Top Chef Season 4 finalist and out lesbian Lisa Fernandes could be called the Bravo show's villain du saison. Often sparring with the other contestants and shown sporting a scowl during Judges' Table, Fernandes became the contestant that fans loved to hate. But the New York resident and Toronto native found some vindication in her grand finale performance last week. The 27-year-old was cool, calm and even chatty in the finals. She also nearly beat out fan-favorite and eventual winner Stephanie Izard for the title.

Fernandes started the season as one of 16 up-and-coming chefs competing to be Top Chef in a series of grueling culinary challenges. She was one of three lesbian contestants — including San Francisco couple Jennifer Biesty and Zoi Antonitsas — on the show, the most in any single season so far. Fernandes survived 13 eliminations to make it to the top three, along with Izard and Richard Blais.

Now back in New York after shooting the series' finale in Puerto Rico last month, where the finalists had to cook their "meal of a lifetime," Fernandes is working at Mai House to help out fellow Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn, who is the restaurant's chef de cuisine. Mendelsohn is currently in Washington, D.C., opening a restaurant with his family. Fernandes spoke with AfterEllen.com from the restaurant the day after the finale aired about the show's editing, her $100,000 mistake and that new haircut.

AfterEllen.com: Congratulations on making it to the final three. When you started the season, what chance did you give yourself of winning?
Lisa Fernandes: You have to have confidence in yourself. You have to believe you'll make it to the finale every single day. Otherwise, what's the point? Just to say you don't want to be the first one to go home?

AE: Can I ask about the haircut? What prompted you to make the change before the finale [which was shot six months after the previous episode]?
LS: [laughs] My girlfriend has been trying to get me to cut my hair off for some time. I went for a haircut and the next thing I know the stylist is agreeing with her, and then the next thing I realize is I have no hair. For two days I had the shock of waking up and having no hair. Now I get it trimmed up every two weeks. For the record it is not a faux-hawk. Lots of people seem to think I'm Jen for some reason.

AE: Speaking of which, this season started with the most ever lesbian competitors: Jennifer, Zoi and yourself. Was there a secret lesbian handshake between you three? Any behind-the-scenes jams to the Indigo Girls?
LS: [laughs] No, no, no. None of that. Yeah, there were two other lesbians and that's cool. Like Spike said, "Yay, lesbians!" But no secret lesbian handshakes.

AE: Did you feel it was an advantage or disadvantage for them to be on the show as a couple?
LS: Looking at it now, it was definitely a bigger disadvantage. Putting your private relationship and life in the open for people to pick apart is difficult. Everybody saw how intense it got when Zoi was sent home. Then Jen fought back and kicked ass in the next Quickfire. But it had to be really hard on them.

AE: Did you plan your menu for the "meal of a lifetime" before you came to Puerto Rico?
LS: I had some ideas of sauces, flavors and techniques I wanted to use, but nothing was set in stone. But most definitely I prepared. From going to little Asian markets in my neighborhood to picking up random ingredients, throwing dinner parties for friends and family at my house and playing around with everything and taking it all in consideration.

But I knew from Restaurant Wars with my failed mango sticky rice that I wanted to come back strong with an amazing version of sticky rice.

AE: How do you feel about your performance in the finale?
LS: I'm so happy with my performance in the finale. It showed my real personality and my real behavior in the kitchen. That is generally how I am — smiling, being passionate, having a good time. This is what I do for fun; I don't want to be stressed out. I want to have fun and to be relaxed and to have that come out in my food. I loved all the dished I made.

AE: Is there anything you would have done differently?
LS: My $100,000 mistake? I would have cooked that beef more. I have worked with Kobe beef [in the past], and I tasted it a bunch of times. I thought it was great. I don't know if my palate was different or maybe in transition from cooking to resting to cutting it tasted different. The bottom line is it wasn't done the way they prefer it. That is my only regret on the shows.