The Next Food Network Star’s Final Challenge Next Week

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This week’s episode of the Next Food Network Star was meant to widdle our contestants down to two, but with disagreements among the judges and a draw among our final three the judges decided to cop-out and let America decide.

The first task was the promo challenge.  Each were given a different Vegas themed promo spot.  Aaron knocked it out of the park, Adam did well sandwiched in between two beautiful showgirls and Lisa bombed being subjected to terrifying memories of school days gone wrong.  Lisa had to remember and deliver lines while shooting up a cable next to a wine tower.  She by far had the most difficult challenge, but I think she psyched herself out and would have probably bombed no matter what the promo scenario. 

When it came down to the buffet poor Aaron bombed, Lisa was able to save herself from disaster and Adam smoked his way to victory.  They had to make a buffet for an array of Vegas performers and Wynn chefs.  They not only had to serve up some tasty dishes they had 3 minutes to entertain and explain their buffet.  Adam surprisingly kept it low-key, which the judges gave him a hard time about.  He hasn’t discovered that happy medium.  Lisa knocked it out of the park with a belty jingle.  Frankly, I am not surprised she had a voice.  She was a beauty queen.  It was either a voice, a piano concerto or a baton exhibition.  Now, I had to begin fast forwarding through Aaron’s tragic presentation.  The look on every one’s face in the room.  The uncomfortable silence.  The smell of stinking up the room….poor Aaron.

In the end, the judges had a hard time making a decision.  Aaron had one bad week, Lisa was right down the middle and Adam did great…this once.  Bob Tuschman was honestly saddened with how Aaron choked.  I thought he was going to start crying.  In his blog he wrote about Bobby Flay’s reaction when he was given the news that Adam’s food was the hit:

Bobby goes back to his hotel room before the audience rating cards were tallied. When we send him a text message to tell him that Adam’s dishes were both the crowd’s and Wynn chef’s favorites, Bobby’s reply is instantaneous: “Don’t even go there.” Let’s just say Bobby has not been Adam’s biggest fan.

I know Flay’s issue, Adam did great smoking and doing what he knows, but the minute you take him out of his comfort zone he fails.  I agree with Bobby that the Food Network expects a lot from their on-line talent and one of these expectations is being able to adapt and cook out of your comfort zone.  Adam has failed to do this every time.

So, with no one being able to decide on who should go, they are bringing all three to NYC for the fans to decide.  We are now down to the popularity contest.  Who do you want to win, and who do you think will win?  I am torn between Lisa and Aaron.  I am really anxious to see how they do on this final challenge.