‘Top Chef’ Season 18: Oakland contestant ready
Nelson German felt ‘a lot of pressure’ to represent the Bay Area in culinary series
What does it feel like to be a contestant on “Top Chef”? Check out the look of wonderment in Nelson German’s eyes as the culinary competition kicks off its 18th season on Bravo.
“You can see on our faces just how awed we all are when we walk into the kitchen,” says German. “I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. It suddenly becomes very real. It’s go time.”
German, the executive chef and owner of both alamar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-latino cocktail lounge in Oakland, is one of 15 talented culinary stars to be featured on “Top Chef,” which debuted Thursday and is based in picturesque Portland, Oregon, for its latest edition. There, they engage in a variety of locally inspired challenges and outings that include picking produce on the Hood River Fruit Loop, visiting the Tillamook Creamery and crabbing on the Oregon Coast in a tribute to culinary icon and Oregonian James Beard.
German, who has been a fan of the series since the beginning, came in eager to embrace it all.
“It’s a show that really puts you to the test and makes you think quickly on your feet,” he says. “Absolutely anything can happen and everyone comes out of it a better chef. It’s an amazing blessing to be part of it.”
But German admits he felt “a lot of pressure” to represent not only his family, friends and business, but the entire Bay Area, which has had its share of “Top Chef” success stories. San Francisco’s Melissa King, for one, captured the grand prize in last year’s “Top Chef All Stars,” posting more single-season victories (three Quickfires and six Elimination challenges) than anyone in the show’s history.
King will appear this season as part of a new rotating judging and dining panel that joins host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons for the festivities. The panel features past winners, finalists and fan favorites, including Richard Blais, Carrie
Baird, Nina Compton, Tiffany Derry, Gregory Gourdet, Kristen Kish, Edward Lee, Kwame Onwuachi, Amar Santana, Dale Talde and Brooke Williamson.
The season also includes appearances by José Andrés, Massimo Bottura, Gabriel Rucker and Alice Waters, as well as “Portlandia” stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.
German, whose culinary style draws from his Dominican heritage, his African roots and his love of Mediterranean cuisine, appreciated cooking for the elite panel — even if it dramatically upped the ante.
“That was really cool,” he says. “They’re experienced. They’ve been in our shoes, so they’re more understanding. But it also increased the pressure because there were more people to please.”
Season 18 of “Top Chef,” filmed with plenty of COVID-19 protocols in place, airs at a time of extreme hardship for the restaurant industry, which has had to adapt to tight regulations and shutdowns. German knows that he and his fellow contestants have more on the line than ever before.
“It definitely has been a big
struggle, but we have persevered,” he says, speaking specifically of his Oakland establishments. “With a lot of community support, we’re still rocking.”
A “Top Chef” victory definitely would help. The Season 18 winner will be rewarded with $250,000,
a feature in Food & Wine magazine and an appearance at the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
For more information on German and the other Season 18 contestants, go to Bravotv.com/ top-chef.