Marcel Vigneron
| Born | May 3, 1980 Bainbridge Island, Washington |
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| Cooking style | Molecular Gastronomy |
| Education | Culinary Institute of America |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Marcel Vigneron (born May 3, 1980) is an American chef best known as the runner-up of the second season of Top Chef, placing behind Ilan Hall. In 2011, he hosted his own program on Syfy, Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, in which he has opened a molecular gastronomy catering company, which was cancelled after only 6 episodes. He later competed in Top Chef: All-Stars in 2011, and The Food Network's The Next Iron Chef competition.
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Early life[edit]
Vigneron is originally from Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Vigneron attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York and achieved his Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts. Here Vigneron met Chef Spike Mendelsohn. The two played a lot of frisbee together and became best friends; they would later compete together on the 5th season of The Next Iron Chef.[1] At the CIA Vigneron enrolled in the teaching assistant program where he served as the Sous Chef to Dwayne Lipuma at the school’s Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici.[2]
Top Chef[edit]
Vigneron appeared in season two of Bravo’s reality series, Top Chef, which was filmed in 2006, and aired during late 2006 and early 2007. At the time of his appearance on Top Chef, he was a Master Cook at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, Nevada.
On the show, he became known for his molecular gastronomy techniques, especially his use of foams.[3] He also notably clashed with many of the show's other contestants, culminating in an incident in which, after several of the show's contestants decided to shave their own heads, contestant Cliff Crooks, egged on by several of the others, tried to pin down Vigneron and shave his head as well. This led to Crooks being kicked off the show.[3]
He made it to the finals, finishing “Runner-Up” behind winner Ilan Hall.
A year after the season aired, a woman who recognized Vigneron from Top Chef hit him in the face with a bottle at a nightclub, causing bleeding that required 30 stitches.[3]
Post-Top Chef[edit]
As of November 2008, he was an Executive Sous Chef at The Bazaar in the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.[4]
In March 2010 it was announced that Vigneron would star in Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, a reality television show that aired on the Syfy cable network.[5] In each episode, Marcel and his new catering and event company were hired by a demanding client to produce an extraordinary celebration or event. Based on the client’s requests, Marcel dreamed up a theme and cuisine for the event. The show was a production of Mission Control Media with Executive Producers Michael Agbabian and Dwight Smith.[6]
He returned to the Top Chef series in Top Chef: All-Stars.[7] On the episode that aired on January 19, 2011, Marcel was eliminated from the competition after the Restaurant Wars challenge.
In 2012, Vigneron was a contestant on The Next Iron Chef: Redemption, making it into the final four before being eliminated.
Personal life[edit]
Vigneron currently resides in the Los Angeles area.
References[edit]
- ^ The Next Iron Chef Season 5, Episode 4.
- ^ Patterson, Spencer (2008-06-05). "Now we're cooking". Las Vegas Weekly (Greenspun Media Group). Retrieved 2008-09-03.
- ^ a b c Katsilometes, John (August 13, 2009). "As ‘Top Chef’ approaches, revisiting the myth of Marcel". Las Vegas Sun.
- ^ Bonvissuto, Danny (November 12, 2008). "Grub Street: ‘Top Chef’: Where Are They Now?". New York Magazine.
- ^ Forbes, Paula (March 17, 2010). "Top Chef's Marcel Vigneron Gets Syfy Show". EatMeDaily.com.
- ^ "Marcel's Quantum Kitchen url=http://www.syfy.com/marcelsquantumkitchen/". SyFy.
- ^ Reyhani, A Monica. "Top Chef All-Stars Cast Announced!". Bravotv.com.
External links[edit]
- Marcel on Myspace
- 'Top Chef 2' runner-up Marcel Vigneron talks about his experience
- Marcel's Quantum Kitchen
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