“You can’t go on forever …”: Jean (Top Chef) explains why he could not exchange with Paul Pairet after his elimination

With his very colorful punchlines, his “hold up du siècle” after confusing salt and sugar on a dessert, and his sense of humor from another time, Jean Covillault quickly hit the bull’s eye with viewers of Top Boss. But after ten weeks of competition, the young man from Auvergne bowed out after the emblematic test of The Restaurant War, broadcast this Wednesday, May 3 on M6. An elimination that he experienced in his image, with a smile. “I didn’t defend myself too badly. I didn’t think I would go this far!“, he lets go of us immediately during the interview he granted us.

“I’m not frustrated at all“: Jean reacts to his elimination from Top Boss

Tele-Leisure : Why did you start Top Boss This year ?

Jean Covillault : It’s a bit of a combination of circumstances. I watch Top Boss Since I was little. My friends, who are not all from the restaurant world, encouraged me to participate. I left my job in July 2022. A friend sent me a message on September 1 at 9 a.m. to tell me that the selections were still open. The same day, at 2 p.m., a caster contacted me. I thought the planets were aligned.

What advice have you been given by former candidates with whom you have been able to discuss upstream, such as Chloe Charles (saison 12) ?

She said : “Enjoy! Have fun. Don’t try to make it complicated.“There are a lot of things that we don’t control, like the ovens that aren’t professional or the equipment that isn’t always stored in the same place. I went there in this spirit. I assume not to not be a great technician. I said to myself that it was useless to reinvent oneself.

Over the season, you have only had the elimination round twice. Isn’t it frustrating to be eliminated tonight?

No, because that’s part of the game. It’s a marathon, you have to run well all the time. I’m not at all frustrated because I’ve had so many great moments and met great people. I only have good memories. By participating in Top Boss, I especially wanted to show who I was and what I did. In 10 episodes, I think viewers have vaguely understood the character. (He’s laughing.)

The Restaurant War : the crazy assumptions of Jean on the third brigade of Top Chef 2023

This year, the brigade leaders are also taking part in the Resto War on their side. As a candidate, did you suspect this novelty?

It was really the surprise! When we learn that there is a third team, I said to myself that either the production had recalled candidates eliminated earlier this season, or that they were old people from previous editions. As much Philippe Etchebest is a big competitor, I feel him hot to do a test, as he does with “Who can beat?“, but not Paul Pairet.

With Carla and Mathieu, you couldn’t even open the restaurant you had imagined. How did you experience it?

I didn’t take it personally. You don’t necessarily meet your audience at first sight, but that doesn’t mean it sucks. I’m super happy with what we did, the menu was so cool. And it was very good since we were able to eat what we had prepared. In short, I wouldn’t change anything.

“It’s a little disappointment“: Jean could not discuss with Paul Pairet after his elimination for a particular reason

You don’t seem sad at the time of your elimination. How did you approach this verdict?

It was ending, it was a deadline. I couldn’t be disappointed when I see my journey, I was so proud to have come to this. I was thinking of leaving for the second or third episode.

Were you able to chat with Paul Pairet After ?

No way ! It’s a small disappointment but I tell myself that I will meet again. We finished this shoot at 4:30 in the morning. At that hour, you chat quickly but you can’t go on forever. Everyone wants to go to bed : the candidates, the jurors, the technicians… Knowing that it is in Suresnes and that it is necessary to return to Aubervilliers (at the other end of the Paris region, editor’s note).

You are a crowd favorite. Did you suspect such enthusiasm?

Oh no, not at all ! My lame jokes and my punchlines made a lot of people laugh, but there are also a lot of people looking at me with a look of annoyance. It’s not necessarily unanimous. It’s okay, not everyone can worship us. I stayed true to myself, without taking myself seriously. And I laughed a lot watching the comments on Twitter.