Biggest Loser Search Coming to Salt Lake City

 

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 31, 2012 – NBC’s popular reality series “The Biggest Loser” is launching a 13-city cross-country search to find new contestants for the next edition of the hit show.  Individuals who have at least 85 lbs. to lose are encouraged to apply for the new season, which will air in January 2013.

 

Casting producers are looking for charismatic individuals who have the desire to change their lives forever and vie for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lose weight and compete for a grand prize of $250,000. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age and legal residents of the United States. For those who are unable to attend a casting call, information on how to apply to the show and submit a videotape is available onwww.nbc.com/casting and www.thebiggestlosercasting.com.
People will not be allowed to line up prior to three hours before the start of the open call. Candidates should bring a non-returnable photo of themselves.

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

 

LOS ANGELES
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Boys and Girls Club
2232 Lincoln Blvd
Venice, CA 90291

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 23

 

ATLANTA
10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Kennesaw State University
Convocation Center, Building 2
1000 Chastain Road
Kennesaw, GA 30144
*Follow signs to the casting call

 

CHICAGO
10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Chicago Home Fitness
1205 Butterfield Road 
Downers Grove, IL 60515

 

MIAMI
10 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Planet Fitness
850 Ives Dairy Road
Miami, FL 33179

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 30

 

DETROIT
10 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Gardner-White Furniture
45300 Hayes Road
Macomb, MI 48044-3846

 

KANSAS CITY
10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Nebraska Furniture Mart
1601 Village West Parkway 
Kansas City, KS 66111

 

PHOENIX
10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Superstition Springs Center
6555 E. Southern Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85206

 

SATURDAY, JULY 14

 

PHILADELPHIA
10 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Planet Fitness
9950 E. Roosevelt Blvd.
(Located between Best Buy and American Signature Furniture)
Philadelphia, PA 19115

 

RALEIGH
10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Rex Healthcare
4420 Lake Boone Trail 
Raleigh, NC 27607

 

SALT LAKE CITY
10 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
KSL 5 TV
55 North 300 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84180

 

SATURDAY, JULY 21

 

CLEVELAND
10 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Cleveland South
5300 Rockside Road
Independence, OH 44131

 

DALLAS
10 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Gilley’s Dallas
1135 South Lamar Street
Dallas, TX 75215-1036

 

SAN DIEGO
10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
NTC Venues at Liberty Station
2640 Historic Decatur Rd.
San Diego, CA 92106

 

Alison Sweeney is the host of “The Biggest Loser,” which challenges and encourages overweight contestants to shed pounds in a safe and recommended manner through comprehensive diet and exercise as they compete for a grand prize of $250,000. The series provides the contestants with challenges, temptations, weigh-ins and eliminations until the final contestant remains to claim the title of "the biggest loser." Contestants work out under the supervision of professional trainers Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince.

 

ZY Restaurant Offers a 4-Course Prix Fix "Square Meal"

 Just in time for summer dining, ZY Food Wine & Cheese at 268 S. State St., Salt Lake City, will offer a weekly changing “Square Meal.” It's a four-course prix fixe menu offered nightly during dinner service. The menu, inspired by local markets and purveyors, will bring a refined sampling of Chef Matthew Lake’s contemporary American menu to Salt Lake City diners nightly.

“Our Square Meal menu is an opportunity to elevate the ZY experience for our guests at an affordable price point and for our culinary team to play with new dishes and flavor combinations,” says Chef Matthew Lake. 

A sample menu may include:

Sweet Corn Puree with smoked Maine lobster & spring herbs

Hawaiian Swordfish, spiced pineapple glaze, shaved asparagus & applewood bacon

Snake River Farms Wagyu Pillow Steak, roasted eggplant & pickled shiitake mushrooms

Upside Down Cheesecake, fresh berries macerated in house-made pear vinegar & ginger crumble

A “Square Meal” will be offered nightly for $40 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity. Wine pairings will be offered for $15. The menu must be ordered by the entire table. For reservations, please call ZY Food Wine & Cheese at 801.779.4730.

Z^Y(pronounced Zī)  Food Wine & Cheese opened in Salt Lake City in July 2011 and is a renewal of the classic American restaurant serving local contemporary American cuisine, extensive cheeses, warm hospitality and service all in a historic landmark building. For further information, please visit www.zyrestaurant.com.

Morgan Valley Lamb Farewell

Utah ranchers Jamie and Linda Gillmor of Morgan Valley Lamb

 It was a bittersweet evening at Caputo's Market last week, as Jamie and Linda Gillmor of Morgan Valley Lamb were honored by members of Slow Food Utah and local restaurateurs. The Gillmors are closing down operations for their locally raised, all-natural, hormone-free lamb. 

Jamie Gillmor said extended family members wanted to sell their grazing land along the mountainside of Morgan. "There are nine of us that own that property, with my cousins and siblings, and we decided as a group that it was time to sell," he said. "I'm still going to keep running livestock, but Morgan Valley Lamb is really labor-intensive for one guy to do with all the marketing and deliveries. I needed to focus on the task of marketing the property right now."

Three generations of the Gillmor family had been ranchers. But about 12 years ago, Jamie and Linda faced the economic facts of traditional ranching. Many had to hold second jobs to make ends meet. Most of the lamb was shipped off to the West or East coasts, and the Gillmors wanted more of their product to stay in Utah.

So they came up with a business plan to raise a high-end, "natural" lamb without using antibiotics or growth hormones. The lambs were fed an all-vegetarian diet — no animal by-products are in the feed. They gave the meat a brand name in the same way that Apple computers or Ben & Jerry's has name recognition. 

The sheep were raised around the Delta area in the winter and pastured on the Gillmor's mountainside Morgan land in the summer.  So they chose the name "because it's such as gorgeous valley, and 'Morgan Valley Lamb' just rolled off the tongue when we repeated it a few times," said Linda Gillmor.

The company used almost the same criteria as organic meat, but the couple chose not to go to the extra expense of becoming USDA-certified as organic. The term "natural" on a food label generally means it has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

They began going to the back doors of restaurants, a bag of lamb meat in hand. The timing was right, since "natural" and "local" were current buzzwords in fine dining. They had a booth at the Downtown Farmer's Market, where curious consumers wanted to know how their meat was produced. Harmon's was the first grocery chain to carry the meat.

And for more than ten years, "Morgan Valley Lamb" was proudly listed on menus at restaurants such as Bambara and Log Haven in Salt Lake City, Bistro 258 in Ogden, Snake Creek Grill in Heber, and Good Karma Restaurant in Park City. and many more.  Ali Sabbah, owner of Mazza, used it extensively in his Middle Eastern menu, with lamb kebabs, lamb shanks, and ground lamb. 

"We do a huge amount of lamb," said Sabbah, who was at the dinner. "We really counted on Jamie's lamb for a large portion of business."

Sabbah said he is exploring a few options such as the Niman Ranch brand. "I'm working with Jamie on to help me get a steady supply of lamb, because Jamie knows not only his business, but he's very knowledgeable about everybody else's business."

Sabbah praised Jamie Gillmor as "A true Western man, a rancher who is known for honesty. It's almost like a dying breed."

Morgan Valley Lamb was quickly embraced by the Slow Food movement, which was also gaining traction in Utah in the early 2000s. The international nonprofit's goal is to turn the tide of "fast food" by promoting local food traditions — farmers markets, artisan bread and cheeses, and regional cuisines. So it was fitting that about 100-150 members came together for a farewell potluck dinner at Caputo's Market, and gave a standing ovation to the Gillmors at the end of several tributes delivered to them.

Past Slow Food Utah president Christi Paulson said, "I remember the very first time I met Jamie and Linda at a Slow Food dinner. As time rolled on, they became my friends. They have been an integral part of bringing Salt Lake City's food community into a good place."

The Gillmors still have their Delta ranch and plan to stay involved in agriculture. Meanwhile, you can find Morgan Valley Lamb at Caputo's Market and Harmon's stores, while supplies last. 

Savor The Summit in Park City

Deer Valley's Royal Street Cafe area of the Grande Table.

Park City's annual "Savor The Summit" event takes place the evening of June 23. I attended this dinner last year, and it's pretty amazing.
  The Grande Table features one  long continuous table set down the middle of historic Main Street. Various restaurants provide a specific menu for their area of the Grande Table.
  Main Street will be closed off to cars,  but will be open (free) to the general public to hang out and listen to live music, witness the Grande Table and visit the businesses of Main Street.

  Dining guests can make a reservation directly with any participating restaurant listed below.  Each restaurant will offer their choice of menu, pricing and bar service. Menus range from $40 to $150 per person (with wine or beverage pairings extra or included).  


Make your reservation as soon as possible, as many restaurants are already sold out.  The Main Stage and Spirit Garden, located near the Kimball Art Center will come alive at 4 p.m. Most of the dinners take place around 6:30 or 7 p.m.

2012 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS 

350 MAIN
435.649.3140
MENU

501 ON MAIN
435.645.0700

BANGKOK THAI ON MAIN
435.649.8424
MENU 

BISTRO 412
"SOLD OUT"

BUONA VITA
435.649.1336
MENU

BUTCHER'S CHOP HOUSE
435.647.0040

CHIMAYO
"SOLD OUT"

CISERO'S RISTORANTE
435.649.5044

CUISINE UNLIMITED
801.268.2332
MENU(S)FLANAGAN'S
435.649.8600

HIGH WEST DISTILLERY & SALOON
"SOLD OUT"

REEF'S
"SOLD OUT"

RIVERHORSE
"SOLD OUT"

ROYAL STREET CAFE
"SOLD OUT"

SHABU
435.645.7253

SILVER
"SOLD OUT"
SILVER STAR CAFE
"SOLD OUT"

TALISKER ON MAIN
435.658.5479

THE BRIDGE CAFE & GRILL
435.658.5451
MENU

THE FARM
435.615.8080

THE MUSTANG
435.658.3975
MENU

WAHSO ASIAN GRILL
435.615.0333

WASATCH BREW PUB
"SOLD OUT"

ZOOM
435.649.9108
MENU

Settebello Pizzeria Napolentana Opens in Farmington

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana will be opening in Farmington at Station Park today ( May 23). It serves authentic Neapolitan thin crust, hand-made pizza cooked in a wood burning oven from Salerno, Italy.

Station Park’s newest restaurant is situated near the Cinemark Theater and the soon-to-open fountain and garden. It's one of a handful of Italian restaurants in the nation certified by the Vera Pizza Napoletana. The VPN’s goal is to protect the integrity of the pizza-making tradition as it began in Napoli more than 200 years ago.

Settebello follows VPN protocols which require using only Italian flours to create the pizza dough, working the dough by hand, never using a rolling pin, and baking the pizza directly on the surface of a bell shaped wood-burning oven. The charter also requires the use of specific Italian tomatoes and fresh milk or buffalo milk mozzarella.

“Our pizza is made with soft dough and cooks in about a minute in our 900 degree oven,” said owner, Michael Brooks. “It’s meant to be eaten immediately on site for maximum effect with a fork or folded over. We’re very excited to introduce it to Northern Utah.”

Settebello also offers a variety of red and white Italian wines, salads, antipasti and desserts from its sister company, Capo Gelateria Italina. Brooks also owns another Settebello location at 260 South 200 West in Salt Lake City.

                                                                                       

The restaurant has retractable glass walls that will allow customers to dine al fresco and view the dancing show fountain that will be unveiled in June.

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. For more information visitwww.settebello.net and Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana on Facebook.

Station Park is located at the intersection of I-15, Highway 89 and Legacy Parkway, and the Front Runner Commuter Train in Farmington, Utah. Developer, CenterCal Properties, has opened 400,000 square feet of retail space on the site since August 2011, and is continuing to construct an additional 500,000 square feet in the Village Center. For more information about new restaurants, stores and upcoming events visit www.shopatstationpark.com and Station Park on Facebook.

Grub Steak Restaurant Offering 36 Percent Dining Discounts

Through May and June, Park City's Grub Steak Restaurant will offer a 36 percent discount on any dinner entrées, in order to celebrate its 36th year in business.
It’s a “Locals Appreciation” deal to thank those who have kept the restaurant in business since 1976.

“We’re truly honored to be part of this community,” said Hans Fuegi, Grub Steak’s owner since 1991. “While other restaurants have come and gone, we’ve stayed at our original location in Prospector Square. Our longevity, I believe, comes from three things that have remained constant since we first opened: our emphasis on top-quality ingredients bought from local sources whenever possible, our hospitality, and our investment in this community.”

Grub Steak buys its bone-in meat cuts from a premier butcher in Denver. Many of the steaks are hand-cut on-site by chef Brian Moody and his brother Greg, who have been with the restaurant for 30 and 27 years respectively.
The Certified Angus Beef for the Grub Steak’s hamburger patties is ground on the premises and presented on a home-baked black sesame kaiser roll, giving  Fuegi the confidence to declare that Grub Steak serves one of the best burgers in Park City, if not anywhere west of the Mississippi.

Likewise, the restaurant’s desserts and famous beer bread are made fresh in-house. During the summer, Grub Steak’s chef personally browses the stalls at Park City’s weekly farmer’s market to select which seasonal produce to buy.

“I do believe that this commitment to craftsmanship – from selecting the ingredients to the cooking that goes on in our kitchen – has helped establish the reputation the Grub Steak has enjoyed for the past 36 years,” Fuegi said.

Hogle Zoo's New Beastro Restaurant

Jayden Phillips and her lion-shaped juice bottle.

Last week I visited Hogle Zoo with my granddaughter, Jayden. We had a great time! Part of the experience involved a little work, as I was doing a story for the Deseret News on the zoo's new Beastro restaurant. 

Artisan sandwiches at Hogle Zoo's new indoor Beastro cafe.

For the first time in the zoo's history, guests can eat indoors. As of April 30, the old outdoor, order-at-the-window Beastro concession stand has been surpassed by an newly built quick-casual cafe with a wider menu, such as pizza, panini sandwiches, salads, and mac 'n' cheese, along with the usual burgers, fries, hot dogs and chicken tenders."We are open all winter and summer, and people really needed a place to get out of the heat in July and August, and come in from the cold in the winter," said Erica Hansen, the zoo's community relations coordinator. (Since I used to work with Erica at the Deseret News, she gave me a heads-up about the new restaurant and invited me to check it out. Thanks, Erica! )
The new building seats 106, and the west side windows offer a view of the elephants. Last year, the zoo had over one million visitors. Those numbers will likely increase as the zoo opens its new Rocky Shores exhibit next month, with with polar and grizzly bears, sea lions, seals and otters.
When I was growing up, my family pretty much avoided concession stands whenever we went to events such as the zoo, rodeo, the State Fair, amusement parks, etc. The food was usually over-priced and not very good.  And, that's a rule I continued with my own kids most of the time. 
But the times have changed.  People are used to eating out, and offering a nice eating venue with better quality food will definitely improve sales. 
"It's become a bit of a trend for zoos to offer more high-quality, fresh food," said Seth Palmer, general manager of Service Systems Associates, which runs the food concessions. 
He said the new Beastro design was based off of a similar indoor venue at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, he said.

Jayden on the hippo statue at Hogle Zoo.

Palmer said there's been some effort made to keep prices close to what you would pay elsewhere for similar quality. But you won't find any $1.99 fast-food kids' meals here; most meals are around $5.50-$6.50. If you are taking a family, I'd suggest splitting a meal between two kids.One of the least expensive options is a slice of pizza for $2.95.  Palmer pointed out that the cheeseburger is a 1/3-pound fresh Angus beef patty. There's also a black bean veggie burger. The crisp-coated chicken tenders are real chicken breast, not sponge-y "nuggets."  The "artisan" sandwiches and paninis come with house-made kettle chips. The 16-inch family-size pizzas ($19.95- $24.99) are cooked in a 600-degree oven for a crispy outer crust. The creamy, gooey mac'n' cheese ($3.95) has a house-made cheddar sauce and toasted panko crumb topping.
Every day there's a special offered. Last Thursday when I visited, that was barbecue ribs, served with corn bread, a watermelon wedge and sweet potato fries, for $8. Other specials so far have included shrimp tacos and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.
I dined at the Beastro with Jayden, who was excited about the juice drink that came in a hot-pink lion-shaped container. It costs around $3, but it can do double-duty as both a souvenir and a refillable water bottle. She didn't care that the zoo doesn't have any lions. The executive chef is Cory Crozier, a native of Tremonton. Before coming to the Beastro, Crozier cooked at an upscale retirement home, and was also a private chef of a yacht.
"I plan to use some of my farm boy skills in our garden where we will grow some of our fresh herbs, in some land just west of the giraffes," he said. 
Sous chef Anthony Scarborough has cooked in various Salt Lake City restaurants including Log Haven, Squatter's, Hard Rock Café and Wild Grape.
"I've always loved the zoo," Scarborough said. "My major in college was biology and zoology, so the job sounded like a lot of fun. They giving us a lot of leeway here to use our creative powers and it seems like we're off to a good start."
The chefs are gearing up for next month's opening of Rocky Shores, a new exhibit with polar and grizzly bears, sea lions, seals and otters.  The outdoor concession stand there will serve a mesquite burger with house-made dry sauce, or a spicier version called Safari sauce.

Biggest Loser Finale - Best and Worst

    Well, this painful season of "The Biggest Loser" is over and Jeremy won, after losing 199 pounds -- more t han half of himself.. No surprise. Out of the final three, he had the most weight to lose. Although Kim came within ten pounds of winning, she would have had to cut off an arm or leg in order to lose any more weight. And we knew that Conda couldn't do it.
    Here are my unobjective opinions of the finale:
  Most inspirational moment: Seeing past contestants Sam Poueu and Stephanie Anderson from Season 9, and hearing that they recently got married. It's nothing short of a miracle that Sam is even alive. Last September he suffered a serious head trauma after falling from a 54-foot roof deck in San Francisco. After undergoing months of surgeries, physical therapy and rehab, there he was sitting on the front row in the audience with the love of his life.
  Look-alikes: Kimmy was wearing what looked like the same purple dress as host Allison Sweeney, and she looked darn good in it!  
  Most flattering dress: Chris Pickler's bright red number had a classic, flowing line. While some of the other dresses were shorter and showed off the contestants' toned legs, many were so tight that they showed all the bulges.
  Best sport: Adrian's comment that "We might be dysfunctional but we're a family," alluding to some of the backstabbing and bullying that went on during the season. Of course, if he had really wanted to take the high road, he would have said nothing. But typical of Adrian, he couldn't resist getting in that little jab.
  Biggest fake eyelashes: Cassandra could have taken them off and lost another pound.
  Best tan: Emily, who looked just as beautiful as you knew she could. Lauren also looked great.
  Prettiest smile:  Megan.
  Best comeuppance: Mike Messina, who won the $100,000 at-home prize, after losing a higher percentage of weight than Conda Britt. Mike was sent packing after just two weeks on the ranch, after enduring a lot of Conda's bad-mouthing. Mike was also criticized by his teammates for his tobacco-chewing habit.  I wonder if he's quit?
  Most emotional contestant: Gail, who cried, blew kisses and proclaimed that she has saved her life. Her 87-pound loss is impressive, until you realize that since she started at 322 pounds, she's now 235. Which is not exactly skinny.
  Worst shoes: Those skyscraper heels that Conda clomped in on. She looked like she was going to fall over in them any minute...which might have given viewers the best moment of the show.
   Most amazing transformation: Chris Pickler looks about 10 years younger, especially with her darker hair color. Now if she could just get her husband to shave off the rest of his beard, they will both look like a younger couple. Really Roy, there's no reason to try to resemble Santa anymore. Trimming it for the finale was a nice touch, though.
   Best-looking of the final three: Kim was stunning in the black sequined mini-dress.
   Biggest effort that didn't work: The whole "Conda has changed her attitude" theme. I don't think the viewers bought into it.
    Biggest backfire: The efforts by the producers to stir up controversy for a ratings. The bad attitudes of the contestants just turned off a lot of the regular fans. Maybe people tuned in because they couldn't resist seeing who Conda was going to attack next. But having a group of unlikeable contestants does nothing for advertising, or for all the spinoff "Biggest Loser" products. Would you buy a cookbook with recipes from Jeremy and Conda? Or exercise DVDs featuring Mark and Chism? Or eat Subway sandwiches and Jennie O turkey breast because of Kim and Buddy?
   I didn't think so.
 

Free Strawberry Cake For Mom

Complimentary Strawberry Cake for Mom

On Sunday, May 13, the Market Street Grill and Oyster Bar, and the Market Street Broiler, will serve complimentary strawberry cake to Mothers dining at the restaurants on their special day. The Market Street Grill and Oyster Bar will be open for brunch from 9 am to 3 pm and all Market Street Restaurants, including the Market Street Broiler, will serve dinner from 4 pm until 9 pm. Reservations are encouraged.

“Our house-made strawberry cake is made with pound cake, juicy strawberries and whipped cream. It’s the perfect treat for Mom on her special day,” says Chef Ty Fredrickson. “This is a classic spring dessert that is a favorite with everyone.”

For families who will be dining at home on Mother’s Day, Chef Fredrickson shares the Gastronomy recipe:

Cake Ingredients: 
2 five-inch pound cakes, round, about 1 1/2 inches thick
pinch of salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream 
2 tablespoons powdered sugar 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla 
1/2 pint strawberries, fresh, cleaned and sliced 

Sauce Ingredients: 
2 ounces grenadine 
1 tablespoon powdered sugar 
1/2 pint strawberries, fresh, diced 

Cake Method: 
To make the whipped cream, whip the heavy whipping cream with the vanilla until stiff and thin. Add salt and powdered sugar and whip briefly to combine. 

Place half of the whipped cream on top of one of the cakes. Top with 1/2 of the strawberries, and place the other pound cake on top. Top the second layer and the sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream and strawberries. 

Sauce Method: 
Combine berries, grenadine and powdered sugar to make a strawberry sauce. Pour sauce on the bottom of a serving plate. Place cake on top of sauce and serve.

Market Street Grill & Market Street Oyster Bar

Cottonwood ~ 2985 East 6580 South ~ (801) 942-8860

Downtown ~ 48 West Market Street ~ (801) 322-4668

South Jordan ~ 10702 South River Front Parkway ~ (801) 302-2262

Market Street Boiler ~ 260 South 1300 East ~ (801)583-8808

Kelsey Nixon Hosting New Show, "The Perfect Three"

Kelsey Nixon, star of the Cooking Channel's "Kelsey's Essentials," has a lot on her plate these days. With her namesake program in its third season, Nixon is also hosting a new show, "The Perfect Three," that involves both Food Network stars and at-home cooks.  She will also soon be competing on "Chopped."
"I've got to start practicing for "Chopped" on my husband," she said. "He is picky. I test a lot of recipes on him and get a lot of feedback."Nixon was a guest last month at the Pillsbury Bake-off in Orlando, where she did a media seminar on the importance of family mealtime. She talked about the "magic" that happens at the table when the whole family sits down to eat together.

 My story on Kelsey ran in today's Deseret News. 

"We believe in the power of food, how it can build stronger families and communities," Nixon told the 50 food journalists at the seminar, which was sponsored by Smucker's.  "I grew up in a home where family mealtime was very important, and it affected me so much."

Kelsey and husband Robby Egan.

She referred to some of the research in a book, "The Surprising Power of Family Meals: How Eating Together Makes You Smarter, Stronger, Healthier, and Happier," by Miriam Weinstein.

According to Weinstein, regularly eating an ordinary, every-day supper with your family is strongly linked to emotional stability and lower incidence of teenage drug and alcohol use. It correlates with kindergarteners being better prepared to learn to read. It discourages both obesity and eating disorders. It supports a connection to your extended family, your ethnic heritage, and your community of faith. It will help children and families to be more resilient when life throws curves and arrows.

"My mother worked full-time, and yet she came home and prepared a home-cooked meal nearly every day," Nixon said. "Instead of looking at it as drudgery, she considered it a hobby and almost therapeutic after a day of work. Her attitude and approach to cooking is what made me fall in love with cooking in the first place.”

On Sundays, her extended family would get together for dinner at her grandmother's house.  "There would be 40 or 50 relatives, all eating together," she said.

Nixon paid homage to that tradition in a recent episode of "Kelsey's Essentials" that highlighted some of her grandmother's classic recipes. She even used her grandmother's roasting pot that that has been passed down through several generations.

Nixon recognizes there are many challenges to getting the family together, such as busy schedules, or maybe parents who don't enjoy cooking.  If seven nights of family mealtime is impossible, she said, set a goal for a few nights a week at least.

"Remember that the most important aspect of family dinner is the people with which you are sharing it," Nixon said. "You may have to order pizza, but you are still sitting down together. Family meals are something I I want to carry on as my husband and I have children and raise our family."

She and husband, Robby Egan, now live in New York City where they don't have family around them. But they have their "city family" of good friends that come together for Sunday dinner.

"Families come in all shapes and sizes. It can be a traditional family, or this idea that you rely on close friends as your family," she said. "It’s the idea of sharing a meal together and togetherness and talking about things that are most important.”

Lack of space can be another challenge. Her New York apartment is just 700 square feet, but they have someone how managed to cram in 18 of their friends for their "city family" dinners. This is when a menu of foods that can easily be juggled on laps is important.

"I have to store my pots and pans in my oven, and I have to take them all out and put them on the bed every time I use it," she said.

And no, that loft apartment where "Kelsey's Essentials" is filmed isn't Nixon's.

"We wanted it to look like I was inviting people into my own home," she said. "Unfortunately, I don't live there, but maybe someday."

While it appears that the 27-year-old was an "overnight success," the truth is she has packed a lot of experience into a few short years. The North Ogden native got her first taste of food TV as a broadcast journalism major at BYU. She started a start in TV cooking while a student at BYU. She started a cooking show, "Kelsey's Kitchen," emphasizing fast, fun and affordable college meals.

Kelsey Nixon and husband Robby Egan at the Pillsbury Bake-off, sampling finalist Sindee Morgan's Southwestern Corn Poppers.

"There's no book written about how to become a cooking show host, but I wanted to figure out," she said. "I lured people in with free food, I was trying to score some dates as well."

After graduation, she attended culinary school in Hollywood while working as a private chef for a family. She also packed in internships with Martha Stewart Living and the Food Network's "Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee."

Then she auditioned for the reality series, "The Next Food Network Star." The chefs compete in nerve-wracking challenges, with the grand prize being their own series on the Food Network.

"I had no idea of what I was getting into  — the million-dollar experience you would never pay a dollar to be in again," she joked.

She made it to the final four of the 2008 competition, and viewers voted her the fan favorite of the show.

That summer, she married Robby Egan of Sandy. The two met while at BYU before Egan left on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  When he graduated in advertising, the couple moved to New York City to pursue their careers. 

"Bobby Flay became a great mentor to me," Nixon said.

The Food Network put her on their "farm team." When the network created the Cooking Channel, Flay could see the possibilities for Nixon, and his Rock Shrimp Productions became her show's producer.  

On a recent episode, Nixon learned burger-making tips from Flay at his restaurant, Bobby's Burger Palace. In turn, she made him a Rocky Mountain Pastrami Burger (popularized by Utah's own Crown Burgers), and slathered it with Utah fry sauce.

With "Kelsey's Essentials" in its third season, Nixon is also hosting a new show, "The Perfect Three," that involves both Food Network stars and at-home cooks.  She will also soon be competing on "Chopped."

"I've got to start practicing for "Chopped" on my husband," she said. "He is picky. I test a lot of recipes on him and get a lot of feedback."

Egan came with Nixon to the Pillsbury Bake-Off, and the couple spent some time walking the competition floor and taste-testing finalist recipes.

"It's my birthday, so it's great timing to enjoy a trip to Orlando," he said.

"My husband has a traditional 9-to-5-job with vacation days and so on," said Nixon in a telephone interview. "I consider this my dream job, but there's instability. It makes me not take it for granted, because I could very well not sell another season of a cooking show. I don't want to have any regrets about how I spent my time living and carrying out this dream job. I get to talk about what I am most passionate about and teach people about what I feel is most important."