I definitely think there was some overacting on the part of the customers and the wait staff. The people who came in during the shooting were clearly there to have a moment on television, and that's fine.

He was eliminated on the October 14 2008 episode and placed ninth overall. Ballantine Books. DiSpirito returned in the Top Chef season three finale (Top Chef: Miami) — in which three celebrity chefs were brought to work as sous chefs to the contestants with DiSpirito assisting Hung Huynh — and was a guest judge on the March 14 2008 Top Chef season four premiere (Top Chef: Chicago).