BravoRemember that infamous dinner party on this season of Real Housewives of Orange County when new-to-the-cast couple Peggy and Micah Tanous hosted a night with a famous chef?
Yes, the episode where Alexis cries because it was the first time her husband hasn't accompanied her to a dinner, Peggy gets mad at Alexis for her husband not showing up, Gretchen leaves the dinner to try and make Alexis feel better and then Don calls Vicki a bitch?
It was no Teresa of New Jersey table flip, but it was quite the get-together!
Well, celeb chef Susan Feniger, who has appeared on Top Chef Masters and who is the force behind the famous L.A. eatery Border Grill, just happened to be at the center of the whole mess: She was the lady who was forced to feed these savages!
So what does Feniger have to say about working with the raucous reality crew?
"We were holding off on the food the whole time in amazement that this could really be life happening. I just can't even believe people live that way," the still-shocked but always cheery chef told us at the Singapore Tourism Board Luncheon during the 29th Annual Food + Wine Classic in Aspen, Colo.
"They were very difficult in the beginning because they were not into Mexican food," Feniger, who specializes in south-of-the-boarder cuisine, dished of the Tanous couple. "In the restaurant business, you always have customers who are difficult, so for me I just try and see if I can turn them around, and I really feel like I did."
But forget The Real Housewives of Orange County, we say give the fab Feniger her own reality show! You hear that, Andy Cohen? We're talkin' to you! We love this lady!
Feniger wasn't the only celeb foodie dishin' the goss at the Food + Wine Classic, which is like a more grown-up (and far more sophisticated) weekend-long keg party, where folks are always hearty to party...
Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb were spotted all over town filming for the Today Show, documenting their well-known, intense love of wine at a barbecue sponsored by Wines from Spain and hosted by chef José Andrés. The Today Show babes also avoided getting a BUI (Biking Under the Influence) by sticking to mountain trails as they multitasked by carrying bottles of wine on a bike ride.
Indulging in mucho grappa with the ladies was fellow host...
Mario Lopez, who was delayed arriving in Aspen due to weather, but he quickly hit the ground running and tweeted this pic of the chatty threesome: "Having wine with couple of my favorite girls..@hodakotb and @kathielgifford! See u in NY soon ladies http://yfrog.com/kj2dpzj."
Later in the night, but on the same boozed-up party circuit, a Top Chef alumn was spotted...
Angelo Sosa spent the evening surrounded by the ladies and sipping on Fiji Water and Ultimat Vodka cocktails at the Altitude Party at Casa Tua. Surrounded more by dudes, and back in L.A. was...
Maria Shriver, seen having a northern-Italian-theme dinner at Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica.
"She was dining with three gentlemen, who seemed to be discussing business matters," an eyewitness tells us. "Maria looked polished, dressed in business-casual attire, and took bites of the restaurant's farmer's-market lobster-and-ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms, burrata salad and an Italian cheese plate."
Bites, mind you, bites. Sorry, we love Maria and all, but really, once she's done dealing with that hubby of hers, really do wish she'd get a heartier appetite and hit up the Food + Wine Classic next year. There's nothin' a little wine and some great grub can't fix!
Oh and Maria, can you bring LeAnn Rimes with you?