Top Chef's Stefan Richter to world: "You can't turn a lesbian straight."

To read more earth-shattering truisms from the mouthy season five runner-up, click here for Metromix's Krista Simmons' interview. Here are just a few of the highlights:

Richter on alligator: "It's the weirdest meat I've ever tasted in my life. It looks like California sea bass. It tastes like chicken, and it crumbles like tuna. And you can make a purse out of it. It's weird."

On the nature of reality TV and his place in it: "There are characters. They are people. And certain people are characters, and some are not. You know, it is what it is. I don't believe I'm a runner-up. America does love me so...and I love America."

On the East Coast: "I probably have about 65,000 clicks every Wednesday. The nicest e-mails are from the East Coast. They're real people."

Richter also tells Simmons that he fell in love with fellow contestant Jamie Lauren (hence the aforementioned lesbian comment); enjoys In-N-Out Burger; and hopes to open a relaxed restaurant in Santa Monica with a couple of fire pits outside.

--Jessica Gelt