The end was tense. 3 contestants, winner takes all. On the line was the winner’s own show on the Food Network. The winner’s name was flashed in the Wall of Fame alongside portraits of all of Food Network celebrities. The winner was Aarti Sequeira. [link]
Aarti Sequeira took home the title of “The Next Food Network Star” on the Sunday (Aug. 15) finale, beating out Tom Pizzica and Herb Mesa. This should please Zap2it readers, who overwhelmingly chose Sequeira to win.
The final challenge was taping a three minute pilot (directed by Food Network personality Rachael Ray), which would then be judged by a focus group. Sequeira’s nerves were almost her undoing for a bit there, but after a little advice from Ray, she pulled it together and delivered a charming and upbeat pilot. All three finalists received positive reactions from the focus group, although one person mentioned Sequeira seemed to be rushing.
She won’t get to rest on her laurels for long. In a week’s time, her show “Aarti Paarti” will debut on the Food Network.
img: via Food Network
So who is Aarti? [Food Network]
Aarti, 31 (Los Angeles, Calif.), a former CNN producer who later trained at The New School of Cooking in Los Angeles, experiments adventurously with Indian flavors and incorporates them into American classics. She has taught at her alma mater and now has an online cooking show called “Aarti Paarti.” Born in India and raised in Dubai, Aarti draws culinary inspiration from her cultural background, her mother and never-ending food experiments.
Aarti was not the first Indian-origin contestant on this show. Two years back a contestant named Nipa tried and failed. At that time I had some tips for aspiring Food Network contestants:
1. Mr/Ms. Friendly – Create a warm and friendly image. While it’s good to appear confident, it can easily be mistaken for cockiness.
2. Face time, face time, face time – Practice with the camera all you can. Practice talking to the camera while you cook. Practice presenting your dishes to the camera everyday. Be creative and witty without overdoing it.
3. Spin yarns – It is not simply enough if you describe what you’re making and how to do it. Try relating the food with some childhood experiences and family anecdotes. If you’re cooking some new fare like Indian cuisine, some history on the food will also be appreciated.
4. Minority reports – If you’re from a “minority” (in the US) background, speak about it. Audiences and judges love hearing that kind of stuff.
5. Culinary expertise – Even if you are an Indian cuisine chef, food network execs want to know how you can translate it to an American audience. Making a potato curry with rice and naan won’t work every week. You have to be able to make entrees with meats and seafood and appetizers with some sauces.
Hard to say if she reads this blog but Aarti, who was an overwhelming favorite to win as the season progressed, used this playbook down to the letter during her championship run. [link]
The star of her own food blog brought that passion for cooking in front of the cameras, overcoming more experienced chefs and self doubt. Her culinary point of view is infusing Indian flavors and techniques into everyday American cooking.
Congrats to Aarti. She now follows former winners like Guy Fieri, Aaron McCargo “Big Daddy” and Melissa d’Arabian who now host their own shows on the channel and are celebrity chefs in their own right. We’re looking forward to “Aarti Paarti” and Indian-flavored cooking on the Food Network.
Miscellaneous links:
Aarti’s Blog
Aarti on Twitter
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