Top Chef's CJ: There Is No Bromance on Last Chance Kitchen

Top Chef's Chris "CJ" Jacobson is on a seven-challenge win streak on Last Chance Kitchen, which should feel good right now... except for those pesky online comments.On the weekly online series, in which ousted Top Chef contestants battle it out for a chance to re-enter the main competition, CJ recently trounced Micah in a head-to-head challenge over tartare. Chef Tom Colicchio, who is the sole judge on Last Chance Kitchen, deemed CJ's beef heart tartare with pickled duck skin and tomato water the winning dish. Some of the comments online, however, have called for blind tasting to remove the perception that Tom may be favoring CJ because of a supposed "bromance" between the two chefs.
"I saw the word 'bromance' and was like, 'What?!? What the f--- are they talking about?'" CJ tells TVGuide.com. "I've known Tom longer than those other contestants ... but I don't think that he likes me so much that he's willing to put his integrity on the line on a show that's won Emmys. That's ridiculous. He doesn't do blind tastings on Top Chef. He knows who cooks what, and he did not like my burger [that caused me to be eliminated] there."I just think I've become a much better chef than I was before," he continues. "I wished they used the full thing that Tom said on Last Chance Kitchen. He's been saying that I'm cooking better, and that was hands down the best dish that I've done that he's tasted ...  I think that once I won three, the word 'bromance' was going to be used no matter what. I think it's a really lame word."
And although CJ would prefer to be judged solely on the quality and execution of his food, perception does matter when it comes to Last Chance Kitchen. Should he (God forbid) lose a challenge, he has one more shot to stay in the game with the "Save a Chef" competition in which viewers vote each week for an eliminated Last Chance Kitchen chef. In the end, the "saved" contestant will earn a spot in the final round of Last Chance Kitchen. Thus far, the powers that be (and voters of course) have kept Chef Kuniko, and in a sense, both she and CJ have both been a constant presence in the Last Chance Kitchen competition, although she hasn't been actively cooking.The opportunity presented itself. When I was originally on, it had helped open a few doors. But also, I'm a much different chef than I was back then. I really thought I could win, so I wanted to check it out. And it's fun. I love being on Top Chef. I used to be an athlete, and there's not a lot of places where you can have a competition and satisfy those creative needs as well.