Bravo Crafts a Top Chef Spinoff For Pastry Chefs

Inspired by the success of Top Chef Masters (which just got picked up for a second season), Bravo will replicate the Top Chef formula in a third series that will pit pastry chefs against each other. It will be called Top Chef: Just Desserts. Casting is already underway, with a premiere slated for 2010. Like the original series but unlike Masters, the pastry chefs will live together in a house during filming as the show follows the weekly elimination format. There's still no word on who will take the role of host or judges (share your nominations in the comments), but it will be produced by Magical Elves as well.

The reasons for Top Chef spinoff number three, according to Variety, have to do with the increasing popularity of dessert shows on Food Network (Ace of Cakes, etc.), but also the desire to have a Top Chef presence on Bravo all. year. round.

Says Bravo exec VP-general manager Frances Berwick about the still-burgeoning TC popularity: "We're finding people really love this franchise, and there seems to be no end to the interest in it." But whatever happened to Top Chef Kids?
· 'Desserts' on 'Top Chef' menu [Variety]