'Top Chef: World All-Stars' Tom Goetter Says He's "More Open to Experimental Dishes than the Judges"

Top Chef is back in the kitchen! Every week, Parade’s Mike Bloom interviews the latest global all-star chef told to pack their knives and leave London.

Despite spending his career cooking on the seas, Tom Goetter had by far the driest wit on Top Chef: World All-Stars. He came from humble beginnings, working throughout his childhood on a winery to working on boats, and eventually becoming a finalist in the first-ever season of Top Chef: Germany. Tom got an early example of the rising and falling tides of Top Chef, as he finished in the bottom of the first Quickfire, then immediately impressed with his ode to vegetables in the next challenge. And through these varied performances, he also showcased a love for gastronomy, mousse, and agar (which he may or may not use as hair gel).

Unfortunately, for the man who once dreamed of being a clown, it's understandable he experienced a number of misadventures in London. His cakes provided embarrassment on multiple fronts, whether it was Paul A. Young calling him out for not making a biscuit, or the judges criticizing his dense attempt at a fruit cake. He became the point of conflict during multiple team challenges, such as spending too much of his group's budget on his own ingredients in the picnic challenge, or leading his team in Restaurant Wars to ultimately a failed concept. But despite landing in the bottom five times, he was still able to win a Quickfire and Elimination Challenge, his first individual wins in his Top Chef career. At the final five, Tom was given the task of creating a "trompe-l’œil" that tricked the eye. The other chefs thought Tom had this in the bag, considering his prankster ways. And Tom's idea on paper was a home run, wanting to highlight an overlooked ingredient in seaweed. But unfortunately, his concept created a bar that couldn't be cleared. The judges felt he overthought and underdelivered on his dish, making him the final chef eliminated in London.

Read on to hear Tom's thoughts on his time in the game.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Top Chef Season 20

What made you decide to return for Top Chef: World All-Stars?
I think you must be very stupid not to take the opportunity to cook once more and to meet some of the best chefs in the world, aren’t you? So for me, it was no question at all.

What would you say is the biggest difference between Top Chef Germany and American Top Chef?
The challenges themselves were very different; Germany was more technical. Also we do not have Restaurant Wars.

You notably cook aboard an ocean vessel. How much did the traveling you get to do with your job inform the way you approached this season?
I think a lot! I do not like to cook one kind of style or way. Traveling made me, and my approach to food, very open.

You went from the bottom of the first Quickfire to the top in the first Elimination Challenge. How did it feel to start the season on those notes?
Well, the first Quickfire is basically finding your feed. To be after on the top was great. It clearly helps you to set your mindset the right way for the future.

You got your first win in your Top Chef career during the mead and honey Quickfire. Talk me through your emotions in that moment.
In Top Chef: Germany, I was in the top three many, many times. However, I never won a single challenge but every single team challenge. It was a great feeling, especially because we were still so many chefs. I was simply very proud, and it was such a special dish to me and my brother!

In the picnic challenge, a big deal was made out of you using the majority of your team's budget on your ingredients. What's your reaction to the way things were depicted on the show and called out by your fellow chefs?
I was quite sad about their approach, but clearly, I had a part in it. I created frustration for them, and I feel very sorry for it. Even if I ask many times if it's ok, the class of chefs would just never complain. I did not complain in past episodes, like when they asked me to cook in the closet in the Vrbo challenge. This was clearly not my best day, and honestly, I’m not yet over it.

You are able to survive by winning a showdown against Sylwia, but you remark that it was tough to get "punched so many times in front of the judges." Talk me through how you were feeling during this low moment.
Well, Top Chef is also a very mental game. Cooking is all about skills and confidence. It might look like I’m very confident, but I put a lot of pressure on myself at all times. My entire life is on the line. It is just very, very rough and clearly not a nice feeling. I was not ready to go home for a picnic basket, so I fought hard to remain.

A couple of weeks later, you get your first Elimination Challenge win on the Fast & the Furious challenge. How did it feel to get redemption, and win a prize to the premiere as well?
We acted great as a team, even if TV didn’t let it look this way. We all three agreed we wanted to win this, and we were on fire. I’m happy it turned this way, and we all made it to the next round.

In Restaurant Wars, you seemed to be put into a leadership role, despite the fact you had never done the challenge before. What led to that decision, and how do you look back on how things went down?
Again, I didn't ask for it. But clearly, everybody just stepped back...My initial idea was to make a vegetarian concept by using only roots, which then got changed by a vote, which I accepted. I felt this would be an amazing idea and it has never been done on Top Chef as far as I know.

Let's get into the episode that eliminated you. As a self-proclaimed prankster, these felt like two challenges that should be right up your alley. Did you feel that in the moment as well?
I agree. However, this kind of cuisine is very technical. Even if it seemed like many times it's so easy, it is really hard to cook this kind of food without the right equipment. I came straight from the ship to London. I did not have much time to prepare myself or buy/bring the needed tools. Many challenges I got creative, and it helped me. Now looking back I could have made it much easier, I presume. But this wouldn’t be me.

Your passion for seaweed and sustainability clearly came through in your idea for the tromp l'oeil challenge. Considering your experience in spectacle, did you have any other ideas as well?
I usually have many, but I felt we also should use Top Chef as a “stage” to focus on more important things. Traveling made me very aware, and I feel it's our responsibility to do what I did.

Padma seemed to be the one most against the concept of your illusion, saying that the caviar should not have been ocean-themed. What's your response to this, especially considering your desire to highlight seaweed?
Well, I don’t think it's 100% deserved feedback. The trick with the eye was there. Creating caviar that tastes like caviar was perhaps too close to the real. But is this also a piece of art and part of my story that perhaps proteins are not needed for every single day. Padma has a lot of plates, and so have the others. I respect their decision and move on, even if it hurts a lot...

The judges largely said they felt you had the best technical work on the dish but lacked in flavours. Did that come as a surprise to you?
Also, here I felt many times, I’m more open to experimental dishes than the judges. Seaweed and white almond are nothing new as a combination, especially in the south of Europe. If I ever would go back to an American version of Top Chef...trust me, I know now what to do...

It seemed like you and Ali had the exact opposite problems, in that you overshot your concept while he undershot. Were you surprised to be eliminated over him?
I won’t make the call here. For this, we have, luckily, the judges. I believe though that the “trick with the eye” task was only done successfully by me out of all three of us. All these chefs are super talented, and we respect each other a lot. With that, we never questioned the judge’s decision and respect the calls.

Your passion for your job and what food can do for the world was so palpable. What did you take away from your second season on Top Chef to help further that passion?
Top Chef was a great experience with ups and downs. Regardless, what’s most important is that every failure will still make you grow. My friends, colleagues, and family are proud of how far I made it. I’m still super disappointed just because it would have been an honour to cook in the final in Paris. I will continue to be playful and experimental and will try to continue to create passion and awareness for our job.

Next, check out out interview with Top Chef: World All-Stars finalists Buddha Lo, Gabri Rodriguez, and Sara Bradley.