It’ll forever go down inTop Chef history: the day a chef was sent home over a piece of toast during a Quickfire Challenge. Unfortunately for contestant Amar Santana, he was the unlucky chef whose foie gras and duck breast toast put him in the bottom with Carl Dooley, who decided to pair seafood with cheese. Dooley came out on top, while Santana was asked to pack his knives and leave.
So, how is Santana feeling about getting eliminated? And which chef “became like a brother” to him? You’ll likely be surprised by his answer to the latter.
SheKnows: Who is your favorite Top Chef contestant of all time and why?
Amar Santana: My favorite Top Chef contestant, I have to say, was Kwame for sure. He is such a great talent, so young and also a great person to be around. You will hear about him for a long time.
SK: Were you surprised by your elimination?
AS: I was very surprised with the elimination, especially getting sent home on a Quickfire Challenge that far in the competition. But I am happy. Top five on Top Chef this season was an amazing experience.
SK: What was it like working with all of the judges on the show?
AS: The judges were amazing. Their feedback was great and actually made me a better chef after coming back home. I changed a lot of things on my menus based on some of the things they said to me on the show.
SK: Which contestant do you think deserves to win? Or who are you rooting for?
AS: Well, out the three contestants there right now, I think Marjorie deserves to win. She will give Isaac and Jeremy a run for their money. She is very talented.
SK: Who did you consider your biggest competitor?
AS: Everyone was a [competitor] to me, that’s why we all wanted to be on Top Chef. Great group of chefs, amazing talent and also great personalities, which make the show more fun to watch.
SK: Was there anyone on the show you really clashed with? Who was it and why?
AS: Well just like most people, I will have to say Phillip; but I didn’t have a problem with him. He became like a brother to me on the show. He was my roommate the whole time we were there. Besides that, I have no problem with anyone. I love everyone!
SK: Who is your favorite out of the judges and why?
AS: I have to say Tom. He was my favorite just because he is one of us. I’ve been looking up to him since I started cooking, and getting the chance to have him eat my food was like a dream come true.
SK: Who do you think deserved to go home on the latest episode?
AS: I think it should have been Isaac, in my opinion. He is an amazing, talented chef. His toast was good but not mind-blowing. The rest I don’t know; I stopped watching after I got sent home.
SK: What was the best experience you had on the show?
AS: The best experience was when I got to cook for Jonathan Waxman and all those talented chefs in San Francisco — and I actually won that challenge.
SK: What was the biggest challenge for you on the show?
AS: I think being away from real life, my cell phone, friends, family and my restaurants was the hardest part of the show… the cooking part was easy. It’s what I do every day.
Tell us: Did the judges make the right call sending Amar home? What about Carl? Let us know in the comments below.
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