If you haven't already watched the finale of the Next Food Network Star than keep reading at your own risk because I have to warn you of a spoiler alert. You might want to go and take a moment to see for yourself how the final competition and filming of their pilot shows turned out. We were left last week with three contestants battling it out for their own cooking show. This time next week the winner will have already aired their first show on Sunday at 11:30 EST. Will you be watching?
Although there were three contestants left only two made actual pilot shows. Vic, the tattooed-muscle man, that eventually threw out his Vic Vegas persona and took on the cooking point of view as mama's boy (because of the influence of her in his cooking) was eliminated. I think everyone saw that coming. He just wasn't up to the standard of the other two remaining contestants as far as camera skills. So relax, Vic. You can put your arms down at your sides now.
We were then left with Jeff, the self-proclaimed Sandwich King, and Susie, the energetic chef that puts her modern twists on Mexican cooking. Both had done well with the previous elimination challenge. They both made recipes that meant something to them personally and was able to bring us in to their family stories about them while still explaining techniques. That works. Food Network is all about making it personal and family. For me? I don't always need to hear all the extra chatter if they are leaving out key tips about preparing the food or add an ingredient without telling me what it is or how much. If you leave the cooking out to fill with family stories I can do better from just reading the recipe on-line, couldn't I? What would I need to watch the show for if the cooking parts aren't there? But, I digress.
Jeff took all his takes to get himself on track while filming his pilot. He finally got his nerves under control by thinking of how he was doing this for his family, putting a picture of his wife and son up on the fridge and actually made a very good showing. He had some good comments and fulfilled everything they had asked of him.
Susie had some trouble starting out also but again, like Jeff, (ah-television editing-keep the family theme going) came back on track by thinking of her family and fathers inspiration to go forward and film an excellent final cut of her pilot.
So then the pilots are complete, the two contestants are waiting on the judges comments and they have to field comments from their focus group which is actually all the eliminated contestants. This probably was just to add extra drama and to fill the hour. It was mild and the television audience didn't gain any insights from their comments on who might have taken the lead. There was no clear winner. Both seemed to have done well. So, it was unsure how it might have turned out. Jeff had carried his Sandwich King point of view from the very beginning. He had managed to use all the critiques the judges had given him and use them well to his advantage along the way. Susie had to be reminded of her roots but once she took the judges advice she couldn't have been clearer about her cooking point of view. She was honest, warm and always energetic. She also cooked from the soul and even the judges couldn't get around how captivating she could be.
The hour was up. They announced the winner.
The show airing for the first time next Sunday morning will be by the Newest Food Network Star. He will be making sandwiches and his name is Jeff Mauro.
And Susie Jimenez? I have no doubts. Just wait a week or two. I will bet if she isn't doing something on the Food Network itself, she will have a show on their sister station the Cooking Channel. Yes, just like all the other past non-winners of this show I have seen hosting their own shows there. What? Haven't you seen them? They are there...
TT
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