Local flavor

The 'Top Chef" judges' musings on Chicago

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Head judge Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi each spent time in Chicago during taping in the fall. Here’s what they had to say about our city.

>> Tom on Chicago’s place in the food world: “Depending on who you talk to, Chicago is always up there neck in neck with one of the best food towns in the country. I personally think it’s better than some of the other cities that seem to have that reputation, without mentioning them … uh, Northern California.”

>> Padma on bringing the show to Chicago: “We hope that every new locale informs the competition … that’s one of the reasons we like to move it around. And Chicago’s a great food town.”

>> Tom on his most surprising meal in Chicago: “One of the best meals I had … was at Cafe Lula—brunch. … Paul Kahan (Blackbird, Avec) said, ‘You know, that’s where you should go for brunch.’ And I had just and amazing, amazing brunch there.” (Read the metromix review)

>> Padma on Chicago as a host city: “I loved it … I found the people warm; I found the restaurants fantastic—everything from Alinea and Blackbird to Vermilion and on and on and on. I just loved it.”

>> Tom on how he spent his spare time in Chicago: “I’m a music fanatic so my time off I spent in a lot of the music clubs and I spent more than several hours at the Chicago Music Exchange looking at guitars.”