Constantine Rocks Long Island

by Christine Gerani

Tonight, the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore welcomes Tony-nominated star Constantine Maroulis.  Constantine is the star of the smash Broadway hit, ROCK OF AGES and was also a finalist on American Idol, Season 4! A NIGHT AT THE ROCK SHOW will feature Constantine’s unique interpretations of some of the greatest rock songs of all time. He’ll be backed by an all-star band. I spoke with Constantine about tonight’s Sold-Out show!

Christine – Congratulations on your success with Rock of Ages and your Tony Award Nomination for Best Actor.  It’s huge. Do you pinch yourself every day?

Constantine – Definitely yea, it’s been an incredible year so I remind myself as often as I can how lucky I am to be in a great show and getting to do it every night. We had a lot of fun this year and all of the nominations for the show have been great for all of us.

Christine – Since Season 4 of American Idol you have been everywhere, you’ve been on Broadway and TV, do you ever have time to watch the current seasons of American Idol?

Constantine – When I was on the show we didn’t have TIVO or DVR and now we do! So yea I get to watch lots of different things that maybe I didn’t get to watch a couple of years ago.  I always catch up on Idol when it’s on, I guess its right around the corner again.  So yea I catch up and I watch it.  I’ve been doing a lot of contributing for Fox News Channel and different Fox outlets, Fox Reality and Fox 5 here in New York and stuff over the years so it’s been part of my job as well to sort of tune in and check it out.

Christine – There’s a lot of people who are a little upset that they let Paula walk. Do you think the show needed a change? What do you think about that?

Constantine – You know they know what they are doing over there.  Paula is a huge part of the show and has been a huge part of the shows success.  I guess they felt it was time for them to move on and move in different directions, both parties, and they know how to make good TV out of it.  I’m sure they’ll both be fine.

Christine – A Night at the Rock Show will be at the Boulton Center in Bay Shore Long Island Wednesday November 4^th can you tell us a little bit about your SOLD OUT show.

Constantine – The concept of the show is a night at the rock show, that’s exactly what’s it’s titled. Basically it’s some of my favorite songs from the history of rock and roll.  I personalized them all a bit and try to bring a unique interpretation to each song and they sort of tie together from a storytelling standpoint pretty well.  It’s something I’ve just been work-shopping.  I’ve done a bunch of shows in the city and now this will be our third show of the four show run and there’s a few changes this time around that we’re gonna see where it goes, flesh it out a bit.  There’s been a lot of interest in a television special, we’re working towards that and hopefully everyone has a good time.  It’s been built on the success of Rock of Ages – a big rock jukebox musical. I wanted to put something together that the fans can all relate to.

Christine – Can you give us an example of the songs that you will be performing Wednesday?

Constantine – We’re doing everything from Bob Seger to the Goo Goo Dolls.  Every song is tied together sort of like the journey that’s been my life over the last few years from growing up playing in bands to ending up in Hollywood California, doing sort of an Idol experience and all through to Broadway and TV experiences and stuff.  So the songs sort of relate to each other in that level.

Christine – You’ve had a hell of a career especially since Idol, in your career so far can you pinpoint your greatest moment?

Constantine – Ya know I think the opportunity to just continue what I love to do and get to do different kinds of work.  I grew up in the theatre and to have the opportunity to create new roles in New York and certainly on the Broadway stage has been a tremendous blessing.  The success of American Idol has been the platform that created it.  It was huge for me personally.  The amazing support of the community has been awesome too.  New Yorkers never forget, I think when you are on a big show like that, it’s you being on a team that they remember like a great Yankees team or a great Giants team, they always remember that you were the guy from New York on Idol and they voted for you.  They have an emotional investment in you which is pretty cool. 

Rock of Ages has been a great success here in New York so a lot of the New York and New Jersey crew that supported me on the show have the opportunity again to see me on this show.  Really I think over all that’s been and what it’s been about, the opportunity to continue what I love to do.  I know I’ll never change the world with my music or my acting, but I love being a part of it!

Christine – When you’re not touring, what do you do to relax?

Constantine – I’m a New York Yankees and New York Giants fan, I just love my sports.  I see my family a lot, I’m working on new music for a record and of course working on the Night at the Rock show stuff…just doing me.

Join SpotonLI on Facebook!

Photos Courtesy of the Hartman Group

Our Long Island Idol

by Christine Gerani

We sat down with Smithtown, Long Island native Joe Murena, 29 an American Idol Season 4 finalist who’s debut album “If Ever” will be in stores, March 2010. Before Idol, Joe was a studio singer who overcame stage fright to perform at the infamous Apollo Theatre in Harlem. His Journey has been paved with the ups and downs of stardom. In Joe’s case…his journey continues.

Christine- Before you graced the American Idol stage you were a kid growing up in Smithtown Long Island. When did you realize you can sing?

Joe – Actually I was at a friend’s house. I was going on 16 and they had a karaoke machine, I was just playing around, and her sister in law heard me singing and, she came up to me and said “I’ve got to take you to the studio to meet a friend of mine!” It ended up being part of C&C Music Factory.

Christine – When did you start songwriting?

Joe- I always sang by myself if I was alone. I think I wrote songs prior to being 16. I started driving around 17, 18 and when you’re alone in your car, that’s when I really started writing.

Christine – What was your favorite song when you were young and who were your musical influences?

Joe – Steve Perry I have to say is my biggest influence by far. I love the Greatest Hits album of Journey. I love going on road trips, and hearing Doo Wop and Frankie Valli.

Christine – You were on Star Search and Showtime at the Apollo, tell us about those experiences?

Joe – That was actually the first time I ever performed live in front of anyone; it was on the Apollo Stage. I was terribly stricken with stage fright and got hypnotized by a Doctor named Dr. Besman, he’s from Long Island and I send everyone to him because I think he’s amazing. He’s into holistic stuff but he’s one of the most influential people I’ve had the opportunity of ever meeting. 

A friend of mine, a chiropractor, told me to go meet this guy. I went to him and he hypnotized me to get over it. When I woke up, and I’m not sure I believed it at the time, but I woke up and he said “who’s Amelia?” I said that’s my nanny, my moms’ mom. Then he said you used to watch Showtime at the Apollo with her on TV…and I said yea. He told me you’re going to go tomorrow and you’re going to audition as soon as you can for the show. You gotta go on the show. I walked out of there frazzled, because every time it was on we would watch it together.

So I went to Harlem, I auditioned. I thought the audition went well. I got to meet Maxie Lewis, she was the producer for the show, I stepped off stage and I remember her saying “that was amazing!” I was like…really? I was in awe with the fact I even done that and the fact that people liked it.

Christine – How about Star Search?

Joe – That was the new one with Arsenio Hall. I went to New York. I auditioned, they eliminated everyone in the room I was in, but they kept me!  There was another girl they kept she was in the room next to mine. Her name was Denise Hudson. They called me back to do another audition and I was late trying to get there. I was like I’m gonna be late! I gotta get there! I went down the wrong road, a one way road, and a cop jumped in front of me and starts screaming “where the fuck are you going?” I say I’m sorry I have an audition with Star Search. And she said “right this way!” She let me cut through all the way to the hotel I pulled right up and went right into the room and I sang. Then they have you wait a while and within a week they called me and said you made it on the show. We’re doing it again! That’s how my second audition went- I almost got a traffic ticket.

Christine – You were on Season 4 of American Idol within the Top 12 of the Boys. Describe the feeling of performing to such a large TV audience.

Joe – It’s interesting actually because The Apollo is a huge theatre when it’s packed.  When you’re on a show like Idol it’s a studio audience and there’s cameras around, you kind of grasp the fact that everyone is watching you live, but to really get it while you’re doing it … you only kind of can.  What I like is that when you’re performing, California has the time difference, so you get to perform and then you can watch it back. When it’s the 12 of us, they tape the day before the first episode because it’s hard to get it all in.  When it aired I remember looking at it like, “Oh my god this is crazy” but I my mom called me to tell me Long Island is flipping out that you’re the first person from Long Island that made it. You can’t really grasp that when you’re there because they keep you in a bubble. For as long as I was there, I was away from my friends and family. All you think of is the goal. The studio audience was great because they’re waiting all day to get inside to get a glimpse to see who the Idols will be.  But that audience wasn’t as intimidating as doing The Apollo for some reason. Maybe because it was historic, rubbing the stump there.

Christine – Worried about the Sandman coming to take you off the stage?

Joe – They had done a taping for another episode of Showtime at the Apollo and prior to me, this young girl came out, a white girl, and they booed her the minute she walked out and I thought “Oh my God, I’m dead” I felt really bad for her but I felt worse for me. Everybody there was really great but the one producer said the likelihood of the clown coming after you was really high. It was like his words were engraved in my head. He said “The likelihood is really high, so if he does, just graciously walk off stage” as he handed me the microphone. I said if that clown comes after me “he can chase me the fuck around” If I go out there and start singing he can come after me all he wants but I am finishing that song, and he laughed. He probably really thought that I was going to be back in. So when I stepped out, Rudy Rush was the host, and he says to the audience “who’s he remind you of?” and they yell “Ricky Martin!” All of a sudden I start doing the Ricky Martin Dance like an idiot and the audience screamed! I’m saying “I’m sorry I’m sorry. I set myself up!” I did Let’s Stay Together. You can’t go wrong with Al Greene but that was the most intimated I’ve felt, more than Idol. Live I don’t think is as scary when it’s on TV as in concert where you can see the faces.

Christine – So I watched your version of Let’s Stay Together on American Idol. Randy said “it was just good”, Paula felt you “brought it up from last week” and Simon agreed with Randy. I agreed with Paula.  You walk off the stage week after week after being judged, how do you feel?

Joe – I was fortunate on the show that I never had anything negative thrown at me before that. I’ve watched them crush many people. It’s a beautiful show and brings a lot people together but the reality is they crush many dreams to make one. I was fortunate that I didn’t have to deal with that the whole way through. When the negative comments started and they tell you can’t say certain things, I didn’t want to be that guy that was disrespectful back and I understand they had a job to do.  Simon called me a Portuguese nightclub singer and I had a thousand things I could have said, but you just try to take it as graciously as you can. Even the way you’re presented is manipulated; the collar being pulled out of my jacket and my shirt tucked in, that was not always the way I was originally coming out. They altered me quickly and threw me out there.  I guess you take it, but at that moment, on that day I felt that everybody’s watching this, but I know my mom, my parents, and my family and friends…they’re Italian and home screaming at the TV! I’m just going “yea ok, thank you, thanks…”  Criticism on any level is difficult.

Christine – You were voted off American Idol, you arrive back to Long Island and you’re met with a huge homecoming…do you feel beat down at this time or do you feel like a rock star?

Joe – When I got voted off the show, you leave beautiful-ville to go to another beautiful hotel. I stayed for an extra few days there. I actually had a friend fly out to help me take my stuff home. You pack 8 months of stuff plus the shopping that you do while you’re there, and all the stuff that was given to you. I had a week to almost detoxify myself and I couldn’t think that big coming to Long Island.  I remember I couldn’t wait to get home to my family and what I thought was going to be normal again. I stepped off the plane at Macarthur Airport and I hear screaming. I’m like “what the hell is going on?” My friend that was with me told me that’s for you. That’s for me? What are you taking about?  I see people, hundreds of people, people I knew, people I didn’t know, signs posters and I was like “Shit, this is great, imagine if I would of won?” Can you imagine, I wouldn’t have been landing in Macarthur it would have been JFK! It’s a world wind even at that point as the show still continues. I went back to the Finale, it was a whole year of my life that was dedicated to Idol, and then I was expected to go back to normal, maybe back to my job. When I landed there and saw what had taken place I knew it would never be that normal again.

Christine – Do you still watch the show?

Joe – I do watch it, I didn’t watch it as much the following season because I was so annoyed about the whole Taylor Hicks thing. I was like come on now, this is the guy? It’s difficult to know the formula of something and then to watch it again. I remember I watched it prior and I remember I was running on the treadmill when Fantasia won which was the year before mine.  I remember going to hit the button but I didn’t and I slid right off the treadmill.  My mom yells from upstairs “what’s the matter?” and like “I’m auditioning for Idol next year” while I was on my ass having flown off the treadmill.

Then the following year came, because I had said it, now my whole family was saying “you’re going.” It’s the most amazing moment in someone’s life. After you know what it’s like to be there, to watch other people go through it, the criticism almost cuts deeper than it did to me cause I know how they feel and I know that face in holding back when what you really want to tell them off.  How lucky we were to have Paula Abdul because she was wonderful.

This year will I watch it? I probably won’t. I love Ellen but I just don’t think it’s the right formula anymore. The artist or singers that go on that show that don’t have Paula, they’re going to be missing an element that they’ll never get back again. That was her baby and she cradled every single singer that went on the show and was genuine about how she felt and she gave us all good luck charms from her jewelry company.  I just can’t imagine her not being there, she was just a wonderful person, and I’m not saying Ellen isn’t.  I don’t need to watch it anymore its run its course with me anyway.

Christine – Do you keep in touch with any of the other contestants?

Joe – Almost all of them, if I can. I think that our year because it was the top 12 guys and top 12 girls it was different, we got a chance to know each other. I still talk to Anthony Federov, and Mikalah Gordon is still a good friend of mine.  She’s like my kid sister. I wish I got to speak to Carrie more but I understand she’s a diva, a superstar.

Christine – Your debut album “If Ever” will be in stores this winter? I was listening to some tracks on your website, do you write these amazing hooks?

Joe – Yea, do you like them?

Christine – I love them.

Joe -Thanks!

Christine – Will there be a tour supporting the album?

Joe – I hope so. That would be our goal. I would love to do anything I could. I love to get the music out to the masses as much as I could.

Christine – “Front Row” has a great hook and most people with a dream can relate to this song…what advice would you give a new artist or anyone with a “pipe dream”.

Joe – That’s a funny line, that line was actually used to me as a friend in high school.  Just to not act too quick, not to take criticism to heart and be open to criticism at the same time.  Everything happens for a reason and I think all singers should know that. Who I was at the time of Idol and who I am now is very different. I wouldn’t have been as proud to stand behind a product that I would have put out then as I am now….just don’t give up.

Christine – You are extremely Charity driven. Tell us with your association with the Rich Cronin Foundation.

Joe – I had a best friend growing up.  Her name was Chrissy Pallazolo and she unfortunately passed away from Leukemia in 2006. Ironically it’s very weird how this whole thing worked out because when I first put the band together, Melissa (Joe’s manager) was doing something for the Hope Foundation.  I really didn’t know Melissa, I knew her through my keyboard player and they asked us to be a part of it.  This was prior to my friend having any illness at all.  We went and performed, I guess maybe a year or so later my friend was diagnosed with it. I reached out to Melissa to help me put together a fundraiser for her.  At that point that was all I could do was do a fundraiser, people love music and they support it. Unfortunately the week that we picked to do a fundraiser for her, Chrissy lost her battle with Leukemia.  So the first single that’s coming out is called “If Ever” the name of the album will probably be called “If Ever” and it’s written for Chrissy.  So it’s just weird how things all work its way full circle. I think that being on a show like Idol I was blessed with being wanted at fundraisers.  My mom is an 8 years going strong breast cancer survivor, so I did many breast cancer walks and I always will because I think it’s so important.  I did Autism awareness at Shea Stadium, I got to sing the anthem. The stadium was packed that day and the manager of the Mets said it was amazing to see so many people, that I should be really be happy and I was like “This has to do with me?” Because they heard a person from Idol was coming to do the anthem, if this is what I can do to help, I’ll always do that. I think it’s very important.

What I found interesting actually, doing the fundraisers and getting involved with Rich and Melissa is how many people don’t know how to get involved. They want to but they don’t know how. The beauty of Rich Cronin’s Hope Foundation is that it’s laid out and simple for people to become donors of bone marrow or just to even get tested to be a match. It’s so simple and it has saved so many lives that’s it’s wonderful.  Rich is a survivor and God Bless him, he didn’t just survive and forget about it. He survived with Melissa and created this vehicle for other people to get involved and really help other people, which is really what it’s all about.

Christine – When you’re is not writing, singing or recording. What does Joe like to do?

Joe – I love to spend time with my nephews and my niece. I’m very family oriented. I hang out with my mom a lot and my friends. I can be very juvenile. I like to curl up on a couch and watch cartoons on Saturday.

Christine – Are you a sportsfan?

Joe – Somewhat, I don’t get into the whole scream at the TV like my dad but I can appreciate it. I like going to the gym, I love running because it makes me clear my head.  When it comes to writing music it’s something I always do, I can never shut off, it’s my own personal turrets it’s happens all the time everyday, no matter where I am. 

We went to go see LFO in concert, they were phenomenal!  We were sitting there waiting for them to come out, I asked Melissa to give me her phone for a minute and I jotted down an idea. It will probably be one of the singles on the album. I just like to be normal. I have a great job, I love that part of my life too. I feel like I get to live almost like Hannah Montana.

For more information about Joe Murena please visit his website at www.JoeMurena.com

Click here to find out how you can help the Rich Cronin Hope Foundation!

Join the Joe Murena Facebook Fanpage!

Join the SpotonLI Facebook Fanpage!

September 21, 2009

Dancing with Melissa Joan Hart

by Mick DuRussel 

We came to know and love her as Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Today, Long Island’s own Melissa Joan Hart is a beautiful woman who combines career, motherhood and being the wife of a well known musician. On Monday, September 21st on ABC TV at 8:00pm, Melissa begins her quest for a championship on the 9th edition of Dancing with the Stars. I had a chance to speak with Melissa before she began one of her final rehearsals…

MICK: Congratulations on being chosen to compete in the 2009 edition of Dancing with the Stars. How did this all come about?
MELISSA: They had asked me the first season to appear and I was not able to do it because of scheduling conflicts. A lot of the following seasons I was pregnant so I couldn’t do it in any event. So the timing just finally worked out. It took 9 seasons but now I’m able to do it!

MICK: How long are the rehearsals each day?
MELISSA: Depends on how I’m feeling. My dance partner was feeling well yesterday and I was kind of sick last week. We’ve been taking it easy now that we’ve got the routine down, trying to polish it up. We’re trying not to exhaust ourselves because once the show begins next week, it’s going to be hard core. We do between 2-6 hours each day. We’ll probably get 2-4 hours in today.

MICK: Are you nervous?
MELISSA: I’m getting really nervous. I got to do some of my dance for some friends last night so that made me feel a little better!

MICK: Are you happy with your dance partner?
MELISSA: Oh yeah. I’ve got the best! I got the two time winner (Mark Ballas) whom I think is the best choreographer. As a teacher he is so patient, giving and concerned. A lot of the other dancers were taught by his mother so he’s not only got it in his blood, he’s got the best teacher in his life. Hopefully, he’ll be able to pull me through it!

MICK: You and your mom recently opened a candy store in Sherman Oaks, Ca. called SweetHarts. How is that going?
MELISSA: It’s going great! It’s extremely adorable. A wonderful little place. Instantly, when you walk in, it makes you happy!

MICK: Do you plan to expand, open more stores?
MELISSA: We are opening another one in the next few months and hopefully more. Start branching out a bit.

MICK: Possibly a store on Long Island?
MELISSA: Yes, hopefully. I’ve got a lot of family on Long Island so I can put some of them in charge of it!

MICK: What are your plans after Dancing with the Stars?
MELISSA: After this ends, I’m supposed to be doing a pilot. We’ll see how that works out. Possibly to get started on a new TV show, that would be exciting and fun. That’s what I really want to be doing. We just recently moved back here to the Northeast to Connecticut. Close enough to my family on Long Island, right over the Sound! I hope to get settled in my new town a little bit, spend some time with my two boys and my husband. This show has taken away of lot of my focus and time away from them. So as soon as I get back I can spend time being a mommy!

MICK: Do you get back to Long Island a lot?
MELISSA: Yes, we do actually. We took the Bridgeport ferry over recently. Spent some time with my dad and went on his boat. He owns a marina in Sayville. We took his boat over to Fire Island a few weeks ago. I have a brother in Bayport and a sister in Lake Ronkonkoma and my little sister is in Brooklyn; cousins, aunts and uncles everywhere from Oyster Bay to Moriches, all over.

MICK: I’ve read that you collect Shirley Temple memorabilia. Have you ever met her?
MELISSA: I have! She invited me to her home. I went to her house in Northern California to meet and talk to her about the possibility of doing her life story. She never gave anyone the rights to her story before but she liked me and my mother and trusted us. We did that movie a few years ago, probably 7 years ago, for ABC as a Mother’s Day special.

MICK: Do you have any hobbies?
MELISSA: Yes snow boarding. I love snow boarding. I play some golf here and there with my husband. Actually, we came out in June for the U.S. Open. That was exciting and fun but very muddy. It was miserable for the fans and I’m sure the players. I’m really looking forward to going to Belmont. I love watching the ponies run. I’ve never been to Belmont before so that should be fun.

MICK: Tell me something about yourself that your fans would be surprised to know about you.
MELISSA: A lot of people would assume that I am very goody two shoes but I tend to be more salty and sweet. I tend to have a pretty good sense of humor. I think it runs in my family that we have this sort of attitude where if something happens, we crack a joke even if it’s inappropriate. So I do tend to be more inappropriate at times then people tend to think.

MICK: Are you superstitious at all?
MELISSA: I’m a little superstitious. I’m really afraid of flying. I’m terrified of flying even though I do it at least twice a week.

MICK: Are you religious?
MELISSA: Yes I am. I grew up Catholic, going to St. Lawrence in Sayville. I had my Communion and Confirmation there. When I met my husband, we became Presbyterian together.

MICK: Pick one word that would best describe you.
MELISSA: Sassy!!!

MICK: Which actors and actresses do you most admire?
MELISSA: I’m thinking Sandra Bullock and Harrison Ford.

MICK: I know you are married to a well known musician [Mark Wilkerson]. Do you have any plans to do anything musically?
MELISSA: No, I don’t sing very well. I’d love to do “Chicago” on Broadway but I’d have to take a lot of lessons for that!

MICK: How are your two boys doing?
MELISSA: They’re doing great! Really good! Mason just started preschool in our new little town in CT; Brady is one and a half, he still won’t talk but we’re working on it. He loves charades but he won’t talk!

MICK: What advice would you give to any up and coming actresses?
MELISSA: You’ve got to have a thick skin and you’ve got to take the good with the bad. It’s a huge uphill struggle. It’s not the kind of job where the better you get at it, you move up the ladder. You hit the top and then you hit the bottom all in the same year!

MICK: Ok Melissa, lots of luck on the show!
MELISSA: Thanks Mick. Tell all Long Islanders they have to vote for me!! And vote as many times as they can! I’m also on Twitter now. My name is: MELLYJHART. I’ve got to get my followers up! I have to beat Demi Moore!!

Don’t forget to watch Melissa on Dancing with the Stars beginning Monday, September 21st at 8:00pm on ABC!! and VOTE for her!!!!!

Follow Melissa on Twitter @MellyJHart

Click here and join the Sweetharts Facebook Fan Page!

Click here and join the SpotonLI Facebook Fanpage!

]]> http://spotonli.com/2009/09/dancing-with-melissa-joan-hart/feed/ 4 http://spotonli.com/2009/09/chef-heather-west-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chef-heather-west-2 http://spotonli.com/2009/09/chef-heather-west-2/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:46:02 +0000 admin http://spotonli.com/?p=691 September 1, 2009

Back Home with Chef Heather West

by Christine Gerani

We interviewed Chef Heather West, 29 the winner of Hell’s Kitchen Season Two and now Executive Chef at Monterey in Long Beach. Chef Heather was a pleasure to interview. A natural beauty with a lot of great stories to tell, Heather talks about her love of cooking, her love for her parents Jack and Pat West and of course coming back home.

Christine: You’re back in New York; tell us what brought you back to Long Island.

Chef Heather: I’d been thinking about moving back, my family’s here. My father’s my best friend. I love that man more than anything. This is my 17th move in 5 years. I miss home and I said if I do come home it’s not going to be for just 6 to 8 months. I looked online and I saw that there was a job out here; I thought it would take a couple months. I emailed them and not even 24 hours later I got a call and not even another 24 hours later I got the job! I came back early just to work here.

Christine: Who inspired you to start cooking?

Chef Heather: Well I was an art major before I got my culinary degree. I always cooked and baked with my mom and my grandma since I was 4. I did my own apple pie from scratch when I was 11. I was cooking in restaurants when I was 13. It was always something I did. I worked at the Village Way (Port Jefferson) I worked everywhere. I started to get real good at it. I was 20, in my second year of college and my mom got diagnosed with cancer.

So I would look on epicurious.com because my mom does not know how to shop. She would buy 12 cans of pickles and 13 cans of dressings, I felt like MacGyver. I always call it “Cooking like MacGyver” I can make a bomb but can I eat it. I would look up ingredients on epicurious.com and I would cook for her to make her happy and I started to get good and it and I thought I might do this as a living.

I got into the best school in the country, which is called the Culinary School of America; I got in the first time. I was the last class in the old curriculum which means that I got a lot of stuff that the new kids aren’t getting now and I’ve been going ever since.

Christine: Did your experience as a reality star help you in the way you approach your career?

Chef Heather: Yes and no. If I didn’t win, it would be a hell of a lot harder because of the way you kind of get manipulated on TV and everything. They’re all excellent chefs, but when you deprive anyone sleep, food, smoke, and drink, then stick them in a room with no communication with anyone, something’s gonna happen and they’re going to cry and they’re going to mess up. And they do mess with them a little bit.

It has been hard getting a job especially in this economy. I’ll take any kind of restaurant that I like, I just want to cook! I just want food and I want to learn the job. I worked at ice cream parlors, I worked at bakeries, I worked at breakfast joints that just bang out breakfast.

Christine: So you keep honing your craft?

Chef Heather: Yea it’s not all 5 star but its good food.

Christine: What’s your favorite food?

Chef Heather: I eat a lot of Mexican, like chicken and rice, enchiladas, empanadas. I did traditional Mexican for a long time. I did that in the Hamptons at Almond/Almonditos. I was the executive sous chef. I was kind of a little bitch going back and forth but I did whatever they said.

Christine: Speaking of being a sous chef, aren’t you currently on Hell’s Kitchen Season 8? Can you tell us what it’s like being on the outside looking in.

Chef Heather: When I showed up on set, there’s a lot of meetings. There’s one meeting where you meet the cast there and they have a bunch of pictures on the wall; and they’re like … this person is so and so, this person doesn’t like to be called this and her fears are this. I’m looking around the room looking at the crew going “what the fuck did you say about me? You guys are bastards!” I can’t say too much but working in the back you see all the camera’s, that was a trip. I’d say something to a girl then look in the monitors to see if they were talking crap about me. It was fun! I would watch their confessionals I would watch them sleep.

Christine: Did everyone trip when Tennille and Chef Ramsey had it out?

Chef Heather: First of all how about Joseph from Massapequa? Thanks Joseph for making us look bad! [Joseph proclaimed to Chef Ramsey and the world that “he ain’t no bitch”]

I see her, (Tennille) she was like “you’re crap” I had a bug in my ear and I hear “ah-oh”. She left first. He didn’t follow her right away, the people at the door told her to stop. Then he came and I heard banging. Then I went in the back and I’m going what the fuck happened?

Christine: Were you ever cursed out by Chef Ramsey

Chef Heather: I got chewed out once, thank God they didn’t show it. I think its hysterical now. At the time not so funny. I’m getting direction from Chef Scott, producers, I was cooking but before service I cut my finger, I was bleeding for 2 ½ hours. There was nothing to stitch cause the tip was gone. Meanwhile Robert had a heart problem, Amanda has Lupus, and one guy has a cast on his wrist. I’m not going to be like “excuse me chef? I cut my finger.” Why would I say anything? He’d be like grow up!

So during service I guess I bumped it and had blood everywhere. I talked to the person in my ear, that I need a medic. Chef Ramsey is always telling you to plate with two hands. I only had one hand. Chef Ramsey yells “Two Hands!” I tell him I’m waiting for the medic to come and he yells “don’t be such a baby” in front of the entire dining room, both contestants, everybody. And of course when you walk out he has to tell you in the back after service “I’m really sorry I yelled at you, I was caught in the moment. When you’re cut just tell me.”

Christine: What have you taken away from Chef Ramsey? One thing specific?

Chef Heather: I learned a whole lot as far as sharpening my skills. How he describes salt. How he describes what salt does to the chemistry of food. There’s to a point that you add salt to the food where it gets salty. For lot of people it’s under seasoned.

Christine: Are you friendly with any of the Hell’s Kitchen Contestants?

I worked with Robert before Hell’s Kitchen at the Patio in Westhampton. We worked together. I talk to the alumni from all seasons. Tuesday nights they are going to come to Monterey to watch the show.

Christine: You became head chef of Terra Rosa Italian restaurant at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa in Las Vegas. Was your experience what you expected?

Chef Heather: Yes and no. I did learn a lot at the restaurant. I was the senior chef. It jump started my career. I talked to everyone, doing publicity but I just want to cook. I learned every single line. I talked to everyone, I worked 7 days a week. I worked on my days off and worked every restaurant from that casino. I followed the executive chef around, I learned every single restaurant, the café, the breakfast line and I did tastings.

Christine: What will you bring to Monterey Restaurant as far as cooking style and leadership?

Chef Heather: Leadership style, as long as you’re doing everything right and you’re working hard and working clean there’s no reason why we can’t have a blast. I like high fiving the guys, I’m dancing, I scream, I’m always singing. I’m absolutely out of my mind to be in this business but its fun.

I took the whole menu apart. I changed all the plate designs and changed all the flavors, making sure everything is seasoned and fresher, no thick sauces, light fresh seafood.

All of our desserts are homemade. The cakes are homemade and so is the ice cream.

Christine: How about the Drink Menu?

Chef Heather: The drink menu as well. We’re bringing in Firefly, it’s a sweet tea vodka. It’s amazing! It’ll be a wicked Arnold Palmer. We’ll be fresh making lemonade as well. The bar menu has changed as well.

Christine: Any advice for up and coming chefs?

Chef Heather: Never go for the paycheck. Someone told me that. A chef by the name of Katie Brown, she’s out in the Hamptons. I went for a job with her to help make a cookbook and I didn’t get it. But I asked what advice she could give me and she said never go for the paycheck, go for the experience. I went from, when I was working at The Patio, making $1200 a week, a lot of money; especially back then, working 60 hours a week to working at Almond/Almondito 85-90 hours a week making $500 take home. But I was the happiest, happiest I’ve been and I loved it. She gave me that advice and that was the job that led me to gain my reputation and that’s how I got on Hell’s Kitchen. They came and saw me there.

Christine: So they work scouting around?

Chef Heather: They were scouting around that area and they came into the restaurant and I was like “Who the hell are you? Get out!” and they were like “Are you Heather West? We’re the casting directors for Hell’s Kitchen.” And I said “Oh, hi, sorry about that!” We’d like you try out and I was like really all right.

And my Dad said… “I’m not gonna tell you that you can’t do anything anymore because you always get it.”

I danced for years. I did jazz, point, ballet, lyric ballet and all that. There was an audition, like The Grind. It was for Global Group, to be one of the dancers for MTV. I wanted to do it, I was 19 years old I was going to college, I really wanted to do it. My dad was like “No, there’s going to be professional dancers…” he had never really seen me dance. I was like “I’m going to do it!” First he wouldn’t take me in, and then, I couldn’t get a ride. He said “I’ll take you” and I said no I got a ride.

My best friends took me in. I went to the city, and I went in and I did the audition. I was waitressing at the time, it was 5 days later and it was Sunday. I was at work and my parents came in to eat and I was thinking if they do call it will probably be 5 business days not 5 regular days so my Dad looks at me with a smile and says “What makes you think they’ll call?” And I say “Did I get it? Did they call! Did they call!” he’s like yea they called. So I was working for MTV for about a year and a half dancing for them.

At my parents house Hell’s Kitchen was on I’ll never forget. Hell’s Kitchen was on the first season and I said I want to do that! My Dad looked at me and said I’d be the first booted off. He said because I couldn’t take the yelling. I told him its different when you yelled at me as a kid, it’s different when it’s my dad. You yelled at me all the time! I can take it, I was like you prepared me for them.

They didn’t know how I was. My parents are very protective – I am their baby. I watched the show, I wasn’t the 18 year old that goes out and swings from the chandeliers. I wanted to show them that I was just as good as everyone else and just because I was just working at a restaurant, I wanted to show them what I had. So I went to the first audition but my Dad kept reminding me that a lot of people will be trying out for this. We kept on getting calls and finally it was down to 50. They sent me out to LA and then I come back and it was down to 25, so I was on pins and needles. I come by my parent’s house once a week to do laundry.

One week, I said the same exact thing I always did, I looked at my Mom and said “they probably won’t call today, it’s too late.” And 5 minutes later, the phone rings. I say hello, I go in the hallway and my mom’s in the kitchen and I say, oh my god thank you that’ s awesome! They tell me I got it, you’re on, we’d like to have you… and my Mom, I hear “Jack, she got it” I’ll never forget it was hysterical! She woke my Dad up my Dad came in and I was so excited, I called work right away and said I’m going to be gone for a month. Cause they relied on me a lot. My Dad said listen it doesn’t matter if you’re the first booted off or anything. You got it, you made it past thousands of people, you’re one of 12!

My Dad and I haven’t gone without talking more than 2 days my entire life. So this is 28 days without talking to my Dad or seeing him. There’s no friends, no family no TV, no radio, no internet, no music, no writing anything down, no reading, no books. Nothing. I had their picture in my back pocket, I was doing it to show them I wanted them to come there so I can say “see, I freaking told you I’m good at what I do!”

I work hard and I play hard and outside of the kitchen I’m crazy. But when I’m in the kitchen I’m serious and I get my work done. I have a really good worth ethic and I wanted to show them. So when it was down to the final two they brought in the parent’s. When the door opened I lost it “Daddy!”. Dad’s crying and my mom just kept on going “can you believe it” she was so cute “can you believe it” that’s all she said. My Dad couldn’t even say anything, he had no words, and he kept patting me on the back, ya know the Dad pat. “I haven’t gone without seeing my baby for more than two days”. They got it on camera “I told you I would do it.” And we hugged and he said “Yea you did!”

My sister is in the United States Naval Academy. I made the competition within myself we never really competed. I always felt what she did was so great and I’m like I’m just a cook or I’m just a chef. I graduated from the best culinary school in the country and graduated with an art degree as well. When my sister graduated the United States Naval Academy my Dad cried. I want to make my Dad so proud. I wanted to make him just ball! So when I graduated the best school in the country he didn’t cry, because he said I know that there’s better out there for you.

So at the finale I knew my parents were there and I was like I’m not getting so close and letting this girl take this away from me. My parent’s are here, and nothings going to stop me. So I open up that door and I look down and my Dad was balling. Balling! You see I’m about to cry. That was what I was waiting for my whole life. Not the money, not the title, nothing, not to win Hell’s Kitchen just to make my father proud. He was crying for 3 weeks later. Every time he would think about it he would tear up. Still to this day when he can’t sleep he watches Hell’s Kitchen. He’s like you’re so different, so strong the way that you did things. I’m so proud of you. He’s always saying that’s my little girl. He would say I always wanted to raise my daughters as strong individual girls that don’t need a man, that don’t need anybody to do anything for them. But at the same time I thought that they would always been around me because when I won I was going all around the world. So now he’s more than thrilled that I’m home and I’m staying with them. I drive an hour back and forth to come here.

Christine: Thanks so much for meeting with us Heather and we wish you lots of luck at Monterey. One last question, Butter or Margarine?

Chef Heather: Oh butter, Unsalted.

You can watch Chef Heather West currently on Hell’s Kitchen every Tuesday Night at 8pm on FOX or better yet come down to Monterey Restaurant in Long Beach and try out their new menu. Bon Appetite!

Check out our July Review of Monterey here!

Click here and join the SpotonLI Facebook Fanpage!

Follow us on Twitter @SpotonLI

Photographer: Annette Gerani

20 W. Park Ave.
Long Beach, NY
516-208-8992

http://montereyny.com/

Touring Monterey Restaurant in Long Beach

By Christine Gerani

Photographer: Amanda Gerani

Nestled in the lively town of Long Beach New York lies one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever seen, Monterey. With its creamy hues and extensive moldings, this piece of heaven turns a simple night out to dinner into a full visual and tasty pleasure.

Catering Manager Lisa Villafane gave us a full tour before the start of Friday Happy Hour. “Everything is fresh,” Lisa said. “No preservatives, no msg and no food enhancers.”

The smell from the kitchen is pulling us in. We meet Executive Chef Brian and Sous Chef Jaime. Sous Chef Jaime is handling colossal-size shrimp that made my mouth water, and as I snap myself out of the shrimp obsession, I notice how organized, friendly and approachable the staff is.  

In the main dining area, you are greeted with a fireplace surrounded by candles placed within the walls.  So perfect for a night out with your partner, yet cozy enough for family get-togethers. The Captain’s Table’s elegance is fit for a Queen – Queen Christine!

The acoustic duo John Cavazza and Andy Heyman from the band Greenhouse Effect are about to start performing and a crowd is gathering near the bar.   The dining room is also filling up and Lisa has an appointment coming in soon, so she takes us upstairs to view the private party room.  This room is huge and perfect for a Rehearsal Dinner, Bridal Shower, Engagement Party or even a Wedding. I am in awe as I notice that this dream room overlooks the main dining area and is next to the rustic wine room. “Where was this restaurant when I was getting married?” I thought to myself. 

The designs of both the Main Dining Room and The Private Party area were so well thought out.  No one would guess the surprise in the bathroom – from the raised sinks with the waterfall spouts to the antique style knockers in the men’s room even the bathrooms took my breath away.

Lisa now politely meets with her customers, a young couple looking to book an Engagement Party. She introduces us to her husband and manager of Monterey Joe Villafane. Filled with pride, he shows us a glowing Newsday review and Monterey’s incredible menu.  The budding photographer, Amanda Gerani, and I order the Sizzling Chili Calamari from the regular menu and the Crab Cakes from the bar menu.  As we wait shortly for our appetizers, I enjoy a nice house merlot.  The bar area is packed, the music sounds good and I dream of moving to Long Beach.

Our appetizers arrive at the bar and we both have an overjoyed look on our faces. The food is as good and as beautiful as the restaurant. Whoever thought to collide calamari with a general tso’s-style sweet and sour goodness is my new best friend.  The crab cakes were scrumptious and fresh.  We were happy, but sad at the same time, because we had another engagement that evening and could not stay for dinner. My husband and I will be back for a full dinner review…do you think I’ll get the Captain’s Table?

Update: September 1, 2009, Chef Heather West is now Executive Chef at Monterey Restaurant! Click here to read our interview.