Chopped, but Not Out

New Zealander Mark Simmons, 29, a sous chef at New York restaurant Public and until recently a contestant on popular reality show Top Chef, wants to open his own restaurant in the Big Apple serving antipodean cuisine. Simmons says he wants to introduce New York to more of New Zealand. “I definitely think there’s room in New York for that,” he said. “The produce and the protein that we have over there; it’s from the purest, most pristine waters, and the greenest pastures.” On Top Chef, Simmons had to contend with American-themed challenges. “Like a street party: we don’t have street parties. And the tailgate – it was a first experience for me, but I had a great time on it. It was pretty awesome.”