It is no secret that I’m a “Foodie”, a recipe slut, a cookbook freak. . . and a huge fan of The Food Network.  I’m fairly certain that Paula Deen is really my mother.  So when The Next Food Network Star reality show aired this summer, I was all over it. – hanging in anticipation each and every week and waiting to see who would be eliminated.  (Yeah, I’M their demographic)  I pretty much agreed with most of their decisions, even though I really liked the perky little Kelsey.   Apparently I wasn’t the only one.  She won the title as the Fan Favorite.  Isn’t she cute?

However. . . . when it came to the finale, I was S.T.U.N.N.E.D!  I couldn’t believe it.  I just shook my head and figured that there had to be some kind of politics behind their decision or some kind of bizarre TV reasoning.  I say this because while the winner, Aaron McCargo, Jr IS an excellent cook and seems like a really nice guy, the two other contestants clearly had a better stage presence and delivery to the camera.  He just seems really uncomfortable and awkward – not warm and welcoming.

Aaron’s new show, Big Daddy’s House, aired this past Sunday and I watched it.  He did okay, but I was not impressed with his Fried Dorito Crusted Chicken Strips on a Salad.  He also made an appearance on Down Home With The Neelys, and again, he was okay, but he’s just not as smooth and at ease as the other two contestants were.  So needless to say, I was a little disappointed.  BUT since my humble opinion means beans to The Food Network, I just shrugged it off and thought that having one less show to watch would give me thirty more minutes of my life back.

Now, today, I read this - Philly native Adam Gertler gets his own Food Network show.  How cool is that?!  THAT, my Food Network executives, is how you run a network.  You give the award to the winner that fits your whatever agenda, and then you give a show to the contestant that probably should have won in the first place as well.  He was personable and fun and (I think) will do a great job on his new show.  Good job Adam!

Now, I think you should work out a deal with Lisa.  Even though she came off like a real “food snob” at first (very Martha Stewartish), she actually had cooking skills to offer that I could learn from – fancy food that the everyday cook can easily make.  “Beautiful Basics”.

Come on Food Network, think about it.