Bravo’s Top Chef competition has minted some big stars during its 17 seasons, but for its 18th round, Las Vegas is giving the show one of its own: the Black Sheep’s Jamie Tran.
Anyone who’s been to the southwest eatery already recognizes Tran’s skills. Her modern American cuisine, influenced by her Vietnamese heritage, is some of the most inventive food you’ll find in town. And now, the whole country will begin learning about the chef when Top Chef premieres on April 1.
Also, if you haven’t been to the Black Sheep lately, there are some new dishes to stir your pandemic-weary palate. The Manchester Farms Grilled Quail ($26) is rich with a Puebla-style mole, broken rice, cucumber mint salad and toasted sesame seed, while the Dorade Royal Bouillabaisse ($26), with tiger shrimp, black mussels, braised fennel, baby bok choy and udon noodles, is the hearty bowl you need to chase away the last of the winter doldrums.
The Weekly caught up with Tran to talk about her Top Chef experience. Don’t worry, no spoilers here. You’ll have to watch all the mouthwatering drama for yourself.
How did competing on Top Chef come about? One of the casting producers reached out to me and we went from there. I was kind of chicken to do it, because I’m not a competitive person. But I definitely wanted to show them I can get out of my comfort zone.
What was filming like? Honestly, they kept us safe. I felt comfortable filming during COVID, because they kept us in a bubble. But definitely, for me, filming was intense and a lot of anxiety. … I just didn’t want to become a meme! (laughs).
Did you have fun meeting new chefs? Oh, definitely. I actually bonded with everyone and also behind the scenes with the production team. I made some bonds I feel like I’m gonna have for a lifetime, so pretty excited about that. I did have fun, despite my nerves.
Did your experience running the Black Sheep help you during the competition? To tell you the truth, I was just trying to make it (laughs). The pressure was definitely on, and I’m like, I forgot how to do this! I [was] like a new baby stumbling, like Bambi walking.
Are you planning on watching the episodes with family and friends? I’m not gonna do anything big. I just want to see it with family and friends and stay home and watch and laugh at myself. And hide (laughs).
Are you happy all that pressure’s behind you?I’m definitely glad to be home. It gave me a new perspective on my team and my family and my friends. I’m more appreciative of what I have, and even though things are tough right now, I’m happy that our doors are still open. I still have a roof over my head. You definitely don’t see it when you’re in it, and you’re stressed when things are going on, like the pandemic. But once you’re pulled out of it, you just see things in a totally different way.
What’s next for your restaurant? We just put out some new items on the menu, still focusing on the Sheep and its survival and making sure that we’re going strong. Before COVID hit, we were looking to expand the Sheep into a bigger location, and that’s still on the horizon. Just making sure we take the appropriate steps to keep the ship going.
THE BLACK SHEEP 8680 W. Warm Springs Road, 702-954-3998. Tuesday-Sunday, 5-10 p.m. blacksheepvegas.com
