OMAHA CHEFS I WANT TO SEE COMPETE ON TOP CHEF

Battle of the Chefs Tim Nicholson plating

Television has no shortage of cooking reality shows, but there’s no doubting the cream of the crop. Top Chef scours the nation to find the next wave of up-and-coming stars, then has them compete in a series of challenges from food festivals to five-course fine-dining dinners. It’s a grueling gauntlet to survive that requires stamina, guile, and talent to win.

And I would love to see some Omaha chefs get a shot.

You must have several traits to have a chance at being selected for and winning Top Chef: creativity, technical precision, a variety of cooking styles, personality, and quick wits. With those in mind, here are 9 Omaha chefs I think would not only be a blast to see on Top Chef, but they’d have a chance to make some noise.

Tim Nicholson; The Boiler Room

The Boiler Room La Belle Farm's Duck Breast

Shades of: Gregory Gourdet

Few, if any, chefs in Omaha have the combination of creativity and technical prowess that Tim does. His dishes at The Boiler Room all possess tremendous balance: light with heavy, salty with sweet, crispy with creamy. The thoughtfulness one experiences in each composed bite is really remarkable, so Tim would thrive in the fine dining challenges in which precision and plating are paramount.

But he’s also a personable chef who has experience competing in competitions for large crowds in short amounts of time. And he’s a great leader who empowers his sous chefs and cooks, so he’d be an excellent choice as Executive Chef in Restaurant Wars. Long story short, Tim has all the skills to thrive on Top Chef.

Drew Statz; Semo Pasta & Wine

Battle of the Chefs Drew Statz

Shades of: Joe Sasto

The owner of Semo Pasta + Wine, Drew is most known for his passion for pasta, a very valuable and versatile skill for Top Chef. But this chef is no one-trick pony. He’s also proficient in protein cookery, from steak to bison, pork, lamb, and all manner of seafood. On top of it all, his wife, Michelle, is an incredibly talented baker who could give Drew some tips that could give him a leg up on his non-baking competitors.

Michelle Alfaro; Sauced by Alfaro

Battle of the Chefs Michelle Alfaro

Shades of: Stephanie Cmar

This humble chef would melt the hearts of viewers and would be an easy contender to win Fan Favorite. Bubbly and friendly, Michelle would be a hit among her fellow competitors and diners at festivals.

But the versatility the owner of Sauced by Alfaro displays in her cooking could make her a sneaky contender. She mostly cooks chicken sandwiches at her restaurant (they’re the best you’ll find in Omaha, hands down), but I’ve also had coursed dinners where she served incredible birria braised oxtails, butternut carrot curry soup, and mushroom risotto. Her ability to move between “simple” cooking and fine dining gives her a rare versatility, as does her experience with Mexican, Italian, Asian, and other flavor profiles.

David Utterback; Yoshitomo

Ota David Utterback 4

Shades of: Melissa King

The man is an assassin when it comes to food. His technical mastery is evident at every dish at Yoshitomo, from the creative sushi rolls that balance flavors and textures with aplomb to the playful small plates that combine fine dining and Asian flavors with nachos, pasta, banh mi sandwiches, and fried rice. You can tell David not only has fun with food, but also a professional command over it.

David’s cooking is what would get him on the show, as his two James Beard nominations can attest to. But his quick-witted dry humor, on full display during omakase meals at Ota, would also win over fans and judges.

Tim Maides; Dolomiti

Dolomiti Prosciutto Pizza

Shades of: Tiffany Derry

If Tim Maides is in the room, everyone knows it. This gregarious presence is the life of the party, with long hair, an ear-to-ear smile, and a genuine love for life and everyone around him. Diners and judges wouldn’t stand a chance against his charm as Front of House in Restaurant Wars.

But Tim is more than a big personality; the guy can cook, and his varied background and travels all over the world have given him a complete toolbox of skills and techniques. His current work at Dolomiti is stunning, combining perfect pizza cookery with interesting toppings.

Collin Duggan; Kitchen Table

Battle of the Chefs Colin Duggan

Shades of: Mei Lin

Collin is the definition of silent but deadly. He’s not a big talker, but he’s supremely confident in his food, and with good reason. He’s the guy that flies under the radar until the seventh episode when you realize, “Holy cow, this guy could win the whole thing.”

And win it Collin could. At Kitchen Table, he and his wife Jessica build everything from the ground floor: they bake breads, make ketchup and sauces, cure bacon, form burger patties… if you can do it from scratch, Kitchen Table does it from scratch. This could lead to overambition and time constraint issues, but I trust Collin to game plan and thoughtfully compose each dish layer by layer.

Blane Hunter; Porky Butts BBQ

Porky Butts Burnt Ends

Shades of: Kevin Gillespie

The owner/pitmaster of Porky Butts BBQ has been competing for years, so he’s familiar with what it’s like to create awesome dishes while on the clock. His loveable, gregarious personality would play well with the crowds at events, and while I haven’t experienced his fine dining work, I can only imagine how Blane could wonderfully transform smoked meats into a tasting menu.

His experience is mainly in barbecue, so Blane might not be quite as well-rounded as some of the other chefs. But protein cooking is essential to succeeding on Top Chef, and few in Omaha treat meat better than Blane.

Dan Watts; Backlot Pizza & Kitchen

Backlot Taphouse Steak & Eggs Pizza

Shades of: Stephanie Izard

Dan’s outgoing, fun-loving personality stands out first, and the camera would love the Culinary Director behind Backlot Taphouse and Backlot Pizza + Kitchen. His mix of confidence and humility would not only serve him well in front of diners at festivals, but also in accepting feedback at Judges’ Table.

Dan also has legitimate range. He works a lot with pizza now, but he has experience in BBQ restaurants and working for Sysco, so he has extensive knowledge of ingredients and products. And his creativity is impressive: the photo above is a “green eggs and ham” pizza with nduju, creme freche, caviar, and scallions.

Corina Figueroa; Lola's

Lola's Shakshuka

Shades of: Nini Nguyen

Chefs who can also bake have a natural leg up in Top Chef; while most competitors fear baking challenges like the plague, those that can make bread or create excellent sweet courses and pastries have an extra tool in their bag. Corina, the head chef at Lola’s, can do both.

Perfectly cooked eggs. Tender pasta. Wonderful seafood and moist, juicy chicken. It all comes out of Lola’s kitchen, along with delicious pastries and maybe the best bread program in Omaha. Honestly, I would just love to see what Corina’s creative mind would come up with in various challenges.