You may have already heard by now, but I was the grand prize winner in the Next Food Network Star YouTube Challenge! Thanks to you, as well as my large, unbelievably passionate, and supportive subscriber base on YouTube, we dominated the competition.The voting was closed, so there was no way to monitor the number of votes cast, but gauging by the comments on the Food Network's YouTube channel, we crushed it. The response was nothing short of awe-inspiring! It seems one thing is very clear, despite my reservations; most of my fan would love to see me get some kind of show on the Food Network.
By the way, contrary to popular belief, that's not the prize. The grand prize is a trip for two to New York, dinner at one of the Food Network's chefs' restaurants, and an interview with the network executives (although I should warn them – I'm money in an interview). In that meeting I will pitch the idea for a Food Wishes style show, where the food's the star, and the chef is rarely, if ever, seen.
Thanks to all of you who voted! Stay tuned for more information as the adventure has only just begun!
98 comments:
Congratulations !
Congratulations, Chef John! Hope to see you on the Food Network soon!
Big Congrats! Kill that interview.
Congratulations! I just discovered Food Wishes a few days ago, and I'm glad I did! I'll be able to say, "I knew you when..." :)
Congratulations! From what I have seen on this blog you win my vote every time! We'll be following!
Congratulations, how exciting.
Good luck Chef John! I was going to ask what happened with that! I hope you get what you are passionate about!
Woohoo! High five Chef John!
I've been wondering about this...CONGRATULATIONS! Such wonderful news, I love your videos and watch them all the time. Can't wait to see what you end up with.
You deserve it Chef John Congrats!
I can't wait to try your beans a greens recipe. NONE of the ingredients are staples for anything I make at the moment but it looks sooo good I am pretty sure they will be soon. I have not had a single miss with anything I have tried from you, and I seriously I doubt I will this time either:)
Yay, you! That's totally exciting news...I know you'll blow them away in the Big Apple. Have fun and I'll see you on TV!
Congratulations!!!! You so deserve this and FN would be mad not to have your show!
Whoo! Congrats to you CJ!
Way to go, Chef John!
Congrats!! I love your videos! I made the Black Pepper Black Cherry Tenderloin last night :) Awesome!
Congrats! Hope they sign you up, Chef John!
That's fantastic news! Congratulations! I knew you'd win - you're the best.
Amazing! I, like others I'm sure, voted everyday!
I hope you enjoy your trip to New York. :) When you have the interview, we'll all be very curious what types of questions they asked and how you replied.
Huzzah! When you come to NYC, will you come to my apartment and cook? :)
So proud of my jito. Tell tia loretta I said what's up.
Hello,
First of all, congratulations!
I work with G2, a marketing firm, and we are in the middle of organizing a cooking contest.
I noticed your blog online and I think I have something you will be interested in. You could get great exposure for your recipes and meet celebrity cooks (Bobby Flay, Sunny Anderson, Sara Moulton, or Cat Cora). All you have to do is go to http://www.healthyfoodfight.com/ to submit one of your healthy recipes.
Thank you for your time and good luck with the competition if you decide to enter!
i'm so happy for you!
First of all, biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig congrats from Germany, chef John.
You taught me most of my cooking skills in the last years, which are quite respectable for a 16-year-old now, and I'm happy for you.
Though, I'm not sure how that idea for a foodwishes-style show would work out on television.
I think for a whole show, instead of just shorter clips, people also want to see some of the chef, though your voice alone conveys plenty of personality already.
Welp, we'll see how people think about it.
Wishing you lots of luck, chef John.
Well done you have put in the work and now get the rewards :)
This is great! I am a fan, yet a lurker who doesn't speak up. However, I have been making recipe after recipe, and loving every single one. I have also been spreading the love so others can learn how to make and enjoy simple and delicious meals without being intimidated.
This is great news, and I wish you the best of luck!
Congrats! I kinda hope they opt for you on the cooking channel instead of foodnetwork. FN is all about celebrity chefs and sometimes their focus on food falters. But with the cooking channel you get in on the ground floor of a channel that's more for passionate cooks and food people. I could see you becoming the "Good Eats" of the cooking channel!
Awesome, Chef. Never had a doubt. Congratulations!!!!
whoo-hoo. congratulations!!!! You were my #1 pick.
:)
ButterYum
Congratulations, John.
Congratulation Chef!!! I have been waiting for this news. I am wishing that you will have a show in the future with Food network or Cooking channel.
Congrats! You deserve it! I'd be great for you to get your own show!!
Good job, chef.
Here's to quality programming on the Food Network!
You SO deserved to win, Chef John, which makes it doubly heartwarming that you did!! It couldn't go to a better chef - your videos are by miles the best out there. My heartfelt congratulations to you!!!
Congratulations Chef John!
[Insert More words of support here]
I only recently started to follow your blog (and dig through your archives), but if somebody told me you already had a show on TV I would have believed it.
Cheers and best of luck!
Congratulations Chef John!! I am one of your newest fans, and a long time viewer of the food network. I would LOVE it if you had a show!! I've adored your videos ever since I looked for instructions for Boston Cream Pie :-)
wow congrats chef john! i knew you could do it!
Congratulation Foodwishes Chef. You simply deserved it. Thanks for the show.
Grats again!!!! Best of lucks and enjoy your reward!!!
and maybe you get to meet Alton Brown!! (or others, but Alton Brown is my favorite).
congrats from London! I love your videos because you cook proper, everyday food.
Freakn' Awsome, Chef! i've been watching for years, and have always said that you're way better then anything they have to offer. you've definitely been my biggest source of practical home techniques in my trek from rank amateur to half-competent home cook. i hope you can keep some of the straight-forward practicality that makes all of your videos so informative in the FN arena, but really i just hope they make you richer than emeril lagasse ( and i promise to buy all your spice blends!). good luck, chef, and thanks again for all the help!
I voted for you every time I was at someone else's work station and I saw they had YouTube pulled up... and I work in a building with about 3000 computers! =D
Big Gratz!
P.S. I hate Bobby Flay... so pick somewhere else to eat! =P
Congrats! While I have only known of your blog for a few months, I love it! I love, love, love that it has a video of how to make the food for each recipe. Every recipe I've tried has turned out delish! You are a great teacher, easy to listen to and seem very down to earth. Congrats and thanks for the awesome website!
Congratulations! You absolutely deserve it! Just remember us when you get all famous & whatnot. : )
Congratulations, Chef! This really made my day! You really are the best. This is a well-deserved victory. :)
Congrats to Chef John from a long time Foodwishes channel viewer and YT subscriber to your vids. You so deserve the recognition and the credit for making one of the most educational cooking shows I have ever seen. It has taught me so much. I LOVE to cook again because you make it FUN again, and its made me a star of many friends for my cooking again. I hope you get a show on FN and all your wishes come true. (I just hope its not a show on their new cooking channel--not many folks get that new channel).
Please let us know how it all goes.
Congratulations from England, I love your youtube vids. Hopefully your Food Network show will be shown here. Oh and also enjoy the New York trip!.
WOOHOOOO AWESOME CHEF!!... you deserve it, your site and recipes rock and your production values are great.
I'm honestly not surprised in the least. Your videos, recipes, personality and style are tablespoons and taste buds above the other entries. The Food Network is always looking for personality and you have that in spades. You're fun, John, and you make cooking fun. I don't know anyone else who puts as much time into their education by attending culinary events and learning from what they see.
So, a sincere congratulations and a heartfelt thank you for sharing your passion with us. It's contagious. I've learned a lot from you. If brownie points with coworkers and friends were airline miles, I'd have enough for a first class, round trip ticket around the world! Best wishes on your dreams coming true.
Fantastic Chef John! Way to go!
Made your Clifton Springs Chicken Wings to rave reviews (as usual!) this past weekend.
Kick butt in the big apple!
Bullsh!t! I thought you'd be getting your own show! I've been telling my friends that's my secret internet chef is about to be famous for REAL!
Dude your team is awesome. The people you have helping and your commentary is magic.Hell Ya you deserve it.Good Job!
This is awesome! I hope to be DVR'ing you soon!
Awesome job Chef John. I love your idea for a show. While I do enjoy watching Food Network, I believe your unique view on presentation would fit well. If all else fails, you can at least pitch a a continuing web-series similar to what you do now, but with more money =)
Congrats! Hope you and your wife have a great time in NY!
HA! I am so happy for you! Good luck at the meeting, knock em dead!
Not really surprising, but great to hear,,, congrats!!!
Thanks to everyone for all the kind and motivational words!!!
Nice! But as "Admin" suggested, it may be an insult to get too excited. We all knew you had it in you.
For the acceptance speech, I was thinking you should go with the 2004 Bill Murray, Golden Globe speech where he said, "I would thank the people at Universal and Focus, except there's so many people trying to take credit for this, I wouldn't know where to begin."
But now I'm thinking you should go with the 2009 Mickey Rourke Spirit acceptance speech (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-VAz-4x9hc&feature=related).
Yep, lots of 4-letter words... especially nice touch when he thanks "Gap Tooth"...
Yeah, definitely the way to go.
Congratulations,
Scott
Well played, Sir, well played.
I am so emotional with happiness and excitement because...
A lot of times if something is free on the internet it will be poor quality, low standard stuff. Food wishes has touched me so much because of the high standards that just go to the whole world for free.
I would have donated already if the type of bank account I have allowed me to. I know I will find a way someday. Its so overwhelming the good work you are doing for total strangers. You deserve the best. Congratulations!!!!
Houraaaaaah. VIVE LE CHEF JOHN !!!
Congrats!!!
Can't wait to see you perform!
Best of luck; you've got what it takes!
BIG, BIG CONGRATULATIONS!!!we will, definitely, celebrate it at the weinfest this weekend. WOOHOO!! PROST!
with your awesome personality, and match that with an awesome wit and sense humor... i'm sure you'll be a big hit! on another note, hope you don't forget to update your blog. we don't get FN here in germany :(
Congratulations..YOU DA MAN!!!!!!!!!Another Upstate New Yorker does "GOOD". Keep up the "GREAT" work.
Congratulations Chef John - fab result!
Congratulations.... Hoping that you will still write on this page... Many of us are waiting to read your postings..
Congratulations! This is awesome!!
"...the food's the star..." I'd finally get cable TV, just to see this style of show! I like this Food Wishes concept. Congrats & best wishes Chef John:)
Congradulations! I'm vegetarian but I'm your regular fan. Yes, a "Food Wishes" style TV programme please :-)
Congratulations Chef John! Looking forward to seeing you on Food Network, you're the best……
CONGRATS!
Congratulations!!! I knew you would win!
Congrats Cheft John! :D
Thanks again, everyone!!!!!!!
challenge? they should have just asked John and avoided the burocracy
And now your real job - to get loaded. You earned it.
Best wishes & hope to see you soon on TV.
Hooray for the... WTF
"This video contains content of Scripps. This partner has disallowed viewing the video in your country because of copyright blabla".
When do people finally understand that the Internet does not have country borders :-(
Congratulations John!
Your videos are fantastic and I really do admire your work.
Best of luck reaching for the stars!
Cheers,
Kathy Maister
you should be casted in the next season of The Next Food Network Star
Congrats
I was so happy to learn this news!!! Congratulations Chef John!!
I think one of the main hooks for your Food Network show should be viewer requests for recipes -- a lot like Foodwishes the Blog. Every week you could solicit votes for what the next week's show will feature.
I wouldn't mind seeing more of you, but I agree -- the focus should be the food, and the people that love food. You're the fabulous wizard behind the curtain. xoxoxo
hey chef john,big congrats! i love your recipes,your camera presence and even your jokes(as bad as they are,lol) first recipe i made of your was your dinner rolls and they were a big hit! i made'em a 2nd time and got the same result. i enjoy you and your story,s and your recipes.just wanted to say thank you for all you do.and don't change a thing you do when you get your own show on the food network! try to keep the piano music as well! lol
Yes victory is ours!
Go Chef John! We're behind you 100%
Very cool. When does the show begin? Just kidding... I read the post, enjoy your trip and remember to be your self. Impress them the way you have impressed all of us.
congratulations
Huzzay! Huzzay!
Congratulations man. As others have said, you deserved it. I hope the notion of the food being the star isn't too radical for those TV guys.
Woo awesome, was sort of obvious you would win seeing as 1 of 3 comments were about you. Good luck for the interview, keep calm and remember that this interview has the potential to change your whole life forever, take your career to the peak, to make you a celeberity, people would recognise you in the supermarkets, you could have your own food brand. No Pressure.
So happy for you!
And what a lovely show idea.
Enjoy NY!
Every time I watch one of your videos I say "Hi Chef John" after your salutation. I cant wait to do that to the TV too!
Ha
Woot Chef John! You did it! Congrats!!! And I agree with you say that you want to have your potential program in the same mode as Food Wishes. Congrats again! And if it doesn't work out (and hopefully it does) you still have all of your fans on the internet. Best of Luck!
That's ballsy. Sticking to your guns. I like that. I don't know if they'll go for it, but this could definitely lead to guest spots on Top Chef, Chopped, and so on, maybe some "quick tip" type promos; and the interest could lead to offers from other networks.
If they offered you something like a travel or review show, would you do it?
I think it would be awesome if the Food Network did a show where the food is the star, as you put it; but what if they offered something where you travel around to different markets, with Food Wishes style cooking segments?
Congrats! I've been following your blog and cooking from your recipes for years now. I am so pleased and proud of your continued ascent and success. It shows that being yourself and following your passions really does produce amazing results. Thanks Chef John for enriching our lives a bit everyday.
Hellz yeah! congrats. The flooding comments on Foodnetwork page is inevitable. So, about this interview...when?
Go Chef John. Keep us updated on NY.
CONGRATULATIONS Chef! I can say one thing with confidence: you are BETTER than the 'chefs' on Food Network and I hope to see you on TV soon. But please do not stop this blog.
Cheers!
Congratulations Chef John. Well done
How do you get better than Foodwishes! Chef John sending you a Pots & Pan kudos! Thank you.
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