Jody Adams, the chef-owner of Rialto Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass., braved her way through three episodes of Bravo's popular "Top Chef Masters" television show. While she was the overall winner in the second week, a frantic challenge that involved catering a 150-person wedding, Adams faltered during week three, falling victim to an elimination challenge where chefs were asked to create dishes featuring exotic proteins like kangaroo, wild goat, duck tongues, sea cucumber and geoduck. Adams's geoduck chowder was a hit, but her too-rare roasted goat  didn't make the cut. The morning after she was instructed to "return to the kitchen and pack her knives," chef Adams was able to take a breather and answer a few questions.

Did you see the end coming?

After Episode 2, "The Wedding Wars," my confidence was up. I was sure I could win. But the goat got me. I knew when I served the plates I was in trouble. If I had been in the restaurant, I would have sent out a treat, fixed the goat and served it at the right temperature.

When you watched the show, did you direct yourself, saying, "why didn't I do this or that?" Or did you caught up in the pace?

I got caught up in the show and the drama. It's kind of crazy because my adrenaline was racing even though I knew what happens. Bravo did a great job, no? One nice thing is that I was able to see what the other chefs were doing, which I didn't get to do while we were filming. And yes, there is some critiquing that I do. I can't help myself.

Did you go into training before the show? It's very physical, and none of you are 21-year-old line cooks.

Since I didn't know what to expect, I didn't plan any training. However, coincidentally, we had some staffing changes the month before so I spent several weeks hustling in the kitchen. I worked on some rusty muscles and picked up some speed. But you're right, I'm not 21. I felt the work in every bone at the end of each day.

When they do the choosing up of teams, is it random, or do you suspect that the teams are chosen for some kind of TV reality show balance? Food styles? Personality mix?

It certainly didn't feel manipulated by Bravo, to me. We're all chefs with strong personalities and different cooking styles so the teams would have been a dynamic mix no matter who was paired with whom. I'm confident that the teams were random.

What's it like for your family to see you as a reality show star?

You mean other than when my husband asks in the morning, "Is the Top Chef Master ready for a cappuccino yet?"  They're all very proud of me and get a kick out of it.  The trading value of my daughter's lunches at school may have gone up a notch.

Is there anyone you met for the first time on the set who has become a good friend? Anyone that surprised you when you met them and actually worked with them?

I got to know Maria Hines for the first time on the show and she's amazing -- a machine. I was so impressed watching her work and hearing about her commitment to local, organic food, to sustainable practices. She also got me to do yoga with her between challenges.

I've known Susur Lee for many years but I've never competed against him. He is one tough cook -- he was focused and competitive. Or couldn't you tell?

So far, have there been any moments when you cringe when you see yourself?

I knew the line about interrupted sex would be used and I was dreading it. [Adams made a reference to interrupted sex when referring to "time" being called when the chefs still needed more prep time in the kitchen.] So even though I was prepared, hearing it was a shock. The people watching in Rialto that night went wild; they thought it was great. My 14-year-old daughter was standing next to me and said, "Oh, Mom, that's going to make you SO much cooler."

You filmed in the late fall. It's now spring. Is it hard to keep all these secrets?

Absolutely. Everyone has tried to get the results out of me, but I've been able to keep quiet. I'm amused by the number of people who feel entitled to know and seem really hurt that I won't tell them. "Oh come on. It's just me. I won't tell anyone."  I love the power.

Has being on the show affected your business?

Big time. A lot of attention to Rialto and a raft of enthusiastic new clients. It's astonishing to me to hear how strongly customers feel about the show and the other chefs.

Has being on the show changed any of your thoughts on how you cook?

It's reinforced my belief that I should stick with what I know. The dishes I've cooked so far represent me -- and I've won with them. I'm not going to change anything.

Which is more exhausting: filming the show or watching it play out over the weeks?

Definitely the filming. The uncertainty was a killer. We never knew from challenge to challenge what we'd be facing. What, where, for how many -- it was all a mystery. The pace was also unforgiving. We were racing from kitchen to supermarket to event site feeling pretty naked, cameras rolling the entire time. I don't think I got more than four hours sleep each night and, as you can imagine, it wasn't the most relaxed sleep.

What advice would you give another chef who was contemplating doing Top Chef Masters? Any tips you wish you'd been able to get?

If you can keep your restaurant covered during filming, I'd say go for it. It's a great experience. I can't think of anything that would have helped me ahead of time except shaving two decades off my age. Stick to your knitting -- that's what I'd recommend -- trust what you know. The clock's a slave-driver and it's hard enough just to duplicate what you already do well without rolling the dice on some new technique or crazy ingredient that you hope is going to catapult you to the head of the line.

Louisa Kasdon is a Boston-based food writer and former restaurant owner. She is a columnist for the Boston Phoenix, the food editor for Stuff Magazine and has contributed to Fortune, MORE, Cooking Light, the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine and the Christian Science Monitor, among others.

Photo: Jody Adams in the "Top Chef Masters" kitchen. Credit: Bravo TV

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