Local chef Gene Villiatora, the Whitmore Village native now based in Las Vegas, is still cooking his way toward the top prize on the popular Bravo show "Top Chef: New York." Villiatora, 33, survived another of the show's elimination challenges Wednesday night, at the end of the show's fifth episode.

Villiatora, who has no formal culinary training, started as one of 17 chefs competing for $100,000 on the fifth season of cable's top food show.

The Leilehua graduate hopes to win seed money to open his own restaurant.

The contest continues next Wednesday, airing at 8 p.m. in Hawaii.