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"Hell's Kitchen" winner Christina Machamer defeated 14 other contestants to win a $250,000-a-year dream gig as chef of the new Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood. And while she may have been the least experienced of all the other contestants, she handled our questions like a pro. Read on to hear the details about her new position, the strategy that got her through the competition, and where we may see her in the future.

So when do you start your new job as executive chef?
You know, that’s the one question I have to say I don’t know. I don’t have a start date yet. So, hopefully it will be soon.

During the competition, you met all of the executive chefs from Chef Ramsay's other restaurants. Do you think after winning this competition you're able to work at that same level?
Ummm, right… no [laughter]. But I think that winning this prize will definitely put me in a better position to be able to work at that level.

Will your role at this restaurant be the same as the other executive chefs?
Well, my exact title is going to be "Senior Chef." Andy Cook from Gordon Ramsay’s Tokyo restaurant is actually there as the executive chef. So you know, I will have the tools there to realize, it's not like I am just going to be thrown into this and [be] floundering all by myself, which is, you know, comforting.

Chef Ramsay is obviously known for his harsh language. Have you been brushing up on your insults to use in your kitchen?
I think I have a lot of material, having been on the show. Gordon’s formula seems to be going to the zoo or the pastry shop to find [inspiration]. You know, "baby rhino" or something. Sometimes calling someone "a hair-brushing cannoli" can be more insulting then an expletive. I've got great material, but I use it for humor not for fear.

Going into the show, did you have a strategy on how you'd make it through the competition?
I didn’t really have a concrete strategy, like going after the best contestant. I decided to hang back and sort of watch and figure out who my competition was and what people's strengths and weaknesses were before I tried to come into my own. I think if you make too big of a splash too soon, it sort of puts you up on the chopping block. If you look at the people that stayed, like Bobby or Petrozza, they are people that stayed under the radar. They weren’t the ones out there creating the drama.

You and Corey seemed to have issues in the early part of the season, but she became one of your biggest supporters. Was that just part of the game and are you still friends?
Well you know, Corey and I definitely did not get off on the right foot. I was really pissed off. That episode where I left for elimination, she said, “She makes me feel stupid. She was condescending.” I was like, "Why didn’t you just say I was bad during service?" But she made it personal and that pissed me off. But I still had to work with her, you know, and if we didn’t win, we would go home. After working together episode after episode, we earned a mutual respect, and through that respect grew friendship – which was surprising and nice.

I talked to Petrozza yesterday, who said that during the finale, his door actually opened too, but Ramsay grabbed him before he walked through. Were you aware of what was going on?
There was absolutely nothing that I was aware of at that time. I walked through that door and it was like the happiest, scariest, most exciting, superlative moment ever, and not a single thought crosses your mind. And you know, I didn’t look back, you don’t look back. I did hear about it later on and I was like, "Oh God, that’s crazy."

How has your cooking changed since coming on to this show?
Oh goodness, after the show, I had to go back to culinary school, which sucked. You know it's so important there to follow these recipes and guidelines, and be exact. And after the show I came in and was like, "F*** that." I had to do cuisine training and I was like, "I know how to cook risotto, I don’t need a recipe." For me, I have been a lot more experimental. If I have to cook something, I will read the title of a recipe and try to figure it out on my own. Maybe 30 percent of the time I will get it right, but it's given me a lot more confidence in myself.

I'm sure you'll be very busy with your new job, but have any other interesting opportunities presented themselves to you after you won the competition?
I think anytime you are given that much exposure, a lot of opportunities will present themselves. For me, my goal here is to be a great cook. So, it doesn’t matter to me what opportunities come along, if they help me with that goal, I am going to take them. It's not like I am going to have my own TV show, "I Love C. Mac" or something ridiculous like that. Yes, some opportunities have presented themselves but I am just trying to find what’s good for my future and what’s good for the new restaurant.

Read our interview with "Hell's Kitchen" runner-up Louis Petrozza here.

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***What do you think? Are Gordon Ramsay's insults in the kitchen motivational, or is it inappropriate? Would you want to eat at Christina's restaurant? Click here to comment!







Message Edited by SaraC on 07-11-2008 11:21 AM