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Kitchen Confidence
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CoUrTESY FooD NETWork
Ten Dollar Dinners, now in its second season, began filming last elissa d’Arabian’s husband, Philippe, year. For two and a half weeks, d’Arabian stays in New York City has a standing joke: She gets every job to film the entire season of her show — typically a show and a she seeks. half per day, she says. She spends the rest of her time at her new It is one of those jokes that happens home in Kirkland, Wash., where she develops tips and tricks for to be true. Her last job application led her viewers. her to The Next Food Network Star, a “If you ran into me at the reality television program in which 10 grocery store, I could walk competitors tackle culinary challenges in the hopes of landing the you through and help you ultimate prize: their own Food Network show. Even as an undersave money on your bill like dog with no professional culinary experience, d’Arabian (MBA ’93) you wouldn’t believe,” she walked away a winner. says. “That’s what I do. I Now, the host of Ten Dollar Dinners — a show that promises “four people, 10 bucks, infinite possibilities” — chalks up her viclove it. It’s who I am.” tory to one lifelong lesson. D’Arabian says she finds inspiration for new recipes and tips from past experiences, such as living in Paris, “I play a game I can win,” she says. “I’m not a ‘live where she met her husband, or new ones, like raison accident’ kind of person who throws my hat in the ing a picky 4-year-old. ring and sees what sticks. I live on purpose, and I’m “I keep a notebook now whenever I make very clear on why it makes sense.” dinner for my family,” d’Arabian says. Her D’Arabian used this strategy long before kitchen — which she jokingly calls her “lab” — competing on The Next Food Network Star. Her plays host to her experiments. business sense grew out of years working as “Every tip you hear on Ten Dollar Dinners, I a consultant, in corporate finance at Disney in have used in my own home. According to my California, and later in merchandise financing at kids,” she says, laughing, “it’s just me making Euro Disney in Paris. Only bed rest during her dinner.” — Chloe Thompson twin pregnancy in 2007 led this mother of four daughters (ages 2, 4, and 5) to slow down after previously working 80-hour weeks. Though winning was not official until Food Network chef Bobby Flay declared d’Arabian the champion, the former businesswoman knew that what she brought to the table set her apart from other contestants. “I’ve been a working career mom, and I have been a stay-at-home mom to four kids, so I know how to get food on the table no matter what stage you are in. I also grew up with no money, so I know how to save and make Melissa d’Arabian’s Ten Dollar the best use of every dollar.” Dinners often come from her own Life has changed again since experiments feeding her family.
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