Chef Wanted: Mirabelle Update by Joseph Erdos in Shows, February 7th, 2013
At Mirabelle restaurant in Hollywood, owners George Germanides and Justine Giannini (George’s daughter) decided they needed help after a recent failed overhaul. They asked Anne Burrell and the Chef Wanted team to help them find a chef who could infuse new life into the aging establishment. Anne brought in four candidates, and after some grueling tests, an offer was extended to Drew Ison.
On the show, Chef Ison proved he understood what the owners wanted by creating flavorful dishes in the restaurant’s cooking style. Though he let time constraints get to him during dinner service, resulting in some dishes being sent back and worrying the owners that he wouldn’t pull through. In the end Chef Ison was offered the position because of his vision of fusing Mediterranean and California cuisines as the new concept for Mirabelle.
“Chef Ison is doing an amazing job. He truly understands Mirabelle’s customer base,” says George. Longtime customers continue to support the restaurant and there is also a steady rise in new customers because of Chef Ison’s menu changes.
FN Dish caught up with Chef Ison since the show taped. Watch the video above to find out what it was like doing the show, what winning meant and how his confidence has improved since becoming the new executive chef of Mirabelle. He also talks about how his life used to be filled with negativity and that his tattoos are a reflection of that, but this new opportunity has brought him a lot of positivity. Chef Ison is very excited about all that he can do for Mirabelle.
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More posts from Joseph Erdos.
Tags: Anne Burrell, chef wanted
I just watched the last episode of "Chef Wanted" with Anne Burrell. Ms Anne Burrell you JUST SHOWED THE WORLD YOUR TRUE SELF..A RACIST!!!!! I am appalled about what I witnessed . You outwardly stated that you brought the white man "here", helped him cook the vegetarian dish after he cussed you out . All you did with the black guy was criticized every mistake he made and no one offered assistance or encouragement . Your decision was unfair and seemed predetermined . Is that a competition ? NO. That is you hooking up you fellow White man . You are the worst kind of racist. If you are going to show your ugly face on TV wear the sheet so we will know exactly what you are. I actually enjoyed the show until now. I will never watch it again or anything with you on it. I will spread the word to all my friends, family and friends of friends. Don't you love the power of social network. Keep your head Brother you are talented and will be successful!
It might be helpful if actually watched the episode that you are supposedly commenting on! Nothing in your comments happened on this show!
I would've thrown his ass out the door in the first round after that nasty double-dipping incident, but he managed to redeem himself with his food. Still, though. YUCK!
Drew…Congratulations on your achievement. I know your father and also knew your dad's grandparents in Monterey Park. They would be so proud. Keep up the good work!
Annette Brown
I love the concept of this show, but have a really tough time with Anne. Some people can get away with that sort of screaming and berating because they have another sort of softer edge that somehow smooths it out ~ her communication abilities aren't like that though. With Anne when she is yelling at the chefs on their cooking night it seems to just make a really hard evening that much more difficult for them. I've been putting off watching this episode on my DVR because I didn't want to listen to Anne screaming, and fast forwarded through a lot of it, so I don't think I can watch this show anymore which is a bummer :(. But anyway, congrats to Drew and his family. Hope wins!
Chef Anne tells it like it is. Seems you prefer to sugar coat reality. Can't face the real truth?q
This has got to be the most blatantly racist episode of any on the Food Network channel that I have watched — which is saying something since the FN channel has set quite a high bar for showing racial bias on its shows (we wait with bated breath to see which of the 4 male (3 white) chopped champion finalists wins the $50k). As a litigator, this strikes me as a textbook example of race bias in the workplace.
Chef Jeff delivers a solid menu and performs an almost flawless service. Worse thing that happens is that a few dishes are returned. But he pushes through and rallies his team to deliver.
Chef Drew is late with his prep (and even then doesn't deliver on dessert); his plates are rejected regularly, he quickly gets backed up with orders — to the point that order checks are falling all over the floor. He completely falls apart and exercises ZERO leadership. One customer is even recorded saying that there is not a single dish on his menu that is attractive.
And yet, somehow in the end, Chef Drew is declared the winner. Even for the FN it was shocking in its overt racism.
I suppose it is no wonder that there was not a single African American patron at the restaurant– I am going to surmise that people of color are not welcome at Mirabelle.
More broadly, the formula in this show is not that different from Chopped or other of these Food Network episodes. Women and people of color are the first ones to be summarily dispatched, with nothing but arbitrariness to show for the bias in judgement.
As for Anne Burrell, I wonder if she ever watches herself on TV. She is an embarrassment to all progressive women who try to bring different values to the workplace – collegiality, respect, collaboration and encouragement. Sadly, she displays none of these qualities.
Why is it that when a black person loses then people cry out racism? I'm actually surprised Drew was picked because of his tattoos. Is that something you'd want in a classy restaurant? I'm sure if Jeff won then people would say it was because of they had to have their token black??? You need to remember that these shows are EXTREMELY edited and we don't see everything that happens. I'm an Irish white person and I'm color blind. I don't see different colors of people's skin. I think the only ones that really have a problem with minorities are themselves.
You must not have watched the show. I am sure that if you did you would not have written such a reactionary comment.
Yes, I did watch the show. I also noted how Chef Burrell was a lot more vocal this time than usual and she did seem rather annoying, especially to a recovering addict covered in tattoos.
Did the racists vote this up?
What a weak complaint. Having worked with and being one of many true achievers- of color- you obviously are a product of our bane…………One who got ahead by threat, innuendo and/or affirmative action. The truly successful people of color get there 'like dem whiteys always did'………they worked their collective asses off. Travel a little bit and live abroad, ha ha, think you have it rough here? Think again. We laugh at you- but in a sad way
They chose the chef whose vision was more consistent for mirabelle. they never said that jeff wasn't talented or his food wasn't good, it just wasn't the direction they chose for mirabelle. Drew had the style of cooking they were looking for.
I admit to being a little surprised about the owners choice, given Drew's history and fairly recent sobriety. BUT the important point here is that is was the OWNER's Choice, I don't get your rant about FN being racist at all, they didn't make the choice the owners of Mirabelle did. Whatever their reasons they are a private company who can make whatever choices they want about who they want to hire.
At the end of the day they liked Drew's concept better, so that is what they went with, again this was not an FN decision, so your rant really makes no sense.
As far as Anne is concerned, she is playing a part, a larger version of who she really is, she is on TV for goodness sake, no one expects it to be Shakespeare! If you don't like her personality then why are you watching? It's not like this is the first episode and you didn't know what to expect right? In fact based on your rant I wonder why you help FN stay on the air by watching all these "overtly racist" shows?
The 2d in charge of the kitchen was African American and help both chefs run the kitchen. Maybe all of you crying racism missed that. Also the show is heavily edited so we do not know what else happened. Both chefs were praised for the food and had issues but one made food closer to the vision of the owners and that is all that matters. Jeff is a good chef and will find work elsewhere no problem.
Never mind that Food Network has nothing to do with the choice the owners ultimately make: and clearly your boycott of the show apparently didnt extend to these threads. It's over and done: give him a job yourself and prove them wrong or just spread the boycott elsewhere
Somehow your surmising missed almost the very first thing that the owner said when he said that Ms. Halle Berry is a regular, valued customer of their restaurant. So I suppose she is a not a "person of color." That term in and of itself is ridiculous because ALL people have color. Racism will never go away as long as the "race card" has to be played every time a black person does not win out in a competition.
Hello Drew,We are so proud of you Its seems like it was yesterday you were tasting my soups at the Mendocino Hotel.The Mirabelle, has a great Chef My wife and I wish the very best.Love Rick Senuty.
Wow I am floored by these comments at the end of day, the owners decide who they want to cook for them. I am black restaurant owner if I had two candidates and the white one service looked better, but I chosen the black one … i am a racist? There is more to picking a chef then what you see in 30 minute episode on tv….
I agree. I knew that they were going to pick Drew because he stayed close to the type of food that the restaurant is known for. It's the same thing if a Chinese restaurant is interviewing for a chef, they will pick someone who cooks Chinese dishes. Chef Jeff tried to bring in French and Southern cuisine to a Mediterranean Restaurant. If you notice Appalled Viewer, every African-American chef on the show tried to fuse Southern cuisine to a restaurant that already has a reputation for a certain type of cuisine. The "Love Doctor" chef tried to add Southern Cuisine to a steakhouse restaurant, and he went up against a chef who cooked in steakhouses for over 10 years. It's about who will cook the dishes that will make money for the restaurant.
I was not in love with the artwork all over Drew; however I wanted him to win to show there is always HOPE.. There were so many errors with the food I was sure he would lose…I actually started to cry when he won! He was the best fit for the Mirabelle. RE Anne, do people really think she could get the adrenaline up by whispering? I love her show with all the qurky, fun things she says.
I loved the show, and think Anne does a great job. This is Entertainment folks! We don't see everything for a reason. Viewers need to believe that both chefs have a chance to win. Good job!
Racism will never go away as long as people continue to look for it.
Some people just see two chefs competing, others see colors.
What about Chef Anne? Hells Kitchen is a big hit and look how this "man" yells.
It's why the show is popular. Everyone says he's not that way "in real life". Why
do people watch then? What if that was Chef Anne on that show, shouting like that?
Right away, she's a b**tch. My daughter is a chef and from what I've seen and heard, most
kitchens have some yelling going on, especially when the ktichen isn't having a good night.
The executive chef is in charge. It's their job to get people doing what they should.
If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen comes to mind.
I hate when people play the race card. How about my daughter going for student loans and the finance person of the school telling us if we were black or a minority, we could qualify for more loans?
Part of life I guess. It's all set up for racism to never end!
um! Ive never been told that while applying for student loans nor any other black or other minority I know, If you were a minority you wouldnt have to go looking for it cause it would eventually find you
Anne's constant yeling makes me want to claw my ears off! I feel for those contestants. Apparently she enjoys making a highly stressful situation even harder for them. I have no idea if she's a great chef or not, but I do not resect for her because of her obvious insensitivity to the feelings of others. I have several episodes on DVR, after watching 2 of them I deleted the rest because of Anne's screaming.
You've obviously never worked in a kitchen. It's chaos; madness. Surely you've heard the phrase "if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen, right?" THAT'S what it means.