Food Network Sneak Peak: Will Work for Food

By JULIETTE ROSSANT What do you get when you win The Next Food Network Star? Your own TV show, at least for a season until something better comes along. Adam Gertler, winner of season four, has his chance this January 19, at 8:30pm/7:30c when his shot, Will Work for Food premiers. Will it last more then one season? Super Chef got a sneak peak at the program and thinks that it has a chance to make it to season two. The idea of Will Work for Food is that Adam tries out different food industry jobs for a day – a Foodie George Plimpton. If you love food, then you'll do anything to get the good stuff, right? Adam goes out on a lobster boat after chowing down on lobster rolls at The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport, Maine. He starts work at 5:30am the next morning loading up bait on a lobster boat skippered by Eric Emmons. Adam dons protective pants and then starts to learn the business, loading bait bags with herring, grabbing buoys and winching up the traps that are set on ropes. He learns about sorting the lobster, throwing the smaller ones back in, and measuring the larger ones. All the while he comments off camera, first about how difficult it is to get the lobstermen to talk, then about how sick to his stomach he feels. It is hard work and Adam eventually gets the hang of it. He is able to show viewers what it is like getting 250 pounds of lobster into the boat and then unloading it on the other end. At one point, he declares he has new found respect for lobstermen, and he announces his lack of desire to eat another crustacean. But after the last lobster is sorted, he sits down with Eric for two boiled lobsters at The Clam Shack. The next job he tries out is beekeeper at Bud Ashurst American Honey. He works with Brock and Dion Ashurst, fourth generation beekeepers, removing honey supers, the honey bearing part of hives, from their 70 hives and then extracting the honey. The brothers show Adam the different bees, workers, drones, queens, and explain that smoke will calm the bees down. Adam does get stung on his hand inside the extracting room where he has taken off his protective gear. He fights hard the urge to curse the bees. The brothers help him get the stinger out and then turn back to the business at hand. After the honey is pasteurized and canned, Adam gets to try it. Luckily, American Honey is available on its website in various flavors. Order a lobster roll and honey bears (don't forget the corn bread) and you are all set to enjoy the ride with Adam. Will Work for Food manages to be engaging and, at times, funny. It isn't loaded up with a great deal of information or with any cooking. It is easy to share Adam's interest in difficult food jobs and imagine what ingredients he will go after next. Other jobs Adam try out are: Lobsterman, Beekeeper, Giant Clam Farmer, Baseball Hawker, 1830s Chef, Wine Angel, Goat Farmer, Flair Bartender, BBQ Pitmaster, Competitive Eater, Benihana Chef, Abalone Farmer, Pizza Tosser, Cider Maker, Cranberry Harvester, Ice Sculptor, Wine Cave Digger, Pheasant Farmer, Ice Cream Franchisee, Fish Filleter, Chocolate Dress Maker, Cheese Carver, Truffle Forager, Food Make-up Artist Make up your own list and chances are that it will be long and would take you around the country, if not the world, following our food supply. In other words, Will Work for Food is another Foodie road trip. If the show works well, the stars will be the food and the people who work, not Adam. Previous articles: [Food Television - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef