Monti Carlo Wants to Make Your Food Famous!

What would you give to have a dish that you created on your favorite restaurant’s menu? Three home cooks have that chance with the new FYI network show, Make My Food Famous. The show is hosted by the incomparable Monti Carlo, who you might remember from the top 5 contestants of Season 3 of MasterChef. After her run on MasterChef she was a hit here in the Valley as a radio deejay for a local station. Her quick wit, humble honesty and quirky charm not only make her the perfect host for a show of this sort, it also makes her an incredible human being. If you have ever had the opportunity to meet her, she will put even the most nervous at ease and make you feel like you have been the best of friends for years.

The pilot episode takes place at the Manhattan Beach Post in Manhattan Beach, California. This restaurant is headed by Michelin star Chef David LeFevre. Chef LeFevre has an impressive culinary resume, with his career beginning working with Charlie Trotter in Chicago as well as working at several restaurants in France before heading to California and becoming the executive chef at Water Grill. He was also named as a James Beard semifinalist in 2012 as well as being a semi-finalist for Best Chef West in 2013 and 2014. I cannot imagine the stress and pressure that would come about just by being in the same kitchen as him, let alone vying for a spot on his menu. 

While there are several cooking competition shows, the main thing that makes Make My Food Famous is the prize. More often than not, on any one of these shows the only people that are able to try the contestants dishes are the judges.  While most shows offer a cash prize for the winner, the prize here is a for the winner’s signature dish to be featured on the M.B. Post menu with name association. This really is the best prize for a true food enthusiast. The contestants are frequent diners of the restaurant, its close to where they live and to have the opportunity to have your friends and family able to order a dish that you created on a menu; that has to be the best ultimate outcome. When I spoke with Monti about what sets this show apart from other cooking competition focused shows she notes that, “There is so much talent out there right now with people that just love to cook. They have day jobs and families and they have been able to cultivate this amazing talent. These contestants are going to have the opportunity to have everyday people that get to experience something that they created and see what they can really do. This can be a catalyst for people, giving them the opportunity to bring something to life and it could potentially become the restaurants signature dish!”

The competition will begin with 3 contestants and after the course of some pretty intense challenges only the remaining 2 will have the opportunity to present their signature dish to Chef LeFevre. I, for one, can’t wait to see the show and cheer on the home cook hopefuls!

The pilot episode appears on the FYI channel on Sunday, August 31st. Check your local listings for times. Set your DVR’s, schedule a viewing party; whatever you do Don’t Miss This Show!

Copyright © 2014 by Taryn Jeffries