Goodbyes From 2011
In 2011 we foodies said goodbye to a number of food shows. Here’s a list:
Good Eats – after 11 years creator/host Alton Brown called it a series so that he could have more time with his family and to develop new projects.
Big Daddy’s House – after being declared the winner of Food Network Star 4, Aaron McCargo Jr. logged 61 episodes before moving on to the next stage of his career.
Crave – possibly the smartest show Food Network has done in years only received a single season but my guess is it will become the Firefly of TV food shows. Troy, promise me I get to be in the big screen version!
Ace of Cakes – the show that introduced the world to cake decorating. Duff Goldman and his hilarious staff of artisans, hipsters and other quirky personalities made cake into a trend. I don’t blame Duff for all of the crappy cake shows on the air today because his was actually good.
Aarti Party – yet another Food Network Star show got the axe. Currently only three of the seven winning shows are still in production. Next to Guy’s Big Bite, Aarti Party was clearly the best FNS show ever. EVER. Like Good Eats it will live on with the Cooking Channel. As for Aarti, she has a new series in the works that is a collaboration FNS 5 winner Melissa D’Arabian.
ICA: Mendholson vs Symon – Outcome
Iron Chef Michael Symon was triumphant in Battle: Prosciutto.
ICA: Mendholson vs Symon
I think this week’s challenger, Spike Mendholson put it best when he Twittered, “This sunday dvr the oscars and tune in live for Iron Chef America, what will the secret ingredient be???” Mendholson is the talented young chef at Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, DC. Waiting for him in Kitchen Stadium is the Iron Chef with best winning percentage, Michael Symon.
Spike began his culinary matriculation in 2004 at the esteemed Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where he distinguished himself among his peers. Mendholson was one of 10 CIA students to accompany Chef-Instructors Michael Pardus and Michael Huynh on a culinary adventure to Vietnam. Since then Spike’s style has had a definite Vietnamese influence.
For his externship at CIA, Mendholson did a turn at Les Crayeres in Reims, France. Les Crayeres is a three Michelin star restaurant under the direction of Chef Gerard Boyer. After school Spike worked at landmarks like Bouchon and Le Cirque. Eventually he found himself working for his former teacher, Chef Huynh at the Drew Nieporent venture Mai House in Tribeca.
Today Spike Mendholson is not only the force behind Washington DC’s Good Stuff Eatery but he is also a celebrity host of Food 2, the Internet alter-ego of The Food Network. There he is the co-host of Kelsey & Spike Cook with the should-be winner of the Next Food Network Star 4, Kelsey Nixon. Spike came to national prominence when he was a contestant on Top Chef: Chicago.
Click HERE for the mystery ingredient and outcome.
