Rhoda Magbitang | How a Preschool Teacher Became a Top Chef Winner!

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1:02Visit progressive.com and give the name your price tool a try. Take the stress out of shopping, and find coverage that fits your life on your terms. Progressive casualty, insurance company, and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. This episode of Off the Vine is brought to you by Macy's head in store at Macy's or go online at macy's.com and give your fall wardrobe a little remix. Thanks. Right now, if you go to wear figs.com and use code figs rx, you can get 15% off your first order. You're listening to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Rota Magwiteng, okay, the winner of Top Chef season 23, but what's really interesting about her story isn't just that she won. It's how she got there. She moved to the US from the Philippines at 17 years old, started out as a school teacher, completely changed careers, worked her way through some of the toughest kitchens in the country, became the first female executive chef at Knu House in Hawaii, and now officially a Top Chef champion, but today is not just about cooking.

2:03I want to talk about competition, changing your life when everyone thinks you're crazy. What success actually costs? Why women still have to lead differently than men? And what happens after you finally achieve the dream that you've been chasing? Let's get into it. I love talking to people whose lives like look absolutely nothing like they imagined it to look like, which is pretty much you, right? Yes. But yeah, well, when you were growing up, did you think this was going to be your life? Absolutely not. Yeah. Okay. It could not be any further from where I grew up and just like how, you know, you talk about environment and career paths and like all these things, like, how, you know, because you moved at what 17 to the US? I did. And from specifically where from Manila, okay, which is in the Philippines in the Philippines. Yeah. Okay. Amazing. Yeah. Yeah, I feel like if someone told you even at 17, what was going to happen? You wouldn't believe them, but you moved at 17.

3:03Did moving countries make you have to grow up really fast? Because I feel like at 17, I was, I always called myself a degenerate or a ding dong. I was like, such a degenerate at 17 years old. And I like couldn't fathom. I wanted to get out of my really small town, but I couldn't fathom it because you're 17. And I feel like that would force you to grow up really quickly. I mean, absolutely. Like I was well on my way, like on my path to being a ding dong. Yes. I mean, why, why would I skip that phase? Right. You know, you got to live it up and be a ding dong. But I, you know, like I would have moved to LA. I moved to my grandma's house, my grandparents' house, who I've didn't really spend a lot of time with. Yeah. Oh, well, and so, you know, it's kind of like getting to know new relatives and my dad was there, but he's always away for work. And so we, I was, I was forced to grow up. Yeah. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I guess so.

4:04But when your life is just uprooted at that age, it's, I mean, it's incredibly hard. Yeah. What was the biggest culture shock for you moving to LA? I'm going to get in trouble with it. Well, I mean, you have a, you have a picture of this, like America, when you move here from like a country like the Philippines. It's what you see in the movies and it's what you watch on television. And it was definitely nothing like that at all, you know, like what? Give me an example. I mean, I was in San Fernando Valley. I don't know if you're familiar with it. I am not. It's kind of like a suburb of Los Angeles. Okay. And I mean, they have a whole bravo show about the valley. Oh, yes. Of course, my friend is on it. Yeah. I didn't know that's where it was. It's just very different from from what I felt that way. Like when I grew up in Canada, I remember thinking like about America in general,

5:06watching it in the movies and then certain things like coming to the States. I was like, it's same, same, but very different from Canada. But I felt the same way like from what I thought in the movies to what it actually is. Right. It is different. And I don't really know how to explain it. It is. I mean, I also don't know what it's like to grow up in the Philippines. That's yes. And you don't want to sick sibling. So when you moved in with your grandparents, would your grandmother had a food stall? So that's my grandma in the Philippines. Yeah. In the Philippines. So like you grew up cooking with her. I grew up prepping prepping. Yeah. So did it feel special to you then where you like, oh, there's something here? Or was it just another chore for you? It was a chore like I just I gravitated towards it. You did. I really I love the feeling of of nurturing loved ones. Because you're a preschool teacher. I feel like that's kind of nurturing. Yeah. It's a very it's it's kind of like an innate thing. Yeah. You know, like I study like I went to a community college and started taking like classes to get into nursing school.

6:10And I took a few and I was like, this, yeah, I do not. I like nothing about this resonates with me. Yeah. So you're making simple snacks with them like a PB and J. Yes. Or like a turkey roll up and you're thinking I should go to culinary school. Naturally, naturally, you're like, I am crushing these rolled up turkey wraps. I need to be in culinary school. Or just enamored. Yeah. I, you know, the pallets of that age too, they really know it's refined. They're like, hmm, she's got some here. Yeah. Like those kids into look alike. They know it's up. Yeah. That's hilarious. That's I think I've told the story before on my podcast. But I, uh, nanied for a little boy who's dad one top chef, Canada. Oh, no way. Yes. And he, I like his dad was like wanted him to be healthy. So I made him girl chicken and vegetables. And I remember asking him like, how was it? And he's like, the chicken's a little dry. And he was like eight years old. And I was like, let's go myself. I'm like, will you dad one top chef dad?

7:12Sorry, it's not like handmade yoke. Oh God. I think a lot of people listening are all sitting at jobs like that they don't love because starting over feels very well, one, you're responsible, but two, like, uh, exhausting. Like it's so terrifying to start over, especially when you're thinking about a career. Uh, so in the middle of it, that's when you thought you're making a huge mistake. Yeah. And I was also working two jobs while going to school. And that's also not cheap to go to culinary school. It's so you're working two jobs and going to school. Mm hmm. When did you sleep? Uh, for some reason I, you know, that's why I didn't grow. I'm so sorry. That's why you're just a little girl. I get it. That's the beauty sleep that they lay in. It's a thing. That's why the models are so tall because they get their beauty sleep. That's so funny. Uh, that's so you were just grinding. I, it was, it was definitely grind. Yeah. And then did people support your decision or were they like, um, don't throw away a stable career?

8:15Um, if, if they didn't, I didn't hear a peep and which I'm very thankful for. Yeah. You know, like if you're not familiar with Filipino families, they're, they're opinionated. Right. And they're not afraid to share. Their opinions, right? And, um, but for some reason, like maybe, maybe they saw the vision, you know, and I, I doubt it. I was, they probably tried one year turkey wraps. They were like, this bitch just got something here. Yeah. So you worked in some of the hardest kitchens in the country. What is something people completely misunderstand about working in the restaurant at that level? In the beginning, I mean, it makes you question a lot of the decisions that you've made so far. Yeah. Because obviously, you know, like these, these chefs, like you, you see the amount of skill that they have. And it's not something that you just get. Like you have to work up to it as well.

9:16And it's not just the position. It's, it's knowing, like just looking at a whole fish and understanding why it's fresh or why it's not fresh. Yeah. Um, you know, like just being able to discern like what flavors go together, what, like all these combinations and why they work. And like all these, like things that are so unusual and like you wouldn't even think of like putting something to get, like putting a dish together. Yeah. And you're like, oh, wait, like, I know it's an art. Yeah. And it's, it's crazy. My friend is a chef. Well, he's not sorry. What I think of him as a chef, he's so good. And I watch him, like put things together and like he just cooks for his family. And I'm always like, you need to do something with this because he, it's something that like, like for me, I'm like, I'm such a good cook. I put tall pepper and like that's, I'm like, if I like dash a lemon, I'm like, you know, you can even like get a micro plan and just start like micro planning, like lemons, that's on stuff. And you're like, I don't even know what that means.

10:17I'm a chef. Yeah. Well, you are. Well, you are. I'm saying like you would say that. I could have was. Kitchens historically are male dominated. Yes. So did you ever feel like you had to lead complete, completely differently as a woman in the beginning? Yeah. Yeah. I, you have, like I felt like I had to overcompensate. Yeah. Because you know, like I'm, like, I'm a double minority. Like, you know, like I'm a woman and I'm Asian. And so, you know, sometimes and I've seen, I've met a lot of really fantastic female Asian chefs that just could command. Like they command, they have a commanding presence. Yeah. And it's, it's great to see and it's very inspiring. I felt like for me, my experience was I had to be extra like bitchy.

11:17Oh, and don't say that because you were that if a man did that, you would not be bitchy. You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right. And but I've seen that reaction as well from, you know, like other females. Right. Like, oh, like you're going to be like that. Like, you know, it's, it's really interesting. Yeah. But I think there's, there's so much. And this is why I love like just cooking as a profession. It's, it's still based on merit. You can't hack your way into like, you know, like a, like a top. Yeah, you shouldn't deserve it. Yeah. Because you can't, you know, like if you don't know how to season your food, like you, you're not, you're not going to get to where you're going to be. You need to be in your Caitlin. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You decide to go on national television after all this year. How did this even come up? How did you get to go on top chef? People have been like, I have several co-workers that have been like, you should go on top chef.

12:21I'm like, no, why? Because I don't want to subject myself to a national embarrassment. But you did. I did. Because I feel like you're the kind of person who, you don't, you like to get uncomfortable. You like to push yourself and do things that make you uncomfortable. So yeah, like you like, you're like, I'm not going to do it. Okay, that shows me that I should do it. Let's go. I, yeah, it was not in the cards for me. Like I just, like I resisted it for such a long time. Mm-hmm. I would even make excuses to not do it. But for some reason this time it just felt like it was the right time. And I don't think I could have done it and have been successful if it, if it were any other time in my life. I totally, I'm such a believer in timing and it being the right time. I mean, I remember I was supposed to go on dancing with the stars like years, or years before I did. And I was so bummed and it didn't work out for me.

13:23And I was like, literally depressed because it was my dream. And then I went on five years later somehow. I don't know how and one. And I'm like, okay, this was the right time. I wouldn't want back then because mentally I was not in a good place. And I was incredible by the way. Well, thank you very much. I was hoping to say that. You want to talk about that for the next hour I could. Yes. Please. No, I'm just kidding. No, we're talking about it. Well, I mean, like it's, you know, like it's such a crazy, rigorous competition. Yeah. It's so physical. Well, top chef is physical, mental, all those things too. Yeah, but I'm not, I'm not doing it in heels is the fair, but you could if you want to do. I could. Yeah, you absolutely could. Or is the timing of it? Like when they're counting down three, two, one, are you really ending at that time and everyone's like wiping something at the last second? 100%. I was 100%. I was like, the tricks of TV. This is not real. No way. The clock is real. Cool. Oh my gosh, not cool. Oh, but I feel like it would always somehow manages to like 30 minutes is like

14:23five minutes. Yeah. Top chef. Oh my gosh. Oh yeah, because I feel like time goes by so fast when you have that much pressure on you. Because of your gathering ingredients and you're trying to like think of like the next step and the, it's almost like you, you want to grow like three more arms out of your totally. Yeah. And it's, it's not possible. Yeah. Unfortunately, that would be, yeah, that would be an advantage for sure. Um, what did viewers never get to see that would have completely changed how they viewed the experience? It's the waiting. It's how we passed time. How do you pass time? We did puzzles. Really? Oh my god, we did like 5,000-piece puzzle. I don't even know. I love a puzzle. I just like, that's, I'm a puzzle nerd. Are you? Oh, I love a puzzle. Oh, it literally helps my anxiety. Like if I'm anxious reading or doing a puzzle, like I like old lady shit when I'm anxious. I feel it in my bones. I know you do too. There's just something about that first hint of fall that makes me look at my entire closet and suddenly decide I have nothing to wear.

15:23Me, my mother's approximately one million things just staring right back at me. So this year instead of convincing myself, I need a whole new wardrobe. I'm doing a little fashion remix with maces, finding a few new pieces that make the things I already own feel exciting again. So I'll give you an example. Maybe it's adding a great swayed bag to jeans and a simple top, finding that statement sweater you end up wearing constantly or a swap in your usual shoes for a pair of slouchy boots. I'm also very into the two tone jewelry happening right now because we're officially done choosing between gold and silver. Thank you. Thank you very much. I love mixing metals. And I think that's one of the best parts about fall fashion. Sometimes one new piece makes an outfit you've worn a hundred times feel completely different. Even just a jacket, something layering. You're not starting over. You're just giving your closet a little refresh. And that is what I love about maces. You can find all the fall trends that you're excited about. Make cement to your own style instead of completely reinventing it. A few new pieces, a closet full of things you already love. Suddenly getting dressed is fun again.

16:25Head in store at maces or go online at maces.com and give your fall wardrobe a little remix. But I feel like viewers like never actually know what it's like behind the scenes of TV. And I always find it fascinating. It's so fascinating. And I think, you know, like, and that's how we bond. Yeah. And that's how we've, like, just formed this drama though. Sure. What do you mean, sure? I mean, I don't think it's that much anymore. You know, you sort of see it come out in like the earlier seasons of Top Chef. Yeah. Where there's just tension. Yeah. But I think nowadays there's just no more benefit in being like an asshole on TV. Wow, tell that to the people on the internet. There's no benefit in being an asshole, you guys. What is the benefit of being an asshole? Are you talking about just like the people that do you deal with trolls?

17:27Oh my god, all the time. I'm like, I try not to pay attention because it's just like so such a waste of time. What do they criticize? No, that steak looked shitty. Or there was one that I just, I posted something recently. And, you know, it was like working the line or something. And this guy is like, this is just devastatingly unimpressive that you have to work the lot. Like I'm like, you came all the way over here in my comment section just to tell me that you loser. Get out of here. What was your favorite meal that you made on the show? Okay, this is, this might come as a surprise. Maybe not. I hated everything I did. I hated everything I made. Did you have to make like, you couldn't just choose obviously you had to make with. We, okay, so every challenge was within a specific, you know, parameter.

18:32You like your dishes have to fit the challenge with the exception of the finale, or finale meal. It's still, they still had, you know, like it had to be a toast. Like each course had to be a toast. And, but you can still make whatever you want. Okay. And so. I love that you want it. You're like, I don't like anything. I really don't. I, I, I just, I, because it's, you know, like when you develop dishes, like you, you do research and development. Uh-huh. You go through all that process. You, you know, like there's, there's a first pass and there's the 15th pass of the dish. And it has to be like right where you want it. And so like even, even my chefs now that I work with, when we change the menu, we taste the exact same dishes with like different tweaks, at least like three or four times before we get to like, okay, this is good. This can go on. Yeah.

19:33And top chef, you don't do that. Yeah. You know, like you kind of, you realize solely on instinct because we weren't allowed to have any recipes that, you know, like we brought from home. Right. You can, you can write on the notebook about like ideas and things like that, but it's, it's tough. It's tough to like something. And you're just like, I could have changed this and I could have changed that. And that just really changes your, your perception of the dish, like even if it did well. Mm-hmm. What would be your dream meal to cook for someone? If you're going to impress somebody, yeah, what would be your meal that you're going to choose to cook? I would cook something for somebody and I just want to impress the shit out of them. I'm going to build a fire outside. I'm already in. Okay. I love cooking with live fire. Yeah. And just, you know, like burying vegetables in the coals and then just, you know, long cooking and, and I love meat. Yeah. Deep meat. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I love meat too. Yeah. I love meat.

20:34I love seafood. Sorry, vegans. But I do, like I love making vegan food too. Like I love making vegetables, like, you know, vegetables are my, my friends. Yeah. And so, vegetables are my friends. I used to say that kids. I don't think that's in your Instagram bio. Vegetables are my friends. No, but it's, it's, it's, there's something so primal about that type of cooking and it kind of brings you back and like, you know, it, it'll take a few days to like for the smoke to come off your body. But it's, it's so rewarding. I love that smell. Now, I asked this because when I went on to the bachelor. Yeah. I was in a very confident place in my life. I was like, I feel good about where I'm at. I felt like all the other girls. I was like, I will make friends with them. And if he doesn't like me, that's on hand. Like, I was very confident going in and then TV exposed all my insecurities that I didn't even know I had. Yes. Did top chef make you more confident or did it expose your insecurities? You know those interviews that we do, like in this studio.

21:34Yeah. And they get to like, pick and choose what they're going to air. And some of the shit I set on there was wild. Yeah. Well, that's the thing. You sit in there for hours and they're going to take the weirdest things you probably say. I know. I know. You know, why do you want them in top chef? Oh, it's like probably gave like five different answers because they ask it every time. Yeah. Like, I just want to give my parents something else to talk about other than me getting married and having children. You know, and like, yeah, like they can brag about me winning top chef. Like, that's a good reason, right? I mean, I, yeah. But that's, I didn't realize that that's such a, like, you know, like I just kind of felt funny saying that it, it really, like the way that I talk about my food and the way that I, you know, like I approach it and, and, you know, when you conceptualize and everything. It really showed that I don't have that much of, I wanted to be confident.

22:39Like, I wanted to make sure that they know, like, I know what I'm talking about. But there's something about, you know, just the lights and like the setting and just the mindset that you're in during that time. Yeah. That you just question yourself all the time. And I just, I love when people are so confident about themselves and I watch, like I watch some of the clips and stuff and like, man, that person sounded really sure about themselves. And like, I wish I was like that. Oh, you know, that's amazing. But maybe you are. Maybe you got to see that side of yourself that you didn't know was in there. I, maybe, but it didn't really show very much. I see. You know, well, do they show more of your personality or more of your cooking? I think like there were glimpses of my personality. I felt like, you know, like, I think it was more my cooking than, you know, my personality. And I don't have like the biggest personality ever.

23:41But I think I'm kind of like more fun than they showed. Yeah. Yeah. That's how I always felt about it. Even a lot of people I meet who are one way on TV, you just realize that people are so much more like rounded. What's the word I'm looking for? Like, well, rounded. Like animated, you know, like, I think I'm really funny. Yeah. I love it. I have a bunch of hypotheticals I want you to answer, okay? So first one, you cooked someone in a elaborate dinner for a first date and they asked for ketchup. Are you seeing them again? If I made fries, it's okay. Okay. Anything else? Ketchup is, I like ketchup. Oh, I thought you were going to say like foul or something else. No way. Oh, okay. I like ketchup. Wow. Yeah. Okay. Thank you for validating me. I also like it's a top condiment. Right. Yeah. I love, okay. Someone sends back your dish because it's too flavorful. What are you saying when you walk back into the kitchen? That happens more often than you would think.

24:42Okay. What do you say when you go back in the kitchen with it? Take the flavor off? Yeah. I wanted to sink. Yeah. I think you turned on the faucet. Run the fish on there. Like put it back on the plate. Perfect. Yeah. There you go. Send back. Okay. You have to permanently eliminate one. Ready? Garlic butter, salt or onions. Oh, that's insane. I know. It's evil. That is insane. I know. That's why I asked it. I'd say butter. Mm. That's fair. Yeah. That's fair. Yeah. Okay. You cook the best meal of your entire career, but no one can ever know you made it. Or you make a mediocre meal that wins you another major award, which one are you choosing? I'd rather cook an amazing meal. Fair. I'll just hope you need to know. Yeah. You can only use five ingredients for the rest of your career. Career. What are they? Olive oil. Wood salt, cow. Yep. Okay.

25:43No. No. That's. Nope. She looks at me like bitch. Just kidding. No. Thank you. Olive oil. Garlic. Onion. Yeah. Right? I mean, no, actually scratch onion. I'll go with shallots. We get two more after this. I know, but that's not it. Like, wait, those are the only ingredients I can use. Ever. Butter. Now you're throwing a loophole up. Well, because I mean, you know, like I need sustenance. Like if, if, okay, next question, you're cooking. Scraps up. You're cooking for Beyonce. She takes one bite and says, do you have any ranch? What happens next? I will make her ranch from scratch. I like that. Yeah. She will, she will have the best ranch of her life. But if she asks for a hidden valley, I will run to the store.

26:45Oh, and get hit because of Beyonce. It's beyond say. Okay. You're opening your dream restaurant, but you have to name it after your most embarrassing childhood nickname. What is the restaurant called? I can't wait. Oh my god. I can't believe you're making me say this. You know, when I was, when I was very young, like my face, my, my two front teeth were too big for my face. Same. That my people in my class called them dinner plates. So at school, they called me Rhoda Rat Killer. Oh. So I mean, that's kind of gangster. It is kind of gangster. Rhoda Rat Killer. I mean, there is a movie about a rat, you know, cooking in France called Ratatouille. Yeah. I will call my restaurant Rhoda Rat Killer. Love that. Why not? I mean, it would be, before I got these implants, because they're so big now, people used to tease me in high school, call me Caitlin Nobrestos.

27:51Yeah. Yeah. Would you name your restaurant that? No. No. But if I had to, that's the hypothetical. So yeah, I guess I'd have to. But you have to impress someone with one bite, not one dish, literally one bite. What are you feeding them? Oh, that is really good. Like a perfectly roasted carrot. Oh, I love a roasted carrot. Yeah. What are you putting on it? Honey? Well, maybe a little honey or maybe maple and something like a smoked paprika or something. And like put like a little bit of goat cheese on there, maybe some pistachios. Oh heck. And just like a little thing, you know, just shove it in your mouth. They don't underestimate a carrot. I love a carrot. Oh, that's like when, remember when Brussels sprouts became a thing? They still are, but it's still is. That's crazy. It was kind of like incredibly like just underrated. Yeah. I agree. Um, we're moving on.

28:52Just so you don't think this next one is hypothetical. You said your dream isn't necessarily to just keep climbing the restaurant ladder forever. You want to build a B&B centered around food, sustainability and community. Tell me where this dream came from. I think it came from when I started working at these hotels that are just, you know, like you're just enveloped in luxury. And there's so much thought that went in just designing a space. And I love how a like a very well curated space makes you feel. You know, when it's like there's so much understated like a kind of anticipatory service in there. And you're just like, oh, like I love that they thought about that. Have you ever been to the Hamptons? I have to visit a friend. So you just say to hotel. I didn't say to hotel. There's a spot in Monta, called Moram.

29:53It's a hotel, but it's like very unassuming from the outside. Like it looks like a little motel, but it's so chic and it's very intentional with everything they do. And everything's outside. So if you're having a drink, it's outside. If you're having dinner, it's outside. And the chefs there are just unbelievable. And it's very tiny little kitchen. And they like do this fireside chat. They're just like very intentional. And I feel like you would love a spot like that. I love that. Yeah. I love that so much because I know personally the amount of work that it takes. To get to that point. And to be able to execute something like that, like flawlessly. And when the guests don't feel like it was a lot of work, it's just so effortless. And obviously you agree. Something like that would really work at a space that's just so well thought. But yeah, I mean, I work for a bearish.

30:53And so that is, you know, like they have a slew of luxury, like hotels all over. And every single place has its sense of, you know, like it has a sense of place. And so I love thinking of things like that. Yeah. And it's special. It is. It really is. I love that. Okay. Something I think we can all agree on is that if you have to wear something for an entire work day, like eight, 10, 12 hours, it better be comfortable. But also comfortable does not have to mean ugly, right? I would like to look cute and be able to move. Thank you very much. And if you work in healthcare, figs clearly understood the assignment. Figs make scrubs that are lightweight, they're breathable, stretchy, and anti-microbial. So they're actually designed to keep up with you through the long shifts back to back patients and approximately five million steps a day. But I think what really sets figs apart is the fit personally.

31:53These aren't those stiff boxy scrubs that you probably picture when you hear the word scrubs. They're tailored, they're sleek, they come in so many cute styles and colors with pocket zippers and details that actually make sense for people who are working and moving all day. Because the scrubs are basically your work uniform, then they really should make you feel good when you put them on. So whether you're heading into the yard, the clinic, grabbing that very deserved coffee for your shift, do it in figs. Right now if you go to wear figs.com and use the code FigsRx, you can get 15% off your first order. That's wear figs.com promo code FigsRx. Like moving forward, you've obviously one top chef you've done so much with your career. What does success look like for you now? What's next? I'm taking it day by day, girl. Yeah, that's great. I mean, it's so hard to think about what's going to happen tomorrow. I mean, obviously I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Death row meal, okay?

32:54Your drink, your appetizer, your main course, your side dish, your dessert. What is your death row meal? Start with that drink. What do you sip in? I'm sipin' in a groany. Mmm, I love a groany. I know a groany. It's so good. You could even do a mascot one? Yeah. Oh, I just started getting into a mascot. Really? I do like that. Yeah, it's great. I love a good mascot. And you're one of my favorite drinks. I would probably give me a bucket of fried chicken for your appetizer for my entire meal. Oh, wait. Start with that. That's your main meal. What's your appetizer? My appetizer. I love a bucket of fried chicken. I know, it'd be too. But it has to be like, quality. It's not... Nothing, I love KFC. Pop-pop eyes. I love it all. I might be a little salty sometimes. Oh. Do some... Right under the sink. See? Do you learn something today? Yeah, I learned something very educational today.

33:55I love a good, like, perfectly poached shrimp cocktail. Mmm. With like, the super, like, burn your nose, like, horse radish. Yes. Like, cocktail sauce. Are you throwing lemon on there? I'm gonna throw a lemon on there. For sure. I'm gonna put a little like a citrus. I love a citrus. Right. Right. Okay. The main course would be a bucket of fried chicken. The bucket of fried chicken for sure. I love that. We'll decide a cool salt. What's sitting next to it? Some corn. Oh. Yeah. Yeah. Some cream corn, you know? Cream corn, yeah. And, like, a gravy. Wow. I love a good gravy. Are you a Southern? Maybe. Maybe I could be. Okay. What's the dessert? My dessert would probably be. Have you ever been on, um, have you ever been in Jones on Hollywood? No. It's like this super moody restaurant, um, on Santa Monica Boulevard.

34:57And they have this dessert. It's, and I'm not big on pies, but they have like this apple pie. Mm-hmm. That is super hot. And it comes out like in the skillet. An all the sugar and the crust kind of gets caramelized on the skillet. Yep. And then they put like ice cream on there. Yep. I want it. I'm right now like my mouth is watering. Same tea. Um, and you know, like you take a bite and there's like crunch and the sugar kind of gets stuck in your teeth. Yep. And the apples are perfectly co- like it's something about that dessert. And I just like, I love that. Yeah it sounds blogging. Yeah. Uh, I've won last game for you before we go. Please. As a chef, you have to defend it or send it straight to jail. Okay. I'm curious what you're going to say about this one. I love that. I do it. Catch up on eggs. Oh, I mean, I love ketchup on eggs. I only eat ketchup. Like, I only eat eggs with ketchup because I love it fried. And when you fry the eggs and you put ketchup on it, it's like, it turns into soup.

35:58It's great. It is great. Okay, I did not think we were going to be aligned on this one. Fantastic. That's great. A well done steak. Send it to jail. Send it to jail. I agree. Ranch on pizza. I'll fuck with that. Okay, I will too. Yeah. Pineapple on pizza. Oh, 100 percent. Yes, we too. Okay, change to the game. It's in it or sending to jail. Trouble oil. Send it to jail. Why are we so on the same page? Everyone loves truffle and it's so over done. It's disgusting. It smells. Truffle oil has not touched a truffle. Just so you know. Tell me more. Like, it's a completely synthetic product. It's not good. Jail. Okay, I want to know what other people think about that one because that's controversial. That's like cilantro. Do you like cilantro? I love cilantro. Me too. But truffle oil, I feel like people die for truffle oil. Yeah.

36:58I mean, and you know, sure, live your life. Don't you have anybody's young? Never. Ordering chicken at a steakhouse. There should not be as chicken dish at a steakhouse. I agree. Putting hot sauce on a chef's food before tasting it. Absolutely not. Jail. Jail. Jail. Jail. Expensive caviar. Um. Well, caviar is just this thing that I'm kind of. You got the same PR as Brussels sprouts. That's how I think. But it's just like, there's so like the origin of caviar is just like very diluted now. And what makes it get expensive? The fish that they place at that. I mean, you know, yeah. Yeah, but I'll. I won't say no. Okay. Took a caviar. What about using jarred garlic instead of freshly chopped? My sister uses jarlick.

37:59Damn it. I do. Jarlick. That's good. I use jarlick. Yeah. Is it bad? It's not. It's not. I think it has its applications. And also like when you chop garlic, like it gets everywhere. I know. Sticky. I know. I get it. I feel like I'm doing something right when I do it, but it's just so much more convenient to use the jar. Yeah. Exactly. I used to like turn up my nose on peeled garlic. Like peeled whole garlic. Really? Because I was, you know, I was so snotty. Like just like, I mean, snooty, I guess is the word. Yeah. But it's, I just like, I don't know. Like there's something about like peeling garlic because like my grandma peeled garlic for herself. Like, you know, she'd spend hours like peeling garlic. So I'm like, oh, that's the right way to do it. Yeah, I hear you. Now they do it at prisons. They peel the garlic. Yeah. That's their job. That's their. For their food that there's probably no garlic in it. No, it's flavor there. You know, like a lot of like these peeled garlic companies, they hire people for crazy to peel garlic.

39:00Also same like when you call a company and you get an operator, a lot of times it's people in jail. Oh nice. Yeah. Good job. Air friars. I don't own one. Okay. But I completely get it. Okay. Oh, wait, I had another, wait, I have one more question. Where was that in my notes? Michelle, if you're traveling, yeah. Are you looking for a Michelin star restaurant? Are you looking for the whole in the wall? Good spot. I love a hole in the wall. Yeah. I, I, I, I mean, I wouldn't turn up my nose on a, you know, good Michelin, like Michelin star restaurant. Yeah. But I, I love, I love like a, you know, like a good find. Me too. Yeah. Thank you again for coming here. This was so fun. This is so much fun. I honestly like I had there, like I don't, I purposely like, you know, obviously like I watched your, your podcasts, but I didn't have any expectations and you blew it out of the water. Thanks. It's amazing.

40:01That's, I love what I do. So thank you for saying that because this is like my dream job and I can't play if I get to do it. Oh my God. I love that. Yeah. Thank you for having me. Of course. And everyone listening, working everybody find you. Like Instagram. Like social media. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, I am on Instagram. Yes. Rocky wrote a kill. Yeah. Good nickname. No. Oh. Rotoract killer. Oh yeah. That's all right. Oh yeah. If you love this episode, make sure you're subscribed wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Caitlin Brasso and I'll see you next Tuesday. Hey, all.

41:11It's Savannah, Chris Lee. And I've got a new podcast titled unlocked. We're creating a space for people to truly be vulnerable. You're used to seeing me having to have this picture perfect bow on the life that I live. And frankly, that's not who I am. I'm a little wild. I'm a little crazy. And I love really, really hard. I really hope that you'll join me every Tuesday as I bring on friends, family and some guests that I'm pretty sure you're going to recognize. Listen and follow unlocked now on Apple podcast, Spotify, Amazon music, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.