Two-Bite Interview: Top Chef's gay cheftestant, Dale Levitski

AfterElton.com: In season one Dave Martin made it to the final three. Last season, Carlos Fernandez was knocked out in week six. Please tell us you're going to reverse that slide otherwise the GLBT community might have to disown you.

Dale Levitski: First of all, there are many reasons for the GLBT community to disown me. You should see my apartment. Disaster! I can't dress myself, I have a gay birth defect for style and fashion ... I think that belching and farting are the Funniest things on the planet. My gay card has been suspended many times...LOL. I DO believe on the other hand, that I have what it takes in the kitchen to redeem all of my other gay shortcomings... Don't worry queens.

AE: Dave tended to get a little bit flustered under pressure. How are you going to handle the pressure?
DL: This is a tough one. I normally handle pressure very well, put my head down and go for it... I have been known to lose it every once in a while, scream and throw some pans etc.. But that side of me hasn't come out in a very long time. Generally under pressure my trashy mouth takes over... I'm sure we will see a lot of..."Oh BEEP and Beep with a little Beep and stick that Beep in your Beep!...." Maybe, we'll see...:-)

AE: Your bio on Bravo says you say what everyone else is thinking. What's the most outrageous thing you said during the competition?
DL: It sounds a little dramatic but I am NOT a drama queen at all... I just don't have much of a filter on my mouth. Generally we don't in kitchens. I have been told
by my best friends that I am going to Hell for some of the things I say, but they are laughing their asses off when they are saying that...

AE: Tell us the truth about Ted Allen. He's an out-of-control egotist, always making demands and trying to push Padma out of the camera, right?
DL: Ted is a doll. He was sooo nice and fair. I cannot say a bad thing about him. He rocks and after the series ends I would love to hang out and have a dinner party with him... I know that we would have a fantastic time after a few bottles of wine.

AE: Your Q&A says you spend thee to four minutes when cooking a meal for yourself. Just what are you making?
DL: Actually it is probably less than that. It takes about 1 min to order a pizza. I do not cook for myself.

AE: Your picture on Bravo makes you look "impish". What word(s) best describe you?
DL: "IMPISH?" &#*& Off! (LOL) I think they chose the GAYEST picture they could find ... What words describe me ... Hold on I will have to make a few calls to find out. Odd ... Unique ... Stubborn ... Sweetheart ... Smartass ... Dumbass ... Top ... Bottom ... Manly ... Fat ... Best Dog Owner Ever ... Husband Material..."

AE: Are you single? Dating?
DL: I am single ... I got dumped the week before the first audition, so I was bitter and driven to get the show... So bitch shaved in a mohawk and landed primetime!!... The break up was hard for me, I was very much in love, and well, he wasn't.... Miami was the best break up recovery you could ask for... I am the only gay man on the cast so there was no one to obsess with, no chance of a slutty bender, I just had to focus and cook.. It brought me back to reality.. Now I am ready to date again, I guess.. I just spend my time with my boyfriend Dave... He's a Springer Spaniel, a great cuddler, kisser & listener...

AE: Which of the previous contestants do you most admire? (And you better not say Marcel!)
DL: I think it would have to be Harold... He is a great cook, seems very nice and he just opened his own place... Congrats.. Then LeAnn.. She had to deal with our demanding shit.. poor girl... She was totes cool and I would love to booze it up with her as well.... she is funny...

AE: June is Gay Pride month. Is there a special Quickfire challenge to celebrate that?
DL: Well I am not known to be a "quickfire" if you get my drift.... There could be some funny things to do... I did Joke with Sara N on the show that I should come out in drag just to see what Tom would do... I did drag ONCE for halloween... Years Ago.. We all got in Bad Drag and went to Lesbian bars in Columbia Missouri... I looked Identical to Patrick Swayze from To Wong Foo... Never Again!

AE: Anthony just won Shear Genius. Do you feel you're now carrying the weight the gay community's expectations for another gay victory on your shoulders?
DL: As far as feeling pressure to represent Gay people.... I don't feel "pressure" really. I do want the community to be proud of me for sure.. But I try to also Not have being gay an issue in the kitchen... On the show I don't think it comes up in the kitchen at all... Really no one cares...Including me! I Love being a chef first and foremost. I think I was a little misunderstood when the Bravo site said the whole "outcooked by a Queer" Quote.. I was responding to the Gay question... I said that I think being a Gay man in the kitchen can actually raise the level of the kitchen because some of the strong egos in the kitchen do not want to be out cooked by a fag. So they would have to keep up with me, because I could out cook them..(Yes I said Fag, I love that word, my friends and I use it all the time...) I know that I am a fantastic cook, and being gay has brought many things to the kitchen that I don't think many poeple have expected... I was a line cook in Iowa... I opened a lot of people's minds about being gay... Now I really don't think about it... If someone has an issue with it, they can get the fuck out of my kitchen. Because at this point in my career, I am the boss... Bitches.