Food Network Star Casting in Chicago!

Hi!

My name is Amy Weiser and I am a casting assistant for Food Network Star, Food Network’s hugely successful culinary reality series. We are currently casting for season 8 and would like to inform you and anyone that you think may be interested that we are holding an open casting call in Chicago on Wednesday August 3rd, 2011. If you are interested please e-mail me and I will send you a copy of our flyer that further details what we are looking for. Please feel free to post our information on to your website, send it out to any list serve you may have or forward it on to anyone you think might be right for the show. Any help spreading the word about our search is greatly appreciated!

We are looking for people who are full of life, passionate about cooking, and knowledgeable about food to meet us in person at our open casting call. Please help us reach out to any chef, home cook, caterer or culinary enthusiast who might be interested in becoming the host of his or her own cooking show on Food Network!

The details of our event are as follows:
Wednesday, August 3rd 2011
10am-2pm
Affinia Hotel
166 East Superior St.
Chicago, IL 60611

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your time and assistance.

Sincerely,

Amy Weiser
Casting Assistant
212.359.9479
amy@jenscasting.com

I so dearly hope someone from chicago is casted on here. we do have some great food and great personalities. good luck to all who try out.

Are the seven previous winners still doing shows on the FN?

mhill95149 wrote:Are the seven previous winners still doing shows on the FN?

guy fieri sure is.

toria wrote:I so dearly hope someone from chicago is casted on here. we do have some great food and great personalities. good luck to all who try out.

There is a contestant on the current "season" from Chicago (Elmwood Park), Jeff Mauro. I missed Sunday night's episode, don't know if he was sent home, but I did like him on previous episodes. He has a background as a comedian.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-network-star-season-7-finalists/package/index.html

Jeff is going strong and looking more like he will be top two.

mhill95149 wrote:Are the seven previous winners still doing shows on the FN?

Amy Finley won season 3, filmed six shows and quit because of the marital problems she was having.

Her book "How To Eat A Small Country" (http://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Small-Country-Happiness/dp/0307591387) tells the story of how they patched thing up. Highly recommended.

Although I'll prob get "smoked" by the competition, I think I may give it a whirl. I'm no Grant Achatz, but I'm no Sandra Dee either

Might as well give it a whirl...

Those Hearty Boys guys from the first season didn't last very long. Personally, I find the whole concept as boring as wonder bread.

Bring back David Rosengarten and FoodTv will get me back. Til then, its PBS on Saturdays and one or two Cooking Channel shows.

I never thought anything could make me hate cooking as much as the current Food Network lineup does.

I just read the bios for the finalists. I can't decide if I want to cry for FoodNetwork or punch its executives.

bella54330 wrote:Although I'll prob get "smoked" by the competition, I think I may give it a whirl. I'm no Grant Achatz, but I'm no Sandra Dee either

Might as well give it a whirl...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6ALySsPXt0

@ Blown Z- Best response ever LOL...
Had me laughing!
Thanks for the encouragement!

bella54330 wrote:Although I'll prob get "smoked" by the competition, I think I may give it a whirl. I'm no Grant Achatz, but I'm no Sandra Dee either

You're right there. They just don't make 'em like Gidget anymore...

P.S. Yup. Just do it!

Bad humor tangent:

I have come up with a possible winner for a game show that somewhat involves food:

The set: a cooking show.
The theme: obvious Mexican. Bright colors in the kitchen. Bowls full of mangos, chiles (fresh and dried) ristras on the walls, bright tiles.

The hosts: Bayless, and Pati Jinich.

The plot: Each week, three contestants will have front row seats for the cooking demonstration. Pati and Rick will create a few dishes together. The goal of the contestants is to make it through the demo as far as they can without slapping Pati or Rick, and/or screaming at them for their blatant over-enunciation. There will need to be a giant timer somewhere above the set for the audience to see so they can root for their favorite contestant. Obviously, the rest of the audience will need to be blocked by fences lest the hosts be slapped senseless for the entire 30 minutes.

Of course, I kid. I'm actually a big Bayless fan. But this Pati's Mexican Table show...She makes Bayless sound like Boomhauer from King Of The Hill. I'm pretty sure you can see three of her wisdom teeth each time she says "Tor-TEE-Yuh."

YourPalWill wrote:Those Hearty Boys guys from the first season didn't last very long. Personally, I find the whole concept as boring as wonder bread.

Bring back David Rosengarten and FoodTv will get me back. Til then, its PBS on Saturdays and one or two Cooking Channel shows.

I never thought anything could make me hate cooking as much as the current Food Network lineup does.

I just read the bios for the finalists. I can't decide if I want to cry for FoodNetwork or punch its executives.

Couldn't agree more. Most of the next "stars" are far from it. Other than Guy Fieri, all the other winners are pretty much un-noticeable with unwatchable shows. Food Network has also seen fit to even give some of the "losers" their own shows as well, which mostly also turn out to be more barely watchable crap.

I too tend to gravitate towards PBS and Cooking channel for my fix. I find too many Food Network shows and personalities send me running for the remote to change the channel. The Neelys, Paula Dean, and all the "next Stars", i.e. Big Daddy, Aarti, Melissa d'Arabian, Adam Gertler & Tom Pizzica who they have given shows to are a whole bunch of Bleeeeecccch.

Intrestingly enough the shows on Cooking channel for Jeffery Saad and Kelsey Nixon are not bad.

YourPalWill wrote:Those Hearty Boys guys from the first season didn't last very long. Personally, I find the whole concept as boring as wonder bread.

Bring back David Rosengarten and FoodTv will get me back. Til then, its PBS on Saturdays and one or two Cooking Channel shows.

I never thought anything could make me hate cooking as much as the current Food Network lineup does.

I just read the bios for the finalists. I can't decide if I want to cry for FoodNetwork or punch its executives.

I still miss the early days with dear Sara Moulton. I so adored her.

As a hourly lurker, and sporadic poster, I am honored to represent not only Chicago, but also LTH on this season of FNS. Currently in the top 4 and going strong!

Just wanted to say I am firm believer in this forum and find myself on this site way too much (if there is such a thing).

Win, loose or draw - As a life-long PASSIONATE Chicagoan (except for a couple years in LA) I promise to represent this city well and if given the opportunity showcase all the establishments that embody what everyone on this forum celebrates (especially some of my favorite GNR's). promise.

thanks, and keep watching if you do. If you don't, give it shot. It's way better than Rock of Love Bus 7.

Jeff Mauro
http://www.foodnetwork.com/jeff-mauro-f ... index.html

pairs4life wrote:

YourPalWill wrote:Those Hearty Boys guys from the first season didn't last very long. Personally, I find the whole concept as boring as wonder bread.

Bring back David Rosengarten and FoodTv will get me back. Til then, its PBS on Saturdays and one or two Cooking Channel shows.

I never thought anything could make me hate cooking as much as the current Food Network lineup does.

I just read the bios for the finalists. I can't decide if I want to cry for FoodNetwork or punch its executives.

I still miss the early days with dear Sara Moulton. I so adored her.

Ditto re Sara Moulton. Well worth the time; I learned a lot from her show. And as an added plus, she always seemed like such a down-to-earth person, not a "personality." Then, about a year and a half ago, I had the chance to chat with her. My wife and I were in Yosemite staying at the Ahwahnee and she was there as part of a guest chefs program. The day we we left, I happened to run into her husband without realizing who he was. We turned out to share an interest in photography and talked for a long time. I mentioned that I was sorry to miss his wife since we had to leave early to avoid a predicted two-feet of snow about to fall. He tried hard to persuade me to call her but we were in a rush to miss the storms (which, in fact, hit hard). To make an already long story short, I tried to call him about something later that day and she answered the phone; he was out. I ended up talking with her for a while and I came away quite impressed. Very sweet lady.

bean wrote:

mhill95149 wrote:Are the seven previous winners still doing shows on the FN?

Amy Finley won season 3, filmed six shows and quit because of the marital problems she was having.

Her book "How To Eat A Small Country" (http://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Small-Country-Happiness/dp/0307591387) tells the story of how they patched thing up. Highly recommended.

There is an interview here.

cheffjeff wrote:As a hourly lurker, and sporadic poster, I am honored to represent not only Chicago, but also LTH on this season of FNS. Currently in the top 4 and going strong!

Yay Jeff, thanks for dropping by

I don't get Food Network, but go you!!!

ChefJeff:

Break a leg, & all that! I've watched FNS a lot this season, as I and a sweet kid who plays linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks (Aaron Curry, AKA @Aaron59Curry) tweet each other for the entire show. You attract quite a diverse audience. Sandwiches: Food of All People.

PS We'll be watching and booing #EvilPenny tonight. Great decision of Food Network to bring back an actual bona fide reality TV villain. . .ratings gold!

Cheffjeff, I have a feeling that lemon aioli will making an appearance on sandwiches in your near future. Way to go making the final three. I have total respect for chefs that have to do that Iron Chef/Chopped time food challenges, looks maddening. I think you have this competition in the bag. Your cool Chicago accent and ease on TV is going to make you a star
Good Luck!

Good luck, Jeff!

Jeff. I'm not usually a big fan of the FN competition shows, but you made me look. Good luck in the finals! I'm wondering where you go for good fish tacos in PV.

Thanks for the support everybody. Top 3 and in the finale next week! Crazy...

STEVEZ - As far as Fish Tacos in PV, I always spend at least one day working my way through the taco stands downtown, especially by the malecon. I've had over 130 tacos in 11 years and never gotten sick. It's the questionable cuisine at the resorts that usually get me....

SUNDEVILPEG - Penny, believe it or not, was great to be around. She had a great sense of humor and could take a joke better than anyone. She had a plan of attack, and that was to be a villain and stir shit up. it worked, right? She is the subject of 90% of the questions I get. "How much of a bitch is Penny?" that and "Did you win..." The latter being the worst. BTW, Aaron Curry!? Really!?

NICINCHIC - That challenge was very, very real. Especially since I was given the task of "Battle Lobster." Much harder to fabricate 20 lbs of lobster than it is to fabricate 20lbs of lamb chops. Never want to do Iron Chef again...I'd much rather commentate.

Thanks again for your support LTH'rs. Keep watching....

Jeff Mauro

ChefJeff:

Good info on Penny! Who knew? And yes, Aaron Curry - really! He posted a pic of his toddler-age son Max watching, too: http://yfrog.com/gzdnnefj I think you really livened up Sunday nights of the 2011 lockout for him, seriously. Really nice guy - though he can be very honest, as in last night's comment on Mary Beth: "Ol' girl ruined the lamb." Ow. You should tweet him - I bet he'd get a kick out of it. Hey, when you get a FN/Cooking Channel show, have him on!

Aaron's address: @Aaron59Curry

(Wonder if the Bears' J'Marcus Webb watches the show. He loves to cook, though he's mostly a breakfast guy - grits, pancakes, eggs, bacon. . .hmmm. More as culinary events warrant. )

Way to go, ChefJeff!
Love the concept and the tag lline..
those of us in Chicago have been rooting for you all along.

Good luck Jeff! I'll be watching and rooting for you!

Congrats Jeff! Hope you have a great, long run. Do your town proud!!!

Well done Jeff!
Remember us - we're watching! Do Chicago proud!

Congratulations on your win, Jeff! I'm excited to watch your show. I hope you make some fun sandwiches that will be easy for a college student like myself to make!