Next Food Network Star ~ Official 2009 Summer Thread

[Kae]

Debbie so had the easiest mini challenge. All those olives & stuff with all that honey um yuck.

Kae

 

[Robinrs]

I'm sorry to see Jamika go but she was truly losing it. Her energy was becoming very negative.

Love Jeffrey, he's so cool. Debbie has personality issues and it will not bode well for the network to hire her so I think it's between Jeffrey and Melissa. I cannot STAND Melissa's frantic energy and her constant selling of herself (duh, MOM duh, HOME COOK ) but there is a market for what she can offer. Like amy, my hands down LEAST favorite winner next to those angry Hearty boys , I won't watch.

 

[onelilspark]

I think the reason why Melissa has to sell herself is that the execs are concerned she doesn't have the skill. ...She has the skill. So she needs to constantly remind them that she is cooking circles around those that are "trained."

And to fill in on the recap some more: In the 2nd challenge, Melissa was going to cook her fish with citrus. She said it was the only way she had ever cooked fish before. The judges took away all her citrus. They didn't really have a gripe with her dish. Probably Jeffery's would appeal to a wider audience since it didn't have the pepper on it (but what do you expect when you give someone peppers to work with?!)

 

[Nancyg56]

Okay, I get why Jamika had to go but I am getting tired of watching the challenges lean towards giving Debbie and edge over the rest. Take away utensils and watch her regroup, say how awesome she is and how she is a rock under pressure. Then ask people to harass the others, get in their faces, allow them to ruin a dish, taste it, make horrible faces and say "TOo bad, so sad....you just need to try harder to be a star." I get that this is a reality show, it is time to stop the pretense that this is a search for a new network star because honestly, the winners are not necesarily turned into stars and the losers are sometimes offers shows. I cannot see a Paula show that is suddenly moved away from butter, sour cream and fats and into low fat cooking and steamed veggies. Bobby Flay and New England cookery? Not a chance. Why must the contestants change their cooking style throughout the competition?

Disclaimer: This is my vent: When did The Foodnetwork move away from cooking shows? I like foodtv at night but the real cooking shows are few and far betweem. We have parties, we explore drive in and Dives, we have challenges, we work for food and have tried to eat bizzare foods (no one can eat the stuff Andew Zimern eats, not even Jeff Corwin) and now we listen to the personality discuss what they like to eat. Who cooks anymore?

I miss the real cooking shows. I neither need nor want folksy humor, choke when the cooks pretend that they are digging into their dishes before servings them, and if I have to see one more "star" take a huge bite, groan as if they having some sort of experience that no food on the planet can give and promise that I can have the same experience and still grin and smile while swallowing it whole I may toss my Kitchen Aid at the TV!


TNFNS was a great opportunity to look for a new Chef who can actually teach us how to cook whatever their POV is but nowhere in this show are we seeing them shine. The challenges set them up to fail, place unrealistic time, money and ingredient constraints yet reward some who disregard those constraints. I have stopped believing that the show has any other purpose than to draw viewers so I wish that the pretense would stop.

 

[luvmy3]

I miss the real cooking shows. I neither need nor want folksy humor, choke when the cooks pretend that they are digging into their dishes before servings them, and if I have to see one more "star" take a huge bite, groan as if they having some sort of experience that no food on the planet can give and promise that I can have the same experience and still grin and smile while swallowing it whole I may toss my Kitchen Aid at the TV!

I totally agree with you!

 

[kaytieeldr]

And to fill in on the recap some more:

Ah, thanks! I'm surprised I remembered as much as I did

 

[Metsfan520]

There are still cooking shows on the Food Network--they are on during the week days & on Saturdays/early Sunday, when most of us are at work. I record the shows I like, watch them later.

 

[mickeyboat]

I am glad I have read this thread, and the theory that they are keeping Debbie on the show for the drama factor. Every week I am more and more frustrated that they don't give her the boot.

I could not imagine working with someone like her. Can you imagine the entire Food Network staff watching her extensive "job interview" week after week through the show, and then having to work with her professionally?

Go Melissa!

 

[onelilspark]

Check out this article on Melissa: http://www.vermontcynic.com/life/melissa-d-arabian-brings-girl-power-to-the-table-1.1742556

She has an MBA, met her husband in France when she was working at Euro Disney... And was a personal chef at one point.

I think she's got a lot more training than we know...

 

[stacy347]

I agree with a PP that Jamika really did seem to have checked out ~ too bad because she did make some very appetizing dishes at certain points and I'm sure the potential was there.

I only heard "Korean" come out of Debbie's mouth 4 times last night ~ if the network execs think that she will be a money maker for them, I believe they will be sorely disappointed based on everything I'm reading online and hearing from people IRL. The DDs and I were noticing how the judges (except Bobby) really seem to be enthralled by her for some reason...even when she got "called-out" last night, they handled her with kid gloves compared to the others.

I am really starting to enjoy Melissa more as a personality now (and especially last night after she made a conscious effort to tone it down). To her credit, my kids are watching the veggie dishes that she makes and saying, "I'd eat that!" Add that to the tidbit posted above where she worked at Euro Disney and hey, what's not to like, LOL?

Jeffrey I still love to pieces and would watch his show without a doubt! He hasn't made anything yet (except the lobster dish maybe, LOL) ~ that I wouldn't eat.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Jamika had a hard time holding it together - but Debbie did NOT follow the rules of the challenge, then she was her slimey self when called on it. She should have been bounced. Period.

This is like last season when they wouldn't eliminate that whiney girl (Lisa?) who looked like a vulcan that everyone hated. It's the drama factor, it's "good tv".

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I think Lisa would have worked though... she wasn't exactly my choice but she didn't have a huge integrity problem, either. If I wanted to watch backstabbing and lying, I'd tune into The Hills.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Oooh, Lisa drove me crazy last year!

I agree they're keeping Debbie for the drama, but it did make for a useful discussion with DS, who saw that she got caught when she lied.

I'm happy for Jeffery. They kind of faulted him for being the "Zen master of cooking", but in a way that's what I've liked all along.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

^ Yes!! I like Jeffrey for who he is... not for who they want to turn him into!

 

[Randi]

Some random thoughts I keep having while watching this show:

Why is it good to pile a tiny amt of food on top of each other in the center of a big plate? Is it food or sculpture?

Is there any food served in the US that isn't spicy now? According to Bobby Flay, he is always complaining that the food isn't salty or "hot" enough. I am beginning to think he would like to have a big pile of salt covered with hot peppers on his plate & forget the food.

The frantic rush to get everything done in such a short time is difficult to watch. I understand they need to set a reasonable length of time, but not to the extent they go to. Just tape & edit the show. No wonder the contestants lose their cool.

And the funniest thing was the guy who said he got his salad receipe from a Paula Deen cookbook after the judges panned it! Oops poor Paula Deen. I was surprised that wasn't edited out.

That said, my favorite this season is Melissa. To any woman who has to put a family meal together every day, I think she could be a real help. I remember years ago when someone asked me if I liked to cook, & I answered yes, just not everyday! After a while I would run out of ideas & be sick of the same old things as did my family. So I think she could fill a niche on the FN.

I don't think Robin Miller actually works for the FN does she? Her thing is more cook once, eat twice or more anyway. But also really helpful for the average mom.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The frantic rush to get everything done in such a short time is difficult to watch. I understand they need to set a reasonable length of time, but not to the extent they go to. Just tape & edit the show. No wonder the contestants lose their cool.

Well, it's important for a couple of reasons. First, and this is valid for any cooking competition show, there needs to be a time limit. Without restrictions, the competitors could take as long as they want to prepare something "just right". Time limits also give the viewer an indication of what's happening. And, finally - the winner of Next Food Network Star is going to HAVE to work under very time-restricted conditions.

 

[Buckalew11]

I think my favorite is Melissa. Followed by Jeffrey. I'd watch either one of them. I really liked Jamika during the first part of the season but as soon as she lost some of her confidence, it was just hard to watch her. I did think she was beautiful though.

Debbie, what can say about Debbie. She drives me nuts. "I'm Korean" yes, yes, I know. Her dad taught her to makes stories? Did you all catch that comment? Well, I guess he did because she has certainly got caught making up a lot of "stories" so far. She's lied one too many times and I really don't think I'd watch her.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

That's the consensus on Susie's blog as well. The general feeling is pretty much "uh-oh... is she the winner and now that they're seeing the negative response so far is Susie trying to convince us that it's a good thing?"

 

[kaytieeldr]

Debbie, what can say about Debbie. She drives me nuts. "I'm Korean" yes, yes, I know. Her dad taught her to makes stories? Did you all catch that comment? Well, I guess he did because she has certainly got caught making up a lot of "stories" so far

Caught the comment, sure - but not the underlying meaning. Good catch!

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Her dad taught her to makes stories? Did you all catch that comment? Well, I guess he did because she has certainly got caught making up a lot of "stories" so far. She's lied one too many times and I really don't think I'd watch her.

I was thinking the same thing. I just don't like her, everything she says is suspect and insincere. "I was being selfless" my ars.