TOP CHEF Alum to Join First Lady for 'Let's Move Initiative'

In an effort to provide healthier food to students across America, Chef'testants from Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series TOP CHEF will join First Lady Michelle Obama on one of her national tour stops celebrating the second anniversary of her initiative Let's Move this Friday, February 10th in Dallas, Texas. The chefs -Richard Blais (Top Chef All-Stars winner), Fabio Viviani (Fan favorite and Seasons five and eight), Jenn Carroll (Seasons six and eight), Spike Mendelsohn (Seasons four and eight) and season nine chefs Grayson Schmitz and Ed Lee will compete in a healthy cooking competition with students from a Dallas elementary school, a Gold school in the HealthierUS School Challenge program. The Dallas Independent School District is a leader in making healthy changes for its students - it has the most Gold schools of any district in the country.

Top Chef Head judge Tom Colicchio says, "Unless we make sure all kids in the U.S. have access to plenty of healthy, whole foods, we will be diminishing their ability to learn, cutting off their potential to become healthy, productive adults, and paying the healthcare and social costs for generations to come."

He adds, "We have the land and the technology to produce enough healthy food for every kid in America to eat a nutritious diet, and the knowledge and resources to educate children and families everywhere about the importance of eating right and exercise. The health and future security of our nation is directly linked to the health and wellbeing of our kids!"

Chefs have played an important role in the Let's Move! initiative, teaming up with schools all across the country to work with school chefs on healthy school meals and teach kids about the importance of a nutritious diet. The Let's Move! initiative started on February 9, 2010, and has resulted in significant progress being made to solve the problem of childhood obesity. Through working together with Let's Move!, numerous groups have provided children with healthier food and greater opportunities for physical activity in schools and communities, helped get families the information they need to make healthier decisions, supported a healthy start in early childhood, and have worked to ensure more people have access to healthy, affordable food. Bravo and Top Chef are proud to be a part of this important initiative.

Bravo's "Top Chef" offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business at the highest level. The series features aspiring chefs who compete for their shot at culinary stardom and the chance to earn the title of "Top Chef." "Season nine of the series, "Top Chef: Texas" airs on Wednesdays on Bravo at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

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