Nassau, Bahamas – Beginning Wednesday 9th March, Bravo TV’s famed Top Chef will be airing their final 4 episodes of season 8, all of which were filmed on location in The Bahamas.
For the month of January the hardworking crew from Los Angeles made Atlantis Luxury Resort & Casino their home while they prepped and then shot on a grueling timetable at various locations on and around Nassau. For the first time in the 8 year history of the show, 4 (not 2) final episodes with 5 finalists were all shot on an international location.
The process for selecting the locations involved many visits to Nassau and numerous location scouts to a majority of the location options on the island – from private houses to restaurants new and old; from exclusive clubs to fish fry and forts.
The producers worked closely with local production expert Heather Carey who assisted in scouting and securing the locations as well as sourcing 40+ local crew for the production. Bahamians were involved in all aspects of the production from entry level to department heads, from transportation to catering, from set building to lighting.
Crew catering was provided by renowned Bahamian caterer and restaurateur “Alexandra” (of August Moon) whose meals were perhaps the most anticipated event of the day. Many of the international crew claimed her food to be the best catering they’ve had in their careers.
Productions such as this are extremely beneficial to the islands as they not only provide substantial employment opportunities for Bahamians but they often provide invaluable exposure to the many wonders of our islands and our culture.
Watch Bravo Tv at 10pm on Wednesdays beginning 9th March to see locations including Fort Charlotte, Arawak Cay, Rose Island and Balmoral Club. And yes, there will be Junkanoo!
By Heather Carey
