Top Chef Just Desserts Exit Interview: Episode 4

I’m still recovering from this week’s episode, so much drama and bitterness amongst the chef’testants. I just love it. The elimination challenge this week required the chefs to make a show piece based on the Lucent Dossier Experience–this felt a lot more like a poor man’s Food Network Challenge. But it did the trick and certainly created more drama in the stew room.

Keep reading to check out who walked, literally…

Malika requested to be eliminated at judges’ table.

ES: Any regrets?
Malika: No, not at all. I felt good at that moment when I made my decision. I have to say in between when the show was taped until last night I went back and forth a little bit and wondered how it will actually play out, with the actual show and reactions. I was very happy, and everything was very true to what it really was.

How did the other chef’testants react to your decision?
They were really shocked. I think it was something that really blew everyone out of their seats. Nobody expected that I would do anything like that or thought that I would do that. Or anyone, ever, on Top Chef.

Do you have anything to say to those aspiring to be on the show, perhaps a lost opportunity?
I don’t see it that way—for me I don’t see it as something negative, giving up. I think I really took advantage of the opportunity I had to go on the show. My decision to leave was as important to me as it was to any fellow contestant who wanted to make it to the very end and become Top Chef.

I don’t think you ever really know what you’re getting into until you actually go on the show. You can only imagine what it feels like to compete like that on national television, with cameras on you 24 hours a day. It’s stressful, it has its moments, but it’s also very positive. An amazing experience to learn a lot about yourself as a person, not just the way you cook but who you really are.

What was the best part of Top Chef: Just Desserts for you?
To have that experience of working with my fellow chef’testants, eleven of the most talented pastry chefs in the country. To work side by side with people of that caliber, something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to experience again.

How did Seth’s unexpected departure effect the group?
It was very much like what you saw on the show, it was really true to what happened. It was a sigh of relief. With the tension and the stress of the competition, everyone was there to cook. They thought Seth was very distracting from the focus of the competition.

What are you doing now?
I launched my own website,  ByMDesserts. I do very high-end gourmet cookies and custom dessert for-order. Since the show it’s been very hectic.