Chef Dale: Minding His Manners in the "Top Chef" Kitchen
Posted at 04:15:48 PM in Celeb chefs, Chef talk, TVby Valerie Moloney
Photo courtesy of Bravo
So long Erik. Soggy corndogs do not make tasty block party food. And what was up with carting out a plate of slop to Rick Bayless and passing it off as tacos with a fine dining twist? Oh wait, that was the challenge ...
This week, we turn our attention to New York transplant Dale Talde, the sous chef at Buddakan who clocked time at Jean-Georges' Vong, along with Opera and Spring (where he worked with fellow castmates Stephanie Izard and Valerie Bolon) in his native Chicago. The cheftestant, who worried on last night's episode about sacrificing "elegance" in presentation at a neighborhood street party, notes that his strengths are in Modern Asian cuisine--Chinese, Japanese, Thai--everything but Filipino. "I cannot cook Filipino food to save my life," he said. Somehow we doubt it.
VM: In the first episode, at least how the clips painted you anyway, you're portrayed as a p-r-i-c-k. Is that fake or real?
"I'm Asian, not the tallest dude in the world and I look like I'm 12. In the kitchen, you have to have a presence about you or you're gonna get eaten alive. You're always running at 100 percent. You don't know when to stop. I have no off button."
VM: Yeah, chefs are pirates.
"I've gotten a lot better about my temper. I've learned to start to relax. You can't go around throwing plates. You'll give yourself a heart attack."
VM: How is the "Top Chef" environment different from your own kitchen?
"When it's your kitchen, it's a collaborative effort. The executive chef, the chef de cuisine, we're a unit. You really have to massage each other's egos here. You can't really say, 'Hey, ---hole, put those ducks in the oven."
VM: What flavors did you grow up with?
"I had home-cooked food everyday. My parents were always like, 'Why are you going to go out when we have food cooked here?' I love Filipino food ... kare-kare, oxtail ... but I'll leave it up to them. I just don't want to make it. I think it must be an Asian parent/child thing."
VM: So you knew Stephanie and Valerie before the show?
"Yeah, Stephanie and I worked together for a year (in Chicago). Our chef de cuisine, Jeff, was a mentor. When Val stepped in (on the set of the show), it was a total shock, but that was cool."
VM: Why do you want to be the next Top Chef?
"I think it's the next progression in my career. I've got that swagger. I used to want to be an emcee when I was kid. I still have part of that rock star in me."
Dale, you ARE a rockstar! You should definitely be the next top chef.
Posted by: jane | April 05, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Proud to be a Filipino - Go get them Top Chef Dale!
Posted by: pinky | April 06, 2008 at 04:56 PM
It's funny how your tv personna is nothing like you in real life, dude. Your friends and family back home are getting a kick out of watching you. Great job, but keep it cool in the kitchen!
Posted by: A.J.L. | April 17, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Hi Dale, I'm a huge fan!!! Keep up the good work!! I am sure you will be the next Top Chef :)
Posted by: Camille | April 24, 2008 at 08:04 PM
Dale- you are the hottest guy on the show. You should win for your hard work, skills, and great looks. !!!!!
Posted by: Christine Charles | May 01, 2008 at 09:45 PM
Dale- you are the hottest guy on the show. You should win for your hard work, skills, and great looks. !!!!!
Posted by: Christine Charles | May 01, 2008 at 09:46 PM
I can't believe they kicked Dale off after he won so many competitions. It's obvious the producers didn't want two Asian guys to win back to back. Spike sucks and only cares about "getting by"--not actually doing well and Lisa is such a MISERABLE PERSON, not to mention a crappy chef.
Posted by: Carol | May 21, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Dale you totally rock! I think it sucks you were kicked off. I think the above comment might be right, they were worried to have two asian men win back to back. You were doing so good all along, Lisa screwed up two dishes and you only had an issue with one....makes NO sense that they kicked you off. And Spike didn't even do anything! WTF, seriously. Total BS. I thought for sure it would be down to you and Richard in the end. I'm voting for you for fan favorite! I hope you win that!
Posted by: Maye | May 22, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Dale you totally rock! I think it sucks you were kicked off. I think the above comment might be right, they were worried to have two asian men win back to back. You were doing so good all along, Lisa screwed up two dishes and you only had an issue with one....makes NO sense that they kicked you off. And Spike didn't even do anything! WTF, seriously. Total BS. I thought for sure it would be down to you and Richard in the end. I'm voting for you for fan favorite! I hope you win that!
Posted by: Maye | May 22, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Dale-
It's nice to have people who think you're cute blow smoke up your butt, but you lost because you blew it. You didn't create a good dish, you're whiny, and you can't work well with anyone but Richard.
Posted by: ferfer72 | May 22, 2008 at 01:38 PM
Oh ferfer, we meet again. Shut the hell up, will ya?? You're a moron! Dale was the best and deserved to be in the top 3. Why can't you go bitch and whine somewhere else -- definetily not where Dale fans are. Why don't you go find a Lisa fan page - oh wait, they don't exsist.
Posted by: Melody | May 22, 2008 at 03:37 PM
I am baffled why Dale got kicked off after winning so many competitions and quickfire challenges. I don't get it. It is very obvious something else is going on... I noticed at the end of the show there is a clause that says "judges may have been influenced by producers" or something like that. i think dale should have at least made the final 4!
Posted by: Mary | May 23, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Dale- Definitly one of the best. I agree that there must be something funny "cooking" on this show. For you to be kicked off while Tom was gone....no blogs from the judges this week explaining why? !!!! Somethings up. You continue to have passion and cook up a storm. Hope you get fan favorite and get the last laugh on this show. Which I won't finish watching. Fair is fair.
Posted by: PLB | May 23, 2008 at 12:16 PM
dale is one of the wittiest, most talented,most creative, out of the box thinkers (fire= devil) on the show and he's going to go much further in life, so top chef ain't the end of it (which is more than i can say for some people that are still on).
by the way, i see there's only one person above criticizing dale... ferfer, you're probably lisa FERNANDES. LOL! nice try! you're funny!!
Posted by: ana | May 26, 2008 at 04:57 PM
I have been watching “Top Chef” since the beginning. I found this reality show very competitive, educational and a positive influence to Chefs around the world. I have owned and operated a small seafood restaurant in Virginia for 21 years. Top Chef has re-energized me to give it my best in the kitchen, and opened my eyes to new and exciting recipes.
Each season has been exciting, and in most cases fair and decisive.
This year is the exception. Bravo TV made every effort to banish all the Chefs that would bring any type of competition to the table in the finals. It would be a shame if Bravo TV/Top Chef made all efforts to crown a champion this season base on one’s sex.
It was made obvious when Dale was sent packing during the “Restaurant Wars.” Dale was by far the leading contender, along with Richard, to win this season.
To send Dale home, when you had the choice to cut Lisa, who only won one challenge and zero quick fires (and Spike who did as poorly as Lisa) – is a “NO - BRAINER.”
You have compromise the integrity of this show. In addition, I believe most of your viewers, especially professional chefs, know this as a fact. The fix was in!!
Pat
Posted by: Patrick | June 14, 2008 at 07:52 PM