Is Paul Qui Going to Be on Top Chef?

Is Uchiko executive chef Paul Qui going to be on the next season of Top Chef? The Chronicle's Virginia Wood thinks so:

"Colleagues who attended Uchiko's mind-blowing monthly Food + Wine dinner in June report that Executive Chef Paul Qui told them the series would be on hiatus until September because he was 'going away for six weeks.' The cryptic announcement prompted questions about whether or not he might be a contestant on the upcoming season of Bravo TV's Top Chef."

Although sources would neither confirm nor deny that this was the case, it certainly does mesh with other rumors that have been circulating as well. Makes sense: the guy's certainly TV ready. He did make it to the semifinals of the 2011 Eater Hottest chef contest, after all.

· Food-o-File [Chronicle]
· All Paul Qui Coverage on Eater Austin [-E-]