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Top Chef: Seattle - Exclusive Interview with Jeffrey Jew

Posted on 11/19/2012 by Gina in Top Chef and Cast Interviews

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Jeffrey Jew of Top Chef Seattle

 

by Gina Scarpa

 

It was quite a shock to the Top Chef: Seattle contestants this week when they found out that three chefs from previous seasons were returning for their shot at victory. Everyone was divided into groups for their Quickfire and Elimination challenges, with the returning chefs landing in the bottom up against Jeffrey, Brooke, and Bart. The panel decided they couldn't forgive Jeffrey's overcooked fish and eliminated him from the competition. We talked to him today in an exclusive interview about his confidence level going into Top Chef, whether or not Stefan should have been eliminated instead, and find out what went wrong with his dish.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Tell us about your cooking skills prior to Top Chef and what made you feel ready to compete on the show.
A. Jeffrey: I started cooking at an early age with my father and grandfather and that kind of propelled me into the hospitality world with getting a Bachelor's in Hospitality and Management. I was a culinary director in Italy and France, so that was kind of where my international skills started developing. In culinary school, it took me to London to work under Gordon Ramsay and then once I graduated, I went to DC and was a private chef for a while until getting a job at the Italian Embassy. After that, I worked for a company that had a number of restaurants in DC. Top Chef is a once in a lifetime opportunity and after the casting came to DC, I said why not? I had the background and skills.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You must have gone into the competition feeling confident, especially given that Emeril picked you first in Vegas. Where did you get the idea for a watermelon gazpacho?
A. Jeffrey: I definitely did feel confident, being selected by Emeril right off the bat. In Vegas, I had never been to Vegas before... it's scary! It was hot, it was like 110 degrees, so I immediately thought a chilled soup would be great. I developed my flavors slowly and I think that's why Emeril was so hard on me and asking if I would have enough time.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What were your thoughts on the returning players? A lot of people usually have a problem with that concept on reality tv because the new contestants feel like it's their time.
A. Jeffrey: You know, it is what it is. Would I have rather have had them not be there but I'm not in charge of those things but it was kind of a shock to the system. They've done this before so they had one leg up.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When Padma asked everyone to pick teams of three for the Quickfire, how did you end up with your group? Brooke said that you did not have a good team dynamic and I was wondering your thoughts on that.
A. Jeffrey: It was kind of an interesting feeling. You don't really know what's coming at you and you have to make these decisions. It's quite interesting because I had no idea Bart was going to be there, I had worked with him on DC on events. We gravitated towards each other and he grabbed coats and said, "Let's do this." I think all three of us definitely had different styles and Bart took the lead on the dish so it was kind of hard to maneuver around that.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What happened with the fish being overcooked and dry?
A. Jeffrey: I think collectively as a group, I think we had a game plan so I stuck with that. We talked about the best time to start the fish and that's what we did. Unfortunately, that's the way it goes. Looking back, would I have started it later? Of course. Cooking in that kind of element is totally different but that's what Top Chef is about.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: There's part of me that feels like maybe Stefan should've gone home, because he's been in the competition before and knows better where as a new player is adjusting to the pace and style of the competition. Do you think he should have left instead of you?
A. Jeffrey: Possibly? But they really grilled him but we both thought we were goners. He definitely thought he had a chance at going home.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are you taking away from being on Top Chef and what are you up to now?
A. Jeffrey: Being on Top Chef, even though it was a short period of time, I gained a tremendous amount of experience in that scenario or world. I met some amazing people so moving forward, that's just going to build on my experience, moving forward in the tv scene that I've never done before. I'm taking it as a stepping stone to move my career forward. Down here in St. Petersburg, I'm looking at opening a restaurant. It's definitely going to help me.

 


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

 

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

 


Follow Gina @ginascarpa


  


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