Michael VoltaggioTapping into L.A.’s trendy foodie scene and love of celeb chefs, contestants of the Bravo TV series Top Chef have suddenly migrated to L.A. en masse. Winner of last season’s Top Chef Masters Rick Bayless puts his modern Mexican touches on Red O (8155 Melrose Ave., L.A., 323.655.5009) as consulting chef. You have until July 18, to dine on cuisine prepared by season six winner Michael Voltaggio at The Dining Room at the Langham Huntington Hotel (1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave. Pasadena, 626.568.3900). After his departure it’s rumored that he will take his winnings from the show and open a restaurant of is own in a more central location. Stefan Richter has plans to open a third Stefan’s restaurant (3000 W. Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.449.4000; 1518 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, 310.394.7174) after his two successful venues in Santa Monica; nearby, Chris “C.J” Jacobson offers up craft brews and small plates to a cool after-work crowd at gastropub The Yard (119 Broadway, Santa Monica, 310.395.6037). Across town, season two winner Ilan Hall blends Scottish, Jewish and Spanish influences—bacon-wrapped matzo balls, anyone?—at downtown’s The Gorbals (501 S. Spring St., downtown, 213.488.3408). Alex Eusebio and wife Sara Mann just opened the casual Sweetsalt Food Shop (10218 1/2 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake, 818.509.7790) in Toluca Lake to raves. Molecular gastronomy whiz Marcel Vigneron, formerly sous chef at The Bazaar by José Andrés, heads up the small-plates menu at new Bar210 (9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.887.6060) in Beverly Hills—while, natch, filming a reality series for SyFy, titled Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen.

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