-Marina del Rey, CA
-Plenty of waves were stirred up among FF chefs and scouters Tuesday at a conference here in the Marina.
The presiding issue was the potential return of Brianna Galen-Ames, and the crowd of chefs, scouters, and even a few fans was even louder and more vicious than had been anticipated, booing at the announcement of all four slated speakers (not including Event Mgr. William Vanderbilt himself) with the exception of the venerable Lindbergh Merrssff, who received a standing ovation, his being an example of humility and the days before greedy scouting departments--in effect, he was the antithesis to everything else that went on Tuesday.
Vanderbilt was quick to rattle off the mere three-item 2011 Goals List, and then proceeded to introduce Galen-Ames. Vanderbilt's description of Galen-Ames as "a talented chefs" and saying that she ("this chef" in his words, not giving away gender) "has vastly enhanced Feast Fest in the manyyears this chef was a part of it", combined with the order of the slated speakers not being known caused the crowd to wonder if Vanderbilt was referring to Merrssff or Galen-Ames. They then chanted, "LIN-DY-OR-GALEN? LIN-DY-OR-GALEN?" When Vanderbilt introduced the next speaker as Brianna Galen-Ames, the crowd erupted into a chorus of boos.
Galen-Ames seemed oblivious to the harsh feelings against her, merely likening them to "very slight" amounts of "jealousy." She was slightly disheveled by the raucousness of the crowd, but remained peppy for the most part, saying that her chances of rejoining were "75%". Her mention that she had received a one-year contract offer of $1,000,000--which would make her the highest paid Feast Fest chef if she accepted--launched the attendees, especially Galen-Ames fellow yet (unlike Galen-Ames) relatively unknown 70- and 80-something-rated chefs into a surge of ire. The more prominent chefs such as Jim McAllister and Lynn Avi kept decorum, but exchanged disdainful looks as if to send the message that they would have booed Galen-Ames if they weren't in the spotlight as much.
Galen-Ames's remarks were about three to four minutes, and she soon was ushered off the stage for her protection and made way for Head Scouter Jim Dall, who was also resoundingly booed. Dall explained the stratospheric price tag attached to the 16-year-old chef's lucrative offer, saying that the Scouting Department was willing to pay any price to ensure her participation in the event, citing that Feast Fest would "lose" the middle-aged female portion of the "market" if Galen-Ames was not again signed. The crowd heckled Dall thoroughly when he attributed FF's success since the year she joined in 2007 almost entirely to Galen-Ames, and exploded entirely when he announced that if she rejoined there would be consideration about potentially moving her up to a Head Chef position "for 2013 or '14." Dall, like Galen-Ames, had to be shoved backstage for his own safety.
Then Ian Pertovsky was called to speak. Pertovsky was received half-and-half at first: the crowd didn't like him really, but seemed to be pleased with the fact that he was advising Galen-Ames not to consider rejoining. But they had been double-talked: Pertovsky soon said that Galen-Ames deserves better than to participate in this "mockery, sham, and rathole." This remark sent the tomatoes flying at Pertovsky, and he was assailed with the cry "GET OFF THE STAGE! GET OFF THE STAGE!", which he did summarily.
Lindbergh Merrssff received a standing O when introduced to give the inspectors' report, but that was far from most people's minds after the Galen-Ames controversy.
Vanderbilt said that the reactions from the crowd were "disappointing" but "expected," then left without further word. Galen-Ames, Dall, and Pertovsky all were quick to depart the conference room and no further comment aside from what they uttered onstage could be received.
Dall's home and cell phones had been temporarily disconnected Tuesday evening. Pertovsky could be reached by cell but hung up repeatedly. Galen-Ames's home and cell phone, email, Twitter, and Facebook accounts all were temporarily closed down.
The NCA Feast Fest lives here
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Conference Moved
Today's FF press conference has been moved from 4:00 p.m. Pacific/7:00 p.m. Eastern to 2:30 p.m. Pacific/5:30 p.m. Eastern.
Pertovsky to comment on Galen-Ames matter
-Los Angeles
-Ian Pertovsky, the 19-year-old chef FF tried exhaustingly and unfruitfully to sign in the 2009 offseason, has announced that he will "comment" on the potential return of Brianna Galen-Ames, 16, to Feast Fest. Pertovsky may appear at today's FF press conference, "most likely to try to talk Galen-Ames out of joining," say analysts.
-Ian Pertovsky, the 19-year-old chef FF tried exhaustingly and unfruitfully to sign in the 2009 offseason, has announced that he will "comment" on the potential return of Brianna Galen-Ames, 16, to Feast Fest. Pertovsky may appear at today's FF press conference, "most likely to try to talk Galen-Ames out of joining," say analysts.
Expert's Editorial: Galen-Ames would be lucky to work out rejoining FF
-Expert Commentator Mike Vilshire
-from Marina del Rey
-The buzz surrounding the possible return of Brianna Galen-Ames for Feast Fest 2012 has dominated FF newslines since the announcement came to light Monday. On a personal scale, I fail to understand the bang-pow effect of the statement. It was the same way almost exactly a year ago when she made her announcement about leaving Feast Fest.
Galen-Ames is a chef who, factually, has had much worthiness to prove even after racking up four Feast Fest appearances. She's a talented but not fully fruited young liaison of the culinary world. Perhaps if that European culinary school of hers hadn't closed down and she had come back asking to join-in a few years down the road, I, from an expert's standpoint, would be more accepting.
But somehow, Galen-Ames has been grouped in with the Feast Fest stars in spite of the fact that--and this is complete frankness here--she's not one. There is something about her, a mystifying aura that draws the eyes of the FF kitchen cameras to her. And her relative youth and Martha Stewart-esque mother always in the stands somehow added to the appeal of FF, gave it a more feminine air.
Galen-Ames, however, is young. Impressionable. A teenager. In other words: she's an idiot. No blame on her for that. All teenagers are idiots. It's just their way of maturing. But Galen-Ames blasted into Feast Fest with such vim and vigor surrounding her that the whole thing went to her head. And though she was charming to all chefs off-kitchen, there were some squabbles on the kitchen floor. She looked up--rightly--to Lynn Avi and her powerful, tigresslike, sashaying style on the floor. But what she didn't realize was that Avi is an adult. She's allowed to boss people around. Galen-Ames isn't.
And herein lies the secret of the other two of the three 18- chefs FF has had in its history: they're a little scared of messing up. As they should be. It keeps them both in line, heightens their performance, and they don't step on anyone's toes.
Galen-Ames, on the contrary, isn't afraid of anybody, and when she began bossing around vets (Lindbergh Merrssff!), she developed a reputation for being "Avi Jr." Some went as far as to call her an airhead.
And while Galen-Ames always flashed her pearly whites at any camera that would point at her, her actual culinary performance has never thrived. She stands with an NCA rating of 78.7 and had the third lowest rating of any FF chef. Now, 78.7 is a great rating, doubtless--the rating of the average Joe is estimated at about 12.3--but the thing is this: all the other 70 and 80-something-rated chefs aren't grouped in with the upper echelons, the elite of the Mason duo, Avi, McAllister, Merrssff, and Pasik. Brianna Galen-Ames was grouped in with them.
The scouters had issues with Galen-Ames (they have issues with everyone, of course, but especially with her) as well. Her Martha Stewart of a mom acted as her agent, nearly taking Feast Fest to court over a "low" one-year contract offer... of $619,254.
Further investigation revealed that Galen-Ames' mother's own restaurant job had sizzled down, little Miss Martha working only part time. It soon became clear that for the Galen-Ames family, the teenager was putting the bread on the table--and a lot of it.
In October 2010, Little Miss Perfection announced her departure. Some said "good riddance," saying that snooty French chefs would better shower her with the constant adoration she sought and craved.
Now, Galen-Ames wants back in. The chefs will likely oppose things, the scouters will likely oppose things, but Galen-Ames will get back into Feast Fest. Because the middle-aged female market she appeals to is so vital to the television ratings, Jimmy Dall will instruct his aggrieved scouters to lay down almost any amount of cash sufficient to achieve it.
If Galen-Ames wants to thrive in her next stint here at FF, it's that FF emphasizes Thanksgiving, an American holiday, which in turn emphasizes American values, one of which is humility. And without that, Galen-Ames will get the moola, but perhaps not the adoration any longer. The sad thing is: she might not even care about that anymore.
And you can tell that Galen-Ames has a lesson to learn here.
Because when I side with the FF Scouting Department... you know something has gone seriously awry.
-from Marina del Rey
-The buzz surrounding the possible return of Brianna Galen-Ames for Feast Fest 2012 has dominated FF newslines since the announcement came to light Monday. On a personal scale, I fail to understand the bang-pow effect of the statement. It was the same way almost exactly a year ago when she made her announcement about leaving Feast Fest.
Galen-Ames is a chef who, factually, has had much worthiness to prove even after racking up four Feast Fest appearances. She's a talented but not fully fruited young liaison of the culinary world. Perhaps if that European culinary school of hers hadn't closed down and she had come back asking to join-in a few years down the road, I, from an expert's standpoint, would be more accepting.
But somehow, Galen-Ames has been grouped in with the Feast Fest stars in spite of the fact that--and this is complete frankness here--she's not one. There is something about her, a mystifying aura that draws the eyes of the FF kitchen cameras to her. And her relative youth and Martha Stewart-esque mother always in the stands somehow added to the appeal of FF, gave it a more feminine air.
Galen-Ames, however, is young. Impressionable. A teenager. In other words: she's an idiot. No blame on her for that. All teenagers are idiots. It's just their way of maturing. But Galen-Ames blasted into Feast Fest with such vim and vigor surrounding her that the whole thing went to her head. And though she was charming to all chefs off-kitchen, there were some squabbles on the kitchen floor. She looked up--rightly--to Lynn Avi and her powerful, tigresslike, sashaying style on the floor. But what she didn't realize was that Avi is an adult. She's allowed to boss people around. Galen-Ames isn't.
And herein lies the secret of the other two of the three 18- chefs FF has had in its history: they're a little scared of messing up. As they should be. It keeps them both in line, heightens their performance, and they don't step on anyone's toes.
Galen-Ames, on the contrary, isn't afraid of anybody, and when she began bossing around vets (Lindbergh Merrssff!), she developed a reputation for being "Avi Jr." Some went as far as to call her an airhead.
And while Galen-Ames always flashed her pearly whites at any camera that would point at her, her actual culinary performance has never thrived. She stands with an NCA rating of 78.7 and had the third lowest rating of any FF chef. Now, 78.7 is a great rating, doubtless--the rating of the average Joe is estimated at about 12.3--but the thing is this: all the other 70 and 80-something-rated chefs aren't grouped in with the upper echelons, the elite of the Mason duo, Avi, McAllister, Merrssff, and Pasik. Brianna Galen-Ames was grouped in with them.
The scouters had issues with Galen-Ames (they have issues with everyone, of course, but especially with her) as well. Her Martha Stewart of a mom acted as her agent, nearly taking Feast Fest to court over a "low" one-year contract offer... of $619,254.
Further investigation revealed that Galen-Ames' mother's own restaurant job had sizzled down, little Miss Martha working only part time. It soon became clear that for the Galen-Ames family, the teenager was putting the bread on the table--and a lot of it.
In October 2010, Little Miss Perfection announced her departure. Some said "good riddance," saying that snooty French chefs would better shower her with the constant adoration she sought and craved.
Now, Galen-Ames wants back in. The chefs will likely oppose things, the scouters will likely oppose things, but Galen-Ames will get back into Feast Fest. Because the middle-aged female market she appeals to is so vital to the television ratings, Jimmy Dall will instruct his aggrieved scouters to lay down almost any amount of cash sufficient to achieve it.
If Galen-Ames wants to thrive in her next stint here at FF, it's that FF emphasizes Thanksgiving, an American holiday, which in turn emphasizes American values, one of which is humility. And without that, Galen-Ames will get the moola, but perhaps not the adoration any longer. The sad thing is: she might not even care about that anymore.
And you can tell that Galen-Ames has a lesson to learn here.
Because when I side with the FF Scouting Department... you know something has gone seriously awry.
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