Bizarre food note of the week

"Time Machine Chef" posits that great TV will come from chefs trying to cook time-period-appropriate fare in time-period-appropriate ways, including the opening episode, in which chefs must whip up a cooked cockatrice (above, from elfwood.com), and dogs (in RUFFS!) operate rotisseries in hamster-wheel-like contraptions. (I'll help, via Eater.com: Skip to 1:42.) "Top Chef" fans will rejoice (or boo) at the return of Ilan Hall. Premieres Aug. 16 on ABC.