The 24-hour clock never stops, and Olivia Ostrow wouldn’t have it any other way. The Miami, Florida–based chef is gearing up for the Season 3 premiere of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, but her prep for the high-stakes competition was surprisingly minimal.
«I watched one episode. That felt like the correct amount of research,» she tells ET. «After that I was like, ‘Okay, people are exhausted and making questionable decisions. Perfect. I’m ready.’ … I’m French. We look and then we do our own thing anyway.»
Her approach in the kitchen is just as instinctive. «I’m very in the moment. Cooking for me is almost like music,» she says. «Sometimes I feel like jazz and very improvisational, sometimes it’s classical and precise, and other times it’s a full boy band moment.»
Rather than letting the cameras intimidate her, Ostrow leaned into the structure of the television show, which pits 24 chefs against one another over a nonstop 24-hour stretch with eight shifts, 24 challenges, and a $100,000 prize.
«I love the chaos, the pace, and that slightly unhinged energy where things can go very right or very wrong,» she notes.
She also drew on her experience managing Maison Ostrow, where she redefines kosher dining through French-Mediterranean flavors.
«Running a restaurant in Miami is already a reality show,» she explains. «You’re juggling everything, people are dramatic, and timing is everything. … Being under pressure actually helps me.»
Still, even Ostrow had her limits.
«I learned that I can function on no sleep, pure adrenaline, and stubbornness,» she jokes.
As for viewers tuning in to the series, hosted by Michael Symon and Esther Choi, Ostrow suggests, «Have something you can eat with one hand, because you’ll be yelling at the screen like you’re a judge.»
24 in 24: Last Chef Standing will premiere on Sunday, April 26 at 8 p.m. on Food Network.
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