Who Do I Think Will Win? Glad You Asked!

I thought I would share some quick thoughts on the final five contestants on season five of The Next Food Network Star. Before I do that, I have to first tackle (again)…

The judges. They have their clear favorites, and I think they have lost some objectivity. I really hope they can maintain open-mindedness and fairness down the home-stretch. Here are my thoughts on the contestants. I’ve ranked them first-to-last as far as what I feel their chances are of winning.



Jeffrey Saad: I think this is Jeffrey’s contest to win. I think he is the most relatable contestant left, and his food is almost always good. He seems comfortable in front of the camera, and has a fair amount of polish. Bob, however, doesn’t seem to see it in him, and I don’t know why. He really seems to have blinders on when it comes to Jeffrey. Jeffrey can come across a little “in your face”, but not in a mean way.I like him.

Melissa d’Arabian: If Jeffrey doesn’t win, I think Melissa has a shot. In fact, even in second place, she could come back with a show. It worked for Adam Gertler, right? Melissa is sweet and talented and seems to avoid any big mistakes. She could use a bit of seasoning (FOOD JOKE!), but on a personality-driven network like The Food Network, I think she could do well.

Debbie Lee: Susie loves her. I don’t get it. She’s been good, but there doesn't seem to be anything compelling about her that makes me think I would want to tune in to a show that she was hosting. Nice lady, but in my opinion, not a Food Network Star.

Jamika Pessoa: After starting out strong, Jamika has really fallen hard. Now, she doesn’t even seem to want to be there. I just don’t think her personality is strong enough to help her win this, and from a cooking standpoint, I have no idea what she is about. I shouldn’t be able to say that this late into the competition.

Michael Proietti: This one hurts to write. Michael may be the most talented chef in the bunch, and that includes everybody from the beginning of the season. The problem is, this is The Next Food Network Star, not Top Chef. Personality may be more important than even the food in terms of making a show, and I just don’t believe that The Food Network can ever build a show around his personality. Michael constantly referring to himself as “the woman in the kitchen”, is just little over the top for the Food Network's demographics.

Bob keeps saying how much audiences love Michael, but it seems every week the camera catches someone in the audience being uncomfortable by something Michael has said. Bob has MAJOR blinders on when it comes to Michael. My goodness, this past week, he referred to the cameras as “the depths of hell” and still stayed on. I’m pretty sure all of the shows have cameras…

By the way, I’m not suggesting for a minute that Michael change anything about himself. In fact, I blame the judges that selected him for putting him in a situation where he may not be able to be successful. I wish Michael well, but I think for his sake and for the sake of finding someone that can carry a show, this is his week to go.