Maybe the Food Network should give Jenny Flake her own show.
The 32-year-old East Valley native will compete on the “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” at 10 p.m. Sunday (7 p.m. if you get Food Network HD), her sixth appearance on the network in the past five years.
The six-week “Ultimate Recipe Showdown,” which received more than 12,000 recipe submissions, features four finalists each week in a different food category. The winner receives $25,000.
Flake, who was a finalist in the comfort-food category during the Guy Fieri-hosted show’s inaugural season last year, competes in the dessert category Sunday.
She also has appeared twice on the Food Network’s “Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest” and twice on its “Build a Better Burger” challenge.
“I started entering cooking contests in 2004,” says Flake, a part-time pilates instructor and the mother of two young boys. “At the time, I had no idea this world even existed. Now I love it.”
She even has launched her own recipe-related Web site, Picky Palate.
Sunday’s competition has two parts. In a 90-minute “signature” round, Flake makes roasted banana bread drop doughnuts.
“I roast the bananas so they have a rich sweetness to them,” she says.
In a 30-minute “speed” round, she makes sweet grilled peaches with honeyed vanilla bean mascarpone and walnut sugar.
While she can’t reveal the results of the show, she says, “For the most part, both of my dishes turned out very well.”
Flake, who lived in Mesa and Gilbert her entire life until her husband took a job in Newport Beach, Calif., a month ago, wasn’t the only East Valley finalist this season.
Two weeks ago, Jamie Nondorf competed in the cake category. The dental school instructor from Mesa finished second, missing out on $25,000 by a single point.
“I had no idea that she was from Arizona until I watched her show,” Flake says.
While friends and family in Mesa and Gilbert cheer her on, Flake will watch Sunday’s show with her husband and boys from their new home in California.
Then she plans to get back to her recipes.
“I going to continue working on my Web site and I’m going to start writing some cookbooks,” she says.
As for next year’s “Ultimate Recipe Showdown,” which already is accepting recipes, Flake says, “I may enter Season 3.”
After pausing for a moment, she adds, “I’m sure I will.”
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Jess,
Thanks for writing such a nice article. My family has saved the paper so I can have a copy. Take care!
I think that this show is amazing but there is NOOOOO WAYYYYYYYY that the disgusting food they serve at Friday’s is even close to the real recipe. They need to start featuring the recipes exactly as they were made on the show… in a restaurant that can handle real quality food. PLEASE!