Monday, June 11
TNFNS Episode 2 Recap
I barely caught last night's episode, as I though it'd be a good idea to have an 11 p.m. dinner at Busboys and Poets. Luckily, they re-aired it at midnight and I'm fully caught up-- and tired as hell.
Anyhow, the big FN star this week was Giada.
She wasn't going easy on anyone! And good for her. The contestants' first task was to demonstrate one step of a Giada recipe in one minute on camera.
Pretty much everyone sucked, but some sucked more than others. Colombe was a space cadet, Paul apparently couldn't remember what spinach was or what vitamins it contained, Rory tried to make it a talkshow instead of a cooking show, and Tommy Grella chose to stand halfway in frame and not say a word. JAG got props for picking up the pace when everyone kept getting set back, but he still wasn't very dynamic in front of the camera.
Their big challenge was to design and cook a recipe for Bon Appetit's July grilling issue. Everyone seemed into it, as it's a pretty big prize.
Still, I wasn't really amazed with what most people came up with.
Grella's looked like a big pile of cow (cowpie?) and nothing you'd want to see on a magazine cover.
Adrien had an interesting idea to grill vegetables only, but--as the judges noted--really didn't have a point. It was just vegetarian to be vegetarian.
It could be great, but just didn't turn out that way. Adrien's pretty good in front of the camera, but still seems nervous.
Amy did a chicken thing that was so covered in salsa and other things that you couldn't see grill marks or even chicken, for that matter. She still used a French word to describe the process which was unnecessary.
Colombe called her skirt steak a "flank steak" and pretty much cemented her chances of going home next week.
Rory ended up winning with her baby-back ribs.
The producers kept showing her clip saying "I'm taking a big risk with these" since she typically cooks them for five hours. You know that means she's going to win when they show those kind of clips over and over. If they barely cover you during the episode, then you know you're going home.
Which is exactly what happened to my girl Nikki! Dang! She had so much potential but it just wasn't coming through. She seemed a little too dull during her camera demo and at the magazine presentation. You don't have to speak fast, but you at least need to sound enthused.
I'm glad Adrien stuck around, but I'm sad to see Nikki go. Maybe next time.
I should also mention Michael Salmon's dish and his inventful idea to throw fresh herbs into the fire in infuse the smoke. I was pretty surprised he didn't win the challenge.
OH-- and Giada looked pretty irritated during the tastings. Nothing was gonna get her in a good mood.
Soooo... 2nd episode down, and my pick for the winner is already out. I'm kind of unsure, now. What do you think?
Anyhow, the big FN star this week was Giada.
She wasn't going easy on anyone! And good for her. The contestants' first task was to demonstrate one step of a Giada recipe in one minute on camera.
Pretty much everyone sucked, but some sucked more than others. Colombe was a space cadet, Paul apparently couldn't remember what spinach was or what vitamins it contained, Rory tried to make it a talkshow instead of a cooking show, and Tommy Grella chose to stand halfway in frame and not say a word. JAG got props for picking up the pace when everyone kept getting set back, but he still wasn't very dynamic in front of the camera.
Their big challenge was to design and cook a recipe for Bon Appetit's July grilling issue. Everyone seemed into it, as it's a pretty big prize.
Still, I wasn't really amazed with what most people came up with.
Grella's looked like a big pile of cow (cowpie?) and nothing you'd want to see on a magazine cover.
Adrien had an interesting idea to grill vegetables only, but--as the judges noted--really didn't have a point. It was just vegetarian to be vegetarian.
It could be great, but just didn't turn out that way. Adrien's pretty good in front of the camera, but still seems nervous.
Amy did a chicken thing that was so covered in salsa and other things that you couldn't see grill marks or even chicken, for that matter. She still used a French word to describe the process which was unnecessary.
Colombe called her skirt steak a "flank steak" and pretty much cemented her chances of going home next week.
Rory ended up winning with her baby-back ribs.
The producers kept showing her clip saying "I'm taking a big risk with these" since she typically cooks them for five hours. You know that means she's going to win when they show those kind of clips over and over. If they barely cover you during the episode, then you know you're going home.
Which is exactly what happened to my girl Nikki! Dang! She had so much potential but it just wasn't coming through. She seemed a little too dull during her camera demo and at the magazine presentation. You don't have to speak fast, but you at least need to sound enthused.
I'm glad Adrien stuck around, but I'm sad to see Nikki go. Maybe next time.
I should also mention Michael Salmon's dish and his inventful idea to throw fresh herbs into the fire in infuse the smoke. I was pretty surprised he didn't win the challenge.
OH-- and Giada looked pretty irritated during the tastings. Nothing was gonna get her in a good mood.
Soooo... 2nd episode down, and my pick for the winner is already out. I'm kind of unsure, now. What do you think?
Labels: food network, Next Food Network Star
posted by jacob @ 1:23 PM
11 Comments:
They also air it on Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons. Thursday happens to work best for me.
Rory's ribs weren't grilled! Michael indeed should have won.
I thought Rory would have put the ribs on the grill for a minute for more charred color (Dave Lieberman did that?).
I actually like Paul's idea about the lamb. His trimming all the fat was just like Ellie Krieger's. Too bad he didn't sell that idea. I don't quite get the idea of what the judges said. Use fresh herbs in the rub?
I kinda hope that Paul goes to the final. Then we'll have gay (is he?) finalists every season~
Totally off topic but I was just browsing through the food network's ad sales web page and noticed that Semi-Homemade Cooking is nowhere to be seen. Is it canceled?
anon: thanks! thursdays are good.
kevin: good point!
mark: yeah, unsure about paul's. editing, probably. and, yes, he's gay. check his myspace(s).
anon: hmm... not sure. hiatus? she's probably preparing for her travel show.
Michael is clearly more talented, experienced and mature than the other contestants. The cover was his. He was robbed!
Michael was robbed!!
Rory didnt grill her entrée, wasnt that the point?
Michaels dish was by far the best.
Something is fishy and it aint Michael!
Nikki's out! Well there goes my prediction. I couldn't watch episode 2 -- they make the show way too dramatic, the "committee" I feel like spitting at most of the time and then they must prompt all the FN celebs to be as cruel, mean and heartless as possible. Even Giada was not nice!?! Next up they will have the Hearty Boys beat them all with wet herbs.
Thanks for your recaps of this show. I really enjoy them. I initially liked Nikki, but her performance was regrettably sub-par, and she deserved to get booted. I don’t know what happened to her since last week. Her speech seemed forcibly slow and almost robotic.
Bobby Flay told Colombe last week that the camera loves her (which is code language for: “you’re a babe!”), and that may be true, but she can only skate through this competition for so long on her looks. Giada and Rachael are equally attractive, but they know how to deliver the goods. Colombe’s presentations are so ditzy, that she makes Sara Moulton look like an organization freak.
Was Amy dissing Giada when she nodded her head in an animated fashion and said “Oh-Kay”, after Giada’s critique? It looked like Giada shot her a lethal dagger stare.
Salmon was robbed, no doubt. He had the best presentation, was comfortable in front of the camera, glib without being cocky, a natural. Just like the food he cooked.
If that was a 4th of July picnic, I'm sitting at Michael's table.
How did these high-salaried Bon Appetite types miss this one?
Ribs? Booooring!
I loved the infused herbs tips Salmon gave.
Nikki--I was really not liking her attitude. Too cocky and rude IMO..a female JAG, only w/o the forced charisma JAG tries.
Have I mentioned lately I hope JAG dies? LOL
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