From the first moment, and due largely to Mary’s gregarious, warm prompting, we all clicked-chatted non-stop, asked questions of each other, laughed and gave each other grief. Robin was an experienced chef from San Francisco, Eric was a proud, third generation firefighter and restauranteur from Manhattan. All three held their breakfast plates on their laps. She had found two other chef/competitors and wrangled them around a tiny, cramped table. I walked out of the elevator, heading toward the lobby when I heard, “Jennnnnnnnnnneeeee… Come over here, girl!” Of course, it was Mary. We were encouraged to eat breakfast beforehand because it would be a minute before we broke for lunch. This first day would be long, but we wouldn’t start competing and filming until the following day. The next morning, we were to be in the lobby of the hotel at 6:30 AM. I knew immediately that we would be friends. How was your flight?” This is actually how Mary speaks-she’s almost like a caricature of a Texan, except that she’s real. Should we behave cordially, keep to ourselves, or could we form friendships? Those questions were answered as soon as Mary, the other chef/competitor, got into the shuttle. I had no idea what to expect from the other chefs. “Just picking up one more competitor,” the driver told me. It arrived quickly I exchanged pleasantries with the driver and hopped in the passenger seat beside her. I rolled my tight shoulders and circled my stiff neck as I waited for the network shuttle that was going to take me to the hotel. What the challenges would be, how they would stump us, remained a mystery. That was all I knew, all any of us knew-we were there to compete. Five other chefs and I were recruited from around the country to compete against one and other. to tape a Food Network holiday series, Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge.

It was early August and although Los Angeles was hot, it (thankfully) lacked the humidity for which southern summers are known. # My Time on Food Network’s Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge Use code 01HOLIDAY on our website to receive 40% off and free shipping on orders of $75 or more. Here, she reflects on the experience of meeting her fellow chefs and competing on the show.īoth of Jennifer Brulé’s cookbooks are available from UNC Press in print and ebook editions. Today, we welcome a guest post from Jennifer Brulé, chef and author of Learn to Cook 25 Southern Classics 3 Ways: Traditional, Contemporary, International, as well as The New Vegetarian South: 105 Inspired Dishes for Everyone.Įarlier this month, we were pleased to cheer Jenny on as she competed on Season 2 of Food Network’s Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge, in which five chefs from around the country put their spin on Thanksgiving dishes and competed for first place and a $25,000 grand prize.

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