I really believed Debbie should have gone home this week. I don’t care how excellent her food was, her behavior was appalling. So how did she stay and Michael leave?
With four of us voting (Bobby, Susie, Ted & I), we decided to each write down our top and bottom finalists on a slip of paper. Nearly everyone had Michael in the bottom. But both Bobby and Ted thought that Debbie’s food was so extraordinarily good (and it was), that it should save her for this week. That left Michael as having the most votes to go home. I argued my case against Debbie, but was outvoted. Again.
We purposely toughen the challenges each week, to bring out the best and the worst in each individual. Here’s where the final five stand for me:
Michael: He seemed like a wild child this week – untamed, funny, but almost out of control. And repetitive (“Who loves you mommy?”). Uncharacteristically, nearly all of his food underwhelmed this week. He told us yet again that he prefers the crowd to the camera. In the words of Michael: HELLOOO! This is about television. Despite his being a seriously talented chef, and a funny, creative guy, the camera skills just aren’t there. So even if Debbie had gone this week as I wanted, I bet he would’ve gone next. Sorry.
Debbie: Her scorecard: Food: 10, Behavior: 0.
I was really turned off by the selfish behavior and false martyrdom that she exhibited this week (“I did it all for the team”). I voted for her to go home, and I bet most of you felt the same way. She’s a caterer for goodness sake! More than any other person there, she actually had the skills to carry off this tough party challenge. But she only focused on her dishes. Then, once again, she didn’t own up to it. The bummer is she’s got the natural camera skills and the cooking chops to ace these challenges without resorting to bad behavior. Thin ice.
Jeffrey: His food didn’t please many palates this week – his dishes were the Nikki Beach Chef’s least favorite and also didn’t impress the crowd. In contrast, his personality was at its best: warm, welcoming, charming and generous. You can see why this guy was a successful restaurateur. Still a contender.
Melissa: I am loving Melissa’s resilient, sunny, fighter spirit. Good for her that she questioned Debbie in the elimination room and stood up for herself. Her food was mixed this week: the veggie asada won’t win any beauty contests, but everybody loved its perfectly grilled vegetables and sweet and spicy sauce. While nobody dug the chicken bite with grilled onion, the salmon shooters were a clever party idea. Still impresses.
Jamika: She was overwhelmingly the crowd’s favorite personality. The clubbers also loved her Jerk Chicken. My biggest issues about Jamika are her inconsistency and her emotional transparency. Last week was as bad as this week was good. Of equal concern: Jamika has no filter – her performance shows 100% of whatever she’s feeling at the moment. A little of that is great and shows authenticity. But more often, no matter what’s really going on inside, this job is about consistently giving a bright, outgoing, star performance. Can she do this? Hope so. Because she still sparkles.
With only two weeks left before the finale, it’s do or die time. Next week, an Iron Chef challenge that pushes the cooking skills of all to the limits!
I am not really saying anything that hasn’t been said before. Debbie needs to go NOW and I don’t understand the judges fascination for her. She has lied her way through the competition, stomping on others to get what she wants and whining when her faults are pointed out. No one’s food is that good!! I would not watch one minute of a show she appears in, she’s disgusting. Jeffrey is my choice, he has a genuine way about him and I would try his recipes.
You folks scare me. Debbie may not have been 100% truthful, however I did not see it as an outright lie that could advanced her unfairly I assume all who think she ius so horrible have never told a lie and are always 100% truthful especiallyt under pressure. I am sure all those who think Debbie is thge devil reincarnate, so think Wretchel Ray is the end all to be all with hert stupid :EVOO" constant abbreviation is so endearing. MOST everyone already knows that it is, and if shwe wants to use a diffewrant oil then tell the viwers. She acts like she is such an accomnplished "persona" but I know so many who refuse to watch her, or even think any of her recipes are worth making. Food Network needs to look for the type of folks we want to see, not loud mouthed, over ther top annoying "cooks"
Love the show, quite honestly first time I have ever watched. I usually watch the cooking shows, but this came on and I am glued to the TV.
Some get quite creative. In our house we have been waiting for Deb to go, but somehow she gets saved. I would think food can’t test that good coming from how it’s served up.
So, my children are watching and they can spot a liar. Tell her to turn the aligator tears, my youngest said to let you know that.
We are hoping this is the last time we see her. Can’t wait for Sunday evening.
Twice Debbie has shown bad behavior. By excusing her behavior because her food was good is wrong. What are we teaching the young people watching Food Network, you can lie & cheat as long as you cook good food. Ethics first before food.
I think Debbie has to stop saying she is a Korean. It becomes quite annoying. Personally, I am also from a racial minority group but you need to understand that you are in America. You are an American too and stop exclusively label yourself as a korean, japanese, chinese or what.
cook a meal that is not just Korean or asian, have a variety of delicious foods in your menu and then you will be successful in targeting your audience.
Not everybody like korean foods only. She needs to broaden her targeted group.
Seems like Bobby Flay is getting impatient with her too.
I hope she will see herself as an american and stop saying she is korean. So what if some people thinks she is American Chinese or Japanese.
I think Melissa is not cool enough in the kitchen. She seems really uptight and has a lot of nervous energy. She needs to learn to relax.
Melissa is a very smart and interesting person. She juggles a lot and has great talent. She has it all- beauty, fans, great family, and she is very entertaining.
My husband and I cannot WAIT for obnoxious Debbie to be voted off. But I do think there’s one comment that the judges have made about Jeffrey to be a strange objection. They’ve referred to Jeffrey as the “zen-master” as a positive thing at some times, but then once or twice, they’ve said that they’re concerned that he’s TOO calm and verging on “vanilla”. I have to say, Jeffrey’s calm demeanor is a huge plus for us and our friends who watch with us. I don’t watch Rachael Ray’s show because her personality comes across as sort of a forced TV perkiness that is rather cloying and grating. I find Jeffrey’s calm attitude appealing. I do like cheerful people (and find Melissa charming), but only if they come across as completely genuine (as Melissa does).
I have been watching from the begining and I am not surprised who the three finalists are. However, honesty aside, Debbie has been my least favorite from the first. She seems so fakey and insincere and I for one will NOT watch her show if she wins. I think Melissa is my first choice because she has made it so far without formal training and I respect that. Makes me feel like I can cook too!
Although Debbie would add something different to the FN I could not watch her based on her lack of integrity. Melissa’s food looks great but I don’t have children and couldn’t stand a show based on tips to working mothers. Having to listen to “I’m Korean” or “my kids love this” would put me in the o-zone for sure. Jeffrey is my choice, he’s cool, calm, collected and his food is interesting. There are enough ‘shouters’and egotists on FN. Thank God for Ina.
I think the unreallestic tasks you people put the contestons does little to prove they can make it on there one show.The only past winner worth anything is Guy. I think a show where they would have the time to do the job right would be a better test.
get rid of that lying Debbie. I think the judges are looking for ratings, not a next Food Netwook star.
Melissa is dead-on….she is the working mom that everyone would love to cook like (or have her cook for us!). Totally relatable, I am so impressed with her ability to come up with great dishes (would love the recipes) and the judges seem happy with her. She is the most consistent every week.
Debbie provides drama, but unfortunately, her unattractive behavior has made her a liability. I would not watch her show.
Sorry, but I think that you missed the boat this time. It is time for Debbie to go home! Every time I have seen her she is either putting down the other people or off in her own little world. Is she the type of person the other Food Newwork Stars really want to work with? She is scarry! Please take a good look at the tapes that we watch….she just is not a good fit!
I’m in agreement — Debbie should have gone. Just like so many top execs that fail to take accountability for their actions, from the first show she has shown a lack of ethics and honesty. She’s a fake and a phony. If she were to be given a show on the Food Network, I’d not watch it – and isn’t that the whole point of this contest?
If Debbie makes it to the season finale I will NOT watch it! DUMP HER!
Just don’t understand why Debbie is still on the show. No matter how good her food is (and it should be, she’s a caterer!) but she will not take responsibility for any mistakes she makes. Integrity, my foot.
Debbie should be LONG gone! She ‘fibs’ or better yet lies. She could never hold an audience on TV. Her appearance is always in disarray!
Melissa should NOT win . .She is very attractive and pleasing to watch . .BUT enough with the HOME COOKING AND HER KIDS@ She can be ‘ditsy’ and who needs another one on the network!
Jeffrey is the one – - I hope he gets his own show . . people will watch him . . He never instigated any ‘problem’s on the show . . Hope he WINS!
Debbie has shown she is not to be trusted from early on, when she bought the wrong food for her team and took no responsibility when they were on the ropes. When she whined later about others integrity, I was annoyed. She has not improved in subsequent episodes. I would never watch one minute of any show she is on. We need technique, not personality.
It is time you go back to using real chef’s for your stars…I watch to learn, not to be entertained. The good chefs who started out as fabulous teachers now consider themselves more clown then cook.
I really agree with Bob…Debbie should have gone last week. If someone is willing to lie to cover their backside, they can not be trusted…this is not someone I would be willing to give a T.V. show…my vote for the winner is Melissa, even though she has a lot of energy and can sometimes be a little frantic…I believe that when the competition is over she will really shine…as a home cook she is the most relatable contestant to me…if Debbie makes it to the final 2 I’ll be extremely disappointed!!!!!!! I don’t care how good her food is!
I agree Debbie should have been gone long ago. I cannot respect anyone who has openly been dishonest more than once and I would NEVER watch her. I thoroughly enjoy watching Melissa. While she may not have all the experience of other chefs, I am always impressed with what she comes up with each week and feel she would appeal to a wide audience of “home chefs.” I am torn between Melissa and Jeffrey. I love watching him prepare his dishes and especially enjoy the stories he has shared about his family. He has a warm openness about him that is very refreshing. I do not envy the judges and their decisions to be made.
I could not believe you guys are so easily deceived, Debbie’s is a liar. I would rather see someone that needs TV couching and a little more confidence but full of passion than a deceitful, phony, it’s all about Korean on the Next Food Network Star. I truly hope you listen to your audience; her dishes are definitely not better than Melissa or Jeffrey, she only cooks Korean, take her spices and she presented a dish with no Mediterranean zest, covered up by the honey and orange. Personally I will not watch any of her shows. I truly apologies if I’m being brutal but its down to the last two weeks and I feel that as a viewer and supporter my opinion equals rating. Thank you for the Show.
I agree with others. Debbie Has To Go, and NOW. Or are you ready to trash the cooking shows? Enough all ready!!!
Regardless of how good her food is, Debbie has lied not once, not twice, but three times. I thought the food network was about food and integrity. I guess not. I’m sure she will win…just to round out the food network line up. But that’s one show, I for one, will not be watching. I guess win at all costs…is the way to go on this network. I’m extremely disappointed in the food network
I remember Debbie talking to the camera a couple of weeks ago
and talking of reusing her marinade even after Jamika had been
told not to do it and why. I believe it was with her chicken dish at midterms or her hors doeuvres at the party. She continues to
float through. I don’t get it! Now she is on the T.V. saying “we are down to the final three but I am the one who DESERVES to be the next food network star. I think that has been her feeling all
along!
I feel that Debbie was given an unfair advantage by the judges
when Bobbie gave her the capers. Anyone experienced in seafood
knows that nothing can accentuate seafood like capers. The fact
that she did not use them shows that her knowledge level is lacking. Much less trying to lie her way out again. The only reason she gave in is that she remembered in a split second that it could be proven. She should have been let go for this also…
but alas……She’s still floating!
I have been watching FNS since the beginning. I have never felt
this way toward any of the contestants. I have never seen this
lack of integrity. I hope this season is over soon, it is becomming painful to watch!
I would like to see Melissa win. I think she has been the most real of the last three. Debbie needs to go. Jeffrey is calm but there is something there that I don’t feel is truly honest. I feel he would throw anybody under the bus to get ahead now. Melissa is someone I would like to watch, has a great smile and once she calms and takes a deep breath, she does well. I like her spirit and her drive. As a Mom and working Mom, can relate to her.
Please hire Michael for an audience show! What a delightful addition to your line-up!!! Debbie is selfish trouble…
When honesty and integratary are put aside the audiences lose respect for the show & the cook. Please make a good decision on who you really want to represent The Food Network. I would want that person to be above reproach and want to know that all the audiences knows that no matter who the Next Food Network Star is they will not deceive and complain on their show. We teach our children to tell the truth and be honest in everything we do. And that includes the teaching of food preperation to the teaching of school work. So please decide well, as the Food Network will suffer a low blow if it does not keep honesty and integrety in all thier shows, Old & New.
Thank you,
Emily C Harsin
I also would not watch Debbie’s show. She has put her fellow contestants under the bus from the very beginning, and cries when she is called out on it. My favorite is Melissa, and I believe she would have a large following of working Moms.
Why is Debbie still there? She gets caught in a lie every week, yet the judges seem to adore her! Has she already been determined the winner? Early on, the judges commented on her continually mentioning her heritage. Now, it seems to no longer bother them. Are they seeking a Korean cooking show? She’s obnoxious and should have been gone long before now. So disappointing to still see her. If she gets her own show, it’s one I’ll never watch. Not even a pleasant personality. Just a whiner and a lying one at that.
I read all the comments concerning Debbie which were mostly negative and I agree totally.
I would never watch one of her shows. She can’t cook that good!
No matter how good the food, if you cannot trust in and respect the person making it – - what’s the point? I love Food Network, but I would not watch a show featuring Debbie. Be careful, surely you don’t want to tacitly condone this behavior.
IM SO GLAD I READ THESE COMMENTS! I THOUGHT SOMEHOW DEBBIE WAS FOOLING ALL OF YOU! SHE WAS PLAYING THE VICTIM FROM DAY 1 AND I AM SO SICK OF IT! SHE IS SUCH A BAD EXAMPLE FOR OUR CHILDREN ABOUT MORALS AND WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG AND SHE COULD NEVER BE A TEAM PLAYER WHICH YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE FOOD BUSINESS!!!!
I couldn’t agree mre.It is not the first time she has lied. Should of been gone the week she bailed on everyone and was so call “selfless”. I can’t stand her she is dishonest!
Debbie should go – period, paragraph. I would never watch any show that she would host. She is not a Star!!!
I would NOT watch a show with Debbie as the star!!!!! I have not liked her since the first show when she did the shopping and was not honest with her fellow contestants. I liked Michael, but since he is gone, I now want Melissa to win. Jeffrey is good, but Melissa seems to appeal to the homemaker/mom in me. Jamika seemed to be a great cook, but I agree that her emotions showed in her face and her actions.
I really do not understand the reasoning behind letting Michael go and leaving Debie who i truly believe has shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a self centered, egotistical liar and would throw her own mother under the bus to save her butt. If she is what you think the public wants to see and believe and trust then we are all in trouble, i don’t care how good her food was, it was the best because she was only concerened about her own menu choices and nobody else except herself. HOW OBVIOUS CAN IT GET – GET RID OF HER BECAUSE SHE HAS NO CREDIBILITY AND WE CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE WATCHING HER.!!!!!!!!!!
It was said on the first episode of this show that integrity is a key component of a Food Network Star. The lack of this characteristic should have sent Debbie home during the first elimination. Her selfish behavior did, in fact, sabotage her teammates whether it was intentional or not. She considers herself a victim in all situations when her behavior is questioned, and quite frankly I find her tears and cries of hurt feelings unappealing and fake. While Debbie’s food may be good, it does NOT in any way excuse her behavior in the slightest. Please send her home!
The most satisfying moment of this season’s star search was watching Debbie get smacked in the face with Michael’s tray of food. I think she showed honest sensitivity for the first and last time. If this competition is predetermined, as so many have suggested, I hope Debbie gets what she deserves. A late night slot and the cold shoulder from the viewers and the real chefs on Food Network.
Tell Debbie to knock off the constant blabbing that she is :Korean”…who freaking cares !!!!!!
I agree with Bob that Debbie should have been voted off. I also believe that Melissa believes that being a stay-at-home mom is enough that I would want to watcher on a TV show. I have watched NFNS since it started and this is the first time I have watched it to the end and I haven’t cared for your past picks and don’t watch those picks today.
I think Debbie should be the next to go. She has shown a lack of integrity and as a viewer I just don’t feel I could connect or trust her. It’s going to be very hard to choose between Jeffry and Melissa. They are both warm and genuine,and have great personalities.
I really like Melissa. She’s down to earth & really reminds me of Rachel Ray alot. Not a chef but a very good cook. Give her time & she will learn to slow down some.
Debbie should go. She has lied from the very beginning of the season….and has continued to lie and shows a side that is not attractive. If she winds up winning, I will not watch the show.
It’s hard to believe that more deserving people could not be found….Debbie, Brett, Teddy and Edward should never have been included in the show lineup.
Get rid of Debbie now! I”ve had enough and her food perspective isn’t particularly interesting or accessible. There’s no credibility there!
SOOOO glad Debbie is gone. I like both Melissa and Jeffrey a lot; however, I feel Melissa could have a show with HUGE appeal. I am a very frequent watcher, and I want to watch Melissa on your network!!!
i was glad to see deb go tonight. the whining to cover up her lies and fakeness was really getting to me. how she floated through on obvious lies for so long was beyond me. now im glad we can get down to business and hopefully i will see melissa as the winner. she really appeals to a wide range of people and i think she would be a joy to watch