What are some lessons you took away from the experience? Like yourself on camera, or yourself as a chef, what did you really take away from the experience?
Das: This experience was really special. We put ourselves out there for the whole world to see us, for the whole world to criticize us, to view us and whatever they may think it is…so the experience that I really got from it – do more camera stuff, get involved with the camera. Really view in on my culinary point of view and what that is. Before we went on the show, I’d say a lot of us didn’t even know. When they asked us what our culinary point of view is, we hadn’t even thought about it. This is an experience that really lets you know yourself, and what you want your message to be to the world. That’s one of the biggest experiences I got from it.
What do you hope the viewers at home think about you after watching your experience on the show?
Das: I hope they think that I am charismatic, I am a fun guy, I can definitely teach. I teach at Beverly Hills High School, so I know that I can teach viewers about food. That’s one thing, I think the show didn’t really put my personality out there as much as I like. I have a great, great personality, I’ve always had a charming, humorous type of personality, and I just want people to know that I am a cool guy, but I’m not cocky or conceited or anything of that sort. I am confident; I do believe that I can do a good job as far as teaching the nation about food, teaching what I love to teach. That’s something I would want viewers to know about me – I’m a fun guy to be around, I love people, I love food and with those two things, it’s a good combination in a TV personality.
How was your experience from top to bottom? What do you think was your best triumph and where you felt most excited about being there?
Das: It was a roller coaster ride from the beginning. I was at the bottom, in the first challenge, I was at the absolute bottom, and the next week I was at the top. So it was a complete roller coaster ride. I was up and down. My worst feat on the show would definitely be serving the raw chicken in that first episode, right out the gate, and I definitely didn’t want to start like that. And I do think that altered the way I was thinking as far as cooking, not going as far out there with my food, just because I wanted to make sure I had enough time to get it done. Playing it safe for the most part, just because in that first episode I did get burned. But that Santa Monica Pier, with the lemon pepper chicken wings, I think that was one of my biggest accomplishments on the show, because I was able to show viewers that I was there for a reason, and that I was comfortable in front of people, talking and catering and putting out a good meal. That was a big accomplishment for me, especially after the week I had before that. So being able to bounce right back, I feel like that was pretty good.
Do you have any advice for Aarti or any of the other remaining chefs? Anything you think they could learn from your experience?
Das: Just have fun. I think I was too busy worrying about the raw chicken dish and things that I’d done in my past that weren’t that good, and I forgot to have fun. I was just so high-pressure, stressed out, just trying to make sure everything went all right and I was forgetting to have fun. At this point I’d say continue to have fun.
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