Food Network Star: "Finale: A Star is Born" (July 22, 2012) [**SPOILERS**]

[ipsedixit]

Your next Food Network Star is Justin.

Shocked! [insert sarcasm]

[wincountrygirl]

What happened to his show? Does anyone know when it's supposed to air?

[Joanie]

It only shows once or twice a year doesn't it? Since it just ended in July, I assume it would be a while for another.

[DiningDiva]

I think perhaps the poster was inquiring about the winner Justin's show, which has not aired

[wincountrygirl]

Yes, DD, that is what I was wondering about. The show usually airs almost immediately and I've not seen a thing. The website doesn't even mention it.

[gaffk]

Check out this thread for a discussion of the show's status:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/876379

[wincountrygirl]

Thank you!!

[mucho gordo]

Being from CT and loving seafood, I would have preferred Michelle in spite of her self-mutilation. OTOH, I have a hard time understanding Justin who talks like he has a mouthful of marbles. In addition, I don't think I could handle an AB clone.

[junescook]

I've always thought of Alton giving background and then technique for making the best versions of the classics. Justin's schtick seems to be taking the classics and reconstructing them in a surprising way. In some cases I view food television as entertainment and inspiration probably more than pure education anyway. It will be interesting to see how they develop his program so it will have interest to a broad enough audience.

I would have liked to see what Michelle would have done as well.

[mucho gordo]

I like what Alton has to say, just don't like the inane way he says it. I think he can be interesting without the silliness.

If Justin is into this modern re/deconstruction trend then i'm certainly not interested.

[jmckee]

The silliness, as you call it, the "inane" style, is a very effective teaching tool. It makes the lesson more memorable. As Junescook says, it's entertainment too. What would you prefer -- gravely serious?

[mucho gordo]

I usually take my education seriously. The one and only time I learned something through the use of humor was an Ancient History class in college.

[monavano]

I agree on the silliness. I think Alton's recipes are solid, but I can't take watching his show. To me, his act comes across as a bit condescending and the staccato speech combined with never-ending hemming and hawing grinds my nerves.
Seems like a good guy and knows his stuff though.

[jmckee]

But food shows aren't "education". They're television. And entertainment is part of the purpose.

Your grim stance on humor in education is contradicted by many, many years of research and writing on teaching.

[mucho gordo]

I have to disagree, jm. Some (very few) shows are meant to be educational and AB's is one of them. Unwrapped is another. Shows like Iron Chef, Chopped, etc. are mainly for entertainment.

[jmckee]

You seem to think this is a mutually exclusive, either-or proposition. Sesame Street is both, to give one example. Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. And yeah, Good Eats.

[John E.]

I understand that people on television have to wear makeup for the lights and cameras, but this is the first FN male personality I have seen that wears red lipstick on camera. I wonder if he also wears it in daily life?

[pdxgastro]

Groan. That horse is dead. Please read previous posts.

[John E.]

Not only did I not read the other posts, I didn't watch the program after the first episode either. This program seems to have run its course, at least for me.

[happybaker]

I think it's very interesting that his show will not premiere until the fall.

Usually they have it on SMACK the next week.

Maybe (oh please, please!) Alton has pushed them for the extra time to actually make a better show instead of just a fast one?

[jmckee]

Didn't Justin or Bob or Susie say something about the show starting "tomorrow" and Alton said, "No, we have some work to do FIRST"?

[happybaker]

JM, I think you are right.

[breadchick]

Probably because the audience voted for the winner. I think in previous seasons they filmed earlier and knew who won, so was able to get production up and running before we saw the first episode. That's my theory anyway.

[LurkerDan]

exactly this.

[rochfood]

Not a fan of the "retrospectives". Tivo'd through the whole thing before I realized Marti Parti was not there at the end. My first thought was .."why'd they bring her to the finale as a contestant ?" Could have just cut her last week ? "hey..you made the team..no you didn't"
Maybe they were just hoping for the Southern vote.
Giada was practically hanging off Yvan ( make out time later ?)..whilst Bobby stayed quite the distance from Ms New England.
Someone else commented Justin looked like Howdy Doody. The western wear shirt he was sporting seemed to confirm that look. (Did he borrow it from Marty ?..too big I guess).
Finally..the Iron Chef type banners they revealed ...my first thought was the banners of Rocky and Apollo from the first Rocky. When Justins torso was revealed..I pictured John Belushi screaming like he did when he saw Flounders face projected on the wall in "Animal House"

[huiray]

Ms New England...LOL. :-)
What did catch my eye (for whatever reason) was that when she crossed her legs she always had her leg placed on the thigh of the other either at the ankle or on her shin at most. She never crossed her legs by hanging one leg over the knee at the knee of the other. All the others (both men and women, judges and contestants alike) who did cross their legs did it either both ways (men) or only the knee-over-knee way (women). Interesting. :-D

[chicgail]

Does that mean something?

[huiray]

Only that it amusingly feeds into the cliches surrounding how people cross their legs. Look it up. :-D ;-)
(note grin and wink emoticons)

[pdxgastro]

When they started doing eliminations, I thought it would go all the way to the winner. Like in Beauty Pageants. 4th Runner Up was Marti with a Party. 3rd Runner Up and so on.

But they stopped at Marty. Bummer. I guess they meant it to be 3 in the running after all.

[rasputina]

Yes, I thought that was really odd too.

[Njchicaa]

I was waiting for the rundown too.

[Joanie]

I too thought that, and really thought Michele would be first to go. The show really was a yawn and unlike another poster, I didn't think the behind the scenes stuff was too funny at all. But I think Justin could do a cool show, maybe I'll check in.

[Njchicaa]

It was obvious all along that he would win. That being said, I can't see myself watching his show. Maybe the first one or two for the train wreck factor, but I don't want to eat fish bones, duck tongues, jellied foods, or whatever other "rebellious" ingredients he wants to use.

[chicgail]

I can understand that, but there are tons of homey cooking shows where you can watch someone making chowder or mac and cheese or deviled eggs or shrimp cocktail or something equally mundane. It's not that you can't learn something. It's not that the food won't be good to eat. It's not that it's not in some way entraining. It's just getting a little ordinary.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this guy cooks up - literally and figuratively.

BTW, did he say something about cooking/serving fish bones or duck tongues (do ducks have tongues?) or were you being facetious?

[DiningDiva]

In one of his challenges I seem to recall he did make crispy fish bones

[Njchicaa]

He's cooked fish bones and made jellied food. The duck tongues were my own addition. He hasn't used them yet.

[rasputina]

Yes ducks have tongues. You can buy them here LOL

http://www.farmfreshduck.com/38-duck-...

[CanadaGirl]

The fish bones were adored by the judges.

[ritabwh]

i like the idea of seeing something that is high concept. i am a pretty good cook, but i would like to see some cooking i would never even think of doing or even existed. kind of like seeing the runway wedding gown grand finale during fashion week.
i will watch him. i hope they don't do to him what they did to aarti parti. i think food network has problems with anything that is not MOR.

[cresyd]

I agree, that I would almost like to see Justin go ever more high concept and far away from what homecooks would do. Sort of like with shows that focus on runway fashion - 'here is what Karl Lagerfeld sent down the runway - and while you can't afford and/or won't wear any of this, why not try these ideas at home from the runway show.'

So to build from his final episode, cooking with gelatin/making terrines is not often represented in American home cooking. So taking something like that, showing the really far-out ways it can be done, and then giving a simple try at home recipe with that, would be fun.

One of my all time favorite food shows is the Japanese Iron Chefs, and most of the cooking done there I have no hope (or interest) or recreating at home. But, when I do get ideas for things to try at home, it's even more exciting for me to try.

[ritabwh]

i so, agree! thank you for stating so well, how i could not.
so to bring it back to the mundane, it is like watching norm on this old house, create something incredible in his shop with all the equipment and skill most of us will never have; but we have enough knowledge to appreciate what is being done on screen.
it would not matter that we, the viewers would never be able to re-create.
i like your idea of building on the gelatin/aspic/terrine.
i really hope FN does not mess with justin too much.

[cresyd]

I live overseas, which greatly limits my access to cooking shows (both the bad and good), so when I'm in the US, I love to just soak in the food television (the bad and the good). One early afternoon right before I was scheduled to leave the US, I figured might as well get a little more Food Network for the road - and it was show after show of what felt too accessible. To the point where it made me miss at least the over-the-top bad for you cooking of Paula Deen. Watching someone make a 'simple roast carrot soup' - is not necessarily rivetting television (to me).

With fashion tv, with home improvement tv, the ideas are rarely for us to buy an entire collection or make our living room exactly like was done on x episode - but to inspire. Recently on MasterChef Australia they had the contestants make a tricky (looking to me) vegetable terrine. Despite being an American and having a pretty standard response to gelatin type food, this terrine made me think a) that looks awesome b) not impossible for me to try at home c) let me find a similar recipe! So an episode that looks at the more exotic aspics/terrines and then gives ideas for a vegetable terrine/simpler meat terrine or pate - that would excite me. Obviously not all tricky techniques would ultimately inspire me, but if I was interested in the episodes - then I'd keep watching.

Ultimately, I find it sad that the cooking shows that inspire me to find recipes now are often cooking competition shows. When Iron Chef (Japan) had a chef talking about how when he made fried rice, he would coat the rice in raw egg before cooking it - it was this awesome moment of "hey I can try that" (and in the geeky food part of my brain - just like a professional Japanese chef!).

So yeah, I think we both have our fingers crossed in the same way.

[CanadaGirl]

Not on track with the OP, but intrigued by the rice. Was the the cooked rice about to be fried that got coated with egg, or the totally raw stuff?

[cresyd]

Before going into the wok, the cooled, cooked rice is covered in raw egg. According to what I remember from the show, it makes for a lighter final product and requires less overall oil in the wok. I now do it at home, and really like the result.

But going back a little to the original post, it makes me feel far more excited to say I'm using a technique from the original Iron Chef when making fried rice (as opposed to trying to hide that I'm using a Rachel Ray tip). Brings out my inner snob.

[CanadaGirl]

Thanks for the info. And sometimes, RR has some worthwhile ideas. I know she drives some people nutso, and she is irritating, by she has some useful ideas

[cresyd]

Haha, when I say that that I hide that I'm using a Rachel Ray tip - it is totally because there are definitely things that I've learned from her and use (most frequently, her tip of using a garbage bowl). That aside, I think there is something to be said about being excited/proud to say "I learned this recipe/cooking tip from someone who excites me and who I admire" versus "can you believe it, this awesome dish I just made is based on a recipe/idea I got from that person - but don't tell anyone".

I know this makes me a bit of a snob regarding which tv cooking shows make me feel way 1 vs way 2, but there you have it.

[roxlet]

I tuned in to this for the first time in the last half hour of the show. I was a little confused by Justin-- was he wearing lipstick in some of the shots???

[chicgail]

It appears that Justin always wears lipstick.

[roxlet]

Oh.

[MrsJonesey]

I should probably be ashamed to admit this but I googled this. Apparently a Facebook post by Martie says that he does not wear lipstick. And in some article I read, there were pictures of him at younger ages. He seems to have that red flush in the cheeks that some people have and I think the red lips go along with that.

[pdxgastro]

No shame. Besides, he was asked point blank by Susie or one of the female guest judges early on if his lips were natural and he said they were. Anyone else remember that?

[CanadaGirl]

I don't remember that question, but one of my sons has lips that are quite red and often look like he's wearing lipstick. He also has irritatingly long and thick eyelashes that look fake. I'm only a little jealous :)

[huiray]

Yes, I think so - besides, hasn't there been some to-ing and fro-ing on this board already regarding that issue?

[monavano]

I think the right person won. He'll bring in a younger demographic and hopefully find his own voice on not parrot Alton after awhile.

[smartie]

thank goodness for DVR/Tivo. I watched the last few minutes.

[coney with everything]

Best part IMO was when Bobby Flay commented that Food Network is often guilty of not being about FOOD.

[happybaker]

Yes, I loved that!

And I also liked when presented with his team as "The Jocks" and he said he was okay with that.

[arjunsr]

alton says that a lot at least on twitter when discussing why good eats are on cooking channel now.

as to justin, i really hope the producers take a step back and let him just be alton jr and take his own spin on a show. could this be a cooking show i can actually watch?

[huiray]

If FN does do that, I would watch his show - at least from time to time.

[huiray]

Did he? I missed that. Probably because I had difficulty paying any attention to the thing while they were droning on especially with all those Dramatic! recaps and Moments! that FN seems to be addicted to.

When did he say it?

[chicgail]

How much old footage can we pack into this loooong hour and pretend it's nostalgia that noone except the participants care about so we can get to the last 3 minutes when we announce the winner - that everyone had already anticipated? yawn.

[Enric]

There is a NYT review

www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/dining/rev...

It all seems very novelty to me.

[ipsedixit]

I'd like to see the vote breakdown.

Apparently, some 4.5 million votes were tallied.

[happybaker]

Yup, I'd like to see the vote tally as well.

Doesn't mean I'll get to! ; )

[happybaker]

I know it looked like a given - but you never really know.

So I'm happy.

Actually I would have been okay with three out of the four finalists getting shows... But as an Alton Brown fan, I'm extra happy with Alton Jr.

And hey! Maybe Bobby will give Eric a job : )

[debbiel]

I used to love Alton, but I just wasn't that excited about the seemingly (to me) pre-ordained heir to Alton. Then again, I doubt that I would watch any of these shows. I'm just going to curl up with my pretty cookbooks.

[Ashley12]

Justin definitely deserved it. Do you think any of the other contestants will get shows?

[ipsedixit]

I hope not.

[suzyq2u2]

It was anti-climactic. I also thought the show was stagey and choppy. Food Network should stick to the competitions, they do those better than the "relaxed" interviews. I did think the behind the scenes stuff with Giada, Bobby, and Alton was very funny. They all seemed sincere about how attached they became to their teams. That was touching.

[ennuisans]

I've got a Giada See n Say on pre-order.

[jmckee]

I thought that was one of the funniest lines AB's ever said. And Giada laughed too.

[rasputina]

Yea, it was pretty much a given ages ago.