When it comes to casting “Top Chef,” talent is the most important element a contestant must possess in order to compete.
“Everything else comes second,” said Ron Mare, the Emmy-nominated Senior Vice President of Casting at Magical Elves, which produces Bravo’s long-running culinary competition.
But it’s no longer necessarily a skill with knives that the casting team is looking for.“You have to have that talent level in order to go on a show like this,” he continues, explaining that casting “Top Chef” is far different from the many reality series he’s handled in the past, like, “America’s Next Top Model” and “Project Runway.” As the series has evolved, so have the people cast on the show.
While talent remains paramount, there’s more of an emphasis on compelling food stories, with host Padma Lakshmi telling “Entertainment Tonight” that “Top Chef” “shows audiences a very particular side of these chefs.
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