Eric Ripert Cooks Octopus on Jimmy Kimmel Live

"Where'd you learn that accent? It's wonderful," host Jimmy Kimmel when Chef Eric Ripert dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night to cook some octopus (or as Ripert charmingly pronounces it, "octopoos"). After bashing the poor cephalopod on the cutting board and saving the ink for a sauce, they cook it in a pot (no cork though, Ripert calls that particular cooking tradition "a legend") and then grill it.

Ripert talked about why he enjoys being on Top Chef: "For me it's like a vacation. Because I could be in my kitchen peeling onions, carrots, cooking octopus, however going to Top Chef, I eat, and then I say what I think." On being honest as a judge, Ripert said, "I think I am very fair and honest, and I try to use vocabulary that is not insulting. Sometimes it's hard, because sometimes the food is very bad. Sometimes it's easy to compliment the candidates."

Video: Eric Ripert on Jimmy Kimmel

· Ripert's Octopus Recipe [JKL]
· All Jimmy Kimmel Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Eric Ripert Coverage on Eater [-E-]