Cooking with your kids can be fun, rewarding, and sometimes challenging. Often, coming up with new and exciting dishes can become extremely difficult. If you and your kids are tired of the same recipes over and over again, there's a computer game you should know about. I know what you're thinking: "This is the Cooking for Kids site, not the Computer Games site!" However, this particular game brings together parents, kids, and lots of cooking fun!

You and your kids can take part in our own cooking competition with the new computer game called “Top Chef: The Game”. Based on Bravo's hit TV show “Top Chef”, the computer game features various cooking challenges from beginner to advanced. Even though you won't be winning real money as you progress through the game, you certainly have the chance to win bragging rights to friends and family.

You'll recognize the faces and voices of Head Judge Tom Colicchio and Host Padma Lakshmi. However, even if you've never seen the actual show on television, it won't take away from the excitement of the game.

To start the game, you can simply click on the “Play Challenges” box, or you can click on the “Help” box. One advantage of starting through the “Help” box is that you can take your time learning all about the game, including: tips, pantry, recipes, stations, dish display and scoring. If you start with the “Play Challenges” box, you'll be in your first challenge learning as you go along.

Each of the challenges consists of preparing meals by creating the delicious combination of meats, vegetables, and flavorings. Once you get a feel for the game, preparing meals becomes quiet easy—at first. The more you advance, the more difficult the challenges become. This keeps the game from becoming monotonous, as just when you think you've got it down pat, there's a new twist around the corner.

In between the challenges, you and the other contestants have an exchange of words. This ranges from friendly chatter to not so friendly chatter, just like you see on the television show. For those annoyed by extra chatter, there's a skip button at the top of the screen.

Top Chef will automatically save your progress. With over forty cooking challenges, this is a very useful feature. This also means that parents won't have to hear the common “But I'm not at a save point yet” line that kids use to stall for extra game time.

The graphics are bright and clear. In addition, changing the game sounds and music volume couldn't be easier. This is a very user friendly game that is easy to get started playing without reading pages of directions.

I think the people who will benefit most from the Top Chef game are fans of the television show and families that are looking for new and creative ways to prepare meals. In every challenge, you have the opportunity to learn new flavor combinations, turning your next meal into a five star dish.

A demo version of this game is available their website at http://www.topchefthegame.com.