Next Food Network Star: Episode 7
Ladies and Gentlemen, and I use those terms loosely, I can handle eating a lot of awful food. In my other job, reviewing restaurants for D Magazine, I eat tons of it in search of greatness on a plate. But I still have culinary nightmares over a dinner I ate a couple of years ago at Lady & Sons in Savannah. Yes, that Lady & Sons owned by big mouth Paula Deen. I know a lot of you foodies love Miss Paula, but I don’t. Her restaurant smells like burning rancid butter. But I digress.
Paula Deen was the celebrity judge on last night’s miserable episode of The Next Food Network Star. Why they bothered to go to Las Vegas is beyond me. The set for last nights show looked like they could have been anywhere—they were shoved to the back lot of some ginormous hotel. Where were the white tigers? Show girls? Wayne Newton?
Our hometown gal, Lisa Garza was arched-eyebrows-and-duck-confit above her competition. The format of the show was a shameless Food Network promotion of Throwdown with Bobby Flay—contestants were paired and each had to cook their signature dish plus a version of their opponent’s signature dish. Jump before I do.
Highlights & Lowlights in random order:
1. I don’t know which was more stunning— Aaron did not know what a chipotle pepper was yet he tossed it out as one of his main ingredients. When Flay asked him if he knew what a chipotle was he said, “No Bobby, you tell me.” For some reason the judges thought that was endearing. Miss Paula admitted she’d “never had cassoulet” which was Lisa Garza’s signature dish. Obviously Lisa’s recipe didn’t include butter.
2. Lisa v Adam: Cassoulet v Mac ‘N Cheese. Lisa went fancy with goat cheese, cheddar, Parmesan, topped with roasted poblano and tomato. Lisa was right on her “beautiful basics” twist and it went right over Paula’s ratted hairdo. “I hate it,” she said. So Paula and I are now equal in the hating department.
3. Adam played straight to Paula’s gut with a standard version topped “Vegas-style, baby” with lobster. Yawn. But the judges made a big deal out of that being “risky”. (Can’t you see the show producer handing out note cards with Vegas “words” on them. “show us your hand” “hold ‘em”) Paula loved the panko crust—another food ingredient she wasn’t familiar with. Are you getting my drift here about Paula? If she had been on this show, she would have been knocked out before Nipa. (Hi, Nipa!) I mean they railed on Adam because he’d never been to France and Paula Deen has never used panko? (Oh, I can’t believe I care this much.) Next.
4. Kelsey, poor squeaky Kelsey. The outdoor acoustics, or rather the lack of, caused her to raise her voice to a squeal. How could she have exercised any authority with the sound that came out of her mouth? I think the bright lights of Vegas and the pressure was too much for her. She and her teaching kids to cook POV are gone. Maybe after a few more years in culinary school….
5. Who was that “reporter” slinking around asking stupid questions? Am I the last one to know about Extra? Hit me hard if I’m wrong.
6. How many TV shows can Bobby Flay do? I will not be surprised if they roll out Law & Order: Culinary Intent. (Hi, Mrs. Flay!)
7. So, it’s down to Lisa, Adam who has never been to France, and Aaron who doesn’t know a chipotle from a coq au vin. Judges are still harder on Lisa than anyone. They are love, love, loving Aaron right now which, to me, means he’s gonna be the next to get the boot—it’s the perfect setup for a real tear jerker of an ending on next week’s show. Then it will be down to Adam and Lisa in the finals. Lisa will take a chill pill before the last show and wipe Adam out. Rack ‘em.
30 Comments to “Next Food Network Star: Episode 7”
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That’s a lie that she didn’t know what panko is. I’ve seen her use on her show many times.
Clicked “submit” too fast… Not sure why Paula would lie about that. Such a silly thing!
You’re right on, Nancy. I cannot stand Paula Dean. Her accent is hokey and so is her cooking. I do not understand her appeal at all. And the Vegas thing was stupid. And way too much Bobby Flay last night. I have become a huge fan of Lisa. And thank God Kelsey is gone.
Hi Allison!!
This was the first time I actually got to watch the show (while flipping between it and Miss Universe, poor Miss USA/TEXAS, she tripped in her evening gown) and it was interesting…
I normally like Paula Deen, but how can you hate mac and cheese?? She came across as really biochy last night and not at all like the “southern woman” she always claims to be. They are all just too harsh on Lisa, but I assume it is because she is the best and they just want to keep it interesting. Lisa should throwdown with Paula Deen’s boys! The only reason they have a show is because of her name and Lisa could kick their hush puppy cooking as* to the curb in a heartbeat!
But, boy does Bobby Flay like her!!
“I will not be surprised if they roll out Law & Order: Culinary Intent.”
Love that line!
I despise Paula Deen. She seems just a little fake with the accent and all. It’s like Jan Hooks on Pee Wee’s Big Adventure being representative of how real Texans talk. I think we have a correction to make above - wasn’t it Shane that said he loved the way the French lived and how inspiring it was even though he’d never been? I think Lisa is a no-brainer at this point to win unless they are looking to just push the winner out of a cooking show and into an interviewing position ala Guy Fieri in which case Adam is the winner. I think Aaron is like a dumbed down Guy Fieri, so why would they need him?
Aaron does that point to the audience thing every time he talks to the camera and it is so bad that it is kind of pathetic. And Lisa’s mac and cheese sounded yummy to me. I guess I’m a bit biased.
I think it was very sportsman like of lisa to help Aaron figure out that he had forgotten to prepare an ENTIRE dish.. (the chicken parm.)….after so bluntly being accused of not being a team player when she wasn’t answering Kelsey’s questions last week.
Paula Deen judging food is crazy … she smokes like a chimney! She couldn’t taste the difference between goat cheese and government cheese if her life depended on it. She’s just protecting her space as the “Southern” girl on TV …
Paula was way nice to my mom when she first moved nearby, One of her sons walked around the restaurant with one of my cameras to try it out and I love Handle sandwiches and Hoe cakes so, I guess, I will stay out of this…
My favorite line of the show was when Lisa said Paula reminded her of her grandma. Perhaps Ms. Deen heard that prior to judging?
Yes Brad. It was Shane with the France thing.
Hoe Cakes? I once knew a hoe name Patty Cakes.
On 2nd thought, maybe Lisa should feel enhanced by the fact that Paula didn’t like her mac ‘n cheese.
Ding dang, you are so right, Brad. My bad on France.
Nancy, dying to hear more about the dinner at Lady & Sons…do tell! Silver hair in the food? What was so awful?
Nancy … stop hating on Lisa’s main competition - Aaron. I adore Lisa but feel no need to bash her just because she’s Aaron’s primary competition. Aaron has used Chipotle over and over again in his career. I personally think he just copped out since he was busy churning in the kitchen but only Aaron can tell us why he chose not to answer Bobby’s question.
I’ve personally seen him use Chipotle in key items on his menus throughout the years… especially in his chipotle-based mayos and sauces. I even seen Aaron make an delicious chipotle chicken pastry that was an absolute flavor explosion !!
GO AARON !!
LISA GARZA ROCKS !!
Bertski
I don’t hate Aaron. But I don’t know him. I believed he didn’t know what a chipotle was. Am I the only one? Or was it edited to look that way.
I am a fan of Lisa’s…but even I had to question the goat cheese in the mac concept.
Goat cheese is too heavy and tart as an offset to the other cheeses.
And I LOVE Paula Deen…and I think the snide comebacks on this thread show an awfully tacky side to the posters here.
If Nancy did not have a good meal at Paula’s restaurant…she should have said something then….but if every bad meal at every restaurant in Dallas garnered this kind of snarkiness….no wonder restaurant owners loathe reviewers.
Where is Waltrina Stovall when you really need her?
Nancy…
it’s hard to believe you .. especially with all your “Coke the Van” comments
Aaron definitely has had a couple verbal blunders but overall his performance has been very strong (hence the final 3 showing).
I really wish I can bash Lisa but I can’t …because I really like her.
Well no wonder Paula doesn’t like Lisa … I just re-watched the episode and Lisa says Paula reminds her of her grandma!!! Aren’t Paula’s sons around Lisa’s age? i would hate her too if she put an extra 25 years on me.
I think Aaron said that to Flay rather sarcastically, as in Why don’t you just tell me what a chipotle is mister perfect chef!
Paula must not want any competition to have dissed Lisa’s mac and cheese so utterly with the word ‘hate’. It seems out of character with the lovable Southern Bell character Paula projects on her show. Her usual good manners evaporated at the threat of a female rival who might actually know a thing or two around the kitchen. Paula seemed equally ungracious to Kelsey. Meow. I’ve met Ms. Deen who is charming and a great TV personality but she seems to exaggerate her accent on camera and her cooking is comprised of butter, bacon, cream cheese and more butter. Defibrillator, anyone?
I was so hoping that “Ugly-Texan”-Romulan-looking-gal Lisa would bite the dust. Lisa reminds me of a woman who grew up with nothing and married rich and now flaunts it. No wonder the Highland Park gals are pullin for her!!
Lisa has had style and drive since the first day she created an entire outfit from Paper bags and tissue paper at 7. She didn’t grow up poor and she didn’t marry rich. She’s taken what life has given her and done her very best.
Then what age did she learn to cry on cue and charge little kids $400 a pop for cookin’ lessons?
Lisa is the hands down winner of this show IMO - I also thought Kelsey was tops tho they insisted on ripping her apart - it seems the middle aged judges just were sourheads on her sunny happy mentality - Totally agree - Paula was out of line - and unprofessional in my mind - she didn’t describe tangibly what she found fault with the mac and cheese - just her preference - it was probably too high brow for paula and not soaked in butter to keep her body rotund - Why people feeel the need to simply make fun of lisa’s ‘looks’ is juvenile and beyond me -
also
I think Adam is out of his league tho he seems like a lovely guy in many ways - I totally agree - isn’t lobster mac + cheese in half the ‘upscale’ restaurants you go to? Hardly worth the eye popping astounding wow’s from the judges for being ‘risky’ - but I am sure it WAS delicious ——–
I agree - re paula - tho i admire certain things of her - she DOES appear fakey - see her magazine and the phoney smile — HA! I noticed that too - totally biotchy to the girls and giddy giggling for aaron and adam - I just got to catch the show today and had a few friends over - everyone (none of them into cooking) thought it a hoot that paula didn’t think that kelsey’s portions were big enough for her
Come on people, Paula is from Augusta and Savannah, of course she has that accent. I’m married to a man from that area for God’s sake, nothing fake about it.
That being said, I was PISSED that Paula said she hated Lisa’s Mac and cheese. That was so frickin rude, no reason for that ugliness at all. However, has anyone ever heard of Goat Cheese in Mac and Cheese? Not sure about all that.
I sure hope Lisa wins, there would actually be maybe 3 people on Food Network that really know how to cook! Maybe Rachael wouldn’t be on so damn much to boot. Yummo!! UGH.
Aaron won? Seriously? I smell a discrimination lawsuit was the reason he won. He was the third of the top three.
Just sayin.