New Food Network Series: Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen
NEW YORK, NY – May 8, 2012 – Jamie Deen combines his two great passions of food and family for Food Network in Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen, premiering Saturday, June 16th at 10:30am ET/PT. Jamie always welcomes a helping hand in the kitchen putting his personal and professional skills to the test to create great family dinners. Whether his son Jack helps make hand-churned homemade ice cream, or Grandma Ginny (aka, Jamie’s mom, Paula Deen) comes over to help put the finishing touches on a dish; at the end of a long day, Jamie spends quality time in the kitchen and at the table, making meals to get everyone Home for Dinner!
“In this day and age, balancing your work and personal life is a job in itself,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Programming and Production, Food Network. “With Jamie’s dedicated schedule as a working dad, he still makes time for his family to gather around the table to share simple and delicious recipes for a home cooked meal every night.”
Shot in Tybee Island, Georgia, the 10 episode series features Jamie making savory meals with the family including a Taco Night fiesta for Jack’s friends and parents, a Big Green Salad with Jam Jar Dressings 2 Ways, guaranteed to make the adults and kids happy,and a Cast Iron Skillet Focaccia.
Jamie Deen is an entrepreneur, businessman, author and son of American cooking and lifestyle icon Paula Deen. Jamie has been an integral part of expanding the concept of the legendary small business The Bag Lady into one of America’s most successful restaurant launches, with the 1989 opening of The Lady and Sons in Savannah, Georgia. Jamie’s careful attention to the business side enabled his mom to craft recipes that helped garner national exposure for the restaurant. Soon after, Jamie and his brother Bobby began making regular appearances on their mom’s cooking shows on Food Network and later launched their own show on the network, “Road Tasted,” which followed The Deen Brothers as they explored America in search of more examples of love and warmth-infused cooking. Jamie is also an accomplished author and has published four books: The Deen Bros. Cookbook-Recipes From the Road (2007), Y’all Come Eat (2008), Take It Easy (2009) and Get Fired Up (2011).
Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen is produced by Follow Productions. Series premieres Saturday, June 16th at 10:30am ET/PT.
7 Questions with Vic “Vegas” Moea
7 Questions is a series of interviews with the culinary movers and shakers you want or ought to know better.
A little over a year ago few people outside of Sin City had ever heard of Vic Moea. The big, bald, inked chef went from being the scary dude to a genuine momma’s boy in just a few weeks. Though he narrowly missed being the newest Food Network Star, that title went to good friend Jeff Mauro, that doesn’t mean Vic’s moment in the spotlight is over.
Vic, along with fellow FNS 7 alums Penny Borsuk Davidi, Chris Nirschel and Justin Balmes will be going head-to-head once again only this time it’s for charity. All four will be competing on the star-studded Chopped All Stars which starts this Sunday in a round that pits four Iron Chefs against each other. The Starsters will be competing in round three where Vic will be representing St. Jude Children’s Ranch.
These days Vic has been splitting his time between Las Vegas and in Hollywood shooting a handful of pilots. All this he does while raising three kids and satisfying the public’s requests for his time. As you can see Vic is a busy man but he was not too busy to answer 7 Questions
1. When did you decide that you could make food your career?
I decided that I could make food my career when I was 19 years old and I found out I was going to have a son and I had to get a job as a dish washer so that’s what I pretty much started out as. As time went on and I got into it more and I started learning my way around it my memory came back of me cooking with the family and growing up into it. I knew there was something special about all of this.
2. Which chefs have influenced you the most?
Back then we really only had, like, Emeril. That’s really the one that stood out the most. The chefs that really influenced me the most really weren’t chefs. It was my mother and grandmother. If you notice my style ain’t a reflection of anybody else’s but my mother and my grandmother. It evolved into the Vic-thing from the Betty and Antoinette-thing.
3. How was your experience on Food Network Star?
You know, I got called for Hell’s Kitchen and Food Network Star at the same time but I had wanted Food Network Star. It took me five years to get on that show, bro, five years. Every time I didn’t make it I thought it was the end of the world. But it wasn’t supposed to happen then because it wouldn’t happen the way it’s happened now.
Dude, being on that show was the scariest thing ever and it was crazy. Crazy, crazy, crazy, bro. You think you’re ready to go. You think you’re great so you go on and it brings you to your knees. It really brings the best out in you because now it’s so comfortable, so cozy and the confidence is there. But you do it, you experience it and you get your head handed to you. You get twelve weeks of schooling and training with the best.
Just a true blessing that whole experience. It changes your whole life. I didn’t realize how many people watch that show. Oh boy. And now I’ve got Chopped All Stars coming up. You have to be a Wannabe TV Chef to do what we do.
4. How did the Food Network celebrities you met on the show stand up to your preconceived notions?
I got to meet my idols. Susie (Fogelson) is a lovely woman. She’s an amazing, amazing woman and such a darling. Dude, Alton is the mad scientist. He’s hilarious, bro, he’s twisted. He’s twisted in a good way. That’s the real deal right there. Alton is phenomenal and I hear Alton is going to be playing a major role in this upcoming season of Food Network Star.
And I got to know Guy. He invited me to his Road Show when he was in Arizona. He called me and said “Come on down.” So I drove down with a buddy. That’s another great guy, another cool dude. Ted Allen – good man! And Scott Conant, I love that guy. He’s such a perfect judge.
Flay. Flay was great. People ask me, “Is Bobby a jerk? He seems like a jerk.” How could he be a jerk? How many people want to know that guy? So he’s got to be a little choosy so I guess you gotta earn his respect. He’s not a jerk, he’s tough, dude. If you can win him over by being yourself that’s when you and Flay are gonna be tight forever. Me and Mr. Flay are very close.
Emeril, you gotta understand, a lot of TV people don’t really cook but that guy, man. I’m going to have to say, not taking anything away from anyone else, but by far one of the most talented cooks I’ve ever met in my life. I’m a chili pro now because of him.
5. Which of your fellow cast members do you still keep up with?
Ah, Jyll, the most underrated person on Food Network Star. She’s awesome, dude. She needs to keep going. I got to know her so well, teaming up with her so much. That by far was my best female friend on the show. Jyll is awesome, dude. Orchid, she’s such a doll, dude. Oh my God I love her. And Whitney is amazing. Whitney Chen is fabulous. I love Whitney Chen.
Howie, by far, one of the most amazing dudes I ever met. He’s become like a brother to me. Me and Howie, we talk all the time. I’ve flown down to Denver and hung out with him. We went to the first Monday Night Football game together. I freakin’ love Howie. He was the first one off the show and he’s going to be one of the biggest stars out there. Isn’t that killer, dude?
Yeah, and Crazy Chris is going balistic right now. He’s on VH1 Celebrity Couples Rehab with Angelina from the Jersey Shore. That’s perfect you know what I mean? I was making jokes like the second week we were in the house. I looked at Chris and said, “So, when this is over who are you going to be dating from the Jersey Shore?” I said that two weeks into filming Food Network Star. I gotta stop wishing for things, man, a little Vic-tradamus going on here. He can be my little brother for life.
And Susie (Jimenez). She’s completely sweet. She’s a little firecracker. I’ve got nothing bad to say about nobody. I liked everyone and everybody was awesome to me. People have said to me, “Vic, you look so distressed every time someone got eliminated” and I’m like, “Dude, I made friends with everybody.” We bonded so well, half the time we forgot it was a competition show.
6. How was competing on FNS different from competing on Chopped: All Stars?
For one the time frame (twelve weeks versus one day). On FNS we were isolated from the whole outside world. Everything was stripped of us, couldn’t talk to our family often. I’d say we were in jail but in jail you get to use the phone. But Food Network Star prepared us to go on Chopped and have a blast. When you see us on Chopped no one is trippin’ we’re just like, “Yeah!” And (Chopped) is the crazy show that scares the crap out of everyone.
Food Network Star is a combination of personality and skills. Chopped is about skills. Chopped is not a personality show. Did we bring any personalities to the show? Hmm, I don’t know. [laughs] But Justin Balmes may have gotten ixnay’d from Food Network Star early but now this is about cooking ability and that guy is Iron Chef status. And I’m like, “Oh my God I’m facing Justin B? Holy crap!”
When I found out the line-up I was like alright, Chris. Anything is possible because Chris has been a chef now in Little Italy for quite a few months and Penny didn’t go home because she didn’t cook good. She didn’t have one bad meal. And you have Justin Balmes who’s pretty much like an encyclopedia and very talented. He could be trapped on an island with wild life and he’s going to survive cuz he knows how to utilize the whole animal. Let’s show everybody out there who knows how to cook.
It was awesome hanging out with Penny and Justin and Chris again. Cuz Penny she’s good people, man. She really is a good person. She just played the heel. That’s OK because at the end of the day when she goes home with her family she’s a loving mother, she’s a caring friend.
7. What’s next for Vic Moea?
I am making it happen. Some much stuff. More than you even know is going to be jumping off in the next year. I go non-stop, man. I used Food Network Star as a lesson. I used it as the tune-up for where I really want to be. I got it all out of my system and it was like ba-bing. Now, let’s do this. I teamed up with US Foods; I’m now their corporate executive chef for Las Vegas. They’re totally cool with me going down to Los Angeles to shoot the pilots and the presentations for the three or four show ideas that have been brewed up for me.
For a couple of months after the show (Food Network Star) we weren’t allowed to talk to anybody. But almost every production company wanted to meet me. So I was talking to Mark Burnett Productions to Big Dog Productions to 123 Productions, everybody. And a lot of people were scripting up shows about me just in case my future didn’t continue with Food Network as well as the Momma’s Boy show being scripted. There’s other people – Travel, A&E, Spike TV, Bravo. Just wait. It’s amazing, dude, what’s going to be taking place. But no more competing, now it’s host time.
As a kid I literally wanted to be a WWE wrestler. At heart I am a WWE wrestler. I don’t want to be a full time wrestler; I just want to be in Wrestlemania one day. And actually, Stu, it’s being worked on. You never know. I could be wrestling Guy Fieri on Wrestlemania.
Revamped “Food Network Star” Begins Taping 8th Season
Food Network is giving its most successful series a total makeover. This season Food Network Star will greatly resemble other reality cooking shows like Worst Cooks in America and Rachael vs Guy: Celebrity Cook-off with established cheflebrities taking on mentoring rolls over three teams of wannabe TV chefs none of whom are named Stuart Reb Donald. I know. What’s the point of even having the show, right?
From a Food Network Press Release:
Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis Joined by Alton Brown as Series Regular
NEW YORK – January 23, 2012 –Food Network Star returns to New York City as production begins on the eighth season of the long-running hit series, scheduled to premiere on May 13th, 2012. The revised format brings returning favorites Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis from behind the judges table to square off with new regular Alton Brown in a three-way team competition to find the next Food Network Star. Bobby, Giada and Alton, all television producers in addition to being culinary superstars, lead the charge to find and develop the new talent with each hand-selecting a team of five finalists, who they will produce and mentor through the ‘Star’ experience to find one winner who possesses personality and culinary chops. In another fresh twist to the series, the viewing audience will vote before the finale to determine who will receive the ultimate prize: their own Food Network show, to be produced by their ‘Star’ team leader.
In the new format, each episode will begin with a team “Star Challenge” and the two losing teams must then send a member to the bottom two. During the “Producer’s Challenge,” the bottom two contestants each shoot a segment with their ‘Star’ producer to be presented to the selection committee in the “pitch room.” Returning judges Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson decide who stays and who goes, along with a roster of guest judges scheduled to join.
Last year’s season of Star set new precedents in seediness with contestants who never really stood a chance of winning but were clearly chosen just to create drama. It made the show uncomfortable to watch and by far the worst season in the history of the series. Perhaps that is what has lead to the total overhaul in format.
At the same time, there were bright spots in last year’s cast like the graceful and charming Jyll Everman, the bubbly Orchid Paulmeier and Whitney Chen who proved equally deft in the kitchen and on camera. Eventual winner Jeff Mauro’s show debuted to great ratings and then disappeared but don’t fret, season two of The Sandwich King is currently in production.
Currently only three of the previous winning FNS shows are still on the air. Here’s a quick review of the first seven FNS winners:
- Party Time with the Hearty Boys got six episodes then was canceled. Was brought back for 13 episodes and then canceled again.
- Guy’s Big Bite is still in production after 120 plus episodes.
- The Gourmet Next Door got six episodes then was canceled. Reportedly Food Network offered host Amy Finley 13 more episodes but she declined and moved to another country.
- Big Daddy’s House despite atrocious ratings lasted five seasons before being canned this past fall.
- Ten Dollar Dinners has to date produced more than 30 episodes over four seasons. New episodes continue to air on Sundays while older episodes joined the M-F daytime line-up last September. The move to the daily line-up is a strong sign that Food Network plans to many more episodes of Ten Dollar Dinners.
- Aarti’s Party produced 28 episodes over three seasons. The ratings were pretty good but Food Network has moved it to the Cooking Channel in re-runs only. Aarti has a new show in the works with season five winner Melissa D’Arabian.
- The Sandwich King premiered to great reviews and a second season is currently in production.
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Inside Look: Next Food Network Star’s Herb Mesa
The Next Food Network Star is the highest rated show on the network each year. Viewers are in love with the annual motley crew of Wannabe TV Chefs vying for the life changing experience that comes with winning the show. Just think, Guy Fieri was just another restaurant owner six years ago. Now he’s chilling at T.G.I. Friday’s with the Aflac duck.
This past August we saw the crowning of a new star, Aarti Sequeira. Many critics declared this to be the weakest group of contestants in the history of the show. However, it did produce four of the strongest candidates in the history of the show in eventual winner Sequeira along with Brad Sorenson, Tom Pizzica and Herb Mesa.
In the early years of NFNS you never saw the non-winners ever again. But that changed after season 4. A season that was also packed with talented candidates, four of whom had genuine star potential but oddly enough none of those four won. That’s when the network started integrating this talent into the fold. Since then we have seen contestants like Kelsey Nixon, Adam Gertler and Jeffrey Saad getting their own shows on either the Food Network or kid sister The Cooking Channel. That bodes well for those who fell short of the ultimate goal this year.
Sorenson, as a reward for winning a challenge during the contest, has landed a series of 30 second helpful hints spots on the Cooking Channel. Tom has also been tabbed to host a show called Outrageous Food (the pilot starred NFNS 4 winner Aaron McCargo Jr.) which seems perfect for his personality. But what about Herb Mesa? What has he been up to? Let’s find out.
So, Herb, what are you doing today?
A couple of hours of work. Then a little rest. Then a couple of more hours work.
Can you briefly describe the process from initial entry until show time?
OK. So let’s say the process took, probably from start to finish, I guess from my first audition until I actually went on the show about six to seven months. And then once we shot the show it almost took a year for the whole process to be over with.
What emotions did you experience when you first arrived at the set in Los Angeles ?
You know it’s one of those feelings where you don’t know what to expect so it’s excitement, nervousness. But since you really don’t know what to expect it’s kind of hard to describe. Cuz you don’t know; you don’t know what to expect. For myself I’d never been in an experience like that before. I didn’t know what to expect so I didn’t know what to feel. I was excited; it was something new.
So how has the exposure from Next Food Network Star changed your life?
Oh my God, my life hasn’t been the same since the show started. It’s really weird to be recognized. It’s nice to be recognized everywhere you go. At least once a day or twice. In the super market, you go to a restaurant and little kids come up to you and say, “You’re that guy from Food Network. I love you,” then run away. It’s been really neat in that aspect.
And then as far as like opportunity-wise if you look at my Fabebook and my web page I’m constantly doing stuff now. I’m involved in a lot of good organizations. I’m with the Boys and Girls Club. I just did a fund raiser last night with Make-A-Wish, Dishes & Wishes. I mean I really keep myself busy, the Braves game. I’m constantly working on different things. I’m doing a tri-athalon for kids with Tourette’s on Friday. I mean it’s just endless opportunities.
I’m working with a company. I’m a consultant for restaurants. So I pretty much just come in and reinvent restaurant menus for them so I am definitely keeping busy.
Does everybody ask you to do push-ups?
A lot of people do ask me to do push-ups. People always says you don’t look that big. You looked bigger on TV. That’s not very nice [laughs]. I also get a lot of, “You’re a lot better looking on television.” I’m like, “Thanks, buddy. Thanks a lot.”
People say, “Oh my God, I loved you on the show. You shoulda won.” I mean, they’re not going to say, “You shoulda lost.” So, thank you for being so polite. Some will say, “I was rooting for ya.” You know what? I was rooting for me, too.
The other day Aarti mentioned on her Facebook page that you were doing some work on the Food Network web site. What are you working on?
I have a weekly blog that I come out with of healthy snacks. The first week I started it was back-to-school stuff. I did a chicken curry wrap, oatmeal chocolate chip and and uh I forget what the other things was. I did my version of potato week food which was burgers and potato salad.
I’ve been getting a really good response by people from the Food Network web site. So it’s been pretty cool. I’m very excited. I feel like even though I didn’t win my own show they are keeping me around. I feel like they’re going to keep me around. They’re going to keep me around until I do get my own show.
Do you plan on watching the new season of The Next Iron Chef?
Yeah, that’s one of my favorites. I love that show. It’s inspiring. It’s cool to see chefs work at the best of their ability. I personally got to do my own Iron Chef competition on the show. That was probably one of the coolest things ever. I mean, I got to cook in a Kitchen Stadium and got judged by Cat Cora, Michael Symon, Bobby Flay, Morimoto. I mean that’s rock star. And I did well.
I think you kind of got the short straw in that challenge because you went up against Aarti and as it ended up the two of you had the best Iron Chef performances.
I just think I was on the bottom luck because I gave good TV face. I was very dramatic. I think they liked watching me suffer. “Watch Herb suffer.” Every week I did the live Tweet thing and I had people every week convinced that was the week I was going home cuz I was on the bottom five times. And every week I was like, “Thank you, folks, for coming out but this isn’t my last show.”
It was funny. Tom said, “Herb, you’re like a cat, you’ve got nine lives.” At least I didn’t get the worst dish in the history of the Next Food Network Star. Which he did on that Iron Chef challenge.
I guess that speaks to the pressure of that kind of competition wouldn’t you think?
Yeah for sure. But what I loved about Tom, Tom’s creativity. Tom would swing for the fences. When his food was on it was amazing but when he was off it was off. I had the same thing. My food was good days and bad days. When it was on it was on, when it was off it was off. But it’s different, you’re cooking under a whole different kind of pressure. It’s not like cooking at home.
I’m sure this has happened to you – someone walks up to you and says, “I’ve auditioned for the Next Food Network Star. What should I prepare for?”
I would tell them to be themselves. No matter what just be yourselves. No matter what. Have an idea of what you are getting into and have an idea for what you want your show to be. Don’t walk in there and all of a sudden try to come up with a culinary point of view. You need to have an idea of what you want your show to be before you walk in the door.
On Thursday October 7th, Herb Mesa will be the Special Guest and Chef at a boutique benefit for The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. To purchase tickets click HERE.
