After nearly going home on the season premiere of Top Chef: Charleston, Chef John Tesar totally redeemed himself during last night’s episode.
Last night’s episode focused on South Carolina’s unique Lowcountry cuisine, and Tesar took a big risk — using okra. It might be one of the South’s most beloved ingredients, but Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio has made it endlessly clear that okra is one of his most-hated ingredients.
When asked about the risk, Tesar says that it was totally worth it. “If Tom didn’t like it, I didn’t care because it was good,” he told Eater this morning. “I thought the okra was fabulous. It was up to Tom to maintain his objectivity as a judge, and he’s always had the integrity to do that.”
The funniest line of last night’s episode also (not surprisingly) came from Tesar. In the midst of the veteran chefs’ preparation when things got a little testy in the kitchen, the ever self-aware Tesar broke the tension. “When I become the voice of reason, we all have to stop worrying,” he said.
Tesar didn’t take home the top honors — last night’s winning dish was created by former Dallasite Casey Thompson, who is currently working in Napa — but his caramelized okra, Carolina rice, and crab gravy dish was named as one of the night’s top three. Now, it’s pretty clear that Tesar’s less-than-stellar performance in the first episode might have just been a fluke.