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Post by Prince Eric on Aug 6, 2010 11:48:31 GMT -5
 (Lets hear them out) INTERVIEW # 1 WITH REALITY WANTED.
Last night, on Hell's Kitchen, Chef Ramsay narrowed the final four chefs down to the final two. Before he made his decision, the chefs recreated a dish from the Savoy Grill based solely on tasting it. Then, they each took the lead at dinner service, while Ramsay's sous chefs tried to sabotage them. Jay and Holli, who have performed well all season, were given a spot in next week's finale while Autumn and Ben found themselves walking out the door. Today, we spoke to the two eliminated chefs in an exclusive interview about getting on the show, how they were portrayed on television, and who should win Hell's Kitchen!
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did you become a part of Hell's Kitchen this season?
A. Ben: I've always been a big fan of Gordon Ramsay. I've worked in a lot of French restaurants. I called up some casting directors. I called them 7 or 8 times. They gave me 2 minutes to tell them why I should be on Hell's Kitchen and I went in for an interview after that.
A. Autumn: For me, I had a friend who does casting. She called me and said the show was going to be in Atlanta and that I should go. I didn't really take her seriously. My boyfriend and I are both chefs and we went down to audition. It happened really fast! I got a call that said, "Congratulations, you are on the show." It was tough because my boyfriend didn't make it as far I did. I wasn't going to go on the show up until the last moment. You leave your whole life behind and that's really hard. We were isolated and everything was all about Hell's Kitchen.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You were both switched from your original team to the opposing team by Chef Ramsay. Where did you perform better?
A. Ben: As far as I'm concerned, I had more fun with the blue team. From day one, we built a great team and they were a great set of guys. We said "We're a team but we're not a team," meaning we'd help each other until it got down to individuals. One of the things about the red team was that they didn't build that teamwork. It made it really hard.
A. Autumn: I think that it was ironic from the very beginning that I was pointed out as not being a team player by Fran. I thought that was crazy because all I wanted was for my team to win so that no one would go home.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Fans have had mixed feelings towards the two of you. How do you feel about the way that you were portrayed on tv?
A. Autumn: That's a good question! I think it's awesome that I was pointed out as the villain. You can't get any better. Everything was exaggerated.
A. Ben: It was interesting. A lot of the things I do are over the top. It comes off as me being arrogant. If you knew me, you'd know Ben. If you only get 20% of the story, it's different.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Should Jay or Holli win Hell's Kitchen?
A. Autumn: It should've been one of us. It should've been me and Ben head to head, no disrespect to them. At the end of the day, I think all of us really, really wanted it. I think it could've gone to any of us in the final four.
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Post by Prince Eric on Aug 6, 2010 11:56:55 GMT -5
INTERVIEW #2 THE EXAMINER
Autumn Lewis and Benjamin Knack certainly have plenty to be proud of on this season of "Hell's Kitchen". Both chefs made it all the way to the final four, even if they made too many mistakes along the way to keep them from achieving culinary glory.
I had the opportunity to talk with both contestants about their experiences on the show (and dealing with Chef Gordon Ramsay) on Wednesday.
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Matt: Autumn, congratulations first of all on making it so far. What were your expectations for this show going in?
Autumn: I think no one goes on the show not expecting to win, no matter what. I definitely feel disappointed that my last night in 'Hell's Kitchen' was last night. I feel like I gave it every thing I had.
Do you feel good about the fact that you kept rising up after being pushed back?
I think that I was put up for elimination more times than any other contestant in 'Hell's Kitchen' history. Seven times I stood up there and never went home. I don't know how I did that.
How did you cope with switching teams so much?
I think you have to be on Team Autumn for the most part. It doesn't matter where you are -- you just have to cook to the best of your ability and help your team win. That's just the way that I played it -- you can't really be concerned about personalities. You have to focus on the food and that will get you through.
Let's talk about Chef Ramsay. What did you think about the guy going in, and what's your perception of him now?
I definitely respected him as a chef. Going into the show, I was excited to be able to learn from him. I still respect him -- pretty much, whatever he said was dead-on for the most part. TV and cameras aside, at the end of the day he is a phenomenal chef and you can only learn from someone of that stature.
I can't go through this interview without asking about the drunk award. Was that tough to watch?
No! Who hasn't gotten drunk? I was on a private jet in wine country. It was fun -- I definitely don't have any regrets. I think 'no more drinks for Autumn' will be on my tombstone.
What would you say was your undoing on the show?
Ultimately, my undoing was not winning challenges. If I had won challenges, I would be in a different position than I am now.
On the opposite side, was there any sort of proudest moment for you?
My proudest moment -- there wasn't necessarily a specific moment that sticks out, I think the thing I was proudest about was standing on that elimination platform and never crumbling. I think that says a lot about a person's strength and character.
Benjamin, you were identified early on as a favorite. Do you think that perception ended up hurting you a little?
Benjamin: Yeah, I definitely think so! I think one of the keys of reality shows is that you want to be under wraps as much as possible -- kind of blend in. For the most part I tried to, but I'm a cook. So when Gordon's saying 'you're doing great', all I can think of is 'shoot ... don't talk about me! Talk about how great Jay is or Jason or those guys'! It definitely brought more attention to the situation.If there was any one goal that I tried to [have] it was to stay under wraps. Those are the guys you see at the end are the ones you see at the beginning.
What was your initial reaction then when you were switched over to the Red Team?
The thing is that the Blue Team was so strong. We really got along well -- you really don't see too much of that on TV, but the truth is with Jason, Salvatore, Eddie and Jay ... we [got along] really well! We hung out the morning, hung out after the challenges. We lost as a team and we built a team almost from day one. It's hard leaving that -- it's like you're playing for the Yankees and you're traded to the Mets.
It's tough. There was a lot of fighting with the Red Team...
Autumn: Tell me about it.
Benjamin: The Blue Team was just great, but it was really tough. You don't just become a leader in a day -- especially when there [are] egos ... you can lead, but you can't make people follow you.
Chef Ramsay really seemed to expect you to be a leader from the get-go.
Do you think he was hard on you?
I think that the standard might have been slightly higher for me than other contestants at times, but I also think that Gordon spent slightly more time with me giving me pointers. Everyone has different levels in the kitchen. A, it's a TV show, and B, it's a kitchen -- everyone has their roles to play in it ... I'm not the chef of the kitchen, I'm only doing what I can as a cook. The standards of me being a leader -- unless he says, 'Ben, be a leader' -- they can only follow as much as [they want] to.
Last talk a little bit about the episode last night, where it seemed that things really started to affect you emotionally when you didn't win time with your family...
Autumn: For all of us, knowing that we weren't out with our families. That killed every single person.
Benjamin: Holli -- she has her family and she hasn't seen her kid in a whole. At the same time, I woke up with my daughter every morning and my wife. We had breakfast together, and my wife and I spend every single day with our daughter. We don't have a babysitter -- she's always with us. That was the first time I ever left my daughter or my wife. I don't travel and I'm not a big party animal ... so it was very tough for me on 'Hell's Kitchen'.
Feeling Holli's story where her husband or ex-husband or whoever he is takes care of her son while she goes out partying and doing other stuff, yeah, it might of hurt her [being away], but she doesn't spend as much time with her family as [me] or Autumn. With Jay, he wouldn't even care. They're his parents -- he sees them all of the time.
It was tough. My dish was really a standup dish. It was a questioning of seasoning. That was tough to lose on.
So moving to the finale, do you guys have any predictions? Who do you think has the edge?
Autumn: We actually know what happens so we can't make any predictions.
Benjamin: We were all there for ourselves to win and work for Gordon Ramsay, so when it comes down to the last 4 or 5 people, it's all about how you can make yourself look good while making other people look bad. Hopefully you can do it just by cooking good and doing a good job.
Autumn: Unfortunately, it's about more than that -- if you go on a reality TV show, you realize that it's not just about the cooking. That's just a tough lesson to learn.
Benjamin: The thing is that someone takes it personally about the things that we say ... we're here to win! When I watch the show and I hear people say things about me, I get a kick out of it! You don't go to the game and say 'Jerry Porter, I hope you do good', and Jerry Porter is like 'I hope you do good, too'. You're talking smack about each other -- it's part of the entertainment. Outside of that, would I ever say those things? I say those things jokingly. At the same time, it's a different situation when you're working with someone. It's not just competitions -- it's all about excitement.
Autumn: You know that going into the show ... if not, you end up feeling foolish. I never took anything personally that anyone had to say about me. My family had a much harder time watching the show than I did. My sister stopped watching three episodes ago because she was so mad at what these other people were saying. They're talking about Autumn Lewis on 'Hell's Kitchen', not Autumn Lewis the person!
Matt: All right so I have one last thing for you guys -- what's up for you now that the show is over?
Autumn: For me, I'm still in the same position working for a music producer, living in Los Angeles and Atlanta. My boyfriend is also a chef, and we work together catering and doing private events.
Benjamin: I'm still in Boston but I'm always looking for new opportunities and challenges. I have a family to take care of, so I do cooking demonstrations, I teach teenagers how to cook, teach how to keep market fresh vegetables attainable for families -- that's something that is really important to me. You can also reach me at chefbenknack.com. I'm always looking for something new and exciting.
Autumn: You can also find me, Autumn Lewis 'Hell's Kitchen', on Facebook -- where there's an amazing link to a montage made by a fan.(SHE IS TALKING ABOUT THE VIDEO ME AND JOEY MADE FOR HER) |
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Post by Prince Eric on Aug 6, 2010 12:00:56 GMT -5
INTERVIEW #3 WITH RTVM
RTVM: Were you surprised that you were sent home and did you think you would make it into the finale next week?
Benjamin Knack: I was disappointed, but I am glad I got to go so far. All four of us did a great job and deserved it.
Autumn Lewis: I think we both had hoped it would have turned out differently. We would have liked to see the two of us going head to head. I am extremely proud of what I accomplished though.
RTVM: Ben, were you really just going quit and walk away?
Benjamin Knack: You know, I had back problems from the 5th or 6th episode so it was not new. I was in so much pain and I was really worried about being able to cook and perform to my full capacity.
Autumn Lewis: We have all had to work through problems while there, whether it be a burn or a cut, some of which is not shown. Although I do think they are starting to show more and more with all the new cooking shows coming out so people realize what a hard job it really is to work like that.
RTVM: So Ben, was it the words of wisdom from Gordon Ramsay that convinced you to stay?
Benjamin Knack: It was, absolutely. To hear from someone who is your idol, because he is my idol, just made me want to move on and keep going.
RTVM: How is Hell’s Kitchen different from what you do everyday?
Benjamin Knack: I work at a French restaurant where we do about three to four hundred dishes a day, but there is no drama, everyone is a cook and we are like a family. We all come together because we have a job to do. I mean, on Hell’s Kitchen the focus is on us, the contestants, while trying to give the diners a good experience. In my restaurant we are focused on the customers only.
RTVM: So how is it working under Gordon Ramsay?
Autumn Lewis: It’s a lot of pressure but we know that he is only trying to make us better and keep us from making the same mistakes. It’s ironic because people watching may think why are we making these silly mistakes, but you don’t realize the amount of pressure and how it gets to you. Things that you would normally not make a mistake on, you start making mistakes with due to that pressure.
Benjamin Knack: I agree and it is intense with him screaming at you, but it’s part of what we are used to. It’s a lot of pressure you experience from the rush of dinner service but I love it and a lot of chefs are adrenaline junkies when it comes to that rush. We are fueled by that intensity and it pays off when we put out great food.
RTVM: Do you both think you were portrayed properly while on the show or is something that you would us to know about you that they didn’t show us?
Benjamin Knack: I know a lot of people thought I was cocky, but I was not cocky just confident in what I do. Anything that they showed me saying on the show, I would say to your face as well. I’m just confident in my skills and I am in fact very approachable and certainly would not cross lines with someone I don’t know.
Autumn Lewis: [chuckles] But what about Siobhan, Ben?
Benjamin Knack: With Siobhan, I was straight up about her food, I was not going to sugar coat it.
RTVM: I think Fran thought you had it in for her as well Ben?
Autumn Lewis: Fran hated everyone and she took everything personally. Have you noticed that the people who took everything personally were eliminated one by one? You need to above all that and just focus on the food and great work.
Benjamin Knack: I agree, but there were also some great cooks there. Ed and Jason for example were both great cooks. I talk with Jason all the time, we visit each other’s restaurants. But it is also the drama that makes the show, people crave that drama and without it, it would be just an ordinary cooking show.
RTVM: So what is next for you both?
Benjamin Knack: I am a chef in Boston and will continue that. I am always looking for new opportunities. One thing people don’t know about me is that I cook with children, teaching families how to involve their children in cooking. I love when they come together as a family through cooking. You can all keep up with me at chefbenknack.com.
Autumn got disconnected at this point so we were unable to hear her future plans or get her contact information for her fans. Again, Autumn if you happen to read this, please let us know if you have a website or fan page where we can keep up with you! |
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Post by ariel on Aug 6, 2010 12:04:24 GMT -5
INTERVIEW #2 THE EXAMINER
Benjamin: Holli -- she has her family and she hasn't seen her kid in a whole. At the same time, I woke up with my daughter every morning and my wife. We had breakfast together, and my wife and I spend every single day with our daughter. We don't have a babysitter -- she's always with us. That was the first time I ever left my daughter or my wife. I don't travel and I'm not a big party animal ... so it was very tough for me on 'Hell's Kitchen'.
Feeling Holli's story where her husband or ex-husband or whoever he is takes care of her son while she goes out partying and doing other stuff, yeah, it might of hurt her [being away], but she doesn't spend as much time with her family as [me] or Autumn. With Jay, he wouldn't even care. They're his parents -- he sees them all of the time.
Nice low blow you bitter douche bag. smdh :/
Autumn: You can also find me, Autumn Lewis 'Hell's Kitchen', on Facebook -- where there's an amazing link to a montage made by a fan.(SHE IS TALKING ABOUT THE VIDEO ME AND JOEY MADE FOR HER)
: OOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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