-Brett August

Making burgers to impress Bobby Flay couldn’t have been an easy task and it was great to see Mike win and represent for New York.

It was really interesting to watch the Intrepid challenge. When you have a challenge with mystery ingredients, it really pushes you to bring all of your culinary skills to the table. It also forces you to be creative and use ingredients in new and different ways.

You may think The Next Food Network Star is just a cooking competition but it is so much more than that, and the Intrepid challenge is proof of that. It’s crazy to think about how much is going on in such a short amount of time. Not only do you have a limited amount of time to prepare a dish that impresses the selection committee and is worthy of being presented to the troops and their families, but you have to work effectively in an unfamiliar kitchen and, in some cases, use unfamiliar ingredients. If that isn’t challenge enough, you have to showcase your personality during the presentation while communicating your culinary point of view and clearly explaining your dish.

As the challenges get harder and the competition stiffer, it’s certain that things will become more intense for the competitors and more exciting for viewers to watch. One thing is for sure, it certainly doesn’t get any easier to watch people get eliminated, especially after experiencing it yourself.

Watching last night’s episode of The Next Food Network Star was really different for me. You have a very different perspective on the challenges when you aren’t part of them and it’s much easier to relax and enjoy the show!

If I had had the opportunity to be part of this episode and give a budget-friendly tip during the Tyler Florence challenge, I would have told America to use their leftover roasting chicken to make quesadillas. It’s not only economical, but chicken is a frequently used ingredient in kitchens across America.

I can only imagine how nervous and excited the contestants were to cook for Ina Garten. Viewers may not realize that it is not only challenging to prepare dishes that could lead to your elimination, but also to cook in an unfamiliar kitchen, work in teams and to have only an hour to finish your dishes.

One thing is for sure…with all of the different types of challenges the contestants are facing, this season is sure to be a wild ride. I’m looking forward to next week’s episode and the exciting challenges that lie ahead for the remaining contestants.

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

As you saw during last night’s episode, I volunteered to be my team’s captain for the first challenge, catering Food Network’s Sweet 16 Party.

Having worked at Doral Arrowwood for 11 years, where I have catered events for as many as 500 attendees, I felt confident that it was a good opportunity to step-up as a leader.

It was strange though to be part of a team challenge with chefs that I didn’t know very well.

In a situation like that, you just have to assume everyone will deliver what they promise.

Watching the challenge back on-air, it seemed so much shorter than it really was. I wish viewers could see everything that happens during a challenge to understand how demanding it is.

As I watched my preparation of a Roasted Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce and a Butternut Squash Soup during last night’s episode, I was pleased to hear Bobby Flay recognize that I had the most energy in the kitchen.

I am very high energy in the kitchen, and in everyday life, so I was glad to see that come across in-person and on-camera. I did, however, notice how much my energy was lacking from the presentation of my dish to the judges and other leading Food Network personalities.

A lot of people asked me why this was, and the answer is simple – nerves!

It is wild to think about how nervous I was during the challenge, the judging and the elimination. When I was standing in the elimination room, all I could think was that I was going home. Particularly after the judges commented that my filet had an overbearing red wine flavor.

Everybody’s tastes are different, but that was really hard to hear about my food.

I was so relieved when the judges said I was safe, but knew there were many more challenges ahead.

To see my performance in the second challenge, tune-in to Food Network, Sunday, June 14th at 9 p.m. and check Small Bites each Monday to see my reaction to each episode!

— Brett August
chefbrettaugust.com