Exit Interview With Katie Cavuto of The Next Food Network Star

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Author: SusanF

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	Published: 07-09-2009
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Exit Interview With Katie Cavuto of The Next Food Network Star

I guess I should have learned my lesson last week, but obviously, I didn’t. I would like to take a minute to thank Laura for writing the Teddy interview last week for me. Personal health issues and a diagnosis of cancer for my dog and I was just a ball of mush. I did attend the conference call, went into it apprehensively about Teddy, and left it feeling like I had made a friend, and an invite for my daughter and I to appear on his first kids cuisine show. I’m gonna hold you to it Teddy.

I should have learned that what we see or irks us on these shows about the contestants can appear different through editing. I guess I had to learn that lesson again this week because I left the phone call with a very different perspective of Katie; go figure she is not the nutrition nut that I thought she was. After talking to her I finally understood her point of view – green cuisine, farm to table, buying healthy, local ingredients. Loose the boxes of prepackaged junk for a healthier, fresher diet.

This resident of Philadelphia was full of surprises, from which contestant she has the strongest bond with to her favorite food. One of her big disappointments is that people now think she is a “health freak” which she is not. I have to admit before I spoke with her I was one of those people. Sorry Katie!

Katie’s love for farm fresh goodness started at an early age. She tells us that she remembers distinctly the difference in a supermarket tomato and one picked for her from her grandfather’s garden. She was hooked right away, and to this day that tomato is a very strong, almost spiritual, childhood memory.

Her education is impressive. She believed that gymnastics was going to be her career at Penn State until an injury ended that for her. She left Penn State after the injury to find herself in Europe for a little bit and instead found a love for food and cooking. When she returned to the States, she graduated from Johnson and Wales and then went on to Tufts for an MS in Nutrition.

It might surprise you to know that some of Katie's favorite guilty pleasure foods are bacon, macaroni and cheese, and french fries. She isn’t as extreme in real life as it might have appeared on television and really believes in everything in moderation, balance and treats. One of the first things that she tells her clients is that if they give up all of their favorite foods they won’t be able to keep their lifestyle goals long term. She herself tries to eat healthy during the week; when she goes out to eat once or twice a week that is her time to enjoy her favorite things without overindulging. Sounds like a great plan.

We discussed some of the other contestant’s dishes, and there was nothing that she really wanted to jump in and remake healthy, but there was a dish she really wanted to jump in and eat. Michael’s burger with bacon was calling her name. Katie and Michael really had a special bond. “Yin and Yang” together were the comic relief for the rest of the contestants and crew. They still talk almost on a daily basis and remain very close friends. She recommends going to foodnetwork.com/star to see some of the outtakes and behind-the-scenes clips.

When asked how she felt about being eliminated this week, she was candid and graceful. She realized that she had made some big mistakes early on when nerves and timing got the best of her. Katie felt that this week she really shined on Rachael Ray and was glad she left on a high note and being true to herself. She really enjoys teaching children and was glad that she was able to participate in this challenge, which ends up being her favorite. There are things she wishes she could have changed, but she has few regrets. Looking back she wishes that she had kept her belief in herself and her confidence high. Katie’s advice to future contestants would be to not take the criticism of the judges to heart.

Next for Katie will be to continue on with Healthy Bites, which is a combination cooking and nutrition service based in Philadelphia. She also does a cooking and nutrition segment on FOX network in Philadelphia. It’s less about carbohydrates and more about teaching people the benefits of healthy eating and recognizing where their food comes from. This is such a hot topic issue that I am sure this isn’t the last time we hear from Katie. She might just become the head of a whole foods movement in this country or globally.

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