Tag Archive for ‘Susie Fogelson’ at Laptop Television Mom

The Next Food Network Star Aarti Sequeira

The Next Food Network Star Season Six Winner: Aarti Sequeira

This foodie loves Indian cuisine. I can devour a plate of Gobhi Aaloo and butter chicken (with a side of naan, of course), but the thought of actually cooking the meal is down-right frightening. Thanks to the winner of The Next Food Network Star Season Six, I think I found my solution: I will stick to ordering my traditional Indian food at my favorite restaurants, and will simply try infusing some Indian flavors into my everyday cooking at home.

This culinary point-of-view is the vision for chef — and now TV star — Aarti Sequeira, who won Season Six of the competition Sunday night. Aarti was an early fan favorite due to her bubbly personality and infectious smile. But I believe she won because her new show, called Aarti Party, is interesting, unique and inspirational. She can certainly teach wanna-be chefs like me how to enjoy some Indian flavors without tackling full-flown Indian cuisine.

On Monday, I was fortunate to speak with Aarti and discuss her victory. Here are highlights from the call:

Q: What most excites you about making your new show on Food Network? A: Aarti’s answer was both simple and poetic. She said she wants to really live up to her full potentia and “go boldly into [her] future.”

Q: Will you continue your online cooking show and blog? A: Aarti wants to keep blogging and is not sure about her online cooking show. She openly admits that food-blogging “is an art form for sure.” She also added “the blog stays, the blog got me here, and it gave me a sense of who I am.”

Q: At any point during the competition, were you star-struck? A: Aarti gladly admitted she was star-struck when she met Paula Deen because “she’s so relate-able” and overcame her fears to live out her full potential. I liked that about Aarti, but then again I like anyone who stays humble and appreciative of what she has earned.

Aarti was a total joy. Her telephone persona is as charming and vibrant as her television persona. I would invite her over for dinner (and a few glasses of wine!) without hesitation. Aarti’s new show premieres on Sunday, August 22 at 12 noon EST on the Food Network.

Food Network SVP Susie Fogelson

Now, let’s talk about my personal highlight of the call: talking to Food Network SVP of Marketing, Creative Services and Brand Strategy Susie Fogelson. In all honesty, Susie is a stud. I want to be her when I grow up. She is smart and just pain cool.

Susie joined the call for a Q&A and spoke about the business decision of hiring Aarti. Here are highlights:

Q: Throughout the competition, what did you see in Aarti to vault her to victory? A: Susie quickly answered that Aarti was “interesting on so many levels right out of the gate.” If you watched the show, you know she had to work on confidence at times, but Susie said it was no surprise, she kept poise and professionalism throughout the competition. She finally added that “her light never dimmed.”

Q: When did you see Aarti break away from the pack? A: Susie quickly quipped that “Aarti had me at hello.” She added that Aarti has “a great spirit” and her “accent and smile are beautiful.” A true story-teller (that is a fancy term for marketer), Susie said she was intrigued by her background and personal story. Susie also spoke broadly about the competition saying “you have to be confident in this job, if you can’t maintain and sustain, it’s the kiss of death.”

I truly loved these conversations. This mom appreciates the opportunity to speak to two wonderfully smart, talented, driven and successful women. I’ll tune-in and watch Aarti Party… and dream of having Susie for dinner some day.

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit for Aarti Sequeira: Food Network

Photo Credit for Susie Fogelson: Food Network

Season six of the popular reality show Next Food Network Star kicked off on Sunday June 6, and from the looks of the premiere episode, we are in for a drama-filled treat. And the icing on the proverbial cake is that a handful of bloggers have been invited to interview Food Network’s Bob Tuschman, Vice President, Programming and Production; Susie Fogelson, SVP Marketing, Creative Services and Brand Strategy; and a contestant each Monday following the show. The bloggers, including yours truly, have the opportunity to ask Bob and Susie about the previous night’s episode, and then we speak to one of the eliminated chefs. We are one week into the process, and I am uber-excited for the show and the experience to interact with the Food Network executives. Let’s dive in:

About The Next Food Network Star: Just in case you are not familiar with the show, The Food Network airs a program each Sunday at 9 p.m. PST featuring 12 aspiring celebrity chefs taking on various cooking tasks with a “will they shine on TV?” slant. Each week, one chef is eliminated, and at the end of the season, the winner is awarded his or her own cooking show on The Food Network. Previous winners can be found HERE and HERE.

Q&A with Bob Tuschman:I tell you what, Bob was a really nice guy and fun to interview. Like on the show, he appeared calm, cool and collected (and perfectly on-message!) Here is a snapshot of the conversation:

Q: What are you looking for in a contestant? A: Bob pointed out that this show is “the toughest cooking show on TV” because the chefs not only have to cook, but they have to learn how to perform on-camera. Each contestant has to bring the right level of energy, look natural, share a clear “culinary point of view,” and possess star quality. He reminded us that Food Network receives thousands of pitches a year for new shows, so he needs to find someone who can “consistently deliver great food and great performances.”

Q: Are you worried viewers will lock in on one or two contestants too early? A: This question was top-of-mind because Aria Kagan was a clear stand-out and early favorite on the first episode. Bob said he does worry about viewers favoring a specific contestant early in the show, and then reminds us that no matter what happens in episode one, things can change quickly. Bob continued by saying that the judges need to see constant improvement in order to win, so don’t give up on anyone too early in the series.

Q:What is the biggest challenge contestants face and what is your advice to overcome them? A: Bob reminded us that the contestants really have to listen to the judges who also are there to mentor them. Bob and Susie — along with Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentiis — provide tips every time the chefs are in front of the camera. (In fact, the judges spend at least 8 hours per episode mentoring the contestants.) They are looking for someone with charisma, and Bob added that charisma is like eye color, you either have it or you don’t… but you can learn to shape your charisma into something that works.

Q&A with Alexis Hernandez: Alexis is a farm-grown chef who likes to teach people the science behind food. Not only will he tell people how to make a vinaigrette, but we will teach you why adding salt can balance the acidity of the dressing. I call Alexis the unexpected farmer, because I know a lot of farmers but had never seen one in a paisley button-down before last week! He seems like a sweet guy, but his insecurities and under-cooked dessert made him the first contestant eliminated from this season. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: What would you differently if you could do the show over again? A: Alexis said he would show more personality on-camera, and share better and more-realistic cooking tips during his segments.

Q: What is the biggest difference from being a contestant and being a viewer? A: Alexis summed it up in two words: it’s overwhelming. He added that is hard to adapt when you want something so badly, when you want to win, but you are out of your element (and your kitchen).

Q: What is your signature dish? A: Alexis said his signature dish is braised beef chuck with red reduction and honey, infused with rosemary; carrot ribbons on top; served on a bed of Ramen noodles or puree of parsnips. (Yes, Ramen noodles like the soup we ate in college!)

Q: What was it like to meet Wolfgang Puck? A: Mr. Puck was a guest judge for one of this week’s challenges, and Alexis called him a “mega-god of food.” He also said that he never in his life expected the opportunity for cook for Puck, and he was so happy to meet his “hero.”

Next Episode: Tune into The Food Network on Sunday night at 9 p.m. PST to watch next week’s episode, and then come back to Laptop TV Mom for another recap!

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit: The Next Food Network Star