![\"Chad](\"https:\/\/sandiegodowntownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Chad-White-by-Jim-Sullivan-2015web.jpg\")
<\/a>At the same time, he started packing for a move to his native hometown of Spokane, Washington, where he is resettling with plans to open a restaurant there.<\/p>\n
San Diego Downtown News caught up with the 33-year-old chef shortly before his well-attended send-off party at Carnitas Snack Shack in North Park.<\/p>\n
He shared with us his career motivations, fondest San Diego memories, and how he ended up on one of America\u2019s most popular cooking shows.<\/p>\n
San Diego Downtown News (SDDN):<\/strong> What prompted you to leave San Diego?<\/p>\n Chad White (CW):<\/strong> I\u2019ve spent just about 15 years here and I\u2019m now at the point in my career where I\u2019m comfortable going back to my roots and helping the culinary scene grow in Spokane. I\u2019m not leaving out of frustration, but it\u2019s good for me to step out of my comfort zone and try a new market.<\/p>\n SDDN: <\/strong>Why did you close Comun?<\/p>\n CW: <\/strong>Comun was a risk because of the hype of the East Village, which isn\u2019t quite there yet. There are still a lot of condos that haven\u2019t been leased or purchased, and we just watched two restaurants close around us (Table No. 10 and Toast Enoteca). Comun\u2019s failure wasn\u2019t because of a lack of effort by any means.<\/p>\n SDDN:<\/strong> How did you land the gig on \u201cTop Chef\u201d?<\/p>\n CW: <\/strong>They found me. It was out of the blue. My name was supposedly brought up a couple of times and somebody within their organization contacted me.<\/p>\n SDDN: <\/strong>Did you immediately agree to participate in the show?<\/p>\n CW:<\/strong> I had to think about it for a little while because I thought \u201cdo I really need \u2018Top Chef\u2019 to help my career after already making one for myself?\u201d<\/p>\n SDDN: <\/strong>Since you obviously can\u2019t tell us who won, what other details can you share about the experience?<\/p>\n CW: <\/strong>None right now, except that there were only a few competitors in this season under 30 years old. The show used to have mostly younger, amateur contestants. Now you\u2019re looking at more accomplished chefs competing.<\/p>\n SDDN: <\/strong>What are some of your favorite memories of living and working in San Diego?<\/p>\n CW: <\/strong>It\u2019s been about all the relationships I\u2019ve built with other chefs and people in the local food community. Some of them have really taken me under their wings. I\u2019ve also enjoyed splitting my time between San Diego and Tijuana while living here, and I plan to still keep my apartment in TJ since I\u2019ll be coming back down here making quarterly checks on La Justina.<\/p>\n SDDN: <\/strong>Where do you see the San Diego dining scene headed?<\/p>\n CW: <\/strong>It\u2019s getting better and better each year, and it\u2019s important that it continues to grow. You have chefs here who are really excited to do unique things. For me, having friends in Mexico helped changed my style of cooking. I became fearless, just like other chefs are doing.<\/p>\n<\/a>