Say it ain't so! Ted Allen will not be part of the four-person judging panel when Top Chef returns to Bravo in November. He'll be replaced by British journalist and food critic Toby Young.

I'm unsure why Allen is not returning. A press release from Bravo doesn't mention him at all.

Here are the contestants for the coming season. One, Melissa, is from Maryland, and Red Maple chef Jill Snyder is indeed competing! Read more about that on Sam Sessa's blog, Midnight Sun.

- Alex, 33 - Hometown: New York; resides in Los Angeles

- Ariane, 41 - Hometown/resides in: Verona, N.J.

- Carla, 44 - Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.; resides in Washington

- Danny, 26 Hometown/resides in: New Hyde Park, N.Y.

- Fabio, 30 - Hometown: Florence, Italy; resides in Moorpark, Calif.

- Gene, 33 - Hometown: Whitmore Village, Hawaii; resides in Las Vegas

- Hosea, 34 - Hometown: Taos, N.M.; resides in Boulder, Colo.

- Jamie, 30 - Hometown: New York; resides in San Francisco

- Jeff, 30 Hometown: Niceville, Fla.; resides in: Miami

- Jill, 28 - Hometown: Latrobe, Pa.; resides in Baltimore

- Lauren, 24 - Hometown: Cincinnati; stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga.

- Leah, 27 - Hometown: Scarsdale, N.Y.; resides in New York

- Melissa, 28 Hometown: Maryland; resides in Boulder, Colo.

- Patrick, 21 - Hometown: Quincy, Mass.; resides in Hyde Park, N.Y.

- Radhika, 28 - Hometown/resides in: Chicago

- Richard, 27 - Hometown: Long Island, N.Y.; resides in San Diego

- Stefan, 35 Hometown: Tampere, Finland; resides in Santa Monica, Calif.