The Next Food Network Star thread!

[redBoobergurl]

Hi there, of course we can be friends.

Minnesota can be very cold, but it can also get pretty hot in the summers. This year we're having a cold, rainy summer so far.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

I think MS will be on the show because she wanted to see if the finalists could sell their own food products. I can't believe she's redeemed herself after being let out of jail so many years ago.

Yeah! I mean for a short time with her away, our street were so much safer with out her lurking them. I mean there were no peanut butter and bird seed pine comes around so out neighborhoods were safer and you didn't have to look your kids away form making fun sugar cookies. Just kidding of course, heh!

 

[The Count]

...

Eight little chef wannabes.
All in Food Network heaven.
One got branded and burnt at the stake.
Then there were seven!

Latest elimination: Jeffrey.
Discuss.

 

[kermiegirl]

Um, Count, I am supposed to be the one who will tell you about this weeks episode!

 

[The Count]

Well... You can still do that. Remember, this is a thread open to everyone for viewing and posting... And when people who are actively interacting in a thread and see that the thread's topic gets some new news, they excitedly post it "first" for others to then generate further discussion. However, if you feel that such postings are counter-intuitive to the spirit of the thread, I'll reserve such comments. Hope that helps.

 

[kermiegirl]

Thanks, Count. I didn't mean to sound that harsh.
Anyway, while I was watching this weeks episode, I took down notes in case I forgot and I am using them to type this post, so here it goes!

When the finalists woke up, got dressed and ready to go, they went to the Food Network Kitchens were Bobby Flay presented them with their first challenge: you must present your culinary point of view in front of the camera through the potato in one minute in front of the selection committee. Here is what the finalists made: Aaron made bacon wrapped potatoes, Adam made bacon cheese ries, Jennifer made mashed potato pizza, Kelsey made potato gratan, Jeffrey made sophistacated home fries, Lisa made fancy potatoes, Nipa made an unspellable dish with an unpronouncible name and Shane made potato soup. As Lisa presented her dish, she presented her dish in 15 seconds and didn't realize she had 45 seconds left, so she wasted the time by staring out into space, not knowing what to do. When it was over, she cried.
When the finalists went into a room to do their next challenge, right in front of them were Food Network food products made by FN chefs like Emeril Lagassee (sp?) and Paula Deen. Then, Bobby Flay presented their next challenge: they must create their own packaged food product and distribute samples to 50 food buyers plus a special guest introduced later in the show and they must do it in 30 minutes. When Nipa went shopping to make her peanut seasoning, she took all of the cayenne pepper off the shelves. A few minutes later, Aaron needed the cayenne pepper for his apple cider vinagrette but found out it was gone. The finalists came back to the kitchens and made their products with their own labels - the labels might have been done a day earlier. When time had run out, the food buyers came and tasted their food. Aaron made the apple cider vinagrette for a salad, Adam did a BBQ rub for BBQ, Kelsey made an All-in-1 sauce for sloppy joe's, Jeffrey made a seasoned salt for catfish, Jennifer made Jenny Lee cream sauce or pasta, Lisa made a basil balsamic orange marmalade for toast (?), Nipa made peanut seasoning for peanuts (?) and Shane made a Cherri-gac steak sauce for steak.
When they had left, the special guest came out from behind the blue curtain: Martha Stewart. She went through all of the finalists foods. When she approached Adam's product, she tasted it while Adam sang a song for Martha with a harmonica - "MARTHA STEWART, I'M ON MY KNEES!" . Then, she thanked the finalists and left. In a separate room, MS commented on the finalists to the selection committee.
Then it was time for elimination. Susie told Jeffrey that he needs to be more exciting when in front of the camera. Bob told Jennifer that she keeps on apologizing and doesn't get the big picture. Susie turned her attention to Kelsey and told he that she was on the virge of almost annoying. Kelsey began to cry about the fact she doesn't like to be annoying and tried to make sure it wasn't over the top. After that, they announced the winners. For the potato challenge, Adam won, for the food products, Lisa won and for MS, Aaron. Because of this, they were safe and so was Kelsey, Nipa and Shane. It all came down to Jennifer and Jeffrey. They decided to keep Jennifer and get rid of Jeffrey. While Jeff was packing his bags, Jennifer went back to her room and pulled out a photo of her 4 year old daughter, Lyric from her suitcase and explained that she was the reason Jennifer wanted to be a Food Network star, which made hard-core fans like me cry for her.

Keep watching The Next Food Network Star, Sundays at 10/9 central on Food Network!

 

[redBoobergurl]

I thought it was a unique challenge this week, I enjoyed seeing them try to create a product to sell, it was really interesting.

I think they made the right choice sending Jeffrey home, he just didn't have a unique enough point of view. I'm anxious to see where it goes next.

 

[kermiegirl]

Hey rBg, did you like Adam's song? I laughed so hard that I fell to the floor!

 

[redBoobergurl]

I couldn't believe he did it! But yes, I did like it. I thought the judges seemed like they didn't approve, but I think it was a good risk. He's crazy, I hope he goes a long way, I like him alot.

 

[kermiegirl]

Hello everyone! Here is episode 4 of The Next Food Network Star:
When the finalists were out of bed, they went to Studio B and met Tyler Florence and presented them with their first challenge: they have 60 seconds to present a culinary skill on a specific food. Whoever won the challenge will have their demonstration on foodnetwork.com. Adam tried to open an artichoke, Aaron cut off the top of a pineapple, Kelsey cut ribs, Lisa tied a piece of string around a chicken and Shane tried to get some milk out of a coconut. Nipa tried to get a piece of meat out of a squid - even though she doesn't know anything about squids - and ended up with a tiny piece of it. When it was Jennifer's turn, she was given a challenge to shuck an oyster. Jen had never shucked an oyster in a long time, so she improvised. It didn't go well - she said oysters make her sick - and when she was done, she left the room, cried and bonked herself on the head, saying she was an idiot. Tyler came up to her and told her that she has a great personality but she musn't apologize to the camera too much. Later, Tyler told everyone that Kelsey had won the challenge.
Then, the finalists went to the Food Network Kitchens where they were greeted by many different types of fish. At that moment, Iron Chef Michael Symon - who said he was going to be on the SC - appeared with Senior Executive chef Michael LaDuke from Red Lobster. MS and LaDuke explained whoever won the challenge, their dish will appear on the Red Lobster's Fresh Fish menu all across the country. They must make 2 dishes, but one of them will have a secret ingredient. MS pulled off the curtain and revealed foods you wouldn't find in dishes: white chocolate, caramel, cola, Fruit Loops, coffee beans, marshmellow creme and grape jelly. Since Kelsey won the last challenge, she picked out white chocolate and a Tilapia. Adam chose caramel and halibut - just for the halibut . Aaron used Cola and cod, Jennifer used Fruit Loops and Mahi Mahi. Lisa used coffee beans and arctic char. Shane used marshmellow creme and sole fish and Nipa used grape jelly and rainbow trout. They must prepare their dish that they will use later in the challenge. Nipa wasn't excited about this challenge because she had never touched a dead fish before and didn't know how to use grape jelly. As she made her dish, she took off a tiny piece of rainbow trout and threw the rest in the garbage. Aaron was worried that his fish was too flaky.
When they were done, they went out onto a pier and are introduced to Captain Howard Shaw. MS told them they must serve their dishes to 30 Coast Guard men and women and the selection committee. Kelsey went up first and toned down her energy just a little, which made the SC very happy. They even liked her food. When Adam went out to present his dish, he fell onto the floor and thought the CG's and the SC would laugh - but they didn't. Jennifer broke her promise to Tyler by trying not to apologize; she thought the FL made the fish too sweet. When Nipa presented her dish, she taught the CG's belly dancing, which made some of them very sick, which was also how they felt about her food. As Lisa prepared her food, she slipped and fell with liquid all over her clothes. She told the crowd about her slipping and how her brother is in Iraq, which made her cry a little. The SC thought her food was good. Shane wasn't comfortable with the marshmellow creme in his dish, but everyone liked it anyway. Finally, it was Aarons turn. The fish was still flaky and dry and his presentation was flat.
Later that day, it was time for elimination. Bob thought that Lisa wasn't creative with the camera. Shane didn't open the coconut. Adam need to work on his comedy because the step wasn't funny and it felt disrespectful. Jennifer's confidence was lacking and needed to stop apologizing. Nipa lacked expertise in the culinary challenge.
Kelsey had won not only the culinary challenge, but her white chocolate tilapia went on the Red Lobster menu. Because of this, she was safe and so was Lisa, Shane, Jennifer and Aaron, who had revealed to the SC that before he joined TNFNS, his son had run away from home and hoped that if he won, his son would come back home.* Then, it was down to Adam and Nipa. They decided to keep Adam and send Nipa home - HALLELUJAH! Adam hoped that he will try and not be immature next time.

Keep watching The Next Food Network Star, Sunday's at 10/9 central on Food Network!

*Note: In Susie Fogelson's blog on foodnetwork.com, she said that Aaron's son did come home and everything is fine again.