The dust hasn’t settled yet from Philly homegirl Jennifer Carroll’s fiery early departure from Top Chef: All Stars. The 10 Arts chef says her frank rebuttal to the judges’ critique of her dish “doesn’t want to go away.” Still she’s happy to be back in her own kitchen and have the additional stress the show put on her out of her life. She’s certainly a lot more at ease now that she doesn’t have to lie to friends, family and fans about her standing on the show. She was sent packing her knives way back in August and had to keep it secret until last week. “Honestly I wish I had gone all the way to the top and won,” Carroll said. “But going out early has made my life easier, because I don’t have to focus on Top Chef and the menu at 10 Arts at the same time.”
Back in her kitchen she continues to tweak the restaurant’s dishes, adding new ones and experimenting with others for the next big menu changeover. She’s currently fixated on a new fried chicken dish that will be served with collard green, toasted challah and a foie gras truffle butter. “We’re excited about it,” Carroll said. “We’ve been experimenting with it for, like, two weeks.”
While happy to be back home and off the hook with Top Chef — at least until she has to go back to shoot the finale and the reunion show — Carroll isn’t completely ruling out a return to the show. “If asked to do another round?” she said. “I have no idea what I would tell them.”
Earlier: Top Chefs Reunite With an 11-Course Dinner at 10 Arts
