Eat, drink and be gay

Oh, my little loaves and ladles, it’s been too long without a tasty “Top Chef” tidbit. But, the oven bell has finally dinged and your generous serving of Padma & The TC Gang is ready to be devoured. The new cast of “Top Chef: New York” was revealed yesterday and yes – rest assured – there is a chefbian in the mix. Please meet Jamie Lauren. She has copious tattoos and a pendant shaped like a pretzel. Is it too soon to be smitten? Perhaps I should wait to see her food first.

The 30-year-old native New Yorker is the executive chef at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco. In a 2005 San Francisco Chronicle feature about her rising chef status, Jamie mentioned moving to the city with her girlfriend. Yet in a 2007 feature she talks about going to the Lex and Cat Club and the “totally hot waitress” elsewhere. So, you know, I'm just saying.

Via her Bravo profile her “favorite thing to eat is Indian food and she is obsessed with onions.” Via her restaurant profile she treats her staff “how I would want to be treated. No yelling, and a little dancing in the kitchen. Oh, and we burn incense to ward off the bad spirits.” And via her casting call interview with 7X7, guess who she wants to see as a guest judge: “Rachael Ray, just because I hate her.” Never mind the food. Hello, smitten.

Now, while Jamie is the only officially out female contestant, I am not above a quick gaydar spot check with the rest of the cast. The show also has two gay male chefs, a first in its five seasons.

[Click any and all to enlarge.]

As for the rest of the ladies, no one is confirmed, but let's play along anyway. Hey, I’m not saying they are. I’m just saying, you know, wishful pinging. (And to repeat, they’re – probably – totally not gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with being – probably – totally not gay…)

Lauren: Um, the hat. (She’s married*, but still – the hat).Carla: Funky glasses and great hair. (But she is, also, married*).Jill: The chef’s jacket and crossed arms are throwing me off.Fine, so my chefdar sucks. But we'll always have our mmm, Padma, mmm. And now, with knee-high boots.

Pack your knives and tune in Nov. 12. This is going to be delicious.

*Yes, to fellas. Hey, they can't help it; they were born that way.