When Hilo-born chef Sheldon Simeon competed on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” season 10 in Seattle, he quickly became a fan favorite well beyond Hawaii and made it to the finals.
Four seasons later, the 34-year-old Simeon, who now lives on Maui, has added restaurateur to his resumé. He and his wife, Janice, own and operate Tin Roof, a mom-and-pop eatery in Kahului which elevates the local plate lunch concept by serving in bowls with an upscale twist to the food, at an affordable price.
A month after Tin Roof’s successful opening, “Chef Sheldon” left for Charleston, S.C., to be a contestant on the 14th season of “Top Chef,” leaving Tin Roof in the capable hands of Janice — who also was responsible for the couple’s four young children — and the staff, a crew Simeon says he trusts “with my life.”
“‘Top Chef’ is one of the coolest opportunities you get and I was honored when they gave me a callback,” Simeon said Thursday. “You know, we were just opening Tin Roof and I figured this is the best PR you can get. It reaches a lot of people and it’s an experience only a few people get to do. I came up a little short the last time — and here I am, getting another stab at it.”
The first episode ran Dec. 1 and the second last night on Bravo, which can be seen on Oceanic Time Warner Spectrum cable Channel 40 analog, 560 and 1560 digital. If you missed it, not to worry — episodes are re-run periodically. And if you have digital cable, you can view past episodes on demand.
Simeon said the buzz from his return to the popular cooking competition show hosted by chef-restaurateur Tom Colicchio and author-actress-model Padma Lakshmi has already paid dividends for his restaurant.
“We’ve already seen an increase since just this past week,” he said.
This season features eight repeat “cheftestants,” the veterans, plus eight rookies. Two other veterans are also from the Seattle season: popular Los Angeles chef Brooke Williamson, whom Simeon called “my girl from Seattle” and John Tesar, a 58-year-old culinary legend referred to by the pseudonym “Jimmy Sears” in Anthony Bourdain’s book “Kitchen Confidential” — a randy romp through the seamy underbelly of the restaurant biz. Bourdain portrayed Tesar as a brilliant cook plagued by a plethora of peccadilloes. In return, Tesar said Bourdain “can’t cook his way out of a paper bag.”
A cover story in D magazine was headlined “John Tesar: The Most Hated Chef in Dallas” — a title he reportedly relished. Tesar slid easily into the role of house villain in season 10, with cheftestant Joshua Valentine calling him a “condescending prick.”
In the season opener, Tesar promised to be a kinder, gentler version of himself this season.
“He’s got an amazing restaurant in Dallas,” Simeon said. “He’s got a few more years in front of him and he’s got nothing left to prove. John is John. He’s always going to be the most outspoken guy there is. But when you get to see the other side of him, he’s a super-caring guy and super passionate about what he does. I think you’ll see the softer side of him this time.”
Reality television is fueled by drama, so it’s easy to see why the show’s producers were eager for Tesar to return. Then there’s Simeon, a nice guy who assiduously sharpens his knives every morning, plays ‘ukulele, created zero conflict and was universally loved. The “Hollywood Reporter”called him “a Hawaiian Care Bear who spoke in a soothing Pidgin English and cooked beautiful and complex food with heavy Asian influences.”
“I’m hoping they invited me back because I’m a chef who’s stayed true to himself and went to the finale,” he said. “What you see on the screen is who I am in real life. I’m thankful to get another shot at ‘Top Chef.’
“The first time around, I was kind of intimidated. I didn’t know anybody. I just felt like I was a kid from Hawaii going on. And, as I’ve learned, these are just regular people, chefs who are super passionate about what they do. Everyone’s crazy talented, but when you get put on ‘Top Chef,’ it’s a whole different playing field. I respect each and every single contestant that goes on there.”
Every cheftestant on the show is an accomplished cook. Many, like Simeon, are James Beard Award nominees — the Oscars of the culinary world. The clock is a great equalizer in cooking competitions, as is, according to Simeon, “being able to think on your toes.”
“You have an idea of what you want to do and sometimes you don’t have the resources for it,” he explained. “You have an idea. Then you go to the market and there’s nothing there. And you’re cooking in places you’ve never cooked before. … You just have to go with the flow of things because of the surprises that come up every single second. The nerves and anxiety was exactly the same as being on the show the first time around.
“‘Top Chef’ is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done and it was just as difficult this time around. Charleston was a beautiful backdrop for the program and I learned a lot about the history of our country. And we’re cooking. … I think you’ll see how much of a pressure cooker it is.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
