Well, that was totally predictable. I don’t particularly mind seeing Aaron win, since he was one of three contestants whose shows I might have watched (Adam and Shane were the other two), and I think that what he does poorly (relate to the camera) can be taught, especially if his problem is nerves. The only thing that I dislike about Aaron is his butchering of the language – things like subject-verb agreement are not really optional in my book – but he’s likeable and I’m interested in his food.
If Lisa said “za-ba-YONE” one more time, I was going to punch the television. She referred to it as an Italian sauce, but the Italian word is zabaglione, four syllables with a defined “L” sound in the middle. In Italy, it’s also more likely to be a dessert – it’s egg yolks, sugar, and dry Marsala, whisked to the ribbon stage over simmering water – rather than a savory sauce. The savory version is the French sabayon, without a “z” in sight. If you can’t pronounce it properly, fine, just don’t over-enunciate it every damn time you say it. My wife was watching with me, and when I finally said, “Why the hell is she pronouncing it like that?” my wife’s response was dead-on: “Because she’s a snob.”
Adam was great on camera, as usual, but beer-can chicken isn’t all that special a dish, and it’s a little bit white-trashy. I didn’t walk away from his pilot feeling like there was a real show there. And by the way, McCall was a ringer, right? She talked like she was reading lines off a script.
I wish they’d shown a little more of the behind-the-scenes stuff with Gordon Elliott, either more of the “pitch” meetings or more of the directions he was giving the talent during the tapings. And it’s a pretty bad job by FN to say that Aaron’s show (“Big Daddy’s Kitchen”) will air in one week, when we all know that that final episode was taped ages ago, and when his show is nowhere to be found on any FN schedule. I’d like to at least give one episode a shot, but odds are by the time it comes around I’ll have forgotten all about it.
Unrelated note … my wife also likes the analogous HGTV series Design Star, and I watched their last episode with her on Sunday. (The winner is chosen by audience vote, rather than by judges, so there’s one more episode coming where they announce the winner.) One of the two contestants, Jen, painted horizontal stripes on the wall in two close but not identical shades of beige, and kept calling it an “architectural feature.” I liked the way the walls looked, but what the heck is an architectural feature? Why is that a good thing? You can’t drop jargon into a show aimed at a lay audience. I wouldn’t go on ESPNEWS and start talking about a back-side collapse or a hook or stab without either explaining it further or substituting a more accessible term. I’m not saying Jen shouldn’t win, but I was surprised that none of the judges criticized her for her use of the industry vernacular.
I thought Adam had the best, most innovative idea for a show out of the three. Beer-can chicken might not be a sophisticated dish, but he played to the camera well and actually took a risk with his concept.
As you wrote: “predictable.” It seemed fait acompli that the judges preferred Aaron and that only a complete disaster could derail him. But he doesn’t seem as camera-ready as Adam. I feel like the judges just didn’t care for Adam’s food, an idea that shouldn’t be discounted. But if the goal is to pick an entertaining and educated personality, I think Adam had the better overall resume.
Predictable, to say least. But worse than that, because the judges had their sights set on Aaron from the start and clearly wanted him to win. In a way it felt like a waste of time to the other contestants. I’m not sure how much of a legit shot anyone else had. They wanted him and that was it. Bob’s assertion that they needed to find someone who could “start tomorrow” seemed a little absurd since Aaron was the worst in his demo.
I wish they had shown more of what went into the decision. Susie, Bob and B. Flay praised all three contestants and said they could all win — so why not show exactly why they chose Aaron over Lisa and Adam. Was it marketing? A direction the network wanted to go in? It was like they wanted to give everyone a final pat on the back instead of being honest about it.
Keith, you’re being a little too harsh on Lisa, don’t you think? I believe in the full demo she actually explains that she’s taking what is normally a dessert and making it savory. And why does mispronouncing and over-enunciating a word (because you’re on TV and trying a little too hard) make you a snob?
I can’t say I’ll watch Aaron’s show. I’ll give it a shot, but probably that’s about it. His mush-mouthedness and inarticulateness drive me insane. It also looks like they’re going to have him really play up the slang and things like that, which I find almost offensive.
All in all, not the best group of contestants this year. But Bob T. and Susie got to hear themselves drone on and on, so I guess they’re satisfied.
Keith:
I don’t think the studio audience portion where the winner was announced was taped that far in advance. According to the FN website, Aaron’s show premiers on Sunday, which I think is a change from prior seasons when they waited forever to premier the show of the winners.
Good summation of the finale. I can see myself actually watching Aaron (don’t mind the grammar issues so much), and I couldn’t see myself watching anyone else. Adam certainly wasn’t out of place on camera, but he also wasn’t especially memorable, either.
Also, I haven’t spoken Italian consistently for 5+ years, and I was racking my brain trying to figure out how za-ba-YONE could be an Italian word.
But we live in the world of bru-SHETT-a and pi-STASH-ee-o, so, c’est la vie, I guess.
Bailey – yes, they absolutely should have shown more of the judging. I noticed the same thing, that Bob said every finalist was above-average and puddle-wonderful and deserved to win.
Lisa just grates on me. She slammed the other two contestants as “one-trick ponies.” Just let your food do the talking.
Tom – where did you see anything about the show’s premiere? I checked the DirecTV program guide and it doesn’t have Big Daddy’s Kitchen anywhere in the database, which means it’s not airing in the next 12 days.
I believe the show airs on Sunday at 1:30. Used my cable guide to just scroll through Sunday and there was a slot titled “Next Food Network Star” Winner show. I feel Adam would have had a better show, though. It looks like his idea is being used for the “Ask Aida” show.
Keith, it’s called “Big Daddy’s House”. Food Network is showing that it airs Sunday at 1:30/12:30
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_am
Keith —
The link below is to Aaron’s new show. It appears that they have several new episodes ready to go. It is airing at 1:30 pm ET on Sunday.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_am
I thought the same thing about McCall; her part was way to scripted. I totally agree with Henry, Adam’s show was the most original of the three but no one had a chance against Aaron.
Keith, can you find another show to get us hooked on? I loved your recaps.
Keith:
here’s the link to the FN website about the show indicating the premier on Sunday. Not sure why it’s not showing up in the DirecTV program guide. Seems like a big oversight by FN.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_am
My only question: Why have a final challenge when the winner of THAT CHALLENGE does not win the show? Adam won the final challenge by having the only show that was not uncomfortable to watch. Alas, Aaron was going to win regardless.
I agree with Jamie that your recaps are great. What’s next?
I thought Lisa was very condescending with her comment “if I can make this when I was 13…”
And why did she make six yolks’ worth of the sauce? Seems like she had a quart of the stuff and only used two tablespoons for her fish.
Adam’s “idea” was essentially “Food 911” without the travel, right? In fact it was less than that because he didn’t help the person make the dish, he made it and they watched.
Aaron’s concept is…. what? Just using spices? But if he doesn’t know what a chipotle is (granted, his scripts would tell him), how do I know he’s using them right? And is he going to get into more exotic spices or just keep mixing chili powder, paprika, salt and sugar together and putting it on meat?
Food Network says Big Daddy’s House airs Sunday at 1:30 Eastern. Can’t even let him lead off an hour?
I, too, thought the most blatant slap in the face was when they showed Tuschman saying “which person is ready to start next week?” because say what you want about her, Lisa is the most prepared to start. Too bad there are already four or five upscale food as design type shows out there.
This show is just filler. They’ve only had one winner do anything beyond the shot at a few episodes and even he (Fieri) isn’t doing his original show, right?
TVGuide.com has Big Daddy’s House listed at 1:30 PM on Sunday:
“In the series opener, Aaron McCargo, Jr. prepares dishes inspired by his sons, Josh and Justin, who join him in the kitchen. Recipes include chicken-tender salad, roast pork sandwiches with broccoli rabe and provolone, and oven-baked seasoned fries.”
Must have just been added and not in the DirecTV database yet.
Ah, Stixx beat me to the punch. Anyway, I’m hoping you’ll pick up Top Chef next, even if you’re Tivo-ing the (constant, at least in-season) reruns. The level of talent and innovation is miles beyond Next Food Network Star, and the challenges are better designed as well, in my opinion.
I agree with Jamie that your recaps are great. What’s next?
I’ll have to hunt for something. I draw the line at Project Runway, another of my wife’s favorites. From what I’ve seen of that show, I know F-A about fashion … because everything that “wins” is just ass-ugly.
Odd, I watch Project Runway & Design Star with my wife, but draw the line at FN Star and Top Chef. I guess the distinction for me is that I can evaluate whether I think something is well designed or attractive whereas I have no way of knowing how things taste.
I personally liked Adam the best since he decided he knew how to cook towards the end of the show. They all had good pilots but my and I both thought that Aaron’s buthcering of the language would hold him back from winning it all. I’m glad he won and I am happy for his family but I hope he makes some solid adjustments before the show airs.
I had no idea what Lisa was saying. Honestly, I thought she was saying “sauvignon”, as in French wine grapes, over and over. And then she called it “Italian”, and I was blasted into confused oblivion.
I do think that the word ‘snob’ is the best one to describe Lisa. That ‘za-ba-YONE’ was really hard to listen. I also write my kind of review about the show: I had expected Aaron to win the show, considering how they wants Afro-American talent so bad.
I had the exact same reaction to Lisa’s ‘za-ba-YONE’. She tries to come off as if she knows everything and the rest of the world is just stupid. (Flashing back to earlier episodes where she chided that one dude for not knowing what degustation meant when she was pronouncing it so oddly I couldn’t even figure out what word she was saying without the subtitles! Or to when she couldn’t understand why Alton Brown and the entire selection committee didn’t “get” her culinary point of view – remember the “three c’s”?)
Anyway, I can’t say that I’m thrilled Aaron won, but at least Lisa didn’t! I would much rather have seen what Shane could have done, and maybe even Kelsey (once she toned down the “perk”) but Tushman was against the “young kids” from the start.
Ah well, on to bigger and better things. I watch Project Runway even though I have no fashion sense (do they make Garanimals for adults?), because it’s just fun to watch these crazy people. And for me, they could run new seasons of Top Chef year round, and it wouldn’t get old!
As others stated Aaron had to win. Food network has been making a real push the last year or so to add minorities to the network. If you remember last year’s food network star a hispanic would have been in the final two except his resume fell apart on him. They have, rightfully, added a number of shows staring persons of color and I think it was preordained that this years winner was going to be as well.
I felt that Aaron actually did the worst of the three on the demo. I don’t think he looks confortable at all and I find his dialoge poor.
Anyone else find it odd that all three really suffered on the first two takes then ended up with by far thier best efforts on take three? Why do I have the feeling that Lisa and Aaron used like six takes each?
I actually went to college with Mical (not McCall; easy mistake though) and was completely shocked to see her pop on the Food Network like that.
I didn’t know her that well but she was in the Drama department with one of my best friends and he confirmed she lives in NYC.
So … given that she’s an actress living in New York where the Food Network is … yeah safe to assume she was a ringer.
Looks like Adam will get his own show afterall….from today’s Philly.com
Make that two Philly-area guys from the recent Next Food Network Star to get their own series.
Winner Aaron McCargo Jr. of Camden premiered Big Daddy’s House yesterday.
South Philly’s Adam Gertler, one of two runners-up, is in L.A. shooting Will Work for Food. Gertler’s half-hour Food Network show combines his comedy with a sense of adventure and premieres at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 30.
It’s not a cooking show, per se. Gertler will show how people in the food business do their jobs. Among them: potato chip inspector, shark feeder and dog-food taste-tester.
Gertler, an actor and former waiter at Amada in Old City, coowned The Smoked Joint, a short-lived barbecue restaurant at the Academy House in Center City.
Good to see Adam was able to get a show as well. Based on the description it seems like something he would be perfect for.
OTH, I recorded and watched Aaron’s show and it was downright painful. It is sort of funny how Keith talked about Adam’s beer-can chicken isn’t all that special of a dish and then in Aaron’s first show he does chicken tenders and roast pork sandwhiches.