The Next Top Chef

I love the show Top Chef. The challenges combined with crazy contestants leads to great food. Whenever I go to a town with a Top Chef contestant's restaurant I try to go. I have not been too successful in getting into the restaurants. Some of these places are real ritzy or require a significant reservation period. However, I have been to a great Top Chef restaurant in Washington D.C. called Good Stuff.

Good Stuff is brainchild of Spike Mendelsohn of Top Chef. He was one of my favorite contestants because he was overly confident, loud, and he loved his red meat. Good Stuff is best explained a a high end fast food restaurant. The menu consists of All-American classic hamburgers and french fries. However, like all great chefs Spike adds twists to his food with great burgers such as the Prez Obama, Good Stuff Melt, Michele Burg (a great turkey burger), and many many more. He has several different types of french fries. The sauces that are available are incredible. Dip your fries into them or add them to your burger. The mango mayonnaise and the chipotle mayonnaise are my favorites. However, a great splurge is the shakes. My first shake was the black and white which has chocolate sauce dripped all along the sides of the cup. It is so good I cannot give it up to try another.

I have been to Good Stuff three times. On one of my trips I was lucky enough to see Spike. Since it is like a fast food restaurant you pick up your food at the container within 5 minutes after ordering. The place is always bustling and good luck finding a seat. This is a great time to make new friends. My Spike meeting occurred with my good friend Katey. Her and I love a deep love for Top Chef and Spike. When we walked in that day, I was so excited to see Spike handing out the food. I ordered my burger (I do not remember which one, I like to try something new every time. Plus the burgers are always changing.) and fries, and waited patiently for my order number to be called. I was so excited. How could I be so lucky to be handed my food by Spike? My number was called and I walked up very confidently and Spikes, "Please enjoy your food and have a great day." My response: "Is this all for me? I can't wait to eat." I did this all while giggling like a school girl. Such a great response. I made such a impression. So proud of myself. Katey and I could not stop laughing or stop eating. The food is good. (The pictures at the top are a sign with Spike at Good Stuff and Spike serving the great great Good Stuff.)

This now leads me to how I am going to be the next Top Chef. Katey gave me for my birthday the cookbook: The Good Stuff Cookbook by Spike Mendelsohn. How exciting. I could not wait to jump right in and good. But what to try first? I needed to make Spike proud with my first recipe. I chose the Good Stuff Melt with Village Fries. Let me tell you: this was tough work. I did everything from scratch. I pureed the sauces, cut the fries, caramelized the onions, sauteed the mushrooms, chopped the herbs, grill the burgers, and in the end ate everything. The Good Stuff restaurant makes it look so easy. Your food is out in five minutes at most and nice and steamy. It took me almost two hours. I am not complaining. Good food takes time. However, I learned Good Stuff takes a lot of good people. I will continue to cook Good Stuff but not all the time. Not the healthiest recipes but everyone deserves a good/saturated meal every once in awhile.

Because I want you to go and buy Spike's cookbook, I will not be posting these recipes on my blog. However, I am willing to cook you a Good Stuff meal. Reservations are required at least 7-10 days in advance. The restaurant is casual dress. Bring a big appetite and lots of napkins (Good Stuff is only good if is messy). See you soon :)