The Slow Food USA Blog

America’s Next (Slow) Food Network Star

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by Slow Food USA staffer Patrick Keeler

“Pssst…you wanna be a (Slow) Food Network Star?”

Despite all previous declarations that only megalomaniacs, bad karaoke junkies, select residents of Orange County, bored housewives and perennial bachelors were allowed – or wanted – to be reality TV stars, I made the bold and hypocritical move to audition for a reality television series. Not just any reali-tv show, but one with “flavor”: America’s Next Food Network Star, but only after some coaxing from the rest of the SFUSA staff around the lunch table.

Open casting calls for the 5th season of the show are this month; I went to the open audition in Manhattan on the 6th. I had no idea what to expect, having never auditioned for anything other than a high school musical (I got the lead!). By and large, my 28-year-old self was amongst the youngest in the crowd of over 90 applicants trying to make it past the first round in casting process. So, armed with a 12-page application, a background in urban farming, resume, coffee, a modicum of chutzpa, and a glossy picture of Yours Truly donning a bright orange, fuzzy carrot costume, I ventured into the unknown.

After waiting three hours, “Number 56” was called, and I stepped into what was to be a five-minute interview consisting of a rather casual set of questions: “how would you describe your culinary education to date?” “where did you first learn how to cook?” “how did you land where you are today?” Rather benign if you ask me. Oh, I should divulge here that I’m just your average amateur chef with no prior formal training – I just enjoy cooking and have always dreamed of having my own cooking show. Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t have told them that. I already have the concept of my cooking show fully sketched out in my head, but I can’t tell you what it is here in case “Number 57” is reading this blog and is looking to steal my idea.

This could very well be a terminal posting, but just maybe it will become the first of a series.  Who knows, I wasn’t paying attention when they told me about call-backs.