Food Network Star Alums

[Kromm]

This show has the odd distinction of being an absolute joke as a competition, while also somehow managing to be one of the few "competition" shows (of any genre) to produce actual "stars" (albeit not all of them at the same level).

 

So... discuss those folks (and maybe the whole process of how ex-contestants are branded and marketed after the show).

[Kromm]

Note: technically we don't have to just speak about the winners.  Remember, Food Network is Green!  They recycle!  So we could, for example, talk about how many shows we've (unfortunately) seen this person on... (at least 4)

 

[ElleryAnne]

Ugh. I don't understand why she keeps showing up.  She may be a talented cook, but her personality is too abrasive for this channel.

 

You're right, they recycle a lot. Once Bob and Susie have your name, you're golden on both Food Network and the Cooking Channel.

 

During the course of a typical season of Food Network Star, we get three judges who have shows on the network, at least a couple of episodes featuring guest judges who have shows on the network, and at least a couple of contestants who've already been on shows on the network. (Last season, Danushka, Chris, Lovely, Stacey and Viet had all been contestants on other shows first, and I may be missing one or two others from that list.) And last season they added that extra competition among the losers, so Robert Irvine got to join in the fun (because his four other Food Network shows apparently aren't enough).  

 

At least they're better than HGTV Design Star.  Both shows follow roughly the same schedule each summer, but the winners of Design Star (David B. excluded) usually fall into an abyss somewhere. (That may actually be the prize.)  Food Network Star at least seems to be worth winning.

[Bella]

Yes, they really are into recycling here. I keep wondering where Danushka is going to end up next. I believe she was also on at least one non-cooking show, like The Bachelor. I'd like to see a special with her and Ron Ben-Israel snarking at each other. (Was she ever on Sweet Genius?)

[JTMacc99]

If I am not mistaken, Danushka is a professional reality show contestant.

 

The ones who stick around the Food Network/Cooking Channel are generally speaking the ones who were food career first people who desperately want to be on TV. 

 

And by the way, that isn't only a thing you can say about Food Network Star. You can say the same thing about Next Iron Chef. (I'm looking in your direction Elizabeth Falkner.)

[kscoaster]

Elizabeth Falkner

Has she ever won?!

[Lamb18]

Also a lot of Top Chef folks end up in the Food Network fold, like Antonia Lofaso, Spike, Richard Blaise.  I've seen a couple of TC 2 people on Cutthroat Kitchen.  Oh yeah, Marcel was a judge on America's Next Cook.  But I guess after Top Chef, there's only so much a chef can do on Bravo.

[Kromm]

Also a lot of Top Chef folks end up in the Food Network fold, like Antonia Lofaso, Spike, Richard Blaise.  I've seen a couple of TC 2 people on Cutthroat Kitchen.  Oh yeah, Marcel was a judge on America's Next Cook.  But I guess after Top Chef, there's only so much a chef can do on Bravo.

Bravo tried lamely to take care of that, first with a lame series that followed several show alums around, and now with this Duels show.

 

So... yeah.  Barely.

 

Of course when they appear on Food Network notice nobody is ever allowed to talk about them being on Top Chef.  Their restaurants, if they have any are mentioned, any awards, book statuses, various fancy adjectives to describe them, phrases like "celebrity chef", etc.

[cooksdelight]

 

I keep wondering where Danushka is going to end up next.

 

She was also on one of those competition reality shows where you throw yourself at big rubber balls and stuff. I don't watch it so I have no idea what network it might be on. I can imagine her showing up on Hell's Kitchen, since they also use past Chopped contestants.

 

I love Damaris Phillips' show that she got out of her win. I learn something with every episode. I think she, Guy, Sandwich King are some of the only successful winners with shows that get renewed or they get new shows. Everyone else has sort of been a one hit wonder. Then there's Kelsey Nixon who just keeps chugging along on the Cooking Channel. I ran into Alton Brown on a flight to LAX once and asked him about Justin. He got a funny look on his face, like he didn't want to discuss it, and said "We've just completed filming...." but didn't tell me it was one dud of a pilot. I've gotten to know Martie and seriously, the woman should have won. Her recipes are great, she's very sweet and very knowledgeable. 

 

I heard through the grapevine that Stacey Poon Koon or whatever her name is, her restaurant is not doing so well. I guess since she didn't get the TV show she so desperately craves, she lost interest in keeping it up.

[Bella]

Love the insider info, @cooksdelight .

[cooksdelight]

Big news!!!! My girl Martie is back!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/sc/salvations-tough-new-rivals-0222211.html

[Maverick]

So I guess they have to fight each reject and make it all the way to the end?  Not much chance, but at least she's back.

 

 Chad's haircut looks better but he still looks like he needs a bottle of shampoo.

[Lillybee]

I saw Vic Vegas on Bar Rescue. He was a consulting chef on making easy bar food. I liked him on his season, so I am glad he got a new gig.

[jcbrown]

I was thinking about this yesterday, believe it or not. The FN Star winners whose recipes I make the most often are Dan and Steve from season 1. Their pork loin chili, their albodingas--several recipes of theirs that have entered my regular rotation.

[Rick Kitchen]

Justin Warner, Melissa d'Arabian, Jeff Mauro and Aaron McCargo were just on the Guy's Grocery Games show just before episode 1 of Food Network Star.  They were competing for charities.  Aaron won.

[Aquarius]

I caught the last couple of minutes of Guy's Grocery Games.  I watched Justin's season all the way through and I thought, "Who the heck is that guy?"  He looks different.  Less . . . ruddy.  Of course, I only saw him for a minute or two standing with the others.

[GaT]

I caught the last couple of minutes of Guy's Grocery Games.  I watched Justin's season all the way through and I thought, "Who the heck is that guy?"  He looks different.  Less . . . ruddy.  Of course, I only saw him for a minute or two standing with the others.

Maybe he stopped wearing his pretty red lip gloss?

[leighdear]

I'm also really enjoying Damaris' show.  She learned a lot and is really good in front of the camera now.  Plus, her recipes are really delicious.

 

Jeff Mauro is one of my absolute faves, and I watch both his Sandwich King and The Kitchen.  He works great with the other hosts. 

[Rick Kitchen]

Damaris will be joining Jeffrey Zakarian (sp?) to host the Salvation show.

[canter]

I was thinking about this yesterday, believe it or not. The FN Star winners whose recipes I make the most often are Dan and Steve from season 1. Their pork loin chili, their albodingas--several recipes of theirs that have entered my regular rotation.

I'll have to try those! Two FNS recipes I use frequently are Melissa d'Arabian's green smoothie and Mary Beth Albright's meatloaf. They're both so good!

[Aquarius]

Oooh, Dan and Steve also have a recipe for mashed sweet potatoes that I use to this day.  It includes a roasted banana.  You have to like banana because it is a prevalent flavor in the dish, but it is so unusual and so good.  When I make it for the holidays everyone loves it.

[MortysCleaningLady]

Justin Warner, Melissa d'Arabian, Jeff Mauro and Aaron McCargo were just on the Guy's Grocery Games show just before episode 1 of Food Network Star.  They were competing for charities.  Aaron won.

Shouldn't Aaron McCargo, Jr's winning $20K be allowed to go to him personally?  If anyone on that foursome could use some money, I'd guess it was him.  I don't think he's been on for a couple of seasons . (I don't even see ads for Big Daddy's House anymore.)

[smiley13]

He was playing for his charity they he selected ,so not, it wouldn't have gone to him personally.  They may have been paid a fee to be on the show though. 

[FavFable]

Have any of the previous Next Food Network's Star Winners kept their shows? I remember Artie winning and I don't remember how long her show lasted. Is she still on the network?

[cooksdelight]

Aarti is an occasional guest judge on Guy's Grocery Games. I think her show lasted one, maybe two, seasons....it wasn't that good. Not that many people are interested in making Indian food, I guess. I tried one of her recipes that sounded good, but it tasted like crap.

Which is why I am so pissed off at this season where it appears they are more interested in getting a personality instead of someone who knows how to cook.

[chessiegal]

I think Aarti lasted at least 3 seasons. Couldn't stand her. She was so fake, and don't get me started on the "husby. I heard her do an interview on NPR after her win. She was talking about her plans to brand herself, like she was going to be the next Martha Stewart. Puleeze.

[Lillybee]

I made Aarti's Chicken Tikka Marsala and I have to say it was one of the best things I ever made. It was delicious.

[backformore]

Where can I get Aarti's recipes?  Chicken Tikka Masala is a favorite restaurant dish of mine. 

[Lillybee]

It should be on the FN website. But here it is.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/chicken-in-creamy-tomato-curry-chicken-tikka-masala-recipe2.html

[Kromm]

Have any of the previous Next Food Network's Star Winners kept their shows? I remember Artie winning and I don't remember how long her show lasted. Is she still on the network?

I think Sandwich King is in like it's 6th season (although note that doesn't necessarily mean it's been around for 6 years, since seasons no longer really seem to equate to years, especially on Food Network, where Chopped for example is on Season 21, even though it came on the air a mere 5 years ago).

EDIT - Yeah... just looked it up.  Mauro's a typical beneficiary of Food Network pounding the hell out of anything that seems to work.  6 seasons in less than 3 years.

As for what Aarti is up to, apparently she and Melissa D’Arabian, besides drinking from the teat of Guy Fieri's largess (in other words, being "guest judges") also are in the Cooking Channel ghetto, on a show I've never personally seen, called Drop 5 Lbs with Good Housekeeping. 

[Rick Kitchen]

Melissa D'Arabian is on every afternoon, but they're probably reruns.

[SusannahTaylor3]

Note: technically we don't have to just speak about the winners.  Remember, Food Network is Green!  They recycle!  So we could, for example, talk about how many shows we've (unfortunately) seen this person on... (at least 4)

 

Hated her! I was so happy when she was eliminated. She was such a bad sport and contentious towards the other contestants. The others were competitive yet weren't as cutthroat as she was.

Justin Warner, Melissa d'Arabian, Jeff Mauro and Aaron McCargo were just on the Guy's Grocery Games show just before episode 1 of Food Network Star.  They were competing for charities.  Aaron won.

Melissa is a regular on Guy's Grocery Games as a judge. Aarti has also been a judge on the show. She recently had a baby because the last time she was on Guy introduced her as a food network star winner and new mom.

[cooksdelight]

Remember when they used to show us the contestants living together in whatever house they'd rented for them? That's when we saw Penny being such a bitch. Wonder why they stopped that? I thought it gave a real insight into what type of people they were. Now, we just get the manufactured personalities.

[chessiegal]

Aarti and Melissa's "Drop 5 Pounds" show is all reruns on CC. Once they make a show, they pound it to death. Aarti also did "Taste in Translation" on CC that lasted 1 season, but still shows up on reruns.

[GaT]

Remember when they used to show us the contestants living together in whatever house they'd rented for them? That's when we saw Penny being such a bitch. Wonder why they stopped that? I thought it gave a real insight into what type of people they were. Now, we just get the manufactured personalities.

I forgot all about that! You're right, they used to show that stuff all the time. They probably stopped because when they were in the house we could see their real personalities instead of their "POV" personalities & we would have a clue as to they really are.

[Gregg247]

I've seen Aaron McCargo on several episodes of "Bar Rescue", so its nice that he's getting some exposure.  Vic Vegas was on there once, too, as noted above.

 

As long as Mr. "pah stahl" never shows up on my TV again, I'll be happy!

[Chrissytd]

Jeffrey from Season 5 is going to be cohosting a new show called World Food Championships on fyi (Rebranding of the Bio Channel).

[howmanywords]

Jeffrey from Season 5 is going to be cohosting a new show called World Food Championships on fyi (Rebranding of the Bio Channel).

 

Fantastic! Whenever I see or hear from him I get annoyed all over again that he didn't win. 

 

Damaris is hosting Star Salvation on-line and she did get a 2nd season of her show, but I wonder if she'll get a 3rd. The last time I saw the ratings for her 2nd season they didn't seem all that great. Not 100% sure about Sandwich King getting another season too to be honest.  Usually by now you hear about Jeff filming the new season but he seems to be pretty tied up with The Kitchen.  That's one of FN's newest hits so he'll be likely keep being seen on the network.  IMO Justin is the only one who got truly screwed by FN.

[chessiegal]

IMO Justin is the only one who got truly screwed by FN.

 

 

Justin screwed himself. Mister Smarty Pants thought he knew better than anyone else at FN, and didn't want the daytime show they offered him. So they gave him a primetime special that he had total control of and it sucked. He got what he deserved.

[FavFable]

Aarti is an occasional guest judge on Guy's Grocery Games. I think her show lasted one, maybe two, seasons....it wasn't that good. Not that many people are interested in making Indian food, I guess. I tried one of her recipes that sounded good, but it tasted like crap.

Which is why I am so pissed off at this season where it appears they are more interested in getting a personality instead of someone who knows how to cook.

I am surprised that Aarti's recipe's were so bad. She seemed like she could cook. Do you think that maybe she was picking the wrong dishes to try and share? Or do you think she was just limited in her cooking abilities.

[chessiegal]

I think Aarti was limited. For goodness sakes, one episode she made a dish with hot dogs. Really? Hot dogs? That's venturing into Aunt Sandy territory.

[Totale]

I think Aarti was limited. For goodness sakes, one episode she made a dish with hot dogs. Really? Hot dogs? That's venturing into Aunt Sandy territory.

I suspect that left alone Aarti might have been just fine, but they tried to dumb it down and make Americanized Indian dishes and it fell flat.  "No, we're not telling the housewives of America a recipe needs fenugreek leaves which they can't find at the Kroger's or Stop and Shop.  Can't you make Indian pizza?" 

[essexjan]

Damaris is hosting Star Salvation on-line and she did get a 2nd season of her show, but I wonder if she'll get a 3rd. The last time I saw the ratings for her 2nd season they didn't seem all that great

 

I think FN will hang on to Damaris, now that Paula Deen is history. Damaris has a sweetness about her that I think people respond to. She seems very real. I also really like that she has chubby arms and isn't afraid to wear sleeveless dresses. I'm sure if she was standing next to Giada, Damaris would look like a heifer, but I think she's great.

[cooksdelight]

 

now that Paula Deen is history

 

She's supposedly got her own network now, but I cannot imagine what she'd air to fill up the time slots. She can't rerun her old shows that are owned by FN. Right?

[cooksdelight]

I am not sure why this is online before it's on TV, but here is Jeffrey Saad's new show. Joined by TC alum Tiffany Derry.

 

http://www.fyi.tv/shows/world-food-championships/videos/burger

[chessiegal]

I suspect that left alone Aarti might have been just fine, but they tried to dumb it down and make Americanized Indian dishes and it fell flat.I suspect that left alone Aarti might have been just fine, but they tried to dumb it down and make Americanized Indian dishes and it fell flat.

 

If that's the case, she fell hook, line, and sinker for FN's advice, because in the NPR interview I heard with her after she won, where she said how she planned on "branding" herself (like she was going to be the next Martha Stewart), she talked about something along the lines of wanting to make Indian food more palatable to Americans, or something along those lines.

[JTMacc99]

I never thought Aarti was going to turn into a star, but I also assumed that I don't know what the heck I'm talking about for the most part. I thought she was a reasonable winner of this show, but I never thought I would tune in to see what she was up to on her show. She wasn't attractive enough for me to just leave it on the channel to watch her do stuff; she wasn't engaging enough to make me leave it on the channel to see what she might say, and her POV wasn't interesting enough where I would think to myself, "this is a really good idea?"  And with NONE of the three things that might make me watch a cooking show on her side, I never watched.

 

And by the way, examples of the three above for me would be Claire Robinson in 5 Ingredient Fix, Sandra Lee in Semi-Ho strictly from the "What the hell is she doing?" perspective, and Rachel Ray in 30 Minute Meals. 

Edited July 9, 2014 by JTMacc99

[Lillybee]

I made Aarti's Chicken Tikka Marsala and I have to say it was one of the best things that I ever made. But most of her recipes on her show just weren't Indian enough for me. I was waiting to learn how to make Butter Chicken and saag paneer but neither were on her show.

[Mybrainhurts]

Just saw Penny Davidi on our local news (KTLA).  Apparently she's now the executive chef at Lisa Vanderpump's new "club" Pump.  They had some samples of the food and it really didn't look very good but both Lisa and Penny were preening.  It was a scary famewhore moment for sure.

[Kromm]

Just saw Penny Davidi on our local news (KTLA).  Apparently she's now the executive chef at Lisa Vanderpump's new "club" Pump.  They had some samples of the food and it really didn't look very good but both Lisa and Penny were preening.  It was a scary famewhore moment for sure.

So... confirmation that Lisa Vanderpump is an idiot?

 

It's not like she needed Penny for a media/public draw, when her own name does that as well or better.  Penny brings nothing to the table as far as I can tell.