The Next Food Network Star Contestant Brett August Blogs: Being Eliminated the Second Week Wasn’t What I Had in Mind…

June

When I auditioned to be on The Next Food Network Star, I thought my culinary skills and 12 years of experience in the commercial kitchens at Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook, would take me far. I definitely didn’t think I would be leaving the show in week two.

While I wish my time on The Next Food Network Star hadn’t been so brief, I wouldn’t have changed how I presented myself. I’m high energy, quirky and bring 110% of my personality and energy to everything that I do. I’m also brutally honest. Even though I think my honesty hurt me during the elimination, I would not have wanted to come across as fake or disingenuous.

As for the judges’ feedback, I agree with Bobby Flay that I should have used pickles, one of my assigned ingredients, in a more interesting way during the Esquire challenge. If I had the opportunity to redo the challenges from the second episode, I would have made different dishes for both. I needed to infuse my personality into the dishes I made, not just into the presentation of them. However, I was glad that my high energy level came across during the Esquire presentation, even if Bob Tuschmann referred to my presentation as “landing on Planet Brett.” I can think of worse places to land.

Competing in The Next Food Network Star challenges was nothing like I had imagined it would be. Every challenge takes place in a different kitchen and requires you to use different equipment. It is difficult to get acclimated to unfamiliar equipment in such a short period of time, especially when you have spent 12 years cooking in the same kitchen. Suffice to say, the Doral Arrowwood kitchens are nothing like the Food Network or Good Housekeeping test kitchens.

Watching myself during the first two episodes was a wild experience. I realized I came across very differently than I had anticipated. Sometimes, that makes it hard to hear what people think about me from watching the show. While they are just reacting to who and what they saw, I don’t always agree with their perceptions.

Being eliminated may have been a huge disappointment, but competing on The Next Food Network Star was an amazing opportunity. Looking back on the experience, I wish that America had the opportunity to experience who Brett really is in the kitchen and what he can deliver on-camera. Most of all, I wish I could have proven to the judges that I do have what it takes to be The Next Food Network Star.

For now, I’m headed back into the kitchens at Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook and I’ll be watching the show each week. Check back for my insider’s perspective on future episodes each Monday on Small Bites.

— Brett August
chefbrettaugust.com

This entry was posted on Monday, June 15th, 2009 at 8:32 am by baugust.
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