Interview with Jesse Sandlin

Baltimore's Chef Jesse Sandlin got eliminated for serving the wrong single bite in the mini Battle of the Amuses last week. All Top Chef asked her a few questions about her experience on the show and here's what she had to say.

ATC: Did you think it was unfair that your elimination came down to an amuse-bouche, a single bite?

JS: yes. i could have gone home for anything else and been okay with it, but not for this...and i don't think that i'm so upset or angry that it was based on an amuse bouche, i'm angry that robin did not make an amuse bouche, a SINGLE BITE, and i was sent home instead of her....

ATC: It was tough watching you end up in the bottom every week, although by all accounts, your restaurant is fabulous. Do you think the pressures of cooking on the show were different from the pressures of cooking in a restaurant, and is that what threw you off your game?

JS: absolutely, it is a completely different thing from everyday life in general...the seclusion from your friends, not being able to break your headspace in any way, because there is no outlet...i just got on this mental downward spiral and i couldn't get out of it...i feel like if i could have done another week or even a couple of days, i would have done a lot better.

ATC: Overall, what did you learn from your experience on the show?

JS: i learned alot about myself, as a person, more than i did anything about being a chef.

ATC: What was your favorite part of the experience? Your least favorite part?

JS: my favorite part was getting to meet everyone and make some really great friends. my least favorite part were the interviews.

ATC: What was your favorite challenge? Your least favorite?

JS: my favorite challenge was the very first one, the vice. and my least favorite was the escargot challenge...daniel boulud made me so nervous that i couldn't even think of anything to say, and i was shaking so badly...

ATC: What did you think of the other cheftestants? Who was your best friend on the show?

JS: i thought everyone was great, we all got along really well, and everyone was so incredibly talented. jen z. was my best friend, probably followed by hector

ATC: What would you have done with the prize money had you won the title of Top Chef?

JS: i would have paid off my debt!! and then i would have put the rest of the money into the restaurant- just a quick face lift, and maybe a new ice cream maker!

Thanks, Chef Sandlin! We wish you much success in the future. And a new ice cream maker. :)

Interview with Hector Santiago

Chef Hector Santiago took the time to answer a couple questions for All Top Chef about his experience on the show.

ATC: Why do you think it took so long for the meat to cook? Chef Boulud said it should take half an hour. Was it a problem with the equipment? Did it not go into the oven early enough?

HS: Let's start with the fact that the "Chateau" was cold out of the cooler (no time for tempering the meat). As I hit the kitchen floor, I went first to sear the meat, after seasoning it with Kosher salt and a peppercorn mix. I seared all the sides on a wonderful plancha in Joel Robuchon's kitchen. They went into the oven on a sheet pan lined with a rack and topped with a "jacket" of beef fat to melt over it as it roasted (I think this is where my problem started... the fat melted over it, making it tasty, but it also insulated the heat, especially the center part of the loin, thus leaving the end cuts slightly exposed and cooking at a higher temperature.) My other mistake was to rely on the thermometer I used. I waited for it to come to 125° (I should have done the old lip test when I first realized it was taking a long time.) After I was eliminated, I boiled water to check my thermometer for accuracy and it was 208° or 4° under, so my meat got to 129° instead of 125° . From there the rest is history.

ATC: This was the second time you ended up on the bottom three for beef preparation. How do you feel about that particular protein now?

HS: I love beef, so I've got no problem with it. Maybe beef has a problem with me??

I felt it was mere coincidence and if luck has any part to play, maybe beef is not my "lucky" protein.

ATC: Overall, what did you learn from your experience?

HS: I know that my food it good enough, but for these timed competitions maybe I needed to simplify it a bit and not try to put "so much" on the plate. Maybe I try to overcompensate - for my accent, or heritage, even though I'm proud of it.

ATC: What was your favorite challenge? Your least favorite?

HS: My favorite quick fire was with Chef Todd English, where we had a limited number of ingredients to work with (by rolling the dice). My least favorite... I can't think of one. I went to cook in many different situations and with many restraints.

ATC: What did you think of the other cheftestants? Who was your best friend?

HS: I liked them all. We were so different from each other that it made it interesting in a freshman at school kind of way. I made good friends with Jessie and Jen, and Preeti, since we spent a lot of time together. Also Mattin and Ron and the boys from Atlanta. They used to call me "Papi".

ATC: What would you have done with the prize money had you won the title of Top Chef?

HS: It probably would have gone to finance the kitchen for my next work in progress - "Bodega Gastronomica", and the rest into my existing restaurant, Pura Vida.

ATC: What are you up to now?

HS: My restaurant, Pura Vida, keeps me busy, as always. Not even winning would have changed that. I also have Bodega Gastronomica in the works (Latino Luxe restaurant with only 12 seats). I've got an on going project and future book on chilies (one of my favorite ingredients). You can catch my progress on www.thecapsicumproject.blogspot.com or follow me on www.facebook.com

Thank you, Chef Santiago! Catch you on Facebook!

Top Recipe, Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 4

For the written recipe, click here.

And if you want to know how Kevin prepared his escargot in the Quickfire - not to mention the bacon jam - click here.

Exit Interviews - Jesse Sandlin and Hector Santiago

Poll - Quickfire Elimination

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Top Chef Las Vegas Episode 4 Previews

Poll - Who Will Win Top Chef 6 Episode 4?

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