The 2 Things You'll Never Catch Chris Santos Eating
"Chopped" star and celebrity chef Chris Santos knows a thing or two about evaluating and tasting delicious food.
As a judge on the popular food competition show, he's savored lots of different dishes. His favorite meals include burgers, chilaquiles, and cassoulet (via Food Network). He is also a managing partner and executive chef at TAO Group, a company known for its global restaurant and nightlife brands. In addition, he serves as the co-owner of Beauty & Essex, a restaurant franchise specializing in modern American cuisine and creative cocktails with locations in New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
Santos has shared his appreciation for traveling and enjoying other cuisines. This open-minded approach broadened his love of food; however, there are two ingredients the restaurateur always avoids. These staples could not be more different from one another, as one is frequently associated with fine dining, while the other is known as a convenient snack.
Shellfish
There's a particular reason Chris Santos won't touch shellfish, and it's not a mere taste aversion. As he revealed to Food Network, he's actually allergic to shellfish, which rules out crab, shrimp, clams, and lobster from his diet. It's his "Achilles' heel ingredient," and finding it in another chef's dish would pose certain challenges.
Shellfish allergies are actually pretty common, and are typically triggered by a protein called tropomyosin, according to Healthline. A person with this allergy could suffer from tingling, congestion, and adverse skin reactions by ingesting any shellfish. So, as high-class as these food items are, they are best avoided by anyone who has an allergy.
Santos' restaurant, Beauty & Essex, has a fair share of shellfish on its menu, including oysters and shrimp cocktail. While the assortment of items offered by the eatery's raw bar might be delicious, Santos unfortunately can't enjoy them.
Bananas
Santos told Food Network that he "really dislikes [bananas]." He didn't provide much beyond this simple declaration or explain why he isn't a fan.
Dislike towards this popular, yellow fruit is not unusual — bananas actually have a handful of critics. Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appétit stated that he was repelled by the fruit's texture and "cloying" taste. Cosmopolitan also explored some common reasons why bananas are so loathed. The list included the mushy texture, the peel, and even the shape.
Though both articles focused more on eating a banana in its raw form, a lot of people aren't aware that bananas can also be used in more savory dishes, like this fritters recipe by Yummy.ph. Santos declined to share the extent to which he dislikes bananas, so perhaps there's some hope that the celebrity chef might enjoy a banana dessert or savory entree in the near future.