Top Chef's Fabio Viviani: Where Is He Now?
Catching up with Top Chef fan favorite, Fabio Viviani!
Top Chef season five cheftestant Fabio Viviani was so loved by fans he earned the title of fan favorite. Since his time competing on the show, Fabio has mastered the culinary market, opening up many restuarants, releasing multiple cookbooks, and regularly appearing on TV shows. Catch up with the successful chef below.
Bravotv.com: What changed for you since competing on Top Chef?
Fabio Viviani: The visibility has increased. A lot of opportunities have opened their doors for me. One thing you've got to make sure you do if you're ever on Top Chef—don't look like an ***hole on TV.
Bravotv.com: What are you working on now?
FV: We're looking to open our 17th restaurant. I'm working on a new cookbook to be released in May, and in the last few years, I became a very savvy tech investor.
Bravotv.com: How do you apply the lessons you learned on Top Chef in your daily life?
FV: Focus on your strengths—not your weaknesses. I try not to go too much out of my comfort zone, and I tend to stick with what I know best.
Bravotv.com: Are there differences between the Italian and American food industries? What do you like about each?
FV: As long as you serve good food, you have good service, and you master the hospitality business, there is no difference—besides, of course, that you need to speak English in America and Italian in Italy.
Bravotv.com: What's your favorite meal?
FV: Fresh pasta made from scratch and a roasted chicken!
Bravotv.com: Out of your experiences you've had in the restaurant industry, which experience has helped you grow the most?
FV: Two years ago, we lost one of our restaurants because we did a bad market analysis. On top of losing a lot of money, we learned a very valuable lesson—do your homework properly.
Bravotv.com: What cooking experience has been the most challenging for you?
FV: There is nothing that comes up in my mind. I wouldn't know because I'm pretty good at figuring things out (on the fly)...no challenge is too big!
Bravotv.com: If you could work alongside any chef, who would you work with?
FV: I'd love to work alongside Gordon Ramsay. Especially because I'm not a classically trained chef, and he is, I'd love to work across the table with someone who is classically trained.
And now it's time to catch up with another Top Chef fan favorite, Isaac Toups. Isaac is back and tackling all-new culinary challenges aboard a cruise ship sailing around the Caribbean. Watch as Isaac goes head-to-head with the ship's most talented chefs and face off against local chefs along the way for fun, new cooking challenges -- how will he stack up against some of the world's best chefs? Watch Bravotv.com's new original digital series, Isaac Takes On...now!
