by Kylene Hamulak

 

"Meet the Press-Ure"

 

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I mean, this IS a show about finding the next Food Network Star, so at some point, it was going to be time for them to prove they could cook on their own. For the first time this season, the chefs will be judged individually, which is scary news for a couple of people who have been somewhat protected by strong teammates.

 

The Star Challenge will be for chefs to "meet the press," serving the selected media representatives from Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, and Serious Eats. Each judge will be served just a single bite, along with a 90-second electronic press kit and Q&A - and Giada, Alton, and Bobby will not be around to help them.

 

As Alton coaches his team, Martie's "genesis story" and Justin's focus on his dad's influence are both given the thumbs up by Alton. Emily, however, is having a more difficult time, as she is reluctant to share her personal family story.

 

Giada is telling her team of chefs to really make use of descriptive words that will make the audience salivate. Her advice is to focus on the stories, warning that if they lack a story, they will get bumped. Martita insists that she's a great storyteller, but she, like us, wonders why it hasn't translated to her presentations.

 

Team Bobby is encouraged to focus on the journey. Nikki is still trying to be approachable. Keep trying, Nikki.

 

So the chefs get to the Food Network kitchens for the first time, and they're all super excited. As they talk about the dishes they're going to make (hopefully to make them more comfortable for the camera), they all seem pretty confident. Martie is making some sort of rolled cake, Justin's preparing his stuffed dates, Michele has amazing rice balls...I mean, it sounds like they're all doing well. And then there's Yvan. Who tells Ippy about his dish like fifteen times, and you can tell Ippy just wants him to shut up and cook.

 

Once their dishes are complete, the chefs are called in one at a time to film their pitches and present to the judges.

 

Malcolm - Lamb Chop: Malcolm focuses his presentation on Easter dinner and his mother's lamb. The judging panel all seem pleased with his pitch, though it is noted that he seemed a little breathless. His energy level was high, however, and his "get chef-y with it" phrase is praised. Ultimately, his dish is well reviewed, but The Network expresses concerns about his ability to bring his personality consistently.

 

Martie - Chocolate Roulage: Martie's story is the sort of pathetic tale John Hughes makes movies about. She was invited to a party that never happened, and decided then that she would never be left out again. Her dish represents the first she ever made when she took on her role of "Martie with the Party." The judges love her and her bite, calling her "the most winning personality."

 

Michele - Lobster Arancini: Michele's pitch is built around two things she loves: her mom and New England. She was nervous about the time, and her personality seems a little constrained because of it. The judges, however, love not only her dish, but that her "hard" appearance contradicts her "heartfelt" presentation.

 

Martita - Butternut Squash Flautas: Has anyone noticed how thick Martita's accent becomes when she's preparing a Mexican dish? She definitely channels her roots in her presentation, but her timing is off - she completes her pitch, and she's still got 30 seconds to go! For half a minute, Martita stands and smiles, telling us later that she was really uncomfortable. REALLY, Martita? I was uncomfortable FOR you! The judges' faces were pretty priceless - eyes wide, jaws dropped, absolutely confused. The food was good, but, to quote the panel, "it went downhill from there."

 

Yvan - Arepas: The first thing the judging panel notes after Yvan's presentation is the "curious upspeak" in his speech pattern. I'm glad it is pointed out, because, though Yvan's story about his grandmother was an effective one, everything he says sounds like a question. When the panel asks him to elaborate on what food means to him, Yvan begins to share his story about picking through garbage to find food when he was young and his family didn't have enough. He is positive about it, calling it a humbling experience, but I kind of wish the judges hadn't brought it up because now I'm crying and want to send him food. Oh, and ps? The judges are crying too. But they love his evolution.

 

Ippy - Salmon Wonton: Ippy's big problem has been his laid back demeanor, and even though he tries to bring the energy level up with his presentation, he's not very successful. The panel once again notes that he's coming off as too laid back, but also a little nervous in front of the camera. His food, however, is described as "a version of a masterpiece."

 

Emily - Thanksgiving Bites: Emily, for whatever reason, refuses to tell a personal story for her presentation, but she does use the term "perfect bite" like 86 times. She's oddly nervous and gives an uncomfortable pitch, particularly stumbling in the last few seconds. The judges are disappointed that she didn't talk more about "Retro Rad" and focused so much on the actual dish. Though the panel did like what she served, they're not comfortable with her presentation, describing it as "awkward".

 

Justin - Stuffed Dates: If asked at this moment who would win this competition, I have to put Justin as the frontrunner. He seems so natural in every presentation and so confident in every crazy dish he serves. This challenge is no exception - the only thing he did was make them love him even more, and they give him praise for putting together a crazy collection of flavors.

 

Nikki - Grilled Scallops: Once again, Nikki is really trying to make this "Grill Next Door" thing catch on. And guess what - once again, it's not. The judges, in fact, are confused as to whether she's saying "girl" or "grill", and that's never a good sign. She's decided to bill herself as a "girly girl" and wants to show the judges that she's delicate, so she put a rose garnish on the plate. As decoration. Unsurprisingly, the judges are critical about yet another change in her identity as a chef. Her dish isn't loved either - it is described as "sour and bitter" and "not her best."

 

When the judges come in to talk to the chefs, we learn that the chefs who move on will be joining the Food Network at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. We also hear that one person from each team will be up for elimination, while two chefs really stood out - Justin and Martie. Justin's no surprise, and it's nice to see Martie have a great challenge, but that means Emily will be one of the chefs up for elimination.

 

Ippy and Yvan from Team Giada are safe, while Martita is up for elimination. They're a little tough on her, but it was deserved. With Malcolm and Michele safe, Nikki is up for elimination from Team Bobby, and she promises she's just going to be herself from now on. Considering it's week 7, that's probably a good idea, Nikki.

 

The Producer Challenge for Nikki, Martita, and Emily is to create the perfect burger to represent who they are. Martita is using her sister as her inspiration and Emily is channeling a 50's diner burger (which should be perfect for her POV), and Nikki? She's pissed that she has to do the challenge. Yeah, that's gonna work well for you, Nikki.

 

As Emily talks to Alton about her POV, her reluctance to share her story is breaking down a bit - and so is she. There are some tears, but as she explains to Alton that "Retro Rad" brings a piece of that simpler ideal to people, it seems she may have finally gotten to the point.

 

Meeting The Network, Martita is the first to screen her pitch. She gets generally positive reviews for her focus on her sister and her special burger. Nikki's video is next, which is about grilling with her dad. They're impressed with her burger and her presentation. Finally, we see Emily's pitch about the classic burger. They enjoy her burger, but they're still not sure if she's ready to host her own show.

 

Ultimately, Emily is eliminated.

 

I'm a little sad that Emily is leaving. Her POV is probably my favorite, and she might not have been as tight with her recipes as some of the other chefs, but hers were often the dishes I was most interested in trying. Her presentation could definitely use some work as she gets more comfortable in front of the camera, but hopefully she'll find an outlet for "Retro Rad" post-Food Network Star!

 

 

Food Network Star airs Sundays at 9/8c on Food Network 

 

(Image courtesy of Food Network)