JULY 21, 2009 — When the sixth season of “Hell’s Kitchen” premieres tonight on Fox, Clark County viewers might recognize a familiar face. Former Vancouver resident Amanda Davenport is among the 16 culinary wizards competing for Chef Gordon Ramsay’s approval and the chance to head up the kitchen at Araxi Restaurant in Whistler, British Columbia.
Davenport, a 2000 Skyview High School graduate, got her start in the restaurant industry here, working part-time at a Burger King during high school and later at Pepper’s Taqueria in downtown Vancouver.
Then Davenport began moving toward the East Coast, with a stop in Texas working for Bank of America. But her true passion, cooking, drew her to New York City, where she graduated from the French Culinary Institute in 2006.
When Davenport found herself unemployed last summer, it opened the door for her to audition for and nab a spot on “Hell’s Kitchen.”
Filming for the show took place in Los Angeles in January, and her ambition and work ethic impressed Ramsay.
“I think Amanda had a bit of a shock when she first came in because cooking is not glamorous, and I had to make that quite clear to her very, very early on. But she’s a good listener,” Ramsay said in a conference call. “Sometimes the female sector of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ tend to learn quicker and they’re a bit smarter. They take their folders back to bed, they study, they test each other, and they’re less arrogant than the men. So I quite enjoyed the time that Amanda had at ‘Hell’s Kitchen.’ More importantly, (she’s) a quick learner. So two key ingredients in any successful chef: a quick learner and someone with a sharp brain.”
Viewers will have to wait and see whether those ingredients were enough to help Davenport beat out the competition.
“I can’t say anything. Not even my family knows,” Davenport said in a recent telephone interview.
She can’t divulge how she fared on the show, but she can dish on her cooking philosophy, how growing up in the Northwest influenced her palate and how she dealt with Ramsay’s infamous temper. Here’s what Davenport had to say, edited for space and clarity:
Growing up in Vancouver, how did you get to be where you are today, a sous chef in New York City?
When I was in high school, I worked part time at a bank and part time at restaurants. I always had more fun working in a restaurant, but the finance industry paid more money. So I moved to Texas, and I worked at a bank. Once I got sick of finance, I decided to move to New York and go to culinary school and get back to what I really love doing.
How did you wind up on “Hell’s Kitchen”?
I have no idea. I had just quit my job at the restaurant I was working at, and I was kind of in between trying to figure out what to do. There was an ad online for “Hell’s Kitchen” auditions. The open call was about 15 blocks from my apartment. My fiancé’s in the wine industry, and the same day there was a wine tasting at one of Bobby Flay’s restaurants. I had to decide whether I was going to go to the open call or to the wine tasting. I decided if there wasn’t a line 5 million blocks long, I’d do the audition. If there was a line, I was going to leave. Somehow I got in really fast. I had 30 seconds to say why I should be on “Hell’s Kitchen.” I have no idea what I said. They told me to come back and do a video audition. They sent that off to L.A., and they picked from that.
Were you a fan of the show before auditioning?
Oh yeah. I’d watched it several times. I wished I’d watched more of it, so I’d know what I was getting myself into. In the industry, you work late hours, so you don’t get to watch much of those shows. I love Gordon Ramsay. He’s my kind of guy. He’s blunt and to the point. He’s going to tell you exactly how it is, whether you like it or not. That’s how I like it. It makes me laugh when he gets mad. His accent and his getting all fired up. He just looks so cute when he’s mad at you.
Is Chef Gordon Ramsay really as rude as he seems on TV once the cameras stop rolling?
Well, yeah, if you’re cooking in the kitchen, he’s exactly the same. But if you hang out with him after the show, like at a reward, then he’s calm and laid-back, just like everybody else. It’s all business in the kitchen, nothing personal. Then when you’re done, no hard feelings.
How do you handle his intense berating and belittling of contestants?
I just smile and nod. Or “Yes, Chef!” Just do what he says, and let it roll off your back. You have to have thick skin to work with him.
With the stakes so high, what are the relationships like between contestants? Did you form any alliances or make any enemies
The funny thing was, everybody really wanted to help each other, because you have to work as a team to get further and further in the competition. No one is going to get very far if you don’t work together. It was the opposite of how I thought it was going to be. I’ve watched seasons where people are just going at each other. But the contestants I was with were great. We all worked together to get the food out. At the end, it’s all about who’s the best, but you still need the team to get to that point.
What would winning “Hell’s Kitchen” and getting to head up Araxi Restaurant mean for your career?
It’s beyond words. If I won the competition, that’s just a huge honor to have a 12-month contract at a restaurant in the city that’s hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics. That’s the biggest thing you could ever have on your résumé. Not just on a piece of paper, but that’s something you’ll never forget in your whole entire life.
What signature dish will we see you prepare for Chef Ramsay on tonight’s season premiere? Does he like it?
I made margarita french toast with tequila lime butter and a mini shot glass of margarita on the side. I can’t say if he liked it or not. You’ll have to wait and see.
What’s your advice for novice cooks wanting to create their own signature dish?
Just go with what you know. Go with what you love and flavors you enjoy.
Do you draw inspiration from the Northwest in your cooking?
Oh yeah. I love the freshness of seafood. Growing up with the freshness of fish and Dungeness crab, I use a lot of that in my cooking at home and at the restaurant when we have specials.
What’s your favorite place to eat in Clark County?
I love Newport Bay Restaurant.
Amanda Davenport Bio
Age: 27.
City of residence: New York City.
Hometown: Vancouver.
Occupation: Sous chef at Ruby Foo’s, Times Square.
Favorite food to make: Tacos.
On TV
The sixth season premieres at 8 p.m. July 21 on Fox Channel 12. For more information, go to http://www.fox.com/hellskitchen.
On the Web
To view video of former Vancouver resident Amanda Davenport talking about her cooking style and her experience on “Hell’s Kitchen,” go to http://www.columbian.com/multimedia. (The video contains profanity.)
Blackened Salmon over Watermelon Radish, Cilantro and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cucumber Vinaigrette
Yield: 2 servings.
By Amanda Davenport.
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 watermelon radishes
1 bunch of cilantro
4-5 cherry tomatoes
Mix the cayenne pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to make the blackening seasoning.
Dust salmon with blackening seasoning. Add oil to pan and heat. Sear salmon seasoned side down first, until brown, then flip and finish in oven at 400 degrees until cooked to your liking (about 3 minutes for medium rare, depending on thickness).
Peel and julienne watermelon radishes, rough chop cilantro and cut cherry tomatoes in half. Combine in a bowl and toss with Cucumber Vinaigrette (recipe follows).
Serve salad on a plate with salmon on top.
Cucumber Vinaigrette
2 cucumbers (peeled, roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups of grape seed oil
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Combine all ingredients in blender except grape seed oil. Blend and slowly add oil until combined.
