Reality bites

Looking to find fame, fortune and respect on reality TV, some local chefs end up feeling fried

By Rochelle Oliver
Metromix

At a time when hard work still leads to layoffs and reality shows offer big payoffs to their contestants, many local, well-educated chefs have turned to TV for their big breaks. More than a dozen chefs from South Florida kitchens have appeared on Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" and Bravo's "Top Chef" as judges, contestants and guest diners.

But despite having gained fame and, in some cases, larger bank accounts—if not from show winnings, then from cooking-show appearances and tours—some former contestants have discovered that the spotlight took away something much more valuable. Some felt humiliated by the experience of being ridiculed on national television. Others felt the detrimental effects of spending time away from their families and businesses. And at least one local chef walked away from Bravo's "Top Chef" with a tainted impression of the entire cooking industry.