by Gina Scarpa

 

Last week's Top Chef asked the contestants to create an authentic Texas chili that could win over the hearts and stomachs of a crowd at a rodeo. Unfortunately for Beverly, Nyesha, and Richie, their chili fell short and they were asked to take that losing chili and turn it into a winning one. The judges felt underwhelmed by Richie's dish so they sent him to Last Chance Kitchen, where he lost to Keith and headed home. Today, we caught up with the inventive and interesting chef in an exclusive interview about his Top Chef experience.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you decide to try out for Top Chef in its 9th season?
A. Richie: I have tried out in the past before. I think I tried out for season 4, I wanna say, and I tried out for season 6. Each time, I made it a little further in the process. This year, Magical Elves called Chris and I both to try out.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Obviously, some of the challenges this season are geared towards Texas food and traditions. How does your cooking style compare to that of what you saw in Texas?
A. Richie: It's definitely not my style of cooking. It's stuff that obviously is very Texas specific - chili and all the Mexican dishes, things I'm not as familiar with as other people. It definitely differentiates from the normal stuff that I do. The toughest part was having the confidence to go at it. I'm a very emotional person and I let things affect me. I was in unfamiliar territory and it kind of made me have self-doubt and not as much confidence as I thought I should have.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: It must be very tough to work in group challenges because you're at the mercy of the other chefs instead of just relying on yourself. What do you feel went wrong in this week's chili challenge?
A. Richie: I think the fact that we were so different from everyone else. Everyone else went traditional and spicy. Obviously, not being familiar with a traditional chili. I let Nyesha take the lead on this one. I was confident in her. She's a very talented cook and I think our chili was good. It was milder, sweeter, it probably could've used a little more heat. But I think because we were so different from everyone else and we were judged by the people.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You took your elimination hard. What was behind the emotion?
A. Richie: It was a combination of everything - the fact that I was leaving. I hold the show in very high honors. The fact that I was asked to be on it and got on made me feel really, really good. I wanted the chance to show on a national scale what we do at the restaurant. The fact of having Chris there was awesome. It gave us an advantage that no one else had, the fact that we know each other and work together. I feel like I blew that advantage. The longer you stay together, the more you can do together. And I was having fun. Yeah, I was in the bottom. I look at Chris like a big brother, he's been like a mentor to me. He showed me how to be a chef, not just a line cook. I hate losing at anything but I felt I failed him and my restaurant.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What can you tell us about your cooking that we didn't get to see on the show?
A. Richie: That it's absolutely mind blowing! The stuff we pull off at the restaurant every single day... we're forward thinking and we're very different. You come to us for a fun experience that you haven't seen before. There's a lot of things that Omar (Cantu) has taught us. For example, our menu is edible. I believe we're the only restaurant you can go to and eat your menu! We didn't get to show how unique we really are. We have people say, "That was the best meal of my life!" That's something I wanted to show everyone. I think I kind of showed it in the first challenge with the quinceanera. I made that chip. It's like a day process... all the other chefs asked me how I did that. We've been doing that for four years and it's things people haven't even seen yet.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: In Last Chance Kitchen, Tom said that it looked like your dish was more inventive than it actually was. What is your reaction to that?
A. Richie: He's obviously the lead judge and he's entitled to his opinion. When I look back at the dish, I think I was creative. I turned two dishes into purees. The cranberry noodle didn't set up as much as it normally does. By the time he got to my dish, it was time sensitive and it had melted away. I think I did some cool techniques within a half hour. He's entitled to his opinion and obviously, what he says goes. I took it a little harsh but at that point, I know I'm creative and I can do a lot more.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are you up to now?
A. Richie: Right now, we've been super busy at work. We're actually leaving today for the James Beard House and doing an 80 person dinner there. I've been prepping in between inteviews! Other than that, me and Chris are still jamming in the kitchen, trying to come up with unique ideas that people haven't seen. The last thing we put on the menu is a foraging course, all stuff you would find in the woods. We serve a dish on a tree branch as your last course. We're trying to push the envelope with what is a dish and what can you plate on?

 

Top Chef: Texas airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on Bravo.

 

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

 

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