Renegade Kitchen and The Next Food Network Star

Hola my little taquitos! Forgive me if I'm in the Spanish speaking mood, but my mom and sister return from Mexico today and it just hit me how much I completely miss them. Hurry home, ladies!

I was going to post about my future home office decor today and then decided against it (I have a feeling most of you are letting out a large sigh of relief at this point). You see, friends, I need to introduce you to someone who is pretty, well, fantastic.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Dan Kohler of Renegade Kitchen.

What is Renegade Kitchen, you ask? If we're playing the Obvious Game, it's a place of "serious food for the allergy bound." If we're not, it's a platform that Dan created after being diagnosed with his own food allergies. Aside from loving to cook and feed his nearest and dearest, he wanted to give people in similar situations something that wasn't "crunchy-hippie-rainbow-birdseed cookies," but rather delicious and downright indulgent food that feeds your soul.

The site is equal parts cooking show meets food blog meets sass. In heels.

How do I know Dan? He was Fantastic J's Man of Honor when she got married last year; thus, we spent a good week reveling with our wedding cohorts before the big event.

Things I feel you should know about him:

(1) He's an actor... in New York City!

(2) He was once a Blue Man. Yes, as in the Blue Man Group (not to be confused with the Blue Man Group Tobias Funke accidentally attended all those years ago on Arrested Development).

(3) He has blonde curly hair.

(4) Bitch gets serious when he starts cooking. I tried whipping out my skills at last year's wedding jamboree and when it came to caramelizing some onions, he was not pleased with my jokey joke attitude. I appreciate a person who's serious about his art.

(5) When he's not being Serious Kitchen Bitch Dan, he's hysterical theatrical make-you-piss-your-pants Dan. He's sharp as a tack, that one.

HOWEVER, as much as I love the guy and his site, the real reason I'm posting about him today is so that all of you can send him good vibes because... he's trying out for The Next Food Network Star! And based on this post on his own website, it looks like he's almost made it on (enjoy the inner dialogue he let's everyone be privy to... I sure did).

Here's a peek at his audition video:


FNS 8 Prime from Renegade Kitchen on Vimeo.

Charismatic, n'est pas? The part where he compares eggplant to "the creepy uncle in the corner?" Genius. Things like this fly out of his mouth on a minute to minute basis, and I for one, think the Food Network needs a personality that isn't a winking, cute, chubby girl or a self-absorbed asshole.

Finally, let me attest to his cooking right here, folks: the man is good. He whipped up Fantastic J's bridal brunch the morning of her wedding, swirling about the kitchen like a tall, lanky food dragon, and it was phenomenal.

So send out some positive vibes to Brooklyn... and hand me a piece of Afternoon Cake, please!