Susan Zemanick
by Sophia Sparks
Sue Zemanick
Sue Zemanick is the second contestant to be eliminated from Top Chef Masters after she failed to plate her duck a l’orange in time for the 1960’s themed elimination challenge. Although she missed the time marker, the award-winning chef thinks that if the judges had actually tasted her dish, she still might be standing.
The charity she chose to compete for was the Louisiana SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). She currently works as Executive Chef at Gautreau’s in New Orleans, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina but reopened in 2007 to offer their take on Modern French and contemporary Louisiana fare.
Pictured: (l-r) Curtis Stone, John Rivera Sedlar, Sue Zemanick
The Gluttonous Ghost’s Sophia Sparks: Sorry to see you go so early in the competition.
Sue Zemanick: Thanks! (laughs)
Could you tell me about last night’s elimination and not getting the duck a l’orange plated in time?
Sue Zemanick: It was just that time was ticking a lot faster than I thought and I was helping some other people, so I lost in doing that. But I feel like if I was able to get all the components, or at least the dish on the plate, the judges would have enjoyed it.
It was nice to see you helping the other chefs, but do you think if you had been more self serving you might have beat some of the other chefs?
Sue Zemanick: I think so, but going onto this show my main thing was to be me and be who I normally am. For example, experimenting with food, things I don’t normally do and really just going on the show was a big enough risk. And to be someone that I really wasn’t…I didn’t want to become someone else.
Would you do this all again if given the chance like Hugh was?
Sue Zemanick: Oh, totally. I would definitely go back and do it again.
We’re based out of Chicago and I’m wondering if you’ve visited and if so, any favorite restaurants?
Sue Zemanick: I have been to Chicago and my favorite place while I was there was avec, Boka and Blackbird.
What was your favorite challenge between the quickfire and elimination challenges?
Sue Zemanick: I think that Restaurant Wars was probably my favorite challenge because I’ve seen it a lot on Top Chef and that’s the most true to what we do on a day to day basis.
Which competitor should we watch for with the best chance to win?
Sue Zemanick: I think that Traci has a really good chance, Mary Sue and Naomi. I’m also all about the girl power in the kitchen (laughs).
Do you think a female chef has as good of a shot as the men? We don’t see it very often on Top Chef.
Sue Zemanick: I think it’s anybody’s game but I would have liked to see a female chef win. There hasn’t been too many.
You have a great background and are currently Executive Chef at Gautreau’s. You came on the show representing the Louisiana SPCA and I’m wondering how Hurricane Katrina affected your restaurant and your involvement with SPCA?
Sue Zemanick: Hurricane Katrina really affected everything so dramatically. With the SPCA, to watch the storm go through on television and see the animals that were left behind, and for them to not have enough money to save these animals or ship them off to be euthanized. Helping out the SPCA is doing something that I believe in.
How was it getting your restaurant back together after the damage?
Sue Zemanick: Oh we were closed for a good year and a half after the storm and we didn’t even have any flood waters. We just had damage to the building and it rained inside for three months. So it was really hard and I had to find other things to do to support myself when there wasn’t really very much going on in the city.
This is a little morbid, but in Top Chef fashion, what would you cook as your ‘last meal’?
Sue Zemanick: Hmm…someone recently asked me that question too. I think I’d go with one of my signature dishes here at the restaurant, which is a wild mushroom and potato pierogi with caramelized Vidalia onions and crème fraiche. It’s just something that I worked on with my grandmother growing up and she did it very peasant style with just potatoes but when I became chef I wanted to pay hommage to her and it’s sort of elevated to make it fine dining.
So what are your plans now?
Sue Zemanick: Just to keep on cooking at Gautreau’s and try to eat around and travel and learn more about food. Increase my knowledge about food and dining.
Official Top Chef Masters Website
Official Gautreau’s Website
Official Louisiana SPCA Website
Button