TONY dropped by Astor Center last night to catch Top Chef season 4 winner Stephanie Izard present a cooking demonstration to a small group of eager fans, the seventh of a nine-part series held by the Culinary Institute of America featuring some of the show’s best-known contestants.

While a good portion of the evening was devoted to discussing her recipes, the crowd couldn’t resist peppering Izard with TC questions, at one point drawing her into a discussion for a little too long: "Oh, I’m totally overcooking the duck breast," she said calmly upon remembering the meat in the oven.

With a pleasant, self-effacing humor (she calls her newfound stardom "fake famous"), Izard dished on her experiences with the judges. "I thought they would be watching while we cooked, but they didn’t," she said. "Padma probably has better things to do, like get pretty…[and] I didn’t get to know Tom Colicchio until after the show. During the taping they don’t really want to get to know you because they have to be mean to you."

Now, Izard reported, she’s figuring out what her next steps are. "It’s kind of weird to suddenly win this show and have no idea what to do with it. People are coming at you with offers from all directions; I said yes to so many things, which can get tiring and frustrating." In the pipeline: a gastropub "off the beaten path" in Chicago, with small plates, a large beer selection and affordable wines. The location isn’t set yet, but, for our brethren in the Windy City, expect something "fun and funky…with creative food that isn’t expensive."

Also in the works: a new TV show. "I have a couple different ideas," she said. "Maybe one that focuses on opening a restaurant, since nobody wants to see another chef behind the counter."

The winning dish: Miso-marinated lamb loin with braised pistachios, olives and blackberry sauce.