ATC Interview with Danyele McPherson, continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Danyele McPherson.  Hi Danyele!

DM:  Hello.

ATC:  Have you watched the previous seasons of the show?

DM:  I have watched a few.  I did not watch all of them, I actually just got cable.

ATC:  Did you think it was fair to bring back chefs from previous seasons?

DM:  I did recognize the chefs that were brought back.  At first I thought they had an advantage, but after a couple of challenges I realized that they really didn't know what was going to happen.  They were in the same boat as the rest of us.

ATC:  Did you watch last night's episode?

DM:  I did.

ATC:  It seemed that you never got any momentum going.  Was it nerves?

DM:  I never imagined myself on any TV show.  My nature is to be a planner, a lister.  That is how my life works.  But that doesn't work on Top Chef.  On the show, we have to sort of cook on the fly - that's what makes it fun to watch.  So I was a little out of my element.

ATC:  If you could go back, is there anything that you would do differently?

DM:  I feel like at the Last Chance Kitchen, I was finally myself.  I should have had more fun, and just been myself.

ATC:  Who are your best friends from the cast?

DM:  Eliza, Crissy, Tyler, Bart.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

DM:  I really liked the Reynolds Wrap challenge.  There have been challenges where some chefs will have an advantage.  I felt like for this challenge, the playing field was even.  So that was the most fun.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant.  Are you still at The Grape?

DM:  Yes.  When I started the show, I was a sous chef and now I have been promoted to Chef de Cuisine.  It's just a great place to work.  I returned from the show with a real appreciation for the people who I work with.  It's like a family.  We are celebrating our 40th anniversary and there are people who have been working there for 17 years.  I really love it there.  It's a Texas institution.

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

DM:  Well we change the menu every month, so it's kind of hard to say.  There are a few "bistro classics" that we keep.  A lot of people order the steak frites.  I would say this month the most popular is probably the redfish.  We are doing the redfish with over a cornbread puree and some ridiculous spicy collard greens with house made bacon-onion jam.  That's probably the most popular item.


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

DM:  Yes, thanks everyone who has supported me.  It doesn't have to be the end for me, please
vote to save me, and get me back in the game.

ATC:  Thanks Danyele!

DM:  Thank you!