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Next Food Network Star: Episode #710 Recap (Iron Chef)
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Another week, another predictable episode of Next Food Network Star!
This week, the final four battled it out in Kitchen Stadium. Jeff, Susie, Marybeth, and Vic Vegas… excuse me, Vic MO, competed in two head-to-head battles under the ever-watchful eye of Alton Brown.
Eliminated contestants Whitney, Chris, Penny, and Jyll were back to help. They acted as sous chefs for the finalists, and generally didn’t get much camera time. Of course, Marybeth got her arch-nemesis Penny as her sous chef. Never would have seen that coming!
Marybeth and Vic competed head to head first in battle rack of lamb. While they cooked, Jeff and Susie acted as commentators and fielded questions from Alton.
Alton asked Susie to explain the difference between green and white asparagus. Susie replied that the green variety was more bitter, and more “FIBER-IER.” Wow. You see, folks? You really DO learn something every day by watching Food Network. Personally, I would have been all, “DUH, ALTON, ONE IS GREEN AND ONE IS WHITE.” But that’s just me.
Meanwhile, at the judging table, Fogelson and Giada were snickering at Susie behind her back like jealous schoolgirls. Fogelson insinuated that Susie fell back on being a ditsy slut when she didn’t know the answer to a question, and Giada shook her head in complete agreement. Right. Because Giada NEVER falls back on being a ditsy slut when she doesn’t know the answer to a question. I forgot. Moving on.
Next, Alton asked Jeff what ingredients he would showcase in his Umami dish, and Jeff didn’t miss a beat. He suggested fish sauce, and jokingly said he “didn’t want to give all of his secrets away” because it “was a competition.” The camera then panned to a blushing Fogelson, who sheepishly stated how “good” and “cute” he was. If you looked carefully, you could actually see the drool pooling up around the corners of her mouth.
After tasting, the judges said Marybeth’s lamb was overcooked and underseasoned. They also noted that Vic’s fries were disgusting and horribly overcooked, which – as far as I’m concerned – automatically makes him eligible for the “fry guy” position at Bobby’s Burger Palace.
Next up, Susie and Jeff went head to head in battle lobster. This was… in a word… boring. Jeff made three sandwiches, but didn’t use his own mayonnaise. And much to Giada’s chagrin, he didn’t even squeeze any lemon in it! THE HORROR!
Meanwhile, Alton asked Marybeth what a bisque was. After 5 minutes of rambling, she ultimately stated it was “a thick, cushy little bed that you’d wanna sleep in for a week.” Alton’s reply was the funniest moment of the episode:
Cut to a commercial break, which gave Food Network the opportunity to run perhaps the stupidest commercial in the history of commercials: some bald dude from HGTV telling us all what paint colors embodied the finalists’ personalities. You guys, Marybeth is a yellow and Vic is a purple. I hope that knowledge helps you sleep easier tonight.
At judging, the double standards continued. Tuschman praised Jeff for sticking with his sandwich concept from day one, but five seconds earlier gloated over Vic’s sudden and overnight “growth” into Mama’s Boy. Also, Giada told Marybeth she was worried that people at home wouldn’t be able to make her dishes. You know, kinda like Giada’s Royal Wedding sous chef team couldn’t make HER chicken dish, so she had to swap it out to lasagna at the last minute.
The bottom two chefs of the evening were Marybeth and Jeff, and in a move that surprised exactly NO ONE, Marybeth was eliminated from the competition.
The finale is NEXT WEEK! We did it, guys! Guy Fieri shows up, just to make us cringe one more time, and “mentors” the final on-camera challenge. One contestant will be eliminated, and then the final 2 will go on to compete for the next “already predetermined before the episodes started filming” Food Network “star.”
SPOILER ALERT – Stop reading here if you really care about the outcome of this BS…
In true Food Network fashion, the imbeciles they have working over there spoiled the results of the totally predictable final 2 by showing THIS person sitting in the “focus group” of ex-contestants (nicely spotted by FNH reader Sara):
So next week, Vic gets eliminated and Susie and Jeff compete for the title. I’m saying Jeff is going to win. You heard it here first!
Other posts on Food Network Humor:
---Next Food Network Star: Episode #709 Recap (The Worst Roast Ever)---Next Food Network Star: Episode #707 Recap (The One Where Wolfgang Puck Was A Douche)
---Next Food Network Star: Episode #708 Recap (Ina Garten/Rachael Ray)
---Next Food Network Star: Episode #706 Recap (Food Trucks)
---Next Food Network Star: Episode #701 Recap
- Next Food Network Star
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185 Responses
Woo! First!
(Sorry…)
Anyway, I only watched this because Alton Brown was on. He was less than spectacular, but still enjoyable.
I’m surprised you diddn’t mention Alton being impressed at Jeff for not “revealing his secrets”
(I bet he was forced to do that anyway)
Oh good! I’m glad I’m not the only one who totally saw Susie go all school girl over Jeff! She also did it later in the “deliberation” when Tuschman was saying how Jeff had such star quality that everyone (Rachael and Alton) else could automatically see. She just sort of dropped her head shyly or something, I don’t recall what exactly. I just recall it seemed as though she was fawning over him.
But speaking of Tuschman and fawning, he really seemed to be pulling for Marybeth. Even as she was eliminated, he seemed to be gushing over her.
I think the most annoying moment of the night though was by far Medusa ridiculing Susie. It really hearkened back to the “Oh bummer” incident and just seems to prove it wasn’t so much Jyll’s fakeness as it was that Medusa just didn’t like her. I honestly don’t think she likes Susie either. I just think she simply tolerates her because she’s willing to be a puppet.
I thought Susie was surely having an orgasm on both occasions.
I picture it this way:Jeff wins NFS.He is summoned to the Food Network headquarters but upon arriving notices that all of the offices are empty and dark.He then notices some flickering candlelight coming from one of the far corner offices.Intrigued but also a bit frightened as well,Jeff walks slowly towards the candlelight.He comes to the doorway of said corner office and inside he sees a full S&M dungeon with Susie Fogelson in the middle of it all decked out in full dominatrix gear(including cowl and studded bracers).”Make my day,sandwich boy…”, she hisses………….
That’s something I’d pay to avoid seeing….
I think I just threw up a little.
Jesus… A group of monkeys could keep the outcome of these shows better hidden than these morons at FN. I mean, I called it, “It’s going to be Jeff vs Susie”, but still. They could try to keep that shit under wraps better.
Also, a REUNION? Are you kidding me? What is this, The Real World? It’s so obvious they brought so many dramatic and idiotic people that they knew wouldn’t win just for “entertainment” value.
“Marybeth and Vic competed head to head first in battle rack of lamb. While they cooked, Vic and Susie acted as commentators and fielded questions from Alton.”
Just wanted to quick point out that you accidentally wrote Vic and Susie instead of Jeff and Susie :) Then again, by the time I post this, you’ll probably either have it fixed or someone else will have pointed it out!
I thought Alton Brown was really not funny and a complete douche this episode
I thought so too. I used to like Alton, but I haven’t liked his attitude the past couple years.
You’d be bitter, too, if you had talent such as his and were forced to watch a network you once loved go down the drain with the sort of bullshit programming they’re putting forth.
Just sayin’…
I bet the paychecks from TVFN and the cookbooks and all the other crap he sells because of being on the network eases the bitterness.
That was exactly my thought.
After he loss weight he became a jerk.
I liked “fat, jolly” Alton way better than “skinny, asshole” Alton. He’s just like Santa Claus on the Rankin/Bass Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. When Santa was skinny, he was mean to Rudolph. When he was fat, he was quite endearing.
My kids noticed it immediately!
how did you not mention the fact that when vic was judging he ended ALL THREE critiques with some form of “overall, not a bad dish” SO ANNOYING….
Ha, I totally noticed that too and was thinking Vic needs to expand his vocabulary.
The only useful thing Booby Flay has done the entire season was calling Vic out on not “telling the truth.” Twice. Haha.
I’m glad Alton and the judges noticed that Penny was sabotaging Marybeth, but I wish they had been more confrontational about it rather than just pointing it out.
No shit! Seems they’re as scared of that bitch as everybody else. Not to mention, who in their right mind would try and ass with that bitch while she’s holding a shiv?
Nice catch on the spoiler, but I’d be gobsmacked if Vic doesn’t make it to the final two (or at least earn one of those also-ran food travel programs the dude losers inevitably get). This entire season has been edited to make him into a swell guy and a food authority, et al et ad nauseam to the end of bloody time. Clearly, a dude must win because too many women have won recently, and the channel in general has begun to devise food challenge-y competitions to ensure men get enough face time. The panel from the outset knew they had to shit on the women as much as possible to keep a couple of the male contenders in long enough. I expect the reason why the female contestants this season all had such major flaws comes down to deliberately casting weak female contestants to make the dudes’ stars shine better and brighter.
Just wanted to say that I have never watched this show, but love reading your recaps!
Then again, these recaps could be why I’ve never watched this show… Have I never seen it because I know the (ahem) highlights? Or because you reveal the lameness of the show? Hmm. Regardless, lots of fun reading the posts and the responses!
Carry on….
Thank you!
I’m so glad you mentioned the stupid paint commercial. I know the straight guy’s ten or so colors and I could have done as good a job at matching a random color to each contestant.
It would have been so much better if someone had done a commercial guessing what each contestant would smell like. My guesses:
Vic: Garlic and too much cologne
MaryBeth: Oil of Olay and Giada hugs
Susie: Cilantro and happy tears
Jeff: Store-bought mayo and win
LOL. That’s awesome!
Excellent. Spot on if you ask me, but I haven’t smelled them. Oil of Olay!
Ya know, Susie sure “commentated” with “elegancy”
I’m pretty sure it’s “commented” or “did commentary” and not “commentated” but Jillian would know
I’m dyin to know how much Jeff paid Penny to try and sabotage MB? And I sure wish they had shown more of that! An hour’s worth of tape and just 15 seconds of Penny? I feel short-changed. I really do.
And if Vic does that pointing-thing with the selection committee again where he is like saying “I’m one-a-youse and not one-a-doze” and makes that icky face where he looks like an old man without dentures I will absolutely throw up. Vic should have been the one sent home…he’s changed his POV. He NEVER has told a STORY. He deep-fried leftovers on a nationally syndicated TV show. He even changed his last name (which is a no-no in brand-messaging 101).
It’s gotta be Susie…at least we’ll learn something besides how to make sammies with (horrors) STORE-BOUGHT MAYO and spout potty-humor
I’m so glad someone said something about Vic’s pointy gestures… and the brown-nosing comments…it’s more than annoying. I also agree about being short-changed… they should have switched her out with any other sous chef available, even maybe Alton!!!
Vic has wishy-washed around, trying to please everyone. We all know that when you try to please everyone you end up pleasing nobody.
On the topic of FN’s spoilers/mistakes, my favorite was when they posted the videos of Food Network Star hopefuls. Someone posted a hardcore YouTube of a couple having sex. It stayed up on the website for quite some time.
through the show, Susie kept saying “commentated”…it was like fingernails on a blackboard.
Vic causes two reactions in my brain: A) I want to hurl from the general look of him and the way he talks; and B) I want to devise a mechanism that would force his arms to rest appropriately at his sides rather than poke out like a gingerbread man.
Meanwhile, I don’t give a hoot what Jeff has between his damn buns.
Glad to see Mary Beth finally go home. She can’t cook, and I don’t care what the judge says, the way she talks about food doesn’t make me want to eat it. Bisque is like a warm bed you want to lie in? That’s almost as bad that crepe last week being thin as women’s lingerie. She’s just a repository of bad similes. I was happy to see that Alton wasn’t having any of it.
I was watching that clip to see if they spoiled anything, but I missed Vic’s bald head. I almost thought he might be going home tonight, since some of the judges seem so enamored by Mary Beth
I’m pretty much ready for this to end now. I feel like we’ve seen everything these people have to offer, and I’m sure the judges made up their minds weeks ago.
AMEN to your first paragraph!!! I agree 100%!
She makes my ass pucker when she speaks — I can’t STAND her!!
I don’t get the fixation with Mary Beth either (unless she reminds Tuschmann of his mother). I don’t see anything clever or witty about her food descriptions. I get the impression she really doesn’t know what the hell she’s taking about and is faking it most of the time.
Mary Beth was this year’s Aria. Not in the sense that MB totally missed the secret ingredient idea, but the “How in the hell did she get this far” sense.
I thought I missed Penny last week. I changed my mind.
Mary Beth is nothing like Aria! Aria is a conniving, back-stabbing bitch who was just more devious than Penny. I laughed my butt off last year at Aria’s bacon creations. Tom’s looked awful, but at least he got the point.
Mary Beth is nothing like Aria! Throughout last season, Aria was a conniving, back-stabbing witch who was just more devious about it than Penny. I laughed my fanny off at her lame attempts in the bacon challenge.
Agreed. Marybeth is just wonder-bread, beige-as-hell boring. She’s one of those pseudo-intellectual people whose crutch is pretentious bullshit.
Exhibit 1:
“With her can-do spirit and optimistic message that eating fresh meals brings people together, Mary Beth is a passionate proponent for living deliciously.”
Exhibit 2:
“I’m sad that my dream slipped away, but so much better off than if I hadn’t given it any oxygen at all. Onward to a refined dream.”
“Marybeth is just wonder-bread, beige-as-hell boring. She’s one of those pseudo-intellectual people whose crutch is pretentious bullshit.”
Nail, meet hammer.
I really thought this episode should have been billed as the “roast” episode. Alton was a glorious douche to the contestants, and I loved every single minute of it.
As for the show, I do sort of like Jeff when he’s not trying so hard to be funny. A show about sandwiches could be entertaining, but probably won’t be because FN will rub their dicks through it before airing. Seriously, every single show from these winners have been the exact same. Doesn’t really matter though, because I’m sure after one season they’ll just give Jeff a car and make another Guy Fieri clone.
Every time I start to like Susie she says something stupid (IT’S FIBROUS, BITCH), and Vic looks too fucking ridiculous for me to watch. I liked when they got a shot of him strapping on his studded wristbands today, though. Can’t wait until they sell “Mama’s Boy” branded wristbands in the FN store. Instead of studs they’ll have little pictures of his giant bald head.
Best line of the night…
Giada: “I knew when I smelled it, that it was Suzie”
LOL that was amazing!
Sorry, Giada — as they say, “she who smelt it, dealt it.”
OMG! *Thank you* I thought perhaps I was making it up because I couldn’t imagine anyone would genuinely say that as if it were a compliment.
Lord, could that have been any more predictable? Down to Alton being a total dick.
WTF did Giada do to her weave? She looked almost as bad as Rose Nylund sitting a couple seats down, or was that Blanche Deveraux? Girl was creaming her panties again anytime Jeffypoo did…anything.
Just give him the fucking show that I won’t watch and get this shit off the TV pronto.
PS: If Penny (with the agent) wasn’t a ringer “villain” to hate on and knock out the women so a guy could win, I’ll eat my cat. The PTB could have called sabotage on her tonight, but the fact they didn’t really demonstrates what a set up this entire mess is.
Only now they have a pre-determined winner AND a villain! MAJOR growth there, Kermie/Medusa. Woot!
I must be missing the point where Alton was a dick. When was he a dick? I thought he was nice to everyone… except for calling Marybeth out on that incredibly lame bisque/bed analogy.
Alton is a dick. You’re a fucking kiss-ass.
Well someone’s a Mr. Grumpy-gills.
Alton Brown isn’t a douchebag, nor was he being a douchebag in this episode. What he is is a real guy who refuses to put the Food Network veil on his personality (an example would be Paula Deen pre-veneers…).
Sorry you’re upset with your own pathetic life you have to continuously rag on others by calling them a douchebag and Jillian a kiss ass. At least she runs a string of successful websites, books, and potential movie deals. What have you done today?
Agreed on Alton. He’s far smarter than the network deserves, and he knows it. He’s a walking encyclopedia about food and gets kicks out of picking people’s brains about it. I’m sure he knows they may not know the answer, but wants to see how they’ll respond. The contestants are not as smart and he exposes it. Alton is fascinating to listen to, I watch Iron Chef only for him because of how he explains things..same with Good Eats. He’s not a dick, he just calls out bullshit when he sees it. I wish more had the balls to do that.
Finding Nemo reference FTW.
Agreed. He really needed to pull the stick out of his ass.
Or just the way Food Network has been editing everything
wow! angry much?
Couldn’t agree more.
Alton reminds me of Simon on American Idol. Everyone gets so angry for Simon being “mean” to the contestants, but I’m like “These losers deserve a cold/harsh dose of reality. They think they’re so awesome, but they’re not. They need to be knocked down several pegs and I’m glad someone like Simon is there to do it”
And the only problem I had with Alton is when he said “All salt is sea salt” because I would have said “Not when it comes from a lake. Ever heard of a place in Utah called Salt Lake City?” LOL
And yes, I believe a salt lake is technically considered a “sea” but I still would have loved to made the point.
My first thought was, what about salts that are mined? Do those not count?
I think someone else already pointed this out, but at some point, all land was under sea therefore even mined salt should be considered sea salt.
Ditto on the AB love, but why didn’t he call watzername out on the white asparagus? It’s denied sunlight while growing (hence the lask of chlorophyll, and Europeans call it “white gold.’ Wikipedia, anyone?????
Mary Beth can’t cook, period. Her skills “comentating” about food are questionable as well. I would love to see a show featuring MB and Penny — Secret Ingredient SmackDown, perhaps?
In past seasons of NFNS,Alton was a dick but this time around I thought he was fairly reserved.He did give off this “I really don’t wanna be here” vibe,though.But hey….at least he doesn’t have to host that stupid Food Truck Race thing.
“Isn’t all salt from the sea?” Yeah, Alton, and so are we, if you want to get technical. Because the ocean is the source of all life as well as all salt. But that doesn’t mean I call beef seafood. I thought the questions he asked were kind of obnoxious. “I’m not familiar with harissa…”. Just fucking ask what’s in it, let’s quit with the fake ignorance. He annoyed me on this episode.
He was rude when he made that comment about checking to see if there was an avacado before planning a dish with it. The way he said it was really condescending I thought. It’s supposed to be an Iron Chef battle, I would have to assume there was avacado somewhere in that huge pantry of produce.
**avocado
I’m going to disagree with you here Jill. I think Susie wins, and Jeff is the runner up.
Has anyone noticed that the runners up the last two seasons have gotten more exposure than the actual winners?
Last season’s winner, Tom might be the host of the retarded “Bizarre Foods”, but far and away is in a more watched time slot than Aarti.
And Jeffery Saad hosts, what I believe is a good show, United Tastes of America on Cooking Channel. And I’m not even sure what time slot Bacon MILF occupies on FN….
Not a chance! A girl has won the last 2 years. They won’t give it to another girl.
Also, the role of “Exotic Spanish female” has already been filled on the network, with that Mexican Made Easy woman. There’s no room for two Mexican women on the network.
If it’s not Jeff, I will be EXTREMELY shocked.
fair enough points!
Either way, if I have to pick someone I’d like to watch between Jeff and Susie, it’d be Jeff any day of the week.
I have no strong feelings either way about who will win. And, Jillian, I’m in awe of your analysis week after week.
But there’s precedent for contestants of the same gender to win more than twice in a row. The first five winners of NFNS were men. (Bear with me.)
The first season was won by the two two gay guys. The second, by Guy Ferry. The third, by JAG, until he was caught lying about his past and disqualified in favor of Amy. And the fourth, by Aaron McCargo.
OK, before anyone points it out, I’ll admit I was wrong and should have checked first. JAG was not disqualified as winner but as finalist. So there goes that theory out the window.
I’m sayin that since they’re doing a “reunion” ala “Bachelor” or “Bachelorette” Susie and Jeff are getting engaged and they BOTH win.
Jeff is the corporate chef at my office. He announced his resignation last week and the CEO has scheduled a “meet & greet” this week where the staff can bring their families in to take pictures with Jeff. He totally won this.
Was just going to say a friend of mine is very good friends with Jeff. She knows something is up but he hasn’t told her anything. At least not anything she’s been able to repeat!
Go Jeff, for the home-town win!!
Can’t believe you gave that bit of info away….
They could have offered him a show anyway. That’s why “Star” is such a farce. If there is a breakout chef from the show, even if they didn’t “win” what’s to stop the FoodNetwork people from giving them a show anyway? It’s not like they don’t have a lot of airtime to fill.
Mike, I said the same thing last week. I actually do believe Jeff is going to win, but it’s odd that they’re editing him in such a good light. Susie’s edits seem to fit more of the way they edit the previous winners.
Although, they did try to trick us by putting Jeff in the elimination round this week. Maybe that was their way of knocking him down a peg to try and throw people off who think he’s the ultimate winner. In fact, that scenario actually put the seal on his win as far as my thinking goes.
It’s gonna be Jeff, I have no doubt. It was the way they were doing the head band thing. Focusing on him always putting on the same red head band, it wasn’t just there on his head, no, they were specifically showing him putting it, making it a big element of his team in the food truck episode. They were getting elements of his ‘brand’ going already.
As for second … well, if the spoiler is correct then Suzie is gonna be second, but I have a hard time seeing her doing one of those “go around and eat stuff” shows so maybe they will break with tradition and give the third place guy the other series and who knows what they will do with second place this time.
Hmm, maybe Suzie will win it and Jeff will get a “go around wearing a red head band eating sandwiches” show.
Nah, I still can’t see the winner being a girl three years in a row and having a show that is Mexican cooking, since they already have that.
Bizarre Foods is Andrew Zimmern and on the Travel Channel. This is a better show than anything on the FN.
Agreed. It’s ironic that the two best food shows on cable television are “Bizarre Foods” with Andrew Zimmern and “No Reservations” with Anthony Bordain.
Ironic because they’re both on the Travel Channel. Once the Food Network was bought out by Scripps and went corporate, the writing was on the wall for intelligent, thoughtful programming. In his latest book, Bordain expressed dismay that they also purchased the Travel Channel, how much longer will his show be on the air?
Why do I get the feeling we will be seeing Mary Beth as a judge on ICA in the future? The team all loooooved her commentary so much.
in her defense, she *IS* a food writer. It isnt so far off to have someone like her judge ICA. I wouldnt be opposed to it at all
If she turns down the overly-cutsie remarks, she would be a good judge, but if she keeps doing things like calling bisque a fluffy bed, the mute button will get a workout.
oh definitely…the “i could swim in bisque for weeks” (or however she worded it) comment made me cringe…
Alton Brown was awesome this episode. Everyone who thinks otherwise just likes this things sugar coated. This guy is one of the only real people on this stupid network. He calls people out and that is what makes him so great.
I love the fact that Alton doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
No, he just smirks because he knows he’s going to make horses’ asses of them. Pointed questions are fine. He can leave the smarm at the studio door.
Full disclosure: I’ve never been able to stand his arrogant ass and laughed when I heard they had to correct his grape juice commercials because Mr. Know It All didn’t pronounce “Concord” properly.
He’s become worse since he lost weight. Maybe he needs a harissa, sea salt and mayo lobster sammie.
“I love the fact that Alton doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”
I agree completely … it just seems that he used to repel foolishness with more humor and less obnoxious disapproval. He was once a lovable curmudgeon but during the past couple of years he has evolved into someone who seems miserable and intolerant. I fell in love with him during the “Feasting on Asphalt” and “Feasting on Waves” programs. I wish that Alton would return.
It may be a problem with editing, but it’s annoying to have Mary Beth get dinged for the kind of execution “problems” lobbed at her by Giada.
Every year we have a couple of strong potential hosts whose minor problems could be solved with a bit of media training and, you know, a bloody team of prep chefs and food stylists and as many takes as necessary to get it right.
Seriously, Giada criticized Mary Beth for potentially leading viewers astray. They aren’t going to be watching her on live television! See, Giada, on a TV show she would test out her recipes and work out the kinks in more than 30 minutes before presenting them on television.
So frustrating. They’re auditioning for a taped cooking show, not a live cooking demo. Ugh.
I noticed something about Susie: She pronounced “jalapeno” and “enchilada” without overemphasizing the syllables with a cartoonish accent. Let’s see how long that lasts when she gets her own web show or special on the Cooking Channel gulag.
Wait, I thought there were always 3 contestants who went and did the pilots? That last screenshot must be from the “reunion”
And I thought the focus group was always a bunch of random people, not the ex-contestants? :S
This year they said that one person is getting eliminated after the first camera challenge. Did you watch tonight’s episode?
I did, but I missed that I guess. Derp. :3 Still though, that certainly can’t be the “focus group”
Speaking of ratings (upthread) for “Food Network Star” people:
Saturday, July 23:
“Big Daddy’s House” (7:30 AM): 262,000 thousand
“Guy’s Big Bite” (8:30 AM): 528,000
“Aarti Party” (9:00 AM): 500,000
“Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” (8:00 PM): 1.071 million
“Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” (8:30 PM): 1.395 m
“Outrageous Food” (9:00 PM): 1.021m
“Outrageous Food” (12 AM): 736,000
“Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” (3:00 AM): 432,000
“Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” (3:30 AM): 393,000
No “$10 Dinners” aired. That 8:30 PM episode of “DDD” was the highest-rated program of the day. That’s why we’re seeing him everywhere.
Other programs earning over 1 million viewers: “Paula’s Best Dishes,” “Barefoot Contessa,” “Giada at Home” and an episode of “Unwrapped.”
This is fantastic. Is there some public page where these numbers are available?
Yep, the blog is called Son of the Bronx.
Tuschman? Fogleson?
Aarti had her hot sister on the show this week. Better than her hubs I guess but I don’t think anything will boost her ratings. The constant giggling and referring to the food as “her” and “she” is annoying as fuck.
I feel that the point Alton made regarding salt, after he asked ‘What salt isn’t sea salt?’, was a bit silly. Maybe it’s just the editing, but it seems like Alton brought it up as if to say “there is no point in saying ‘sea salt’ over ‘salt’ ” which wouldn’t make much sense.
Though one could argue that salt is just sodium and chlorine and that it’s not required to be from ‘the sea’ specifically, what mainly bothers me about this is that “Sea salt” is seen as a different form of salt from “Table salt” or “Kosher salt”. If you referred to all salt as sea salt, how would you go about distinguishing it? Should rock salt simply be referred to as sea salt?
I dunno, it just seemed like a strange thing to bring up.
i think Alton brought it up because he did an episode of Good Eats about salt, from sea salt, table salt and pink himalayan salt, so there are different kinds, and he knows them.
I think he asks questions like this to give people an opportunity to show their knowledge, which is what he’s supposed to be doing. Mary Beth could have said that salt that is referred to as sea salt has more minerals and is less refined than, say, Kosher or table salt, which have had most of the ‘extra’ minerals removed. I know that, and I’m a secretary. Mary Beth is a food writer; why didn’t she explain?
I agree. I was thinking how Alton is always using “Kosher Salt” on Good Eats. He never says “Kosher Sea Salt”
If all salt is from the sea, how come the generally acceptable use of the term is for a specific kind of salt only? And how was that an important point during the iron chef battle, other than to throw a wrench in Mary Beth’s commentary?
Love Alton, but he looked a bit dickish just then.
You’re right. Sea salt is bigger-grained, sometimes tinted, with unique flavors based on where it’s harvested. It isn’t reasonable to quibble over making that distinction from other salts.
His argument is that all salt came from the sea – as the sea covered most of the earth at some point and left deposits in land masses. Even though it’s ‘mined’ and might have a different mineral make up because of what it was left in, it’s all basically from the sea.
His job, though, is really to mess with the contestants so that they have to think on their feet and perform. That’s what he did.
Yeah, I didn’t exactly get his point. He seemed to be pushing Mary-Beth’a knowledge to see if she knew enough about salt to call him out on it.
While, technically, all salts come from the sea, only the evaporated sea waters are labeled as “sea salt”. Kosher and table salts generally come from mines, which were once created from seas, but I don’t think the FDA considers those salts “sea salts” because they weren’t manufactured from evaporating sea water.
Alton is always telling us about FDA guidelines and why products are labeled as such, so it did surprise me to hear him tell Mary-Beth that all salts were sea salts, in the manner in which he did, because according to the FDA, there is a difference.
Maybe he explained it more carefully than what we saw but they edited it out?
All salt was consume is from evaporated sea water. The only difference between so called sea salt and table is one evaporated a long time ago and one evaporated recently.
Even if all salts come from the sea, there are still two kinds: unrefined salt and refined salt.
This would be the same as asking how heirloom tomatoes are different from others, then declaring, “Ah-ha! They all grow on vines.”
There are differences, and focusing on the fact that all salt originated in seawater was a trick question that proved nothing about her knowledge or lack thereof.
This was supposed to be an approximation of “Iron Chef America,” and Alton would never play some idiotic gotcha game with Kevin Brasch.
Yeah, that’s why I think most people weren’t happy with the way Alton acted in this episode. If he was there to push the limits of their culinary knowledge, then that’s fine, but don’t act like this is an actual ICA competition because that’s not how he acts on the show. Why not film an episode of Good Eats??
And I also didn’t care for when he slammed Susie for saying that MB was going Italian and having him inform her that Italy was part of the Mediterranean.
I don’t exactly consider all Italian food to be Mediterranean.
And even though he is technically correct, and even though she didn’t realize what she was saying, whats wrong with narrowing down the area of the mediterranean by saying the flavors were Italian? Wasn’t she just being more specific?
I saw Ina Garten completely bullshit her way out of a similar question on the painful to watch segment of her show-”ask Ina”. Someone wanted to know what made kosher salt kosher and she just stumbled over an answer and talked about fleur de sel instead. I also just saw an episode of Giada at home-have not watched in months. She did a horrendous job of explaining her recipes-like where the hell does one even get almond flour? She threw it into a cookie recipe like we all have it just laying around. WTF?
I saw that too and it bothered me as well!! She basically said that Kosher salt had bigger flakes and table salt used iodine which makes it easier to pour through a salt shaker. While that was true, it wasn’t very informative. I hate when people give you part of the equation. She could have at least mentioned that Kosher salt’s flakes were bigger to help adhere to meat surfaces and extract blood, which is why they’re considered “Koshering Salts”. I mean, don’t just say the flakes are bigger because that doesn’t completely explain.
OOOOOHHH. I just learned something important about Kosher salt. Thank you!
I think Alton has always been a dick. We just couldn’t tell because for 10 years he was on Good Eats, which was scripted and didn’t ever feature other personalities. It’s when he’s confronted with idiots that he doesn’t pull any punches. I mean, look at that video of the radio interview he did where he talked about how crazy Sandra Lee is. Sure, Alton can be a dick. But he’s a classy dick. Like the James Bond of dicks. He’s the charismatic dick that points out how ghetto the rest of us dicks are and I’ve lost my analogy now.
I don’t get the whole “Alton is a dick” sentiment… Is he a bit snarky? Sure, but that’s why I like him. He’s a pretty tongue-in-cheek kinda guy, but that makes him more fun to watch. I’ll take him over any of the glossed over fake pieces of shit running around on FN (*cough* Ina, Paula, RayRay… I could go on).
Amen, you could tell by the comments that were made during judging that Alton is not particularly well liked by his “Food Network Family”
Alton is one of the few people on food network with watching anymore.
If he wasn’t incredibly popular they would drop him in a second.
They already have. This is the last season of “Good Eats.”
Alon re-signed with Food Network for a good couple more years. I believe he’s ending Good Eats on his terms, if I remember things correctly.
Can someone please find and post the screen shot from the beginning of the episode when Alton was introduced and Bobby Flay slyly slid his left middle finger alongside his cheek??? That was somewhat telling……
Now we don’t have to see Mary Beth’s ugly dresses anymore. Didn’t the last one look like a snuggie?
Yes! I was wondering if she put it on backwards.
I thought Mary Beth’s dress was quite decent and flattering.
I’m so glad you will be recapping this next week, I can’t stomach another episode with Guy. It seemed like he was only going to be handling the actual head to head portion of the competition, not this first camera challenge so I may be able to watch the beginning.
Jeff will win it. Aarti (annoying) & Melissa (annoying)
won previously so it’s a guy’s turn. Come to think of
it, EVERYONE on FN is annoying and it’s getting painful to watch.
I just want to point out a couple of things that made this episode just a little bit funnier to me:
Giada saying to Marybeth: “You make me excited to eat your food”, right after she said she lacked execution made me feel like she really wanted to say: “You make me excited to eat your food… too bad it always sucks!”
Giada to Marybeth: “I’m picking pointers from you, that’s how good I think you are…” REALLY? She’s picking pointers from someone who can talk the talk but can’t walk the walk? I don’t think Giada needs any pointers on how to talk about your meal as if it was the second coming of the Messiah and then not delivering. She does that perfectly and has been doing so for years.
Bobby calling Penny “a handicap” was the funniest bit of the judging segment.
Bobby telling Jeff he was “very impressed by how tender the lobster was.” I have to double check, but I didn’t see Jeff cook lobster… I think he stirred a pot with a couple of lobster claws but that’s it. Whitney did most, if not all, the lobster cooking. GREAT JOB WHITNEY!
Bob Tuschman telling Jeff he “charmed Alton Brown”. I think that was overstating things but maybe that’s just me…
Jeff saying he “kinda looks like a sandwich”… That was… weird. Too bad they didn’t cut to Susie Folgelson’s reaction. Maybe it wasn’t PG rated? We’ll never know. Thanks a lot, Food Network!
Suzie giggling and saying “I know” when Giada basically tells her she has made it this far because she followed her advice to a T. For some reason I kept expecting Suzie to say: “I know, really! Like yeah! You’re awesome! Like totally!…” I don’t know, she kind of giggles and sounds like a Valley girl.
Bob Tuschman saying “Battle Rack of Lamb” was a “close one”. They basically said the three dishes Marybeth put out were “good ideas that lacked execution” which simply means: “the intention was there, but you didn’t deliver. Major fail”. Vic, however, produced two solid dishes and one with a perfectly cooked chop and a bad sauce. How is that even close?!
Bobby saying: “Next week we’re going to have a star”. That REALLY made me laugh for obvious reasons. Besides, the look on his face was even funnier, as if he wanted to say: “Next week we’re going to have a star… or not… It’s all the same to me, I’m already getting a good paycheck out of this train wreck of a show regardless of the outcome so…”
>>Bob Tuschman saying “Battle Rack of Lamb” was
>> a “close one”. They basically said the three dishes
>>Marybeth put out were “good ideas that lacked
>>execution” which simply means: “the intention was
>>there, but you didn’t deliver. Major fail”. Vic,
>>however, produced two solid dishes and one with
>>a perfectly cooked chop and a bad sauce. How is
>>that even close?!
Where Vic excelled, Mary Beth lacked, and vice versa. He definitely cooked the better food, other than his last dish (which still seemed at least equal to what Mary Beth cooked if not better). Mary Beth did much better on the commentary part, other than the sea salt part. Vic got a little better as he went on, but she still won the commentary part. And she did better at presenting her dishes, and sitting at the judging table. Same old same old … food versus presentation.
Jill P
Oops! Totally forgot they were judged on the commentary as well. I’m so used to Iron Chef America being all about the food that it slipped my mind. You’re right then, it was close.
I liked it when Bobby indicated mint jelly was not for ICA. Vic wondered why it was in the ICA pantry.
I liked it too. It was the funniest thing Vic has ever said!
Yet they didn’t have avocado.
Did it seem like when Giada raved about Suzy’s progress, Giada really wanted a big ole pat on the back? I half expected her to say, “…and it’s all because of ME!”
Yup it did!
Hi All!
Once again, your comments make this show palatable. Love the keen observations! Did anyone also notice these?
1) Susie’s (as in “Jimenez”) sly wink at her “crush”, Michael Symon, while they were at the judges’ table? Eww.
2) The lame “meat” humor rampant throughout this episode! MaryBeth’s use of “the warm taste in the back of your mouth” about umami and Chris’ “dark meat” line were SO scripted!
3) Two words for Jeff: “muffin top”!
4) Vic’s dog-collar “chic” bracelets looked like a component of his Vic Vegas “brand”. Hint? They’re SO on my Christmas list!
5) MaryBeth’s lame attempt at appealing to Susie with the half-assed, stilted high-five. Embarrassing…and scripted, obviously.
Thanks! Love this site!
Missy
I noticed that wink too but forgot about it until you mentioned it.
This was one episode I wish had been extended to an hour and a half; the time seemed to fly by instead of dragging out as it usually does. I’d like to have seen more of the actual food being cooked as they were doing it.
I thought the judges were more relaxed and personable this week. I especially loved the moment when they were all caught off-guard by Vic’s toothpaste for the Devil comment and how they all cracked up laughing. Did they show Alton’s reaction to that? The moment went by so fast that I can’t remember.
Yeah, I hate their format of the first ten minutes being a wrap up of last week and scenes of them getting ready for the next challenge, then 10 minutes of them setting up the next challenge… About 20 minutes of actual competition time and the last 20 minutes is dedicated to the elimination process. It’s worse than watching a football game. 2/3 of the show is filler and down time.
I stopped watching Next Food Network Star 2 episodes ago. I watched this episode because Alton Brown was going to be part of It. My favorite Part was when Alton. Under his breath, Says “Not funny”.
Thanks Jyllian for the funny recap and as always making the beginning of the week brighter.
Did anyone notice how the last two episodes showed Susie getting ready by putting her makeup on? She looks cute with makeup, but man is she not attractive without makeup. She must be HATING having to see that on national TV, along with her stuffing her face and belching on last weeks episode. You gotta wonder if someone in the editing room has it in for her. LOL
Yeah, I noticed. I wish I hadn’t but I did.
Why do they insist upon getting this no-makeup footage of the femaie contestants every season? Remember Debbie Lee with no makeup? I believe they did this last season, too. I think it was Aria? Why do they think we want to see this, or that we care?
Yeah, it’s like they have to remind us that they’re all living together in a big house and putting on makeup is the quickest way of conveying that message.
But it’s not an integral story to the plot. It’s not Big Brother; it’s a cooking competition. I’d rather see them all sitting around the table, eating breakfast and discussing the previous competition. Hell, even if it were staged, at least it would be more entertaining than watching someone put on a shirt and shoes.
Anyone notice if you watch Iron Chef how Alton Brown is always making little insults about the competing chefs? Like “he/she should be plating by now or they’re having problems unlike the iron chef who is perfect in every possible way.
Personally I think the judges are fixed too.
I agree that Brown is turning into a Stepford Wife for FN. Since he lost weight, he’s nastier. Give him a cheeseburger.
Bobby Flay and Geeeahhhda make me wait to hurl.
I never watch any of their shows.
Jeeeeaaahhduh is going to bitch about Jeff’s use of store-bought “MAAAAYNAISE”? That is ironic considering that she used store-bought ravioli (or was it “RAAAVEEEOOHHLEE?”) on her own show that was broadcast on FN just the day before!
Any FN “Star” or Power-That Be bitching about ANYTHING store-bought in this farce of a competition is complete and utter bullshit as long as they continue to air Sandra Lee. The woman bakes up a box of cake mix and pours herself a shot of vodka and calls it a day. Honestly, when they provide role models like that, how can the NFNS judges expect anything different from the competitors?
And you’re right, Giada is the queen of the hypocrites. Her face is fake-smile capitol of the world, and her creativity for describing recipes usually stops at “lemony.” If anyone is going to judge whether these asshats deserve a cooking show (they don’t), it shouldn’t be her.
If you’re looking for a fun new drinking game, watch Giada and drink every time she says little (little crunch, little salt, little wisk, pour in a little bowl) nice ‘n (nice ‘n moist, nice’n hot) and kinda ( kinda lemony, kinda smooth).
It’s laughable that she is allowed to judge anyone’s television performance.
“The woman bakes up a box of cake mix and pours herself a shot of vodka and calls it a day.”
YES. I can do that too, give me a show, I am the next Food Network Star!
Why did the Iron Chef kitchen have Best Foods and some nasty mint jelly, but it didn’t have any avocados??
No kidding! My husband and I thought that was totally ridiculous.
Probably because they knew rack of lamb was going to be one of the secret ingredients and wanted to set someone up for failure. OH the joys of making a dramatic reality TV show!!!
Seeing that they already know (before taping) who’s gonna win, I bet they just love to screw with the contestants just to get for some great “TV drama”.
Same reason why there was store bought mayo in the pantry, knowing that Jeff is the sandwich king and he was going to be assigned Lobsters.
I defended Altons weight loss in the past, but wow, in the pictures you have provided he really looks sick. I hope hes ok.
I just wanted to add to the comments about the hypocrisy of the store brought myonnaise debacle. During eliminations Bobby Flay was the one to call Jeff out for using store bought mayonnaise when he is the spokesman for Hellman’s mayonnaise! He actually has commercials where he makes dishes that star – you guessed it – store bought Hellman’s mayonnaise. You can’t get much more hyppocritical than that.
While I agree that it’s hypocritical to judge Jeff on store bought mayo when most of the FN Hosts also use store prepared products, I can also give them a little benefit of the doubt because using prepared food in an Iron Chef competition is a big no-no.
When these chefs use prepared food on their show, they are targeting the home cook who doesn’t always have time to make homemade mayo. It kind of reminds me of when you’d take drivers ed and they’d make you come to a complete stop at a stop sign or not go 1 mile over the speed limit. No one does that when they drive, but when you’re starting out, you can’t take the same shortcuts as the other people who have been doing it for a while.
I made my own mayonaise once. It was not good enough to do it again. I add things to it,but I don’t make it from scratch anymore. Nuff said.
Frankly I think that if Jeff or suzy won this competition either one would deserve it. I feel both are capable of having a show on FN and would be better than most that all ready have shows on the air. Mary Beth was doomed to go long ago and it was amazing that she hung in there this long. When the person was announced that was being let go she was often shocked to find she got another pass. Vic seems like a nice enough person but he might make it in the future. Right now he seems way to scattered trying to get through all of this but i give him credit for making it this far. I feel also that whoever wins be it Jeff or Suzy the other should get placed on the network somewhere. Both are Fn worthy. Now onto the biotch penny. Why in god’s green earth did they need to bring this hatefull bitch back on the air. She is one huge loser and needs a good ass kicking to rattle what little brains she has into place. This middle eastern tramp hole has not place on the air or in competition with these normal people. If they ever remake “One flew over the cookoo’s nest” she can audition for a minor role in that otherwise send this trailer trash old bag packing!!!
Bea Arthur wouldn’t be caught dead in a shirt like that.
I saw a few comments above about Jeffrey from the last season. I just have to say I CANNOT watch him. I think he smuggles little children into big white vans. Have you ever seen the way he coddles his food and talks about it? It really creeps me out. Seriously.
As for Alton-I don’t think he’s a dick…I think he’s bored as shit. He’s got all this knowledge then he’s bombarded with words like “fiber-er” and you expect him to act normal about it? I mean, the winner of this show is expected to have a basic level of food knowledge…and our girl Susie can’t even speak English properly at this point. I’d be irate too…
Then, you’ve got Mary Beth…who KNOWS she can’t cook. Am I the only person who’s heard her talk about how she is certain she can “sell the judges” on her food because she knows she isn’t up to par? Good lord. Her ideas seem okay…but she can’t make them work.
Agreed. This was definitely the most predictable, and worst episode ever.
Also thanks for the spoilers. I am just so sad that VIC MO won’t be the next food network star. He would have been hilarious to watch each week, as the train wreck known as Food Network keep chugging along. If there is a GOD, FN will give VIC MO his own show anyway.
Poor Vic, he’s trying so hard to win the judges over by agreeing with everything they say. It’s obvious he likes Vic Vegas. I would have loved it if Vic came back at Bobby about the mint jelly with the comment he said in the confessional – why did they have mint jelly if they didn’t want people to use it in kitchen stadium. Also JAHDAs trying to school Vic about adding lemon in mayo because IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Get over yourself.
I also want to say it made me sick to my stomach to see Fogleson and Tushieman making fun of Susie laughing. Disgusting behavior for people their age.
I added lemon to my mayo last night. I’m still sitting here at work, killing time typing comments on the FN Humor blog. So, looks like Giada may be a little off on the life-changing aspects of this concept.
I thought making fun of Susie was pretty dickish also, and thought the same when they did it to Jyll earlier this season. Okay, she doesn’t know the word fibrous. She laughed it off and moved on. What was she supposed to do? Until they start making fun of the made-up grammar that Bobby Flay drops every week, they’ve got no business criticizing someone else’s speech.
Looking back, Marubeth was really getting a loser edit, at least I thought so.
Does anyone think Penny deliberately tried to sabotage MB? Not that MB stood a snowball’s chance-but I would not be surprised to find out the Middle Eastern Mama was trying to pay back MB.
Susy J is all kinds of cute, and seems to cook with flair,but she is rather inarticulate, and not very literate. Elegancy? Fiberier? Other than a highly scripted show, I cannot see her being very successful.
Guess we’ll find out all about Jeff next week, huh? I did like him from the get- go, and if he could branch out into things like soups, salads, and different kinds of breads/wraps, it might work out well for him. Here’s an idea i would tune in to see- stuffed popovers.
Penny will have finished chopping, before the winner is announced. Marybeth look like she wanted to kill someone as usual. Bobby Flay would’ve smacked the shit out of Vic, had the cameras not been rolling. I’m surprised no one mentioned Chris. Then again, they edited him out before he could annoy us. Oh, and I hope Susie wins.
Jillian I love your recaps!
I kept waiting for Chris to do something stupid, but it was like he was invisible. Makes me wonder if the frat boy stuff really was him hamming it up because he was told to do so, or just played up in the editing, because the brief glimpses we got of him at work he seemed to be focused on his job. He was Susie’s sous chef, right? She won, so I guess he did something right.
I can’t stand Alton Brown. He was such a total turd to Jeff two seasons ago (they were discussing the concept for his “pilot” and Jeff was stumbling a bit and Alton said, “You mean, blah blah blah” and summed it up, and Jeff said, “Right, that’s what I meant!” and Alton says, really NASTY, “But that’s not what you SAID.”) So now I loathe him, I never liked him much, but he was such a prick that he turned me against him.
As for this episode, *yawn* and oh surprise Mary Beth sent home.
Jeff will win this. I don’t think Vic will get another show because he’s painful to look at with those hideous tattoos and that chin piercing. I certainly wouldn’t watch anything he was on. And Jillian is right–they have at least one, and possibly two, Mexican cooking shows. Suzie is SOL.
And oh goodie–Guy fee-EDH-ee comes back next week. I haven’t been getting my RDA of total TOOL. This should make up for it.
Ugh.
“Does anyone think Penny deliberately tried to sabotage MB? Not that MB stood a snowball’s chance-but I would not be surprised to find out the Middle Eastern Mama was trying to pay back MB.”
~Absolutely!
Y’know, it’s one thing to have no control over production and come out looking like a goof. However, Tuschman, Fogelson and De Laurentis surely have some say over how the show is cut and they STILL come off seeming very disingenuous and manipulative.
I was annoyed by, but generally ok with them in previous seasons. Now I’m really starting to dislike what I see of them, and that makes me not want to watch anything else they’re in.
Somebody please tell me where I can watch reruns of Justin Wilson and Graham Kerr!!
I wonder if they decided to give Penny the villain edit throughout the season after seeing she was such a poor sport during the filming of this episode? So you lost to someone you think isn’t as good as you are. That’s no excuse for her behavior during this challenge. The other former contestants are likely unhappy they lost, too, but they didn’t act spoiled and ridiculous. The judges really should have forced her to leave the competition and provide Marybeth with an actual sous chef.
Penny really was a good enough chef to be called back as a judge or a contestant in other shows. God knows they are constantly dragging up other losing contestants. Now, the only reason I can imagine wanting her back is if they truly only need someone the audience can despise.
Hey, lighten up on Susie F., she’s the hottest babe on the show!
Now that’s just horseshit.
GTFO, Tushman.
I can’t believe no one mentioned this- but the REUNION airs before the finale on Sunday. So all of the contestants are there, even the winner.
From the VO of the finale preview/teaser, the “spoilered” shot (with Vic) is from the “focus group” presumably for evaluating the 2 finalists’ pilot episodes, not the Reunion special.
Gotcha, thanks. I didn’t catch that!
Given how these kinds of shows are put together, though, it *possible* (though maybe not likely) that it could still be from the reunion. During last season’s “Project Runway,” Lifetime was driving me nuts because they’d air a promo that very clearly said it was “This week on Project Runway,” yet when I’d watch the episode, almost *nothing* from the promo was in it. Then the same clips and dialogue would show up in the NEXT “This week on PR” promo. On a couple of occasions they used extremely brief clips from *previous* episodes or you’d see already eliminated contestants in the background, yet they were always presented as “This week on…” It was just about the most ridiculous thing I’d seen in a while.
Of course, it really doesn’t matter. I like Vic, but it’s been pretty clear for a while that Jeff’s going to win (at least if it’s not Vic, I hope it’s Jeff as I find him infinitely more watchable than Susie.
On a bit of a different train of thought, I was so glad when Penny was eliminated, not just because she wasn’t a good host, but because I really couldn’t believe how incredibly stupid she is. Sure, everyone’s on the show to win the six-week contract, but even more importantly, everyone’s there to sell themselves as potential TV personalities. When you go around almost gleefully trying to undermine your competition, being combative with them, practically twirling your moustache during your confessionals and – especially – alienating your potential audience, who on earth do you think will give you a job on their network?
NFNS may not have created a lot of stars, but at least 2 non-winning competitors now have shows on FN, 2 have shows on their Cooking Channel sister station and 1 had a show on one of the Discovery networks. If Penny had shown any glimpse of talent or a personality that people might react to *positively* who know what might have happened? But I’ll be shocked if we see much of her after Sunday.
(Of course, Marcel from Top Chef also got his own show on Sci-Fi, but there were people who actually do like Marcel for some odd reason (I’m one of them and even I can’t figure out why.) I haven’t heard, really, of anyone liking Penny, though, so….)
Do your little victory dance, haters.
Mary Beth will rise again!
funny how Harisa was used in the Iron Chef challenge, and then it was featured in Bobby BBQ Addiction, Guy’s Big Bite, and a third show I can’t remember, the very next day
haha these people are nuts! if you cooked like that in a real restaurant you would get fired so fast your head would spin!
Maybe said earlier…but didnt Vic get praised for chaing his POV because his Vegas POV sucked? Not really sure what the double standard is there…
I think I fit the criteria for several of the assholes listed including pen stealer and grocery cart leaver. Guess I could leave notes to myself and use it in some Oprah type self awareness project.
my lord… I think i would do alton brown in a hot second…
I betcha anything that Marybeth will get her own show. Another one of those crappy “Let’s Go See What Shitty Food I Can Find Today!” Shows…
I feel from watching Suzie’s cooking style and stories, that there is a lot more to Mexican style cooking than tacos and burritos. She can roast a chicken, and I feel like the flavors and the excitement would be there. I would watch her and learn something new.
I CAN’T STOP WATCHING THAT CLIP OF ALTON AT THE END!!! GAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My favorite quote of this episode was Giada on Susie’s stew:
“I knew when I smelled it that it was Susie”
I know it’s out of context but even IN context it grossed me out
I have thought Jeff or Susie would be the big winners for weeks. Jeff, however, is my pick. He is a great cook and a “natural” in front of the camera.