER ALL THE BULLSHIT YOU MADE SOMETHING COME TO FRUITION. I AM TRYING TO GET OPRAH TO DO ANOTHER SHOW ABOUT RESTAURANT ETIQUETTE AND OPERATIONS. ONE OF THESE DAYS OUR PATH’S WILL CROSS, WE TRAVEL IN THE SAME CROWD. WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON, I USED TO HAVE A 0 DUCATI 750-MONSTER. YOUR RIGHT, MOST GUYS EAT THAT UP. YOU ARE NOT A PEON AND NEVER WERE, YOU HAVE ARRIVED.

http://www.24prince.com/chef.php

NIKKI

AGE: 35

HOMETOWN: New York, New York

PROFESSION: Chef / co-owner - 24 Prince

CULINARY EDUCATION: A.O.S Culinary Arts, School of Culinary Arts

FAVORITE SIMPLE SPRING RECIPE: Fresh English peas with shallot, grape tomatoes, pecorino cheese and fresh mint

BIO: Nikki operates 24 Prince Restaurant in New York City as the chef and co-owner. Trained for many years in back of house and in front of house operations with great chefs like Jean-Georges, Shaun Doty and Anne Quatrano, Nikki believes a great chef must understand how to run a business as well as possess outstanding cooking skills. She is also a certified sommelier with extensive wine knowledge. Nikki loves not being restricted to any one particular cuisine and experiments with flavors and ingredients from all over the world. She considers growing up in New York to be the best culinary education one can obtain and says her family and friends constantly tease her about how passionate she is about food. Her future plans are to expand her restaurant group with several new concepts.
http://www.24prince.com/chef.php

ahaha haaa okay you wanna hear something totally freaky ?

awhiles back, i got that e-mail from nikki-cascone, and i was all: aww how sweet.

then a little whiles later, you started e-mailing me, do you remember ?? and some of your e-mails were kinda long and rambly (but always very cool). and then a little whiles later later, this forum launched.
then i noticed your posts here were were kinda terse and chippity chopped-- not like your e-mails at all. so then i was thinking: huh, she must be watching her writing style or sumpn, cuz maybe she doesn't want whomever is her employer to figure out who she is, just in case big brother is watching ??

so then i was all MagnumPI up in that pie, i started wondering if maybe your e-mails were sent to me under a fake name too.

anyhoo
at one point, just based on what you said and what nikki-cascone said, i started wondering if YOU are nikki-cascone !! i think i even remarked about it once forever ago-- cuz peoples are always inquiring about the same members over and over again (namely: dick-johnson, moneyman, inkslinger, and busboy-extra. pretty much in that order too)

yah so. i'm almost positive at one point someone asked "who's inkslinger?" and since back then i didn't really know, i just speculated "dunno... but maybe this chick from blahblaaah..."
which honest to gawd, is the only reason i remember the name nikki-cascone so vividly.


OKAY SO GET THIS--

just YESTERDAY, again somebody inquired "who's inkslinger?"
and the name nikki-cascone popped into my head, cuz i was just thinking to myself hahaaaa i used to think inkslinger was someone else altogether.

i click on Gawker today and boom! look at that shit-- nikki mutherfukking cascone !!

whom i had NO IDEA was even on frikkin Top MyAss

is that some freakiness or what








i am so psychic mutherfukkers

i'm just sayin.

Hah! First, bitchez!!!1!!111!!!!

I've walked by that place. Looks good. I'll have to try it, sometime.

Who me??? I don't post that much

Who's Dishwasher???

BUT, I NEVER TYPE IN ALL-CAPS.

The guy that washes the dishes after you do such a great job bussing them. ;)

Congrats to all the new Top Chef contestants! They've been chosen.

What a tease!!!!! I heard their not supposed to tell anyone!!!!!!