by Gina Scarpa

 

Tonight, on The Next Food Network Star, the contestants meet with Bobby and Giada to find out their next Camera Challenge. They'll choose peppers on a first come, first serve basis and create a dish around it. The winner will be featured on the menu at all 3 locations of Bobby's Flay's restaurant, Mesa. As soon as Bobby says "go", people are running, pushing, and grabbing. Peppers are everywhere!

 

After cooking their dishes, it's time to present for the camera. It's interesting that some people improved since last week, while others, who are usually on top of their game, fall a bit behind. I'm talking to you, Herb and Aria. Though Brianna won the last challenge, deservedly so, I'm getting sick of her "party all the time" attitude. There doesn't seem much depth to her idea for a show but I'd tune in because the girl can make a dish. Why, oh why, can't Brad just smile when the camera comes on? I beg for him to bring his personality off camera ON camera!

 

Das and Herb find themselves in the bottom, while Brianna wins another challenge. Tom was right there with her and his improvement

is most definitely noted.

 

For tonight's Star Challenge, Bobby has brought in a few friends, who happen to be big time chefs -Jonathan Waxman of New York's Barbuto Restaurant, Susan Feniger of Ciudad and Street in Los Angeles, and Eric G of The Foundry on Melrose, also in Los Angeles. The contestants are asked to create a dish from their memories and reinvent them to be better than they remembered. They'll be split into three groups (not teams) of three and will compete head to head to head. This is going to be a tough one.

 

Jonathan wants lamb and potatoes and Herb, Aarti, and Tom are assigned to him. Serena, Brad, and Brianna are assigned to Susa, who wants fried chicken with iceberg lettuce and blue cheese dressing. The last group is Aria, Paul, and Das who are assigned to Eric. He wants macaroni and cheese with a grilled steak. These dishes sound fairly simple enough, but recreating them to be better than these chefs remembered is another story.

 

On a side note, something is seriously up with Herb tonight. He is just not himself at all. It's clear that he misses home but if he wants to win this thing, he needs to get his head in the game.

 

The chicken dishes are served first and I definitely connect with Brianna's story the most. She spoke about her father and it was personal and touching. She and Brad go over well with the judges, but they're not too high on Serena's grandmother's recipe.

 

Next up, it's the mac and cheese with steak dishes. The judges like Aria's presentation, but not her dish. Paul takes on a new point of view... which, I think... is something about cooking easy meals cheaply or something... I'm still not sure. Das still has a hard time showing a personality worth of being on tv.

 

Last up, it's the group serving lamb and potatoes stepping up to the plate. Tom and Aarti really nail their presentation and dishes but Herb continues to struggle to show his passion, his personality, and his ability to cook. He's just a mess right now.

 

The three winners tonight, from their respective groups, are Aria, Aarti, and Brad. I can't believe Tom isn't in the top group again but he's safe, along with Brianna and Paul. Serena, Das, and Herb are in the bottom three.  After deliberating, the judges tell Serena that she's safe and Das that he's eliminated.  That means Herb will get another chance to prove he's ready for his own show.

 

The Next Food Network Star airs Sundays at 9/8c on Food Network.

 

(Image courtesy of Food Network)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

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