the petite pig

how could i forget guy's big premiere?

so, i did not forget to tune in for guy's, winner of "the next food network star: season 2," big premiere - i merely forgot to remind you all to tune in.  however, if you missed the debut of "guy's big bite," do not fret. you will have five more new episodes to catch. just tune in next sunday morning at 10:00 to see what this non-conventional restaurateur has in store for us. this past sunday, guy kicked off his first show in typical "guido" style - packing some heat and a lot of firey fieri punch.  from showing us how to prepare his bloody mary-marinated flank steak to those parmesan taters, guid was a natural. visit the food network's website to check out the making of "guy's big bite" and to learn more about our latest food network star.

and the winner is . . .

three weeks ago, food network contacted andy, beth, carissa, evette, nathan and me, inviting us back to new york to tape the finale and also to surprise guy and reggie. the six of us did our best to keep our mouths shut, which did not prove to be an easy task, but i think we pulled it off in the end.  the six of us arrived in bustling times square last thursday, staying at a hotel just  one block from our illuminated "the next food network star" billboard. if someone were to have told me six months ago that my face would find itself in the bright light madness of times square, i would have laughed in their face. i guess it goes to show you that you never know where life might take you.

that evening we all went out for a pre-celebratory dinner in honor of our two finalists (who still did not know we were in the city) at anthony bourdain's les halles. it was quite the affair with fiances and spouses in tow, plus appearances from the real stars, producer neil regan, associate producer sarah mcbride and broadcast associate emily young. it was just a great reunion to be back with this group of people who i shared quite a unique life experience with just a few months ago. after dinner, neil led us to a nearby bar for drinks where ironically we also met up with guy's friends "dirty p," lisa, daly, nancy and billy who promised to keep our secret from guy.

friday morning, the six of us made it back to our old stomping grounds in chelsea market. we rehearsed the reveal several times with everyone but reggie and guy. the poor things were being housed in separate rooms upstairs with no idea of what to expect next. as it neared time for the real thing, i felt that nauseous "i need to vomit" feeling all over again. although no cooking challenges were ahead of me, i knew the biggest "elimination" was ahead of us. i couldn't even imagine what guy and reggie were going through. for over four months the two of them who have been waiting on this outcome, putting their lives on hold essentially, investing great time and energy in promoting the show and themselves. when the announcement was finally made, i was overcome with both feelings of great both joy and sadness.

still, i was ecstatic that i could share in this moment with the both of them. if you tuned into the finale of the "the next food network star, season 2," you know that guy fieri was crowned our next food network star. it's an honor and title that both guy and reggie deserved, but of course, in the end, only one person could be chosen. however, i don't expect that this is the last we'll hear from our simply spectacular reggie southerland. i know reggie is going to go on and continue pursuing his love for food, pouring that creative soul of his into his work. reggie is starting his own cookie company, so hopefully very, very soon, you'll be able to bring some of that southern sass into your own home. i will admit, i am not a cookie person, but after a visit to reggie's comfort cafe, i am sold. every bite of reg's cookies are exactly what you would expect from reggie southerland - they have life and soul to them; they are filled with rich and spectacular flavors but in the end they are just simply cookies. as for guy, well, stay tuned for this man's big cooking show debut on june 25th because it's gonna be off the hook.

that night, bar americain, an incredibly classy joint as well as bobby flay's latest culinary creation, was shut down for a huge wrap party. we all celebrated for guy and reggie, we celebrated an amazing experience, we celebrated the new friendships we made along the way. it was an amazing party. check out the pictures by clicking on the photo album, "it's a wrap." even though, it's now all said and done, i'm still pinching myself to make sure it all really happened. like i said, in my food network journal, i just feel incredibly blessed to have been part of this experience and to have so many great people. this june, guy, beth and i will be trekking to corn country to see andy get married. shortly after that, it will be beth and carissa's turn. and i still plan on making trips up to santa rosa. after all, someone's gotta keep guy in check and make sure he doesn't get a big head now that he is a huge food network star. just kidding. i don't think anything could ever change this man. he will remain the gracious, loyal and wonderful nut he always has been regardless of all the success and fame that is in store for him. congrats guid!

and then there were two

so we are down to two. and you have about 9 hours to decide who you want to be your next food network star. will it be the spikey haired everyone's favorite guy "guy 'guido' fieri" or the sassy teddy bear "reggie 'shiney figgy' southerland?" it is anyone's guess. will america prefer reggie's "simply spectacular" cooking or "cooking off the hook" with guy? truthfully, i'd like to see the food network give both of these two characters their own show and screw all this voting crap. i think a lot of america is thinking the same thing, as i've gotten email after email from friends and family who are torn about who to vote for. and then they ask, "who would you vote for?" my reply is both of them. i think both deserve the top prize. ok, perhaps i'm biased (or in this case, can't be biased), as i saw the blood, sweat and tears that both of them experienced in their journey to become the next emeril, bobby, rachael . . . and all i can say is that i love both of them deeply, and i'll be rooting for both of them come sunday night.

though it may seem so, the choice is not a choice of two extremes. as different as these two may appear in looks, culinary style and personality, when it comes down to it, they both just want to entertain and share their common passion of food with you, the american viewer. both shined from day one. while i fumbled to find myself, these two knew exactly who they were the second they stepped in front of the camera (or rather nine cameras) and gave you just that, themselves. they were naturals that entertained us both on and off camera. and i don't think i'm going too far by saying that i've never met anyone like either of them. i doubt most of america has either.

reggie is one of the most endearing personalities i've ever come in contact with. i mean, do you know anyone that can make referring to food as "girls" and describing dishes as "sassy" completely natural and funny? an incredibly lovable character, i missed reggie dearly after i was eliminated. the man could just make you laugh with his stories and frankness. he is a truly natural entertainer. but there is more to our mr. southerland than this huge personality. reggie was a great friend that you could just talk to who listened and responded with care and concern - someone that you feel completely at ease with and someone that is completely at ease with himself.

guy is one of the most inspiring men i've ever met. a true entrepeneur, he is a risk taker and is a man that works hard at what he loves. a man that is deeply loyal to his friends and family, he has the unique ability to make everyone around him feel incredibly important to him. i told him during one of my last visits to santa rosa, if i didn't already have such a wonderful father, i'd want him to walk me down the aisle someday in the future. perhaps it's hard to imagine this gold chain ladened man as a paternal figure, but deep down inside this man is just one soft teddy bear.

who will you vote for?

will it be reggie? or will it be guy?

vote now

remember to tune in sunday, april 23rd at 9:00 pm to find out who will be the next food network star

an ode to carissa and nate

last night, we went from four to two and bid farewell to carissa and nate. of all the eliminations, these two had to be the hardest. as the first one to get "shit canned" (in the eloquent words of carissa), my departure was perhaps not as difficult to take. don't get me wrong - it was no party to get the boot, on national tv no less, but i had less invested, both emotionally and mentally. and so, i can't imagine what it was like for either carissa or nathan, who had gone through over two weeks of grueling pressure and endless eighteen hour days. as the challenges got more and more intense, these two stepped up to the plate and showed america that they have what it takes to be the next food network star and looked gorgeous while doing it.

these two were great friends behind the scenes, and it is fitting that they prepared a little something for each other . . .

carissa seward. where to begin? perhaps passionate would be the first descriptor for this young culinary starlet. honesty, being the second. upon first meeting ms. seward, it is utterly impossible not to like her, or to become captivated by her refreshing straight from the hip "what you see is what you get" attitude. before us stood an empowered woman who lives without reservation, perched atop her fashionable three-inch heels.

i watched her shine and evolve, both as a food personality and as one who exemplifies so many wonderful qualities in a person and a friend. "never settle" is carissa's motto in life. i know this woman to have never settled for anything but the best. her choice of a career, her unquenchable quest for knowledge, and ultimately, her future husband - a one of a kind guy named sal. carissa, you have soared from wonderful loving daughter to highly accomplished woman with whom your friends, future husband and your mom, are no doubt so proud of. simply carissa.  - nate

my dearest self-proclaimed nathan w. lyon the first . . . what can i say? you, my friend, are just that . . . a wonderful and new friend that we are so lucky to have met. our new york experience was a crazy and amazing one, one that i will forever and always cherish. we certainly had our fair share of getting to know each other, hang out and support each other, and it couldn't have been more fun to share this experience with you.

you ear-to-ear smile that lights up a room, your extensive vocabulary, your quick wit, the numerous in-depth stories filled with fun and interesting food facts - all this i will remember fondness.

i am amazed at all that we learned from you and thoroughly enjoyed your warm and sincere instructive manner. it was you, nathan w. lyon the first whose knowledge and passion for fresh ingredients, food of all types, and the artistic creation involved was inspiring to all of us. without question, you will be a huge success in whatever culinary pursuit you choose. we all believe in you, your knowledge, and your passion for this business and anything that you put your mind to. you’re one-of-a-kind and will do well in whatever you choose. i wish you nothing but success and passion in all that you do. - carissa

carissa, your tribute to you mom last night was beautiful. knowing how close you two were, you had me on the verge of tears. i know she is so, so proud of you, wherever she is. we all are so proud of you. you went out in style sister. 

nathan, i know you will continue sharing your love and knowledge of food with the world in some big way and lighting up rooms with that smile of yours. this far from the end of the journey.

food and charity

last night’s fundraiser in santa rosa sponsored by sonoma county’s kzst 100.1 fm was more than a huge success. it was an evening filled with generosity, food, wine and laughter. 500 plus "next food network star" fans were in attendance and through ticket sales and auction items, over $30k was raised for valley of the moon children’s center. we kissed a lot of babies and shook a lot of hands. ok, not quite, but you get the idea. the evening’s festivities were hosted by brent farris, kzst personality who put me to the test last thursday in his morning show’s battle of the sexes duke out. i lost 0 for 3 (guess i don’t know much about men) and am seen swatting brent below with my “loser” prize (my fly swatter was labeled just that – “loser prize for jess”).

the evening kicked off with an opening q&a period where beth, carissa, guy, nathan and i shared our behind-the-scenes secrets. our “next food network star” stories were followed with an auction of numerous donated items from local merchants as well as many-a-autographed-food-network-paraphernalia from posters to blenders. the enthusiasm (which could have largely been driven by the many bottles of wine that had been emptied throughout the evening) and generosity (which also could have been driven by the wine) were astounding. after the auction, we all watched episode five together and instead of commercials, the five of us provided running commentary.

a huge thanks to guy for letting me be part of this event and to the many, many people who dedicated long hours of work to make it all happen on very short notice, and of course “happy cooking” to all those that came and supported a wonderful cause.

 

a little sumthin' about shoey

last night “next food network star” viewers said goodbye to andy, aka junior mint or shoey. andy, only a couple years ago, was headed towards the field of medicine. needless to say, the culinary world is lucky that he discovered his true calling. while andy and i were the babies of the group, this man is no novice in the kitchen. if you’ve visited andy’s catering company’s website www.nappants.com, you know that his culinary vision, ability and sophistication speak much greater than his twenty-six years. this is a little sumthin' from guid for andy:

my brutha from iowa . . . a short novel of the flip flop in nyc.

every once in a while you meet someone that reminds you just how great life is. someone that reminds you that the world is your oyster, that boundaries are only imaginary lines, and that you can be whatever you want to be.

meet mr. andrew schumaker and you will get that message. here is a dude that put his family first, changed his career, but never lost sight of what he loves to do, food. he lights up a room with his big smile, his funny laugh, and his ability to roll into whatever is going on. easy going, funny, witty, quick, quiet, loud, goofy, sincere, smart, weird, and understanding (are only a few of the words he can spell . . . ha ha ha just kidding) are only a few of the words that describe on of the coolest cats i have ever had the chance to meet and learn from.

andy is before his time. he is young and ambitious, and the world really is his oyster, either made in to rockefeller, or served on the half shell, andy will be on the tip of everyone's tongue. i look back at the food network experience and can say that without a doubt on of the reasons that i made it as far as i did was, due largely in part to mr. schumaker . . . the comedic relief was unbelievable . . . non stop, one liners, from scarface, to caddy shack, the man was on a 24/7 roll.

seeing andy leave the show was emotional for a lot of people, but after a moment of reflection, we all knew that andy wouldn't be to tripped out because he was going home to see his family, and that is a beautiful thing. i do not believe that we ever expected to become friends with the other contestants on the show, we are supposed to be in competition with each other, but without question one of the greatest gifts that we all got was that big smile, yea like the one you see in the magazine ads, that andy had to offer.

big stuff is on the horizon for mr. shoe. he is going to marry the love of his life, sierra is growing by the minute, and andy will continue to make killer food . . . remember us all flip flop, because we all know you will end up somewhere big doin' it up big.

yer brutha from anotha mutha, guid

i know there are a lot of schumacher  fans out there. i think most of america was sold on this midwestern boy after the cupcake challenge last night. he charmed us, and he made us laugh. and that’s exactly what andy did in the green room when the cameras disappeared. he was a goof that made us laugh – the kind of laugh that makes your stomach hurt. andy and guy just had this energy together – like two hyper six-year olds that just fed off of each other. it made for some pretty entertaining footage that unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) america will never see. andy was also just a genuine, genuine person. he spoke a lot about the loves of his life carrie and sierra. a gentle spirit but definitely a force to be reckoned with, i have no doubt that andy will make it big in the culinary world, but i don’t think fame will change him in the least. he’s quite the humble rock.

andy, rock on papi. i know this is not the last of you shoey.

tv guy'd

last weekend, i made a trip up to santa rosa to watch episode three with guido (better known to "the next food network star" viewers as guy fieri) and his friends and family. there are few words to describe a man like guid, and even fewer words to describe his friends. at the fieri household, you are always guaranteed fun, libations (specifically our amigo jack daniels) and some damn good food, which is exactly what i had on my sunday night visit - a lot of fun, a shot of green label jack and some delicious penne, whipped up by an all-star-chef-in-the-making, hunter fieri, guid's nine-year old son.

next weekend, i'll make the two-hour car ride up again, and i hope some of you bay area residents will come along for the the festivities because this sunday, food network star finalists beth raynor, carissa seward, guy fieri and i invite you to join us for episode five of "the next food network star." we will be at the mary agatha furth center supporting a fundraiser benefiting sonoma county's valley of the moon children's foundation. come out and support a great cause and get the behind-the-scenes-play-by-play of the show from beth, carissa, guy and me. and of course come for the fun, libations and good, good food, always guaranted when hanging out with our "guy."

por evette, con amor

i was sitting on a jet plane when episode 4 of "the next food network star" aired tonight, so i haven't had a chance to see the stressful events and challenges that unfolded tonight among the six that remained. however, i do know the episode did end in the elimination of our beloved evette. better known to us in the green room as sofrito, evette brought so much laughter to all of us with her "tell-it-like-it-is" candor and ebullience. beth has a couple parting words for our latin mama:

after the fourth crazy episode of "the next food network star," our loveable evette rodriguez (aka sofrito) was sadly eliminated. after winning "the next food network star" web vote, evette came to the challenge with many admirers. soon after meeting her, i quickly became one of them.

not only is evette a mother of four and a grandmother, she is also one of those people who warms every single room she enters. of all the finalists, i never imagined evette and i would form such a bond, but i have to admit, there were many grueling days when i couldn't have imagined having anyone else in this world by my side. out of the many strengths of this beautiful woman, she has this amazing ability to look at the world as if she's seeing things for the first time. she finds great pleaure and excitement in the smallest of things - things that the rest of us take for granted.

regardless of the outcome with this adventure, i know evette is going to go on to do great things in the culinary world. she's a force to be reckoned with - stay tuned for more to come from this hot mama!

cheers to that. evette, i know you went out in nothing but style baby. you should be incredibly proud of yourself.

tribute to beth

for those of you who tuned into episode 3 of "the next food network star," you saw the beautiful beth raynor get eliminated. i've asked evette rodriguez, food network star finalist and future latin queen of sofrito, to pay tribute to this wonderful woman.

beth, a woman of intelligence, wit and great beauty said her goodbyes in a delicate and graceful fashion yesterday. her departure brought those closely associated with her to tears. something you cannot possibly know about her is that she is very engaging, bordering on ridiculously funny. what the judges did not see on camera, we saw everyday in the green room and during our many shared evenings together. beth knows what she wants out of life and she won't conform or change who she is to get it.  she is a professional and in my opinion, tackled every task as such.

ditto to that.

visit evette's website at www.evyskitchen.com.

asian bolognese, cooked and plated this time around

click below to see how asian bolognese is really made.

so, tonight i did something i thought i wouldn't be able to do for a long, long time again - get back in front of a camera and do a demo. in a small way, this is my attempt to redeem myself as a cook not in other people's eyes, but in my own eyes. in the past week since the show has aired, there has been a lot of "noise." for me, most of it has been good noise - i have received many wonderful emails with words of support, encouragement and praise. however, when you put yourself in the public spotlight, people feel that they have free reign to have an opinion on you and of course, not all of it is good. no matter how thick your skin is (and having been raised by a very chinese mother, i have pretty thick skin), you can't help but feel that initial sting. sadly, some of that bad "noise" has made me doubt myself and question whether i belong in a kitchen at all. when i dig deep down inside, i know the answer is, "shake it off, move on and get back in there" and that is just what i'm going to do.

i also thought i owed it to this dish - asian bolognese - to show you all a completed version of it. this is something you will never find in a restaurant. in fact, i have never found it anywhere besides my parent's kitchen. many delectable creations have come out of the dang kitchen, but i think this is one of the best. it's a little bit italian, a little bit chinese which is fitting of my culinary background. bolognese, because it is esentially a meat sauce. chinese, because it is served over silky tofu and uses soy sauce and rice vinegar as its foundation of flavor. the heartiness of the meat is complimented by the incredibly light taste of the fresh tomatoes and of course the delicate feel of the tofu. it is quick-and-easy, at least it is when there isn't a stage manager breathing down your neck and a selection committe scrutinizing you in the corner. i hope it makes it to your kitchen sometime soon.

a huge thanks goes to my camera man, director, editor, all around great friend james lin for staying up with me till 2 am to film and edit this demo. you rock.

i hope this is the first of many demoes i put up on the petite pig, and i hope each one gets better and better. send me your comments and feedback. and of course, if you do end up cooking this dish, let me know how it goes.

the following recipe for asian bolognese varies slightly different to the one submitted to the food network. use this one instead.

******************************************asian bolognese
serves 4
cooking time: 20 minutes1 lb ground meat
1 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper
four tomatoes
2 tbs olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp rice or rice wine vinegar
2 tbs cold water
1 tbs corn starch
1/2 lb tofu
cooked jasmine rice (recipe below)
2 tbs parsley, mincedthere are three ways to prepare the tomotoes for recipe. one requires blanching and shocking the tomatoes to remove the skin. if you are short on time, i recommend that you just dice or cut the tomatoes into eighths and skip step two.season ground meat with salt and pepper in medium sized bowl. set aside.bring 2 quarts of water to boil. while waiting for water to boil, prepare an ice bath. carve the tops out of each tomato (the part that connects the tomato to its stem). when water boils, place tomatoes into boiling water for 45 seconds. remove and place immediately into ice bath. let sit in ice bath for two minutes. remove skin and cut into eighths.heat 1 tbs of olive oil over medium-high heat in wok. add half of minced garlic. when you start to smell the garlic, add ground meat. break up meat with wooden spoon. cook until meat begins to brown but is not fully cooked through. remove meat from wok and set aside in medium-sized bowl.return wok back to medium-high heat. put second tbs of olive oil into wok. add remaining garlic. when olive oil and garlic are ready, add diced onion. cook onion until it becomes translucent. add tomatoes. let tomatoes simmer and juice up, stirring occasionally. while tomatoes are cooking, prepare tofu. cut tofu into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes. place in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes on high. mix together soy sauce, vinegar, cold water and corn starch. when the tomatoes have softened and are juiced up, add ground meat back into tomato sauce and turn heat to high. clear an area in your wok for your flavoring base. when wok has reached high heat, pour in flavoring base. let it sit for ten seconds. sauce should begin boiling and thickening. lower heat to medium and stir. let cook for another thirty seconds.serve over tofu and rice. garnish with minced parsley.*******************************************************cooked jasmine rice
serves 4
cooking time 10 minutes 3 and 3/4 cups water
2 cups jasmine rice
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 tablespoon saltbring water and jasmine rice to boil. add peanut oil and salt. stir and turn heat down to low. cover and let simmer until rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 10 minutes.