Though Top Chef is far from a typical day in a restaurant, the high-stakes cooking competition can teach a lot to those who take part in it. For Brittanny Anderson, it was a stark realization that what she’s cooking–and who she is as a chef–may not be what she realizes. Though she entered the show confident in her unique perspective of alpine food, she went tumbling from that peak when she finished in the bottom with TC BFF Sasha Grumman. After Sasha’s subsequent elimination, Brittanny tried to keep her head in the game as she was tasked with cooking a dish inspired by the Pan-African diaspora. Her mackerel dish attempted to pull from her fishing roots, but the judges felt nothing on the line. They called her dish monotone and depthless, with head judge Tom Colicchio even saying she’s “not letting herself cook.” It’s words that Brittanny took to heart as she left the show soon after and advice she has taken into her day-to-day. Read on to hear Brittanny’s thoughts on her time in the game, and check out Last Chance Kitchen to watch her and other eliminated chefs fight for redemption and a chance to get back into the competition. What compelled you to apply for Top Chef, especially in the middle of the pandemic when things are so hard on the restaurant industry? Since the industry had kind of shut down for a bit, I felt like I had more flexibility to go away for a while to compete. I also felt like it was an important time to promote our businesses because of the insane downturn during the pandemic. You spoke in the most recent episode about being surprised at how quickly you lost your confidence on Top Chef. Was there any particular point when it happened, and why did you lose it so quickly? I feel like I never really found my footing in the competition. I’m usually super confident, but the setting and the challenges really threw me off! It’s clear you made a bond with Sasha during both of your times on the show. What was it about her that made for a quick connection? We had met before the show was filmed and had become friends already, so it was a natural fit. We also cook pretty similarly! She’s like a sister to me now. You were clearly emotional after Sasha was eliminated, feeling “survivors’ remorse” in staying over her. Were you surprised to see her go over you at that moment? I was surprised that we were in the bottom! We both really liked our dish and thought it was great. I think she’s super talented, so it was pretty shocking to see her eliminated. After Sasha’s elimination, you spoke about keeping your head in the game and keeping out negativity. Given you kept finishing in the bottom, how difficult was that to do? It was extremely difficult! I struggled with editing my dishes and decision-making while I was on the show. I definitely felt like I was underwater during this episode. The judges said your dish was bland, monotone, and lacked contrast. How did it feel hearing those critiques at the moment? It didn’t feel great! I think that compared to a lot of the other bold flavors showcased in this episode, my dish was much milder. However, I thought it tasted great. Subtlety can be nice! Things really come out at Judges’ Table when Tom says you’re not letting yourself cook, which you agreed with. Can you talk more about that realization that the food you had been cooking was from your head rather than your heart? I just couldn’t figure out what the judges were looking for, and that was my mistake. I thought about the judges way too much and not thinking about what I actually like to eat. Were you surprised to be eliminated over Kiki or Chris? No, I think their dishes were more connected with who they were. And that’s important. You spoke on your way out about how Top Chef taught you who you are and what you wanted to cook. How did you change your cuisine with everything you learned from the show? I’ve learned to loosen up a little bit with my concepts. I used to be very rigid about using only certain ingredients and not branching out into other culture’s food. But Top Chef taught me that blending cuisines can really enhance food, so I have been exploring that fusion lately. Are there any links or recommendations on how to help yourself and other chefs during this time? I am really happy to support Restaurants After Hours. It helps people in the industry with mental health counseling and support groups! Next, check out our interview with Sasha Grumman, who was eliminated in Episode 2.
