Ted Allen's New York

Presented by Las Vegas

The celebrity chef/judge chats about a few of his favorite local places, events and things.
Name: Ted Allen
Age: Can't recall
Profession: Judge, "Top Chef" (Bravo), "Iron Chef America" (Food Network); writer, "Esquire" magazine; blogger, www.tedallen.net; author, "The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes"
City: Brooklyn
Relationship Status: Partnered-up
Sexuality: Yes

What are some of the things you love most about New York?

Great restaurants, the character (and characters) in the Village, and great rock shows at Bowery Ballroom.

What are some of your least favorite things about New York?

Traffic, jackhammers, trucks, oblivious people who take up too much space, and developers who build ugly buildings.

What gym do you like most in New York? Why?

I break out in a rash just looking at a gym -- not my trip. I stick to walking -- everywhere -- and running occasionally.

What are some great restaurants for a night out with gay friends in New York?

Elmo is fun; good comfort food, good drinks, and cute waiters. Centro Vinoteca is delicious, too.

What are some great restaurants for a romantic gay date in New York? What about these restaurants appeals to you?

Gascogne in Chelsea is very romantic and has decent French bistro stuff.

What are your favorite gay bars and/or dance clubs in New York? What do you like about them?

Metropolitan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Cute, scruffy, arty crowd. I'm allergic to Chelsea bars. 
Allen prefers partying at home. Photo: Juliana Sohn.

What are your favorite gay parties or events in New York, if any? What is the crowd or scene like at those places?

The ones at our house. The crowd is dorky, but down-to-earth and funny.

Where is the best public place for a gay person to make out in New York?

I dunno; The Cock? Get a freakin' room, already.

What is the gay community like in New York? Do you consider yourself to be part of any particular "scene"?

Snarky, sweet, superficial, dedicated, stylish, tragic; like the gay community everywhere, only with more antidepressants and smaller dogs.

Are you involved with any LGBT community organizations in New York? Which ones? What do you like about those groups?

I've done events with God's Love We Deliver, GMHC, the Jim Owles Club, HRC, Empire State Pride Agenda, and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. I like them because they're staffed by incredibly devoted people who deliver.

What do you think of the annual LGBT pride celebration in New York? Do you usually attend? What are the highlights for you? What do you like least about it?

Ya know, I don't really love a parade, as a rule, unless I'm in it. Crowded, no bar, and no bathrooms. But the crowd is great. My favorite parade memory is from June 2003, when the "Queer Eye" guys rode in five convertible Volkswagens. We spent the entire day behind the float for Rentboy.com, which was blaring bad dance music while scrawny hookers-slash-runaways swayed listlessly in saggy Speedos -- it was perfection.

Do you have a particular fashion style? Where do you shop for clothes?

Generally, no. I like black everything, skinny jeans from Diesel, 575, Seven, and G-Star, and my corduroy jacket from Levi's. For fancy stuff, I like Paul Smith, Etro, John Varvatos, Prada, and Gucci -- but that stuff is way too expensive to actually pay for, so I shoplift.

Where do you go for other forms of entertainment -- live theater, concerts, movies, art exhibits? Are there any local gay performance groups, bands, or artists that you're a fan of?

I saw Bob Mould last night at Irving Plaza, and he rocked mightily. Then, when a couple of queens got muscled by security for bumping Bob's monitor onstage, he said, "You guys can slam-dance all you want -- just don't move the furniture." Heh heh.

If you had gay friends visiting from out of town for the first time, what are some "musts" that you'd recommend they see or do?

What am I, the Fodor's Guide? I'm not doing vacation research for a bunch of lazy fags! Here's a teeny bit: Stick to the Village, East and West, instead of Chelsea. Have a drink at Stanton Social. Go to the Tenement Museum. Eat Mexican at Paladar, or Harold Dieterle's (Top Chef) place, Perilla on Jones Street. Now, leave me alone.

What city (or cities) in America would you most like to visit next, and why? Are there any specific spots there (theaters, nightclubs, historic sites, etc.) that you'd really like to see?

Savannah, Charleston, Vancouver (hey, it's in North America).

Coming into the national spotlight as the chef on Bravo's "Queer Eye", Ted Allen can currently be seen as co-judge on Bravo's "Top Chef" and  Food Network's "Iron Chef".  He is also the author of "The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes" and a contributing writer for "Esquire" magazine.  To learn more about Ted Allen, please visit: www.tedallen.net

(All images courtesy Getty)