Saturday, March 15, 2008

Top Chef Tre!

I loooove me some reality TV(my guilty pleasure) I like to think my taste in them are for the "high brow", and one of our (mine and Paul's)faves is TopChef on Bravo (new season just started!) Our favorite contestant from any season(and probably any reality show for that matter!)was Tre Wilcox, from this last season. He didn't win the title (took one "for the team", so to speak, on a team challenge) but was so talented and SO nice, I think the only contestant in reality TV history that never offered any dirt on or criticized his competitors, complained about the rules, or gave them anything they could edit in a negative way, just a NICE, stand up guy. So anyway, last week I was checking out at Central Market (the best grocery store ever!) and saw a little sign that TRE himself was going to be teaching a cooking class that Saturday in the store's kitchen /cooking school(which meant we'd also get to eat his food!) We had never taken a class there before, but this was one I had to mention to my husband as something I really wanted to check out!

We had an absolute blast! Our seats were right next to the cook top(I could've reached out and touched him (which I did later!) so we could see, smell, (get foam splattered on us!) and learn from the best. Here's me wavin' at ya in the mirror!
And here's Tre prepping before the class.

He was a chef at 5 star "Abacus" in Dallas before the show, and he now offers his services as a private chef (meaning he will do small dinner parties in your home, VERY cool!) and of course instruction like this. What an inspiration he is! Funny, driven and just loves what he does and making people happy with the food he creates (a tattoo on his forearm reads "gottahavepassion", isn't that great?!). We also got to bring home all the recipes he made, eat everything, sip some wine, ask questions(of which I asked the most, big surprise to you, I'm sure**) It was just great! He's coming back two more times in the next month, so if you get a chance, it was delicious, instructional, entertaining/funny all in one. I highly recommmend!***

And here's me**** and Tre, looking like best friends forever! (Edited to add: He emailed me back tonight after I sent him a heads up that I'd blogged about his event, thanking me for the kind words-aww!) My husband said afterward it was one of the best date ideas I'd ever had! I think we have both have a little "cooking crush" on Tre now,(even more so than before!) We have his contact info(and you can find him on the web at www.cheftre.com), I just might have to send him a little card(maybe a tin?) blush!

* vs "lowbrow"! but I don't want to name any specific shows as being too silly for even me to watch and risk slamming any of your favorites! (cough!Rock of Love!cough!)
** NOT!
***And thought it SUCH a great value for the price, $50 a person, which includes the 2.5 hour class, meal, two glasses of wine, the recipes, MEET TRE!, and NO tax or tip! Next events with Tre are in Austin at Central Market April 10th and 27th, call 458-3068 to reserve a spot!
****in desperate need of a haircut! (and after my 2 glasses of wine)
PS The big glass of ruby-colored liquid in the top pic is NOT the wine!(hibiscus tea before the class, delicious)

17 comments:

  1. oh how fun! Trey and I had signed up for one cooking class but then had something happen and had to cancel. Since then the classes are always booked by the time we try to sign up! Sounds like it was a great date for you both.

    I don't watch the Top Chef but I do watch some of the other cooking shows. (I will admit that I did like the 1st ROL but this season is just TOOOO trashy so it's been elimated from my viewing.)

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  2. what fun! that does sound like an awesome date~great pics

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  3. I don't like reality shows in general but I watched Top Chef one of the past seasons (with bitchy redhead Tiffany, hated her) and I really liked it (I liked one season of Project Runway also...)

    Those shows higlight people's creativity and talent, to me it's worthwhile, not like the ones where it's just a big competition for money or the fake love story! :-( Can't stand those!...

    I'm a big fan of Foodnetwork, I would LOVE to meet Alton brown in real life!!♥
    I love watching cooking shows with my hubby or my daughter (or both of them!) on the week-ends' mornings in bed! :-)

    Gald you had such a good time! This is definitely my idea of a good date! :-)

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  4. P.S: Please feel free to get a "food related" stamps set in the works!!! ;-D

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  5. I'm so jealous!! :D
    I'm so glad you had a great time!

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  6. Oh wow!!! He has been my favorite so far through all of the seasons......including the premiere this past Wednesday!! LOVE that show!! I'm with you.....that's an absolute bargain for that kind of evening!!! WoooooooHooooooo!!!! Glad you and hubby got to go relax, enjoy, learn, and snap a couple of photos!!!! Love those!!! :)

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  7. I love Top Chef. That is so cool you got to cook with him and meet him. I bet that would be a great date night thing to do.

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  8. Well Mel, I can see why you would reach out and touch that awesome man that God has been so gracious to bless us with. He is a hottie! Woo hoo!

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  9. Wow, it sounds like you had a great time! I had never thought of an idea like this...I am going to look into it and see if we have anything like this locally! My husband and I fight over the kitchen, we both love cooking! Thanks for sharing with us and for the great pics!!!

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  10. How special and fun is this? Thanks for sharing...the pics are awesome.

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  11. Wow, that sounds like a GREAT night! Good food, wine, celebrity chef, who could ask for more? I definitely think you need to send him one of your creations! He's artistic with his food so I'm sure he would appreciate your art as well!

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  12. Oh Mel! How fun...great pics and sounds like a blast!

    I am even more delighted to hear what a sweetheart Trey is (not just a talented hunk! lol)

    Now I have to do something like this--my dh would LOVE it and although I am not into cooking---I could just "watch!"

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  13. Wow! What a treat! Those CM classes always look so tempting ... if only I could imagine my kids eating the stuff I'd learn to cook! Glad you had fun. :-)

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  14. Oh my goodness...what fun!! Thanks for sharing!!

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  15. That does sound like a great date!!! I have been to cooking classes before, but never with a celebrity!!! So awesome!!

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  16. that sounds and looks like an absolute blast!!! Thanks so much for the cool pics and you are so cute w/ Tre! I have a little crush on him too, just from the photes, hehe!

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  17. Girl, you crack me up! We are some reality show junkies, too, as you will see in the near future...hint..hint.

    We are also serious FoodNetwork/culinary show junkies and my teenage stepson is considering culinary arts after HS.

    Looks like you had a fabulous time!

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