Top Chef in Houston

Rumor no more: Top Chef selects Houston for new season

Gail, Padma, and Tom are coming to Houston.

Proceed cautiously when shopping at Whole Foods for the next couple months. Camera crews and contestants may be running through the aisles.

After weeks of rumors, Bravo has officially confirmed that season 19 of Top Chef will be filmed in Houston. Production has already begun with the season expected to air next year.

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Host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons will all return for the new season, as will the panels of alumni judges that the show introduced for season 18. Participating chefs will include Houston's own Dawn Burrell, who reached the finals of season 18 as well as familiar faces such as Tiffany Derry, Hung Huynh, Stephanie Izard, Melissa King, Kristen Kish, Kwame Onwuachi, Sam Talbot, Brooke Williamson, and Claudette Zepeda.

"Top Chef season 19 is in production in Houston, the fourth largest city in the U.S. The racial and ethnic diversity of Houston’s population is represented in the city’s vibrant culinary scene, making it a perfect backdrop to inspire our next wave of cheftestants," the network said in a statement published on the Bravo website. "We hope to showcase the rich heritage of Houstonians through the food that defines them."

Top Chef selected Houston for its diversity that includes large populations of immigrants from around the world. Episodes could spotlight people of Hispanic, Indian, Nigerian, Vietnamese, and Chinese heritage who call Houston home.

"I cannot think of a more perfect pairing than Top Chef and the City of Houston. Both represent a celebration of cuisine, culture and innovation,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement. “We are proud of the diverse community and unique heritage that makes our city such a hot culinary destination — from classics like Tex-Mex and barbecue to local inventions like Viet-Cajun and Japanese Tapas. As any Top Chef contestant will tell you, the best food is born out of passion, and Houstonians exemplify this idea with every dish we create.”

Contestants will be revealed at a later date. As always, the show, which has won multiple Emmy and James Beard Awards, will draw a crew of talented participants from all over the country. Let the speculation begin about whether the roster includes any local names.

The show, which already filmed one season during the pandemic, will operate within CDC guidance, state and local ordinances, and NBCUniversal's safety guidelines. Both Bravo and production firm Magical Elves prioritize the safety of both cast and crew. Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Doneen Arquines, Hillary Olsen, and Gaylen Gawlowski serve as executive producers. 

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Easter Eggs galore

Special episode of The Simpsons features couch gag by Meow Wolf artists

The Simpsons couch with Meow Wolf collaborative elements.

Photo courtesy of Disney+

The infamous couch gag on The Simpsons is getting a Meow Wolf makeover in new episode.

Acclaimed art space Meow Wolf is headed to Springfield. The company has collaborated on a double-episode of The Simpsons to be released this week as part of the famous couch gag that opens each show. Easter eggs from the various locations, including Houston's Radio Tave, appear.

“Getting the opportunity to be part of the show that has warped our minds since we were kids is a huge honor and an experience we will never forget,” Meow Wolf co-founder Emily Montoya said n a statement. “Working with Matt Selman and his team was fantastic. From the beginning, they supported and encouraged all our crazy ideas and helped us hone the piece into its final form. We’re especially grateful for their help encapsulating Matt King’s rainbow wizard essence into cameo form.”

The double episode, "Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition," premieres on Wednesday, June 17 on Disney+. In it, Marge dreams how life with her husband, Homer, could have turned out differently, including an homage to Joker: Folie à Deux and a world where Homer is an extreme sports enthusiast. The all new, streaming exclusive episodes following the animated show's record-breaking 37th Season.

The iconic couch gag has long been a venue for guest artists. Everyone from horror master Guillermo Del Toro to street artist Banksy to indie animation innovator Don Hertzfeldt have collaborated on the pop culture institution, putting Meow Wolf in very good company.

Even in just the preview, several famous Meow Wolf installations can be briefly seen, like references to Omega Mart in Las Vegas. Houston gets a shout out as Barney shares a drink with Meow Wolf co-founder Matt King in Cowboix Hevvven, the venue's on site bar. As the couch gag goes on, the fourth wall breaks and a team of Meow Wolf artists craft a recycled art installation of the Simpsons in their living room (see picture above).

Matt Selman, showrunner and executive producer of The Simpsons, is a huge fan of Meow Wolf, and decided to work with the organization after visiting several of their installations.

“This has been a dream collaboration, in that I had to do almost nothing, other than a few Zoom meetings,” he said. “The brilliant minds at Meow Wolf reimagined the ‘couch gag’ in a way that only they could — delivering the silliness and surreality and homemade outsider sensibility that has blown so many minds. Thank you to all the artists and artisans (not sure of the difference, but maybe there is one) at Meow Wolf for crafting this superbly joyful couch gag!”

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