We decided to do these fast, casual concepts because America has been taken over by the fast food industry. The article talked about your restaurants, Matchbox, Ted’s Bulletin… I was wondering what you thought about that? There was recently an article in the New York Times that portrayed Capitol Hill as DC’s junk food heaven. Not that you don’t get that next door, but it’s a different concept over there. There’s a lot of meaning and feeling behind this one. A lot of stuff is inspired by my family members from Montreal, my grandfather…things like that. And it’s a concept that I hold pretty close to my heart. It’s the original concept that opened up so many opportunities for me. If you had to choose a favorite child, would it be Good Stuff or We, the Pizza? And I love burgers and milkshakes and fries myself. Classic American food - burgers, shakes and fries - if you can put your mark on that and make it good, success! That’s what we wanted to do, and that’s what we did. I love being a chef, but I also have good business sense. Why did you choose to go with classic American comfort food for your first restaurants? ![]() You were largely trained in French and Vietnamese cooking. And now we’re all together, running a restaurant. I’d been traveling away from my parents for a good eight years. When I finished “Top Chef,” I saw a really great opportunity to kind of just do my own thing, and I wanted to be closer to my family. My parents moved from Florida to be closer to her, and I was the guy that was always traveling. I used to visit my sister here about twice a year. Why did you choose DC? Had you spent much time here before opening Good Stuff? You were born in Montreal, raised in Florida, studied in France and lived in New York. A lot of people were still really competitive and a little bit bitter. I was just there to enjoy the moment and have fun and cook and see how far I could get with that attitude. So I just took a really laid-back approach, less competitive. This time around, I do a lot of charity work, I got two businesses, I got a book, I got a family to support and friends…it’s not only my reputation on the line when I’m going on a nationally recognized show where you know you’re going to get edited. I was just representing myself as a cook. The second round was a lot less stressful for me. So you’re back on “Top Chef.” What was the second round like as compared to the first? In between jet-setting and toque-wearing, We Love DC caught up with Spike to discuss family, junk food and the latest restaurant rumble between Washington and New York. on Bravo), has plans to expand Good Stuff, and travels around the country for special events and appearances. Now, he’s back on “Top Chef: All-Stars” (you can catch him on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. The world first met Spike Mendelsohn as a brash young contestant on “Top Chef: Season Four.” Two years later, he’s become one of Washington’s culinary darlings, making his mark on Capitol Hill with his two restaurants, Good Stuff Eatery and We, the Pizza.
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