It seems like just yesterday that sixteen fresh-faced cheftestants came to town in pursuit of the title of Top Chef, yet here we are, down to the last Boston-based episode of season 12. For the occasion, Catalyst’s William Kovel threw open the doors to his Technology Square restaurant to give the contenders a chance to cook their way to the finale in Mexico. Kovel, who was thrilled when he was invited to host a challenge, shared some of his thoughts about the filming, cooking shows in general and having and Tom Colicchio in the house.
Boston Chefs: Were you excited when you heard that Top Chef wanted to work with you? How was your day of filming?
William Kovel: Yeah, I was really thrilled actually. I think Top Chef is the best culinary show – the most professional. It’s a great representation of a chef. Contestants have to actually cook and there’s no sabotage or hijacking and that’s what it’s all about in a real kitchen – teamwork. I met Tom Colicchio and a couple of producers and it was wild. Tom Colicchio was like one of my heroes growing up. Gramercy Tavern, that’s the style of cooking that I love. It was like “holy cow he’s in my restaurant.”
BC: Had you been on TV prior to this?
Kovel: Yeah, I’ve done a couple of things on TV, like morning shows and other stuff. It’s amazing what they do to a restaurant to make it look like a professional studio. They put an extra row of lights in our kitchen and it was gorgeous. The crew that sets up Top Chef was so respectful and so aware of our business and what we do, putting everything back and making sure everything was clean. It was really impressive.
BC: And they were in and out in the course of a day?
Kovel: Pretty much. I mean they set up at like four in the morning and then they got in and came and did their thing, they got out real quick; we were able to open for dinner service that night. I remember when they wrapped up the whole restaurant so you couldn’t see in it and our neighbors kept asking “What’s going on?” and we had to say “We’re shooting a shampoo commercial!” (laughs)
BC: We’ll catch a glimpse of you on the show, right?
Kovel: I hope so. I was at a table with some other Boston chefs. It was a real honor to be a part of that and to talk to them about the stuff that was going on. It was really neat.
BC: When judging on a show like this what makes a dish stand out to you?
Kovel: Well, I think you judge the dish on balance, flavor, how it’s presented and the technique that’s involved in it. How much thought and technique are going into it, what’s the backstory of the dish and what are they trying to accomplish?
BC: Do you think competitive shows like this are good for the industry?
Kovel: Some of these shows are more about celebrity chefs and beating somebody and, really, cooking is a team sport. There are a lot of awesome chefs in Boston but they’re only as good as their kitchen crew and cooks. So, I think that shows like Top Chef are great; you have chefs and people that really know food judging chefs. There are other shows seem to be more theater and show than technique and skill. There’s one that’s pretty much like, “hijack your partner.” I haven’t seen it but it sounds pretty treacherous.
BC: If someone applied to work at Catalyst and they had “contestant on Top Chef” on their resume, what does that tell you about them as a cook?
Kovel: Well, they can handle pressure that’s for sure. I mean, I followed the cooks that came in for the filming and they are all chefs in their own right. They banged out some really delicious food, in a short amount of time, for a lot of people. They can handle pressure and they can handle the stress of a restaurant environment. It would definitely get them in the door for an interview or to talk to us and see what their goals are and what they want to do. I think Kristin Kish is super talented and she’s off working in New York, I think. It opens up a lot of doors.
BC: Have you ever tried out for a show like Top Chef? Or would you?
Kovel: No. Other shows have asked me but it wasn’t a good time with the restaurant opening. It’s a big commitment for a restaurant chef because you have to go away for like 12 weeks. And for me at Catalyst, it would be really difficult especially with a family. I don’t know if my wife would like that. If it was in the right context though, I would definitely look into it. One, if it’s going to be a fun opportunity and two if I can learn from it and become a better chef.
It was really an honor to be part of the whole thing. When the show does air it will be a lot of fun to watch. I don’t like to watch myself on TV – it weirds me out. I can’t describe it. But we’ll probably have a little viewing party and celebrate the hard work that everybody did on the show.
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