On the first episode of "Top Chef: Chicago" —- the fourth season of Bravo TV's hit reality cooking series —- the chef-coated contenders had to prepare their host city's iconic dish, a deep-dish pizza. One, two, three, go: These 16 hopefuls scurried about the kitchen, building pies that oozed cheese, sausage, mushrooms and onions.

In the midst of the pandemonium, Richard Blais (pronounced "Blaze") coolly assembled a homage to his home city of Atlanta and fashioned a freaky pie with peaches and a sweet tea sauce. The judges, though startled, loved it. And six weeks later, he's one of the top contenders.

To those who have followed this chef's career in and out of the kitchens of Atlanta, a peach pizza was nothing new. Here was Richard Blais in a pie pan —- the invention, the wit, the ability to see his ideas through with fine cooking. Here was also the self-regarding Blais —- the chef so eager to turn his uniqueness into a brand that he sometimes comes off like a checklist of identifying trademarks.

Cool gadgets? Check. The chef wasted no time in showing off a mini-smoker that looked a little like something you'd buy in a head shop.

Favorite ingredient? Check. Blais brought out ras el hanout, a North African spice mixture, early and often.

Blue apron? Check. Blais has worn one like a merit badge since he spent a couple of days in the kitchen of his hero, the Spanish chef Ferran Adria.

Faux-hawk? Check. You can always recognize Blais by the way his hair rises to a knife-sharp edge.

"I heard someone call it a 'foie hawk,' " laughs Blais. "Truthfully, my hair goes wherever it wants to."

This "Top Chef" season is not quite halfway over, but fans are already predicting they'll see Blais, 36, into the finals.

The Candler Park resident has stood out as one of the chefs to watch. Despite a nearly fatal salmon dish riddled with fish scales, he usually places near the top in cooking challenges and has snagged a couple of wins so far. One of his winning creations —- a "taco" fashioned from a thin jicama wrap —- will show up on the menu at Topolobampo, Chicago's famous haute Mexican restaurant.

While Blais is forbidden from discussing future shows (during his interview, a publicist is on the line waiting to cut him off should he let something slip), he can share some other news. Blais has been hired by the Here to Serve Restaurant Group to take over the kitchen at Buckhead's Posh, which was rechristened as Home and features Southern comfort food with Blaisian touches. Expect braised pork with collard greens. Expect peaches with it. He is also consulting on a modern burger joint called Flip that is currently under construction on Howell Mill Road, and he's awaiting the birth of his first child with his wife, Jazmin, due in June.

With a blood oath not to pump him for any information about upcoming shows, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution caught up with Blais to find out about life during "Top Chef."

Q: So are you getting a lot of 'Look! There's the faux-hawked molecular gastronomist from Atlanta!'?

A: I'm probably going to sound like a jerk but, yeah, I haven't been able to go into any store or do anything without someone noticing me. Last week, I was jogging in Central Park in New York, and someone yelled out: "Go, Top Chef! We're rooting for you."

Q: What do people ask you?

A: Mainly they want to know who won, and of course I can't tell them. They want to know if [head judge] Tom Colicchio is a nice guy, and I say, 'Yeah, he's a good guy and a fair person.' They want to know about [host] Padma [Lakshmi] and ask if she's really that pretty. And they want to know whether or not [the show] is real.

Q: Aha, my next question. Is it real?

A: I'm amazed at the amount of integrity that goes into the show and how much it's real.

Q: Even that block party exercise, where you went through people's homes asking for food? It looked like all the food was placed.

A: Totally. We went into people's homes who had no idea we were going in there. I mean, we took half a ham in Saran Wrap that was in someone's fridge.

Q: Some of the other contestants were trash talking some of your more experimental dishes. Were you aware of that at the time?

A: Yeah, I was when I walked back to the stew room where everyone hangs out, I heard some of that. I'm used to people saying my food's not good before they try it.

Q: Are strange people contacting you now?

A: Yes! You know, I've always been really proud that my first cooking job was at McDonald's. I just got an e-mail from someone who worked with me at McDonald's, and he said he'd stop by my house next week.

Q: What about Nimma Osman, the other Atlantan, who was booted the first week?

A: I wish you had seen more of her, because she's actually a really good cook. Everyone on that show was a good cook.

Q: There are lots of blogs out there, and every one has an opinion about Richard. You reading them?

A: My wife has tried to get me to stop reading them, but it's hard. I can take the shots and the praise, but a lot of these comments are not just about the food. Someone will write, 'Does anyone else think that guy is really weird looking?' I didn't know the reach of this show until it started happening.

ON RICHARD BLAIS

Richard Blais has a reputation for creativity —- and for bouncing from kitchen to kitchen in Atlanta. How do his former co-workers consider him?

> "Richard is truly a talented guy. The time he spent with us at One was terrific. We wish him all the success in the world, as we always have, and are glad to see he's back in Atlanta."

—- Bob Amick, Blais' former boss at One Midtown Kitchen

> "We used to work together in New York, so I was so happy to see him again. He's a great guy."

—- Nimma Osman, Blais' "Top Chef" co-contestant, now working at Spice Market in the W Midtown

> "I think he's showing more consistency than ever before and his stuff has really evolved. My only question: Is Atlanta ever going to work for him?"

—- Greg Koetting, Blais' former general manager at his namesake restaurant, Blais

ON TV: "TOP CHEF: CHICAGO" 10 P.M. WEDNESDAY ON BRAVO