Congratulations, Chef Ilan!

Ilan's baked escargot in a shell is the winner of this season's first elimination challenge. Feeling adventurous? You can get the recipe here.

As Tom pointed out, Top Chef/guest judge Harold Dieterle won last season's first elimination challenge. Will Ilan follow in his footsteps and become the next Top Chef? The heat is on!

Tastes Like Chicken

"Otto was, like, totally a train wreck."
"Like, totally?"
"For sure."
"Wait, aren't you making a frog leg lollipop?"

Bye Bye Suyai

Suyai, what can we say? We hardly knew ye. I don't know about the "good potato," but that polka dot headband was pretty fierce. You will both be missed.

Recaplettes of the season premiere will be up shortly. Stay tuned!

Tom Is Not Tim

"I'm Tom Colicchio, got that? I am not Tim Gunn. I am not your mentor. I do not buy my jeans at Banana Republic, and I don't give a damn about your durm und strang."

More Clips!

Five exclusive clips from tonight's upcoming Top Chef premiere on Yahoo! TV. Click here to watch.

Into the Fire

"Into the Fire" is not just the name of tonight's post, it's the title for the first episode of Season 2! Click here to watch a 2-minute sneak peek of Wednesday night's premiere.

The clip shows our new contestants as they prepare to face their first Quickfire challenge -- in front of a very special guest judge!

Chop Shop

"Holy cross promotion, Batman. One of our favorite Project Runway alums has made an apron for Top Chef. It's Nick Verreos, from Season 2, and his apron is so chic it makes us want to start cooking!"

You've got to hand it to Bravo. They know the rabid crossover fans will totally eat this up -- myself included. (Alas, I can hardly afford to buy food, much less a chic apron to wear while cooking it.) But YOU can pick one up one of these limited edition looks at the BravoTV.com store, starting Wednesday, October 18th.

Looking good, Uncle Nick!

Know Your Onion

We're not the only ones counting the days until Top Chef's season premiere next Wednesday! Now Bravo is too. Watch interviews with Tom, Gail, and Padma, and get to know the new contestants here.

Over and Past

Season 1 host Katie Lee Joel may have left Top Chef to pursue other opportunities, but it looks like Olive and Peach wasn't one of them -- or at least, it won't be for much longer. After this month's issue, readers will have to look elsewhere if they want to learn more about Katie and friend Alieshall Girard Maxon's shared passion for food.

Even the most virulent Katie haters (you know who you are) would be well served to check out a site that encourages us all to "eat well, live lightly, be love." You can read Katie's farewell here.

On the menu for Season 2

Here's what we know about Top Chef's sophomore season so far:

• The second helpings start on Wednesday, October 18th at 11 pm -- that's right after the Project Runway finale, kids. So get off your pins and needles and prepare to be served. Top Chef will move to its regular 10 pm timeslot for the second episode on Wednesday, October 25th.
  
  
• Katie Lee Joel has been canned. According to Bravo VP Andy Cohen, the stiffer-than-egg-whites Season 1 host and Piano Man mate has "left" the network to "pursue other opportunities." (I'll leave the snarky comments to you, dear readers.)
  
  Taking over as host for the upcoming season is Indian supermodel and author Padma Lakshmi, who formerly hosted two series, "Planet Food" and "Padma's Passport," for Food Network. Lakshmi is also married to none other than the famed writer Salman Rushdie. In my book, that totally trumps Billy Joel. You go, girl!
  
  
• Speaking of cha-cha-changes, the action this season is set in the "glitzy" and "culturally burgeoning" city of Los Angeles. But fear not, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons will be back at the judges table to grill our 15 new contestants. And they are:
  
  Elia L. Aboumrad - 23 - Las Vegas, NV
  Otto Borsich - 46 - Las Vegas, NV
  Marisa Churchill - 28 - San Francisco, CA
  Clifford Crooks - 28 - West Caldwell, NJ
  Carlos Fernandez - 36 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
  Betty Fraser - 44 - Los Angeles, CA
  Mia Gaines - 32 - Oakdale, CA
  Ilan Hall - 24 - New York, NY
  Michael Midgley - 28 - Stockton, CA
  Josie Smith-Malave - 31 - Brooklyn, NY
  Emily Sprissler - 30 - Las Vegas, NV
  Suyai Steinhauer - 29 - New York, NY
  Sam Talbot - 28 - New York, NY
  Frank Terzoli - 39 - San Diego, CA
  Marcel Vigneron - 26 - Las Vegas, NV
  
  
• Just can't wait until the premiere? Whet your appetite with this trailer, or check out Bravo's schedule of upcoming Season 1 reruns for your foodie fix.
  

Any other juicy tidbits or chat about the show? Comment, please!