Alton Brown

Food Network Star 9 Finalists Announced

Food Network Star 9

Bobby, Giada and Alton return to mentor a new cast of wannabe TV chefs.

The newest Starsters are: Nikki Dinki (New York), Andres Guillama (Waynesville, NC), Rodney Henry (Baltimore), Chris Hodgson (Cleveland), Connie “Lovely” Jackson (Los Angeles), Russell Jackson (San Francisco), Danushka Lysek (New York), Daniela Perez-Reyes (Haleiwa, Haw.), Viet Pham (Salt Lake City); Damaris Phillips (Louisville, Ky.), Stacey Poon-Kinney (San Diego) and Chad Rosenthal (Ambler, Penn.).

Free Kindle eBooks

Chefs Stuart Reb Donald and Alton BrownAs part of his appearance at the Dauphin Island Gumbo Festival celebrity chef Stuart Reb Donald is offering his Kindle eBooks for FREE from March 22 to 24!

Choose any or all:

Stuart Reb Donald is a chef in Mobile, AL. He penned the cookbooks “Third Coast Cuisine: Recipes of the Gulf of Mexico,” “No Sides Needed: 34 Recipes To Simplify Life” and “Amigeauxs – Mexican/Creole Fusion Cuisine.” He hosts two Internet cooking shows “Everyday Gourmet” and “Little Grill Big Flavor.”

Dinner Conversations: 39 Interviews with America’s Favorite Culinary Movers and Shakers

Stuart Reb Donald has built a reputation for doing some of the most poignant interviews of America’s favorite chefs and food writers. Whenever a network is rolling out a new cooking show they make sure to call Stuart to interview the stars.

In addition to interviews published by several different publications the anthology also includes interviews from Stuart’s blog Wannabe TV Chef including the popular series 7 Questions, WTVC Exclusive and Inside Look. Just a few of the chefs profiled include Bobby Flay, Michael Symon, Tory McPhail, Graham Kerr, Alton Brown, Amanda Cohen and Alex Guarnaschelli.

No Sides Need: 34 Recipes to Simplify Life

Stuart Reb Donald is at it again and this time he’s gone digital for his first cookbook for Kindle, No Sides Need: 34 Recipes to Simplify Life. For more than a quarter century Stuart has been one of the most respected and reknowned chefs in the South.

Food Network Star: The Wannabe TV Chef Interviews

Through the years many Food Network Star contestants have visited with Stuart Reb Donald on his popular blog Wannabe TV Chef. No one else understands and captures the dream of being a Wannabe TV Chef like Stuart and the contestants know he gets them. This anthology features many of those conversations including a never before printed interview with Guy Fieri.

Next Iron Chef Redemption Announced

Web-Exclusive Battles at FoodNetwork.com to Determine Tenth Cast Member

Hosted by Alton Brown, Eight-Episode Series Premieres Sunday, November 4th at 9pm ET/PT, New Iron Chef Crowned in Season Finale on Sunday, December 23rd at 9pm ET/PT.

NEW YORK – September 24, 2012 – A roster of acclaimed chefs return for a second chance to become a member of the Iron Chef culinary society this fall, with the premiere of The Next Iron Chef: Redemption on Sunday, November 4th at 9pm ET/PT.   The fifth installment of this top-rated competition series also adds a few newcomers to the mix, who have had their own experiences of not quite winning the crown. The competitors are given new opportunities to prove their skills are Iron Chef worthy, while revisiting some of the memorable moments that sent them home in the past. The culinary battle-royale, hosted by Alton Brown and shot in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, tests the kitchen chops, masterful skills and fortitude of these supreme experts, and culminates with the naming of the newest Iron Chef on Sunday, December 23rd at 9pm ET/PT.

Competitors are: returning from The Next Iron Chef: Season Two Nate Appleman, Amanda Freitag (Chopped), Eric Greenspan (The Foundry on Melrose, The Roof on Wilshire, Los Angeles) and Jehangir Mehta (Graffiti, New York); from The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs Elizabeth Falkner (Krescendo, New York), Alex Guarnaschelli (Butter, The Darby, New York, Chopped) and Spike Mendelsohn (Good Stuff Eatery, We The Pizza, Washington D.C.); and first time Next Iron Chef competitors with their own redemption stories, Tim Love (The Lonesome Dove, Western Bistro, The Love Shack, Woodshed Smokehouse, White Elephant Saloon, Fort Worth) and Marcel Vigneron (The Coop, Los Angeles).

“This season’s cast is filled with extraordinary chefs at the top of their game and they all know how fierce this competition is,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Food Network. “The redemption theme heightens the season’s drama with second chances and new opportunities, and viewers can expect culinary magic, intense battles and edge-of-your seat suspense.”

Redemption offers a Food Network first, as the tenth cast position will go to the winner of the web-exclusive “Road to Redemption” tournament taking place October 12th – 26th on FoodNetwork.com. Participants battling for their chance at Redemption’s tenth slot are Duskie Estes and Robert Trevino, who previously competed on earlier seasons of The Next Iron Chef and newcomers Lee Anne Wong and Madison Cowan.

“Our web-exclusive ‘Road to Redemption’ tournament adds a whole new layer to The Next Iron Chef experience,” said Bob Madden, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Digital – Food Network Category, Scripps Networks Interactive. “This online exclusive will give our audience more of the content they crave and the opportunity to witness more excitement and energy from these skilled competitors. FoodNetwork.com is thrilled to play a part in selecting the tenth competitor for this season’s cast.”

Exclusively on FoodNetwork.com, the “Road to Redemption” tournament begins October 12th with a battle between former Next Iron Chef contenders Duskie Estes and Robert Trevino, followed on October 19th by a competition between Iron Chef America challengers Madison Cowan and Lee Anne Wong. The winners meet on October 26th, where the final Redemption position will be awarded. Beginning in late September, a sneak peek and extended preview will be available at www.foodnetwork.com/nic.

The Next Iron Chef: Redemption kicks off on “Redemption Beach,” where the chefs’ resourcefulness is tested in a grueling Chairman’s Challenge with a devious twist: each must cook with the ingredient that sent them packing last time. Given another chance with this ingredient and only bare essentials, hot coals and one hour on the clock some rise to the occasion while others go down in flames. The two least successful chefs go to the Secret Ingredient Showdown, a sudden-death cook-off that leads to the first elimination. Upcoming episodes continue to push the limits, including a canned food to Kitchen Stadium-worthy cuisine challenge, a Las Vegas buffet battle with an appearance by legendary magician David Copperfield and a “last supper” showdown. Returning judges Donatella Arpaia and Simon Majumdar are joined by last season’s winner and newest Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian on the judging panel, along with appearances from Iron Chefs Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon.

The winner will join the ranks of chefs including Bobby Flay, Marc Forgione, Jose Garces, Masaharu Morimoto, Michael Symon and Geoffrey Zakarian as a member of the Chairman’s team on Iron Chef America. The newly crowned Iron Chef’s first battle in Kitchen Stadium will premiere on Sunday, December 30th at 9pm ET/PT.

WTVC Exclusive: Food Network Star Justin Warner

Justin Warner Rebel with a Culinary CauseSeason 8 of Food Network Star is now but a memory.  I have made some terrific friends in this year’s cast and I have to honestly say that all 15 contestants were good enough to have a show on TV.  That’s never happened before.  That also makes Justin Warner’s run all the more impressive.

In a season where any of the fifteen contestants could have won on previous seasons, Justin eclipsed the competition.  We haven’t seen a contestant dominate FNS like Justin did since Kelsey Nixon in season four.  Despite coming in fifth (Bob Tuschman that was just wrong!) Kelsey remains the only cast member still on the Food Network payroll.  Justin was just as dominant and against an even better cast.

So who is this kid with the quirky palate and puffy red lips?

Well why don’t we let Justin tell you in his own words:

Justin’s whimsical Brooklyn eatery, Do or Dine, has already gotten the attention of the folks at Michelin and now America will be lining up to bust through its doors.  For a 28 year old he’s been quite busy.  But Justin was not too busy to answer a few of my questions.

Justin Warner Food Network StarWhat chefs (other than Alton) have had an influence on you and your cooking style?

Gabriel Kreuther of The Modern in NYC.  Masakazu Suzuki of JeJu in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Some fans may be fearful that Rebel with a Culinary Cause is going to be a reboot of Good Eats.  Can you contrast your show from the science-based cooking shows that have come before it?

I’ve never presented science as my thing.  Sure, I might know it, but I’m not here to feed that to you.  Alton Brown is.  I’m here to take those scientifically perfect dishes and make them bonkers.  I am here to expand the palate and culinary creativity of America’s hungry TV-watchers.

A lot of professionals in the culinary arts are excited about your show.  Do you feel added pressure to put out a product that not only teaches the masses but also entertains your peers?

I have never felt more pressure in my life…. but that’s what it’s all about, right?

Was there a dish that one of the other contestants prepared that really knocked your socks off?

Anything Ippy made.  He and I have similar palates.

Do you plan to have any of the other members of Team Alton on your show?

Right now I am planning on having a currywurst for lunch.  All the rest is TBD.

Food Network Star: The Wannabe TV Chef Interviews

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Stuart in 80 Words or Less

Stuart is a celebrity chef, food activist and award-winning food writer. He penned the cookbooks Third Coast Cuisine: Recipes of the Gulf of Mexico, No Sides Needed: 34 Recipes To Simplify Life and Amigeauxs - Mexican/Creole Fusion Cuisine. He hosts two Internet cooking shows "Everyday Gourmet" and "Little Grill Big Flavor." His recipes have been featured in Current, Lagniappe, Southern Tailgater, The Kitchen Hotline and on the Cooking Channel.

Stu’s Latest Kindle Single is Just $2.99

Stuart’s Honors & Awards

2015 1st Place Luck of the Irish Cook-off
2015 4th Place Downtown Cajun Cook-off
2015 2nd Place Fins' Wings & Chili Cook-off
2014 2015 4th Place LA Gumbo Cook-off
2012 Taste Award nominee for best chef (web)
2012 Finalist in the Safeway Next Chef Contest
2011 Taste Award Nominee for Little Grill Big Flavor
2011, 12 Member: Council of Media Tastemakers
2011 Judge: 29th Chef's of the Coast Cook-off
2011 Judge: Dauphin Island Wing Cook-off
2011 Cooking Channel Perfect 3 Recipe Finalist
2011 Judge: Dauphin Island Gumbo Cook-off
2011 Culinary Hall of Fame Member
2010 Tasty Awards Judge
2010 Judge: Bayou La Batre Gumbo Cook-off
2010 Gourmand World Cookbook Award Nominee
2010 Chef2Chef Top 10 Best Food Blogs
2010 Denay's Top 10 Best Food Blogs
2009 2nd Place Bay Area Food Bank Chef Challenge
2008 Tava: Discovery Contest Runner-up

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