By Stephanie Izard, as told to Sarah Preston

The first woman to win Bravo's insanely popular reality show Top Chef, Stephanie Izard makes cooking look like a piece of cake. The 31-year-old Chicago resident -- whose only advantage living where the show was shot was predicting challenges like catering a Bears tailgating party -- is opening her new restaurant in the Windy City next summer with the 100 grand she scored on the show. But don't expect her new culinary adventure to be a fancy affair. "With the economy the way it is, people can't spend as much on dinner but people have gotten way more into food," Izard says. "I just want the restaurant to be really reflective of me; it's all about having great food, drinking good wine and hanging out with your friends. You don't have to get decked out, and you don't have to spend $75 a person."

A good meal doesn't have to break the bank, but it helps to know your way around the kitchen. The top toque offers simple tips for impressing a girl in the kitchen.

Bravo Photo: Chuck Hodes