Top Chef: Iraq

When the new season of Top Chef starts this week, another round of heated culinary competition will begin as contestants vie for fame, pride and of course, money. Millions tune in each week to see the young chefs getting sliced and diced by judges. Turns out, Americans aren't the only ones glued to TV food shows. But in Iraq, the most popular cooking show is much less about money, glory or even food — for both chef and audience.

The World reports that Iraq's own Top Chef, Chef Feraz, is the highlight of the television show Good Morning Iraq, which is one of the country's most popular programs. Each episode he cooks some type of traditional Iraqi dish or a western recipe with a Mideast twist. While many do tune in to catch his cooking tips, even more, the chef admits he is so popular because he helps Iraqis take their minds off the turmoil that continues to churn across the country. No, Chef Feraz isn't using dried ice to make an avocado-flavored ice cream or turning caviar into a foam, but he may be serving Iraqis just what they ordered.

Photo courtesy of Lezan, via Flickr