By TOM IACUZIO and KELLY CUCULIANSKY
Local contestant Danny Veltri cooked his way to the top of the Fox reality cooking competition "Hell's Kitchen."
Veltri, who was in Atlantic City for the finale viewing party Thursday, said in an e-mail message that he was elated with the outcome.
"I'm totally pumped that I won, it's surreal," he said. "I just went through the most intense six weeks of my life and here I am standing as the winner after beating out 15 other chefs. "
More than 350 supporters gathered at Flip Flops Grill and Chill in New Smyrna Beach., where Veltri is head chef. It was standing room only as fans watched two big screen TVs outside.
Cheers and fists shot into the air as Veltri, 23, opened the door to his future.
Although the progression of the show had edgy moments, for friends and fans like Doty Marott<cm cq>, it validated what she knew all along.
"I was confident enough to not be so worried about it," said Doty, 27, who attended the viewing party with a big group.
Laurie Giangrasso, a manager at Flip Flops, said it was an emotional night for the Flip Flops family.
"It's a huge lesson for him. He has worked so hard," she said. "And you know what? He's as humble as the day is long. None of this has ever gone to his head."
In an interview last week, Veltri, an Edgewater resident, seemed more than happy with his performance on the show and the way he was portrayed.
"I was curious to see how I would be portrayed," said the 23-year-old chef. "I mean they play up a certain side of everyone's personality. I got a lot of the more quiet side."
But what about his cocky attitude? "That's all me," Veltri was happy to admit. "I think you have to be. You definitely have to have a little chip on your shoulder, a little swagger. It's a dog eat dog business. You need to throw yourself out there."
Veltri also talked about the new digs for Flip Flops. "It's insane. My kitchen there is bigger than our old place," said Veltri. "We're getting all the wrinkles ironed out. It's going to be killer."
But results aside, he said the competition
taught him one thing. "It reminds me how much I love to cook. I'm definitely in the right business."
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