Chef Shots: Harold Dieterle

He won the first 'Top Chef.' Now, another first: Thanksgiving at his West Village spot, Perilla.

Winning the first season of kitchen reality-TV show "Top Chef" has been very good for Harold Dieterle's career. It has catapulted him and Perilla, the restaurant he opened as a result of his triumph, to the national stage.

More than 18 months since the doors at his eclectic West Village eatery opened to a crush of fans, Dieterle says the number of star-struck eaters has trickled to a more manageable five to 20 people a week. And while the chef notes that it's not his style to go hobnob with his customers in the dining room, he accommodates them by inviting them into the kitchen to watch him in his element.

With the recent kick-off of the fifth season of "Top Chef," we chatted with Dieterle about his cooking, the restaurant and his post–"Top Chef" life as he preps for his first Thanksgiving at the restaurant. Along with signature dishes (spicy duck meatballs, porchetta), he is offering a traditional Thanksgiving meal complete with turkey and sides with their of own culinary twist: "I am cooking stuff I like to eat." —Pervaiz Shallwani