The finals of the reality TV show of The Food Network Star began last June 5 on the Food Network and a Filipino-American restaurant owner from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina dominated the show. Owner of the successful “One Hot Mama” restaurant,
39-year old Orchid Paulmeier is the only Asian to make it among the 15 finalists who are battling it out to be the next star chef and host of the Food Network show.
During Episode 1 of the Season 7 opener, Orchid won both of the first two challenges, making a head start by leading the fan vote in this tight race to get fans’ approval. The contestants were asked to make a sophisticated breakfast, which represents them as chefs. Orchid was surprised when she was named the winner. Her second challenge dish, Filipino Pork Skewer Over Southern Rice Vinegar Slaw, impressed the judges further. She said, “I grew up in a Filipino household and in every single family barbecue, there was pork on a stick.”
Bobby Flay, celebrity chef and judge said, “Orchid, so you made the hot Asian Skewers over rice vinegar slaw really beautifully glazed, the rice vinegar slaw was really good.”
Another Food Network Star judge Bob Tuschman told Orchid, “You were the standout, and I have to say, I agreed with them, you were effervescent, luminescent every escent I could think of. My only criticism is you have given me nothing to criticize you about.”
Last Sunday, July 10, was Orchid’s last day on the show but the honor of making it to the finals has been a life-changing experience.
Owning a restaurant was always part of “Mama” Orchid Paulmeier’s American Dream. The daughter of Filipino immigrants (her mother is a native of Nueva Ecija and her dad is from Quiapo, Manila), Orchid learned the secrets of the kitchen early, picking up the fundamentals of Filipino cooking from her grandmother.
“When I was about 8 years old, my grandmother moved to Orland Park from the Philippines to help take care of my family. Before then, my mom and aunt were responsible for the family meals, but they never really “cooked.” They more or less threw something together. My grandmother’s cooking gave me an awareness of meals being prepared,” said Orchid. “Growing up with my Lola’s Filipino home cooking gave me the advantage of bringing unique and fresh flavors to the show,” she added.
“I have been in the Food & Beverage Industry since I was 14, scooping ice cream at the Baskin Robbins. My goal was to have my own restaurant by the time I was 30-and I did,” narrated Orchid.
Born and raised in Chicago, Orchid and her husband Mike moved to South Carolina right after graduating from college. After working her way through the restaurant business all the way up from the hostess stand, Orchid took an internship in Hilton Head Island, SC, and almost instantly decided to permanently adjust her longitude. So together with Mike, Orchid began laying down roots in the Lowcountry, and digging in to the deep, colorful cooking traditions of the region.
Strapped with a taste for exotic, worldly flavors, and the kind of cooking prowess that only life can teach you, Orchid opened One Hot Mama’s in 2007, handpicking the menu and mixing up all of the signature sauces herself.
Sharing about the name of her restaurant, Orchid narrates, “We were opening the restaurant around the time I had my second daughter. My husband called me a hot mama, and all of a sudden I knew that’s what we should call the restaurant. It just clicked.”
“Our restaurant caters to families, business people, and tourists for lunch and dinner. After 10 pm on the weekends, we turn into a very busy bar. One Hot Mama is probably one of the hottest destinations on the island,’ said Orchid.
Blending time-tested Southern favorites like collards, cornbread and slow-cooked barbecue with her own homespun recipes, One Hot Mama’s serves up “comfort food with a kick. Nothing too formal or fancy. Just a warm welcome and good food with a little bit of attitude,” beamed Orchid.
Orchid runs her kitchen like she lives her life—surrounded by family, friends and feel-good food; much in line with the Filipino kitchen tradition, everyone is welcome to pitch in dishes and ideas to the spread.
In her interview with the Los Angeles Asian Journal, Orchid clarifies, “First off, I am definitely not a chef :). I am completely self-taught. I am a wonderful home cook who works really hard at owning a successful BBQ Restaurant on Hilton Head Island. I developed all the recipes we feature. The Hot Asian sauce, with a sweet and spicy tomato base, is our most popular. We’ve won many cook-offs with this recipe, most recently the Kiwanis Rib Burn-Off contest,” said Orchid who gamely shared the all-important components of her BBQ sauce- “soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, fresh garlic and others.”
Asked how she got into the Next Food Network Star Contest, Orchid said, “It’s something I always wanted to try. I first tried out in 2008, the year Melissa D’Arabian won the show. I was really inspired by her—she’s a mom, an everyday kind of person, and I thought ‘I could do this, too!’ It took me three tries before I made it through as a finalist—third time’s a charm!”
Orchid shared the process of getting into the contest. “You can audition for the show by sending in an application/video or attending an open call. Then if you are chosen for a call back, you need to bring in food you’ve prepared.”
With Mike and their three children, Decker, Maile (pronounced Miley) and Zoe rooting her on, Orchid auditioned for and won a slot on season seven of The Next Food Network Star. “I started the audition process for season 7 back in August 2010 at an open call audition in Atlanta. From that day on, there were several different call backs with the last one flying out to New York to cook and talk in front of the Network. After that was when they let me know I would be joining the cast in January-whereabouts unknown!”
Orchid said, “There are no Asians currently on the Food Network, so this is a first. Plus I’m a woman who owns her own restaurant, and I’m self-taught. I feel that there are restaurant tips and tricks I can teach people to use in their own kitchens. I can make it easy. Owning a restaurant and raising three kids, time is of the essence, so there isn’t always time to make the family meal you want to--cooking needs to be fast, but good.”
Though she was born in the US, Orchid was raised in a very Filipino family. “Some of my favorite memories growing up is all of the family parties & the FOOD—especially Lechon!!! We do not get to have it in SC, there aren’t very many Filipinos there. So it has become very important to visit my family a lot so my kids can experience and learn about their Filipino culture,” said Orchid. “I have been to the Philippines 5 times, but the last was in 1997, with my entire family—it was so much fun! We are hoping to make another big family trip soon, so our kids can see for themselves what a beautiful place they are from.”
“I am hoping to add a few Filipino inspired dishes to the menu, but for now, I only cook Filipino food at home for my family,” added the “Hot Mama.”
Orchid shared that her dream is to have more restaurants. The way great things have been coming her way, it’s most probably just a matter of time before America enjoys more Hot Mamas.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek July 13-15, 2011 MDWK pg.2)
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