by Gina Scarpa

 

Last week, on Top Chef: Seattle, the challenge was to create a dish for a homecoming party. The guests of honor were celebrities (and married couple) Anna Faris and Chris Pratt, who are both from Washington state. Though it seemed Chris enjoyed Eliza's elk dish, the judges didn't feel the same way. Her side of carrots were less than stellar and head judge Tom Colicchio felt her elk was sliced too thin. Eliza was sent to Last Chance Kitchen, where she lost to CJ Jacobsen, and she talked to us today about her time on Top Chef.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What is your background in cooking and what made you decide to try out for Top Chef in its 10th season?

A. Eliza: Well, I trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Before that, I was cooking in New Orleans, and in a rural town in Tennessee. I moved to Colorado and bought my restaurant in those 12 years, I've done a lot with it. I've done some expansions physicallyand culinarily. I've written two cookbooks, and Top Chef seemed like the next step for me. I'm trying to challenge myself and I heard they were doing auditions in Denver so I gave it a shot.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How you were feeling initially coming into the competition? Did the other chefs make you nervous at all or were you feeling confident in your abilities?

A. Eliza: In the very beginning in L.A., I felt like a rock star. Wolfgang and I hit it off very well. I think he almost gave me a false sense of confidence.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: A lot of people have been talking about CJ, Stefan, and Josie returning this season. What's your opinion of it?

A. Eliza: I thought it gave them an unfair advantage. We all had to conquer a challenge before Seattle. They just got to walk on. I don't know. It's like putting in a designated hitter, it doesn't seem fair.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: We didn't get to hear a whole lot from you this season, maybe because you weren't involved in the drama. Speaking of, when arguments popped up or people were acting up, how did you stay focused?

A. Eliza: Well, it was definitely hard to stay focused when people were getting in each other's wheelhouses. In the kitchen, I would focus on what I was doing. I wanted earplugs at times. In the house, I would just go write a letter to my son which I did every day.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: It was definitely a surprise on last week's episode when Tom said there would be no winner. What was your reaction?

A. Eliza: When Tom told us that there was no prize money at all and that a whole team was going home, it kind of felt good to know that everybody sucked. It was an even playing field. It just leveled the playing field completely.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When you were called in front of the judges as having one of the worst dishes, were you expecting it or was it a surprise?

A. Eliza: It was a surprise to me because I had tons of people come by my booth, even twice, saying how much they enjoyed the elk. Chris Pratt made a point to come by and tell me how much he enjoyed it. He had said he wanted as many calories on the plate as possible. I put sausage in my polenta and it was just those carrots.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: And what about the comment that the elk was sliced too thin?

A. Eliza: That's ridiculous! If I had it any thicker, it would've been like chewing gum! Elk... they run, they get a ton of exercise. Trust me, we have them all over Colorado. Unless you can properly brine the elk, it's going to be chewy. I got to do a quick brine and I sliced it very thin. I told this to Tom and he gave me his little eyebrow lift. I wanna give him a $100 for every time he lifts his eyebrows.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When you found out Last Chance Kitchen was happening again this season, you must have been excited.

A. Eliza: I was super happy to have it and be able to showcase my food in a slightly less stressful atmosphere. It was nice to compete against two people as opposed to sharing a kitchen with 12 people.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Who were you expecting to see when you arrived?

A. Eliza: I was expecting to only see one person and I was expecting to see either Kuniko or CJ, but I was really hoping to see Chrissy. She has incredible flavors, incredible food, and I think she left way too early.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What do you feel was the biggest thing you took away from being a part of Top Chef?

A. Eliza: Well, I'm taking away a lot more focus on my food. Being a restaurant owner, I tend to get distracted by talking to the guests or taking reservations or setting up catering gigs. I'm also taking away a lot of great friends from this. Next spring, I'm planning on getting out and doing things with other restaurants as well.

 

 

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

 

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

 

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa