Less to say on this week’s episode because their decision was pretty defensible. They sent home the one contestant who went 0-2 in this week’s challenge.
One thing I don’t quite get about their criticisms of Kelsey was the bit about her mentioning culinary school. It is more or less the sum total of her culinary experience. If she’d worked at Le Cirque, she’d probably mention it often; would they ding her for that in the same way?
I loved the way Aaron’s pork dish looked and want to try to reconstruct that honey-chipotle glaze. I tend to eschew honey in cooking because its sweetness is overpowering, but with spice and smoke it might be tamed.
And I still can not imagine watching a half hour of Lisa. I feel like they’re toying with her – there’s no chance they’d give her a show. I hope.
They’re clearly toying with both Lisa and Adam. At least Lisa can cook, however impossible she is to watch, so if she managed to win somehow they could possibly find a format that works for her, a co-host or whatnot. Adam, though, how can they possibly expect the viewer to be taught by a man who can’t cook eggs or chicken through? As basic, simple and boring as the content already is on FN, even the viewers who clamor for more Sandra Lee won’t watch a host who cannot cook at all, and Adam cannot cook at all.
I honestly don’t think I could watch any of the final three on a show. Aaron has poor on-camera skills, Adam is the worst cook, and Lisa couldn’t fill a half hour show. It’s sad to say but Adam might win it just because he’s the best on camera. Aaron deserves to win it because he’s the best cook and he can be taught the on-camera skills.
I was thinking the same thing about Lisa, but then I had a thought. How about a show with a cooking villain? The chef you love to hate? Think about it, I think it has potential…
They have that show already and its star is Rachael Ray.
What is it specifically about Lisa’s personality that everyone hates so much? If it’s the frenzy she shows in the kitchen, I think that has more to do with the time restrictions of the challenges. I think she’s probably the best cook of the final three, and certainly the most capable of articulating to the camera.
That’s the reason I can’t believe Aaron is still around. Until this last episode, I thought Lisa had it, but now I think Aaron will win — the judges ignore his flaws too much to think otherwise. Aaron seems like he can really cook, but he’s totally uncomfortable in front of the camera, his speaking voice is terrible, and his knowledge of food appears to be lacking. Crooked-faced Bob dinged Kelsey and Shane about their lack of experience — simply because they were young and only had school to fall back on — but what about Aaron? What experience does he have? The man didn’t know what chipotle was, and I can guarantee most of the viewers watching did.
The problem with Lisa isn’t the time restrictions, it’s that she has poor camera presence and can be combative with the judges and other contestants. Didn’t her performance with Rachael Ray last week cement her lack of camera charisma? The cooking is obviously important, but this is a TV show we’re talking about here.
As it’s been pointed out, what they showed on this show did not reflect Lisa’s performance with Rachael Ray. They completely exaggerated that “shutdown.”
Combative with the other contestants? Like saving Aaron’s butt by reminding him about the chicken parm? What would have happened if Aaron didn’t finish it in time?
I don’t recall her tangling with the judges much — for the most part, they speak and she cries. Seems like the opposite of a ball-buster, to be honest with you.
I’m not saying Lisa is spectacular or that it’s “wrong” if people don’t like her — I just don’t understand why it seems that people have a particular and profound DISlike for her. She just doesn’t seem like such a bad person or cook to me. I’m just trying to see what others are seeing.
Aaron may never be up to doing a live show, but once he can work with some writers and capture his on-camera style, he’ll be just fine.
Or maybe we could just get Aaron to do the cooking and let Adam jaw about it.
I find her extremely unlikable. The “robot” moniker one of the judges used seemed apt. She has zero charisma, or perhaps negative charisma (like when she refused to answer a simple question from Kelsey).
She may be a perfectly nice person in real life, but her on-camera persona is inert. The weird hair/makeup don’t help.
Incidentally, I don’t think Aaron’s ignorance of how chipotles are made is that big of a crisis. It’s most important to know how the ingredient works in dishes.
On a side note about the honey glaze, when I use honey as a primary ingredient during grilling I tend to get a tacky, good tasting but not so good texture, is there a key that I’m missing here?
I can’t believe Adam is still on the show. They have completely destroyed his credibility as a cook by countlessly pointing out that he was lucky to have finally cooked a meal that wasn’t raw. The only thing I can think of is that they will have him do a food show that doesn’t involve cooking.
Keith – On an unrelated subject…after watching the Home Run Derby last night, I was curious as to what was your take on Josh Hamilton before this season and has all the media “hoopla” changed your view?
Couldn’t agree more, Keith. Kelsey had to go this week, and I also can not imagine watching Lisa for a half hour. Absolutely no chance she wins.
To Jeff: it is very likely that Adam will win this competition yet not be featured in an actual cooking show. He reminds me quite a bit of the guy who used to do “Ham on the Streets”. Whatever happened to that show? He always featured pretty bizarre stuff.
I wonder how Lisa avoids cutting her finger while cooking that frantically… I think Aaron will win all the way.
If Adam wins the competition he’ll be given an “Unwrapped” type of show — one that showcases his personality as opposed to cooking skills.
Aaron & Lisa just don’t seem comfortable in front of the camera. However, food network showed a few of the current stars’ (Flay, Ray & Batali) first on-air performances & they were all bad (especially Batali’s — & none of them were learning n a constant competition format) So maybe (hopefully) they go with one of them & hope they grow more comfortable in front of the camera.
To back up what Steve Jeltz is saying, I saw Batali attempt to make pasta on “Molto Mario” and he looked and sounded like an amateur.
I was instructing him from my couch and felt very uncomfortable for the poor oaf. Aaron will be fine after a few shows. Big problem is what type of show does he do? He doesn’t have that outgoing Fieri personality that handles a non-cooking show. He might be able to handle a “Cooking for Men” show that is more instructional than high end. Adam would do an “Unwrapped” type of show and Lisa will be slotted among the hundred of vacuous women they have midday.
I’m routing for Aaron if only because he seems to me the most “real.”
They’ve just started another “Unwrapped” type show called “How’d That Get On My Plate?” so I don’t think they would be grooming Adam for a third (fourth? fifth?) version of that kind of show.
Although with Food Network, one never knows.
Since they’re already casting (and maybe even shooting for all I know) the next season of TNFNS, they obviously don’t think too highly of any of the previous winners.
Apparently the industry buzz is that they’re very happy with this season’s winner.
Any predictions on who gets eliminated tonight? I say Lisa not because she reminds me of French Stewart with the squinting, I just think it will come down to Aaron and Adam in the finals.
Rumor has it:
Adam has hired Sponge Bob who has spent the last week preparing Adam for the final showdown. Lisa, has had an emotional breakdown due to after show comments on the dried rack of lamb due to a possessed evil oven now under paranormal investigation but has an offer to team up with Snizzy Dizzy Dog for a singing duet on his next album. As far as Aaron goes he has learned he is himself on camera after hours of viewing show replays. According to inside sources there all winners and will soon be hosting the all new network show the Three Cookiteers!!
🙂
I’ve liked Aaron from the start. I really do think he is getting better as far as the on camera stuff goes, and I would agree that I think he would do fine on a pre-recorded show. He might not be the guy for live TV, at least not yet, but he could do a good canned show.
The problem with TNFNS is that only one of them has really succeeded thus far. Has anyone seen last year’s winner, Amy Finley? What about the two guys from the first year? Guy Fieri was a slam dunk, and from episode 1 of that season you KNEW he would win. He can carry both an irreverent show like Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and a more cooking centric piece like Guy’s Big Bite. He is certainly one of my favorite FN personalities.
I just don’t know if any of the other winners, including whoever they pick from these three, could be as successful. I think Aaron has the best shot, personally.
As far as Lisa, I couldn’t stand her from the first episode. She’s an odd combination of pomposity (just look how she basically glossed over doing Mac and Cheese) and frailty. An odd bird, that one.
The say all be all for me is… Adam I will change the channel, Lisa I will change the channel, Arons show I can not wait to see.
Adam is not that funny and I watch to learn, not to laugh. Lisa is to cold. If I had to learn cooking from 1 of the final 3 it would for sure hands down be Aron.
What is wrong with you folks? Aaron McCargo is such a loser. His food sounds ok but he has absolutley no TV personality. I would not waste my time watching that guy. The thing is, from about episode 5 we(my husband and I) wagered he would win because the judges made it plain they wanted him. They might as well have stopped the competition right then. I think almost any of the other contestants would have done better with a series. And we liked Lisa. We liked Adam, Kelsey, well it doesn’t matter. This guys show is a loser and we won’t be tuning in to Food network for any more competitions.