And The 2008 Next Food Network Star Is…
July 28, 2008 by Tracey Thompson
Filed under Recipes
image: www.freeimages.co.uk
It has been 8 weeks and we now have a winner. The new “star” of the Food Network is…Aaron McCargo, Jr.
Each of the contestants did a 4 minute pilot, produced by Gordon Elliot. They all did a great job. As wonderful as Lisa is, I saw her downfall the minute she brought in 3 pitch ideas to Gordon. As she said that she felt the need to get out some props, I began screaming at the TV, “NO! NO! Don’t you remember your demise from episode 1???” It was too much and her one pitch, Beautiful and Basic was a great idea, but I think that Sunny on the FN Dish video nailed it…Lisa is not basic. As an audience, you think Lisa to be anything but basic, so you don’t buy that the food is basic. The “I was making zabaione at 13 years old”..Sunny nailed this one too….why on earth were you making zabaione at 13? Lisa just never lost her rigidity. She is a beautiful person and an incredible cook…but not the Next Food Network Star.
Adam had a great concept and did a great job on his pilot. I loved the idea of using the web cam in the kitchen and interacting with a viewer. He did an excellent job, and Adam should utilize this opportunity to create his own podcast or web show.
Now, I knew that Aaron was going to win…due to the Food Network spoiler, but it was fun watching him do so well. He seems like such a genuine person and just about every episode there was something that I wanted to cook of his. Aaron’s pilot was no exception.
Aaron’s new show, Big Daddy’s Kitchen…or maybe that is House…anyway…it is going to start to air next week. He has already been in production. This is at least part of the reason for the judge’s panel making the final decision…which I think by a marketing stand-point is a great decision. One of the worst things about the past seasons is that as a fan you end up having to wait a few months before you can see the new star in action.
Bobby Flay said that the show will air next week, I have yet to see it on the network’s schedule. I have seen some places say that it will air on August 3rd, but I will keep checking and I look forward to watching.
How do you feel about the ending..happy, surprised, annoyed, thrilled…pick an adjective…?
The contestants were sub-par to begin with. I haven’t seen the initial audition videos that were submitted but there MUST have been either some one much better to put on the show or some REALLY bad ones.
Lisa should have gotten the show as much as I couldn’t stand her attitude.
Adam was a clown who makes you really wonder why his restaurant failed. I think he spent too much time in the DR doing his standup comedy act.
Aaron is the guy who could just take over for me on the grill at the 4th of July picnic while I go get myself another beer and I would run back to make sure he doesn’t screw it up by burning everything because as he said “Talking and cooking is hard” but so is walking and chewing gum at the same time so I should be more tolerant.
Don’t even get me started on Kelsey who couldn’t follow simple instructions from Bob like “DO NOT MENTION CULINARY SCHOOL”. In every challenge she attempted, she always did the exact opposite of what the judges were asking her not to do. She’s too young and inexperienced so better luck in 8 years.
Shane had promise but his age was his downfall. I liked his personality and approach to cooking. I like Rachael Ray (in small doses) but he would have had legions of fans if he really took her head off during the challenge with the Girl Scouts/Brownies.
Cory was hillarious! She’s supposed to be a comedian but the best joke was however she got on this show.
Jennifer was easy on the eyes but couldn’t stop apologizing for herself even though (like Kelsey) was ordered to stop. Her breaking the glass was what put her over the edge though. I mean, grab a towel or Lisa’s big strong hands, don’t smash the glass on the grill you are cooking on and don’t tell the editors of Bon Appetit!
Nipa admitted that he did not have any formal training outside cleaning calimari for the Fulson Fish Market. She walked out once and yet she was allowed to advance as far as she did, at that moment I KNEW this contest was a total joke.
Kevin and Jeffrey were just so unremarkable that I forgot they even were on the show until they re-aired the episodes.
Just like previous winners except for Guy Fieri (AWESOME), Aaron will just fade away to Food Network’s fault of failed “The Next Food Network Star” cooks.
The Brownies and the Coast Guard members should be next years contestants.
Aaron should not have won. What a phony ending. Affirmative action rules.
Aaron may be a wonderful person and deserves all the best in life, but he is not a tv person and he is not a great cook. I won’t ever watch his show.
Aaron was the least competent of the three. I own a restaurant. I would never let Aaron in my kitchen. I certainly wouldn’t let him on my network. Probably lucky he is black. I doubt he would have gotten the job otherwise. He was the only contestant that didn’t know how to measure ingredients.
There is no way in hell we will watch his soon to be short-lived show.
Well I wouldn’t let a guy I didn’t like to be trusted with my grill and I honestly wish him and his family the best.
As always time will tell with Aaron’s show but hopefully time will also tell if someday men (and women) are judged on the content of their character instead of the color of their skin. If that doesn’t work then we should pass a law mandating equality and use quotas to measure our good intentions so we can pave the road to hell with them.
I agree Aaron was the worst of the three. I was honestly shocked when they announced him as winner. The only reason I could think why he was chosen was because he’s Black–why else? Yes, he seems like a very nice guy, but his food seemed so weak. His “simple” pasta-ful buffet? Squinty (aka Lisa) and Adam were both good on camera, and I actually wanted to eat their food. Wtf food network?
Lisa was not my favorite in the beginning, but she took all the criticism and professionally developed into a great hostess for a show! Nothing against Aaron, but, why would anyone want to watch a show by someone who doesn’t have culinary expertise? I am afraid he was chosen to make minorities happy. I won’t be watching his show….I like to relax and learn something when I watch Food Network and he does NOT make me want to cook!
I did not want AAron to win as I thought Lisa was the best. This sure was an upset
Adam should have been the winner. To add insult to injury, I just saw an advert for a “new show” on Food Network called “Ask Aida”, and it’s the exact concept that Adam pitched for his demo!
I’d sue Food Network for stealing his idea.
From David: “……I just saw an advert for a “new show” on Food Network called “Ask Aida”, and it’s the exact concept that Adam pitched for his demo!
I’d sue Food Network for stealing his idea.”
You’re exactly right David. I thought the same thing when I saw the commercial and Food Network is pushing it hard. It doesn’t look like a good show though. I don’t like the look of Aida for some reason. It might be that she looks like a college student and leaves me with the impression that she does not have the experience to be hosting a show of this format.
I don’t think that Adam can sue Food Network fopr stealing his idea. Aida’s show was in the planning or even production stage when Adam talked about it so if anything it would be infringing on thier property or something.
She looks a bit robotic to me. I certainly won’t watch her. And where in the hell did she come from anyway.? She never auditioned for the Next Food Network Star. It’s strange how some of these “new hosts” just pop out of nowhere. Like Gina De Laurentiis. I know she comes from a very well known wealthy family. I guess if you flash the dollars around enough, they will snap.
As far as suing Food Network, you’re right about that, I was just peeved at the thought of them try to “showcase” this new talent of theirs, with the idea that they were the ones who come up with it.