Today's Entertainment

BY KATE O'HARE In late May, Bravo's "Top Chef " arrived in New Orleans to film its 11th season, premiering on Wednesday, Oct. 2, in a city famed for fun, food and fabulous music. Production wrapped in early July. But sitting as it does on the Gulf Coast in the Deep South of the U.S., the Big Easy is also known for warm weather – and the "Top Chef " team could hardly have picked a toastier time of year. Says judge Gail Simmons, a cook and former food journalist, "It was incredibly hot outside. It was definitely taxing on our chefs that are cooking and on our production crew, shooting long hours and long days in 100-degree, 100 percent humidity weather. Otherwise, that was a small price to pay to get to do it in New Orleans. "We mixed it up a lot. We're indoors; we're outdoors. We go into the countryside. So there were plenty of opportunities for us to cool down." On the upside, as Simmons mentioned, the cast and crew were smack in the middle of one of America's most distinctive metropolises. "What's the most enjoyable thing about shooting in New Orleans?" Simmons says. "Everything – the history, the culture, the music. It's such a unique part of the country. It's really unlike anything else. You feel like you're in a foreign country, because everything about New Orleans is just so completely New Orleans and of itself and special." The show actually started online on Aug. 14, with the premiere of the Web series "Padma's Picks," starring show host and judge Padma Lakshmi. She visited top eateries to find 10 of the best and brightest local chefs. They then battled in the finale, in which the winner earned a spot in the show. Joining Simmons on the judge's panel are lead judge Tom Colicchio, Hugh Acheson and famed New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse. "He's given up the 'Bam!' " Simmons says. "We're taking him in a new direction." Among the guests, culinary stars and guest judges this season are Jon Favreau, Lea Michele, Anthony Mackie, Questlove, Leah Chase, Paul Prudhomme, Jacques Pepin, David Chang, John Besh and Eddie Huang, along with local legends Kermit Ruffins and Dr. John. In New Orleans terms, the name of Paul Prudhomme stands out. "He certainly was one of the godfathers of Cajun cooking," says Simmons, "and taught so many chefs about that type of food." "Top Chef " Season 11 aims not only to look good but to taste good – at least to the judges. "You're going to see beautiful locations that we shoot at," Simmons says. "And then, of course, so many of the iconic dishes of New Orleans appear on our show, everything from gumbo to snowballs to Louisiana seafood and lots of delicious oysters." Gail Simmons Bravo's 'Top Chef' lets the good times roll in New Orleans "The Office" BY JAY BOBBIN BEST TV SERIES UPDATES "Battlestar Galactica" Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" 8 "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-94, syndicated) The first of several series follow-ups to the 1960s show, this critically acclaimed spinoff involved franchise mentor Gene Roddenberry directly as it carried the adventures of the starship Enterprise forward under an estimable new captain (Patrick Stewart). "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993-97, ABC): The largely romantic revisiting of the Man of Steel's saga made stars of Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher, well cast as the title duo. "Battlestar Galactica" (200409, Syfy) If the late-1970s ABC incarnation was a somewhat simplistic version of the futuristic battle between mankind's last vestiges The Goshen News • TV Spotlight • September 30-October 6, 2013 and the sinister Cylons, this remake piled on layers of psychological and technological complexity, turning the premise into something more. "The Office" (2005-13, NBC) Ricky Gervais' British comedy got a popular American overhaul by converting his David Brent into Steve Carell's Michael Scott, the barely tolerated manager of the Scranton, Pa., branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. "Hawaii Five-0" (2010present, CBS) It might be indistinguishable from some other crime procedurals if not for the island setting and such familiar characters as Steve McGarrett and "Danno," but this show does have a rarely flagging energy going for it. "Nikita" (2010-present, The CW) Soon to wrap up its run, this smart action-adventure has followed the title character (played by Maggie Q) since her escape from the covert government agency that trained her as an assassin. "Parenthood" (2010-present, NBC) Some may not recall a television spinoff of the Ron Howarddirected movie was first tried in 1990, but the current one has been far more enduring, thanks to unforgettable work by such ensemble cast members as Monica Potter. "Dallas" (2012-present, TNT) Weaving in several characters from the serial's first round – Patrick Duffy's Bobby, Linda Gray's Sue Ellen and, before his passing, Larry Hagman's J.R. – was a clever way to build multigenerational appeal into this continuation of the saga of the oil-rich Ewing family.

• Cover