look mom, i'm on top chef!

Some people have 15 minutes of fame... I got 1.3 seconds.

I shouldn't be getting as big a kick out of this as I am... I mean, really, it was two split second shots. But darn it, it was exciting. Getting to be on one of my favorite shows--which I actually tried out for back in 2009--and having the chance to see how they film this stuff and edit it down to a watchable 1-hour episode... good stuff.

Getting on to "Restaurant Wars" would have been the real coup, but for now this nifty shot next to Padma will do just fine. She looks happy that I'm there.

Props to the judges on this episode. They called it exactly as it was. Kristen's and Sheldon's dishes were by far the best... the onsen egg with camembert-mustard sauce & buttered radishes was well-composed and elegant, with pure, clean flavors. Sheldon's Filipino tamarind soup with pork belly, shrimp & snapper popped with flavor. Totally addictive. (Side note: I told Kristen to ease up on the salt on her dish 5 min. before the judges went to her booth. And she won. Bam. Just sayin'...)

And thanks to B.H. and E.H. for getting us into the taping! Also spotted Mark, Angela, and a bit of LaV's head in the episode.