Ultimate Recipe Showdown – Season Two premieres: Sunday, January 4th at 9pm ET/PT. With more than 12,000 recipes submitted from home cooks across America, the 24 final contestants battle it out for $25,000 and the chance to have his or her recipe featured nationwide at T.G.I. Friday’s® restaurants. The six categories this season are: Comfort Food, Burgers, Cakes, Hot and Spicy, Desserts, and Hometown Favorites.
The Interview with Guy
The show premiere is coming up for Ultimate Recipe Showdown after the holidays, what can we expect?
Guy - "This second year is remarkable. One things you should look forward to is the real in-depth view of the contestants. That was something I was really so passionate about. You know, coming from the Next Food Network Star where they show a background story. It's not just about the food on the plate and how it's presented, how it got there, and how it's done; all those components. Our fantastic producer Art Edwards really got more of a great back story on the show contestants giving the show much more depth. I got to do a lot of one-on-one with them, giving a much more compelling story for that background piece. When the winner is awarded, people are going to have a chance to know who that winner is and kind of impact that $25,000 is going to have on them."
Why does Ultimate Recipe Showdown resonate so well with viewers?
Guy - "We can all watch football, but if you haven't played football you can't really say I know what that feels like to get hit. We've all driven cars but few of us have raced them. The reason I think this show resonates with people watching is most everyone can cook something. Doesn't matter if it's pasta, a burger, pizza or what not but everyone can cook that one special item. They can watch the show and think, 'Hey, that could be me.' I think people could watch and connect because it's All-American, it's them. I'm just a dude that got a shot and people pick up on my enthusiasm and energy."
How do you juggle all of your time with hosting duties?
Guy - "I'm really fortified with a great team. I have a fantastic family: great wife, a couple young boys. Everybody over at Food Network makes it a rock 'n roll show. I mean, We are on tour, baby! Like I tell folks, if you're given the opportunity, you really have to dig down deep inside and say am I ready to do this? It has been a run but I'm having the time of my life. The Food Network is very forward-thinking and changing people's lives. Being part of that is a very cool job."
There is really a diverse group of contestants on Ultimate Recipe Showdown. What kind of person does well in this type of competition?
Guy - "I've seen really great cooks do very poor on this show. And okay cooks rise to the occasion. So, there's not a real science to what goes on. I think the cook that didn't get overwhelmed by the process and just stuck to what they knew they were doing does well. The people that didn't let what was going on...I mean you have a couple hundred people staring at you and cameras flying around and the other cooks next to you going for the title...it can get the best of somebody. The folks this year were a fantastic group. Everybody had a neat story. Remarkable people and I think you are going to be thrilled with what you see."
What is it about this show that you like doing compared to the other shows you host?
Guy - "It hits home for me, a guy that won the Next Food Network Star. My life was changed. I feel like to be the ambassador for home cooks and chefs...I couldn't be more proud. Even for the people that didn't win, to give a hug and say 'It was great meeting you. You did a great job and I hope you had a blast.' To be the guy that gets to be the mayor of all of that couldn't be more honoring."
