Two Austinites made it to the final twelve this season of The Next Food Network Star.
Although Dzintra Dzenis, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris who
teaches cooking classes in Austin, was knocked out of the competition
in the third week, we Austinites still have our ace in the hole: Brad
Sorenson.


Reality competition shows such as Top Chef, Project Runway, and America’s Next Top Model,
have become prolific. And no wonder, it is entertaining to watch
contestants compete, sweat, and cry in order to achieve their dreams in
front of the camera for all of Americans to witness. The Next Food
Network Star pits contestants against each other to see who will come
out on top to be the next big chef on Food Network, the prize being
their very own cooking show featured on Food Network alongside notable chefs like Bobby Flay and Giada Pamela De Laurentiis.


Sorenson, who named “Torchy's Tacos, Amy's Ice Cream and … barbecue in
Austin” as his favorite restaurants, studied at the Culinary Institute
of America and, by 25, has taken the culinary world by storm, opening
up and becoming executive chef at Black Creek Bistro—a popular
restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Sorenson accomplished this by 23.
Recently, he has moved to Austin to work at Asti Trattoria, an elegant, yet simple, Italian bistro located in Hyde Park.


Dzenis stated that it was nice to have someone in the cast originating
from Austin, giving them both a common bond. Sorenson is still in the
running to be the next Food Network star and has captivated contestants
and audiences alike with his roguish looks, charm and humor.


However, we’ll have to wait to see if this Austinite will become a
celebrity chef, proving that Austin is blossoming into a mecca for
gourmet food. You can catch Sorenson and episodes of The Next Food
Network Star on Sunday at 9p|8c on Food Network.