The Next Food Network Star starts tonight...

[Phentex]

I'll watch but I can't say that I've enjoyed it the past few seasons.

I came across a funny blog www.foodnetworkhumor.com. It's crude at times but I've seen worse posted in our forum, lol. There is a picture of the famous kwanzaa cake. Have you seen this site?

[housewolf]

1. Thanks for the reminder

I'll try to remember to tune in.

I saw a "Chefography" program on the Cooking Channel yesterday about Guy Fieri. He was the winner of the 2nd "Next Food Network Star" series, and the only one who's won that competition to actually turn into a Food Network Star. It was fun to see much more about his life.

[pengillian101]

21. I saw that one also.

It was fun to see how into food he was at such a young age.

[Duer 157099]

2. I thought Adam Gertler should have won last season

and I've seen him around on various shows more than whoever won.

edit: that site you linked is funny as hell, thanks. I don't get why everyone hates Guy so much, he's the butt of jokes everywhere, even here in his home town, but I like him and watch his shows. So what if he's corny? I like him.

[Phentex]

3. I forgot about the last winner until my neighbor

mentioned the show. Ten Dollar Dinners.

I watched but didn't find her very interesting and I got irritated (and posted here, lol!) that the meals were not really under ten dollars. Everything out of her mouth was "I got this when it was on sale" which meant almost ALL of the items all had to be on sale at the same time to make that meal. How practical is THAT?

She won't last.

As for Guy, he doesn't seem to be much of a cook. His cooking show didn't go anywhere...it's been all the other stuff. He's likable enough, and I find him interesting, but better as a host.

[housewolf]

4. Guy

The "Chefography" show I watched yesterday about Guy included interviews with some of the Food Network "biggies" - Susie & Bob, who run the show along with Bobby Flay. They literally RAVED about Guy and what a "star power" he is - how he draws people in, connects with an audience, is entertaining and makes people want to continue watching.

Susie (a Senior VP of the Food Network) basically said as much on tonight's show - that she's looking for someone who can cook well but who also has star power. She wants the food to represent the chef's "point of view" - to somehow integrate who the chef is into the food so that the food says something about the chef and of course for the person to be entirely comfortable on camera, able to express themselves naturally. After those two comes the food and cooking pieces. But the personality and star power come first.

Interestingly, Susie also handles the marketing for the new Cooking Channel.

My guess is that Guy's the butt of jokes everywhere because he doesn't take himself seriously, connects with people very easily, and in some ways invites it. I like him too - most of the time. From what I've seen about him, he has a very big heart.


As for Melissa, her show's in its second season.

If you're curious about where the winners and contestents from previous season's shows are now, see
http://www.foodnetwork.com/nfns-where-are-they-now-season-1/package/index.html

This season's info page
http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-next-food-network-star/index.html

[Duer 157099]

5. He does seem like a decent guy to me, too

I didn't see the season that he was on but was vaguely aware that some guy with spiked blonde hair had won, and then I started seeing him around town and figured it out. At the county fair, he was just hanging out so I went and talked with him, and just a totally decent guy. But of course, this was very early on before he got all famous. Even so, I don't think he deserves all the grief he gets, especially from some of the locals around here.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Remember when he won? Lots of talk about how his background isn't cooking, but...

restaurant management and how pretty much all the places he opened died because of lousy food.

If all that were true, I'd expect some grousing from thin-skinned foodies on top of the usual tearing down of anyone who makes it.

Me, I like what he's doing. Food Network found a niche where they send people out on the road to find good stuff to eat, and I like that a more than the phony contests or straight cooking shows. And Guy is great at that job.

(Except for Bobby Flay's phony throwdowns-- no tears, no prizes, no BS, and everyone has a great time eating good stuff and not really caring who won.)

[The empressof all]

7. I've said it before and Thanks for giving me an opportunity to say it again

I Can't Stand Bobby Flay. I know it is an irrational feeling not based in any personal experience with him. I've never even eaten his food and he may be a perfectly lovely person IRRL. But, there is something about that guy that just irritates the hell out of me. I would enjoy this show far more if I didn't have to look at him.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. It's gotta be the red hair. Were you terrified by red-headed clowns when young? Flay was...

btw, voted "Most Hated Chef in New York" in a poll of NY chefs a few years ago, so you're not the only one.

[Phentex]

15. LOL!

He does appear clownish at times. (No offense to our resident C&B clown!)

[Duer 157099]

9. I have that same reaction to Flay. I just don't like him.

Can't figure out why exactly, but he annoys me to no end. However, not nearly as much as Paula Dean. I cannot change the channel fast enough if I see her on TV!

[Phentex]

14. I like Paula but it

does appear she has changed herself over time. She gets all dolled up now and her accent is definitely heavier in these later shows. I guess it's part of her schtick.

[japple]

20. I've lived in the South most of my life, even lived in Savannah

for a few years as a child, but Paula Deen's accent sounds phony as hell to me.

[grasswire]

10. Bobby is your typical mid-age American jerk

Big ego, bit of a misogynist, wise guy. If you watched him early on when he had a female sidekick, you saw how he was going to be. Churlish under pressure.

I like him better now than I did then. But that's not saying much.

[Phentex]

13. Something changed for me and I can't pinpoint it...

I couldn't stand him at first. But he's grown on me. I don't know why!

I did enjoy the way this website makes fun of the fact that Bobby has to have his name in the title of all his shows! :)

[hippywife]

11. I usually never follow these threads as

I don't watch any of the TV chefs of cooking shows. But I'm all for humor and followed that link.

It was worth it to find this:

http://foodnetworkhumor.com/2009/12/the-best-worst-sandra-lee-recipe-reviews/


The winning review in my book:

"It was like there was a party in my mouth and everyone was throwing up!"


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Phentex]

12. I'll kill some time there...

there are some gems in there.

I have a love/hate relationship with the food network. I am passionate about food so I WANT to watch tv cooking shows, etc. sometimes to learn something, sometimes just for entertainment.

But then they do some insulting stuff and I get irritated. That's when it's time to change the channel, ha!

[The empressof all]

16. The Rachel Ray photos made me howl!

I made the mistake of looking at this when I was in a waiting room. Jeeze....I had to hold back the tears I was laughing so loud inside.

[Phentex]

17. Well, she IS expressive!

I wonder if she's looked at this site. :7

[Eyerish]

18. I did the same thing!!

I scrolled down to that masterpiece and I had to bite my lower lip not to bust out laughing. My favorite is this one...
:rofl:

[housewolf]

19. My favorite - "... the dog ran away!"

I made it with equal parts ranch dressing and catalina dressing. Both were nasty. My boyfriend Earl gave his to the dog and the dog ran away!

http://foodnetworkhumor.com/2009/12/the-best-worst-sandra-lee-recipe-reviews/