by Gina Scarpa

This week, on Hell’s Kitchen, Andy earned some points and respect by performing well in the challenge, in which the chefs had to create a delicious crepe.  By the time dinner service rolled around, though, Andy was struggling to turn out dishes that Chef Ramsay approved of.  Despite suffering an injury, Ramsay had no sympathy and gave Andy the boot.  Today, he spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about his experiences on the show.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was your cooking experience, prior to coming on Hell’s Kitchen?  You currently own two restaurants, right?
A. Andy: Yes, Tremont647 and Sister Sorel in Boston.  I’ve been cooking for 26 years – I started in a bakery when I was 14.  I’ve been all around the country and most notably, I worked for Chris Schlesinger at East Coast Grill, who won the James Beard Award “Best Chef of the Northeast” in 1996.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you decide to go on Hell’s Kitchen?
A. Andy: I’m always looking to be a better chef but I’m not saying that’s why I did this.  I went for the adventure.  If you call me tomorrow and say, “Let’s go to Thailand,” I’m going.  I love adventures.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was the toughest part of being on the show, for you?
A. Andy: The hardest part was that I never got any alone time.  In the morning, I like to get up, drink coffee, and read the paper.  There was never any time to relax and it made me paranoid.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you feel like Hell’s Kitchen showed what you were able to do?
A. Andy: Yeah, I definitely have strong talents.  Hell’s Kitchen isn’t like working for any other restaurant.  It’s not the reality of a real kitchen.  I wouldn’t allow crap to go to my tables but I would make sure that my customers were fed.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were there any chefs that stood out to you?
A. Andy: They’re all really talented and I know that’s a nice PC way of saying it.  Suzanne is a really good cook… Ariel, Dave, Van, Kevin, they’re all great.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How do you handle something like Chef Ramsay screaming in my face?
A. Andy: I have my truths and I know what I believe.  I used to work for a guy who would make me cry nightly but now, I just try to hear what someone like Chef Ramsay is saying.  He uses a lot of adjectives to color what he’s really saying.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Is there anything that you’re taking away from this experience and bringing back into your restaurants when you cook?
A. Andy: Not necessarily.  Chef Ramsay is a great chef but most of his stuff is Frenchy, old style food and I don’t cook like that.  I’m a local boy and I cook with local food.  What I will take away from it are people like Jim and Tek.  They’re friends for life.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What’s in the future for you?
A. Andy: Who knows?  I’m mostly at Tremont647 and Sister Sorel, cooking all the time.  I work a lot with Share Our Strength (strength.org), a charity that works to prevent childhood hunger.  I have a restaurant concept that I’m working on and maybe I’ll write another book.


Hell’s Kitchen airs Tuesdays at 8pm ET on FOX.

(Image courtesy of FOX)

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