对大多数厨师而言，能够进入《地狱厨房》（Hell’s Kitchen）决赛，就已经非常了不起了。然而，对于Ben Walanka而言，这只是离通往成功卓越职业生涯又近了一步而已。
Walanka解释道：“我非常享受烹饪的过程。我感到非常荣幸能够教人们如何烹饪。无论是在学校，还是在电视上，生动有趣地授课已经成为我的梦想职业。”
如今，Walanka担任《Big Ten Cookout》节目主持人。这个大受欢迎的30分钟的节目在Big Ten Network上直播。Walanka表示：“每一周，我们都和选手密切配合。我们品尝他们制作的菜肴，随后提供烹饪意见，使他们能够更好的满足他们的顾客的需求。”
他继续说道：“像厨师Elaine Sikorski一样的肯代尔导师在我的生命中起了重大作用。她是我的导师，也一直是我想要成为的厨师榜样。她是我有幸一起工作的最努力、最有天赋的厨师之一。”
Walanka将厨师Elaine视为激励自己在27位年轻厨师中脱颖而出，获得2006年Chaîne des Rôtisseurs烹饪竞赛冠军的导师之一。他表示：“当我在肯代尔学习时，我首先参加的是烹饪锦标赛，一年后，我参加这个竞赛获胜。这种经历绝对增强了我的信心和自尊心。”
Walanka的自尊心为他进入《地狱厨房》发挥了重要作用。他笑道：“在等待一整天之后，他们问了我一个问题，是什么使你如此疯狂。我知道我不得不说一些难以置信的话来使他们信服，所以我做出了芝加哥硬汉的反应。我说道‘等了8个小时却只等来了一个问题，这让我很抓狂。’随后，制片人让我呆在那，其他人都走后，他递给我一张申请表，并安排了第二天的试镜。”
Walanka说道，参与《地狱厨房》节目非常累。但是，正是这个节目为他带来了他目前所在的节目。他继续说道：“我接到了一个执行制片的电话，他让我参加Big Ten network的试镜。试镜时我的表现非常好，他们给了我这份工作。9月份我开始工作。”
他表示：“我接受的是法式烹饪培训，但是现在我有点倾向教人们如何利用自己厨房里的食材，制作美味的菜肴。我非常热爱这份工作。”
除了《地狱厨房》和《Big Ten Cookout》的经历，Walanka还在芝加哥地区的一些顶级餐厅实习和工作过，其中包括：Le Francais、 Twin Orchard Country Club、 Marché、Rhapsody Restaurant 和 Chef of the Club at Symphony Center。
未来的计划？他表示：“我正在和纽约的制片人进行一个关于美食和运动的节目。我喜欢娱乐和教导人们，向他们展示如何做那些他们在正常情况下不愿意尝试的令人兴奋的事情。我竭尽所能努力工作，追寻自己喜欢做的事情。”
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For most chefs just being a finalist on Hell’s Kitchen would be a major accomplishment. For Ben Walanka, however, it was just another step in a very dramatic and successful career.
“I enjoy the process of cooking,” explains Walanka. “The mere idea of being able to teach someone to cook is a privilege. Whether it’s at a school or on television, teaching and making it entertaining has turned into my dream job.”
These days, Walanka is a host on the “Big Ten Cookout.” This popular 30-minute pre-game show is broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. “Each week, we join with tailgaters,” notes Walanka. “We taste their dishes and then give them cooking tips – clever ways to better feed their guests.”
“Instructors like Chef Elaine Sikorski at Kendall made a big difference in my life,” he continues. “She was my advisor and remains what I strive to become as a chef. She’s one of the toughest and most talented chefs I’ve ever had the privilege to work with.”
Walanka credits Chef Elaine as one of the chefs who inspired him to win the 2006 Chaîne des Rôtisseurs under 27 young chef cooking competition. “I first competed in the tournament when I started at Kendall and then came back a year later and won,” he states. “That experience definitely added to my confidence and ego.”
Walanka’s strong ego definitely played a major role in landing him a spot on Hell’s Kitchen. “After waiting in line all day, they asked me one question – what makes you mad,” he laughs. “I knew I had to come up with something pretty incredible so I gave them the tough guy Chicago character response. After I said ‘Waiting in line for eight hours to answer one question definitely makes me mad.’ And, then I carried on from there. The producer asked me to stay and when the others had left, he handed me an application and scheduled a camera audition the next day.”
Walanka reports that being on Hell’s Kitchen was an exhausting experience. However, it also led to his current show. “I got a phone call from an executive producer who wanted me to audition for the Big Ten network,” he continues. “I performed well in my audition and they gave me the job. I started this past September.”
“I’m classically French trained but right now I sort of specialize in teaching people to take what they have in their kitchen and make something great,” he says. “I love it.”
In addition to stints on Hell’s Kitchen and the Big Ten Cookout, Walanka has interned and worked at some of the top Chicago area restaurants including Le Francais, Twin Orchard Country Club, Marché, Rhapsody Restaurant and Chef of the Club at Symphony Center.
What are his future plans? “I’m working with producers in NY about a new show involving food and sports,” he reveals. “I enjoy entertaining and teaching people -- showing them how to do exciting things that they would not normally be willing to try. I am working as hard as I can towards following my dream of being happy with what I do.”
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