The Sandwich King is Leaning

One of the shows I look forward to each year is The Next Food Network Star.  I enjoy cooking shows as it is, but can't cook a lick (but I can write you a hit song and fix your computer - insert laughter), and this show definitely isn't any different.  What I enjoy most about it is seeing amateurs grow as cooks and as chefs.  Watching them also helps me understand the cook a bit better because we are seeing, a mentioned, amateurs, and their raw talent and how they came to hone their skills in the kitchen.

I remember the third season of the show and the winner, Amy Finley, wasn't to begin taping her show until, I believe, a week after she won, but instead, she copped out.  Apparently, Amy couldn't deal with the pressure of having her own show.  My question is how does having your own show differ in pressure than what you went through in the competition.  But I'm just a viewer looking from the other side of the TV screen.

This year's Season 7 winner was Jeff Mauro, who's Food Network Show is titled The Sandwich King.  As with all the winners since Season 3 (which is when I began watching) I like to watch their new shows.  I should add that what Food Network has done differently since Season 3 is the winners now have to start tapping their show the very next day after winning.  If Amy thought having to tape a show a week after winning, she should try taping the show the very next day.  That doesn't give you much time to rest up and plan things.  And what I have seen of the winners, they can hold their own against the veterans already on Food Network like Rachel Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence, to name a few. And this season's winner was no exception.  But what stood out more with Jeff than the others was the sandwiches.  If there's one thing I love more that breakfast for dinner is sandwiches and learning of different sandwiches from the self proclaimed Sandwich King was right up my alley.  On The Next Food Network Star he was very likable and funny and had a confidence about him without being cocky.  He enjoys what he does and takes pride in his work.

I watched Jeff's show two times and could not watch anymore and the reason being is this picture:

Him leaning on that FRACKIN counter!!!  When the show starts, he's leaning on it while talking.  During the show he's leaning on it while talking and at the end, sometimes, he's leaning on it while talking.  I don't know why that bugs me so much, but it does.  I think because it looks like he's trying to hard to be cool or hip, or something and he doesn't have to be cool, hip or anything.

I had a virtual conversation with someone about this particular issue I have with his show and they stated that is he is just starting out and maybe down the line he won't lean on the counter anymore.  I sure hope so.  If he stops doing that I will back to watching, but until then, I'll stick to Kinder's.

JX2FYDM4WSW7

Sunday 10 July, 2001 - Big Brother

DISCLAIMER:  There's a spoiler at the very bottom of this blog - at the very bottom as to not spoil the read for anyone.  The spoiler isn't even at the end, its beyond that.  I try to think of other people when writing my blogs and not post something others may not read, which mainly means, spoilers.

Left to Right: Adam, Cassi, Adam, Kalia, Keith, Lawson, Porsche, Shelly

The returning vets to play along are

Rachel and Brenden

Jeff and Jordan

and

Evil Dick and Danielle

Since one of the new twist is whomever survives eviction next week will get the Gold Key which means the non-evicted person will be free of being put up for eviction until there are 10 people left in the house (approximately 4 weeks). The bad part of this is the person cannot compete in any competitions, even HOH.

Immediately, Evil Dick begins making plans with Jeff, Jordan, Danielle, Rachel and Brendan to get rid of the newbies right away.

Danielle says, in diary room, that her and her father haven't spoken in three years but this is Big Brother and they have to talk.

Dominic makes alliances with Lawon, Cassi, and Keith

Evil Dick is trying to pull Porsche over to his side because he said they need one newbie on their side to make his plan work in getting everyone out the house and just leave the vets in. Porsche feels its in her best interest because they vets will go far.

Porsche was talking to Keith and said that she told Evil that she and Keith will vote whatever way they want which told Keith that Porsche is on the other side. He just told Dominic and Cassi what he learned about Porsche. They all agree they have to get her out of house.

The Have Not Competition is about to begin. Rachel comes out in a funky looking cow outfit. The Have Nots sleep in an uncomfortable bed and take cold showers in addition to eating slop for the week. The folks have to pick someone to play with and go in the back yard.

Red team: Kalia, Lawon, Shelly and Cassi

Green team: Adam, Dominic, Porsche and Keith

Blue team: Daniel, Evil, Jeff and Jordan

The Competition: each team must soak up as much milk as possible with their cow suit, run back to their pod and have as much of the milk squeezed out of them (by a teammate) to fill up their milk jugs (they have five to fill.

The Winners: The Blue Team

Second Runner Up: Green Team

The Have Nots are: The Orange Team

Evil wants to see the Have Nots bed room. The room looks like an insane asylum room...its all padded. The lights in the room can never be turned off ever. The beds are like on a slap with a very think mattress line up next to each other.

Jeff goes to see Rach and Evil in the HOH room. They state they have to win HOH every week for the next four weeks. Evil wants to get Adam on his side to have two newbies on their side. Jeff thinks its good to have Evil do dirty work.

Evil is out back with Adam cutting a deal with him. Adam is a bit weary because if its too good to be true, it usually is. He goes up into the HOH room where Evil, Rach and Brenden are. Adam knows that Evil is the puppet master and he's going agree with what he says in front of him, but in reality Adam is going after Evil.

Jordan and Shelly are talking about hunting and how Shelly hasn't hunted in 8 years because she enjoys doing girl things with her daughter. Shelly really likes Jeff and Jordan.

Jordan is meeting with Rach to figure out who to keep since the game changing information. They have to pick someone to keep instead of get rid. They want to keep Adam, but feels that Keith is dangerous and doesn't want to give Porsche a three week Golden Key. Evil comes in the room and says Porsche can be trusted and will do anything they want them to do. Rach isn't sure who to put up...Porsche and Keith or Dominic and Adam.

Rach is at the cast wall trying to decide who to put up while she's taking the keys out of the wall. She's up in her room putting the keys in the boxes minus two.

Nomination Ceremony:

Save: Brenden (by default because he's Rach's partner in the game), Daniellle, Evil, Jordan, Jeff, Lawon, Kalia, Shelly, Cassi, Adam, Dominic

Nominated: Porsche and Keith - Porsche is shocked to be put up when she agreed with the "All Stars". She thinks she a target. Keith said he didn't think he would be fighting so early in the game. He's hoping the Regulators will get his back.

SPOILER ALERT:

Evil Dick ends up walking out of the show.  He goes into the Diary Room and doesn't come out. Apparently has to do with personal reasons.  I'm wondering if it has to do with Danielle.  We will find out Wednesday or someone will spill the beans on Facebook.