Top Chef

Top Chef Texas Chicagoans Give Behind The Scenes Look

Kevin Pang in the Tribune gathered the six Chicagoans who competed on Top Chef for a post-mortem on the most Chicagocentric season ever. The goal, to answer all your questions: does everyone hate Beverly? Does everyone hate Heather? Does everyone hate losing? We think we’re pretty realistic about both the TV and the restaurant biz, but still, we learned a thing or two, as in, we were kind of appalled by a thing or two.

• They’re kind of kept prisoner. Richie Farina reveals that when you get cut, you’re basically kept in the hotel until the 7-week shoot is over; you can go out for three hours a day, and get $50 a day to spend.

• They needed the money. Chris Jones may be a top chef at a highly-rated, muy expensive restaurant (Moto), but he really hoped to win $125,000 and finally be able to buy a house. As John Waters said long ago, everybody assumes if you’re on TV, you’re rich, but it ain’t necessarily so.

• People take this stuff way too seriously. Heather Terhune, after being cast as the bad guy in a couple of episodes, got death threats and NBC Universal security was called in. Nevertheless, she says business is way up because people want to come to Sable and see her.

Top Chef: Exit interview with the six Chicago finalists [Tribune]

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Top Chef Texas Chicagoans Give Behind The Scenes Look