Food Network Star

by Ian Jackman

  2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the achiote oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Drop the pasta into the seasoned water. Thinly slice the remaining half onion and add to the pan. Cook until slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the lobster meat and sauté until it begins to firm and turn opaque but is not completely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro and sauté lightly for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute, until reduced by one quarter. Add the broth and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the butter, stirring to incorporate. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the lobster sauce. Toss lightly and season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of the chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

  ACHIOTE OIL: In a small skillet over low heat, warm the olive oil and annatto seeds until the seeds begin to release small bubbles and the oil turns a rich orange color, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Strain the oil and reserve the seeds.

  “I first learned this dish while working as a sous-chef at a little Italian ristorante called Marcello’s in Suffern, New York. For sit-down staff lunches, chef Marcello Russodivito often gave me the opportunity to add my own spin to whatever we had lying around the kitchen. One day I was interested in upgrading his spicy Lobster Fra Diavolo by adding Spanish saffron and the peppery smokiness of fresh culantro. So I tweaked a little pot of his tomato pomodoro, sautéed some shrimp and lobster in butter and achiote oil, deglazed with some leftover white wine I found, and introduced the Jag’ed-up tomato sauce. I tossed in some fresh ribbon noodles and Pecorino Romano cheese, and the rest was history!

  “I think the chef may have been less upset with breaking the taboo about adding cheese to seafood than with the fact that I used lobster meat for a staff lunch!”

  —Joshua “Jag” Garcia

  THE RESULT

  At elimination, the Selection Committee said Rory was inconsistent and Amy was less relatable on Rachael Ray. Jag was unpredictable. He’d been captivating, but it was so hard to get information out of him. But after Rory was asked to stay, the second finalist was . . . Jag, which meant that Amy was sent home.

  what is CULANTRO?

  Not to be confused with close relation cilantro, culantro is a leafy herb used in Puerto Rican and other Caribbean cuisines as well as in Southeast Asia. It has a much larger leaf than cilantro but a similar taste, so the two can be interchanged.

  The Next Food Network Star finale is taped live, a few months after the finalists’ second-to-last challenge. In Season Three, during these few months, the Food Network learned that Jag had misrepresented facts about his military service and his culinary training. After talking with Susie and Bob, he resigned from the competition. “I can’t in good conscience continue, knowing what you guys demand of a Food Network star. I can’t continue knowing that I’m not mature enough yet to meet those requirements,” he told the judges. “And I’m sorry.”

  The Food Network flew Rory back to New York to tell her the news. Jag had withdrawn and she had a new opponent for the finals: Amy.

  In the season finale, the Food Network traveled to the hometowns of the finalists. Before Next Food Network Star, Vega, Texas, with a population of 936, didn’t even get Food Network. In Vega, we met Rory’s boyfriend, a cowboy who trained horses and took care of cattle while Rory was working to open the Boot Hill Saloon & Grill. Amy’s home visit was spent on the beach with her children, Indiana and Scarlett. Her whole big family lived together under one roof, and cameras taped her grilling for them.

  Once more, Emeril had the envelope with the result of the popular vote.

  The winner: Amy.

  SEASON THREE ELIMINATIONS

  EPISODE TWO

  First Elimination ∗ PATRICK ROLFE: “I didn’t know it was a double elimination until Vivien came up the stairs and said she had also been eliminated. I was very sick that day, had a high fever, and it all was a hazy blur. I spent the next two days after the elimination in bed. Vivien brought me soup. I do remember that.”

  EPISODE TWO

  Second Elimination ∗ VIVIEN CUNHA: “I’m not angry, I’m not sad, I’m just disappointed. I did everything I could. They didn’t see fire. Too bad.”

  EPISODE THREE

  Third Elimination ∗ NIKKI SHAW: “My life has drastically changed since appearing on Next Food Network Star. Incredible opportunities come my way regularly. I’m currently working with the L.A. Lakers, Kraft Foods, Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross, the Foxxhole (Jamie Foxx’s Sirius XM radio show), and the California Department of Public Health. I’m certainly indebted to the Food Network for believing in me.”

  EPISODE FOUR

  Fourth Elimination ∗ COLOMBE JACOBSEN: Colombe’s dry brioche and store-bought chip and dip were her downfall. “Disappointed,” Colombe said. “Maybe this isn’t the right path for me.”

  EPISODE FOUR

  Fifth Elimination ∗ TOMMY GRELLA: “I’m not sure where this next point in my life takes me, but I can tell you it won’t be away from my family again.”

  EPISODE FIVE

  Sixth Elimination ∗ MICHAEL SALMON: Michael exited after the Fort Dix Challenge. “When I allowed myself to be nervous, happy, proud, stressed, whatever the moment called for, being myself came much easier. . . . I said to myself, ‘Do the best you can, enjoy The Next Food Network Star experience, and simply have fun.’ And that’s what happened. I had fun, enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and did my best.”

  EPISODE SIX

  Seventh Elimination ∗ ADRIEN SHARP: “It was a huge gamble to give up my job, but you only live once. An opportunity like Next Food Network Star doesn’t come twice, and there was nothing that would stop me from participating! . . . I am now executive chef at a hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan, and I’m starting culinary school. . . . I would always encourage others to follow their dreams. It just doesn’t make sense not to. Why live with regret? I’ll never live my life that way.”

  EPISODE SEVEN

  Eighth Elimination ∗ PAUL MCCULLOUGH: “Iron Chef ended up being my last challenge. Though it was sad to leave, I understood the judges’ decision. It was a tough pill to swallow.”

  EPISODE EIGHT

  Ninth Elimination ∗ AMY FINLEY: “Who knows what the future will bring. I still think ‘the Gourmet Next Door’ is a great idea. We’ll see if it pops up again someplace. . . . We just wait and see.”

  EPISODE EIGHT

  Withdrawal ∗ JOSHUA “JAG” GARCIA: “There’s always going to be that what-if thing, but I ultimately believe I made the right decision, and we’ll see where it takes me in the future.”

  Runner-up ∗ RORY SCHEPISI: “Being one of the finalists from my season was huge, but due to the drama that occurred, I felt a lot of opportunities for many people were taken away. After seeing subsequent seasons, and all of the shows that have been given to several of the finalists, it makes you think, ‘Why have they not called? Am I not a good enough chef to have my own show?’ Then I snap out of it and tell myself, ‘Wait, I am a great chef and love what I do! My time will come.’ ”

  Amy Finley: A Q&A

  Tell me about your book.

  How to Eat a Small Country covers the period in my life following Next Food Network Star and moving to France.

  What is it with you and France?

  I’ve always been enchanted by the idea of France. I went for the first time as a high school student and appreciated none of it, except maybe the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower. In 2000, I’d just been introduced to my now husband, who lived in France at the time, and I went off to France and enrolled in culinary school and fell in love with the food. I learned that French techniques are the backbone of good cooking. With the repertoire of skills, you have access to thousands of different recipes. France was the first place I’d really seen a connectio
n between how people lived and what they ate.

  Some Americans find the idea of French food off-putting.

  There is the French food that is very fancy and fussy and composed of intricate and layered steps, but what I learned in Paris is that the French are just like us. They don’t have time. They want to make the most of what they have. Some of my favorite food comes from country cooking—it’s really simple. A handful of techniques plus the imagination of the cook.

  So it’s not difficult to cook?

  Some recipes take twenty to thirty minutes up front in preparation and then three hours, but it’s three hours on the back of the stove and it’s ready when you’re ready. Cooking is not just something that begins and goes on furiously and continuously until you put the food on the table. . . . We too are less mystified by food and getting more involved in preparation. It’s not brain surgery. Anyone can cook, they really can.

  What’s harder—writing about food or cooking it?

  Writing about food is harder. Writing is a painful process, and I’m much less judgmental of my cooking than I am of my writing. When you get through the mystery and fear, cooking is easy. The hardest part is organizing your schedule so you’re not doing it rushed or stressed, because that makes everything unenjoyable.

  Who are your favorite food writers?

  Waverley Root, Mark Kurlansky—writers who realize that it’s about people.

  Shows like this blur the line between private and public life . . .

  It becomes a growing realization for finalists. The more time you spend in front of the camera and with the crew, the more real the idea of what this would be like later on becomes. This is a job that is going to be very hard and demand things not just of me but of the other people in my life. It’s something you should go into very clear-eyed. It sounds very simple to go on TV and become a celebrity, and then you start to think critically about how that’s going to feel and whether or not it’s something you would enjoy. You have to ask yourself some really hard questions.

  Were you relieved to get eliminated?

  There was a mixture of real true regret and relief. It was a relief not to have to make the decision myself.

  How did you feel when you were reinstated?

  I was elated. I thought, “Maybe this could work.” . . . I had gone in with the intention of winning, so it was exciting to go all the way. I felt bad for Jag. And for Rory. There was no way that it was going to feel great to her unless she won. Even though she had a fifty-fifty chance against me, losing to someone who had already lost must have stung.

  At what point did you think you could win the competition?

  I arrived in New York thinking I was going to win. Everyone probably does. At the first challenge, we presented our dish and our Point of View and they did a critique and I was told my entire Point of View was off-putting and snobby, and “When you talk like that we all hate you . . .” Oh. That was my whole game plan right there. I have no idea what I’m going to do now. It was probably good to get a smack-down right off the bat because you need humility to keep your ears open. If you’re really listening, they’re giving you great feedback, and you have to integrate that. Whether or not you like what you’re hearing, you have to respect the expertise.

  So you adapted.

  I had to find a way to do that food without putting the veneer on it. We were lying in our bunks at night, and Rory and I were talking. I think of myself as an average person . . . the girl next door . . . the Gourmet Next Door. Okay! They did like it.

  Do you ever forget the camera is there?

  You never forget the camera is there. What’s worse, you get comfortable with it being there. They set up situations. You’re sitting around and the producers say, “Why don’t you talk about . . .” Their job is to find things that are interesting. They hold all the cards. But the representation of me was fair.

  You’re going to keep writing?

  Absolutely, about the place cooking has in our lives and how it can be transformative. I’d like to think I’m someone who is helping the Food Network brand by going off and saying some interesting things about food. I think that’s what they’re looking for. They’re not just looking through tapes and saying, “This girl is pretty and this guy has buff arms.” They really are looking for people who can make a contribution. You just never know what forum it’s going to come out in.

  Season FOUR

  Ten new finalists gathered in New York to compete for the prize: their own show on Food Network plus a special feature in Bon Appétit magazine. For the first time, this edition would yield, in addition to the winner, two other finalists who would go on to earn a series on the Food Network or Cooking Channel. This bonus was emphatically not in the cards as finalists gathered in New York for the first challenge.

  “In walks Bobby Flay. And that’s when I wet my pants.”

  —Kevin Roberts

  “Alton Brown walks out and I’m giddy like a little schoolgirl.”

  —Adam Gertler

  THE FINALISTS

  1. Kelsey Nixon. To Kelsey, a recent culinary school graduate, cooking was not intimidating. She started her own cooking show, Kelsey’s Kitchen, in college. If Kelsey’s Kitchen was going to make it to Food Network, Kelsey outlined its mission: “I’m going to teach you to be comfortable in the kitchen with classic tips and techniques with an innovative twist.”

  2. Kevin Roberts. Kevin was a restaurant owner, radio host, and author of a couple of cookbooks—Munchies and Kissing in the Kitchen. The second of these informed his mission statement: “Let’s bring romance back into the kitchen by eating well, drinking well, loving well, living well.”

  3. Shane Lyons. At nineteen, Shane was the youngest-ever finalist. When he was sixteen Shane weighed 250 pounds and lost weight by using cooking as his outlet. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America at age eighteen. His Point of View: “French Technique Without the Fuss.” “I take timeless techniques and modern ingredients to make easy, at-home, French-inspired food without the attitude.”

  4. Jennifer Cochrane. Jennifer described herself as an executive chef and single mom of daughter Lyric, age four. Her Point of View: “Keep It Simple,” said Jennifer. “I don’t have all day.”

  5. Cory Kahaney. A stand-up comedian with an advanced culinary degree from France, Cory had been a catering manager for hotels in New York City. To Cory, this was a chance to marry her two loves—comedy and food. She’d find the hip, trendy items and save you the legwork.

  6. Jeffrey Vaden. Jeffrey, a caterer, described his loves as soul food and French food, which he’d work to combine. “My food is all about my classical French training combined with soul food. There’s going to be a lot of pig.”

  7. Adam Gertler. Adam, a restaurant server with fifteen years’ experience in the business, also did improvisational theater. Next Food Network Star looks for a performer and a cook, and Adam was both. “Using a little bit of humor and a little bit of culinary chaos, I make fun, full-flavored comfort foods that you can make at home.”

  8. Lisa Garza. Lisa owned a fine-dining restaurant with her husband in Dallas. She portrayed herself as a Renaissance woman. “There is a place for style on the Food Network,” said Lisa. Her adjusted Point of View: “I’m taking you on a journey through the art of fine dining with ‘Beautiful Basics.’ ”

  9. Aaron McCargo, Jr. A hospital catering executive chef, Aaron wanted to let America know that he’d come from nowhere and he’d arrived. “It’s like a modeling audition,” said Aaron. “The women are gorgeous. The men are handsome. I said, ‘I’m lost, I’m in the wrong room for real.’ ” His Point of View: “Take herbs and spices that are used every day, and with love turn out a great delicious meal.”

  10. Nipa Bhatt. A marketing manager and self-taught cook, Nipa was born in India and immigrated to the United States at age five. “No one knows how to cook like me,” said Nipa. “I want to teach the world that ethnic food is approachable.”

  First Challeng
e

  The finalists were introduced to Bobby Flay and Alton Brown. When they regained their composure after meeting network stars, they started their first challenge, presenting their Point of View to Alton Brown. Then they split into teams of two for the Main Challenge: to make three dishes for a table of even more stars: Chef Morimoto, Sandra Lee, the Neelys, and Giada De Laurentiis. Lisa and Kevin were hardly on the same page. “I’m thinking degustation,” she said. “What?” said Kevin, who called Lisa “the Diva from Dallas.” Shane’s pork for the “beauty plate” for the judges was undercooked and not fit for human consumption, according to Morimoto.

  “I had been a big fan of Next Food Network Star and knew how important it was to come in with a strong Point of View. With that said, it was still challenging to keep my Point of View in focus throughout the entire season. The challenges where I did best were when I was very focused on the Point of View and my recipes supported it.”

  —Kelsey Nixon

  Adam and Jennifer tried to cook meat loaf in nine minutes. To achieve this, they threw the meat onto a flattop and cut off the well-done pieces after it was finished cooking. Adam was afraid of what Morimoto might say. “He stares with eyes that pierce the back of your soul, and I’m about to serve a Frankenstein meat loaf. Dear God, help me.”