Could Carla Pellegrino Be the Next Top Chef?

Bravo just announced the contestants for Top Chef: Seattle, and feisty Carla Pellegrino, the chef behind Bacio at the Tropicana Las Vegas and Bratalian Neapolitan Cantina in Henderson, is among the 21 contestants. At 43, she's the second oldest contestant on the show.

She joins judges Wolfgang Puck, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Hugh Acheson and Emeril Lagasse with Padma Lakshmi as host.

This season, "The competition goes back to the basics, with culinary challenges that require a mastery of the primary skills of a chef," a press release says. So no cooking for Pee-Wee Herman or the Muppets? No cooking on a gondola?

The new season kicks off Nov. 7 at 10 p.m.

Eater National has the entire lineup of contestants.
· Bravo Reveals Top Chef: Seattle Lineup [~EN~]
· All Coverage of Carla Pellegrino [~ELV~]