Chef Ryan Scott may be familiar to many as a cheftestant on Top Chef Season four but since then he’s been very busy. From running a restaurant in San Francisco called Bruch Drunk Love to his 3-SUM EATS food truck to just recently becoming the spokesperson for Conde Nast and HSN’s collaboration for the Bon Appetit branded Culinary Collection featuring cookware, small appliances, cutlery and prep tools.  I had the chance to ask him about his foray into being a pitch-man, his restaurant, Top Chef (had to ask!), and more.
Congrats on being the spokesperson for the Bon Appétit Collection. How did you get involved with HSN and Bon Appétit magazine for this endeavor?
I was lucky enough to do something with HSN and Top Chef last year and got my foot in the door with HSN. Over 100 chefs tried out for Bon Appétit and I was lucky enough to be the one who was chosen. It’s been one of the hugest honors of my life.
Tell us about the collection which includes cookware, appliances, cutlery and prep tools. What do you love about these products?
From small appliances, to pressure cookers, down to a pineapple corer, it is everything I would have done if I had designed them myself. The collaboration between BA and HSN is noticed in every single detail: from the warming button on the pressure cooker to the little latch on the immersion blender. I love everything about this line and am proud to have my name attached to it.
For someone interested in the products and cooking but not a pro, what would you recommend they start with? And if you have a recipe that say our readers (AKA me) could easily put together and impress their significant other with, please tell!
Start with good pots and pans. They are kind of like a good set of tires on a car. Keeps everything under control. Don’t skimp on good knives/pans. I absolutely love making soups and find it to be one of the most calming and relaxing things in the kitchen. If you puree it, you can’t mess it up. Here is one of my favorite soup recipes on BA, plus it’s in season. Enjoy.
So I have to ask about Top Chef. That must have been an extraordinary experience that showed off your culinary talents and made you a household name almost overnight. What was the most memorable thing that happened during that season?
Honestly, it wasn’t what happened during, but what happened after. My life got changed and turned upside down; in good and bad ways. The show put me on a national scale where I could have had 15 min of fame or made a career out of it, and thankfully I was able to make something of myself from it.
What was the most difficult thing that you had to do on Top Chef and what was the most fun?
Most difficult, the interviewing process. From the day they showed interest in me, I was given everything from a full body scan, background check, to pulling my dental records. Actually getting ON the show was the most difficult part. Most fun: Cooking and meeting new people. I definitely made some awesome friends for life.
Tell us about your restaurant in San Francisco, Brunch Drunk Love. What kind of food can people expect to see on your menu and what is the one dish they HAVE to try?
BDL is a form of expression for me; cooking and sarcasm at the same time. It gives me a form to express my culinary ability in a way I have never done before. A must try would be the pan-seared duck hash cakes with poached eggs, edemame succotash, horseradish salsa verde, and pomegranates. It’s a really well balanced dish.
You also started your 3-SUM EATS food truck. The menu consists of items that seem to have elements of breakfast and lunch like the Corn Flake Crusted Fried Chicken Sandwich. Is the food truck menu an outlet for experimentation?
It’s funny that you say that. 3-SUM EATS is a hodgepodge of everything I have seen while traveling with Top Chef. Also, people feel less guilty when eating from food trucks. Breaking boundaries in culinary arts is easier on the truck than in a restaurant. (an example being the corn flake crusted chicken sandwich).
Lastly, will we see you back on TV anytime soon with a show? Seems like a natural next step.
We have already shot 2 pilots for my own reality cooking show. Things are in the works for an amazing year!
For more information on the new Bon Appetit Culinary Collection which begins airing on HSN with Chef Ryan Scott tonight and to buy, visit HSN HERE.
It’d sure be nice if he still remotely looked like that photo!