by Gina Scarpa

On last night's finale of Top Chef: Texas, Sarah and Paul battled it out for the win. The judges praised them both, saying it was the best meal they've had on any season of the show. In the end, Paul was able to inch out Sarah and take the title back home to Austin with him. Today, we talked to her in an exclusive interview about that final challenge, and her Top Chef experience.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you want to compete on Top Chef?
A. Sarah: Oh my goodness! I don't know, I was crazy for a minute I guess! I've watched the show since season 1 and was always really impressed with the chefs. I was like, "That's really a test right there. That's hardcore!" I think during the hot dog challenge for the New York challenge, I told him I'd make a shrimp/sausage one and my fiancé was like, "Why don't you go on the show?"

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When we interviewed Lindsay last week, she said she knew that it wouldn't be you against her in the finale because you're similar in some ways. Did you feel that way as well?
A. Sarah: Absolutely! As much as I was hoping it would be the three of us and they would say, "Lindsay your dish is so delicious that you're going to go on," more importantly, I knew that Paul was going to go on. He made food that the judges were really interested in. They've seen everything! Paul deserved it.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Alright so on to last night's finale. First of all, I can't believe neither you nor Paul picked Marco Canora's dish!
A. Sarah: You know, I think that it's really hard and you realize how difficult the judging process is when you're eating food that's cold and that's been sitting there. That whole experience is a mind game too. I was trying to go for Heather but then, that dish, I had eaten it in her restaurant. It was a crazy experience. Marco Canora is awesome though!

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Secondly, Heather, Nyesha, and Grayson were all good picks for your team but how did you handle Tyler and keep him in line?
A. Sarah: He was definitely my joker card in the deal. I really thought that he might be a little sensitive with how he went home in the first episode so I really wanted him to feel like part of the team. He's an interesting guy and has an interesting personality. I have not cooked next to him like I had with the other ladies so I couldn't trust him.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What went through your mind when you heard the judges say that the meals they had were the best in any Top Chef finale?
A. Sarah: That's why I'm so good right now! The Judges' Table, when they said that, it was kind of Paul and I's thing the whole time. We wanted to make it really hard on them. At the end of the day, you really want to compete with the best. He didn't want to compete with an insecure Sarah, he wants to compete with me at my best. You never wanna compete against anybody who's not at their best.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: It was obviously tough for you when they announced that Paul was the winner. Looking back on it, how do you feel about the experience as a whole?
A. Sarah: I think that I've never changed and grew as a person so much than through this whole experience. It's been a roller coaster, emotionally, but looking back, I know it was the right thing to do. Hopefully, I've inspired young chefs to follow their dreams. I wanted to show people what real Italian food was.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What good things have come out of being on Top Chef and do you have anything big coming up or in the works?
A. Sarah: I think right now, it's just so early to say. The best part about coming out of Top Chef has been the chefs that I worked with, the friends that I have, being able to cook for these judges, and having this new network of people. It's really cool! What I want to do is be cooking the food that I cooked in the finale and keep searching for Sarah, or the new Sarah if you will. I want to travel. I want to go to Japan, I want to go back to Italy, I'm dying to go! I want to go and learn how different people cook!

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

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