by Ian Jackman
Aarti planned her White Gazpacho, but there were no cucumbers. A tomato gazpacho would lack the surprise element. She stared at the produce table . . . Meanwhile, Tom reported to Alton, that’s not extra-virgin olive oil; it’s sherry vinegar.
Aria was a little more vague—is that cilantro in there? Alton asked of a pan of Herb’s. Alton had to come over to check for himself.
Aarti seemed to be in outer space as she figured out what to do with her Gazpacho. “Adapt or die!” said Alton. Could she cook quickly enough?
“She’s not going to finish,” said Bobby.
Aarti’s other dishes were Stuffed Shrimp and Prawn Garam Masala. Tom asked her what garam masala was—it means “hot masala,” masala being a mix of spice and vegetables—then reported in. Herb made Enchiladas de Camarones with Brown Rice, a shrimp soup he’d never made before, and Mousse-Stuffed Colossal Shrimp. Herb was all action, loving every minute; Aarti was more serene. Alton prompted Aria for her reports. “Aria, where does paprika come from?”
Tom answered: It’s dried ground pepper.
COCONUT TOMATO GAZPACHO
with Coriander-and-Mint-Pickled Shrimp
Recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (7 cups) • Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cook Time: 5 minutes • Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour • Ease of Preparation: easy
FOR THE SHRIMP
2 cups sherry vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ pound shelled colossal shrimp, tails intact (6 pieces)
5 sprigs fresh mint
5 sprigs fresh cilantro
FOR THE GAZPACHO
5 large vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 large vine-ripened tomato, whole
1 small red onion, chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup coconut milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1. FOR THE SHRIMP: In a large saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and crushed pepper to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, mint, and cilantro, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain the shrimp and set aside.
2. FOR THE GAZPACHO: Combine the chopped tomatoes, red onion, ginger, and coconut milk in a blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Core the whole tomato and add to the mixture. Pulse five times, or until the tomato is coarsely chopped. Transfer the soup to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Serve the soup in small chilled bowls with a shrimp on top. Garnish with the cilantro.
In tasting, Michael Symon liked Herb’s enchilada a lot. “It’s soulful,” he said. Chef Morimoto and Cat Cora liked Herb’s energy. His soup had great, complex flavors, but there was something gritty in there. His stuffed shrimp was tough.
Everyone loved Aarti’s gazpacho. The coconut milk had made Cat nervous, but it worked. Bobby wanted twelve of her giant shrimp. “Outrageously delicious,” said Chef Symon. When he ate the prawns, Bobby said, “I’d like to open an Indian restaurant with you tomorrow.”
“Can I put some in on that?” said Chef Cora. “Damn, girl!”
“I think this is the third season I’ve done Next Food Network Star, and this is the best food I’ve had in those three years,” said Michael Symon.
“Aarti blew it out of the water. I loved every single thing she made. I was very impressed. It was restaurant quality and I didn’t expect that from anyone at that stage. She knows she can pull it off in the time limit and she’s not trying something she’s never tried before and gone off into left field. She pulled it off beautifully.”
—Cat Cora
Finally, Aarti had decided to use coconut milk in her gazpacho, something she’d never tried.
“Every summer I make a white gazpacho with cucumber, mint, and yogurt, because in all honesty, I’m not a big fan of traditional gazpacho. Actually, that day in the kitchen stadium was the very first time I’d made a tomato gazpacho in my life! I think coconut milk is a godsend. It’s luscious, silky, and creamy, and since I have issues with lactose, it’s a great substitute for cream.”
—Aarti Sequeira
Battle Bacon
Aria and Tom staged Battle Bacon. “I want to give these guys a meal they will never forget,” said Tom. “We’re doing breakfast” said Aria, zeroing in on her “Family-Style” POV.
“Every challenge had its level of intimidation! The Iron Chef Challenge was intimidating because I really look up to those chefs, especially Michael Symon. I just wanted to serve them really good food and I tried my hardest to put out really delicious food in the time that was given. Food is totally subjective. You never know who is going to love it and who is going to hate it!”
—Aria Kagan
Aria worked on French Toast Tacos, a Cheddar Cheese Omelet with Roasted Potatoes and Bacon, and Waldorf Salad with Fennel. Aarti was less comfortable commentating than Herb was. “I think that’s sliced smoked bacon,” she said, and Alton said, “Tell me what you know.”
Tom got creative and asked himself, “Can I make a crab cake out of pure bacon?” Dish Number One: Bacon Cake. Then a Bacon Steak, and finally an over-the-top Savory French Toast. How would it stand out? Chorizo and clams. It was Iron Chef. “If anyone’s going to appreciate clams on French Toast, it’s these people,” said Tom.
“Is he off his rocker, or is he really genius? We’ll see,” said Cat Cora.
Meanwhile, Aria struggled to plate. Her family-style food was good but lacked what Cat called “Iron Chef finesse.” And as Michael Symon said, “You didn’t make bacon the star.”
Big Chef Tom’s Bacon Cake was very dense but different and interesting. He hadn’t tried his Bacon Steak; it was so leathery and tough that no one could cut into it. Chef Symon said that he respected people who go for it, but Susie said the Bacon Steak was a big mistake. And Tom’s French toast was an oily mess.
“Did you hear the sound of my knife going ‘eek eek’? That was the funniest.”
—Susie Fogelson
“The bacon steak works, I just didn’t execute it properly. All of those dishes have since worked out (yes, even French toast and clams!). I just got caught up in the time limit and also the difficulty. I mean, we had to make bacon the star of the plate, the other group got shrimp! Come on, who had the more difficult challenge?”
—Tom Pizzica
“Tom rolled the dice. Sometimes you have to. But you also have to accept that craps is always an option. As a tactic that kind of gamble can pay big, but it’s a two-edged sword.”
—Alton Brown
Aarti was up first in evaluation. The Iron Chefs loved her dishes. But Susie said her commentating was tentative. “I felt it was a weak attempt,” said Susie. Herb’s personality popped, but his food was inconsistent. Aria was so focused on her Point of View that she missed the challenge; she had enthusiasm but not expertise in commentating. Tom’s commentary was terrific, but Bobby said his food was three swings and misses; the spirit was great, but not the result.
“I lied when I said it [the bacon steak] was the worst thing I have ever eaten, because it was inedible. You actually could not eat it.”
—Bob Tuschman
“I loved Tom’s creativity but you can’t take a big chunk of bacon and grill it and have it be tender. That’s never going to happen. Unless you are going to braise it like you would pork belly and that’s what pork belly is—basically braised bacon. I knew when he brought it to table it wouldn’t be tender. We’ve all made those kinds of mistakes when we were learning. You just don’t do it on television and you don’t serve it to Iron Chefs. That’s something to do at home and practice on people who love you unconditionally.”
—Cat Cora
The winners of the head-to-heads were Aarti and, because of his commentary, Tom. The judges said that Aria had a radiance and ease in front of the camera but her food hadn’t evolved. Herb was unpredictable, Susie said. But he had a Point of View, confidence, energy, drive . . . He was moving on, and Aria would be leaving.
Michael Symon: A Q&A
You gave Tom a lot of credit for being bold . . .
At the end of the day they have to make food that tastes good. But in a challenge like that, even though Tom may have missed on some things it was impressive that all the cards are on the table and he’s taking big risks where a lot of people get in a shell and would rather not take a chance. He swung for the fences and that said a lot about his personality.
The bacon cake was his best dish?
The bacon cake was good, it wasn’t great. Aria’s food tasted better but she could have taken much bigger chances. I’ve been doing Food Network on and off since 1998 and the one thing I’ve learned is that to be successful you can’t be guarded. So I wasn’t judging exactly on how the food tasted because they can tweak the recipes. We wanted to see who was willing to take a chance, who was willing to let their guard down. You need to get out of your comfort zone and you need to be comfortable doing it.
Iron Chefs have such high standards that you are going to be the toughest judges.
That’s very fair. On Iron Chef you’re not getting judged on personality, on flair, on talking to the camera. You’re judged on food. Period. On Star, yes we’re judging these people on food but there’s a lot more that goes into being a Food Network personality than just being able to cook. The best cooks on Food Network are without a doubt the Iron Chefs but that doesn’t mean we are the best hosts.
Can you forget when the camera is on?
I think I’m at my best when it doesn’t matter if the camera is there or not. When you’re in that groove the camera is not there anymore. You need to play to the camera so you really know it’s there but when you’re very conscious of it, it doesn’t feel natural. On Iron Chef I couldn’t tell you where one camera is in that whole stadium unless I trip over a cord. I’m very aware of Alton and his dialogue throughout and giving times but not the cameras. By the way, I don’t know that I’ve met a person on Food Network who’s better at what he does than Alton.
Finale: Rachael Ray Directs!
In the final Star Challenge, Aarti, Herb, and Tom had an expert to direct their last pilot: Rachael Ray. The pieces would be shown to the Selection Committee and a focus group of Food Network viewers. Rachael conceptualized the pilots: Aarti injecting Indian flavors into American food; Herb emphasizing the flavor; Tom getting Big in the kitchen.
Herb was frazzled until he taped pictures of his family onto the camera. Then he didn’t even see a camera. “When he smiles, I mean forgetaboutit,” Rachael said. “You just want to watch him.”
As Aarti demo’ed her Indian Pizza, everything ran too fast for her at first. But then she gathered herself and presented excellently.
Aarti was so comfortable on camera, Rachael said.
Tom had brought Rambling Man out of retirement. “All I can think is Susie in my head going, ‘Tom, shut up.’”
“Calm down,” said Rachael. “Relax.” And Tom got on a roll and cooked his Roast Chicken.
After the focus group watched the pilots, Aarti, Herb, and Tom stood in front of the new Food Network Wall of Fame and the committee.
Herb had developed into a seasoned pro, and the focus group loved him. Susie said, “You are a star.” Bob told Aarti that she had natural star power, and the Big Chef that he had big heart, big humor, big personality. You make cooking fun. “Whatever ‘Big Chef’ means, I’m buying it,” said Susie.
In deliberations, Bob said Herb might have the most star potential, Susie that Aarti had it going on from the get-go. Bobby said that Tom took more risks than anyone else.
With network president Brooke Johnson on hand, Bobby revealed the Next Food Network Star: Aarti.
“It doesn’t matter where you are . . . just hold on, just keep going, because something huge could happen.”
—Aarti Sequeira
SEASON SIX ELIMINATIONS
EPISODE ONE (DOUBLE)
“Welcome to Los Angeles”
First Elimination ∗ ALEXIS HERNANDEZ: “You have to be yourself. If you are quiet, then be quiet. If you are loud, then be loud. If you are opinionated, then be opinionated. . . . What was difficult for me was displaying and reminding the Selection Committee the reason they selected me to be a finalist on the show, in a compelling manner.”
EPISODE TWO
“Sweet to Savory Carnival”
Second Elimination ∗ DOREEN FANG: “I actually had a Point of View coming into the show, but I think the judges were looking for something different, so I had to change it, so it seemed like I didn’t have a Point of View. . . . Just let your personality shine. Because that’s why they picked you in the first place.”
EPISODE THREE
“Grammy Award Celebration”
Third Elimination ∗ DZINTRA DZENIS: “I have many layers, so it would take more camera time, with different types of circumstances, for my personality to truly come across. I still am so thankful for the many fans who keep telling me how I was ‘definitely memorable,’ ‘with an eclectic and zany cooking style,’ and ‘oh so funny.’ Hopefully, I’ll have other opportunities to get folks fired up about cooking à la Dzintra.”
EPISODE FOUR
“Spicy Competition”
Fourth Elimination ∗ DARRELL “DAS” SMITH: “It was really hard to get my energy/personality to come across on camera because that first episode when I didn’t do so well, I was an emotional mess. . . . I always felt like I had to catch up. No more mistakes, so I put a lot of pressure on myself.”
EPISODE FIVE
“Lunch Trucks with Paula”
Fifth Elimination ∗ PAUL YOUNG: “At first it didn’t seem so tough to come up with a Point of View for the show. However, when the judges don’t seem to respond to your idea, then it seems impossible to come up with a new one! Make sure you’re doing your thing from the start. Be authentic and genuine. The minute you’re not, they see right through you and you lose their interest.”
EPISODE SIX
“Retro Palm Springs”
Sixth Elimination ∗ BRIANNA JENKINS: “I was surprised to be voted off. I felt I had the potential to go further and get better on camera because, let’s face it, my food had already won. I just needed time to master the camera, but time is not something you have in a competition like this.”
EPISODE SEVEN
“Secret Supper Club”
Seventh Elimination ∗ SERENA PALUMBO: “Life is about balance. I have a desk job that I love because it allows me to use the discipline and organization I’ve pursued all my life. Being a great chef is about execution but also inspiration, which can come from many places. The more I exercise my disciplined self, the more my creativity increases. After a full weekend testing a recipe, I might have the epiphany on how to improve it while I’m at work, drafting some complicated finance contract!”
EPISODE EIGHT
“Cooking for Eva”
Eighth Elimination ∗ BRAD SORENSON: “I felt like at that point I was one of the stronger competitors and may have had a shot to win the whole thing. Seeing how hard it was for the judges to send me home did give me the sense that I had made an impact on them. That was a consolation. But I was disappointed I didn’t get an opportunity to continue and try to win the whole thing.”
EPISODE NINE
“Iron Chef Battle”
Ninth Elimination ∗ ARIA KAGAN: “I just walked out in front of the camera during the first challenge and told myself to just relax and be me. As the time went on and the judges critiqued my performance, I became really uncomfortable and so much more aware of how I was standing and what I was saying. I never really got my groove back.”
EPISODE TEN
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��Rachael Ray Directs”
Runners-up ∗ HERB MESA: “Making it to the end of Next Food Network Star was the best thing to ever happen to me. I haven’t stopped, I’m all over the place. I’m doing charity events, guest judging at food competitions, corporate team building. I’ve even done an event with Dr. Oz. I know God has always had big plans for me. Now I’m ready.”
∗ TOM PIZZICA: “I set out to be a TV personality and that’s exactly what I became. I didn’t necessarily go into it thinking I was going to win. I went in just hoping to do enough to get recognized for my talents and that’s what happened. Without the show, however, I would never have honed the skills necessary to make it on TV. It was TV boot camp and that’s how I looked at it the whole time.” Tom’s show Outrageous Food previewed on Food Network on November 5, 2010.
Aarti Sequeira: A Q&A
Why did you enter the competition?
A lot of people told me to. I really didn’t think I stood a chance. I thought I might get on the show but I thought what the heck am I going to do then? I knew I wanted to be a cooking show host and Food Network is the best place to do it. I had to try. I really didn’t expect to be selected the first time I tried.