Top Chef Las Vegas: Where Are They Now?

John Somerville

Position/Place of Employment: “I just left Trestle on Tenth and I am currently a consulting chef at the Blue Whale on Fire Island for the season.”

What has changed since your season?: “For chefs it comes down to if you can cook or not. Personally? Being recognized on the subway is still freaky.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “Ashley is my girl. I want to see her everyday. She is my favorite and I talk with Eli quite a bit (he is here in NYC), some to Hector, and the occasional Facebook to everyone.”

Position/Place of Employment: “I just left Trestle on Tenth and I am currently a consulting chef at the Blue Whale on Fire Island for the season.”

What has changed since your season?: “For chefs it comes down to if you can cook or not. Personally? Being recognized on the subway is still freaky.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “Ashley is my girl. I want to see her everyday. She is my favorite and I talk with Eli quite a bit (he is here in NYC), some to Hector, and the occasional Facebook to everyone.”

What was your favorite challenge? “The Air Force base. I thought that we showed that we could be professional in a competition environment. Also watching Ashley make "peanut butter creme anglaise" with condensed milk, on a tilt skillet was priceless!”

Relationship Status?: “I am in one and very happy!”

Twitter: @ashfulk

Position/Place of Employment: Chef/Owner of VOLT in Frederick, MD

What has changed since your season?: “For the restaurant we have been extremely busy. The awareness of VOLT publicly dramatically changed during the run of Top Chef 6. We opened during a very tough moment in our economy and now we are proud that we hung in there and kept the restaurant moving forward. We now are financially stable, giving us the opportunity to keep VOLT a part of the Frederick Community and a destination for foodies and fans of the show. Our Table 21 concept, which has expanded to eight seats from the prior four, is still booked months in advance due to the demand to dine in the kitchen. We are fortunate that all of this attention has helped to put Frederick and VOLT on the culinary map. Personally not a lot has changed, I am still keeping my same schedule at VOLT, working on projects with my brother to include voltaggiobrothers.com, shopping a book, and many other things in the pipeline. I do get stopped often in public places for photos and autographs, which I am always open to. The comments from the people I meet are always positive and that makes me feel good. I went on the show with a couple goals: one of course to win, two to be myself and not get caught up in the TV aspect of the competition and to focus on the thing that was most important, the food. Lastly I am excited to have this part of my life that was sort of documented. Not a lot of parents get an opportunity to have something as extraordinary that they can share with their children and their family. My mother gets to boast to her friends and the family, did you she what my boys did! That is one of the most rewarding parts of being part of Top Chef 6.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “Michael of course, Kevin, Mike Isabella, Eli, and Jen Carroll.”

What was your favorite challenge? The challenge at Joel Robuchon

Relationship Status: “Married with a beautiful little boy.”

Twitter: @bryanvoltaggio

Position/Place of Employment: Chef de Cuisine at 10 Arts by Eric Ripert in Philadelphia, PA

What has changed since your season?: “Professionally, Top Chef has opened many doors for me and has presented me with some great opportunities. The restaurant is much busier with guests coming in to experience my food firsthand. Personally, Top Chef has given my mom endless things to talk about — she has always been my biggest fan but now, I think she is the proudest mom ever! My dad now likes to take credit for my cooking style and tries to teach me a thing or two in the kitchen. They are both unbelievable parents and I love them so much!”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I still speak to both the Voltaggio bros, Mike Isabella, Eli Kirshtein, Kevin and his beard the most. I would like to talk to Ash, Ashley, and Hector a lot more. I am probably the worst at calling people back — very bad habit — it's my New Years resolution almost every year, and I never change. Maybe someday...”

What was your favorite challenge? Cooking for Robuchon

Relationship Status: In a relationship

Twitter: @topchefjennifer

Position/Place of Employment: Executive Chef/Owner of Iluna Basque

What has changed since your season?: “Personally, I met the woman of my dreams; she is gorgeous and really smart. Professionally I have been doing more TV stuff and also in the process of writing a cookbook. I have also been involved since last August with Isagenix Company.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I still speak to Hector Santiago and Ron Duprat.”

Position/Place of Employment: Executive Chef/Owner of Iluna Basque

What has changed since your season?: “Personally, I met the woman of my dreams; she is gorgeous and really smart. Professionally I have been doing more TV stuff and also in the process of writing a cookbook. I have also been involved since last August with Isagenix Company.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I still speak to Hector Santiago and Ron Duprat.”

What was your favorite challenge? “Ironically my favorite challenge was the one in the Nevada dessert. I’m a big camping outdoor kind of guy.”

Relationship Status: In a relationship

Twitter: @chefmattin

Position/Place of Employment: “Looking to open a restaurant in NYC in late 2010”

What has changed since your season?: “I have moved to NYC and have been really busy with that. I am looking to do a new restaurant soon!”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “Ash, Ashley, Mike I., Michael V., Brian, Kevin, and Jennifer. We are all close and hang out and talk often.”

What was your favorite challenge? The Penn and Teller challenge

Position/Place of Employment: “Looking to open a restaurant in NYC in late 2010”

What has changed since your season?: “I have moved to NYC and have been really busy with that. I am looking to do a new restaurant soon!”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “Ash, Ashley, Mike I., Michael V.,
Brian, Kevin, and Jennifer. We are all close and hang out and talk often.”

What was your favorite challenge? The Penn and Teller challenge

Relationship Status: In a relationship

Twitter: @elikirshtein

Position/Place of Employment: Chef/Owner of Pura Vida Tacos in Atlanta, GA

What has changed since your season?: “Professionally, what has changed the most is so many people coming into my restaurant wanting to meet me, talk with me, and take photos with me. Personally, the one big change is that people recognize me everywhere I go ... on the street, in the airport, in stores, etc. I was in New Zealand in a supermarket in November last year, and the cheese monger there, half way across the world, recognized me! I'm still getting used to that.”

Position/Place of Employment: Chef/Owner of Pura Vida Tacos in Atlanta, GA

What has changed since your season?: “Professionally, what has changed the most is so many people coming into my restaurant wanting to meet me, talk with me, and take photos with me. Personally, the one big change is that people recognize me everywhere I go ... on the street, in the airport, in stores, etc. I was in New Zealand in a supermarket in November last year, and the cheese monger there, half way across the world, recognized me! I'm still getting used to that.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I did an event with Ashley in Boston with Top Chef in May, with Richard Blais (Season 4) in Atlanta in April. I was in NYC in March and got together with Eli, and last September, when I was in NY at the Star Chefs Conference, I went to see Ash at his restaurant. That week Ashley, Jesse, Mike Isabella, and Eli, and I were all in the City, along with Richard Blais, and Dale (from previous seasons). Jen and Mike Isabella also came to Atlanta and had dinner at my restaurant, Pura Vida, a few months back. I speak to a lot of the others as well. I did help Ron with a fundraiser for Haiti at my restaurant after the earthquake.”

What was your favorite challenge? “The camping one ... unfortunately, I had already been eliminated, and didn't get to participate in it. I would have aced it! I was the cook for my Boy Scout troop in Puerto Rico, so I have lots of practice cooking over the open fire!”

Relationship Status: “Married with two great dogs!”

Twitter: @EktorTC6

Position/Place of Employment: Executive Chef, Vino Rosina, Baltimore,MD

What has changed since your season?: “I left Abacrombie in October, when my father passed away. Had some health issues, and I took some time off, and traveled to Australia to visit some old friends, came back to Baltimore and was unemployed for a couple of months, finally landed at Vino Rosina, which just opened May 18th. I've cut my hair and lost some weight. I am much happier now than I have been in a long time.”

Position/Place of Employment: Executive Chef, Vino Rosina, Baltimore,MD

What has changed since your season?: “I left Abacrombie in October, when my father passed away. Had some health issues, and I took some time off, and traveled to Australia to visit some old friends, came back to Baltimore and was unemployed for a couple of months, finally landed at Vino Rosina, which just opened May 18th. I've cut my hair and lost some weight. I am much happier now than I have been in a long time.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I still talk to Bryan Voltaggio, Mike Isabella, Jen Zavalla, and every now and then Ashley Merriman, and Hector Santiago.”

What was your favorite challenge? “I didn't get to do it, but I thought the camping challenge was pretty awesome.”

Relationship Status: In a relationship

Twitter: "No Twitter, but I'm on Facebook."

Position/Place of Employment: Proprietor/chef, Left Coast Catering

What has changed since your season?: “Upon returning from Vegas I was approached by a few people who wanted my involvement with new restaurants in the Bay Area. The Top Chef experience gave me the opportunity to evaluate my career and path as a chef. In the end after some deep soul searching I realized that I am very happy and content running my own business and managing a kitchen where I have the final say. I am not interested in working for or with someone else.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “Preeti and I have been known to share a few drinks and spend some time cooking together. I have seen Mattin and Ron at an awards show in SF. Everyone else is on the East coast. But I will be contacting up Ash, Ahley, and the two Jens when I am in New York this summer.”

What was your favorite challenge? “Personally, I loved the ranch challenge. As a caterer, I am accustomed to working in adverse conditions. That’s where my ability to adapt and think on my feet really came through.”

Relationship Status: “Still madly in love with my boyfriend, Henry.”

Twitter: “I have one, but we don’t tweet. I am still not sure what Twitter is all about quite frankly and why people use it.”

Position/Place of Employment: Self-employed

What has changed since your season?: “Nothing has changed for me personally. I’m still the same Preeti. I have great friends, and love my life in San Francisco. Professionally, I left Bon Appetit @ Google a couple months ago to work on some projects of my own. It's all very exciting! I want to get back to cooking fun, authentic, and inventive Indian food, which was my first inspiration post-culinary degree. I have a couple people I am working with … nothing I can talk about at this time. That being said, in the meantime there may be an Indian Street food stand popping up in SF this summer.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I see Laurine. We live near each other so we run into each other a lot, and sometimes we actually make plans to hang out as well. I was recently visiting my parents in Ohio, which is super close to Eve’s restaurant in Ann Arbor, so we went there for dinner. It was so great to see Eve! She had prepared this amazing eight-course menu for us. The food was so delicious and she is so incredibly sweet.”

Relationship Status: “Still with my wonderful love, Ann. We celebrated 14 years together at the end of February.”

Twitter: @chefpmistry

Position/Place of Employment: “I have been in the Caribbean for the past four months working for The Meridian Club in Turks and Caicos as Executive Chef. However I am done with my contract this week and head back to Seattle to start two product lines. One is an organically inspired line of table ware and the other is a few specialty food items that I have in development already.”

What has changed since your season?: “It's been an exciting ride. Have been busy with special dinners, teaching classes, and cooking for special events. One of the highlights was being asked to speak at the Washington Restaurant Awards and am now a mentor for the Pro Start program here. Perhaps the hardest thing has been resisting the urge to re-open my restaurant Crave. But what I do know from running a successful restaurant for over five years is this: Being a business owner is about managing first and creating second. I want to turn that around and focus on developing my ideas right now. Teaching and designing are my directions when I return to Seattle next week.”

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I am in touch with Mattin more
than anyone but do Facebook with a few others from time to time.”

What was your favorite challenge? “The Vice Challenge, where I did "Bad Jew Pork Five Ways"

Relationship Status: In a relationship

Twitter: @ChefRobinL

Position/Place of Employment: Executive Chef at Latitudes in the Hollywood Beach, CA Marriot

What has changed since your season?: “Everyone knows what happened in Haiti January 12th. I was able to team up with some of my fellow Top Chefs to raise money for Haiti. I have also worked with Boys and Girls Club, Food For the Poor, PADF, Chef For the Cause, and also team up with Whole Foods markets. I am working on my own show, Haitian Cuisine No Limit, and working to open a culinary school in Haiti. I am also working with the First Lady about the Let’s Move initiative. Top Chef is an opportunity of a lifetime, something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Do you still speak to chefs from the cast?: Yes

What was your favorite challenge? Penn and Teller challenge

Twitter: @RONTC6

Position/Place of Employment: “I currently work in NYC for my culinary mentor, Alexandra Guarnaschelli"
Position/Place of Employment: “I currently work in NYC for my culinary mentor, Alexandra Guarnaschelli"

What has changed since your season?: "After we finished taping the show, I left my job in Seattle to move back to NYC. I missed being in New York and the energy of the greatest city in the world! Seattle is a wonderful city and has a lot to offer - I just wanted to move back and be closer to my family and cook in the best food city in the country. I'd have the job I have now with or without Top Chef. I think the biggest thing that has changed is that my girlfriend made me get a Facebook page about half-way through the season and now I have a lot of 'friends.'"

Who do you still speak to from the cast?: "I am still in contact with a lot of people from my season - but Ash Fulk is my man. He and I try and see each other every week - but our schedules make it pretty hard. He is a real treat! I did a Top Chef Tour stop with Hector in Boston a few weeks ago and it was great to catch up with him. He's so talented it's ridiculous. I also have been in touch with Jersey Mike, Jen Carrol, Jennnifer Zavala, Pancakes, Laurine, Bryan and Eli."

What was your favorite challenge? The Penn and Teller challenge

Relationship Status?: "Still head over heels."

Position/Place of Employment: "I am currently at Zaytinya as Executive Chef, but I just gave resignation and I will be opening up my own new restaurant."
What has changed since your season?: "Since Top Chef I have gotten married and I am planning on opening my own restaurant."
Who do you still speak to from the cast?: “I still keep in contact with a lot of the cast.”
What was your favorite challenge? Cooking for Robuchon
Relationship Status?: Married

Previous Pause Next

1 of 13