Courtesy NBC Universal

Ilan Hall (left) in the kitchen during Top Chef competition.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — It’s been a secret he kept for over a month, but in the preview of this week’s Top Chef DC finale on Bravo, Downtown’s own Ilan Hall appeared for a split second smirking at the three final competitors.

Hall, season two Top Chef winner and chef owner of The Gorbals in the Alexandria Hotel, traveled to Singapore for five days to tape the finale in which three former victors--Hall, season three winner Hung Huynh and season six, Pasadena-based chef Michael Voltaggio--chip in to help the current competitors prepare their last test before one wins the prize of Top Chef.

When asked if he would be interested in going back to compete against other season’s winners, Hall replied, “It’s an obvious conclusion that Bravo will probably do that at some point, but I’m not worried. I’ve already beat Hung in a competition.” The winner of season seven will be named on Wednesday’s season finale at 9pm on Bravo.

In other local Top Chef news, the new show Top Chef: Just Desserts will premiere following the finale of Top Chef. As a promotion, diners who make a reservation via OpenTable.com for dinner on the evening of September 15 will receive a free dessert.

To find out local participating restaurants, diners must go to Twitter @BravoTV or Facebook @topchefjustdesserts on Wednesday morning. Keep an eye out for food trucks circling Los Angeles that day to enjoy one of the desserts they’ll be handing out to celebrate the new show.