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Top Chef New York Season 5

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marigold:
An interesting article:

Ousted Chef’s Gene & Melissa Dish on Toby Young & Cooking for Each Other

Fresh off a reprieve and a little holiday break, it was time for the remaining contestants to step up their game. This week, two chefs were eliminated after serving up a family-style meal that was subjected to a blind taste test assessed by new judge Toby Young and, in a twist, each other. Calling separately, this week’s ousted chefs – Melissa and Gene –opened up about where they went wrong, what they think about the outspoken Young and face up to our five burning questions. –-Brian Orloff

So what did you think of Toby Young?
Melissa: I didn’t know anything about him. Most of us hadn’t even heard of him. I think he’s very strongly opinionated - and he’s a man of words. I don’t know if I appreciate how he describes things because … I don’t think he uses food descriptions. I think he’s just making fun, in a way, and that’s pretty brutal. I respect him as a critic and a judge, but I think he and I are completely opposite people. We all missed Gail once Toby opened his mouth.

Going into this challenge, nobody had been eliminated. What was the climate in the kitchen this week?
Gene: It was stressful. I was on the bottom three in two previous episodes and I just wanted to get a win. I was dying for a win.
Melissa: I think everyone was very focused on what we were doing. We were just trying to create the best food we could to represent ourselves.

Take us through your approach to this challenge and where you might have gone wrong.
Gene: I like to think outside the box and I’m a risk taker. I’ve [cooked] it before. And daikon is a tricky ingredient. You either hate it or you love it - and the majority of the public just knows daikon served cold when you go eat at sushi bars. It’s an acquired taste.
Melissa: I think this was probably the hardest challenge for me. I’ve been doing Latin American food for the past three years, and I wanted to do something that was upscale Latin street food that was family style. I just really wanted to make something light and refreshing but to have a lot of different textures to [the dish].

What did you think about the twist - that you cooked for your competitors?
Gene: It felt weird, especially seeing the other chefs being the tasters because we thought this was probably everybody’s chance to talk down about everybody’s food. But it went well. It got kind of scary once I heard Toby Young talk about Rhadika’s dish. But all in all, people are going to say what they want to say about other people’s cooking.
Melissa: It was hard to watch that [critique]. We all ripped each other’s food up — and rightfully so. I wasn’t impressed with anyone’s food that day. But at the same time, that’s what the point of that was - to show people [that] we need to do better than this.

What did you hope to prove by being on the show?
Gene: In this day and age, people tend to forget about hard work and I wanted to show them that if you just put your head down and work hard, you can still get places. I think I opened doors for people who weren’t fortunate enough to go to culinary school - like I didn’t.

Our Top Chef 5 Burning Questions:

Describe your Top Chef experience in one word.
Gene: Fabulous.
Melissa: Exciting.

What is in your refrigerator right now?
Gene: Kimchi and Spam, actually.
Melissa: Sriracha

Name one food you cannot stand.
Gene: Lima beans.
Melissa: Natto - it’s fermented soy beans.

Pick your favorite fast-food restaurant.
Gene: McDonald’s.
Melissa: In-N-Out Burger.

Best thing about cooking in New York?
Gene: The people.
Melissa: The feeling you get when you’re there - the buzz.

Link: http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/01/08/ousted-chefs-gene-melissa-dish-on-toby-young-cooking-for-each-other/

marigold:
An interesting article:

Top Chef's Gene Stands by Daikon Dish After Elimination

When it comes to out-of-the-box ideas, Top Chef's Eugene "Gene" Villiatora is your man. But during this week's elimination challenge, the chef's warm spin on a cold dish left the judges disappointed. Villiatora gave us the scoop on why he still stands behind his daikon dish, how he climbed the culinary ladder and how he kept his eye on the prize even when he started to miss his kiddies back home.

TVGuide.com: After hearing the judges' critique of your dish, what would you have done differently?
Gene Villiatora: You know what? I probably would have kept it the same. Like I said before, a lot of people aren't accustomed to eating daikon warm — they just know it as a cold garnish for sushi dishes. I grew up eating daikon warm in Korean and other Asian foods. Everyone saw me doing Asian, Asian, Asian, so I wanted to show them I have range. I was confident because I've done that dish before, but maybe I would have explained myself more. It was a chance to show them something I do.

TVGuide.com: How do you come up with all your innovative dishes and techniques?
Gene: I don't know. It just comes out of me. [Laughs] My opinion on the culinary industry is: Why give them the same ole thing? If you stay inside the box, it gets boring. I admire Chef Morimoto a lot. He totally redid Japanese fusion and thinks outside the box — and that's the direction I want to take my cuisine. I've had my line cooks and my sous chefs do specials every week, and they really enjoyed that. It gives people a variety.

TVGuide.com: You've had a very interesting career path. How did you get started in cooking?
Gene: It started from growing up watching my mom and grandmothers cook. But there was one moment I was living with my dad and cooking for him, and he asked if I ever would be cooking for my wife if I got married. And that question made me realize I should really pursue this thing. I had a friend that was a dishwasher who got me a job as a dishwasher, and from there I worked my way up in different restaurants to get exposed to different things.

TVGuide.com: What's your family's take on all this?
Gene: They're very proud of me. My oldest daughter is eight, my second daughter is two and my son is seven months. My daughters get very hyper just seeing me on TV! My wife is very proud and was pushing me to do the show. During it, it was hard for me to push my family out of my mind and concentrate on the competition. At times I'd miss them and get down, but I'd give myself a little pep talk and get back on the horse.

TVGuide.com: If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently?
Gene: We didn't have enough time to nose around and see what other chefs were making, but now, after watching it on television, I would definitely have done more comfort food and used my grandma's recipes. But I used this opportunity to showcase what I could do, and have no regrets.

Link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Chef-Gene-Cast-1001335.aspx

marigold:
An interesting article:

Top Chef Exit Interviews: Episode Seven
 
After a holiday hiatus that almost made us forget it existed, Top Chef rang in the New Year by eliminating two of its lesser cheftestants last night. After an eyeroll-inducing Quickfire that forced the poor souls to make a sweet treat without sugar, it was time for a blind tasting in which the chefs were free to express themselves and cook whatever they wanted. Unfortunately, Eugene Villiatora and Melissa Harrison clashed with culinary imagination — he had too much; she had too little. We spoke to both of them this morning to dish on new judge Toby Young and the importance of salt and pepper.

EUGENE
Having watched last night’s episode, do you agree with the judges’ criticism of your dish?
Would I do things over again? Probably not. A lot of people were playing it a bit safe and I just wanted to go out there and take chances. And I did that, but unfortunately I got sent home.

You describe yourself several times throughout the season as the most imaginative contestant. Was that your downfall?
Part of being a chef, you have to be creative. My colleagues said maybe my skill level needs to catch up, but as far as last night goes with the dish [red snapper with daikon fettucini], I’ve done it before. Mainstream daikon is mainly used for sushi and served cold. But in Korea and other Asian countries, they serve it hot. You have to get used to it and acquire the taste of eating daikon warm.

Did you like the new judge, Toby Young?
Totally Simon Cowell. I was very touched by his reaction. First impression of body language alone, I didn’t think he liked me that much. But it was very surprising to hear what he said at the judges’ table. I was very thankful for that.

He seemed to disagree with the other judges a lot.
He’s a good fit for the show. Unbalanced a little bit, maybe. You know how people like to see conflicts with the chefs on the show ... maybe people would like to see conflicts between the judges as well.

Is Top Chef more about good television than good cooking?
I’m split on that, 50-50. Controversy makes good television, we all know that. But Top Chef is based on skills. We’re there to cook.

In this episode, you got to sit with the judges and see their thought process and reactions. What did you learn from that?
I picked up a lot of tips of what they do, what they look for. When I was sitting at the table tasting the food, I was starstruck more than anything. I was sitting right across from Padma, and Jean-Christophe was there, and Tom and Toby Young.

What were some of the things you noticed?
With Tom, when you go to his restaurants, you order a chicken and you get a chicken. He’s not a big fan of a lot of things happening on the plate. Being a chef, I guess you lose track of the basic things that got you to be a chef — just basic salt and pepper. And you stick to that. Everybody should stick to that, but some people forget it along the way.

What’s your takeaway from being on the show?
Don’t forget the salt and pepper.

MELISSA

How was watching the episode last night?
I actually watched it with Hosea. It brings back memories that happened a while ago. If you’re strong enough to do Top Chef, you’re strong enough to watch it.

Toby called your dish “cat food.” Was that the worst insult you’ve ever heard?
He’s pretty harsh. It’s the worst insult I’ve ever heard. When he explained people’s food, he used a simple description instead of telling us what he didn’t like about something. He just ripped us all a new one. It kind of felt like a knife, watching him say that. Toby’s the harshest judge I’ve ever had to deal with, including culinary writers. I’ve never experienced anything like him.

He disagreed with other judges at times. Is he a good fit for the show?
He’s a judge and a food critic. I respect his honesty because that’s what he was hired to do. He wasn’t hired to hold our hands and tell us our food was okay. He was hired to be dramatic and he definitely filled that role.

Do you think the fact that he’s British sets him apart as a judge?
I think he has a totally different palate than I have. I don’t think I’m the kind of chef he likes. I think he looks for old-school. All the food he enjoyed that day had old-school techniques. I create food that is different from what he enjoys.

What did you learn from dining with the judges?
I wish we'd had that experience at the beginning, because we really saw what they were looking for. They’re looking for simple flavors cooked well. Obviously the goal is to be creative and original, but they’re also looking for dishes to be cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly.

Was it fair to be criticized for a lack of imagination in creating fish tacos?
Not at all. I think I did something different. I used a soy vinaigrette and wonton taco shells. People are always telling me how creative I am, that I think outside the box. It was a big shock for me to be told that how I’m doing things is not creative or imaginative.

Do you think you should have been eliminated?
Eating that food, I don’t think mine was worse than anything else. I don’t think we shined in that challenge, none of us.

What did you learn?
I learned to deal with stress far better than I ever imagined. I think I’m a better chef now. I’ve always been a perfectionist, but my perfection level has gone up. Before the show, I think I was floating through my job. Now I have more of a focus and direction in my career.

And where will that direction take you?
I really want to travel and work in different restaurants around the world and continue to educate myself on food and cuisine and different cultures.

Any advice for future contestants?
Be yourself, heavily salt your food, and never apologize for what you do.

Link to the article: http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/01/top_chef_exit_interviews_episo.html

marigold:
An interesting article:

Top Chef Exit Interview: Eugene and Melissa Weigh In

Last night's Top Chef delivered a one-two punch along with a double elimination. On the receiving end of the brutality were Melissa and Eugene, whose fish dishes left a bad taste in the judges' mouths. They didn't even get much of a chance to prove their skills to Toby Young, an English food critic filling in for Gail.

Talking about their experience, Melissa and Eugene admitted they aren't used to Young's harsh criticism but that it's all in a day's work for a chef. Two things for sure… both of them don't regret doing the show, but they both think they deserved to win.

What was it like being able to watch the judges and your fellow contestants critique your food?

Gene: For me, it was kind of nerve-wracking at first because I thought the other chefs were going to use it to talk bad about every dish. They're our peers-- and who better to criticize you than other chefs? But it is a competition and you don't know if they're being totally honest with everything.

Mel: I think it was definitely hard. We walked into the room and saw the TV and we were like "oh man, we're going to watch them critique our food." They didn't know we were watching them and I think that's hard because we were the first to go. When you hear the critique later, people choose their words wisely. But in the moment, they're harsher than anything. It was a hard thing to do.

What's your opinion of the new judge, Toby?

Mel: Well I think Toby was hired to be dramatic and harsh and say it how it is. He said it differently than all the other judges. The way he says things are a bit harsher than most people would say them, but we all feel differently.

Gene: I think it adds another dimension as far as the judges are concerned. People like to see controversy on the show between us chefs, and I think it would be good to see controversy among the judges. He was harsh with what he said, but it is what it is. As chefs you have to take criticism and roll with the punches.

Have you ever received such harsh criticism?

Mel: I don't think I've ever received criticism that harsh ever in my life. That's part of the show and going into it I was prepared, but you obviously don't think your food is going to be not liked. You created that dish and put it together for a reason. It's hard to take that kind of criticism, but we're used to criticism as chefs.

Gene: Yeah, it was different.

Melissa, you seemed really upset about Tom's comment about your imagination. Have you gotten over it?

Mel: I've gotten over it, but at the same time it still sits with me because it's something I've always been known for. I'm a naturally creative person and it's hard to hear someone doesn't think your dish was creative. I'd one day like to talk to him about that and find out what he meant by it. I care more about Tom's critique than I do Toby's.

Eugene, you said you think the whole show is rigged. Why do you think that?

Gene: For one, if someone spits on your food, they've got to go. I'm not going to mention names. We got voted off from the judges, but that's the way the ball rolls and you've got to go with it.

Since you saw their critiques before judging, did you feel a little bit more prepared going into the elimination or was it just as difficult?

Mel: I think as you go along, you get more used to hearing the judges, but it's always hard to hear criticism. You take it with a grain of salt, but no matter where you are with your life. As a chef, it's the only way to get better is to hear criticism.

Gene: For me it was easier. We were given no limitations. We could do what we wanted to do. There were no tricks to this challenge; we just did what personified our personality. It was easier for this judges table, and I was ready to accept whatever decision they came up with. I was ready to get sent home, and so be it. It sucks to go home, but as long as you give it your best it's all you can hope for.

Gene, did you feel the judges had a valid point with the execution of your fish?

Gene: I agree as far as the fish part. To their palate, it was overcooked. As far as the daikon, a lot of people haven't been exposed to eating daikon warm. The more mainstream way of eating it is as sushi or a garnish served cold. A lot of Asian cuisines use it in soups and stews warm. I've made that dish before and I don’t think that they're used to eating daikon warm. It's just an acquired taste to eat it warm.

Were you happy with the way you were portrayed on the show?

Mel: I'm happy with the way I was portrayed, but I would have liked to have won! [laughs] I went in there to win it and would have like to have gone farther.

Gene: I have no complaints. As long as they didn't make me look like an asshole, I'm fine. For the most part, all the chefs going into it knew it was a cooking competition as well as a television show. We had no control over how they make us look. But I'm fine with it. Like I said, they didn’t make me look like an asshole. I'm pretty sure someone else took that role.

What's the next step for you as chefs?

Gene: The world! I'm just grateful for having this opportunity. Just being on the show, for me, was an accomplishment for myself. I feel like I opened doors for people. The culinary industry right now is very corporate. A majority of employers look for culinary degrees. I think I opened doors for people that didn't go to culinary school and show them if you put your head down and bust your ass, you'll get there. If things go well, I should be running a restaurant in a high-end resort that's opening up here in Vegas.

Mel: My new restaurant is called Happy Noodle House and I'm opening it at the beginning of February. I'm really excited about it. It's a new area for me to venture into. I'll be the Sous Chef there. It'll be in Boulder [Colorado].

Link to the article: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2009/01/top_chef_exit_interview_eugene.html

marigold:
An interesting article:

Local 'Top Chef' fans regret Boulder chef's elimination

Boulder's "Top Chef" fans were sorry Wednesday night to see one of their own, Chef Melissa Harrison, eliminated from the competition.

Carly Otte, a bartender at Zolo Southwestern Grill, has been watching the show for a couple of years, but became a particularly avid viewer when Harrison and another local chef, Hosea Rosenberg, were chosen to participate in the cooking reality show that airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays on Bravo TV.

"I guess it is just overall exciting because we know two of the chefs," Otte said.

Otte's workplace, Zolo, is one of local restaurateur Dave Query's properties, which include Jax Fish House, where Rosenberg is executive chef, and Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace, where Harrison worked as a sous chef when the competition started. Harrison is now working at another Query project, Happy Noodle House, which is set to open in February.

Harrison, who usually watches each episode with Rosenberg and other friends, said she's been impressed with how well the show has been able to capture what was happening in the chaotic, multi-chef kitchen.

"It's exactly the way the experience was," she said.

"Top Chef" pits chefs from all over the country against each other in wide-ranging cooking challenges that include everything from catering a charity ball using one of the 12 days of Christmas as a theme to making desserts without sugar -- all with a time clock ticking.

Karen Barela, chief operating officer of Culinary School of the Rockies, said the show has been fun to watch, and also good for Boulder's national profile.

"It just continually makes me proud of Boulder and wanting the rest of the world to know we're doing great food here."

"Top Chef" is popular at the West End Tavern, also owned by Query, where fans can watch on a wide-screen TV upstairs and drink special margaritas made with Harrison's favorite ingredients -- lemon, basil and pomegranate -- or Rosenberg's -- bacon and apple.

"It's actually quite good," manager Alyssa Lundgren said of the bacon drink. "It's made with maple syrup."

Zolo's Otte is part of a group of about eight people who watch the show every week together at one another's homes. When "Top Chef" began Nov. 12, each member of Otte's group bet $5 on who would be the ultimate winner. Four bets were for Rosenberg, and four were for Harrison.

Nobody was happy with the outcome Wednesday night.

"It seemed like the judges were picking on her," Otte said. "Of course, we're biased."

The phrase "picking on" likely refers to the show's new judge, British food critic Toby Young, who compared Harrison's ahi tuna crudo tacos to cat food.

Ouch.

Harrison, however, is philosophical about the critic's quip.

"It was hard to hear that, but I've moved on," she said. "I don't want that to follow me for the rest of my life."

Chef James Van Dyk, who is a partner in Happy Noodle House with Query, called Harrison "wildly talented." He added that the challenges on "Top Chef" are a lot harder than they look.

"It's extraordinarily difficult to take a chef out of their world ... out of their kitchen," he said. "It's very difficult to translate your style and your message with food outside your element."

Harrison said her experience on the show was intense, but also rewarding.

"I didn't know how tough and how emotional (it would be)," she said. "They put you in the most raw circumstances."

But, she added: "I think I'm 10 times the chef I was before I did it. I did something that most people are scared to do or don't want to do, because they don't want to put themselves out there."

Link to the article: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/jan/09/local-top-chef-fans-regret-boulder-chefs/?partner=yahoo_headlines

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