Yes, Joe Sasto got eliminated on Bravo’s “Top Chef” last week.
But it wasn’t an unhappy end.
After weeks of cooking his way toward the finale, Sasto – the 29-year-old executive chef at Cal Mare in Beverly Hills who is known for his handlebar mustache – finished third in the prestigious culinary showdown with five wins, including four elimination challenges and one quickfire. That leaves Joe Flamm and Adrienne Cheatham to face off Thursday, March 8 for the coveted “Top Chef” title.
We asked Sasto to reflect on his “Top Chef” experience, and here’s what he said:
What has it been like to watch yourself compete on “Top Chef?”
“The crazy part is it all happens so fast when you’re doing it. It feels fresh in your mind and then all of a sudden, you’re watching the episode and you’re like, ‘Oh wow! That happened? Oh man! I can’t believe I said that. Oh, I didn’t realize that was happening next to me.'”
Which challenge was your favorite?
“I really liked the Olympic challenge. It was one of the few challenges where everyone got along. And I won, which I’m sure plays into why it’s my favorite. But at the time we had only cooked in front of cameras, and this time we had a whole crowd we were cooking for. There was a lot of energy in the room. It was fun.”
Have you put any of your winning “Top Chef” dishes on the menu at Cal Mare?
“No, I’m not one to want to do something I’ve already done before, as you saw on the show. I’d rather do something new or use that as inspiration for a new version of it.”
What has been the big takeaway from “Top Chef?”
“It’s really like a boot camp for chefs. The entire time, they’re drilling into you: Why is this on the plate? What is your style? Where is your voice? It really makes you think a lot about what matters and why you do certain things. I could never imagine being an executive chef having opened a restaurant without having done this.”
Would you ever come back and do “Top Chef All-Stars?”
“I would love to come back and judge an episode of ‘Top Chef.’ But for the time being, I’m good on competitions for the year.”
Finally, who will you be rooting for in the finale?
“Oh, you can’t ask me that. That’s not fair.”
Top Chef: Grand Finale
When: 9 p.m. Thursday, March 8
Where: Bravo
