All Top Chef Interview with Chrissy Camba - Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Chrissy Camba - Hi Chrissy!

CC:  Hi, how are you?

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

CC:  I did.

ATC:  Was there anything that surprised you as you watched?

CC:  I was surprised that I was eliminated!  I was surprised that they didn't show me crying more.  I was a hot mess.

ATC:  Did you watch the previous seasons of Top Chef?

CC:  I did.

ATC:  So did you recognize the returning chefs?

CC:  Yes, I remembered all three of them.

ATC:  Do you think it was fair to bring back the former contestants?

CC:  No!  I was like, "Yeah.  I made to Seattle!"  When they added three more competitors I was really bummed out.

ATC:  In the "Last Chance Kitchen" you took a second attempt at the salad.  Did you nail it the second time?

CC:  Yes.  After I was eliminated, I didn't know what was going to be thrown at me in the Last Chance Kitchen, but when I saw the ingredients I knew it was time to try the salad again.  I thought, "I know how to make a salad.  I'm going to take their criticisms and make it the right way."

During the elimination challenge I specifically asked the Canlis brothers about the dressing and they described it as a thick sauce.  So I made it like a thick Caesar dressing.  I think it was a miscommunication.  If I had known it was a lighter dressing, I would have made a lighter dressing.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant.

CC:  Bar Pastoral.  It's located in Lakeview in Chicago.  It's a 50-seat bar.  We have a cheese bar and a wine bar.  We also serve small and no-so-small plates.

ATC:  What is the most popular item on the menu?

CC:  As of yesterday, it was the Rush Creek Reserve Chicago Style.  Rush Creek Reserve is a seasonal cheese.  Kind of ooey gooey and wrapped in bark.  When I tasted it, it reminded me of a hot dog, so I did a play on the Chicago-style dog with the Rush Creek Reserve.

ATC:  What was the best thing about appearing on Top Chef?

CC:  This really pushed me to be confident in myself.   I enjoyed the challenge.  We all work in restaurants and cooking becomes a habit.  On Top Chef we didn't know what to expect.

ATC:  Have you been recognized in the street?

CC:  Not so much in the street but in the restaurant.  Often I will look out and see patrons waving at me.  I will think "Do I know this person?"  I'll started freaking out a little thinking "I don't remember them..."  And then they will say that they saw me on Top Chef and I am like "Oh great.  Thank you!"

ATC:  Who are your best friends from the cast?

CC:  Kuni. Kuniko.  I got to hang out with her and she is so talented and really just the nicest person I have ever met in my life.  I know her English isn't perfect - she is just learning English, but the things she says are just so cute.  Like in the Last Chance Kitchen she says she has "I have two butterflies in my stomach."  She is just so humble.  She is so skilled but she doesn't brag about it like so many other chefs.  I really like her.

ATC:  What are you working on right now?

CC:  Well Bar Pastoral just opened so I am concentrating on that right now, but there are some other opportunities that hopefully will come to fruition in the next couple of years.

ATC:  Chef Chrissy, we are almost out of time, is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?

CC:  Yes, please save me!  Can I say that?  Yes, please save me.

Also, check me out on Facebook and Twittter.

ATC:  Thank you Chef Chrissy.

CC:  Thank you!