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This Monday (chef's day off), Top Chef held SF casting calls for Season 5. We wouldn't say you could have cut the tension with a 10-inch chef's knife, but the people hanging out in the waiting area (Postrio's dining room) made for a relatively serious group. Although most responded to the question “Why do you belong on Top Chef?” with a quizzical, gee-I-hadn't-really-thought-about-that look, there were definitely some contenders.
The casting directors told us they were looking for people with "confidence and charisma." Citizen Cake's William Pilz has the looks and the confidence. But Absinthe's Jamie Lauren? She's female, cute, has both confidence and charisma, and she's got some great tattoos (timeless, compared to fauxhawks, which are so Season 4). Our hunch is that Lauren's good for, at the very minimum, round two.
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Nathan Carter, 34
Berkeley, CA
Sous chef, Absinthe
15 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I have no idea.
Signature dish?
A panzanella.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Mario Batali.
What's your secret weapon?
A lot of bleeps? I'm a wise-ass.
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Jamie Lauren, 30
San Francisco, CA
Executive chef, Absinthe
12 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I have a certain type of personality that shines on TV. It seems to like me, and I like it. Plus, I have a lot to offer. I'm a good cook.
Signature dish?
Pork shoulder confit.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Rachael Ray, just because I hate her.
What's your secret weapon?
I'll lay low for a while, then turn on the charm in the end.
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William Pilz, 31
San Bruno, CA
Chef de cuisine, Citizen Cake
15 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
Because I'm going to win? Because I'm competitive? Because Elizabeth [Falkner] sent me here?
Signature dish?
Rumaki (sous vide pork belly, sherry-braised dates, a little balsamic and fresh water chestnuts).
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
David Kinch [of Manresa].
What's your secret weapon?
Intensity.
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Courtney Townsend, 40
Oakland, CA
Cook for CT Culinaire, a private catering company, and culinary arts teacher at Laney College
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I think I'm dynamic. And I'm quick on the draw. I'm good at solving problems on the fly and I adore creating something out of nothing.
Signature dish?
Apple brown-betty.
What's your secret weapon?
My smile.
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David Taylor, 34
San Francisco, CA
Executive sous chef, XYZ (W Hotel)
14 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I think I'm a good cook and I've learned restraint. I also think I'm a pretty good situational manager as opposed to someone who's an "iron chef," someone who doesn't really have to be in charge of anybody. But I've only seen the show once because I'm always working!
Signature dish?
Squab terrine with duck confit and a poached quail egg. It's one of the best dishes I've ever done, but I couldn't give it away at XYZ.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Ron Siegel [of the SF Ritz-Carlton Dining Room].
What's your secret weapon?
A mortar and pestle.
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Nick Cobarruvias, 27
San Francisco, CA
Sous chef, Hotel Nikko
8 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I just came [to the casting call] because people were pushing me to do it. People were sick of me watching the show and saying I could do that. And they were like, then do it, dummy!
Signature dish?
I cook a lot of halibut. Roasted halibut?
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Daniel Boulud. I really like him a lot.
What's your secret weapon?
I think I'm pretty fast. Speed is something I practice a lot.
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Sean McTiernan, 29
San Francisco, CA
Caterer, Downtown Decadence
13 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I know they need quality people to make it a good show, and I'm a quality guy.
Signature dish?
I love pappardelle with brown sage butter and Parmesan.
What's your secret weapon?
Creativity.
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Ricardo Garcia, 31
San Francisco, CA
Chef, Lolo
4 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I came because someone suggested I come. It's my free day. Why not? It's a good show? I've never seen it, but I've heard a lot about it.
Signature dish?
Octopus gallega.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Thomas Keller [of the French Laundry].
What's your secret weapon?
I'm Mexican and I mix the Mexican with other kinds of foods.
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Johnny Nguyen, 29
San Francisco, CA
Executive chef, Ora (Mill Valley) and First Crush (SF)
12 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I actually don't even want to be on the show but I was told to come here by my boss. I said I'd never sell out, but I'll see what happens.
Signature dish?
Don't have one. I just cook.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Ferran Adria.
What's your secret weapon?
My silver spoons. I just cook with them.
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This Monday (chef's day off), Top Chef held SF casting calls for Season 5. We wouldn't say you could have cut the tension with a 10-inch chef's knife, but the people hanging out in the waiting area (Postrio's dining room) made for a relatively serious group. Although most responded to the question “Why do you belong on Top Chef?” with a quizzical, gee-I-hadn't-really-thought-about-that look, there were definitely some contenders.
The casting directors told us they were looking for people with "confidence and charisma." Citizen Cake's William Pilz has the looks and the confidence. But Absinthe's Jamie Lauren? She's female, cute, has both confidence and charisma, and she's got some great tattoos (timeless, compared to fauxhawks, which are so Season 4). Our hunch is that Lauren's good for, at the very minimum, round two.
| |
Nathan Carter, 34
Berkeley, CA
Sous chef, Absinthe
15 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I have no idea.
Signature dish?
A panzanella.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Mario Batali.
What's your secret weapon?
A lot of bleeps? I'm a wise-ass.
|
| |
Jamie Lauren, 30
San Francisco, CA
Executive chef, Absinthe
12 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I have a certain type of personality that shines on TV. It seems to like me, and I like it. Plus, I have a lot to offer. I'm a good cook.
Signature dish?
Pork shoulder confit.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Rachael Ray, just because I hate her.
What's your secret weapon?
I'll lay low for a while, then turn on the charm in the end.
|
|
William Pilz, 31
San Bruno, CA
Chef de cuisine, Citizen Cake
15 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
Because I'm going to win? Because I'm competitive? Because Elizabeth [Falkner] sent me here?
Signature dish?
Rumaki (sous vide pork belly, sherry-braised dates, a little balsamic and fresh water chestnuts).
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
David Kinch [of Manresa].
What's your secret weapon?
Intensity.
|
|
Courtney Townsend, 40
Oakland, CA
Cook for CT Culinaire, a private catering company, and culinary arts teacher at Laney College
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I think I'm dynamic. And I'm quick on the draw. I'm good at solving problems on the fly and I adore creating something out of nothing.
Signature dish?
Apple brown-betty.
What's your secret weapon?
My smile.
|
| |
David Taylor, 34
San Francisco, CA
Executive sous chef, XYZ (W Hotel)
14 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I think I'm a good cook and I've learned restraint. I also think I'm a pretty good situational manager as opposed to someone who's an "iron chef," someone who doesn't really have to be in charge of anybody. But I've only seen the show once because I'm always working!
Signature dish?
Squab terrine with duck confit and a poached quail egg. It's one of the best dishes I've ever done, but I couldn't give it away at XYZ.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Ron Siegel [of the SF Ritz-Carlton Dining Room].
What's your secret weapon?
A mortar and pestle.
|
|
Nick Cobarruvias, 27
San Francisco, CA
Sous chef, Hotel Nikko
8 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I just came [to the casting call] because people were pushing me to do it. People were sick of me watching the show and saying I could do that. And they were like, then do it, dummy!
Signature dish?
I cook a lot of halibut. Roasted halibut?
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Daniel Boulud. I really like him a lot.
What's your secret weapon?
I think I'm pretty fast. Speed is something I practice a lot.
|
|
Sean McTiernan, 29
San Francisco, CA
Caterer, Downtown Decadence
13 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I know they need quality people to make it a good show, and I'm a quality guy.
Signature dish?
I love pappardelle with brown sage butter and Parmesan.
What's your secret weapon?
Creativity.
|
|
Ricardo Garcia, 31
San Francisco, CA
Chef, Lolo
4 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I came because someone suggested I come. It's my free day. Why not? It's a good show? I've never seen it, but I've heard a lot about it.
Signature dish?
Octopus gallega.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Thomas Keller [of the French Laundry].
What's your secret weapon?
I'm Mexican and I mix the Mexican with other kinds of foods.
|
| |
Johnny Nguyen, 29
San Francisco, CA
Executive chef, Ora (Mill Valley) and First Crush (SF)
12 years cooking experience
Why do you belong on Top Chef?
I actually don't even want to be on the show but I was told to come here by my boss. I said I'd never sell out, but I'll see what happens.
Signature dish?
Don't have one. I just cook.
Who would you like to be a guest judge?
Ferran Adria.
What's your secret weapon?
My silver spoons. I just cook with them.
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