Chatting With the Latest Next Iron Chef: Super Chef Exile

beau and geoffrey

NIC4 Episode 4 Secret Ingredient Showdown

Rival-Chef Geoffrey Zakarian revealed safe and Rival-Chef Beau MacMillan Eliminated in Judgement for the Secret Ingredient "Coconut" Showdown in Episode 4 as seen on Food Network Next Iron Chef Season 4.

Photo by: Edward Chen/Creel Films ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P.

Edward Chen/Creel Films, 2011, Television Food Network, G.P.

The fourth season of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs is in full swing, with 10 new chefs fighting it out for a grand prize that so many would-be chefs covet: joining the ranks of Iron Chefs Marc Forgione, Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto, Cat Cora, Jose Garces and Michael Symon. Each chef will try to pull out all their tricks to stay in the competition but, ultimately, one chef must go home each week. Every Monday, FN Dish brings you exclusive exit interviews with the latest Super Chef to get the boot.

This week, a competitor everyone loved and laughed with, Beau MacMillan, said goodbye and they’re dishing about their favorite Kitchen Stadium gadget and the rest of the competition.

FN Dish: It seemed like your fellow chefs were trying to remind you that this was a coconut competition during the Sudden Death challenge. Do you think you strayed?

BM: No, I don’t think I strayed. I stand by my food and I thought my dish was very good.  But at the end of the day, I was out-cooked.

FN Dish: “I can rely on one thing and one thing only, and that's my palate." You stayed true to yourself throughout the competition. What was the highlight for you?

BM: Not every chef is given the opportunity to work with, compete against and be judged by people that they respect.  It was truly an honor to be able to express myself through cooking at such a high level during the show. Looking back, every moment in the kitchen was a highlight. My favorite memories — my best times — were during the battles.

FN Dish: What's the one gadget in Kitchen Stadium you found most useful?

BM: The stove. It was my staple.

FN Dish: It's now equal: girls against guys. Who do you think the men are scared of and vice versa?

BM: You really have to be afraid of everyone, even yourself. You can’t hold back or take anything for granted.  There is such a fine line between winning and losing — it can come down to a single bite. You have to watch every decision you make when you’re in the kitchen doing your thing. You can’t overthink or underthink anything and there’s really no room for mistakes when you compete at such a high level with chefs of this caliber.

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