There was a somber mood on Thursday’s (May 1) episode of Top Chef when contestant Tristen Epps learned that his father had a massive stroke and was in a coma.
It happened during the notorious “Restaurant Wars” episode while Tristen’s team was prepping their food. A producer stepped into the kitchen and told Tristen, “I got a call from your mom. There’s a family emergency. I don’t know exactly what’s happening.”
Tristen spoke with his mother and learned that his stepfather, who was Tristen’s father in every sense, had a stroke and was in a medically induced coma. The next morning, he found out that his father had died.
“This really wavers my focus right now, but my mom said he would never want you to quit on this dream, don’t you dare leave. So I will do what he would want me to do,” said Tristen, adding, “He’s always been one of the most supportive people in my life. When someone believes in you that much, you don’t want to let them down, and so I do not want to disrespect my family by giving up. I was told to stay and I listen to my parents.”
Tristen’s teammate Lana Lagomarsini said that it became extra important for their team to win after what happened, saying, “Tristen is such a sweet person. Losing someone, I can’t even imagine what he’s going through. It’s important to all of us to succeed and make it worth his while to be here…if he just wants us to go ahead and push, that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.”
Later, Vinny Loseto added, “We put a lot of pressure on ourselves going into this cook because we wanted to perform for Tristen after the news he received. I can only imagine how difficult that really is for him. For chefs, the best thing you can do to cope is cook, and that’s exactly what he did.”
Tristen’s father was Russell Lance Long, who died on September 13, 2024, at the age of 67, according to the obituary.
“Russell married Patricia Maria Lynch-Epps on June 3, 2003, in Groton, Connecticut. Their 21 years of marriage was a love story unsurpassed by any other,” the obituary goes on to say, adding, “Russell served in the U.S. Navy until he retired and was honorably discharged on May 31, 1996. He went on to complete a successful career as an Obstetrical Surgical Technician at Sentara Hospital, Norfolk, VA, until his retirement in 2024. He loved singing, gardening, and watching all sports, especially football, when you would hear him loudly rooting for his Cowboys.
“He loved watching movies, though often times, the movie was watching him. Mostly, Russell loved “checking in” with everyone just to catch up. Russell was many things to many people, had the most forgiving spirit; and held his unwavering faith in God closely.”
At judges table, the judges chose Tristen as the winning chef of Restaurant Wars, and Tom Colicchio told him that his parents should be “commended” for raising such a “fantastic” man. There was not a dry eye in the Top Chef kitchen.
