We have secured another interview with a judge from Food Network’s hit show, “Chopped.” Amanda Freitag, who is a frequent judge on the show, is one of the judges for the current round of “Chopped Champions,” which began last Tuesday. The show, which pits winners of the regular show from the past few seasons, continues tonight and the five-week event concludes September 28 with a finale of the previous four winners. Anyway, here is our chat with Amanda Freitag:

Premium Hollywood: So what did you notice about the level of skill from the chefs in the “Chopped Champions” round as opposed to just the show “Chopped?”

Amanda Freitag: I noticed that the food was much more complex and the flavors were at a higher level.

PH: I’ve seen and heard (and contributed to) criticism about the judges being too harsh on the show, though that seems to have changed recently. What’s your take on that in general?

AF: Well, I would say we are nothing of the Simon Cowell sort but we take cooking and serving food very seriously. We have all been doing this essentially as long as we have been chefs and it is just like the hiring process, we have to decide if we would want that cook to cook for us every day or in this case in the “Chopped” kitchen for the next round. I don’t think any of the judges have softened up, but I myself have learned what is good criticism compared to what is just useless berating, and I am not interested in that.

PH: Do you feel like your experience on “The Next Iron Chef” (last season) gives you a different perspective than some of the other judges for this competition, and if so, how?

AF: I think my experience on “The Next Iron Chef” gave me a different perspective all around. I know what it feels like to stand in front of that judges table with cotton mouth and my heart racing and second-guessing everything I have ever done up until this moment. Aaron (Sanchez) knows what that feels like because he competed in the first season of “The Next Iron Chef” and all the other judges with the exception of Chris Santos, have battled in kitchen stadium. It makes it even more suspenseful for me because I get right in there with those cooks and I am taking the ride with them as I watch them cook, because I am a cook at heart. But you will get no sympathy from me if you cook poorly! It is just unacceptable, I know good food can be produced under those conditions……I’ve done it!

PH: What is the one ingredient you’ve seen on “Chopped” that made you shake your head and wonder how the producers could be so vindictive to the chefs?

AF: I think rattlesnake really did it for me. I have never eaten it, never cooked with it and frankly was afraid of it!

PH: Who are your favorite judges to work with on the show and why?

AF: Now you are really starting trouble! I love them all, we have a lot of fun working together. It is rare in our industry that three chefs get to sit down uninterrupted for 12 hours and share our stories. We are a deliciously dysfunctional family of judges, we are all very different and that makes for some great TV!

“Chopped Champions” airs Tuesday nights at 10pm ET/PT/ 9pm CT
on Food Network

The Food Network’s “Chopped” is one of the network’s best shows. I posted something about the show last summer regarding the judges and how harsh they were, but they have since lightened up, or seem to have done so. The show keeps getting better and better, too, and part of the reason for that is the excellent casting. Lucky for us, we had the privilege to speak to the show’s casting director, Beth Schiff, about how the process works in choosing contestants for “Chopped,” and some other burning questions you may or may not have when watching this awesome show.

Premium Hollywood: How did you get involved with Chopped and what did you do before this?

Beth Schiff: I have been involved with “Chopped” since the first season. I have been casting for over 14 years. I started in commercials and industrial films, which I still do, but recently I have been working on mostly cable TV projects.

PH: How does the decision process work from application to audition to show taping?

BS: There are always so many factors that go into casting–gender, age, skill (if applicable), appearance, personality, geography, availability–just to name a few. For “Chopped,” it’s a videotaped interview that is submiited to the producers at the production company, and then to the Food Network for approval.

PH: What are the key things you look for in a contestant?

BS: Skill and personality. Can you make something out of nothing and have fun doing it? Can you make a $10,000 meal out of our mystery baskets? And why should the Food Network choose you?

PH: Have you ever been surprised, either pleasantly or unpleasantly, at the choice of a contestant after the show had been taped?

BS: There have been a few contestants that I thought would not do that well that have won, and others where I thought they would kick ass and went out in the first round. It’s a game. It’s anybody’s game. So skill is important, but strategy and focus are key.

PH: Do you also choose the judges and/or how does that process work?

BS: Judges are chosen by the Food Network. I do sometimes cast guest judges, who are usually New York restauranteurs.

PH: Can we expect anything new or exciting for future seasons of Chopped?

BS: We are really thinking creatively — fun holiday episodes, and chefs with various backgrounds, championship rounds. Stay tuned!

Chefs, or chef reps, here is what Beth is looking for in casting for the show: “I am seeking competitive passionate skilled chefs, in specific geographic areas – NY Tri State area, Boston, Philly, DC and Atlanta and Chicago. All must lie within about 50 miles from the city center. You must be available for a one day shoot/competition in our studios in NYC sometime in September, October or November. All chefs must fill out the application online at choppedcasting.com

Alex Guarnaschelli has become ubiquitous on Food Network lately, first on “Chopped” as a frequent judge, and now on her own show, “Alex’s Day Off,” which airs Sunday mornings at 9:30 am ET/PT. The premise of her new show is showing how a working mom, restauranteur and TV personality can juggle all of that and still cook great meals at home.

But our questions focused on Alex regarding her role as a judge on “Chopped.” A few months ago, we published a post asking the producers of the show why the judges have to be so angry and tough on the contestants, and it spawned a lot of comments from viewers who also felt the judges were too harsh. So we had the opportunity to ask Alex about the show–and in particular if the harsh criticism is real or fabricated by producers……

Premium Hollywood: I think I speak for anyone who has watched “Chopped”….are you guys told by the producers to be as harsh as you are to the contestants, or is that how you want to come across?

Alex Guarnaschelli: The producers don’t tell us how to act. We talk a lot, we deliberate, we argue, we struggle with what some contestants make, we wish everyone could be a winner, we sympathize with how the contestants feel, we sweat along with them, because we know how hard it is to compete under such pressure. Sometimes, I may have spoken 10 minutes with someone about their dish and had it edited down to a facial expression due to time. That can be hard to watch! I also think we use a lot of “chef speak”. We speak to each other as we would in the kitchen.

PH: How many moments have there been when you really did not want to try what was on your plate and can you think of one specific example?

AG: Honestly, I can’t think of one time when I didn’t want to try a dish. I almost see it as disrespectful, as a judge, if I don’t give every dish a fair shake. The competitors work really hard at their dishes and I feel that work should be treated with respect.

PH: Do you know what the ingredients are going to be for each round or are you guys as surprised as everyone else?

AG: We have vague ideas but when the basket is revealed, it’s better if we don’t know ahead so that we can provide honest, fresh perspective on what approach we might take if we were cooking.

PH: Have you ever made a comment judging on the show that you wish you could take back?

AG: I probably make at least one comment per episode that I wish I could take back and revise but it’s also what makes it in on the edit floor that dictates a lot of how you come across.

PH: How would you feel about a reverse competition where you and some of the other judges compete against one another?

AG: We have all batted around that idea. Perhaps it will happen one day!

Check out “Chopped” on Tuesday nights and “Alex’s Day Off” on Sunday mornings on Food Network!

If you haven’t seen the show, let me give you a brief synopsis. Host Ted Allen (who is the show’s lone bright spot) introduces four chefs, who are usually restaurant owners, head chefs, or seasoned sous chefs, who will go head-to-head in a competition of three rounds. Each round, they are given a basket of mystery ingredients–ingredients that usually do not go together, maybe like duck breast, avocado, maple syrup and passion fruit. They have to create an appetizer, main course and dessert–but after each round, one contestant is “chopped,” or eliminated, until the dessert round pits the two remaining chefs, who square off for a $10,000 prize.

And if we didn’t have a reference point, it wouldn’t be such a big deal, at least to me. But even Bob Tuschman, Susie Fogelson and Bobby Flay of “The Next Food Network Star” are gentle to their contestants by comparison. And if you watch “Top Chef” or the awesome new “Top Chef Masters” on Bravo, the judges have the utmost respect for the chefs that are competing. But not on “Chopped.” It’s like they go out of their way to be vindictive. Alex is the most guilty here….she has these steely eyes that cut like a hot knife through (are you ready for the pun?) Butter (the name of her NYC restaurant if you missed the joke). And if a contestant dares to try and speak while she’s speaking, she cuts them off abruptly, saying, “you can speak when I’m finished!” like a fifth grade teacher reprimanding a student. But it’s not just her. If one of the contestants doesn’t plate their dish in time, undercooks or overcooks something, doesn’t use a key ingredient properly or leaves a bone or shell on the plate, or drops a spatula on the floor and wipes it off before continuing, the judges react as if someone just made fun of their mother, or kicked their dog.

Even if the dish looks like there is no way they can say something bad about it, Alex and her cohorts always find something bad to say….ALWAYS. To make matters worse, they sometimes let contestants slide for the wrong reasons, such as not watching the clock or serving undercooked chicken–when others may have clearly been more creative but added a bit too much jalapeno that made poor wittle Amanda Freitag reach for her water.

Look, I like the show and the concept of it. But can’t these judges lighten up a bit? Get the sneer off your faces, “Chopped” judges and producers, and just have fun with it. There is no good reason for you to be pissed off at the world, and if you continue to be so, we’re just not going to watch.

The show began with Bobby Flay playing network executive, and telling the remaining seven contestants that they would start off this week’s episode by creating a burger from a specific region of the country (not necessarily where they were from). The winner would have a burger on the menu at Bobby Flay’s new burger joint in Connecticut (book my flight, I want to go there right now). They would then have 30 minutes of camera time to describe their creation.

Melissa made a Burlington, Vermont inspired (where she went to college) burger with cheddar cheese and turkey chili on top. She gave a nice presention that was informative, descriptive and entertaining. And the judges loved her burger. Michael was next and he made a Mulberry Street burger, or Italian inspired one built on garlic bread. The judges liked his energy but he was still a little nervous. Oh, but they loved the food, even more so than they loved Melissa’s.

Jamika was next and did a New Orleans inspired burger, complete with smoked sausage. For whatever reason, she froze a bit, making her presentation seem like an infomercial, and her burger didn’t go over all that well. Debbie went next, and did a California/Asian style burger with Korean barbecue sauce and she did pretty good but not amazing. Jeffrey made a California burger with avocado and green chiles, and the judges were feeling it was a bit vanilla presentation-wise and that his food has the same “sweet heat” theme every week.

Teddy made a Pennsylvania burger, making reference to Amish people and the fresh produce and cheese they are known for. Um, okay….so basically he made a cheeseburger with tomato on top….BO-RING. And Teddy was not real comfortable doing his presentation….better than previous efforts, but still like a used car salesman. That’s really just who Teddy is, I guess. Katie wrapped up the initial challenge with a San Francisco style turkey burger, but it was a huge gamble considering the 20 minute time frame they had….and she didn’t cook it all the way through. Oops. Katie knew she was in trouble and the judges confirmed that. Should she have not plated anything? Maybe so.

The judges announced that Jamika and Katie were the losers of the challenge, and that the big winner was Michael. Bobby has been praising the dude’s cooking for a while (just like he did with Aaron McCargo Jr. last season) and I’m sure he’s thrilled to have Michael’s burger on the menu at his burger place. I’m also pretty sure Bob Tuschman licked the plate.

Then came the main challenge, which was to cook a meal on the ship Intrepid for a bunch of soliders just arriving home from the Middle East. They’d also be cooking for the usual cast of characters Flay, Tuschman and Susie Fogelson, and also Food Network personality Guy Fieri, who won Season 2 of this very competition to help launch his wildly successful career.
Susie was basically wearing an American flag, making it difficult to take her comments seriously last night.

Anyway, the challenge was to create a signature dish that was unique to an area of the country, but it wasn’t their own choice this time…..instead, they had to remove the top of a tray to reveal their key ingredients underneath…sort of like on the show “Chopped.” They had 1.5 hours to make their meals and would have to serve it and talk about the dish. Oh, and they brought along the editor for USA Weekend, who announced that the winner would have their recipe appear on the cover of the magazine.

Teddy had New York and his main ingredient was duck breast, so he made a “D.L.T.” sandwich. EWWWWWWWWW. Look, I grew up on Long Island feeding ducks, but I could never bring myself to eat one. And once again, Teddy was nervous and didn’t do a very good job presenting. But the judges, in particular Flay, loved his sandwich.

Jeffrey, who lives in California and has a relaxed and cool demeanor, was baffled by his theme of Maine….and his ingredients were lobster and blueberries. So what does he do? What anyone would do, make a pot pie! Really Jeffrey? Anyway, he made a sauce out of the blueberries and some chipotle peppers and basically threw the dish together. I thought for a second that the Jeffrey the judges have come to adore would come through, but it didn’t. Dude gave a weak presentation and Fogelson echoed everyone’s feeling about the dish, saying it was “disgusting.”

Melissa had New Mexico but claimed to not know much about chiles, and of course she had to use them. But Melissa was smart, tasting each one to become familiar. And she made a skirt steak tostada that actually looked good on TV. It also tasted great, because the judges were floored by the dish and and also by Melissa’s presentation.

Katie had the state of Georgia, including catfish, and made a Southern style dish with breaded catfish, greens and squash. This time she cooked the fish through, and the judges were more impressed with her food. Her presenation was okay, but just okay.

Jamika had Wisconsin and made a potato casserole using the theme ingredients of cheese, beer and smoked sausage. Good idea, but she didn’t execute it properly, whirling the undercooked potatoes in a food processor until they became paste-like. Blech! Her presentation was okay but not the food.

Debbie and Michael were cooking together in the kitchen, and the best moment came when Michael rammed a serving tray into Debbie’s right cheek….and I don’t mean butt cheek. Ow! In reality TV terms, it was hilarious, but probably not so much for Debbie. Anyway, she had the California theme, having to use wine and almonds, and she made a chicken dish out of them. The judges felt she did a nice job considering her cheek was the size of a basketball, but they thought her food was bland.

Meanwhile, Michael had Hawaii and he did a decent job considering he felt awful about ramming that tray into Debbie’s face. Michael had some sort of fish I’d never heard of, along with macadamia nuts and pineapple. He gave a decent presentation, though he mentioned macadamia nuts about a dozen times…and once again the judges were wowed by his cooking ability.

So on the chopping block, the judges announced that the winner of the USA Weekend cover was Melissa, and that she was also safe from elimination this week. But not before Flay warned the seven of them that someone needed to step up and really try and grab this competition. Well, don’t look now, but Melissa is emerging as that person and a real contender. Also declared safe were Michael and Debbie, though they told Michael he needs to become friends with the camera.

That left Jamika, Katie, Jeffrey and Teddy. They said Jamika gave a decent presentation but her food was awful. They thought Jeffrey’s food was also terrible this week, and he’s starting to look like a one-trick pony. Katie made better food, and the soldiers thought she had a nice “girl next door” image, but the judges thought she wasn’t very exciting and also reminded Katie about her salmonella burger. Teddy made good food but as Flay pointed out, he makes everyone else nervous when he’s presenting…not exactly what you want in a network star.

I thought for sure Katie was going home, but then the judges chose Teddy. And when you look back at the last two weeks, the dude had this coming to him. I mean, he threw Melissa under the bus one week and Debbie last week, after which he cried and apologized, looking like a man with emotional issues. So while the judges surely looked at that fact, they also knew that having a “used car salesman” with a Food Network show would be a bad idea.

So that’s it….we’re down to the final six! I think Katie’s days are numbered, as are Jamika’s. Melissa and Michael are looking really good, and Jeffrey and Debbie are somewhere in the middle. After last night, I’m already envisioning Melissa with her own show, and I have a feeling that the judges are, too.

What do you all think?