ATC Interview with Brooke Williamson, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Seattle Finalist, Brooke Williamson.  Hi Brooke.

BW:  Hi.

ATC:  Congratulations on making it all the way to the finale?

BW:  Thank you very much.

ATC:  Do you think it was harder to fight your way through all of the challenges, or to fight back in Last Chance Kitchen?

BW:  That's a good questions.  They are both hard.  Last Chance Kitchen is more predictable.  You know it is 30 minutes.  You know Tom is your judge and you know you have to beat one chef.  It's do or die.

ATC:  We didn't see how you chose your sous chefs.

BW:  We flipped a coin and chose after the Craft Challenge.

ATC:  Who was your first choice?

BW:  CJ.

ATC:  How many challenges did you win?  And how much money?

BW:  I won eight challenges, three quickfires, five eliminations.  No money, but I did win a car, a cruise, and a trip to Costa Rica.

ATC:  Have you received the car?

BW:  Not yet.

ATC:  Who was your best friend from the cast?

BW:  I would say Kristen.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

BW:  The Berry Farm Challenge.  It was a lovely setting and a lot of fun.  I also liked the salmon challenge.

ATC:  It was fun to meet your family.  They must be very proud of you.

BW:  Yes, they are a very proud bunch.

ATC:  Did you son see himself on TV?

BW:  I think he did watch the show, but I haven't seen his reaction yet.

ATC:  Did you do anything to prepare for the finale?

BW:  I chose my dishes, but not until about a week before the finale.  I didn't have a whole lot of time to practice anything.  I didn't really do much to prepare the first time either.  I just back got into the swing of things at work.

ATC:  It must have been hard to prepare 150 plates for each course.  How long were you in there?

BW:  It was a very long day.  Very long.  The day from start to finish was very long.  The prep, the service, the interviews afterward.  It was long.

ATC:  I was very surprised that you didn't go all the way to the dessert round.  Were you also surprised?

BW:  I was surprised.  I was very disappointed that I didn't get to make my dessert.  I felt that it was a really great dessert and I wanted to present it.

ATC:  What are you working on now?  Are you still at Hudson House?

BW:  Yes, Hudson House and The Tripel.  We are looking for a location for a new spot.  We will stay in the area, Redondo Beach and Playa del Rey.

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

BW:  Thank you for all of the support.  It has been incredible.  I have been back in touch with people I haven't seen in years. and it has been really great.

ATC:  Thank you Brooke.

BW:  Thank you.

ATC Interview with Kristen Kish - Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Seattle Champion, Kristen Kish.  Hi Kristen.

KK:  Hi Laura.

ATC:  Congratulations on your win!

KK:  Thank you.

ATC:  Last night's episode went by very quickly.  Did you watch?

KK:  Yes.  I felt like there were a lot of details that were not shown on the program, like how we chose our sous chefs and how we developed our recipes...all of the work that comes before the cooking - but it is only an hour show...

ATC:  Yes, that is one of my questions, were ALL of the season 11 chefs brought back for you to choose from?

KK:  No, I think there were maybe eight or ten...  after the last challenge at Craft, we chose our sous chefs.

ATC:  Playground style?

KK:  We flipped a coin and I chose Lizzie and Sheldon and later we found out we could choose one more, and that's when I picked Josh.

ATC:  Were you surprised to learn that you had to cook for 150 people?

KK:  Not completely.  We had to send in a food order ahead of time, so we had an idea...

ATC:  During the time that you spent waiting for your return to the finale, did you do anything to prepare?  Were you working on specific recipes?

KK:  I thought about a couple of sauces that I knew would take a lot of time to develop flavors. The shellfish nage takes a while.  I practiced several times to see if I could make it more quickly.  Other than that, my preparation was just working.  I really didn't have time for much more than that.

ATC:  I was very surprised when you were declared the winner after four rounds, were you surprised as well?

KK:  A little, but it is a head-to-head competition, and there is a winner declared after each round.  Each judge had to go on record and state his or her favorite.

ATC:  So there is no one behind the scenes asking the judges to stretch things out just for the sake of drama...that's nice to know.

ATC:  Have you received your prize money yet?

KK:  No, not yet.  It's probably a good thing because if I had it now I would probably be spending frivolously.

ATC:  What are you working on now?

KK:  I'm still at Stir, with Barbara.  I have a lot to learn from her and I intend to stay with her.  She has a few more ideas for me.  I am really looking forward to seeing what comes my way.

ATC:  How tall are you?

KK:  5'9"

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

KK:  Yes, thank you to all of my fans, it has been wonderful to feel all of the support.  The Boston Restaurant community is totally behind me and it has been great.

ATC Interview with Chef Sheldon Simeon, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo with All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Chef Sheldon Simeon.  Hi Sheldon.

SS:  How's it going?

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

SS:  Yes I did.  I got to relive the moment.

ATC:  Your family is adorable, tell us a little more about your girls.

SS:  That's what I was most proud of.  We got to showcase Maui and my family.  In the end that is what I am all about.  I have three girls, Chloe, 6, Peyton, 3, and Quinn, 18 months.

ATC:  And your wife is beautiful!

SS:  Yes, I am very fortunate to have the most beautiful and supportive wife I could ever ask for.

ATC:  It looks like you have become a celebrity in Hawaii.  How does that feel?

SS:  Everyone has been so nice.  It is definitely weird to be recognized in the street and to be posing for photographs.  But I was the same way.  I mean I have been a fan of the show and I was giddy whenever I saw any of the chefs. I enjoy meeting new people and it has really been fun.


ATC:  Were you surprised to see Kristen as the winner of Last Chance Kitchen?

SS:  No.  Not at all.  Everyone knew that she was a frontrunner.  It was a surprise when she was eliminated.  I had a feeling she would be back.


ATC:  What new opportunities have been presented to you as a result of your appearance on Top Chef?

SS:  Well first of course Star Noodle has been extremely busy.  It has really taken off.  There have been opportunities to open a restaurant on my own.  I am not sure where it will be.  I am carefully considering my options.  Of course I will make the best decision for my family.  Hopefully you will soon see a new restaurant a la Sheldon.

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

SS:  That's a tough one.  After listening to the critique, maybe I should have done more of what I had been doing all season, but honestly in that moment, that was what my heart felt.  I have no regrets...maybe I would have executed each dish a little better.

ATC:  Have any of the other chefs been out to Hawaii to visit you and to eat at your restaurant?

SS:  Yes, Carla has been out to Maui!  She came out and hung out at the restaurant.  It was cool because everyone here got to see what a sweetheart she is.

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

SS:  I think everyone saw my friendship with Josh.  I talk to him about every week.  He is like family.  We have talked about him coming out to Maui and maybe cooking together.  I also keep in touch with Chrissy and just about everyone.

ATC:  Tell us about Star Noodle.

SS:  Star Noodle is a small little 58-seat restaurant in Lahaina, Maui.  It is a Ramen Shop.  We have tons of small shared plates. It is kind of the best of all Asian foods, Korean, Chinese, Japanese and a lot of Hawaiian influence.

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

SS:  Definitely our Pad Thai Noodle.  It is different from the traditional Pad Thai, the bold flavor, and the different texture.  It's really good.

ATC:  It is amazing to note that a chef from a noodle shop in Hawaii made it all the way to the finals on Top Chef.  What advice can you offer to future contestants on the show?

SS:  If you go out for the show, just be yourself.  Be who you are.  Don't try to cook for the judges, just cook from your heart and live it up.  Enjoy every moment.

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

SS:  Everyone has been no nice.  Please continue to keep up with me #chefwonder on instagram and Facebook.  There are a lot of things coming up.

ATC:  Thank you Chef Sheldon.

SS:  Aloha!

ATC Interview with Joshua Valentine, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Joshua Valentine.  Hi Josh.

JV:  How are you?

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

JV:  I did.

ATC:  With your wife?

JV:  Yes, of course she cried.  She tried not to, but she did.


ATC:  How did she feel about seeing and hearing herself on the show?

JV:  Well, obviously she just had a baby so she wasn't totally happy with how she looked, but besides that she loved it.

ATC:  How old is Georgia now?

JV: Six months.  She is starting to crawl and to get into trouble.

ATC:  Do you have other children?

JV:  Yes, I have two from a previous marriage.  They are six and four.  Isabella and Lola.

ATC:  If you could go back, what would you do differently in the final challenge?

JV:  I might not have been so ambitious or adventurous in trying to do three composed dishes.  I think I might have bit off a little more than I could chew.

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

JV:  That's hard!  Sheldon and I are probably the closest.  Also Stefan, Brooke, Kristen.  We are all pretty tight.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

JV:  The most fun challenge was actually the Reynolds Wrap Challenge.  It was such a blind thing and opening up the foil and seeing what you had was just such a surprise.

Obviously I also liked the fried chicken challenge.  I was very comfortable with it.  It just kind of came naturally.

ATC:  Is that where you won the wine?

JV:  Yes.

ATC:  Have you received the wine yet?

JV:  Not yet!

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

JV:  For me it is the amazing friends, the camaraderie.  That's what I take away from it.  It was a lot of fun.  I mean it's a competition, but you are also doing what you love so it's really fun.

ATC:  Tell us about FT33.

JV:  Right now I am the pastry chef.  We have been open for about 5 months.  We were just named the "Best New Restaurant of 2012" in Dallas.

ATC:  What does "FT33" mean?

JV:  It's kind of a restaurant term - "Fire Table 33."  We are an open-kitchen restaurant. Thirty-three is kind of the chef's table.  It is elevated and the diners can see into the kitchen and watch as everything is plated.

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

JV:  The menu changes regularly because we are very seasonal.  Right now we have a peanut butter panna cotta dessert - that one is very popular.  Everyone likes chocolate and peanut butter.

Probably one of the more interesting desserts right now is the Olive Oil Financier with Juniper Ganache and Apple Celery Sorbet and Compressed Celery with Gin.

ATC:  Yum.

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

JV:  Yes, I want to thank everyone for supporting me.  For your messages especially about Georgia.  It was a lot of fun and I appreciate the fans.

ATC;  Thank you Josh.

JV:  Thank you.

All Top Chef Interview with Stefan Richter, Continued

ATC: This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I am on the phone with Stefan Richter. Hi Stefan.

SR: What's happening?

ATC: Going in to the competition, did you feel that you had an advantage?

SR: I think it was a disadvantage to be honest. You kind of dread what is going to happen. The waiting and the stew room, it is really harsh. You see two minutes of it, but it is actually five hours. What do we do? We drink and we bicker. It's very difficult. I knew that going in.

ATC: Which was your favorite challenge?

SR: The Berry Farm. It reminded me of Finland!

ATC: Did you do anything in particular to prepare for the competition?

SR: There is really nothing you can do to prepare. I mean you would think that appearing on a previous season would be good preparation, but each season has different challenges and different competitors. It is impossible to prepare.

ATC: Have you remained in touch with the other chefs?

SR: Oh yes of course, all of them. Kristen, John, Brooke, Josh...

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

SR: No.

ATC: You stand by your dish.

SR: Absolutely. I have been a judge on Top Chef in Finland and I know that it is all just a matter of personal preference. I don't feel that any judge "didn't like me," it's just the way it goes.

ATC: Tell us about your restaurant.

SR: I have three steakhouses in Finland - plans to open three more in the next year.

Stefan's LA Farm is in Santa Monica. We have just renovated, I have a new entrance, patios, seven fire pits, come and visit!

ATC: I have a reader question from Kathy - Was your first time really on a ship? I thought it was a babysitter…

SR:…yeah…

ATC….

ATC: How is your mom?

SR: She is okay, I mean fifteen years with Parkinson's disease is no picnic but she is doing okay. I visit her about six times a year.

ATC: What are you working on now?

SR: Expanding in Finland, adding new menu items, I am very busy.

ATC: Are you working on any new television projects?

SR: Yes, actually…

ATC: Please keep us posted.

SR: I certainly will.

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

SR: I want to say thank you to everyone who is watching, blogging, tweeting and supporting me. Its not over, you can still vote to "save" me.

All Top Chef Interview with Josie Smith-Malave, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Chef Josie Smith-Malave, Hi Chef Josie.

JSM:  Hi!

ATC:  Have you been watching the show every week?

JSM:  Yes, I sure have...

ATC:  Were you surprised by anything that you saw as you watched?

JSM:  Yes, I could say that.  Surprised would be an understatement.

ATC:  During the competition, did you feel that the other chefs respected you?

JSM:  Yes.  At the time I did.

ATC:  Did you feel that you had an advantage going in, because you had already competed in season 2?

JSM:  You know, I thought that there was a slight advantage.  I was familiar with how the process worked and I thought that if I sat back and let everyone else unravel, that I would have an advantage.  Sure.

ATC:  Did you recognize any of the other chefs when you arrived?

JSM:  Stefan and I have done events together.  CJ of course.  The rest I just met on set.

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

JSM:  Friend?  Hmmmm...  I would say Sheldon.

ATC:  Oh, he seems like a real sweetheart.

JSM:  What you see is what you get.  I have spent some time in Hawaii and he really embodies the Hawaiian spirit.  He's a pretty cool dude, I'm not gonna lie.

Lizzie also.  She is a stand-up lady.  There was nothing that she said that was unkind or uncalled for.  She is very respectful.

And Carla.  Love me some Carla!

ATC:   What have you been doing since we saw you in season 2?

JSM:  I've been building an empire.  Right now we have a pop-up location in San Francisco.  I have teamed up with a music venue called Thee Parkside.    It's called Global Soul Corner, we have just extended our lease.

I have also teamed up with some people to do a popsicle business.  We have some really inventive popsicle flavors.  We are working out the details to expand.

I'm also working on a couple of cooking shows.

I have been traveling the world...eating...learning about other cultures, not just food.  I have really had the chance to grow as a person and really to hone my future.

ATC:  What is the most intriguing flavor of popsicle that you have invented?

JSM:  I call it the dirty chocolate cake.  It's like a fudgsicle with a hint of chiles and of course, bacon...

ATC:  Are these available now?

JSM:  They are available at music events here in San Francisco and we are looking to expand our production and distribution.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

JSM:  I would have to say that was the Food & Wine Challenge where I was awarded immunity by Dana Cowin for my dumpling.

ATC:  Will there be a reunion episode?

JSM:  I have no idea.

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

JSM:  Watch What Happens - it's not over yet!

All Top Chef Interview with Kristen Kish, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef, and I'm on the phone with Kristen Kish, Hi Kristen.

KK:  Hi Laura.

ATC:  Your elimination was completely shocking and disappointing.

KK:  Yes, it was heartbreaking to watch it and to re-live it as well, but all is good.

ATC:  So you watch ed the episode last night?

KK:  Yes,  of course, yes.

ATC:  The viewers certainly saw that Josie was slow and you had to make concessions for her lack of expertise, but the judges didn't see any of that.

KK:  Right, and that's okay.  I mean that is part of my job, to communicate and to get my point of view across.  I just didn't want to stand up there and fight.  It would have been a losing battle anyway.

ATC:  You showed a lot of integrity.

KK:  I hope so.

ATC:  Knowing that you beat CJ in Last Chance Kitchen gives us all hope that we will see you again in the finale.

KK:  Thank you, I hope so too.

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

KK:  There are a million things I would do differently.  Maybe a different menu.  Not as ambitious.

ATC:  Did you watch the previous seasons of the show?

KK:  Here and there, yes.

ATC:  So, going in, did you have a plan for Restaurant Wars?

KK:  No.  It was spontaneous.  I mean I hoped that I would make it to the Restaurant Wars Challenge, but I was just taking it week by week.

ATC:  You were almost always on the top and Josie was often on the bottom, so it was very surprising to see that the judges eliminated you.  Were you surprised as well?

KK:  A little, I mean I made mistakes as well, and as the leader of the losing team, I kind of expected it.

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

KK:  Brooke for sure.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

KK:  All the challenges where I won money.

ATC:  How much did  you win?

KK:  $45,000.

ATC:  Have you received your check yet?

KK:  No, and that is probably a good thing.  I wouldn't know what to do with it.

ATC:  Are you still at Stir?

KK:  Yes I am.

ATC:  Besides cooking, what do you enjoy in your spare time?

KK:  Being with friends, music, and the arts.  I studied piano and I love it.  Everything in music and art.

ATC:  What are your plans for the future?

KK:  I am very happy where I am.  I don't want to change anything right now.

ATC:  Are you recognized in the street?  Are fans asking for your photo and autograph?

KK:  Yes.  I am stopped in the street or at Starbucks and people are always waving at me.  We have several restaurants on the same street and as I walk into each one to get supplies or whatever, the patrons will greet me.  It's great.

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

KK:  Thank you so much for all of the support.  It has been incredible.  I'm very very happy and I couldn't be more proud of the support that I am getting.

ATC:  Thank you Chef Kristen.

KK:  Thank you!

All Top Chef Interview with Micah Fields, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Seattle contestant, Micah Fields.  Hi Micah!

MF:  Hello.

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

MF:  Of course I did!

ATC:  Was there anything that surprised you?

MF:  Well the part about me being a "Beverly Hills Chef" was edited a little...funny.  I do not consider myself a "Beverly Hills Chef."  I was trying to make the point that there are all sorts of demographics that enjoy raw food - everyone from the Ladies from Beverly Hills, to sushi-lovers from Japan, there are a lot of ways to prepare and appreciate raw food.  The grocery store didn't have the products that I was hoping for and it wasn't exactly what I wish I could have made.

ATC:  Did you watch the previous seasons of the show?

MF:  I watched Top Chef Texas...Top Chef New York.  I have seen about three seasons..

ATC:  Did you do anything in particular to prepare for the show?

MF:  Yes I did.  As soon as I learned that we would be in Seattle, I practiced a lot of seafood preparations.  I also brushed up on my pastry skills, even though I didn't have the opportunity to do any pastry.  It was a lot of pressure having five HD cameras on you.  It's impossible to prepare for that.

ATC:  Are you still working at The Standard in Los Angeles?

MF:  Yes I am.

ATC:  I have been there!  Is it still yellow?

MF:  Yes it is.

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

MF:  We actually just changed the dinner menu...we have a lamb rib...our ravioli changes on a daily basis...We also have a "burger of the week" that is very popular.  I have been there for about two years, so that is a hundred different burgers.  It's been popular and also very fun.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

MF:  Definitely the foil challenge.  When you don't know what you are going to cook with and you only have 30 minutes to cook it. That's a real task.

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

MF:  I would take more risks, move out of my comfort zone.  I would have pushed my limits.   I would do more seafood...

ATC:  Tell us a little bit about your daughters.

MF:  They are twins - five years old- their names are Sage and Saffron.

ATC:  Who are you best friends from the cast?

MF:  Kristen and I definitely had a connection.  Sheldon as well...Stefan... Obviously I am closest with the LA-based chefs.  I hang out with C.J. a lot.   I saw Brooke the other night.  The only one from L.A. that I haven't met up with is Kuniko.  She is busy opening a new restaurant.  Of course I will visit as soon as I can.

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

MF:  Yes, please vote to "Save Chef Micah."

ATC:  Thank you!

MF:  Thank you!

All Top Chef Interview with John Tesar, continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo with All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with John Tesar.  Hi John.

JT:  Hi Laura, how are you?

ATC:  Have you watched the previous seasons of Top Chef?

JT:  Yes, I believe I have watched every episode of every season for the past ten seasons.

ATC:  So you knew about the curse of the risotto...

JT:  Yes, of course, it was just the luck of the draw, I could have gotten anything, but I got the risotto.  Howie's dish was very complicated and included frog's legs and all sorts of things.  It was a challenge to make it healthy.  It was complicated and let's not forget that he sweat in the dish!

ATC:  Did you watch last night's episode?

JT:  I did.  I have been watching every week.  I have a brand new restaurant and when I get home late on Wednesday nights, I say goodnight to my wife and go and watch the show at like 1:00 in the morning.   I have truly enjoyed this season.  The editing is great - I mean there is a lot that you don't see, but Bravo has been great.

I think that there is a demographic that I represent.  I have tons of experience, I have operated many successful restaurants.  I am proud of what I did on the show.

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

JT:  Yes, I would have gotten a little more rest, and I would have made a vegetarian dish in the risotto challenge.

Also, knowing that Josh was coming back to Dallas, I would have been more honest and brutal with him.  I let hime get to me a little and now we are in the same town.  Like a lot of us, he has issues that he should deal with.  Real anger issues.

I was horrified on Thanksgiving when Josh and CJ really attacked me.  They were attacking me all day.  It really started to wear me down.

I would like to come back and do an All-Star season.  That's the advantage that CJ and Stefan and Josie had.  They know about the psychological drama and the toll that this takes.

I mean, just being selected for Top Chef, makes me feel like a winner.  I had tried out for the show before.

Honestly I could have held on to the pickles.  There was only one jar of pickles and I shared them.  That is who I am.  That is the real John Tesar.

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

JT:  I'm very fond of Brooke.  We are not exactly close, but she is very talented.  Kristen also is very talented.  She will be a great chef.  Stefan of course, is just the ultimate entertainer.  I enjoyed him a lot.  He would say, "Cook.  Just forget about the rest and cook."  Sheldon too.  He is a great guy.

ATC:  What was your favorite challenge?

JT:  The last challenge was my favorite because I learned so much from it.  On the show we really have to cook off the cuff.  There is no way to prepare for it.  I really did have trouble with the cookware.  Also, I had consumed so much MSG that I had numbed my palate.  I loved last night's edit and the ending and everything.  I mean it was bittersweet for me to move on, but I was laughing as I watched.


ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant, Spoon Bar and Kitchen.

JT:  I grew up on the east end of Long Island, and I am bringing the taste of the ocean to Dallas.

The Dallas Morning News just named us one of the best new restaurants of the year.  They used the word "important" when they described us.  

Although I am in a land-locked city, I decided that I wanted to do seafood.  Actually while I was in Seattle, I made a few contacts - geoduck and oysters from Seattle are both on the menu.

 I have a lot of support from the local community, from Dallas, and from my friends.  It's been great.


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

JT:  Please vote to save me.  I'd love to take Josh down!  It was a privilege to be on Top Chef.

ATC:  Thank you!

JT:  Thank you!

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!

All Top Chef Interview with Eliza Gavin, Continued

This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Chef Eliza Gavin.  Hi Eliza!

EG:  Hi Laura.

ATC:  Did you watch the previous seasons of the show?

EG:  I did sporadically. Season Two and Season Six religiously, but having my own restaurant and a family does not leave a lot of time for TV.

ATC:  Tell us about your family.

EG:  I am very fortunate to have a wonderful and supportive husband as well as a three-and-a-half year old son who is a great skier, great golfer, and an awesome kid.  While I was in Seattle, I wrote him a letter every day.

ATC:  Wait.  Can he read?

EG:  No.  Not yet!

ATC:  What did you do to prepare for the competition?

EG:  I looked at past seasons and thought about what I would do for those challenges, both the Quickfire and the elimination challenges.  I tested new recipes at the restaurant.  I worked on presentation.  I memorized recipes and ratios.  I did everything I could think of, I reviewed my own cookbooks.  There were a lot of notecards involved.  But honestly, there is really no way to prepare for this experience.  It didn't help!

ATC:  Did you watch last night's episode?

EG:  Yes I did.

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

EG:  Let's see..I was surprised that they were so hard on Lizzie.  I tasted her dish and it was really good, so that surprised me.  Lizzie, Micah and I were way over in the corner, so we didn't see many of the other dishes.

ATC:  If you could go back, would you do anything differently in this challenge?

EG:  With the carrots, I was just trying to add some color to the plate - a little sweetness.  In retrospect I would do something like a watercress salad with maybe some Washington apples for a little tartness.  I still would have sliced the elk.  That was definitely the right way to serve it.  No question in my mind.  I might have done something different with the sausage.

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

EG:  Lizzie and I were roommates for a while.  She is great.  Once I got to the elim house I became close with Chrissy Camba.  We played a lot of tennis - and Tyler is a fellow Coloradan so we connected too.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant.

EG:  I have a small bistro in Telluride Colorado.  Beautiful Telluride.  We have 50 seats.  We do modern bistro cuisine so it is simple food served in an intimate atmosphere.  We have an incredible staff and wonderful support here in Telluride.

ATC:  Are you open year round?

EG:  No, we close in the spring and the fall.

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

EG:  Probably my sausage plate.  There are five different kinds of sausage on it.

ATC:  Yum.  Sounds like low-carb too.

EG:  Yeah.

ATC:   What are you working on now?

EG:  Right now we have just opened for the season so we are working on getting everyone trained - We have some new employees - and putting out the best possible food.

ATC:  Have you become a local celebrity?

EG:  You know, it is such a small town, I think half the town already knew me.  Everyone has been very supportive and wished me lots of good luck.  On Tuesday, the mayor issued me a proclamation, so that was really fun.  It was nice.

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

EG:  Top Chef, although it was a challenging experience, I had a great time.  I met a lot of talented chefs.  It has opened a lot of doors for me.   I am doing more stages, including with Kelly Liken.  I am proud to have been a part of it.  Thank you to all of my fans.

Click here to save your favorite chef.

All Top Chef Interview with CJ Jacobson, Continued

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

CJ:  Hi Laura.

ATC:  How did you learn about the opportunity to return to Top Chef?

CJ:  I was actually cooking for a client in Seattle and I heard rumors from different people that they had been asked to return to the show and I thought, "Hmmmmm I wish they would ask me..." Sure enough they did.  I basically returned home, packed, and came right back to Seattle.

ATC:  How did this experience compare to season 3?

CJ:  This experience compared in many ways.  I figured that since I had already been on, that I would not be caught up in all of the drama, but honestly it was exactly the same.

In terms of production after seven seasons, it was much tighter.  No more eight hours in the stew room. I was happy that the challenges were more culinarily-driven rather than like skeet shooting like last season.

ATC:  Please fill us in on what you have been doing since we last saw you in season 3.

CJ:  I had the opportunity to work at a gastropub in Santa Monica called The Yard.  I was there for three years.  I kind of got tired of that and wanted to learn to become a better chef, so I got an apprenticeship at Noma - voted the best restaurant in the world for three years in a row.    It was exactly what I was looking for.  I was there for three and a half months.

After that I had a lot of opportunities.  Right now I am consulting for three different restaurants in Los Angeles - The Bowery on Sunset, Rosewood Tavern on Fairfax.  I am currently working at The Mercantile.

In about a month and a half, I will be opening a place called Girasol which will be very seasonal, very farmer's market-driven stuff.  My version of California food.

ATC:  What is the best thing that has happened to you as a result of your appearance on Top Chef?

CJ:  Honestly, my favorite thing...I was on the show in LA called Jonesy's Jukebox with Steve Jones from The Sex Pistols.

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

CJ:  No.  I watched the Voltaggio season pretty thoroughly.  I have probably seen about five episodes of each season.

ATC:  Did you watch last night's episode?

CJ:  I did indeed.  I watched with Stefan and Brooke.

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

CJ:  One thing - I was sitting with Brooke and she was concerned that she would be shown crying with another guy and she was sitting and watching with her husband - but they only showed that in the preview.... so she was lucky...

I was not at all surprised by my critique, my stupid arrogant critique...

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

CJ:  Absolutely.  I was too confident this time.  It might have clouded my judgment.  In hindsight, of course, the sous vide lamb was a big mistake.  Also I had about 20 different dishes that I could have done with pickles.  I just went with something that Tyler and I could execute well.  I could have something much more creative with the pickles.

ATC:  What do you like to do in your spare time?

CJ:  I love to work out.  I try to go to the gym five days a week.  That pretty much takes care of all of my spare time.  Honestly it's all about food.  In my spare time I keep cooking and developing new dishes.  I read cookbooks....

Ummm... I like shoes.

ATC:  We watched Last Chance Kitchen and saw that you both survived.  Hopefully we will see more from you at the end of the season.

CJ:  Stay tuned.

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

CJ:  I would like to say that I appreciate all of my fans.  Please follow me on twitter and Facebook and watch what happens.

All Top Chef Interview with Tyler Wiard, Continued

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

TW:  Hello.

ATC:  Did you watch last night's episode?

TW:  I did.

ATC:  Was there anything that surprised you?

TW:  To be honest with you, probably not.  It was just as I remembered.

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

TW:  I've had a long time to think about this one and No, I don't have any regrets.  I have friends who have said that we should have gone with the chowder instead of the pork burger, but it's like Vegas you know?  You can't go back, you have to play the hand that you are dealt.

ATC:  You were in the top four for the previous challenge and it seemed like you had some creative ideas for this challenge.  Did CJ listen to your ideas at all?

TW:  His energy and his confidence about the pork burger were so positive that I just said, "Okay, let's do it."

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

TW:  Some of them, not all.

ATC:  Did you recognize CJ and the other returning chefs?

TW:  Absolutely.  I recognized CJ, Josie and Stefan.

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

TW:  Fair or not fair, it doesn't matter.  This is Top Chef.  There are going to be twists and turns and unexpected events.  Honestly I loved it.  I was like, "Okay, this is fun.  This is different and I get to be a part of it."

ATC:  Who is your best friend from the cast?

TW:  Eliza Gavin and CJ.  Especially Eliza.  We both live in Colorado and it is just nice to have someone from my state to talk to.

ATC:  Tell us about Elway's.

TW:  Elway's is a steak house.  No two ways about it.  That is the brand.  We don't consider ourselves to be the typical classic steak house though.  We certainly will give you a great steak, asparagus and a shrimp cocktail but we also have some very innovative side dishes that are not only seasonal and local but you will see that these items are much more creative than the typical steak house.

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

TW:  To be honest, it is the 8-oz filet.  It has been the favorite for a long time.  People still enjoy red meat and it is a prime piece of steak.  Also, you want to save room for our delicious sides.

ATC:  In addition to cooking, what are your other interests?

TW:  I really enjoy being a father.  My daughter Liliana, is 22 months.  I consider myself to be an "old dad" but I am enjoying the rewards of fatherhood.  There is nothing better.

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

TW:  I definitely want to thank all of my friends, my family, my fans and the fellow chefs who have supported me.  Thank you for all of the positive feedback - not only in my career but also in my personal life.  Thank you all.

All Top Chef Interview with Carla Pellegrino

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

CP:  Hi Laura, How are you?

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

CP:  Yes, I did when I got home last night, because I knew I had these interviews!

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

CP:  No, it was pretty much how it happened.

ATC:  Have you watched the previous seasons of Top Chef?

CP:  Never.  I have never watched.  I know it was a big problem, and I know it was my homework.  I was opening up two new restaurants and I know I should have watched.  They actually sent me the videos, but I did not have time to watch.

ATC:  Who were your best friends from the cast?

CP:  Kuniko and Jeff.

ATC:  If you could go back, what would you do differently?

CP:  I would have done my homework.  I don't like the competition side of anything.  This was more of a business decision.  If I had watched, I would have realized that this is a game.  You need to strategize There is a lot of game playing.  I am a horrible player.  I don't gamble.  I thought, "I can cook, that will be enough."

ATC:  And what about the squab?  Is there something you would do differently?  How did you end up with the squab?

CP:  Actually I was avoiding the squab.  I tried to get the steak and then the onion soup.  CJ was really playing the game  They decided to give me the squab and I didn't stand up to them.  I actually hate to cook small birds and I know that you can't serve it on the bone, but there is no time to bone all of these birds.  So I did the best I could.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurants?

CP:  I have opened The Meatball Spot.  I think I might have too many locations.  We have been serving about 1000 people every night.  We have been getting a lot of celebrities.  It is located out in the middle of nowhere.  It is hard to get there.  I think the show has helped to get the word out.  So, I have to thank Bravo.

This restaurant is going to be the first of many.  Now I just have to learn to roll meatballs faster.

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

CP:  Well television is a very powerful tool.  It is so soon, but I can definitely see that this is bringing more business to my restaurants.  I expect that there will be even more opportunities in the future.

ATC:  Have you been recognized in the street?

CP:  I was a little bit of a local celebrity already.  Now it is much more though yes.  I have been posing for alot of photos and signing autographs.  A lot of kids actually.  And my followers on twitter are unbelievable - I picked up 20,000 followers since appearing on the show.  So I know that appearing on the show has brought a lot of popularity.

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

CP:  Yes.  Please vote for me!  Hopefully you will see me back on Bravo.  Thank you to all of my fans.

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!

ATC Interview with Chris Cosentino, continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Masters Season 4 Champion, Chris Cosentino.  Congratulations Chef Chris!

CC:  Thank you.

ATC:  You made some bold choices in the finale - which of the four dishes was your favorite?

CC:  You know, all four of those dishes were not only dishes that were carefully prepared and thought through, but they are each very very  special to me.  The Chef's Last Supper is actually in my cookbook, it is the very last page.  I could not choose a favorite.  Each one has a very powerful meaning.

ATC:  Are these available on the menu at your restaurant?

CC:  Yes, I have served three of them for years.  The tripe is always on my menu and the Chef's Last Supper,  but the beef heart tartare with foie gras...unfortunately, in California it is now illegal to serve foie gras so that part is no longer on the menu.

ATC:  When you entered the Top Chef kitchen for the first time and looked around at the other chefs, who did you feel would be your biggest competition?

CC:  Well, Missy Robbins really made me nervous.  Unfortunately because of her injury, she did not have the opportunity to fight for her charity.... I know what Patricia is capable of...  Takashi...of course...  I knew a lot about Kerry but not enough about Kerry.

ATC:  Have you remained in touch with the other chefs?

CC:  Yes, I was just in Seattle and had lunch and dinner with Thierry, I talked to Takashi the other day... I talk to Patricia about once a week.  I talked to Art the other day too.  All of us have been reaching out to one another and it's really a cool thing.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

Excluding the finale, which of course was great - because we got to cook what we wanted to cook...I feel that for me The Grand Canyon Challenge was extremely powerful.  I mean walking out on the Skybridge and looking down through the glass...  being invited on to the sacred land of the Hualapai Tribe was just a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Even the rainstorm was just beautiful.  This will never be repeated.  The helicopter ride was just hysterical.  Our pilot was so funny and Takashi was able to overcome his fear of heights.  It's just impossible to describe what it was like to be standing on the rim of the Canyon and to look across and see the storm.  It was very very powerful.  Absolutely stunning.

ATC:  Honestly you were very likable on the show - have you felt the fan support?

CC:  Ummm...

ATC:  Have you been recognized in the street?  On the plane?

CC:  Yes, I mean I just took a flight to San Francisco and there were people on the flight congratulating me.  And of course my Twitter just blew up.  It was ridiculous.

ATC:  Besides cooking what are your other interests?

CC:  I am an avid cyclist.  I used to be a professional mountain biker.  Now I ride for fun.  I also really love skiing and I'd like to do more of it.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant.

CC:  My restaurant Incanto, is in San Francisco in area called  Noe Valley.  It's an Old-World style Italian restaurant.  We try to cook with an Italian philosophy.   In an average week, we get a 250 pound pig, whole -  and two whole lambs or goats depending on what we intend to serve.  We just work our way through the animals and change things up as we go.

We also have a project called Boccalone. We create 26 different cooked, cured and raw products.  We sell all sorts of salumi.  Five heart salumi...  Fresh sausage...  We have been doing it for about 5 years.

I give people at home the ability to have the unique foods that are not available at the general market.  If you want cheek bacon or back bacon you can order them and we will ship them.   These are the lovely Italian flavor profiles made with the best quality meats available for you to serve at home.

ATC:  Tell us about your charity.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is an amazing charity.  They are not afraid to really leap forward and to take bold chances in an effort to eradicate this disease.  My Uncle John died of Parkinson's and he was diagnosed with the disease over 30 years prior so he suffered with the disease for a long time.  When he died he donated his brain to research.   He was such a generous and convivial guy - he really taught me a lot.   To have the Michael J. Fox Foundation allow me to represent them is a huge honor.  This is really going to help a lot of people.

ATC:  How much did you win?

CC:  I won $141,000 but I just learned that Google is doubling the amount so the total is $282,000.

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

CC:  Don't be afraid of your food!  These are regular cuts of meat.  Other countries celebrate these cuts.  We are the only country that doesn't utilize the entire animal.  We need to learn to appreciate the whole animal and to create less waste.  Try something new.

All Top Chef Interview with Kerry Heffernan, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Masters Season Four Runner-up Kerry Heffernan, Good morning Chef Kerry.

KH:  How are you?

ATC:  Congratulations on your strong showing.

KH:  Thank you.  I am very proud to compete.  I had an amazing time and I learned a lot about myself and my competitors.  It was really really great.

ATC:  Going in to the finale, did you feel like the underdog?

KH:  From the beginning, the person that I felt I was competing with the most was myself.  It didn't make any difference whether I observed what anyone else was doing.  It was only about me doing the very best that I could do.

So I felt very strong going in for a number of reasons.  For instance, the format suited me.  Serving four plates, a composed meal, a menu, not just a bite, was definitely what I am trained to do.  Honestly I felt very strong going in.

ATC:  If I was at a restaurant and saw all of these dishes on a menu, I would definitely chose yours.

KH:  Yes that seems to be the feedback that I am getting.  That my food was easier to understand.

ATC:  The critics I suppose are very sophisticated but the viewers are just regular fans.

KH:  I seem to have lost the undisclosed "letter-writing" category.

That appears to be much of what the judges were looking for - an eloquence in describing where and when the recipes were coming from.

But hey, all's fair in love and war.

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

KH:  Yes, yes of course.

ATC:  What did you do to prepare for the show?

KH:  I talked to Floyd and a few people, they said it would be really hard and intense.  You don't know how to prepare.  If you can, memorize a few pastry principles, but other than that, no.   I should have studied a little more because I learned that a right cross to the jaw would be much more effective than some subtle tai chi moves.


ATC:  After watching the show, and seeing the critic's reactions to your food, is there anything that you would have done differently?

KH:  No, I did what I do best. Choose good ingredients, highlight those ingredients and do it in subtle and thoughtful ways.


That doesn't stand up very well, when the person just before has served raw onions, jalapeños and cilantro in big doses.  You have to be mindful that the judges will be tasting a variety of things, and usually the big flavors win.

ATC:  That is great advice for future contestants.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

KH:  I liked the finale.  No doubt.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant.

KH:  Well, we recently sold Southgate in the Essex House which is now owned by Marriott.  I am actually looking at three projects right now.  I still maintain a consultancy at 15CPW.  It's a high-end apartment building that actually has a private restaurant just for the residents.  It's very unusual that a restaurant is only for the residents.

I'm also writing a book about Twelve Months in Sag Harbor.

I don't know if you saw Watch What Happens Live.  I actually brought some cups of chowder from clams that I harvested in my back yard.

ATC:  I didn't watch, but I was a little concerned that you might have a hangover if you were on his show last night.

KH:  It's not the show, it's the after after show that you have to worry about.

ATC:  Tell us about your charity.

KH:  My charity is City Harvest.

I have actually been working with them for over twelve years.  They take the food that is left over from restaurants in New York City and re-purposing it in a very quick turnaround and distribute it to people in need.  It has become much bigger than this, not only because of the chefs that are involved but because of the Executive Director,  Jilly Stephens who has done an amazing job.

The effectiveness, drive, outreach and fundraising of this is really really extraordinary.

How much money did you raise?

I raised $17,500 on the show, but there is a continuing campaign.  So for anyone who contributes to City Harvest between now and October, when we have our big event, we will match your contribution.

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

KH:  I was very proud to be part of this season.  It was so much about the food.  Putting the best plate forward.  It was an amazing experience.

ATC:  Thank you Kerry.

KH:  Thank you!

All Top Chef Interview with Lorena Garcia, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Masters contestant, Lorena Garcia.  Hi Lorena.

LG:  Hi Laura.

ATC:  Congratulations on your very strong finish.  Your elimination was heartbreaking.

LG:  I was very very sad.

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

LG:  To be honest with you, I only saw bits and pieces because I was tweeting and live-chatting with the fans.

ATC:  Well that is very important - to be there for your fans.

LG:  Absolutely,  that's what I tried to do.

ATC:  I do not recall hearing anything in the instructions about creating a "restaurant" dish.  I only heard "elevate the dish to a master level."  Were you told to create a restaurant dish?

LG:  No, really, to my recollection, we were told to "elevate the dish" to something that could be taught to the kids - something that they could learn and reproduce.  It was lasagna, there was only so much we could do.  It had to be something accessible and doable for them.

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

LG:  In the process of making the dish, I learned things about the sudents, like Jojo had type 2 diabetes, and maybe if I had known that, I might have modified things a little, but honestly, I still would have presented the dish family-style and I am imagining that the kids will prepare this again for their families.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge of the season?

LG:  The Grand Canyon - WOW.  That was just so amazing.  To cook there in that majestic place, with Art....and whoever won or lost didn't matter, it was just so fantastic to be there...and every Quickfire was just so much fun, just the running around like crazy, and when I got it - like the dart hitting the bullseye, it was just great... And in the boxing ring with Sugar Ray, being able to come out a winner in that challenge was just great.

ATC:  Did you know Art before you arrived for the competition?

LG:  No no no no, we met on the show.  Now we talk about every day, and we are developing some ideas together for pop-up restaurants around the country.

ATC:  I've enjoyed the cantina bowl several times, will you be creating more original recipes for Taco Bell?

LG:  Yes, I am continuing to help Taco Bell to introduce new ingredients to Taco Bell and to continue to develop the cantina menu.  I am up to this challenge.  We want to offer great choices on the menu at Taco Bell.

ATC:  Tell us about your charity.

I started with something called "Big Chef Little Chef" about seven years ago, in the schools just teaching the kids about food and healthy cooking and eating.  Even just the difference between onions and garlic.  The kids and the parents learned together about making good choices.

About two years ago I joined The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, I have the opportunity to teach students how to make healthy food choices - of course all of this is with my latin-inspired ingredients and recipes.

This week, for instance, we are promoting "Healthy Breakfast Week" in the schools and I am having breakfast with the kids and learning what they really like to eat for breakfast.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant.

I just opened about three weeks ago in the Atlanta airport.  Of course I have one here in the Miami airport and soon we will open in Dallas/Ft. Worth.

It's very exciting.  I am working very hard.

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

LG:  Wow, I want to say that the support and the love that I have received from the fans of the show is fantastic and I am very grateful.  What you see on the show is the real thing and I just can not wait to see what is there for me next - and again thank you so much to all of my fans for all of your love and your tremendous support.

All Top Chef Interview with Patricia Yeo, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo with All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Master Chef Patricia Yeo.  Hi Patricia.

PY:  Hello, How are you?

ATC:  Good, thank you.

ATC:  Congratulations on your very strong showing in the competition.

PY:  Thank you.  I had a lot of fun.

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

PY:  Being with the group of chefs was just wonderful.  I mean Kerry and Missy and Sue I have known for a while and we do events together, but we have never worked side by side.  It was great getting to know other chefs like Takashi and Thierry - and of course Chris, I just love Chris.

ATC:  Did you watch the episode last night?

PY:  No, I actually can't watch myself so I haven't watched a single episode.

ATC:  I totally understand.

ATC:  Have you participated in any other cooking competitions?

PY:  Iron Chef.

ATC:  You did Iron Chef?  How did it go?

PY:  Very well.  It was a lot of work.  The cooking is all very real, you really only have the hour - it was a lot of fun.  [Note:  Yeo went up against Chef Morimoto in "Battle Tofu" in season 3 of Iron Chef America.]

ATC:  Have you been recognized in the street?

PY:  Yes, in the strangest places. Not so much at home in Boston or Cambridge but when I travel.  In New York and Chicago.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

PY:  Crikey.  Strangely enough, I liked the Thai Restaurant Challenge because I like that cuisine.  I also liked the "Diner en Blanc" challenge.  It was truly amazing how quickly the whole thing was set up and broken down.  It was beautiful.

ATC:  Have you ever heard of the "Diner en Blanc" before?

PY:  No.

ATC:  Tell us about your restaurant?

PY:  I am actually no longer at the restaurant.  I am right now working on development for an equity firm.

ATC:  You are not cooking every day in a restaurant?

PY:  No I am not, I am involved in setting up four different projects right now which will be opening soon and I will be involved in the initial set-up but not in the daily cooking.  I am 52 years old and I don't want to be on my feet from 7:00 am - 11:00 pm.

ATC:  Tell us about your charity.

PY:  My charity is Heifer Project International.  The foundation buys animals - livestock for farmers in various countries.  So you can buy a llama for someone in Peru, or a beehive for  someone in Alabama, or a flock of chickens for someone in Thailand.  Instead of just giving someone a chicken, you give them a flock and they can raise the flock and have eggs.  They actually can build a small business.  It is a wonderful charity.

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

PY:  Crikey, you know, everyone has been so supportive.  I appreciate all of the emails and messages.  I want everyone to know that this really was just so much fun and all of us will remain friends for a long time.  It was a wonderful experience.

ATC Interview with Takashi Yagihashi, Continued

ATC:  This is Laura Kluvo from All Top Chef and I'm on the phone with Top Chef Masters contestant Chef Takashi Yagihashi.  Hello Chef!

TY:  Hello.

ATC:    You were a favorite all season and we were surprised to see you go, were you also surprised?

TY:  Yes, to be honest, I was a little surprised, but all of the chefs are very talented great chefs, so I did pretty well.

ATC:  Which was your favorite challenge?

TY:  I like the Quickfires.  I won three times in a row and I almost won a fourth.  So I think I have pretty good knife skills and my technique is pretty good.  So I  can work quickly.  I like Quickfire a lot.

ATC:  Have you competed in any other cooking competitions?

TY:  I did Iron Chef Challenge on the Food Network.

ATC:  How did that go?

TY:  It was close, but I lost to Chef Michael Symon.

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

TY:  Yes, I did.  Actually when they called and asked me to do it, I started watching all of the shows.  I watched very carefully after that.

ATC:  Who are your best friends from the cast?

TY:  I'm very close to Thierry.  He's a great chef and also very funny.

Also, from Kansas City, Debbie Gold.  She used to be in Chicago.

I have also known Art Smith from Chicago.  You know, when I saw them in the studio for the first time, it felt like a reunion.

I also made a lot of new friends.  I did not know Chris Cosentino before this and also Mark and Clark.

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

TY:  Yes.  On the last challenge.  I had to move very quickly and right away I started.  I think I should have taken a little more time to look at the pantry and see what was available.  I think I missed a lot of things I could have used that were hiding there.   Maybe I should have taken another minute.  That was my one regret.

ATC:  Tell us about your charity?

TY:  My charity is the Red Cross.  For the tsunami disaster in Japan.  My town in Japan is about 100 miles away from the epicenter, but even my town had a big problem.  A lot of people died.  Also, my family travels back to Japan once a year, or every two years.  My kids remember what this area looked like before the tsunami.  So this is why I wanted to send some money to Japan.

ATC:    How much money did you win for the Red Cross?

TY:  I think $20,000.

ATC:   What are you working on now?

TY:   I am back cooking at the restaurant.  I know it sounds boring but that is what I am doing every day.  My restaurant, Takashi, fine dining, is almost like a fusion restaurant.   French technique, Asian ingredients.

Also, Slurping Turtle a Japanese tapas bar.  Very comfortable food.  Lots of noodles.

I try to cover two markets.  I alternate between restaurants.

Also, I am working on two new cookbooks, and I am working on a video to promote the restaurants.

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

TY:   I had a really good time.  I wish I could speak up more well, the other chefs are much better.  Cooking is a wonderful thing.  You can put yourself on the plate.  Almost like an artist using a canvas.  It's really fun.  I am very happy to have had this opportunity to express myself.