AE: What did you think of the final three: Harold, Tiffani, and Dave? CF: Hindsight is always 20/20. I wish I was there to yell at Dave and say, “Just grab some mixed greens and throw them on the plate and you would have made it to the finals.” That’s what really sticks out in my head. If he just grabbed a leaf, a parsley bunch, anything, just thrown it on there from across the room.
AE: What are your thoughts on openly gay chefs such as Dave? CF: Well, I really didn’t have any. I always believe what people do in their bedrooms is their own business, and you should be judged on the food, but I always love to see my people.
AE: Do you feel any pressure as a gay man to represent the gay community or to be a role model? CF: No, because I’m pretty secure in myself and I know all my friends who see me know who I am, so I don’t feel pressure to represent, but I do hope they support me.
AE: According to your bio, you’re the co-owner and executive chef of Hi-Life Café along with your boyfriend of 12 years. CF: Partner! I need to talk to Bravo. I got hitched in Hawaii some 13 years ago, and I didn’t spend all that money in Hawaii just to be called boyfriend. So, let’s stick with partner.
AE: These days, 13 years is an accomplishment for anyone. What’s your secret? CF: I really don’t know what the secret is. I’ve been trying to pinpoint it myself. We live together, we work together and we vacation together, so we see a lot of each other. I guess the secret has to be respect. If the respect is taken for granted, then everything just goes downhill. It also helps that he’s in the front of the house and I’m in the back of the house, so we are separated in some sort some of the time.
AE: Can you tell us about your partner? How’d you meet? CF: Actually, we had a mutual friend who spoke the Queen’s English; we used to tease him all the time. He’s the one who introduced us. When he first saw me, he did a triple take, then disappeared. I turned to all my friends and said, “That was the shortest romance of my life.” But he’d just gone home to change so he could impress me.
AE: Do you have kids or do you want them? CF: I did until my sister had hers, and that’s plenty. [Laughs.] I love being the uncle.
AE: Your bio says you’re self-taught. How is that viewed in the cooking community? CF: Usually not with the same regard as someone who went to school, because when you say you’re self-taught, they don’t know what your life experiences are. They might actually see what you learned. That’s something they can measure you by.
AE: What chefs have inspired you? CF: Two in particular. One was Graham Kerr — remember him? He was the Galloping Gourmet. Then he switched over styles after his heart attack, and he cut all his recipes and calories in half, but he replaced fat with texture, salt with aroma. He really understood how to switch it over. The second one was Julia Child. A lot of people didn’t know that she had a great sense of humor. She was dressing a bird once, and it slipped right off the table. She picks it up without missing a beat, throws it back on the table and says, “And remember, you’re the only one in the kitchen.” [Laughs.] She had a great sense of humor.
AE: What will you bring to the show that we haven’t seen before? CF: A fresh outlook, a sense of humor, experience. You know, I’ve been in charge of my own restaurant for 11 years, and if that won’t break you, nothing will.
AE: Any final thoughts? CF: Just keep watching and rooting for me. I need your support, my people!
Top Chef premieres on Bravo on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006, at 11 p.m. EST, then moves to its regular slot, Wednesdays at 10 p.m.
