Food Network Star - Episode #2 — Nikki Dinki Cooking

Here we go again!

As we pull up to this massive set up with grills, a stage, tables and more chairs than were at my wedding I quickly realize that though the day will be spent in the sun, I will definitely not be relaxing and working on my tan.

Instead I'm making a burger, for 100 people! A burger that contains my culinary POV of "Meat on the Side" (hmmmm) and somehow rivals the beefy burgers being made all around me.

The obvious thought is a veggie burger, but with a limited pantry and 100 people expecting a meat burger I decide to do a 1/2 veggie 1/2 meat burger.

I'm hoping to appeal to these meat-eaters while still representing my POV.

At home I make what I call "meal balls" they are like meat balls but they are 1/2 veggies 1/2 meat. So why not take that and make it into a burger? It could work...

But it doesn't :( With the volume of burgers I'm making I lose site of the flavors I wanted to create and scared of not making enough food I just keep adding veggies to my meat and of course end up over working my burger.

Times runs out and it's not the worst burger, but it's not what I wanted to serve to Alton, Giada and Bobby.

As it's my turn on stage, I feel confident, and I deliever a solid two minutes. The problem is my choice of words. I should have focused just on the flavors, and maybe left my message of "Meat on the Side" for later.

This isn't exactly my prime audience and I should have considered that more.

So though I miss being in the middle of the pack with 4 others and their 7 tokens, my 6 tokens land me in the bottom 3.

I survive to live and cook another week. But it's a scary feeling standing there with a 1 in 3 chance of going home, so scary I might have shed a tear or two :/

I'm happy to make it through but angry that I'm in this position. I'm suddenly fighting just to stay here, and all I can think is how next week is my break it or make it week.

And I'm not just looking to stick around, I want to win!