In her first season of “Top Chef,” in which she was the runner-up to eventual winner (and now host) Chef Kristen Kish, chef Brooke Williamson was such a powerhouse that she nearly monopolized every challenge in the second half of the season.
I will forever be amazed by her surf-and-turf challenge dish of frog legs and mussels — simultaneously bonkers and brilliant. The same can be said for her her Vadouvan fried chicken wing, her repeated, ingenious use of squid (one dish of ginger-caramel squid and another of lamb-stuffed squid with coconut milk and black rice) and many other inventive, delicious-sounding dishes.
Williamson’ competence, capability, sheer talent and quiet confidence was so stellar to watch and I was eager for her return to the show, ideally to watch her compete at an even higher level and maybe even cinch a win.
A few years later, Williamson returned for another season, immediately securing the win in the first Quick Fire of the season and producing incredible food all season — until a late season mishap saw her booted before she quickly returned through Last Chance Kitchen. A few episodes later, she won the season, besting Chef Shirley Cheung in the finale.
Since then, Williamson has been a staple on food TV, all the while still managing and operating her California restaurant Playa Provisions. Now, with Williamson’s highly-anticipated first cookbook on the horizon, along with a presentation at the first annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Charleston, the site of her “Top Chef” win.
Salon Food recently had the opportunity to speak with Williamson about “Top Chef,” the Classic, her cookbook, her view on people who’ve called her a “prodigy” and what’s next for her.
The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Hello! For those unaware of your journey since winning “Top Chef,” can you break it down for them?
Since winning “Top Chef” in 2016, I’ve continued to run and operate my restaurant Playa Provisions in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Playa del Rey, continuing to come up with new recipes and creations for our beachside community. In fact, we just celebrated the restaurant’s 10-year-anniversary this past spring! I’ve also gone on to compete on other shows—including Food Network’s Tournament of Champions, Beachside Brawl and Bobby’s Triple Threat—and judge others like BBQ Brawl and Guy’s Grocery Games. I also regularly participate in philanthropic efforts with No Kid Hungry and still proudly call Los Angeles my home.
Do you have a number one favorite ingredient to work with?
I don’t really have one favorite. I love to cook really seasonally, so my favorite ingredients really shift with the seasons and what’s freshest. You’ll see this in my cookbook, with each chapter dedicated to a different fruit or vegetable at the center.
Is there a standout menu item for you? Or one that particularly resonates with customers?
There are definitely items on the menu that have been originals and available since we first opened 10 years ago, like the breakfast sandwich, lobster roll, some sort of ceviche that rotates each season. While there will always be a chunk of the menu that our guests can rely always being there, we like to come up with seasonal specials, as well. The corned beef sandwich is one of my personal favorites; it has a certain nostalgia for me.
Did you prefer one of your “Top Chef” seasons over the other?
I have been fortunate enough to have met so many great people in the “Top Chef” world, so when I returned to the show in Charleston, I got to spend even more time with some of my favorite people, because half of that season was made up of returning competing chefs. My experiences in Seattle and Charleston could not have been more opposite, especially in terms of ingredients, physical atmosphere, etc. I’m incredibly excited to return to Charleston for the festival. As much as I spent time there for the show, I also feel like I’ve actually never been there; we were totally sequestered throughout filming (about 5 weeks) and I haven’t been back since!
Of course, Buddha is the only US winner to have won the crown twice. If another “All Stars” were to be planned, would you be open to competing?
I so appreciate the experience, but twice was a charm.
What stands out for you as a formative moment that got you into cooking or food at large?
There really wasn’t one specific one moment that got me into cooking; I’ve been cooking for as long as I can remember.
What is your favorite cooking memory? I have so many!
All of my most memorable moments in life revolve around food and that’s a continuous thing for me.
What’s your biggest tip for cutting down on food waste? How do you practice sustainability in your cooking and in your restaurants?
The easiest way to cut down on food waste is to use everything – for stocks, for sauces, for garnishes, to pickle, you name it! As much as possible! And this is particularly important for a seafood restaurant. We’re especially conscious of this and the sustainability of the ocean plays into our menu constantly.
I’m incredibly excited for your first cookbook, “Sun-Kissed Cooking: Vegetables Front and Center” — I’ve been waiting! Why did you decide to focus on vegetables? What makes the dishes in the book “sun-kissed?”
Vegetables are an organic tie-in to my daily life today, but also how I was raised in Southern California. It’s not necessarily about what I eat, but more about how I eat.
You’ve been on many shows since your TC win. How do they compare? How do the competition (and anxiety) levels differ?
To this day, I put just as much pressure on myself when I compete as I ever did. The only difference would be I’m much more comfortable in front of cameras than I used to be, but the way that translates means I can be more myself than I was 14 years ago. But the anxiety of competition never goes away; that’s part of what keeps me on my toes and performing well, because in my opinion, it shows how much I care.
You’re sometimes billed as a “prodigy” — how do you feel about that title?
Ha! I’m absolutely not a prodigy, just someone who has worked very hard for many years. Anyone who decides they want to focus on and master something at the age of six could absolutely be in my position.
I was curious if you’d spoken with or recently connected with Chef Shirley Chung since she went public with her diagnosis?
Shirley is one of my closest friends. She inspires me everyday with how strong and positive she is in such a difficult moment in her life. She’s the one telling me she’s going to be ok.
Is there a particular dish from your “Top Chef” tenure that you are still especially proud of? I was such a fan of so many of your inventive, delicious-sounding dishes.
There are versions of many dishes I made on the show that I could translate to dishes I still make today – at home or in the restaurant. Sometimes when what only matters is creativity and focus on food, you go into this hypercreative head space; that’s hard to do in my everyday life. There are a lot of creations I’m proud of, but they’ve needed some tweaking to be enjoyed in real life settings.
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Tell me a bit about your seminar at the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, “Sun-Kissed Cooking: Recipes that Celebrate the Season?” How do you anticipate the event differing from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen?
I’m looking forward to demo’ing a recipe out of my cookbook. This will be the first time a live audience gets to experience the book, so I’m excited to talk about it!
You’ve had so many amazing accolades over the years — and you truly have your hands full. What’s next for you, in an ideal world?
Just continue!! I want to keep it up, which is sometimes the hardest thing to do when you get to a place that is above what you ever dreamed of.
