As this Wednesday, season 13 of ”Top Chef” enters the quarter-finals, we wanted to know a little more behind the scenes of the M6 culinary competition, and in particular about the alleged ”food waste’ ‘ which is debated on social networks with each episode broadcast. Romuald Graveleau, the show’s program director since season 2, answered our questions.
1/Why do the candidates prepare more plates than there are members of the jury?
In reality, they prepare one more for each event, it’s the ”beauty shot”, the one that will be photographed and filmed. As the plates go immediately for tasting, this additional plate will be devoured by the eyes then, once the images have been shot, it will be devoured for real by the members of the technical team or Stéphane Rotenberg, whose box is just opposite. from the studio! It also happens that he puts a spoon in the saucepans or the preparations of the candidates after the end of the test. I think he is the one who has been tasting the dishes of ”Top Chef” for the longest time because he has been present since season 1. This allows him to debrief with the members of the jury in off. It’s never filmed, but there are often great discussions about the dishes. Whether they loved it or whether they were disappointed, this gives rise to long debates between the facilitator and the brigade leaders.
2/How long does it take between the end of the test and the tasting?
There is almost no beating because we straighten off for tastings at the right temperature, whether hot or cold. Basically, at each end of the test, the rule is as follows: all the preparations are on a sideboard, the candidates go to the viewing to attend the comments, then one by one, they have three minutes to straighten the plate with the items taken from the trolley, which allows deferred shipments. These straightenings are done under the control of their referent journalist, who took care to take a photo of the ”beauty shot” plate beforehand, to check that nothing is added or different. ”Top chef” being a filmed cooking competition, the idea was that television should not be a constraint for cooking, that it should be television that adapts to cooking, and not the other way around. It has always been our leitmotif. Each season, we have ceased to adapt.
3/ What happens to cooked dishes when they are not eaten?
They are all tasted, except for the establishment which is not selected in ”the war of restaurants”. This is the only case in which the dishes are not eaten because the restaurant is not opening. The candidates are extremely disappointed, they find themselves in general with the cameramen, the sound engineers, the journalists and the members of the management. It can’t necessarily be seen, but there are around 70 people working on the filming of this event. So, before leaving the premises and going for an interview, they distribute what has been prepared to the members of the team instead of serving it a few hours later. They have a quick meal between them before leaving. And everyone takes the opportunity to cheer them up.
4/ Is the pantry as stocked as it looks?
Less and less ! In thirteen years, we have evolved. Today, like all players in the world of gastronomy, we have an ecological responsibility, we pay attention to waste. The first years, yes, the pantry was extremely well stocked. On the other hand, in recent seasons, there is certainly still as much choice, but there is less quantity. There is no longer this abundance as there may have been at the beginning. This is the mission of the people who take care of the bursar’s office.
5/ What does the production of the food that was not chosen do?
Everything that is not cooked by the candidates – that is to say, fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and other fresh and perishable products purchased from several suppliers – is given every three days to the local branch. of the Red Cross, in this case that of Aubervilliers, in Seine-Saint-Denis, which then takes care of making packages and distributing them to families. Thus, several tons of food are distributed each season. We really try not to throw anything away, or as little as possible.
6/Do candidates have the right to request specific utensils or products?
They can always ask, but we are not forced to give them, even if we often accede to requests. That’s what we tell them at the start of the season. The requested product or utensil will then be available to everyone, nothing will be reserved for someone. For example, we may have been asked for nitrogen to cool preparations, fir branches or hay for special cooking, specific spices or condiments… On the other hand, given that the candidates do not know the subjects of the tests in advance, they cannot make a request just before.
7/Are there tasters who dip their fork before the members of the jury?
It’s a legend ! Tasters do not exist. From the moment the timer is started, apart from the candidates, the brigade leaders and the guest chefs, no one tastes the preparations. It is the opinion of the chefs who taste that takes precedence. They are in the best position to judge.
8/Are the brigade leaders often in disagreement?
Yes, and for once, we hide nothing, when there is debate, we show it. Sometimes they agree on the positive elements or on the negative if the candidate is wrong, sometimes they disagree according to their sensitivity, their expectations but also their personal projection in relation to the theme. For example, Glenn Viel, for whom this is his first season as team leader, has often put himself in the shoes of a candidate to imagine what he would have done and how in his place. Cooking can be very divisive. There are things that give you a little less desire than others… The fact remains that Stéphane likes to taste even what does not necessarily attract him, because he is very curious and involved in the program, as are the candidates, the chefs and the technical team. In off, the debates can last for hours. Luckily not everyone agrees all the time, so that’s good too.
9/ Watching the show, we often have the impression that the quantities cooked are enormous…
Not that much, really! Chefs and candidates all now have an ecological and responsible conscience and are committed to limiting waste. And if they only take a fillet from a fish, or if a product has been eaten away, the people in charge collect what’s left and distribute it on a rotating basis, so that nothing is thrown away. If the products that were to be donated to the Red Cross are damaged, we suggest that the team members help themselves to anything that has not been distributed to limit losses as much as possible.
10/Why don’t the candidates wear caps or hats?
Girls and boys with long hair are picked up by the members of the jury if their hair is not tied back, but it is true that they are not wearing a cap or hat. It’s the only small departure from the rules of hygiene, for television purposes: if they all wore hats in addition to jackets, we wouldn’t recognize anyone! It’s really for viewers to identify them more. However, we do not prohibit headgear, some wear accessories to be as legit as possible with hygiene, such as a headband or a hat.
”Top Chef”, season 13, every Wednesday from 9:10 p.m., on M6.