Everyone's Favorite Italian tackles "Top Recipe"

It's been several months since Sara Boyd and I gigglingly interviewed "Top Chef" contestant Fabio Viviani for this blog, but I'm still riding from the high. Occasionally, I'll go back and listen to the interview (not on work time, of course). You, too, can still check out the Fabio-less interview here.

We've been clamoring for Fabio to get his own television show -- perhaps with subtitles since his Eeeenglish still needs work -- but apparently Bravo is already capitalizing on the Italian's obvious popularity. Since "Top Chef Masters" debuted, the skaaahlllop-hater has been hosting a mini Web series called "Top Recipe" where he recreates that week's winning chef''s "deeeeeshes." I wish Bravo promoted this online extra a little more because it's vintage Fabio. He's quick, friendly and downright hilarious as he attempts to tackle everything from Michael Chiarello's dessert of strawberries with goat milk basil gelato to Anita Lo's braised daikon with steak tartar.

Just a few of the Fabio-tastic quotes from various webisodes:

"For me, use gloves while cooking is like a motorcycle rider touching his head with a helmet. It doesn't make any sense. You have to feel it. That's why I touch everything."

"This is what happen when you get pepper in your face. You don't want to get pepper in your eyes."

Here's Fabio recreating Hubert Keller's dorm room version of mac-and-cheese, except for the whole cooling the pasta in the bathroom part, thankfully. (I'm having trouble embedding the Bravo video). The rest of the videos can be found here on the Bravo TV Web site.

Episodes of "Top Chef Masters" air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo. And, the much anticipated next season of "Top Chef" is back on Aug. 26 from Las Vegas!

--Malavika Jagannathan, mjaganna@greenbaypressgazette.com