Ryan Scott Returns to Top Chef Land

Ryan Scott has dusted off his Top Chef coat to prove to America he's "not a 6th episode dude." He's one of four Top Chef alums who have come back for Top Chef Healthy Showdown, a new weekly web series that started last night. Granted its not on prime time TV or anything. But as the tagline tells it "the competition is stiff, the food is skinny, and the stakes are high." All of the cheftestapants didn't win their respective seasons, even thought they were "favored." Our very own Ryan Scott of Season 4 in Chicago faces off against Tre Wilcox, Sara Nguyen, and Casey Thompson—all of Season 3.

Since it's sponsored by Healthy Choice, the person who wins the "toughest challenge of all," making dishes using healthy ingredients, will walk home with a $25,000 prize and a contract to make a line of Top Chef Healthy Choice frozen entrees. The teaser video will tell you lots more. But we'll chime in on the best takeaway, a key detail about that restaurant Casey Thompson wants to open in Napa "proper": it's being built-out right now in preparation for a 2012 opening. The second best takeaway? Ryan Scott thinks Curtis Stone has "nice hair."

· All Ryan Scott Coverage [~ ESF ~]