Aarti Has BIG Party!

When Aarti Sequeira was crowned The Next Food Network Star last week, it came as no surprise to my family. We'd followed her and the other contenders since week one. Even though we thought all the finalists made a good showing in the last episode, we just knew that the personable Aarti would win because she had two things the network needs.

See Aarti Compete

The first reason wasn't because she was a blogger (Aarti Paarti), and I have a natural tendency to root for writers. The 31-year-old Aarti fills an unoccupied niche in Food Network's lineup of celebrity chefs and cooks.

Aarti cooks with Indian flair. More importantly, she brings the warm, flavorful spices of Indian food to mainstream America in a way that makes her food accessible to the American palate.

Secondly, she has a personality that just makes her likable. She's the sassy, smart-mouthed (in a nice way) kind of girl you want to hang with in the kitchen, and that goes for men and women.

Women like her because she seems real, like someone with whom you'd be friends. Men like her because she's bubbly, laughs easily, and can cook mouth-watering food and doesn't agonize over the fat and calories. There's a lot of truth in the old adage: "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Food: The Ultimate Weapon

I hate to say it, but my husband and my sons are easily manipulated with homemade dinner rolls, my special chocolate cake, and so many other weapons in my culinary arsenal. That kind of power must be wielded carefully so I don't take advantage of their weaknesses. At least, not unless it's very important.

You may be surprised to learn that the final episode of The Next Food Network Star was the most-watched cable show. Then again, maybe you're not surprised because you've already discovered that men are just as attracted to the Food Network as women. That makes for some awesome viewing statistics for the canny network.

See Aarti Cook

The Food Network gives the new cook in the kitchen a Sunday morning time slot to see if viewers will follow her from the competition to the cooking show. Aarti cooks on Sunday mornings at 10:30 on the east coast.

Tune In

On August 28, on Aarti Paarti, she's making a spicy chicken and something called an Ugly Duckling Salad and a Fig-Stuffed dessert. I'm tuning in for the salad just to see what it is and for the dessert recipe since I love figs.

The late, great American chef, James Beard, was right when he said: "Food is our common ground, a universal experience."