What Do Real Chefs Think of 'Top Chef'?

March 12, 2008 — -- They slice, they dice. They whip up four-star appetizers in a matter of minutes. They make mouth-watering creations out of ingredients from the top-notch (Kobe beef, foie gras) to the bottom of the barrel (vending machine snacks, animal innards).

But could the contestants on "Top Chef," Bravo's hit reality cooking competition that begins its fourth season tonight, take the heat in a real kitchen?

Any reality TV connoisseur knows real life isn't always as it appears on screen. Men don't normally search for the love of their lives in mansions full of exotic dancers and would-be groupies, as Bret Michaels does on "Rock of Love." Aspiring models don't usually vogue to the tune of Tyra Banks, as they do on "America's Next Top Model." But according to some of the restaurant industry's biggest stars, "Top Chef," for the most part, tells it like it is.

"This show is for real chefs as opposed to pretend chefs," said Sara Moulton, executive chef of Gourmet Magazine and former Food Network host. "It's not that they look good, it's not that they smile a lot, it's not that they have cleavage, it's that they can cook well. And that's what gives it credibility."

It's true — if you look good in a v-neck sweater but can't boil a pot of water, you're useless on this show. (A season three challenge tested how fast two teams of contestants could shuck 15 oysters, finely chop five onions, break down four whole chickens and separate and beat three egg whites.)

But "Top Chef's" challenges — which last season included preparing a meal in an airport kitchen and serving it aboard a Boeing 777 — aren't comparable to the challenges real top chefs face in their restaurants.

"In a restaurant, you know in advance what's happening," said Jean-Georges Vongerichten, owner of haute four-star eatery Jean-Georges. "You don't really have to create a menu in two hours. And in that competition, you have room for error. In a restaurant, if you make too many errors, you'll have no one there. It's a different challenge in a restaurant. It's a different pressure because you have to deliver."