She realized that she had a strong ability to combine flavors to create really delicious cocktails. When she hired a talented sous chef to run the kitchen, a move for her to manage the front of the house seemed like the right one. So, for the first time in her life, she would step out of the kitchen and step behind the bar. And now, she is the head bartender running the program at a Japanese speakeasy called The Hidden Pearl, creating thrilling new drinks. Chef Fernandes was also famously a stand-out participant in season four of Top Chef, the popular reality TV show. She fondly remembers it was a fun but stressful experience unlike anything she had ever experienced. It was at a point in time when cooking shows were new concepts. There were no clear expectations of what was going to happen. So doing all the crazy challenges and meeting the incredible chefs was exciting yet, at times, overwhelming. To this day, she still gets recognized by the public once in a while. “Maybe two weeks ago, we’re sitting in a bar, my sister and I. And she said, ‘this guy kept looking at you,’” she says. “And then finally, he was like, were you in ‘Top Chef’?” However, as an openly queer person and a woman, one thing in particular touched her the most. After her Top Chef stint, many people approached her and said that seeing someone like them on TV helped them to have the courage to come out as well. They learned how to take the preconceived notion from others and flip it on its head. It felt insane, incredible, and humbling that she inspired others. She also wishes that everybody would gain that confidence from watching other queers on TV in any field.
Shiso Fine
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