Chat Ed : OK we'll get cracking...
Shelton : Yo Ed, THAT SHOW WAS BETTER THEN SEX! - bloody amazing! quality geezer, well done mate.
Ed Devlin : Hi everyone, I'm Ed Devlin, it's a pleasure to be online with you all, I hope you enjoyed watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.
Ed Devlin laughs at Shelton.
Steve Buckler : Ed you are a STAR!
Bridpop : ED - you are a legend mate!!!!!!!!!!!!
glenn : just like to say a big cheer went up in our house when you won it.congratulations
Mia : Ed you were fantastic!!
Jon : Ed, do you think you'll give up cooking burgers for the masses and go into a career as a chef now you've done all this?
zap : Ed, what are you going to do next in your life?
Ed Devlin : I think to be a top chef you have got to want to do it 100%, 100% of the time.
Whilst I enjoyed doing it for 4 weeks the intense nature of the job and the amount of knowledge that you have to gather would be too much to get into at my time of life. zap, I decided after the programme just to let things sink in for a while, so I'm not going to make any big decisions until I can assess things more clearly.
barry : well done ed! What did you think of Gordon Ramsey?
davduck : how did you manage to stay calm and not beat Gordon?
Ed Devlin : At first I just found him very offensive. But given time with him I also found him very charming, very charismatic and very supportive throughout the process. And as for keeping my temper, I've got no bottom lip left!
Geoff the Chef : I have been a chef for many years & in all sorts of places.....I know just how hard things can be in the trade, but if you can work in Ramsey's place ( AND while he himself is there) your a better man than me mate ! 11 out of ten for some great TV viewing tonight. Excellent stuff !
Ed Devlin : Thanks Geoff, that's really nice.
Vicki Ball : How come the un-set ice-cream didn't ruin your chances?
Ed Devlin : One of the things with the ice cream was that we had problems with our freezer which was explained to the judges and mitigated the circumstances of how it turned out.
SMac : What a difference one more day makes! What do you thiink was most important the cooking skills, or the attitude stuff?
Ed Devlin : The attitude definitely. I was relatively sure, if I could practice enough on my skills I could eventually get them right. But the attitude is much more of a psychological thing and much harder to control when you are in a situation.
mattwest : so have the burgers been inspired since?
Ed Devlin laughs
Ed Devlin : There's not a great call for burgers being either well-done or medium rare, so I just tend to do them as they've always been done.
collette : Enter questions for the interview here Hi Ed, What a brave and courageous man you are. You did very well. Did you feel that you were made fun of during the making of faking it. We feel you were taught how to be a fake person, who only needed a good cook book and a few kind words. I watched with my daughter of 13 who was disgusted how you were treated and she wanted to know how you felt
Ed Devlin : I think it gave some appreciation of what real chefs heading for the top have to go through. To that extent it was very realistic. Both Gordon and David had even more extreme experiences during their training, than I had in the programme. If I was asked 'Is it necessary?' I would say no, but a top chef would probably give you a different answer. But as for the experience I thoroughly enjoyed it, both the ups and the downs.
Annie Matthews : If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?
Ed Devlin : I've just turned 30, Annie.
Windsurfer : Were you fellow 'chefs' in your team willing to accept orders from someone they knew was not a head chef, and had less experience from them?
Ed Devlin : They were great throughout it, Windsurfer. They were totally willing to accept that I was only an authority for this particular situation. I think I was more nervous about telling them what to do, than they were doing what I said!
527greatwesternroad : If you were to win the lottery, would you open up your own restaurant chain, if you did what would you call it?
Ed Devlin chuckles
Ed Devlin : If I was to open my own restaurant chain I think I'd call it Nice Guy Eddie's Diner. But if I did win the lottery I think I'd be more likely to buy the full range of Dysons. I'm mad for Dysons me!
cows : how did the rival chefs handle losing to a 'newbie'?
Bernice : My little sis and I were nearly crying when you won Ed.... well done!!
davduck : did you feel sorry for the real chefs who worked so hard and lost out to you?
Ed Devlin : I didn't think it was a problem because it was a real competition. We were judged by people who didn't know I was a fake chef, obviously, so to an extent it was a fair competition. I had to have some intense training particularly for that day.
rachael and roger : have you got a girlfriend?
Kay Carter : Mr Devlin, will you marry me?
Ed Devlin laughs!
Ed Devlin : Do I have to respond to that??!
SuperFrog : Ed, Have you managed to capitalise on the skills you have learned?
ebalch : What are you doing now Ed?
Ed Devlin : I'm still in the job that I was doing before. But I'm much faster at chopping onions now!
Chrispy : Best thing on telly for ages - very inspiring - did you ever feel like really 'throwing in the tea-towel,' packing your bags and turning your back on the programme during the four weeks?
Jon Lilia : We saw a lot of sweat. Were there tears at times as well?
Ed Devlin : Not particularly any tears but numerous times when I thought I'm getting nowhere here.
Tommy Gunn : What a rollercoaster of emotions - how did the football game help bolster your confidence?
oatneil : What did Gordon say to you on the Monday you went back?
Ed Devlin : Refereeing allowed us to get used to being in a position of authority and being on my own and having to stand by any decision that I made, good, bad and indifferent. Gordon, to his credit, said we'd forget about me walking out on Friday and we'd forget about the football as well, so we'd have a clean start on the Monday.
sandwiches : Not that I'm doubting the integrity of the programme, but was anything at all 'fixed' for you during the making of the programme?
Ed Devlin : No, it was entirely as it happened.
Converseahorse : Do you still have reservations about gourmet food? Or do you still prefer burgers and chips?
Ed Devlin : Hehe. My attitude towards gourmet food has changed quite a lot. But I still prefer, not so much burgers, but beans and cheese on toast. It rules!
Raquel : Has the experience inspired the way you cook and choose ingredients?
Andrea Gilbert : Knowing the hard work behind the scenes have you changed what you think about eating at expensive restaurants?
Ed Devlin : I re-evaluated my attitude towards the effort and the work that goes in to preparing top quality food. I don't think I could still comfortably part with more than a tenner to eat though.
Ed Devlin laughs
Ed Devlin : And I have developed a taste for mozzarella, beans and toast!
AliKat : did either of the chefs offer you job after the programme or hint that they'd have you work in their kitchens?
Ed Devlin : David Laris from Mezzo said that I could always come to work in his restaurant but I'm not sure how serious he was!
mark b AGAIN !!!! : i think ED shoild be come a proper chef
clem : You're gorgeous & funny Ed! - u were a pleasure 2 watch
redline : Have you seen any of the chefs since the show?
Ed Devlin : I've seen David since. I fairly frequently chat to him and I'm actually at Mezzo now.
Guy : Ed, Congratulations on winning the competition. You are an example to us all of what can be achieved with the right motivation, 100% effort and the right training. I had little faith when we saw you prepare the first meal. You deserve to be proud. Are you going back to your job in the burger bar, or has this experience made you aim higher?
Graym : Has the confidence course helped any with normal life?
Ed Devlin : The confidence course made a big difference; just how you perceive the body language image that you give off. I think as far as a change of career goes, I'll wait and think about that one.
Chat Ed : And last question now:
Lucy2 : When are you releasing a single?
Ed Devlin laughs
JohnW : Good one Lucy
Ed Devlin : You may not be old enough to remember this one but I'm thinking of doing a cover version of 'Two Pints of Lager and packet of Crisps please'
Nit : Mate, where are your chippy vans? We all want to come down and shake you by the hand!
sarahb : are you in panto this year!!!!!! good luck for the future1
Luke : Thanks ED you made my night.
Adrian24 : Great Show ED
Ed Devlin laughs and laughs
Chat Ed : That's it! Thanks for that Ed, great stuff! Thanks for joining us tonight everyone.
Ed Devlin : Thanks very much for watching.
Shelton : Congratulations on winning and good luck in the future Ed. Well done.
Ed Devlin : Thanks for your questions. It's been a pleasure.
Mel : OK bye for now....well done mate... made us laugh and almost cry !!!
Mart : Well done Ed! You where brilliant, an inspiration. Good Luck with whatever you try next!
Goldfinger : Ed for PM!
Carole Stone : Thanks you were an inspiration
Ed Devlin : Take care and best of luck in what ever you do.
Mat Spratt : Ed Rules OK!!
Ed Devlin leaves the room
