I'm not sure how long I'm supposed to respect the "Top Chef" cone of silence in this DVR, watch-it-when-I-get-around-to-it era, but best not to take chances lo these 36 hours after Wednesday's show aired on national television.
Whatever possibly still-unspeakable thing happened to Baltimore chef Timothy Dean on the episode, he talks about it in a story I wrote in today's Sun.
Spoiler alert: Don't read the "Top Chef" story, or the rest of this blog post, if you don't want to know.
In an interview Thursday afternoon, Dean acknowledged that the bland turnips that got him ousted from the show were a disappointment. But he also said the cooking conditions -- out in a field, using hot plates and grills -- didn't help.
"I personally think I should have cooked another day, but God bless everyone on the show and Bravo," Dean said.
Earlier in the episode, Dean failed to impress judges with a dish that should be a cinch for a Maryland chef: crabs. But Dean said the the judges -- the panel included guest judge Patrick O'Connell of the Inn at Little Washington -- seemed not to appreciate the straightforward way Marylanders like their crustaceans. (They favored Asian-inspired crab dishes over Dean's.)
"You know in this region, we don't do a lot with our crabs but put some seasoning on," Dean said. "I kept it really simple-and-clean flavors. … The Maryland crab is the star. We let it sing."
Dean said the show has given a boost to his Fells Point restaurant, Prime Steakhouse. He also said he plans to open another Prime location at Boulevard at the Capital Centre in Largo, in the 7,000-square-foot space that previously housed The Sideline, a now-shuttered restaurant owned by former Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington.
Dean's lawyer, Jimmy A. Bell of Bowie, said that restaurant is slated to open in 90 days and will not be affected by the bankruptcy proceedings related to Dean's defunct Baltimore bistro and lounge.
"That's a whole separate entity," Bell said. "He's not doing anything Donald Trump isn't doing. When you start a business, you create separate entities."
Bravo photo