Wisconsin chef Luke interview after elimination

On By Littum

Luke Olejniczak left the Banker’s private island with something worth far more than the paltry dollar that ended up in his “Deal or No Deal” case.

Although short, the private chef’s stint as a contestant on “Deal or No Deal Island” Season 2 provided “rich experiences,” including getting to do what he loves — fishing, cooking and running — in a tropical paradise.

And it reaffirmed that Wisconsin is where he belongs, leaving him with a deeper love for his home state and its people.

“It was a blessing to be on the show. I was lucky to be part of a star-studded cast,” he told the Journal Sentinel over the phone Thursday. “I will be remembered for the worst deal in ‘Deal or No Deal (Iceland)’ history. It’s worth something, right? You just roll up the carpet and get on with life.”

From his childhood home, Olejniczak tuned in to the premiere Tuesday night with his parents (ICYMI: A recap of the episode can be found here ).

What was it like to see yourself on TV? “It definitely built some perspective, didn’t it? It always seems like it could be someone else. It’s never going to be you. But it was kind of neat to see.”

We chatted with Olejniczak about his best — and worst — moments on the show, if there’s anything he’d have done differently, and which contestants he’s rooting for now that he’s been eliminated.

Plus the million-dollar question: Would Olejniczak ever do TV again?

What was Luke Olejniczak most proud of from his time on ‘Deal or No Deal Island’?

“I was most proud of how I conducted myself,” Olejniczak said. “I was no different on the show than I would be in real life. I just kept my Wisconsin values.”

While his debut was a “dumpster fire” — his words, not ours — at least no one could call him a “snake” or “manipulative,” he said.

“That’s not who I am and I wouldn’t be on the show,” he said.

What was most unexpected or surprising to Luke Olejniczak when he watched the premiere episode?

That’s when David Genat said he told teammates Olejniczak and New Yorker Seychelle Cordero to wait before going down the zipline during the first outing of the season, Olejniczak said.

For context…

In one game, called the Bankers Pyramid Scheme, there was a pyramid of briefcases worth nearly $5 million.

The three sides of the pyramid each represented a different strategy. While side one had the most valuable cases, to get to it, contestants had to navigate a slippery and rocky path over the water. To reach side two, with the medium cases, players had to go through a longer but safer jungle path. Page three contained three red, unmarked cases: A steal, a loot, and the lowest value in the game. Participants had to take a zipline to get to them.

The path each participant chose determined not only the cases they could choose from, but also their team. Olejniczak teamed up with Genat and Cordero to take on Page 3.

With a bird’s-eye view of the pyramid from the zipline’s tower, Genat seemed to think it was best for him and his team to hold off going down the zipline until they saw who grabbed the $1 million case.

But it seemed Olejniczak couldn’t wait and yelled, “Here we go, babyyy!” on its descent. And soon after, Cordero followed suit.

Olejniczak told the Journal Sentinel that when he and Cordero got up on the tower to take the zipline, he didn’t hear Genat tell them to wait, noting that Genat is “definitely speaking quietly.”

“I’ve never heard that,” Olejniczak said.

On the show, Genat sarcastically remarked, “Strategic geniuses over here.”

“This is crazy,” Genat said in a cut. “None of them have seen anything. They’re just up the ladder, on the zipline, and gone.”

Olejniczak was the first to lock in his case.

Genat – who said he felt like he was partnered with “The Three Stooges” – taunted Olejniczak from the zipline tower, saying: “I’m the fastest out here. I don’t know what’s in my case, but I won .”

When he saw the premiere, Olejniczak said the “Stooges” remark from Genat caught him off guard.

After the match it was time to reveal what each contestant had in their case. Olejniczak’s? He had “steal”.

Genat revealed that his team’s “preordained plan” – which was not shown – was to take the highest value case from the lowest value group.

So instead of stealing one of the not-yet-opened cases—which contained the highest values ​​in the game—Olejniczak chose the largest visible case value at that particular time. That decision partly got his team into last place.

“At the end of the day, there are no excuses,” Olejniczak said. “I should have been quicker to think, and I should have been smarter to go ahead and steal a case from the other group. And I paid for it, as I should have.”

But that’s the one thing he would have done differently on the show.

“I would have stolen a case from the other group,” he said. “To be perfectly honest, I didn’t understand the merits of the case. I didn’t realize what I was really doing at the time. I thought our plan was foolproof. So I went with it. But like I said, I should have thought a little more above it and selected from the other group of cases.”

Did Luke Olejniczak Know David Genat and Parvati Shallow Were ‘Survivor’ Legends?

“Not a clue,” laughed Olejniczak. “I don’t watch much TV. I don’t get time for that.”

When he found out their credentials, he said he was “really not that surprised.”

“I kind of just shrugged it off and moved on,” he said.

Why Seychelle Cordero seemed so ‘toxic’ to Luke Olejniczak

“Some of the things that happened on the island — which were huge for the story — never made it to film,” Olejniczak said. “For example, Seychelle looked absolutely venomous to me. There’s a reason for that.”

Finishing with the highest value of the outing, California’s Sydnee Peck had to choose which bottom team contestant – Olejniczak, Ganet or Cordero – would face the Banker in the first “Deal or No Deal” game of the season.

If that contestant would make a good deal with the Banker, they would get to send one of their other two teammates home. If they made a bad deal, they would be eliminated.

Olejniczak made it abundantly clear on the show that he would be the one to play.

Olejniczak told the Journal Sentinel that Peck informed him ahead of time that she would put him up on the chopping block as he wanted.

After that, Olejniczak said he gave Genat a “gentleman’s handshake” and told him, “If I win at the temple, I won’t send you home.”

Olejniczak said he then had a face-to-face conversation with Cordero and gave her the heads-up that “if I win, you’re going home.”

“She’s a New Yorker. She’s got spunk,” Olejniczak said. “But she’s not a terrible person. She had reason to be upset. But I was a little disappointed that the handshake between David and I never made it into the footage because that was a big part of it. And I would have stood by that handshake.”

Why did Olejniczak want to keep Genat over Cordero? During their “very limited” interactions, Olejniczak thought Genat seemed more believable.

“If I were to create an alliance, I would rather tie my kite string to David’s than Seychelles,” he said. “I think Seychelle would be loyal. But I mean, I think David would drag you further if you were to trust someone.”

What was Luke Olejniczak’s favorite moment on air?

Olejniczak’s case dedication to his father.

When it came time for Olejniczak to pick his own case for his “Deal or No Deal” game, he went with #7.

He said it represented the seven national titles won by former football coach Nick Saban. Six of those were won during his tenure with the Alabama Crimson Tide, a team Olejniczak’s father is a big fan of.

“Roll Tide, Baby!” Olejniczak said on the show. “Woo!”

Is there anything Luke Olejniczak would have done differently in his game ‘Deal or No Deal’?

No!

While it was “apparent” that the banker’s $218,000 offer was a good one — and if it was, Olejniczak would have stayed and sent Cordero home — a part of Olejniczak would have felt guilty, he said.

“She really didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “And I kind of felt that it’s probably more right that I go home.”

If it was “destined” for him to continue in the competition, he said, Case No. 7, he had chosen, have pulled him through.

“It didn’t. I went home. That’s how it should have been. And Seychelle got the game on,” he concluded.

Now that Luke Olejniczak has been eliminated, who is he rooting for?

While Olejniczak holds “no ill will” toward any of his fellow contestants, he said, there are a couple he has “high respect for.”

His no. 1 would be Rock, who he talks to weekly. He’s the one he wants to see win it all.

“He could have come from Wisconsin,” Olejniczak said. “He calls it like it is. He’s trustworthy. He’s got dignity. I’d trust that guy with the keys to my house and the credit cards in my wallet.”

But he wouldn’t mind seeing Genat “hurt something” as well. Olejniczak has kept in touch with him, also to an extent, as well as La Shell Wooten.

What else was Luke Olejniczak supposed to do while on Bankers Island

Attendees were asked to bring things to keep themselves entertained during downtime, Olejniczak said. While most people brought books, word puzzles and Sudoku, he said, he brought fishing poles and his walleye.

Although he didn’t catch any fish on Banker’s Island, he later “knocked the heck out” of them when he went out with a guide. He even had his catches cooked with a local chef.

“It was a beautiful time,” he said.

He also smoked fine cigars and ran his “ass off,” driving five to 10 miles a day.

“Come on, did I really lose?” he said.

What was it like to return to everyday life after ‘Deal or No Deal Island’?

“I was ready for it. I really was,” Olejniczak said. “In addition to the rich experiences I gained from just the overall time there, I gained perspective that I really am where I belong.”

While people fantasize about living in a tropical destination, he said, “I love it here in Wisconsin.”

“I absolutely love Eagle River. I love the people of Wisconsin. I love everything about this area.”

His first stop upon his return? Kwik Trip, of course.

It was “phenomenal” to see his people and friends again, he said, and his dogs, who ran to him when they saw him.

“I’m very excited to get back to something I’m good at, which is cooking,” Olejniczak said.

Besides putting on weight his private dinnershe is looking forward to getting back on the icy lake for zander fishing, as well as tracking with his two scent hounds.

Would Luke Olejniczak ever do TV again?

“I think we need to stick to what we’re good at,” Olejniczak said. “I’ll keep cooking and working with my dogs. I’m not saying no, but it’s very unlikely I’ll ever be on reality TV again.”

And why is that?

“Let’s face it, I’m not very good,” he said. “And besides, it takes me away from the place I love and the people I love.”