Well, after a completely lackluster season of Project Runway (and that’s putting it nicely) it seems the folks at Bravo still have an appetite for its other super-popular reality show, Top Chef. How do we know this? Let me count the ways:1. Top quality contestants: These people actually looked like they knew what they were doing from the get-go.!2. It knows its problems, and it has addressed them: Last season, each chef was constantly able to stay in his or her comfort food zone – like how Lisa and Dale always made something Asian and Nikki couldn’t stop making Italian food. This season, the very first challenge made sure the contestants would be out of their element by forcing them to make a dish inspired by the cuisine of an area of New York City. Russian food from Brighton Beach? Not exactly something most chefs have taken a stab at.3. They sacrificed a sure-fire antagonist in the first 20 minutes: Lauren’s attitude was grating from the second she came on screen. Oh my goodness, was her self-assurance and ego annoying. I felt myself cringe by about the third time she was edited into the episode. My first thought was “Man, the producers are going to want to keep this girl around just to drive us all bonkers!” … well, I was wrong. And wow, was I happy to be wrong. She was the first one cut, not even getting to see the Top Chef kitchen after she stupidly made a freaking salad I could make (!) for her first quick fire challenge. This is Top Chef, not a dinner party, it doesn’t matter how much bacon you add. Geez.OK, so, with the first episode done, and thankfully it’s looking like it could be a good season, we know a few things besides the fact that Bravo still cares about the show (Thank goodness it isn’t trying to move to Lifetime like Project Runway!).No. 1, Stefan is the one to watch. He won the first challenge, got immunity and then won the elimination challenge even though his spot wasn’t on the line. That means he’s scary good. And as Padma pointed out, the winner of the first elimination challenge has won the whole thing every season but one of them. Keep your eyes on the Finnish dude.No. 2, talent can be something that really surprises. Gene had never made Indian food before and he freaking nailed it. If you get the Indian judge to swear you made real Indian food on your first try and you’ve never even been to cooking school, that means you have to be amazing, even if we can’t taste the results.No. 3, apparently, this show takes stock in experience over textbook smarts. The judges opted to send young Patrick home instead of the more mature Ariane, even though she really messed up her dish’s rice and had the audacity to whine about having “books” at home to cook from. Though I admire the judges for not sending the older woman home in favor of the young, cute culinary student, I’m kind of worried that Ariane is going to be like Wendy Pepper from the first season of Project Runway. Meaning, a frumpy lady you feel sorry for at first and then realize that she’s an ungrateful villain of the highest order.Stray observations: – Geez, how bad was the cooking school Patrick and Lauren attended? Apparently, it’s good enough to get two alums (OK, one alum and one student) on Top Chef, but it obviously isn’t good enough that they could make it past week one. Don’t know how that will play in the school’s promo material. – Europe (Stefan and Fabio) vs. America? Hasn’t that theme already been overused by Top Model this season? – Gail still looks like she’s trying waaaaaaaay too hard to look good next to former supermodel Padma. Gail, I know it’s not fair, but try not to look desperate, please! – Doesn’t Carla seem like a human cousin of Burt (or Big Bird) from “Sesame Street?” She’s just soooo expressive or just Muppet-like or … something. – Jeff seems way too enamored with his hair. I just hope he takes as much pride in his food as in his highlights or he’s not going to stay around long, even if he does kind of invoke Cary Elwes back in his Princess Bride days.