Riverfront Times contributor Jeanette Kozlowksi attended the viewing-turned-victory party at Revival and spoke with Machamer. Here's an excerpt. (You can read the entire interview and more about the series at blogs.riverfronttimes.com/gutcheck/media/hells_kitchen.)
Jeanette Kozlowski: What's it like to have Gordon Ramsay yell in your face?
Christina Machamer: Awesome. Um, having Gordon yell in your face is really, really hard. It's not the worst thing I've been through, but for me, this was so emotional. This was my culinary career, something I had worked for, all put on the line in front of a national audience. It's not like I was Bobby, the executive chef. No, I was Christina, culinary student with no career. So if Gordon would have said, "You can't cook!" — now I'm that girl from that show who can't cook. That was especially stressful.
What's the biggest lesson you've learned?
There were so many lessons. I think the biggest lesson right now is: Run it or it will run you. Regardless of what it is: That's your restaurant, that's your life, that's your publicity schedule. You have to be in charge; you have to organize it. You have to run it, or it will run your life.
What's Gordon like in person?
He's hilarious. First of all Gordon loves Diesel jeans and wishes he could wear more suits. He's very label-whorish, with a snappy wit. He should be on The View, but he curses too much. Being around Gordon was definitely great. He's not afraid of anybody — not a single fucking person. In a scrap, I'd rather have him on my side. Being around that sort of that influence, with that much measurable success, he can really stand his own and definitely gets you to grow a pair of bollocks.
When do you head out to LA?
I don't know, but I'm going to New York tomorrow. Like, seriously, that's the wrong side; I'm going farther away. I'm going to be doing some cooking for a guy named Regis Philbin [on Live with Regis and Kelly]. As for LA, my bags are packed, my furniture is sold — I'm ready.
