Who's Gonna Be Top Chef Master?!

Bravo's second season of "Top Chef Master" doesn't jump off until April 10, but our buds at Dining Chicago want to get everyone excited about the hometown heroes participating in it now.

The Chicago Chef Contest pits the five local contestants (technically three because two only own restos here) against one another. And if you pick the correct winner, you have a chance of winning some really cool prizes yourself.

The local boys are:

* Graham Elliot Bowles of Graham Elliot in River North.

* David Burke of David Burke's Primehouse in River North. (He's also a New Yorker.)

* Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia on the Magnificent Mile.

* Marcus Samuelsson of C-House in Streeterville. (He's also a New Yorker.)

* Rick Tramonto of Tru in Streeterville.

The grand prize winner of the Chicago Chef Contest will host a segment on Dining Chicago TV. Runners-up get gift certificates to some of the city's hottest restaurants, including Angelina's Ristorante, Cafe des Architectes, Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse and Sepia.

'One Sassy Piece of Theater . . .'

Maggie Graham in "The Legend of Ginger Bred; A Story of Sex, Salvation and Baked Goods" at Gorilla Tango Theatre. (Photo: Cock & Bull Theatre)


Cock & Bull Theatre's first-ever production, The Legend of Ginger Bred; A Story of Sex, Salvation and Baked Goods, didn't make this week's STAGE BITES because we only found out about it through Bill Daley's writeup on The Stew.

But we couldn't possibly pass up what he's calling "one sassy piece of theater" as it combines burlesque, baked goods, a full bar and a band called The Sunday Brunch.

The limited-run show debuts at 9:30pm Thursday. Performances are also at 10pm March 12, 13, 18 (at 9:30pm), 19, 20. Get tickets here.

It's a bit risque—the protagonist is a porn star—so you've got to be at least 18 to attend.