Our own Debbie Lee almost made it with her kalbi jimm on The Next Food Network Star.  She made all Korean-Americans proud with her smile, storytelling and cooking.  We loved how she stuck to her guns, Seoul to Soul cooking, and was confident in her curvy figure.  She was one of the more enjoyable people to watch and root for on the show.  Since she was eliminated as the second runner-up this past Sunday, Debbie blogs and shares a little bit about her experiences on The Next Food Network Star.

Picked up from the Glam network:

Being on The Next Food Network Star has been the most incredible experience of my life. I thought I knew myself when I arrived and learned that I had so much to learn as a chef and a person. I think the most valuable thing that I take is to always be true to yourself and the rest will follow. I have no regrets and am so thrilled and honored that I was part of such an amazing journey.

That being said, I think that at the end of the day I wish I would have really showed how accessible cooking my “seoul to soul” really can be. I think that I had a tendency to make items with several ingredients, and now realize that less is more – and that I am cooking for viewers at home, as opposed to a restaurant. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably minimize my ingredients. But other than that I am proud of who I am and what I accomplished by being one of the ten finalists. I mean, that is winning in my book!

Thank God I am not a judge. They have the toughest part… On one hand the chef in me is always rooting for my colleagues, which would be Jeffrey. He is a very talented chef and leaves viewers hungry – which is a great sign! On the other hand, Melissa keeps knocking it out of the park. Her tenacity and ability to be a “quick-study” as she has said in the past – makes her so relatable to America. Can you see why I am so torn? I wish the both of them the best, and am confident that they both will be a success, regardless of next week’s outcome.

Moving on, I am excited to announce that I am embarking on my own venture, Hot Dog Debbie’s to be opened within the near future. I think that being on the show taught me to fight for myself and work towards my own personal goals. Hot Dog Debbie’s will be a fast casual concept with a Southern spirit and Korean kick. Who would have thought that kimchee goes great on a hot dog? In addition, I will also be working with Gyenari Korean BBQ in Culver City and bringing a taste of my culinary point of view for all to indulge. Ironically, my exposure from the show allowed me to reconnect with my long lost cousin, who is the owner of Gyenari. Who would have thunk? Six degrees of separation, I tell ya!

Although I am glad that I can finally let the cat out of the bag, and America now knows how I placed in the competition…I will miss the memories, cast and crew. The experience we all have had is something that only the 10 of us can relate to, and is what brings us together. All of the finalists were the most fascinating, talented and loving people I know. They are truly my second family. I will miss every moment we laughed, we cried, we ATE, and supported one another. My cast mates completely demystified what I thought a reality group would be like. And for that I am truly thankful and blessed!

I think that looking back I can say my favorite challenge was the last meal I cooked. It was not about whether I got the best dish or not. Rather it was about me being able to tell my story as a whole. I felt the most at ease and myself, and could not ask for anything more! Besides, how many times does one get to cook for some of the best of the best in the culinary world? That was a win all in itself! I think the only thing I would have liked to change are the hours!  Can we say 18 hour days? OMG! I am so not a morning girl… But seriously…I think saying goodbye is always the hardest part. Whether it was to one of my cast mates leaving, or when I had to say farewell to the most rockin’ production crew of all time!

I thank all of my fans, my friends and most importantly my folks. They are the cement that I stand on and am so fortunate to have the most amazing parents on earth. Especially my dad, as most did not realize that I started taping the show when my father was diagnosed with the latter stage of prostate cancer. Although I wanted to decline on the show, my father gave me an ultimatum to fight for the title as he will fight for his life. I think it is because of his amazing spirit that I continued to strive each week, no matter how especially hard it was to be away from him during such a trying time. Although I did not win, I won in so many other ways. To be the first Korean-American woman to stand in the final three of any culinary competition, has been a remarkable accomplishment. I entered this competition not just to win, but to share my story with others that you can persevere, despite all the odds. I thank you all for letting me share my life, my story and my food.

xoxo
Debbie

For more on Debbie, check out her exit interview with the Examiner>