Aaron Schock with host Padma Lakshmi during last night's program.

West-central Illinois’ two-day run in the television culinary spotlight culminated last night with a familiar Congressional face. 

Republican Congressman Aaron Schock appeared as a guest judge on Bravo’s “Top Chef” program, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "I'm not used to being able to eat such gourmet food like that," says Schock. "It was a nice treat to be able to taste the different entries that they had prepared. There wasn't a piece of food that I ate that wasn't delicious."

D.K. Hirner of Springfield is Schock’s Democratic opponent in the November general election. She says Schock has ‘an alarming desire to build his celebrity status’ with similar appearances, though Schock brushes off her accusations.

"I'm sure that's what someone says when they don't get invited to participate in programs like this," says Schock. "The reality is that you don't pick and choose these opportunities. These opportunities are ones where they're offered to you."

The seventh season of Top Chef pits 17 cheftestants against each other in Washington, D.C. The show has featured a number of lawmakers and dignitaries.

Schock’s was the second such appearance for city-area names in as many days.

Jacksonville farmer and caterer Randy Twyford was one of 50 contestants Tuesday night on the new FOX program “MasterChef”. He was eliminated in the show’s premiere episode.