Congrats to Camden’s McCargo, The Next Food Network Star!

I know absolutely nothing about cooking, but for some odd reason I love the cooking competition shows, especially “Top Chef, ” “Last Restaurant Standing” and “The Next Food Network Star.”

When 10pm rolls around, I’m ready to go with a nice big glass of red, a bowlful of pretzels and lots of ill-informed opinions as I instantly become an armchair food expert.

Speaking of foodie shows, avoid “Hell’s Kitchen.” It started off good, but now completely blows (they go for bottom of the barrel contestants) and Gordon Ramsey has just surpassed Trump in “Biggest Reality Show Blowhard” department.

Back to the topic at hand, let’s give it up for my favorite new chef Aaron McCargo, Jr., a 36-year-old executive catering chef for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, who just won “The Next Food Network Star.” The talented yet humble McCargo is a passionate chef who consistently put together tasty dishes and made great strides with his on-air confidence and presentation. His love  of food and enthusiasm were legit and he wasn’t on the show trying to be the next “Emeril” or a “personality.” I think that added to his appeal.

Hopefully his new show will be so insanely popular that they’ll have to get rid of some dead weight on the network to free up some room. That walking heart attack Paula Dean would be a good start. Her “aw-shucks corn pone” delivery and atrocious artery-attacking food need to go away. I’m pretty sure I saw her wrap some hamburger meat around a stick of butter and deep fry the thing while the audience went ape-shit, drooling with delight. We are so doomed.

I was rooting for McCargo from the get-go, but I liked all three of the finalists a lot (very rare for a reality show). Yes, I feel a little bad for calling Lisa Garza a “Vulcan” early on, but she really grew on me and proved she had talent and a sense of humor once she loosened up. Miss Garza is one good hairdo away from her own show.

The other finalist was Philly boy Adam Gertler, who really deserves a show of his own. While he seems to be a one-trick pony— grilling and barbecuing— he’s got good comedic timing and seems like a real mensh. Gertler used to own a restaurant in Philly (Smoked Joint) that went belly up and I heard he’s currently a waiter at Amada (yum yum) in Philly. I’m sure that gig won’t last long and we’ll see him on The Food Network soon doing some cool hosting gig like Guy Fieri, who basically gets paid to eat giant sandwiches on camera and high-five cooks.

Not everyone on this season was a gem. I have never rooted against a contestant more than Kelsey. I despise contrived cuteness and I actually hit the mute button every time she appeared on screen.

Anyway, back to McCargo! Watch his new show “Big Daddy’s House” premiering next week. Oh, and here’s a good Philly Weekly article from this past May profiling Gertler and McCargo.

Tags: Aaron McCargo • Adam Gertler • Food • Foodies • Jr. • Next Food Network Star! • Philly • Philly Weekly