Disclaimer - this post contains NO spoilers regarding the outcome of my episode which aired on July 13 for those who have not seen it, however some details about the episode (not affecting the outcome) are shared.
After you cook in a Food Network kitchen studio on national television alongside a Food Network STAR who also happens to be an Iron Chef and one of your top culinary idols, it must all be downhill from here, right? Well, let's hope not but the excitement and thrill of the experience is not likely to be matched or topped anytime soon.
So how did this happen? I often get asked so I thought I would detail my experience here.
I have loved game shows since birth and I have been fortunate enough to appear on four - The Price is Right in 1997, Wheel of Fortune in 2015, The Price is Right again in 2019, and most recently, Let's Make A Deal in 2021. As a result, I am now on the mailing list of several major casting companies which typically do the pre-screening of eligible contestants. On November 16, 2022, I received an email from JS Casting and since we share the same initials, it had to be a good omen, right? They were searching for contestants for three upcoming shows: Lego builders for Lego Masters (definitely not qualified), professional chefs for Food Network's BBQ Brawl (also not qualified), and a third show that just said "now casting talented home cooks for a major cable network".
After giving it some thought, I decided I had nothing to lose by filling out the application which had general questions about me, my cooking approach, why I love to cook, how I got into cooking, etc. They also requested some of my food photos (I gave them a link to this blog as well as my Instagram) and a brief thirty-second video explaining why I would be a good fit for the show. I made the video in my classroom with the help of my brilliantly talented Mount View Middle School Symphonic Band students, many of whom follow my Instagram page and this blog so they could attest to my cooking skills.
Shortly after I submitted the application, I was contacted by a JS Casting producer named Annie. We casually chatted on the phone for an hour, talking about food, my cooking, and restaurants we both enjoy in Philadelphia, where she lives. Annie was unable to provide many details about the show, however she did confirm that it was Food Network and that if I was ultimately selected for the show, it would require one day of taping in New York City. She requested more photographs of my food including several of my signature dishes that could be prepared in under forty-five minutes. At this point, I was thinking it MIGHT be Outchef'd as I had watched season 1 of the show and her descriptions fit my theory, but I had no confirmation.
After our phone chat, Annie informed me that I would be moving on to the next step which was a Zoom interview with another casting producer which happened in early January. We again discussed my recipes, cooking approach/philosophy/background and he gave me some tips on what Food Network was seeking. He must have liked my answers because he informed me that JS Casting would be passing my information to Food Network producers! (I excitedly said, "FLAVOR! FLAVOR! FLAVOR!" in one of my responses which he loved and asked me to repeat so he could record it.) I was elated!
Three days later, I was contacted by Brett, a Food Network producer. I was immediately comfortable with him as he was easy to talk to and clear in what he and Food Network needed from me. We talked about food, work and life (mine and his), etc. He asked me for five or six names of people close to me who could attest to my cooking so I provided the contact information for my mother Sherry, husband Randy, best friends Matt and Kristen, and my music department family, Samantha and Kate.
Brett contacted Sherry, Randy, and Matt and they all had conversations about me. (Good thing I am not paranoid!) In addition, I spoke on the phone with a second Food Network producer named Sara who was also a joy to talk to, and we discussed several of my signature dishes including "TBH" Chicken and Sweet Potato Waffles, Banh Mi Pork, and Shrimp in Garlic Sauce. I shared details on the recipes and what inspired me to create them. She also asked me about my favorite Food Network and local chefs/restaurants. I told her that locally, my favorite chef is Cindy Wolf who owns and operates my favorite restaurant, Charleston. As for my favorites on Food Network, the list is way too long to name them all, but they include Alex Guarnaschelli, Geoffrey Zakarian, Kardea Brown, Molly Yeh, Ina Garten, Eddie Jackson, Ree Drummond, Valerie Bertinelli, Mary Berg (whose show is actually on Canadian Food Network) and so many more. We also discussed my teaching career, how much I love my job and my students, and how planning a concert is so similar to planning a menu.
On January 17, Brett texted me to share the exciting news that I had made it to the next round, an in-person audition at Food Network and that my support team (Sherry, Randy, and Matt) would need to make the trip with me. It was surreal! I was offered a variety of potential dates, but I informed him that we would make any date work. Shortly thereafter, it was determined that February 8 would be the big day.
The "audition" was to take place at a studio in Long Island City, New York. Food Network graciously offered us a hotel room the night before. I had an evening rehearsal with one of my bands that night, so we hit the road around 8:15 PM, arrived at the hotel in Long Island City around 12:15 AM, and went straight to bed. We were in the hotel lobby by 7:15 AM the next morning and Food Network also graciously sent a car at 7:20 AM to transport us to the studio, which was ten minutes away.
Brett greeted us outside and escorted us up to the green room where we were able to settle in and they provided a light breakfast. After we were all comfortable, Brett informed me that they were ready for my audition and that one of their celebrity chefs, Eddie Jackson, would be taking me through the process. Chef Jackson walked into the room and the opening scenes of the episode were filmed. I really did not even notice the cameras because I was star struck. He chatted with us all, pumped me up, and then escorted me down to the actual set where we filmed the "celebrity chef portrait walk". Again I did not notice that the cameras were rolling because Chef Jackson and I were casually talking about the chefs in the portraits and he asked me about my favorite Food Network stars. (I told him he was one of my favorites.)
We walked around the corner into the kitchen, but then he asked me to walk back so that we could film the "celebrity walk" again but this time with the cameras behind us and it was at this time that I realized that we had been filmed during the first walk.
When we were back in the kitchen for the second time, the "surprise" was revealed as shown in the episode. What they did not show was me yelling, "IS THIS OUTCHEF'D???" (Apparently up in the green room as my support team watched on a television, one of the producers told them I was the first person to figure it out.)
Words cannot convey how excited and humbled I felt at the revelation of Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli as my competitor. I was not as nervous as I may have looked because at that moment, it was no longer about competing or winning. It was about cooking alongside someone who I idolize and have learned so much from watching.
Everything happened almost exactly as it was shown in the episode with only a few "Hollywood Magic" moments. For example, after Chef Jackson stated the rules, revealed the secret ingredient, and said "go", we ran to our stations to make it look like we were starting, but in reality, the forty five minute clock had not started and the cameras stopped. At this point, I was given a thorough tour of the pantry, refrigerators, cooking equipment, utensils, plates, etc. Another producer walked over to me to discuss with me what I might be thinking about cooking with the crab. My first inner thought was "Chef Alex will probably make crab cakes or something traditional, so I better think outside of the box and make something out of the ordinary." When I told the producer of my idea to use my Shrimp in Garlic Sauce recipe but swap out shrimp for crab, she immediately said "that sounds delicious" so my plan was set. The only protein other than crab that was available was bacon so I opted to use it, despite it not being in my original recipe, because I felt the bacon and bacon fat would add another layer of flavor to the garlic sauce. (Remember, FLAVOR! FLAVOR! FLAVOR!) All of the other ingredients that I needed were available including cognac and wine. I should also point out that everyone on the show (and other Food Network competition shows) automatically starts with a large pot of boiling water on the stove and a 500 degree preheated oven. None of the other ingredients or equipment could be retrieved until the official cooking time began.
The official "three, two, one, GO" happened with much less fanfare and was not included in the final edit. Thankfully also not included was me embarrassingly tripping over the taped-down power cords on the floor behind my cooking station but luckily I did not fall. What WAS included was me struggling to put on my apron, as Chef Alex pointed out, warning me not to trip. In actuality, it took four and a half minutes for me to figure out the apron! (Yeah yeah yeah.) Off camera, the producer informed me that my cooking time would be extended by four and a half minutes since the apron issue was not my fault. (Apparently I was not the only cook to struggle with it!)
From that point, the rest of the taping was fairly on point with what you saw on television. Brett and the other producers would talk to me while I was cooking, asking me questions about what I was doing, etc. One of the producers asked if I wanted to serve any sides which is when I had the idea to roast the asparagus with garlic, shallots, and lemon. I was also offered frozen peas to use which I thought would be nice in the dish. When the official forty five minutes ended, I was told to "fake looking finished" and then I would have my additional four and a half minutes. That was a huge relief because during those last minutes, I plated, had time to clean the edges to make them look presentable, add the asparagus, and then garnish with fresh parsley, a lemon wedge, and a hunk of baguette which I always serve with that dish to mop up the sauce, which in my opinion, is the star of the dish. We were each required to make six plates. Four for the judges, one for the cameras, and one as a spare backup. At first, I could only find four identical bowls so while I cooked, one of the producers managed to find two more. After I had finished, I learned that Chef Alex had burned herself on one of the pots right near the end of her cooking time, requiring the medical staff to intervene. She assured me she was ok.
We were then given a break and I returned to the green room where Food Network graciously provided lunch for us while Chef Jackson filmed the tasting/judging scene which Chef Alex and I were not allowed to see. (Chef Alex had her own green room so I did not see her during lunch.) After an hour or so, I was taken back down to the set along with Chef Alex where we filmed the results scene. Chef Alex and Chef Jackson were just as wonderful when the cameras were not rolling. Before the votes were read, Chef Alex whispered to me that she really hoped I won. My heart swelled! We also had a brief chat with the judges but that was not shown in the episode.
Once the cameras stopped rolling after the ending was filmed, I was given another break before my producer interview was recorded. (This was where I recorded my reactions and thoughts that were interspersed throughout the episode.) My support team was no longer needed so they left and went to a local cafe. The day concluded around 2:30 PM and we were again sent a car to return us to the hotel. Shortly thereafter we were back in our own car and we reached home by 7:00 PM. What a whirlwind of a day and I would not have changed a thing!
One of my biggest takeaways from the experience was the Outchef'd/Food Network staff and crew, from the producers to the assistants to the food preparation team to the camera operators to the control room operators and everyone in between. Every single person was friendly, welcoming, professional, courteous, supportive, accommodating, generous, gracious, encouraging and above all, they clearly enjoy their jobs and working together. It felt like a family. Many of them had nicknames, they were always smiling, laughing, and it was infectious. This resonated so well with me because that is the atmosphere and culture I strive to create in my band room with my students every day.
VIEWING PARTY!
So shall we talk about the viewing party food??? As this is already a long post, I will just post the menu, which featured some of my own recipes along with recipes by some of my favorite Food Network personalities, and a few pictures. The menu included:
Bubble Juice (my recipe, virgin and spiked versions available)
Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup (Food Network Kitchen recipe)
Caprese Skewers (my recipe)
BBQ Burger Sliders with Onion Rings (Geoffrey Zakarian burger method)
Blue Cheese Bacon Burgers (Alex Guarnaschelli blue cheese sauce recipe)
Chimichurri Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Calabrian Chili Mayo (my recipe)
Corn Dogs (Molly Yeh recipe) with Yum Yum Sauce (Katie Lee recipe)
Pepperoni Pizza (my recipe and cooked in my pizza oven)
Margherita Pizza (my recipe and cooked in my pizza oven)
Shrimp Cocktail with White BBQ Sauce (Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman recipe)
Balsamic Onion Dip (my recipe)
Mini Shortcut Lemon, Pistachio, and Chocolate Merengue Pies (Kardea Brown merengue recipe)
I have been doing a lot of cooking and recipe testing since the show aired so I will detail those in my next posts. THANK YOU to everyone who watched the show, sent messages of encouragement, etc. It meant the world! And remember, "Flavor! Flavor! Flavor!"