Is Top Chef Season 11 Shooting in New Orleans?

Season 11 of Top Chef was recently announced, and the unconfirmed word is that the host city will be New Orleans. According to an hours-old posting on a Facebook job board by Kim Rouse Barnard, a New Orleans-based producer/director, Top Chef will be shooting from May through July. Magical Elves, Top Chef's production company, is hiring for a whole range of crew. Eater New Orleans confirmed the news with a separate source. In a recent interview, Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson said that the upcoming season would "start soon."

Sort of a logical choice considering that New Orleans is chef and recurring Top Chef judge Emeril Lagasse's home base. Sort of not a logical choice because New Orleans can be a humid hellhole in July. Top Chef is no stranger to torturing its cheftestapants: remember Top Chef Texas in the middle of the summer?

Update 3PM EST: The Facebook job listing was deleted 30 minutes later, making it even more suspicious. Below, screengrab of the posting:

Top Chef Season 11 shooting in New Orleans May-July is looking for Local cam ops, audio, acs (especially acs)...all familiar with reality shooting. TC uses all of our own equipment including audio bags and shoot with the sony F800 XD Cams. Please respond with your contact and resume to - season11metc@gmail.com

MANY Production assistants are also needed...please send your contact info and resume/experience to -
season11metc@gmail.com

Laissez Les Top Chefs Rouler. Got any more intel? You know where to send it.

Update: Eater San Diego drops some Top Chef rumormongering of its own: "at least one chef competitor [has] ties to a San Diego kitchen."

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