Top Chef Masters: "There Are a Lot of Jackass Chefs Out There"

Who was given the boot—and why!—on last night's season premiere? Did he think he deserved to go home?

Things got a little salty last night.

Salt proved to be the downfall of the first eliminated contestant on last night's season premiere of Top Chef Masters.

Who was given the boot? Read on to learn about what it's like to not see the bad news coming and more...

Georgia-based (and Colin Egglesfield look-a-like) Hugh Acheson was the first to go after judges decided his oversalted scallops in the Restaurant War challenge were worse than Mary Sue Milliken's Hostess Cupcake-looking chocolate dessert.

What did you think of last night's episode? Didn't you want to beg the judges to give you one more chance?
It was a surprise, I think. I thought our food was really good. I didn't see the salt quotient problem coming. Maybe I shouldn't have put on the little finishing salt or maybe they just ate the top of the scallop. You never know. But I think overall our food was better than the other restaurants...But I could take it.

It's not the first time salt has caused the downfall for a chef on Top Chef.
Salt is a flavor enhancer. It shouldn't be used as a spice. It should open the palate. But evidently I opened the palate a little more than I wanted to. It's the first time so it's hard to figure out [the judges'] palates and how to cook for them.

You said in your exit interview you were "overjoyed" just to be invited to be on the show. Come on, weren't you there to just win?
Everyone says that. But for me, it's for charity. There are so many jackass chefs out there. I don't want to be the jackass chef or that ego guy. ...At the end of the day, sure, I'd like to win. I have that bug in me, too. But I think the priority was having fun and raising money.

You also said that as long as your 8-year-old and 6-year-old got a laugh out of it, you'd be happy. So were they giggling?
They giggled. They thought it was funny. They enjoyed it immensely but stayed up a little too late.

Now, I have to ask: Has anyone ever told you that you look like Colin Egglesfield?
Not him, but I hear other people. I think it's the eyebrows.

He's not a bad guy to look like. He was on Melrose Place.
[Laughs] I thought I looked like Heather Locklear.