Top Chef Kitchen: A NYC Pop-Up With Cheftestapants

Bravo is launching a Top Chef pop-up restaurant in New York City with a bunch of rotating cheftestapants from seasons past including Richard Blais, Jennifer Carroll, Tiffany Derry, Tiffani Faison, Mike Isabella, Edward Lee, Antonia Lofaso, Paul Qui, Grayson Schmitz, and Fabio Viviani. Called Top Chef Kitchen, it'll run from October 16 to November 18 — each week a different pair of chefs will offer their own individual menu.

Pricing is no joke: A four-course prix fixe menu is $95 — beverage, tax and service charge not included — which totals to a Price Hike-inspired REAL COST of $124.11 per person. With optional wine pairings it's $125 — tax and service charge not included — which totals to a REAL COST of $163.32 per person. There's also the option of an eight-course tasting menu with wine pairings at $250 (tax and service charge are included). Apparently these are the "most coveted seats in the house" in which diners will "interact" with the cheftestapants and "enjoy an unobstructed view of the action." So no views or interaction if you're only paying $163? Of course there'll be Top Chef-branded Quickfire Wines.

Update: It's already sold out. @BravoTopChef tweets: "TopChefKitchen is already sold out, but fear not! We'll keep you abreast to new reservation openings as cancellations come through."

Will this be more popular than the Top Chef: The Cruise? Here's the press release that conveniently doesn't include prices:

BRAVO MEDIA OPENS THE DOORS TO THE FIRST-EVER "TOP CHEF KITCHEN," AN EXCLUSIVE DINING EXPERIENCE PREPPED BY FORMER CHEF'TESTANTS FROM THE EMMY-WINNING SERIES

Restaurant Opens for a Limited Time Beginning Tuesday, October 16 in New York City

NEW YORK – September 25, 2012 – Bravo Media extends the success of "Top Chef" with the franchise's first-ever branded restaurant, "Top Chef Kitchen," in collaboration with the restaurant operators of "Distilled NY." The one-of-a-kind dining experience opens Tuesday, October 16 for a limited time only, providing fervent fans the opportunity to experience the food they have come to love and crave over the past nine seasons of the Emmy-winning series.

"With Top Chef Kitchen we're giving our highly passionate fans the ultimate foodie experience," said Ellen Stone, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Bravo. "Fans can meet a range of our talented chef'testants and taste for themselves what it's like to participate in a Top Chef dinner that, until now, they've only seen on TV."

"Top Chef Kitchen" will feature unique menus created and executed on-site by "Top Chef" alumni and viewer favorites -- Richard Blais, Jennifer Carroll, Tiffany Derry, Tiffani Faison, Mike Isabella, Edward Lee, Antonia Lofaso, Paul Qui, Grayson Schmitz and Fabio Viviani, who will rotate as Executive Chefs throughout the run. Diners can go to www.bravotv.com/topchefkitchen or to www.OpenTable.com/ the official reservations partner, to make a reservation, learn more about the restaurant, see chef schedules and review the menus. Cookware for the restaurant will be provided exclusively by Anolon Cookware.

"Top Chef Kitchen" will serve dinner nightly Tuesday – Sunday, starting October 16. Diners can indulge in a four-course prix-fixe menu with or without wine pairings, or reserve the exclusive "Chef's Table," an eight course tasting menu with wine pairings and the chance to be up close and personal with the Chef'testants. In addition to a full cocktail program, Top Chef Kitchen will offer a robust wine list including Quickfire Wines by Terlato Wines.

· All Top Chef Coverage on Eater [-E-]