Ralph has been in the restaurant business for 15 plus years.  He believes that his age (36) is an advantage.  He understands the rigors of the restaurant trade and thinks his experience puts him ahead of the other contestants.  Ralph is confident that his intensity and attention to detail will give him a winning edge in this competition.

Ralph Pagano of Sag Harbor was a finalist on Fox TV's "Hells Kitchen," where he worked elbow-to-elbow with Chef Gordon Ramsay, cooking and creating gourmet food under fire.  Pagano further sharpened his competitive cooking skills opposite Bobby Flay on the Food Network's "Iron Chef" show.  Pagano earned his status as a favorite of Hamptons foodies through stints as executive chef at Bridgehampton's venerable Bobby Van's restaurant and as chef/owner of the World Pie restaurant group.  Through his Sag Harbor gourmet take-away store, prime meat market and full-service catering company, Pagano's delicious fare, high-energy style and infectious enthusiasm continue to win over the Hamptons' most discriminating gourmands. 

Pagano's culinary chops will face stiff competition against Bravo TV's cool and calm "Top Chef" winner Harold Dieterle.  Described as "gallant" and "low-key" by Food & Wine magazine, Dieterle was also recently named one of reality TV's "Hottest Bachelors," by People magazine.  The Long Island native's career in the kitchen was inspired via a high-school home-economics class, selected as a way to meet girls.  His Italian-American mother's expert Sicilian cooking added fuel to the fire. Dieterle traveled the world from Europe to Asia, immersing himself in Spanish and Thai culture and cuisine, and is known for his seamless skill at bringing those flavors alive in distinctive dishes spotlighting rare and exotic ingredients.  His skills were further refined at top restaurants from Manhattan to the Hamptons.  While currently involved in second season filming for "Top Chef," Dieterle is utilizing his $100,000 top-toque winnings as seed money for the launch of his own restaurant, Perilla, opening in Greenwich Village this winter.

Both are graduates of the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America.  Both have honed their skills in highly celebrated kitchens while building reputations for an ability to deliver under pressure.  But their personal style couldn't be more different which should make this live, non-edited competition a not-to-be-missed highlight of this year's Hamptons Wine & Food Festival!  

The verbal sparring has already begun:  "Dieterle's a People magazine pretty boy, he's gonna have to put down the mirror, roll up his sleeves and get down and dirty if he thinks he has a chance of winning this thing," jests Pagano.  Dieterle winks and counters with, "Ralph's clearly shaking in his shoes.  He could pick up a few tips watching me and if he's looking for any groupie overflow tell him to stay close."