Interview: Giovanni Filipponi of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’
ByWe all have bad days. But a normal bad day can quickly turn hellish when Chef Gordon Ramsay is breathing down your neck. Just ask 37-year-old executive chef Giovanni Filipponi, who, with only six chefs remaining in Hell’s Kitchen, appeared a strong leader until one bad day led to his undoing. Granted, it was a very, very bad day, including a mistake that caused one of his fellow chefs to visit the medic.
Today I had a chance to chat with Gio about his experience in Hell’s Kitchen. (First I asked if he preferred Giovanni or Gio, and he said, “Either. I’ve been called a lot worse!”) He had some surprising tidbits to share, including how he decided to try out for the show, and what he really thinks of Chef Ramsay–and it’s not about what a nice guy he is in real life!
This is Meghan from BuddyTV, and I’m on the line with Giovanni from Hell’s Kitchen. How are you doing today?
I’m doing great. Can’t complain.
Congratulations on getting into the top six on Hell’s Kitchen.
Thank you very much. It was a nice ride.
How did you decide to try out for it?
I did it as a joke. I did it for a reason to go party in south Florida. I figured it would be a great idea, take three days off, it’s a great excuse. I’d go down there ’cause our chefs drink a little. And I auditioned and I ended up getting picked.
It’s funny that you tried out as a joke because, the entire season, I’ve been writing that I thought you and Paula were going to be the final two. I was shocked when you were eliminated. Were you as shocked as everyone else when that happened?
I don’t know if I was shocked. I had a bad day. I had a bad performing day. I didn’t perform too well on the station I was on. Unfortunately, I burnt Robert by accident. And I talked back to Chef, and he doesn’t like that very much, from what I understand, but, you know.
How did you feel about your portrayal on TV? Were there any moments that didn’t make it on the air that you wish we had seen?
I don’t know. There were moments that they didn’t air that I said, “Thank God they didn’t air.” So I guess my portrayal on TV was somewhat good, somewhat bad. It was me. It was what I did. It wasn’t anybody else. It was just things that happened under pressure and everything else. Everybody looks a little different than what they actually are in reality. It’s a reality show, given the fact that the pressure’s on, and you’re trying to compete for a job, and you’re trying to make the devil happy. I wish there were other moments that were put on, my nicer, kinder side, but eh. It is what it is.
I thought that there were a lot of great moments of you, especially after Ramsay moved you to the Red team. You seemed to really thrive as a leader there.
Yeah, I did well. I think it was just a change of pace for everybody. There was a new face on that team, and we always tried to work well together. I stopped making stupid faces. It was just, move from one team to another, and I did well for some time, and I had my ups and downs. It was just a different atmosphere, different people.
Who were the best chefs and the worst chefs to work with for you?
I think the best chef to work with was Paula. The worst chef to work with, I would have to say, was Lacey. She just quit a lot in her attitude. It was horrible. I mean, I had my few disagreements with Seth, but he never quit and always tried his best and never tried to get out of anything. She was always the one that wanted to quit and everything, so out of all the people, she would be the worst.
Do you keep in contact with any of the chefs that you met there?
I keep in contact with Paula, Robert, Ben, Danny, Andrea, Carol and Seth.
So do you know who actually wins this season?
I don’t know nothing. I got kicked off. They don’t let a crazy Italian guy like me know anything. They never know what I’m going to say.
What did you think of Chef Ramsay once you got there?
I think he’s an a—hole. You know, if I got to meet him in person without any cameras, I’d see what he’s like in real life, maybe my attitude toward him would change. I respect him as a chef. He’s done great things and he’s won great awards, and I assume he’s a phenomenal chef. But to know him as we get to know him on that show and everything, I just don’t like him as a person. Maybe he’s a lot different off-camera. He’s pretty funny when we win the challenges, but there’s still a camera around. I wish I got to know him without any cameras. I might have gotten a different perspective of him and like him, even though he yells a lot in the kitchen, and I would understand that. But just to meet someone like that, and him just constantly yelling at you and beating you up is kind of rough on anybody. Some of us are chefs, some of us are cooks, but in real life, you wouldn’t take that every day on every given moment. So I’m not a big fan of his, if you’re asking that.
Well, I know on Thursday night, it was a really dramatic moment when you put the tray in the fridge and it was really hot, and Robert obviously burned himself. Did you guys make amends before you left?
Yeah, I still talk to Robert. I apologized to him. It was a bone-head move by me, about sticking something in the refrigerator, and taking it out by accident. I never meant to hurt him. I’ve apologized a thousand times over and we’re friends now. It was just a stupid move by me that I regret to this day.
Well, that’s good to hear that everything’s OK now. So what’s in the future for you now that you’re back in real life?
I’m back in Destin, a beautiful paradise they call it here. I live on the gulf coast next to the water. I work at Destin Chops at 38th and Rosemary Beach, so I can’t complain. It’s not a bad prize that I get to go back home and live on the beach, on a gulf coast with white sand beaches and clear water. I’m a lucky person. I love what I do for a living, and not a lot of people can say that. I wake up every morning, happy that I’m a chef and I get to work in a kitchen and work, so I’m lucky that way.
Are you happy that you were on Hell’s Kitchen? Would you ever do it again?
Would I do it again? No, I wouldn’t do it again. I made some great friends. It was a great opportunity. It was a great experience, but I wouldn’t do it again. It’s not for me. Competition brings out the worst in people. Not the worst in people, but it’s a whole different atmosphere. And to do that again, to go through that kind of barrage again, no.
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