Keller mom Melissa d’Arabian wins fourth episode of Next Food Network Star

by Teresa Gubbins

Keller mom Melissa d'Arabian showed 'em, yes she did, "them" being those other contestants who underestimated her winningness, by actually winning the fourth episode of Next Food Network Star.

Our local gal impressed the judges with a touching anecdote about her mom, and prepared a dish that not only tasted good but also showed her getting out of her comfort zone by working with an unfamiliar ingredient.

The ingredient was chiles, which Melissa proclaimed she had never fed to that family of hers. So she ate the chiles one by one to gauge their heat. Judge Bob seemed especially impressed with her exhaustive research.

The challenge: The contestants were instructed to make a coming-home meal for some troops. Each received a state theme. d'Arabian got New Mexico: skirt steak, chiles, and honey. She made a tostada type thing with mango salsa which she introduced by explaining that her mother had been in the military and died when she was 20 -- just the kind of personal information the judges crave.

Also trending up was Michael from Brooklyn, whose personality the judges found inexplicably appealing, despite his inability to connect with the camera.

On the downward spiral was early front-runner Jeffrey, who disappointed the judges. What they found initially charming they now deem shallow and superficial. Fickle! Also trending down: Jamika, whose dish with its raw potatoes and sticky texture was a dud.

Kicked off: Teddy, for whom it was only a matter of time since they've pretty much hated him all along, although it sure seemed like Katie, the healthy-cooking nut, was going home this week since she served raw or underdone food for the second time. Her days are numbered, although Melissa might not want to let the success go to her head. At the end of the show, Melissa sounded rather cocky with her win.

"There's a lot more to me than just Melissa the stay-at-home Mom," she said, almost impatiently. "I'm not going anywhere."