'The Next Food Network Star,' Episode 6 Recap: Brownies, Not the Edible Kind
If the remaining five contestants had never babysat, or were the types to ignore the brats and run away with the pizza money, it was clear this episode. Five delightfully cute Girl Scout Brownies (that means ages six to eight) arrived to moonlight as sous chefs. Some stole the stage and should really teach the remaining crew a thing or two about camera charisma—the pigtails helped—while others were ignored and silent. Like Shane's pipsqueak partner, who was basically shoved aside as he made chicken.
The Challenge: Who Has the Cutest Brownie Sous Chef?
Not really, but that was a major factor in achieving camera friendliness. Contestants had to perform a cooking demo on the Rachael Ray show alongside an eight-year old. If you had any strategy you knew to snag the one with the cutest, chubbiest cheeks. Cheek squeezability, such a key to any food media success. How perfect for Aaron, repeatedly criticized for lacking "personality," since he got the snuggliest of eight-year olds. Judges agreed that she, er he, gave his most "un-self-conscious performance yet." Can you fit her into your pocket for next time, Aaron?
How Could You Not Buy 18 Boxes of Thin Mints from that Face?
Not only worthy of cheek-pinching, these brownies tapped into characters' souls in ways chopping and caramelizing just can't. Lisa, for example, isn't the most patient of moms if her kid doesn't know squat about haricot verts. Wait, Lisa is actually a mom? With an eleven-year old? Never radiating the mom vibes before, she slipped in a reference to her son, who apparently has a far more "sophisticated palette" than this little one. Ugh, what eight-year old hasn't cooked with haricot verts, geez!
Adam lucked out this episode since he's not much different from an eight-year old. While he was totally in his element, Shane was not. Either he got stuck with the difficult one or he's just sucky with kids, Shane experienced his share of pouting and arms-crossed body language.
"An 8-Year Old Is Not Going to Win or Lose this Competition For Me"
So Who Can Make Eight-Year Olds and Rachael Ray Giggle?
They've had a couple Iron Chef alums and next week it's Paula Deen (ooh, fried butter!) so the Yum-O face was only a matter of time.
Similar to Rachael, Kelsey's favorite sport might be mmm-ing, but the two didn't hit it off. Assigning Rachael tasks and shoving tongs in her face, Kelsey put Rachael to work and it was just weird. "This feels uncomfortable," pointed out judges. Bobby Flay complimented Kelsey for her exuding a big sis attitude with her brownie, but with Rachael, it was just at-ti-tude.
OK, Rach, Get to Work
Lisa insists that food should not be "dummied down" for kids, but made her brownie feel like a dummy for not knowing couscous. By the end of it, Lisa was the dummy for going silent next to Rachael, totally empty-faced as if leaving Earth altogether. "Where did she go," judges asked. The moral of the story here? Kelsey, Lisa, and maybe just girls in general, get awkward or rude around Rachael Ray.
Lisa Will Probably Cry After this Performance (Yes, Yes She Does)
Who's Safe
Contestants find out that a Vegas trip comes with this week's win. Who gets to see showgirls?
Aaron because he "let the gates open," said judges. Meaning, he got the cutest eight-year old. Adam, because he apparently doesn't know much about food but babysat well on screen.
Who's Eliminated
Lisa is also safe because she "steamrolled" her little partner and didn't offer enough "whimsy," but then cried, so everything was fine. Kelsey squeaked by again because they probably needed a good female-to-male ratio.
Shane, even if his dish did inspire positive feedback from judges, wasn't good enough with his pipsqueak Francesca. He's also never been to France, and according to judges, that's just embarrassing.
Shane Is One Parisian Croissant Short of Stardom
Previously
NFNS, Episode 5 Recap
NFNS, Episode 4 Recap
NFNS, Episode 3 Recap
NFNS, Episode 2 Recap
The Next Food Network Star's Lisa Garza: Love Her or Hate Her?
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11 Comments:
Am I the only one who never, ever wants to see any of these people get their own show? I haven't even watched more than 5 min of NFNS and I've had enough of them. As if Food TV needs anymore fluff shows... they've got plenty already that have bullied most of the really GOOD chefs off the air (or at least off the prime tv spots) and if I see one more super-perky Rachel Ray or Sandra Lee wannabe, I think I'll cry.
erichan726 at 10:52AM on 07/07/08
Fun contrast: watch the original segment with Lisa compared to what aired. I struggled to see where they FOUND all those silent moments...
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/lisa-garza/
pookywookyster at 1:42PM on 07/07/08
Rachael Ray talked (or yelled) over them, bullied them, was sarcastic and pushy. She gushed over the kids and didn't give them a chance to react with the contestant - with the exception of Aaron. I'm not sure if he intimidated her, or she liked him enough to forego sabotage. The whole thing made me dislike her even more, and I didn't know that was possible.. What a jealous, steamroller, harpy.
PerkyMac at 2:07PM on 07/07/08
DO THE JUDGES ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR? NOT BASED UPON THIS EPISODE, THEY SAY ONE THING AND DO ANOTHER...WAS THE TASK TO LOOK GOOD WITH A BROWNIE OR TO PRESENT WELL ON THE SHOW? I THINK SHANE PRESENTED WELL, BUT OBVIOUSLY HAD NO INTEREST IN WORKING WITH THE LITTLE ONE. (WHO WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED, EBEN BEFORE SHANE LOST HER). THE OPINIONS GIVEN BY THE JUDGES WEEK TO WEEK ARE NOT CONSISTENT AND APPEAR TO IMPLY THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THEY WANT, I.E. AARON IS STILL THERE DESPITE HIS COMPLETE LACK OF PERSONALITY ON AIR. I WILL NOT WATCH THIS NEXT TIME...JUDGING BY THE POOR FEEDBACK FROM THE JUDGES, THE FOOD NETWORK AS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED AND NOT FOR THE BETTER.
pksmash at 2:11PM on 07/07/08
palate or palette?
acidspit at 3:03PM on 07/07/08
This is the worst selection of chefs I have seen on NFNS and I have no interest in watching an entire show of any one of them. Every competition they win is because they are the least terrible. I received Bon Appetit in the mail yesterday - Kelsey & Shane's recipe was tucked away with a very small picture - it was apparant the magazine did not even want to publish it.
vmh1978 at 3:05PM on 07/07/08
I liked this part of the competition better when they did it on Top Chef this season.
Jim Glover at 3:28PM on 07/07/08
"Every competition they win is because they are the least terrible."
That's because the competitions are meant to be impossible. Last week they wanted the contestants to reimagine a turducken in 45 minutes, then Susie Collagen got all mad when they didn't make it the traditional way, saying they 'copped out' even though it's physically impossible to make a turducken in 45 minutes.
Buckethead at 4:09PM on 07/07/08
The show should be called "Cooking for Dummies".
Aaron, Kelsey, Lisa, Adam, who cares?
I would not watch any of these idiots cook.
What was up with that weird techno music during Lisa's turn??
Let me guess Lisa is going to cry next week too...
This has to be one of the most over produced shows on TV.
Bobby Flawed is taking a real hit to his reputation by signing on for this loser show.....snark...
nhh2727 at 6:23PM on 07/07/08
Wow, Aaron can cook a cheeseburger pizza! Let's make him the next food network star! Come on. I don't want to watch someone who can cook a mean cheeseburger pizza. I can do that.
I really don't like the way they treat the contestants, I don't like the way they talk to them, and if these people are as horrible as they say (doesn't know their food?), then why are they on this show? Was this really the best they could come up with? I think their casting needs more work than some of the contestants who they contstantly put down and force to beg.
inspired bites at 7:13PM on 07/07/08
"Fun contrast: watch the original segment with Lisa compared to what aired. I struggled to see where they FOUND all those silent moments..."
Wow! Lisa got jacked in the editing room...and would someone pleeaase put RR back on her meds
pcbaga at 1:04PM on 07/08/08