MasterChef Gandolfo's fans turn out for the barbecue

NORTH CANAAN — It’s not hard to spot Jake Gandolfo, even among hundreds of people milling around at a picnic. He’s a big guy wearing a cowboy hat. He’s also the guy with fans.

“I’m not a celebrity,� he says, when the obvious is pointed out.

It’s not false modesty. With Gandolfo, one senses right away that there is no pretense, just honesty. He is confident in a likeable way. And it quickly becomes apparent that he had a joy for life even before making it onto cable television’s latest reality cooking show, “MasterChef,� hosted by Gordon Ramsay.

Gandolfo was back home last Sunday, hanging out at the Northwest Connecticut Rod & Gun Club’s annual outing. He has been a member since the age of 1. He’s in town visiting his mom, Nancy Gandolfo, who is definitely his biggest fan.

Gandolfo, 39, moved to California in 1996, where not long ago, after working a succession of jobs, he opened Custom Culinary Concepts.

He has no formal training, just a love of cooking and lots of practice that has translated into culinary experience.

“This is great,� he said Sunday, sitting at a picnic table, scanning the crowd of familiar faces and anticipating steamed clams. “I’ve been relying a lot on the support I know I have here. It touches and motivates me.�

No sooner do the words leave his mouth than a steady succession of friends spot him and rush over to offer hugs and congratulations. Even while they apologize for interrupting, they can’t contain their enthusiasm.

“Finally! I know someone on TV,� one pal joked.

“I remember when all he did was burn hot dogs,� another chimed in.

As of Aug. 10, when Gandolfo made a strong showing in the cable competition (which features on-the-spot eliminations), he was still in the running for the $250,000 prize and a contract to write and publish his own cookbook. Auditions for the show brought out 15,000 people. Gandolfo had made it to the final 30; those contestants were then pared down to 14 during the first show.

The show had been shown on Tuesday nights on Fox but was moved to Wednesdays beginning this week. There will be more elimination rounds, including one where the chefs have to cook for a slew of Marines.

Those who watched the show know whether Gandolfo made it through another round or not (the show aired after The Lakeville Journal went to press).

The chef himself, of course, knows what happens in the end. The entire show has been shot already. But don’t ply him for a hint as to what the Sept. 15 finale will bring: A confidentiality agreement prohibits him from revealing the outcome even to his wife, Erin.

“She doesn’t want to know. She wants it to be a surprise. I’m surprised, too, every week because I don’t know what they’re going to show out of all the hours that we shot.�

Is he happy with the way he looks on camera?

A typical guy, he doesn’t seem to care about that.

“I was worried more about the audio. You know how, when you hear your voice on a recording, you always think you sound like a dork? I was really happy I didn’t sound dorky. I was thinking, ‘I’d have that guy over for dinner’.�

Why does judge Elliot Graham seem to like him so much, already having offered him a job at his Chicago restaurant?

“We made a connection right out of the gate. We both come from similar backgrounds, growing up rough and tough, and learning to cook on our own. If I had to pick anyone for a mentor as a chef, I would want it to be someone of his caliber.�

How did it feel to have Ramsay pan his signature dish on one show?

“I was flabbergasted. All I can say is, until they invent smell-o-vision, those guys can say whatever they want.�

But he respects Ramsay, and his honesty. Gandolfo declined to say much on the record about how much of the show is scripted, but insisted the professional opinions are real.

“I can’t knock criticism, because that’s why I went. I wanted to learn and be better. I’m there for the right reasons.�

The Aug. 10 show earned him a rare Ramsay compliment, for his rustic bacon-and-egg dish.

“The hero of the dish had to be the egg,� Ramsay said, “and you constructed it perfectly.�

That’s high praise from someone famous for sharp-tongued critiques.

Did Gandolfo ever disagree with a decision to eliminate another contestant?

“No. But you always feel bad for them. At the end of the day, they’re your competition, but we got to know each other so quickly. There are strong emotional ties when you’re in a situation like that. You get really bummed at times.�

Would he compete for a chance to have his own television show? Even though he is adamant right now about staying put and getting his business off the ground, Gandolfo admits to having three show concepts in mind.

If he wins, how will it change him?

“We’ll see,� he said, with a bit of an air of mystery. “However it turns out, things are already different because doors are opening up for me. I don’t need to be rich and I’m not looking for a change, but as long as I’m cooking for people, whatever happens will be OK. Maybe it’s just about gaining a reputation.

“I’m here this weekend because some guy flew me to Connecticut to do a pig roast. That was booked even before the show, so I already know I have what it takes.

“If I make it to being a private chef who flies all over the world because people want me to cook for them, then stick a fork in me, because I’m done.�