Behind the Scenes With Top Chef Contestant Chrissy Camba

A pumpkin, omelet and salad mark the journey of a Lincoln Square resident on national television.

Chrissy Camba, who works at Lake View’s Bar Pastoral, spent four episodes competing on Bravo’s Top Chef: Seattle. But her journey isn’t over yet.

A massive campaign has begun to get Camba back on the show. From colleagues in Chicago to relatives in the Philippines, tweets and texts are pouring in. 

(Residents can Tweet with the hashtag #savechefchrissy or text B to 27286.)

“I don’t think of myself as this super awesome special person that people know about, and the fact that they’re willing to take the time out of their day and vote for me, it’s overwhelming,” she said. 

If she came back to the show, Camba said she’d be sure to “throw down” chicken adobo, a traditional Filipino dish.

Camba’s friends encouraged her to try out for the show, which required a sample video. Her boyfriend, Wood Executive Chef Ashlee Aubin, filmed her late one night making kimchi. 

During the audition, her boyfriend asked how badly she wanted to get on Top Chef, and she threw a pumpkin to prove her motivation.

“It didn’t break and it rolled away and was kind of pathetic but funny. I guess I made it because I think I’m an OK cook, too,” she said, jokingly. 

Camba said the competition felt like a dream, as she served up dishes to the likes of Emeril Lagasse and Tom Colicchio. To earn a spot on the show, Camba competed against five other chefs at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Cut, in Beverly Hills.

Her task? To make an omelet—the best omelet she’s ever made—in 45 minutes.

“I learned composure and it’s very nerve-wracking; a lot of grace under pressure,” she said. “I learned that I get very quiet and serious, and I’m usually kind of bubbly and fun.” 

Those adjectives couldn’t describe everyone on the show, as Camba was paired up with the hectic hot-head Carla Pellegrino for a team challenge. With tensions rising on the show, Camba said she didn’t strategize and manipulate others.

“I’m not going to force anyone to like me,” she said. “Everyone is on there to win, but it’s such a great group of chefs, they’re all really nice.”

Pellegrino and Camba left the show together, on a challenge to recreate a 1950s menu from Canlis restaurant. Camba's task was to remake the Canlis Special Salad, but heavy dressing and soggy croutons led to elimination. 

The premiere of the show ran parallel to the opening of Bar Pastoral in November, which is going well for the now-famous chef. 

“We don’t have a traditional kitchen,” she said. “My staff has been awesome and they’ve picked up on things really quickly.”

Running a new kitchen kept Camba’s mind off the show, but people still stop in to say hello and take photos. 

“I just try and act as normal as I can, I talk to them like I would friends,” she said.

When she’s not at Bar Pastoral, Camba can be found playing horse shoes at Lincoln Square’s small parks or getting dinner at Gene’s Sausage Shop.

“(Lincoln Square) is kind of like a city away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” she said. “It’s a little quieter, but you still have great restaurants and stores over there.”