by Chandra Clewley

Electric, magnetic, charismatic and charming are all words that describe Herb Mesa. On the season finale of The Next Food Network Star, Herb was the one that most of the insiders seemed to be betting on, including many of his already eliminated cast mates. Herb had some hard knocks and took his time in tweaking his energetic vision of healthy cooking into something that the executives at Food Network thought would be marketable: Cooking Con Sabor (Cooking with Flavor). Herb was one of the two runners up on the finale, along with Tom Pizzica and today he spoke with Reality Wanted about his experience on the show.

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What inspired you to go on The Next Food Network Star?

A. Herb Mesa:  For the last 6-7 years I felt that having a healthy cooking show is something that I wanted to do. My wife and I worked at trying to pursue that dream, and I just wanted to get on television because I knew that if I got on television, I would be able to deliver my message about healthy eating and how it changes your life and how great you feel! I tried out for The Apprentice, Hell’s Kitchen, The Amazing Race, anything that was going to get me somewhere where I could deliver my message! 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted:  You have an idea that you want to host a healthy living and eating show, and the judges seemed not to like that point of view….

A. Herb Mesa: It wasn’t that they didn’t like my point of view; it was that they wanted m e to fine tune it and make it more acceptable. It was kind of like hiding the broccoli. We want healthy, but not to put that in people’s faces. If you tell people healthy, they have more tendencies to tune out so it is easier for people to accept if you find an identity first and then add the healthy to that. 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: Did that Latin cuisine feel like it just clicked for you? 

A. Herb Mesa:  That person has always been there, I am Puerto Rican and Cuban. When I realized that that is what they wanted more of, for me to be Herb, and to let Herb come out instead of “the energy chef” it worked. I am just a Latin guy that cooks healthy food! I loved how it developed. This show was a great big boot camp for me and it helped me to fine tune it even more and make it an even better concept. 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted:  It seemed a little bit like everyone would get tripped up and intimidated by the camera. How did that feel?

A. Herb Mesa: It is not an easy thing! The pressure is hard and unless you experience it you won’t know how it feels.  I know I am not that person, but with the pressure of the show and everything that is going on, it is hard to make everything happen in thirty seconds. We all struggled.

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What would your advice be to someone going on the show next season to conquer that fear?

A. Herb Mesa: The best advice I could say would be to be yourself, no matter what.

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: The judges said that you have this electric personality. Have you heard this before?

A. Herb Mesa:  You know I think it was something that I always had but never knew I had it. It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I realized that there was something there but I never had the confidence to feel it.  

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What was your favorite challenge of the show?

A. Herb Mesa: There were probably three things that I loved so much; one was the lunch truck challenge. I loved that, it was so much fun, in the truck with Paul, we worked our butts off. Eva Longoria and I got to see my family that was an awesome moment. And Frank Sinatra’s house was great! We started off the season with Wolfgang Puck and I knew that there would be so much more and it was going to be an amazing ride because if we started off with him what was next?

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted:  You met a slew of famous celeb-chefs. Was there anyone in particular that made an impression on you?

A. Herb Mesa: Guy Fieri was great because he really made a connection with us, he had experienced what we were going through. Paula Deen was awesome, it was so nice to meet her and get a big hug from her. Todd English, Bobby Flay, you can’t pin point one person!

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: So what is next for you?

A. Herb Mesa:  This is what  I want to do for a living, I can’t see myself doing anything but a show, whether it is producing television shows, being in front of the camera or behind the camera, I love this and it is what I want to do. To be able to do this, adds value to life. For now, I am taking a vacation! 

(Image courtesy of Food Network)

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