Top Chef Alumni Newsletter

Jen Carroll’s Concrete Blonde Is Currently On Hold

“There’s no giving up hope.” Photo: Collin Keefe

Grub caught up with Top Chef alum and current cast member of Bravo’s forthcoming Life After Top Chef, Jen Carroll, and received the lowdown on where things stand for Concrete Blonde, the small plates seafooder she’s been working on since stepping down from 10 Arts. There’s some good news, and some bad news to report. First the bad: She told us she was “this close” — holding her thumb and forefinger apart by about a centimeter — to inking a deal to bring the restaurant to life at an undisclosed Center City location, before investors got cold feet and backed out. “So now I’m kind of back to square one,” she added.

The good news? She’s working with different backers, and trying to find another location. In the meantime, she told us, she has plenty of things on her plate to keep herself busy.

“I’m traveling around a lot, doing a ton of charity events, dinners, pop-ups with my friends,” Carroll told us. “Concrete Blonde has been dealt a little bit of a setback, but it’s still going. I’m still going. There’s no giving up hope.”

She added that she’s working out the details to do a series of pop-ups at a fixed location here in Philly, where she will do the cooking, and the folks from Philadelphia Distilling will do the cocktails. Sounds faboo. We can’t wait to hear more details about it. Stay tuned for updates.

Earlier: Top Chef Alum Jen Carroll Mans the Pots and Pans at South Philadelphia Tap Room

Jen Carroll’s Concrete Blonde Is Currently On Hold