'Top Chef All Stars' Two Chefs Depart with Dignity

Last night's third episode of Bravo's 'Top Chef All Stars' was a bittersweet affair. Two of the remaining sixteen chefs were eliminated after a particularly difficult challenge in which they were asked to re-create the style of some of the finest chefs in New York City.

Four teams visited four different places: David Burke's Townhouse, which specializes in New American cuisine; Ma Peche, the restaurant owned by David Chang that blends the French and Vietnamese styles; Michael White's Marea, a new style Italian restaurant; and wd-50, Wiley Dufresne's adventure in molecular gastronomy.

The two eliminated chefs found themselves attempting to emulate Michael White and David Burke. Both dishes showed ambition, but were flawed. In a competition as tough as 'Top Chef All Stars,' those flaws were enough to send these two chefs packing.

Stephen Asprinio from season one and Dale Levitski from season three were asked to pack their knives and go home. For Stephen, who is more of a front of the house man these days, exiting 'Top Chef All Stars' was not unexpected. Dale, however, had assumed he'd go farther, but unlike either Elia or Jen, Dale accepted his ouster with equanimity. Here's their thoughts about the 'Top Chef All Stars' experience.

First, Stephen Asprinio:

You mentioned that you were out of the kitchen for a while ... were you worried about competing in 'Top Chef All Stars'?

Yes. This was the most cooking I've done since 'Top Chef' season one. I don't really cook on a day-to-day basis anymore. It's not what I do and I don't claim to be a working chef. I'm pretty much a businessman in the hospitality business right now. ... My dream is to become a restaurateur. My first restaurant did very well and now I'm in New York looking into my next thing.

Doing 'Top Chef All Stars' was not about getting into a competition, it was about the experience. I'd be out of my mind if I thought I was going to come in and sweep out Tre Wilcox, Richard Blais, Angelo Sosa, Dale Talde, etc. ... My strengths are in a different area. So I just had a great time with these people. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. A lot of fun.

How difficult was the challenge, emulating someone else's cooking style?

Tom Colicchio has written a book about that subject alone called 'Think Like A Chef.' That was my shortcoming in the challenge. I was out of practice. Typically, that should not be a problem for most chefs because you're always adapting to different environments, whether it's making seasonal menu changes or doing tasting menus on a weekly basis. The fish was cooked perfectly, but obviously there were some flaws, which ultimately led to my demise.

Who are the most likely to make it to the finals of 'Top Chef All Star'?

Without a doubt, Angelo Sosa, Richard Blais, Tiffani Faison and probably Dale Talde, as well. I don't know him, but I know the other three. They are all great, accomplished chefs. It's anybody's game, of course, but those are the ones I would watch.

You and Tiffani were in season one ... how has 'Top Chef' changed?

It's evolved in an amazing way, (by) Bravo and Magical Elves. It's not just a brand and a business. They have every imaginable ingredient under the sun in the 'Top Chef' kitchen now. We didn't have that in season one. They have all the stuff for molecular gastronomy, every spice known to man from every part of the world. It's a whole different ball game. It's evolved in a very good way.

Tiffani and I were sitting there and laughing like, 'Are you kidding me?' We had tried to prep in our heads what it would be like and we thought we had a good handle on it. But when we showed up, everything we thought went out the door.

Has the judging been fair this season?

Saying that the judging hasn't been fair would question the integrity of Tom Colicchio and you can't do that. There's no reason for him to be anything but fair. As far as the other judges, Gail Simmons is the most honorable person I've ever met in this industry. She's pretty pure. I think the judges are very fair.

What's it like to be part of the 'Top Chef' family?

It's fantastic. It's been great to see the evolution of the brand. It's like watching a child grow. We had no idea what was going to happen in season one. Tiffani and I really feel like we started it all with Harold and Lee Anne and Dave and the others. 'Top Chef' really captured what it's all about in cooking, which is integrity versus shows like 'Hell's Kitchen,' which is like a circus act. I'm really proud to be part of the 'Top Chef' family.

The second eliminated chef was Dale Levitski:

Do you think your dish for the elimination challenge was too much?

Given the challenge that we had, the cuisine I was supposed to emulate was over the top. I'm sure you saw that some of [Burke's] dishes were about excess and whimsy. I would have to say more than my competitors, I did go there. But it didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to.

If you had a chance to go back, how would you have fixed that dish?

At judges' table, my biggest argument was that there were two things wrong with my dish. One was structure and the other was my sauce. The structure of the dish was way off. Everything on the dish was perfectly cooked, but the structure. Poor structure can ruin the way that you eat it.

The sauce was too sweet because I had to use boxed chicken stock and when I reduced it, it became bitter. I added butter and honey and it became more syrupy than I wanted it to be. My sauce killed the balance between savory and sweet.

I can't defend the dish, but I am going to rework it and put it on the menu here. Conceptually it was good, but in execution and structure, it was a trial run and it bit me in the ass.

How did you get back into the 'Top Chef' mode?

Season one was the first that developed the show, but season three was the first time that they went after talented resumes. It had been so long since I'd done the show, three years, and my life was completely different. I didn't have a restaurant then, so doing 'Top Chef' was like a 'Hail Mary' for a fun life experience. I didn't have a care in the world.

This time around, I have an amazing restaurant and the responsibility I have for it was a factor that I hadn't put into the mix. When I landed in New York, I really missed my restaurant and I had this anxiety of wanting to be home.

How was this season different from your season?

The challenges were much more difficult than the other seasons. The producers have said that they made them tougher because this is the best of the best. It was another world.

Was it a different dynamic this time because you knew some of the people you were competing against?

Oh yes, the dynamic was completely different. The first time, we met each other and in season three, only a handful of us had heard of each other. On 'All Stars,' we were supportive but in a different way. I've been in the 'Top Chef' world for three years. This was very friendly, but more competitive in a way that was a little off-putting for me.

Do you think the judges got it wrong in their choices this season?

Hmm ... I don't know. Am I proud of what I did last night? No. I think in a double elimination, that's tough. Would I have gone home if it had been a single elimination? No. It basically came down to Fabio and I at the judges' table and everyone on the cast expected Fabio to go home. ... Being booted for a concept that was good, but not executed well, was tough. Will I say that they were wrong? No, I won't be a prima donna and say I should still be there. It's their decision. They're people with opinions.

Do you think Jen and/or Elia were prima donnas in the way they departed the show?

No, I do not. I think the most amazing thing about being on a 'reality' show is showing how personally connected we are to the work, the passion of what we do. With Jen and Elia, it came out. We are what we do. It is frustrating to go out this early. You're frustrated because you know you are so much better than the challenge you were given.

These challenges put you in the worst possible positions that none of us, especially at this level in the 'All Stars,' are ever faced with because we have worked for years and years to not be in those situations. Jen and Elia are amazing, lovely; awesome women and they have unbelievable passion for what they do.

'Top Chef' airs Wednesdays at 10PM ET on Bravo.