Open Calls: Worst Cooks in America Season 2

It's coming back, and I want you to be on it...



... if you can't cook for s***.

Here are the official casting details:

Seeking people with a genuine inability to cook, but a need and desire to improve!

NOMINATE YOURSELF
· Has your wife told you it was probably better if you ordered take out?

· At the big potluck dinner, are you always asked to “just bring the napkins?”

NOMINATE SOMEONE YOU KNOW
· Is someone you know constantly offering you food that you have to turn down?

· If you know a dad/mom who can’t scramble an egg, a colleague who can’t convince anyone to try their culinary creations, or a guy friend who tries but can’t seem to get it together in the kitchen, this is your chance to get them the help you BOTH need!

OPEN CALL LOCATIONS

LOS ANGELES
LA Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel & Convention Center
2500 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505
Saturday, March 27th
10am – 3pm

To apply, email worstcooksla@gmail.com

PHILADELPHIA
Loews Philadelphia Hotel
1200 Market St. Philadelphia, PA 19107-3788
Saturday, April 10th
9am – 3pm

To apply, email worstcooksphilly@gmail.com

CHICAGO
The Affinia Chicago
166 East Superior St, Chicago IL, 60611
Saturday, April 17th
9am – 3pm

To apply, email worstcookschicago@gmail.com

NEW YORK CITY
Jolly Hotel Madison Towers
22 East 38th St, NY, NY 10016
Saturday, April 24th
9am – 3pm

To apply, email worstcooksny@gmail.com

ATLANTA
W Atlanta
188 14th Street NE, Atlanta GA 30361
Saturday, May 1st
9am – 3pm

To apply, email worstcooksatlanta@gmail.com

HERE’S HOW TO APPLY:
WE ARE CONDUCTING CASTING PHONE INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK, SO PLEASE APPLY ASAP!!!

· Email us at one of the addresses above with the following information:

· Tell us why you (or the person you are nominating) is the most disastrous cook in the country

· Include name, age, hometown, occupation, contact phone number, and a recent photo of the hopeless cook

· If you do not live near one of the cities above, you can still apply! Just email us at worstcooks@gmail.com for more info.

Additional information & application available at worstcookscasting.com.

Pics from Rachael Ray's SoBe SoundCheck Party

One of the best parties I went to while down in South Beach last week was Rachael Ray's "SoBe Soundcheck" event at the Raleigh Hotel.

Since the party didn't kick off until 11:30 p.m., I spent a few hours relaxing at my hotel trying to pretend I was a few years younger... when it was normal to leave the house a few minutes before midnight before the night.

Rachael Ray's husband John Cusimano (who was looking very white in the beard) played with his band The Cringe, which was all right... but they played a lot of covers (including a few too many John Mayer songs).

What's the deal, John? Need RayRay to write a few songs for you, too, now? Not like she's busy or anything. ;-)


That pic of Anne Burrell and me at the top was taken near the end of the night. We were all enjoying the wine and drinks that were provided (not to mention the good appetizers being passed). I congratulated Anne on the great run of Worst Cooks in America and everything else going on with her right now. Anne was having a verrrrrrrrrry good time that night. So much so that she barely had a voice the next day during her cooking demo:-)

Another treat was running into Next Food Network Star winner Melissa d'Arabian again...


Melissa, who I had originally met back in October at the NYC Wine & Food Fest, revealed to me that her current Food Network Show Ten Dollar Dinners was renewed again for a third season (which you'd already know if you are following me on Twitter) -- something that I don't think has been announced anywhere else, yet.

Melissa has been incredibly supportive of me and the blog ever since I met her and I really do wish the best for her and her up-and-coming career on the network.

I also got to see Mary Alice and a lot of the Ace of Cakes crew again that night. So glad that a lot of them got to make it down this year.

AND STUPID ME...
I never noticed Rachael Ray while she danced a few feet away from me. After my meeting with Sandra Lee last year, I was hoping to get a pic with Rachael finally. Damn. Oh well -- maybe next year.

'Worst Cooks In America' Review - Food Network Addict

For years, standard programming on Food Network meant instructional cooking shows. Trained chefs donning proper attire and expertly sharpened knives navigated around infomercial-like sets in a New York studio where they ad-libbed for 30 minutes straight, only taking time to work in the occasional commercial break or "swap out" a pre-prepared dish to keep things moving.

Then it was deemed that kind of programming didn't reflect "real life' America. The perceived audience (stay-at-home housewives) lead a busy life. They didn't have the time to sit in the kitchen for hours cooking recipes that needed 30+ ingredients.

Instead of thirty ingredients it become thirty minutes. In walked Rachael Ray.

But as quick and easy as it is, Rachael Ray and her trademark 30 Minutes Meals are not real life. Her shows are highly orchestrated with super luscious looking ingredients fit for TV. Also, what housewife wouldn't want someone standing right outside their own kitchen always preparing the same exact meal exactly one-step behind them, ready to pop in at a moment's notice and erase any mistakes?

And that's why I like Worst Cooks In America so much.

In this 5-week elimination series, 12 of the worst cooks in America—and they are bad—come to New York and work with chefs Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan in a "culinary bootcamp" for the chance to cook for food critics (there's a twist) and a $25,000 prize.

What's so entertaining about this series is the same thing that works for so many other reality TV shows: watching people initially fail, often in humorous ways, only to get built up to greatness.

But it's the failing that we all secretly enjoy. Why else would American Idol both showing the audition episodes if all we cared about was the sappy winner's sendoff song? The miserable failing is what makes it a little easier to sit on the couch and judge people through the TV screen. "Well, I know I could do better than that!"

In the premiere episode, the top 24 have to prepare a signature dish that best represents their cooking ability. I laughed out loud at some of the contestants' dishes: a whole boiled chicken with swiss cheese melted on top, "peanut butter encrusted cod", and triple chocolate pancakes that the contestant likens to cow patties.

Mmmmm!

Exaggerations aside (and it is hard to tell if some of these contestants are for real or not), I'd guess that a good portion of America really is about this clueless when it comes to cooking. Many are surely unaware what mise en place and shocking vegetables--two things mentioned in this first episode--means.

Some contestants seem to have a sense of humor about themselves and their abilities. Others seem genuinely upset by their shortcomings and desperate to change. I think if this limited series can keep the humor and lightness up and the tears down (the first ep already had two bouts of crying!), then we're in for a yummy, yummy treat.

Worst Cooks In America premieres TONIGHT, Jan. 3, at 10pm ET.

Anne Burrell Sued for Discrimination!

Anne Burrell's Food Network show is called Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. At the show's inception, Anne was the chef at New York's Centro Vinoteca -- an Italian restaurant in the West Village that recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

WELL--Anne isn't working for a restaurant anymore (guess they should change the title to "Secrets of a TV Chef"), but she is being sued by former restaurant employees.

Former employees at Centro claim she referred to them in derogatory terms like "slutty," "saggy," "ho," "whore," and "stupid dumb whore… idiot."

The plaintiffs also claim Burrell commented on their cleavage and harassed them with offensive remarks like, "have you f****d that [co-worker] yet? and "You must be tired today from f***ing all night."" They also claim they were fired in retaliation for complaining about Burrell.

*******************************************

I've met Anne a few times and she's been nothing but nice. Hell, Food Network just put her on the damn turkey float in the Macy's parade, so they must be backing her! Hopefully this will get worked out soon.

[Source and Source]

Sunny, Anne, & Claire In the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... sponsored by Food Network?

Thanksgiving is all about food, family, and facilitating lucrative advertising deals!

Sunny Anderson lets us know on her blog that she, Anne Burrell, and Claire Robinson will be riding on the famous Tom the Turkey float in tomorrow's annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... plastered up with the Food Network logo!


I don't know how I feel about this one. I get that things need to be sponsored and everyone's looking to get their brand out there in new ways (Macy's is obviously the big brand name that people probably just say unconsciously when mentioning the parade by name), but some things are sacred... can't the turkey float just be nice symbol of Thanksgiving and not another billboard?

What's next? The GoDaddy.com Turkey float? The official Butterball brand Turkey float? The Endorse Sandra Lee for First Lady of New York Campaign Turkey float?

Be on the lookout for the Food Network ladies... and the Food Network LOGO tomorrow when you watch the parade!

Brian Boitano, Anne Burrell, Alton Brown, Danny Boome, Chris Cosentino, Aaron Sanchez, and more Coming to New Food Network Shows

There were quite a few new shows announced today out of Food Network—eight primetime series and six daytime "In the Kitchen" shows&mdsah;but none sound quite as interesting as the upcoming series, still listed with a working title, WHAT WOULD BRIAN BOITANO MAKE?

Hmmm....



WHAT WOULD BRIAN BOITANO MAKE? (WT)
Premieres: August 2009
Everyone knows Brian Boitano won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. What they don’t know: Brian is an accomplished cook who loves to entertain! In this new series, Brian takes viewers on a reality cooking adventure as he creates amazing food for a new event in each episode. Funny, knowledgeable and irresistible, Brian brings himself and so much more to What Would Brian Boitano Make?

Wonder if Food Network personality Marc Summers, who hosted one of my fave kids shows What Would You Do? had a stake in this one? And who doesn't love a show title that's phrased as a question?

I'm also excited about...

WORST COOKS IN AMERICA
Premieres: January 2010
Premiere chefs Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan each take on a team of six hopeless home cooks and try to transform them from kitchen zeros into kitchen heroes in only 10 days. On the line are the chefs’ professional reputations, $25,000 for the recruits, and the chance to say they are no longer one of the Worst Cooks in America!

Hope Anne's cookie monster voice doesn't scare anyone off.

Alton fans will love...

FOODS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (WT)
Premieres: 3rd Quarter 2010
Food guru Alton Brown hosts this mini series that explores foods that have shaped the course of human history and influenced the way our species evolved. Alton will also investigate foods of the future and how technology will transform food worldwide in centuries to come.

I already Twittered about this one right after Sandra announced it back in February...

SANDRA'S MONEY SAVING MEALS
Premieres: May 10th, 2009 at 12pm ET/PT
Well-known for her trademark Semi-Homemade cooking style, Sandra Lee now has her sights set on saving money! Her new daytime cooking series, Sandra’s Money Saving Meals, features incredible budget-friendly recipes for every day of the week. She continues to stretch the dollar by creating a clever leftover dish from each episode with “Round 2 Recipes” exclusively on FoodNetwork.com.

The ingredients for my first Sandra Lee recipe cost me like $28, so this better be good. It was a cake that you cooked in the crock pot! And you used a boxed cake mix! And I already had the expensive almond extract.

Let's pray Chris and Aaron got a good budget for this show. They deserve it...

CHEFS VS CITY (WT)
Premieres: July 2009
Acclaimed chefs Chris Cosentino and Aaron Sanchez are pitted against two local foodies in a winner-takes-all race through a different city each week, through the most fascinating, unusual food locations. Each team begins with a clue leading them to their first food challenge. Challenges could include everything from wine stomping to the eating the spiciest chili west of the Mississippi to diving for sea urchins! The five challenges take the chefs and foodies on an adrenaline-charged, food-lovers tour of each city, and once complete, it’s a sprint to the finish line to see if the locals can protect their home turf or if the Food Network chefs can conquer a new city.

And since I was never a fan of Rescue Chef, Danny luckily moved on to something else....

TAKE ON THE TAKEOUT (WT)
Premieres: 2010
In Take on the Takeout, Danny Boome visits delivery devotees with one goal in mind: to prepare a healthier, tastier, and less-expensive version of their favorite take-out dish faster than the restaurant can cook and deliver it. In addition to assessing cost and speed, the loyal customers taste and score the dueling dishes while blindfolded to determine the ultimate winner. With his practical ideas and British charm, Danny attempts to send the delivery boy packing to prove home-cooked meals beat take out any day!

Also premiering will be season 2 of Viva Daisy! and The Next Iron Chef Season 2.

*******************************

Some of these shows are so far off that I don't even have time to think about how they'll turn out. Food Network's been hit or miss when it comes to travel and "reality" shows, so I'm praying they used production companies known for turning out high quality programs (like Feasting on Asphalt) and not duds (like Two Dudes Catering).

Anything on the upcoming Food Network lineup browning your butter?

Anne Burrell's Set Gets Bluer, Less Granny-esque

Everyone's favorite Grover-sounding, platinum blonde sportin', delicious food cooking chef, Anne Burrell has one of the best new shows on Food Network. I looooooooved the first episode of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, as you know.

And while Anne came off like a natural right from the start, her set did need a few tweaks to really pop. For one, they got rid of most of the pieces that made it look like a granny's Greenwich Village apartment. Take a look:




Gone are the granny lamps and chandelier. The main wall behind Anne is now a brilliant blue instead of a dull pink. Things in general just seem to better match Anne's energetic, slightly zany style.

I kind of put my foot in my mouth when I talked to Anne about her set last Oct. at the NYC Wine and Food Fest. I mentioned how much I liked the new one compared to the old and how I was sure it wasn't her wanting it to look like a granny house. She said something like, "Well, it kind of was." She's into antiques and that style.

There's a nice balance now, though. When they shoot the little "den" area, you still see some antiquey looking pieces. I like it. It's almost... bipolar. Kinda like Anne? ;-)

UPDATE: The FN Dish just posted a new new pic of Anne's set, as she's back in the studio shooting new episodes. Looks like there are more changes. The pink walls are all gone.



Did Anne get to keep even one antique?

"Put THIS on your biscuit" -- Paula Deen

Poor Aida. You gotta watch out when it comes to butter!

Food Network's Got a Pretty Respectable YouTube Page... Finally!

Short, easy-to-digest Food Network vids seem like they'd be a natural on YouTube. People wanna eat. People wanna look at funny videos on YouTube. People wanna see what to eat while at work, away from the TV, while watching funny videos on YouTube.

But it was only in the last few months that the cable channel really started populating its YouTube page with good content. Even more recently, the page started allowing users to embed the videos (Deep breath, Scripps! Trust the bloggers. It's gonna be okay!)

You get this little Anne Burrell gem that kinda looks like one of her screen tests.


You get Alton Brown showing us how to truss a turkey:



You even get my girl Sunny Anderson giving us a quick tip on holiday cookies:




That's not to say everyone is loving Food Network's YouTube page. Apparently, the videos are only viewable here in the U.S., which has riled up our neighbors to the north and around the world:

"Why cant this channel be accessed from England? :( I love watching Ace of Cakes but its only on late at night in the UK, I always miss it!The Food Network website does not load up fully so I can't watch the videos on there either!"

"This is ridiculous that it's not allowed in Canada, umm that makes sense... "

"Can't watch the videos either... what's the use of having a YouTube acct. that will limit the viewers to USA only??"

"hi why wont it let me watch the videos? im in canada and i get the food network here. whats the problem then?"

I'm not entirely sure of the answer to their question, but I have a feeling it has something to do with the ad sales agreement YouTube has with Scripps and Food Network. Could be wrong, though.

Macy's Party at NYC Wine and Food Fest

After the Duff Goldman-hosted dessert party SWEET (which I'll blog about later; I'm going in a roundabout order), I headed upstairs to the Macy's Culinary Council Star Party at The XChange.


But on the way to the elevator I saw Tyler Florence, who was getting mobbed by women (and some men) asking for pictures. He must have recognized me from our interview earlier this year, 'cause he actually stopped taking pictures to give me a hug! So crazy! Tyler is so nice to his fans.

The party was on the top floor of the building and right as I hopped on the elevator, Anne Burrell jumped in at the last minute. I think she mentioned something about waking up late that morning and barely making it to the CBS Early Show.

As we walked in, I told Anne how much I liked her show and was glad that it got picked up for more episodes. She thanked me for the "A+" review and even snapped a pic with me!

Food by some amazing chefs was being passed around, but I was too excited to eat (and pretty stuffed from all the desserts I had just eaten downstairs).

After briefly chatting with her downstairs, I got to talk (and dance and drink) with the one, the only, Susie Fogelson.






Giada De Laurentiis was there with her husband Todd. This was my first time speaking to Giada in person. She and Todd were both very nice and complimented me on the blog--Todd even brought up that "Birthday Idea for Giada" post. We talked about her new show and how the baby was doing (she was back home in L.A. with her family) and how it had been going back and forth.

I've seen her in person at a book signing before, but this was my first time up close. It's true, she is tiny! But very nice, people. I didn't get any "Princess Proscuitto" vibe at all. She certainly didn't have to talk to me for as long as she did; a million other folks were clamoring for her attention that night.

But the highlight of the night had to be dancing with some of the great people who work at Food Network (Carrie, Lisa, Lauren, Jannie and Susie) and help make events like these so much fun... and help a blogger out with content and pics all year long!

Even Iron Chef Bobby Flay got into the dancing spirit, although it looks like he lost a little interest halfway through. Watch for Bruce Seidel and Susie Fogelson, too.


P.S.- I didn't take this vid and can't be held responsible for bad dancing choices. ;-)

MSN has lots more pics from the event.

[Photos via WireImage]

Anne Burrell's "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" Season 2

Praise the heavens!

Season two of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef premieres on Saturday, October 11 at 10:30am ET. Note new time!


Upcoming episodes include:

Saturday, October 11th at 10:30am ET/PT – SEASON PREMIERE!
The Secret to Steak

Learn to make steakhouse favorites at home with Anne's recipes and insider tips starting with a juicy and flavorful Dry-Rubbed Rib Eye. She then offers delicious side dishes like Pommes Chef Anne, an impressive yet simple potato side, and Sautéed Broccoli Rabe, a fresh alternative to creamed spinach.

Saturday, October 18th at 10:30am ET/PT
The Secret to Braised Chicken

Anne's delicious Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Almonds accompanied by Sautéed Haricots Verts offers a unique twist on the everyday chicken recipe. Then, Anne enriches chocolate sauce with a special Spanish technique, before whipping up a simple French dessert: chocolate-covered Profiteroles.

Saturday, October 25th at 10:30am ET/PT
The Secret to Whole Fish

Moving beyond the everyday fish fillet, Anne enhances flavor and moisture in her simple Whole Roasted Fish with Herbs and serves it alongside Fregula with Braised Butternut Squash and Tomatoes. Lastly, her Bananas Flambé offer a sizzling sweet dessert treat.

Saturday, November 1st at 10:30am ET/PT
The Secret to Spaghetti and Meatballs

Anne features her signature, go-to recipe for homemade Marinara Sauce to serve over pasta topped with her Excellent Meatballs. Then, she rounds out the meal with tasty Baked Clams Oreganata – bon appétit!

Saturday, November 8th at 10:30am ET/PT
The Secret to Short Ribs

Meaty, fall-off-the bone short ribs fare well at restaurants, and Anne's simple Braised Short Ribs will impress any crowd. She elevates the dish with creamy Celery Root and Potato Puree as well as fresh Roasted Acorn Squash and Portobello Mushroom Salad with Radicchio, Apples and Pumpkin Seeds.

Anne Burrell Gets Salty

I think the majority of you are liking Anne Burrell's new show on Food Network, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.

She's got a fun personality, is an expert chef, and really takes her time going through the steps necessary to make a great restaurant-quality meal at home.

But some things bothered a few of you: 1) The Grover-like voice she occasionally takes on, usually when referring to how "brown food tastes good"; 2) Her "hula dance" movements; 3) Her "flailing" arms.

I don't really have a problem with any of those things. I think that's just how she is, and it's nice she's not trying to tone things down or act like she "should" act while hosting a cooking show.

The other thing that horrified a few of you was her salt content. Anne Burrell uses a lot of salt (and no pepper, if you've noticed) for her "aggressively seasoned" food.

Anne told Reuters about her love of NaCl:
"I think people will be surprised with the level of seasonings I use. I'm committed to seasoning my food well and that's what happens in a restaurant. Also there are things like browning food and using high heat. At a restaurant, it's the secret of using flavors. These are the secrets that I'm trying to let people know."

And what's a big mistake we home cooks are making?
"Not tasting your food. It's such a simple thing, but people follow a recipe and they don't taste food as they go. If it doesn't taste good, you can adjust along the way. But you need to taste every step of the way. In the restaurant, we taste all day long, every day."

*************************

Good advice, Anne! Yay... it's Friday!

Anne Burrell's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef: An excellent first episode

I was so impressed with this morning's premiere of Anne Burrell's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef that I had to post about it right away.

As you know, Anne has served as Mario Batali's sous chef on Iron Chef America and is a renowned chef in her own right, so it's a fair guess that she's very comfortable in the kitchen. And while the experience on ICA surely helped Anne learn some of the TV ropes, I wouldn't say it instills the skills one needs to host her own cooking show.

So that was the test this morning.


Luckily, Anne's comfort in the kitchen was immediately apparent from the very beginning of this morning's premiere episode. She spoke enthusiastically and with ease, her somewhat over-the-top sayings ("Supastar!") and gestures never coming across as wooden or forced, but truly genuine and endearing. It really felt like Anne would refer to beef as a "supastar" in her restaurant kitchen... and wouldn't care if someone gave her an odd look in the process.

(A note on the set above: Anne has a lively, striking personality. There seems to be a disparity between Anne--with her spiky blonde locks and vibrant gestures--and her somewhat Granny-esque set, complete with old-fashioned lampshades and odd framed paintings. Was this the idea? If so, I don't get it.)

The choice to focus on bolognese--a sauce that Anne admittedly notes requires lots of steps, time and patience to achieve perfection--was smart. She explained each step and its importance, while keeping true to Food Network's mantra of "you can do this!"

Plus, Anne even came up with a new phrase to describe those awesome brown bits that stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking a sauce like this: beautiful brown crud!


One of the reasons I so quickly responded to this show was that I truly wanted to make this sauce after watching Anne prepare it. That should be the goal of every dish that every Food Network host prepares!!! But it doesn't always come across that way.

I often feel like so many dishes are thrown at us with a "this might be good to make, or you could make it this way... or try it with this instead" kind of attitude that it ends up seeming like the host is just completely ambivalent as to what s/he's preparing. That was definitely not the case with Anne and her bolognese.

The fact that cooking the sauce for 4+ hours (a bit of a no-no in today's superfast Food Network world) didn't even phase me is a testament to just how successful Anne was in pulling off this important, opinion-forming premiere episode. It was definitely a bold choice, and one that I applaud Anne (and her producers) for choosing.


I'm sure the foodie-focused crew will appreciate Anne's culinary skill and knowledge, while the entertainment-liking peeps (the category I fit into more often) will be seriously engaged and want to continue watching.


An expert restaurant chef, Anne's attention to detail in taste as well as presentation were fresh and actually informative. Those little things we look forward to in restaurants (the extra sprinkling of cheese or last second drizzle of olive oil) are the same things we often forget when cooking at home. I was impressed by these simple and very effective touches.

After watching today's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef I seriously want to spend four hours tonight making what I just saw. And even if I'm not as successful as Anne, I'm confident I'll still feel like a... supastar.

Someone pass me the peroxide. I'm off to bleach my hair. I'm a Burrell groupie!

*******************************************

So did you watch, yet? Am I right or completely off base?

Anne Burrell Chats with Village Voice

Anne Burrell's new Food Network show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef premieres this Sunday, June 29 at 9:30am ET.

But this Iron Chef America sous for Mario Batali and Executive Chef at New York's Centro Vinoteca would probably not even see her first episode... if it weren't for TiVo.


"Most people who work nights aren’t up at that time. If it weren’t for Tivo I’d probably miss my own premiere," Anne tells the Village Voice.

I know a lot of people who are looking forward to this show. I'm hoping Anne is able to bring the cooking know-how (which we know she has) along with the personality one needs to host a good show.

And the show's concept is pretty cool.

"Every show is based around a menu. The show starts with me preparing the menu at Centro and then moves to the home kitchen, where I break it down and teach people the technique. It’s about how to successfully cook those restaurant dishes at home."

Anne will certainly raise the culinary level of Food Network's daytime programming if she sticks around beyond her six episode trial season. Here's the test to see if a "real" chef can get higher ratings than the home cooks of the network.

You excited about Anne's show?