Not to mention: emceeing the StarChefs Congress, hosting the Bon Appétit Awards, and a few hints about another show that’s in the works and going amazingly! And, finally, a glimpse of the war zone formerly known as our kitchen.

First up: My new Food Network show, “Food Detectives,” has just been renewed for a second season—13 episodes. We’re going back into production ASAP, and we’re bringing on new blood to smooth over the bumps that some of you were kind enough to point out (ahem) in season one. We’re taking every aspect of the show to the next level: the set, the myths and questions we tackle, the design of the experiments. And I’m pleased to say that my fellow food-science nerds from Popular Science magazine will be back to help us address the culinary conundrums of the ages. Thanks for watching—and thanks, Food Network and Brainbox Enterprises.

Meanwhile, Bravo has just announced the November launch of the fifth season of “Top Chef,” and, as you might have heard, I’ve said sayonara to Judges Table. Why, many bloggers and reporters wondered? Well, I’ve had enviable luck, in my opinion, at getting away with judging food on two competing networks over these past five seasons of “Top Chef” and “Iron Chef America.” But I knew all along that if I ever got a larger presence on some other show, I was going to have to commit to one network or another. Food Network, it is! As much as I have enjoyed tasting the work of TC’s ambitious “cheftestants” and watching them rocket to fame—or notoriety, as the case may be—choosing to take the wheel of my own show over a fifth season as a judge on somebody else’s show was an easy call.

Still, it is bittersweet for me. TC is a great project, and I’ve loved working and eating and hanging with Padma, Gail, Tom and the excellent TC crew and producers. I’ll never forget arguing until 5 in the morning on Aspen Mountain over Hung and Dale—and in Puerto Rico over Stephanie and Richard. I’ll never forget Howie’s pork, Tre’s shrimp or Betty’s green asparagus “burrito” thing. It’s also no small deal for me to wave farewell to the network that brought me into the sordid world of television in the first place, and to the many people there I’m fond of. Thanks to everyone at Bravo. Y’all stay in touch.

There’s more: I’m halfway through production on another show that isn’t quite ready for an official announcement yet, but that is feeling stronger than anything I’ve ever worked on. Truism: If the camera operators are laughing so hard that their lenses are bouncing up and down, the audience probably will, too. We’ll be putting the word out in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, when I haven’t been shooting, it’s been one cheffy kind of event after another. I enjoyed a day of emceeing at the StarChefs International Chefs Congress, a trade-only event here in NYC; great presentations from Heston Blumenthal, Michael Ruhlman, Charlie Trotter, Dave Arnold, Anthony Bourdain, Marco Pierre White and many more.

Then, just a day later, I found myself hosting the Bon Appétit Awards for the third year running; this time, at Mario/Lidia/Joe’s sumptuous temple to haute Italiano, Del Posto. Aside from a perfectly grilled veal chop as big as your head, my favorite nibble of the night was a beautiful blob of buffalo mozzarella, coated perfectly with an emulsion of pureed kalamata olives and olive oil; so simple, so sublime. Beautiful work, as always, from chef Mark Ladner. It was an exciting, intimate, funny night, the kind you come to expect when your host is editor-in-chief Barbara Fairchild. She looks more fabulous than ever, no?

At this writing, I’m in Georgia, prepping for my cooking demonstrations at Taste of Atlanta. It’s my second-to-last stop on this year’s Discover Wine with Robert Mondavi tour, and it’s been really fun to share wines from Robert Mondavi with people across the country.

And, finalmente, the Barry and I are at last under way on a huge renovation-slash-restoration of our house and kitchen. As you can see from this picture, we’re in a somewhat early stage…

Go, ’Bama! More soon. —T

What’s on your mind?
E-mail Ted and he’ll answer you in his blog.