It was a week of surprises and turnarounds. Jamika and Jeffrey tumble. Debbie gets whacked. Cameras scare Michael. Katie shows some spunk. Melissa shines through. Here’s where my mind is at after this week:
Melissa: Momma Mia! What a week – in both food and camera. In Bobby’s Burger Challenge, Chef Flay was torn between putting her burger and Michael’s on his menu. On the Intrepid Challenge, her Skirt Steak Tostada was my favorite and the crowd’s: richly flavored, tender steak with an expertly sweet/hot/ smoky mango salsa. Impressive. Equally, she finally found the right energy for TV: genuine, bright, and warm. The soldiers loved her. I’m hoping all that mommy mayhem stuff is a thing of the past.
Michael: Cameras and Crowds. They’re different. The crowds love Michael – the soldiers were tickled by his bold, funny personality. The camera – not so much. If he can’t make friends with the lens, this ain’t gonna work. No such issues with food. His culinary talent shines brightly. Bobby, Susie and I have loved feasting on his skillful and creative Asian-influenced dishes. But that makes a restaurant star, not a television star. If he can master the camera, he’s got the personality and the food chops to have a shot.
Jeffrey: The runner stumbles. No doubt Jeffrey is one of the strongest cooks in the crew. Mostly, his dishes have been beautifully executed. In presentations, he’s been Prince Charming. And yet, his Lobster Pot Pie with Blueberry Infusion is among the worst dishes I’ve eaten. The soldiers take on Jeffrey? “Bland.” Just an off week? No one can describe food poetically like Jeffrey. But no one is having a harder time sharing anything personal about himself, his life, his world. Plus there’s a predictable evenness I want him to break out of. It’s what will determine if he’s an outstanding cooking teacher or a true Food Network star.
Jamika: Breakin’ My Heart. So far, she’s been a standout in my book for her effervescence, sweet strength and cooking skills. But this week, her culinary savvy was nowhere in sight. Unimpressive burger. Inedibly gluey potatoes. It’s like some of the magic dust that coated both her and Jeffrey wore off this week. Still, her presentation on the Intrepid was funny, sassy and memorable. And she glows on camera. So I’m hoping it was just a bad week.
Katie: Signs of life. The soldiers enjoyed her personality – they found her “cute” “relatable” and “down-to-earth.” She’s been struggling to find her food voice and to translate her spunky personality to the screen. Best week so far for the latter. But once again, meat and heat are doing her in (more raw food). Her almond cornmeal catfish finally showed off some cooking skills. I feel for this lovely young pro. So I’m really hoping she can get it together, really fast.
Debbie: Rough Week. We covered her swollen purple bruise with makeup, and I wish you could have seen it. Painful just to look at, so I give her points for soldiering on (no pun intended). Still, her chicken dish was mediocre at best. Covered in long chives, it looked like she had just mown the grass. But her warmth and humor came through to the crowd. OK, the pity party is over. I hope she can quickly get past this incident and regain her footing.
That’s the view from where I sit. Why do I know you’re not going to be shy about disagreeing with me?
I think I have an idea for a brand new FN show. “The Next Food Network Selection Committee.” Bob and Susie are obviously burned out on this. Time for a change.
Let’s see a SC made up of people like John Besh, Jeff Steingarten, and Rick Bayless.
And maybe even try some more realistic cooking problems – how to get damp wood burning so you can cook your food in a drizzle. How to cook corn cakes without a skillet. Making good coffee in a can (no strainer of any type availabe). Hardtack and sow belly, making it taste good.
Michael is the man. He has created awesome food and once the pressure is off for the contest, he will do fine hosting TV for foodnetwork. The crowd loves this guy. i hated him at first but cant take away talent from him. im in favor for Mike.
Hey Bob: I’m just wondering if y’all are listening to your audience, US about the remaining contestants. What is the love affair with Michael & Debbie. Michael may be able to cook great, but he comes across so fakey and he makes socially unacceptable comments. And Debbie; she’s liar. And… although she’s not as obvious about throwing people under the bus… please. She may be Korean by ancestry, but that’s where it ends, so she should stop trying to play that card. Please do the right thing; get rid of Michael and Debbie in that order, then see if Jamika can snap back. Otherwise, give us Melissa or Jeffrey because I just will not watch Michael or Debbie and about 50% of my TV viewing is FNTV.
By the way, I watch “Big Daddy” almost every week and so agreed with your selection of him last year. I don’t know why you brought Adam back. I didn’t like him during the competition and I don’t like his show now. Sorry.
that was really funny joe from N. Cal……don’t forget about isaac mizrahi or gail green…
another adddition to this blog :\
rewind rewind……debbie made a comment about not knowing a thing about tofu…. tofu is a korean protein staple… it was so instrumental in korea during the war because meat was such a scarcity. I find it hard to believe that her “granny” never cooked with it..
i really hope debbie doesnt start another korean bodega boycott here in ny
Again I say 90% of the bloggers here will be happy with the declared “Winner” and it will not be DTK….so be patient..just another couple weeks of this very annoying trible..good word huh? And I really think that next season I will pull out my Charles Wysocki puzzles..they are alot better than wasting time on the FN channel..Sorrrrrry Bob and Susie but ..a little of you two goes a long way..
Cori-Andre – Thank you. I drew a blank on other names. I could see the faces and hear the voices, but I just can’t dig the names out of the little grey cells.
I have to step up and defend Debbie about the tofu remark – at the time she grew up you might not have been able to find it readily in the south.
Last summer we drove from the San Francisco area to Gettysburg. I was kind of amazed that some of the things we consider staples, or at least normal to find in medium sized stores were hard to find in other places. I don’t remember exactly what now, but I do remember blinking in surprise when I couldn’t find a few items.
On the other hand, there were some wonderful things in stores back east (isn’t it interesting that that phrase has lasted this long?) that we don’t have out here. Or are very hard to find.
Dear Joe n.cal OUT WEST has a lot of cippino throwdowns, sourdough, and vineyard tastings.
At least ny has murder mayhem and TOFU
My feeling are that Debbie should have been cut in the first episode. That store bought angel food cake and whatever she put on it could have been done but a three year old. The cute little
gal that you cut did not have a very good dish but think she should have had another chance. From where I sit the angel food cake thing was swept under the rug.
And cheese tasitngs, mustard festivals, olive and olive oil tastings, etc, etc, etc.
And I’ll stack Oakland mayhem and murder against NY any time!
It should be clear that Michael should be the next to go. If looking at a camera feels like looking at “the pit of hell”, then he is clearly not the next Food Network Star. Hello? It’s all about presenting yourself and your dish to the camera.
I would like to recognize all the bloggers this week. Wow. You all are very well spoken and have given me many new insights. I have come to several conclusions with your help:
1- the winner is already determined, and it is not the best candidate.
2- we need new judges. These are definitely burnt out and have let their partiality take over their decisions.
3- we need better candidates over all. Last season had horrible candidates. None of them should have been anywhere near that contest. This year’s are no better. If this is the BEST that FN can find, then they deserve to lose ratings. It’s scary to think that these losers are the best they could find.
That said, my Order of Demise for this week:
Jamika – she gave up. Now, she’s too far gone to recover. Not that she had the talent to begin with you understand. And that one previous blog was right – what is up with all the blinking???
Melissa – she’s a “stay at home mom” – let her stay home. I cannot abide that fakeness and that oversized smile. If I wanted to watch teeth, I’d be a dentist.
Debbie – how many more times do we have to hear she’s Korean??? Aaarrgh. That, and, has anyone else noticed that the very tiniest of criticism leads to tears? And, do something with that hair – get it out of your face. I am wondering how much of it ends up in your food.Maybe if the a judge wound up with hair in his dish, they wouldn’t be such a fan.
Michael – my heart bleeds for him. I think he’s witty and has some great food. But, I do not think he will overcome his camera shyness. I hate that. I’d like to see him doing something quirky like Guy Fieti.
Jeffrey – the last stronghold. A Saturday morning kids show would be perfect. I’d watch – and I’m 54!
Overall – I am extremely unhappy with the decline of the quality of TNFNS. I probably will not watch it again unless there are some major improvements.
Looks like we talked this weeks show out last week when we all watched RR or saw the clips on the RR show website.
How about this for a challange. To be held on a football field. In one endzone a big pile of kitchen gear – portable stoves, utensils, folding tables, the works. But nothing electric – blenders, food processors, etc.
At the other end a big pile of ingredients, starches, protiens, veggies, herbs & spices, etc.
The contestants have 37 1/2 minutes to plan and cook a full meal for 200.
Makes as much sense as some of the other challanges. I’m kind of surprised that Bob and Susie don’t have them cook blindfolded.
WTF… I can’t believe this has nearly 2,000 posts…
Dear Bob,
I think Debbie should have been eliminated after the challenge where she was the team captain. She lied when she said all the team agreed to serve the angel food cake. It was her idea!!!!!!
I enjoy watching Melissa, she has a great smile and she is a wonderful cook. I think she is as good as the Barefoot Contessa
and Paula Dean and that’s saying quite a bit. She would get my vote, that’s for sure!!!!
Dear Joe in N. Cali… liked your idea of the football field but thought that could be better executed on TOP CHEF w/ Padma sunbathing in the middle.
I will concede the benefits of n. cali you do have the grateful dead cocktail hour and the Big Sur bakery. (although we still have nathan’s)
bonnie/aka/cori-andre
blindfolded, tongue tied, and nasally congested…..
I will apologize ahead of time re: bringing up the marinade again.
I just watched a current food network star, Giada, on her show, marinate chicken, and after it’s marinated, save the marinade and reduce it to pour over the chicken later. My mouth hung open and the 1st thing I thought was… does Bob Tuschman know you’re doing this. Seriously. Save some *clean* marinade and reduce that. Not something the chicken was soaking in. Gross ! Save money ? Please. It’s more expensive for a trip to the ER after you’ve eaten that contaminated marinade.
I agree with most of the comments on here and I hope that Bob is taking heed to our feedback. While I’m sure Michael is a great person, I would never watch a show that he took center stage in. I find his voice extremely obnoxious and he’s never wowed me with anything he’s cooked. Now while I’m partial to my fellow Texan, Melissa, I’d find it a bit on the difficult side watching her psycho squirrel tendencies. Debbie would also be another that I would never watch. Cultural heritage is certainly something to embrace and encompass in your cooking, but please do not shove it down my throat as she consistently does every time she gets camera time. Really, no one in the final round is standing out to me as someone I’d watch as faithfully as Guy, Paula or Alton. Jeffrey is probably the only one I’d make somewhat of an effort to catch as I do enjoy the zen-like calm that he possesses.
Debbie has to go. She does not seem to me to be someone that people are going to want to watch. I see her as manipulative and lacking in integrity. If there is something else the judges see in her that is not coming across due to edits, please fill us in and let us see what you see. Bob, you really seem to like her (Debbie). You seemed to of really had in for Katie from the beginning!
I just finally watched last week’s episode and I have to say that Michael needs to go. I find him so annoying and if he is the winner there’s no way I could watch his show. He always talks about how great he is but I never see it. That’s just my two cents!
Melissa – That smile is sickening. Stop the fake smile it looks like it got stuck on your face. She comes off fake and the is always on the mom card.
Debbie – Enuf with the Korean , who cares even if your food is great it will be too hard to watch tv with every third scentence ending in “Korean”.
Jamaika – Good , her personality is good , food seems good (till the last few episodes)
Jeffery – The judges say he does not open up . I say Hallelujah !!! I hate annoying blabber oh how your kids love it and your husband adores it and your dog which u got when you were trekking in the alpes after your tour of the bahamas ….aghhhhhh.
Michele – Cannot judge , hits and misses ….almost too painful to keep watching. I can buy his book but not see his show.
Maybe someone could tell the ladies not to wear shirts cut down to their ankles and no bra. I felt like I was watching a peep show. It was awful to watch the show this week…Can only one be eliminated? “Worst episode ever”
love this show..would like to see debbie go…her integrity is in question…1st show she stated she came in under budget when she had not..and then she tries to turn the tables on the others..too bad she got hit in the face..not likeable enough.. i would not watch her show..
Jeffery reminds me of Mr. Rogers, love Mr. Rogers.
Jamika is so beautiful.
Don’t know what happened to these two lovely people the last two episodes but please pick it up.
Get rid of Michael. You already have Guy Fieri. You don’t need another grown man who wears a freaky punk hair style.
I just watched a few of Adam’s “ARMCHAIR JUDGE VIDEOS”. His wit, along with edits of the contestants – hilarious. If you haven’t watched them yet, you MUST.
Melissa still makes me tense to watch her. On the RR show, her cooking/talking matched the frantic panic mode face she wears when cooking in every show.
Michael, not a tv star if you can’t deal with a camera.
Jeffrey – yeah, relaxing, give him a chance.
Debbie – (The Korean) a liar, a manipulator, a user
Jamika – beautiful, calming.
Debbie, Michael and Melissa have to go. In my book it’s a toss-up between Jeffrey and Jamika.
But definitely watch Adam’s videos!
Iwant to apoligize, I am behind on posts. Ya’ll turned me on to watching season six TNFNS tapes. It has been a while since I laughed this much. I just watched “Lisa Marie in the Kitchen”. Can we somehow forward this to Debbie? It might be enough to make HER the next FNS star. river
Finally, you got rid of Katie. Besides raw food, pushing the nutritious food the way she did was very bothersome. I love healthy food if it’s appealing and good! I wouldn’t have watched her if she was the next FN star (and I spend several hours a day watching FN – love Big Daddy and Guy).
Melissa is my pick for NFNS. She has been very consistent, except for the rush presentation on RR. I still loved her even then. She managed to work with a person who is not really a team player and come up as a team. I also love the fact that she told the judges how she cooked with unfamiliar food by mentioning what she requires of her children; taste it! Good move and a wonderful suggestion. I can relate to what she cooks and enjoy watching her week after week.
I do watch Guy’s Big Bite and DDD, and I love watching Big Daddy’s House. Those are great successes of NFNS. Guy is great and getting better all the time. Aaron has really surprised me. He did deserve to win NFNS. Good choice. So, I am trusting the Judges to pull it off again.
If this is the best FoodNetwork has to offer for a next FN Star, we are doomed. I correct, FN IS doomed.
-I don’t get the infatuation with Debbie, I think her integrity is in question. I get her as dishonest, fake and arrogant.
-Michael is not FN Start material since he is camera shy.
-Jeffrey has potential I think he is the Dark Horse in this competition but he needs to show it off or it is going to be tooo late.
-Jamika had a deep fall this week and she needs to recover. If she keeps thinking and acting so pesimistic, she has already chopped herself from the competition. She is, like Jeffrey, the one to watrch out for. This week she will decide her own fate.
-I also don’t get the disliking of the public for Melissa. They say she looks fake, for some reason I feel she is the most honest and candid of all finalists. I think that if she doesn’t win, we will still see her a lot around FN.
well i have to say that i agree with most of you…..debbie is surely playing the cards…..what a con artist…..however you all still need to keep in mind that post-edit…always justifies the decisions made…..it is entirely possible that Bob and Susie….and even Bobbie are to eliminate her and this is all to keep people like us buzzing……because lets be honest here the “im Korean Crap” etc…..as well as the rest is a lot of hooey…..She has not cooked one Korean thing….adding soy or ginger does not a Korean make…….melissa is the winner….based on my professional estimation of post edit B.S. debbie will be eliminated….and very soon…..although I can also say that Susie likes her….and probably has kept her alive…Jeffrey or melissa and maybe jamika……but to be honest most of this years contestants lack critical skills….
I’m certain you give “makeovers” to your contestants to enhance their camera-readiness. Why not a Food Network makeover? Start by putting the Iron Chefs in rotation to do a fine – cooking series, not cuisine tres haute, but lessons the reasonably competent home chef can handle. Keep Bobby Flay’s “Throwdown”: I love how he showcases cooks and their great specialties from around the country, while adding ingenious touches of his own. It is a warm, generous, and spontaneous show. Why is it that the Food Network so sadly lacking in wonderful surprises? We all know that the Iron Chefs know their “secret” ingredient in advance (that’s cool, they can prepare, and showcase the ingredient as spectacularly as possible) but why mislead the public? Alton Brown gives us marvelous information from his seemingly endless store of culinary knowledge. But as a whole, I think the Food Network has dumbed itself down. I hope this is not to the point of no return.
BTW, my favorite “cooking” show is Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” on a competing network. He brings us to places and makes them come alive. The cooking – and the food – are not lifted from the context of the culture from which they arose or were adopted. Food is treated as an integral part of life in parts of the world we will probably never encounter without shows such as this. The only comparable series I have seen on the Food Network are Alton Brown’s “Feasting on Asphalt” and “Feasting on Waves”.
No more elimination shows/beauty contests, please.
WOW, I can’t believe the judges and others can’t see through Debbie’s warmth and humor. Maybe it is just me, but on tv, her warmth and humor appear fake. I think it is just a show with her. She has been able to use it in the past to get her way. You can see it in her eyes. There is no warmth there.
JMO
I’m really hoping that they listen to the viewers. As someone who watches food network as about 60% of my television viewing, most of these people I would not watch. Melissa should win this. I think she’d bring something to the network they don’t already have. She’s fun, she is imaginative, and I think she’d appeal to most mothers.
Debbie has a HUGE integrity issue. On that basis alone she has lost me. I would not watch her on any show.
watching the latest episode “party in miami” i could not help but let my mind wander to all the bloggers! yes there sure is an integrity issue with debbie …..this close to the finish one would want to do the best…..for the team that is… i don’t think jeffrey did anything wrong in the delegation of responsibilities, its that some people paid attention and others did not. i’m sure debbie would be much better suited to working in her own business, since that seems where her “talents” really lie.
I have seen Debbie twice now when in a leadership role focus only on her own dishes while she allows her teammates to drown. Then she has the adacity to speak out and say she is “selfless”. She is not selfless, she is selfish and very much so. If she should happen to win I will not watch her show. I loved Katie. I thought she was smart and had lots to offer. I loved Michael and think a whole show could be designed around him. I could also watch Jeffrie, Jamika and Melissa. I won’t watch Debbie.
I WATCH FOOD NETWORK ALL THE TIME. I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE NEELY’S,PAULA,CONTESSA AND TYLER. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU’LL ARE JUDGIN G THE NEXT STAR.YOU HAVE SOME STARS ON THE NETWORK THAT ARE NOT EXACTLY TRUTHFULL,SUCH AS SUNNY AND SANDRA. I FIND THAT THEY ARE NOT HONEST, YET EVERYONE IS JUDGING DEBBIE. SHE SEEMS THE MOST LIKABLE ON CAMERA. SHE SEEMS THE MOST RELAXED.ON YOUR SHOW TODAY, NOONE HELPED HER PLATE HER FOOD, SO SHE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DO IT HERSELF. IT HAD TO BE PLATED. I AM REALLY GLAD THAT MICHAEL IS GONE. I WOULD NEVER WATCH HIS SHOW AND I FOUND HIS COMMENTS UNACCEPTABLE.JAMIKA JUST HAS A BAD ATTITUDE. SHE ALWAYS HAS A DISGUSTED LOOK WHEN THE JUDGING IS DONE. APPARENTLY YOU JUDGES ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. I WOULD NOT WATCH HER SHOW SHOULD YOU CHOOSE HER.
are there regular real-time message boards somewhere on this site? My dvr cut off the judges decision and I want to see who got kicked off. I sure hope it was martyr Debbie. She is all about herself and ignored everyone else needing help on the team at the party. Does anyone else notice that she always wears wintery black knee high boots and black leggings with short sleeved summer tops? Even in the on the beach cooking setup? What’s up with that? I’m no small gal myself, but you can dress stylishly and weather-appropriately no matter what size you are girl.
Hard to believe that Debbie is still a contestant! She has been a liar from the very beginning, and the episode that aired this evening showed to the viewing public — and should have to the judges, that she is narcissistic and will do whatever she feels is necessary to win! When looking at the episode it is more than evident that she focused only on herself — and the expediter that she was supposed to be, never happened. The crocodile tears should have been eliminated several episodes ago.
found this on an outside blog about tonight’s show:
“Debbie the snake is back.”
I have to agree with Ann C, Bob did seem to have something against Katie. He’d roll his eyes and shake his head at everything she did. I honestly thought she had some really interesting ideas. I am a middle aged woman who has high blood pressure and now high cholesterol, and I really appreciated her healthy hints. I would be interested in watching a show that taught me how to cook healthy yet not sacrifice taste.
How can someone so self centered and dishonest even stay in the running? Michael is definately not on my list of favorites, but give me a break. They kept Debbie? Maybe the judges need a reality check. Would any of them want to work on the same show, team or even in the same restaurant with her? I’d change careers first! I didn’t know the snake ever left!!!
OK, I think I have figured out the FN’S remaining 3 stars for next week based on some information they have posted on the contestants BIO page. There is a July 18th presentation and the only 3 contestants attending are Jamika, Jeffrey and DTLK. So, based on that, Melissa will be leaving next week. I will try to copy and paste the info on the website for you all to see.
Just finished watching this weeks’ show. I’m not a huge fan of Michael’s, but I have to say this: At least HE has integrity and has treated everyone well. I’m so tired of watching Debbie’s one-woman showmanship and games. Are you judges completely deaf and blind, or what??? I was so sure Debbie was on her way out, without her even speaking a word, and then she got to stay, AGAIN. She lied AGAIN and was caught in it AGAIN. Of course her dishes were good, she only concerned herself with her own, and didn’t help anyone else. She is the most unappealing, selfish, self-serving, person I’ve seen in any of TNFNS seasons. It’s become such a running joke among any of my fellow watchers and seems to fill these blogs. The question is are the judges even reading these blogs? When did TFN become a reality show entertainment arena, instead of a learning atmosphere about preparing food? Are the ratings really more important than your already-loyal viewers? Pass the clicker please!
Bob, I am extremely disappointed with this show. Debbie should hve been cut tonight – she should have been cut weeks ago. She has no integrity and is not a team player. She gives Koreans a bad name.
I have to say I am glad that Debbie was finally in the bottom two. Please tell me the judges can not see that she is a lying make herself look good person. She was stunned at what was said about her not doing her part by just making her own dishes. She is selfish. It doesn’t matter how warm she seems on camera she is not someone I want to watch. Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, Giada, Ina Garten, TYler Florence, Guy Fieri are all people you want to be invited to their party while you are watching their show. I want nothing to do with Debbie. she is a snake.
I’d just like to know how Debbie continues to stay on the show when in the very first episode, she tried to throw the whole team under the bus and a few weeks later got onto Teddy for taking credit for the meatloaf they created together, but then turns around and pulls the stuff she pulled at the cocktail party. As part of a family, including a teenager, who truly enjoys all of the hosts on Food Network, I find it reprehensible that Robert Irvine was fired for lying, and Jag was kicked off the show for lying, but Debbie gets chance after chance. I don’t care how good her food is. I want Food Network stars who promote some basic values, and right now, my 14-year-old son is next to me saying, “I’m done with this show. It promotes lying.” Nice job, panel. You can work with someone on camera presence and fear of the camera. You can’t change someone’s integrity deficiency.