“How do I handle failing so publicly?" - Yes, Chef! Contestant Petrina Peart reflects on getting eliminated during the premiere

Yes, Chef! premiered on April 28, featuring 12 highly skilled chefs, nominated for the show by their co-workers, bosses, friends, and even family, to work on their ego issues, which often hold them back in their respective culinary careers.

Contestant Petrina Peart was eliminated during the premiere episode and became the first person to leave the show. Reflecting on her exit, the chef admitted in her May 16 interview with Cuisine Noir that her elimination blew her ego. However, she added that it taught her to face her fears.

“How do I handle failing so publicly? As someone who’s afraid of that, and to have done it—on primetime TV—I got it over with. “What better way to get over that fear [than] experience it so epically? I don’t want to be someone who cannot stand in front of their fear and face it in a positive way. I don’t want to shy away from this in any way,” she said in the interview.

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Yes, Chef! Contestant Petrina Peart reflects on her problems as a chef and overcoming them

The contestants on Yes, Chef! all have a history of rocky working relationships with their peers. Each chef brings their ego issues to the kitchen and was nominated by friends or family who believe it's time they face the problem head-on.

In her interview with Cuisine Noir, contestant Petrina Peart shared that she decided to join the show because her brother nominated her for vulnerabilities and other weaknesses that she could work on.

One of the problems she shared, which was also mentioned during the premiere episode, was "paralyzed by perfectionism." She noted that this problem was rooted in a fear-of-failure mentality, which often leads her to do a lot of overthinking.

“It’s really just rooted in a fear-of-failure mentality and leading to a lot of overthinking. I didn’t agree a hundred percent with everything my brother had to say. But after going through that first experience on the show, I was like, ‘Okay, maybe he has some good points.’” she shared.

Unfortunately, Petrina was eliminated in the very first episode of the show and didn't get enough time to navigate through all of her problems. Moreover, being the first chef to be eliminated affected her ego, and she feared how she was going to face everyone and handle her failure.

However, all of this wasn't for nothing. The Yes, Chef! contestant noted that the experience taught her to be strong and face her fears head-on in a "positive way."

Further in the interview, Petrina went on to compare the environment of the culinary show with working in a real-life kitchen and said that both operated under pressure.

"It’s definitely a competitive arena to be a part of, especially as a woman, but just as a chef in general. I also think that being a chef is one of those careers that comes with a big ego…It just seems like it comes with that and you have to kind of be ruthless in a way,” she said.

At the end of the interview, Petrina shared a message she believes would help young aspiring chefs navigate the real-world culinary world. She suggested doing the things that are important, with or without the fear surrounding them.

If there’s no path forward, she said, create your own. And above all, aim to inspire others through your journey, just as she’s doing now.

“Do it. Fear and all…When there’s no path, forge a new path and leave a trail for other people to follow,” the Yes, Chef! star said.

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Yes, Chef! season 1 episode premiere every Monday on NBC.