The announcer put 15 minutes on the clock and yelled “Go!” The two chefs began creating their signature meals with sautéed meat and delectable vegetables, adding the finishing touches to their dish. As 15 minutes turned into 15 seconds, the infamous “Utensils down! Hands up!” from Bravo’s “Top Chef “ boomed from the speakers.
“Top Chef” ventured beyond the T.V. screen and into the streets of D.C May 28 and 29. Eastern Market, a farmer’s market located in the heart of D.C. hosted a stop on the fourth annual “Top Chef” tour. “Top Chef: The Tour,” which kicked off April 15 in St. Louis, is traveling across America and features chefs from each of the seven seasons. At each location, two chefs compete against one another to create the best meal, which the crowd samples and declares a winner.
Chefs Ariane Duarte, from season five, and Nikki Cascone, from season four, battled it out at the Eastern Market. The chefs prepared Hake, a type of fish, and incorporated produce found at the Market into their dishes.
The fast-paced competition didn’t deter the chefs, who frequently faced challenges on the show.
“Being on the show definitely made me stronger,” Duarte said. “Throw anything at me, and I’m good to go. I think I can get through the challenge.”
In the end, Cascone won with her specialty fish, topped with a sauce, and a side of salad, which she described as a “farmer’s market on a plate.”
While preparing the food, the chefs answered questions from the crowd about their experience on the show, handling the judges, and their lives after the show.
“Tom Colicchio was the most intimidating,” Cascone said. “He’s hard but gracious. He’s a gentleman.”
After leaving their seasons, both Duarte and Cascone continue to work in the cooking business and keep in touch with other chefs from the show. Their “Top Chef” experience has influenced their cooking and business.
“We now have a platform that could have taken years to build up,” Cascone said. “Being on Top Chef, we got the chance to build that platform in one season, so that’s truly amazing.”
