Nichole Gaffney – Food Network star

It’s not easy creating tasty dishes at top speed in front of TV cameras, but Nicole Gaffney can take the heat. That’s why she can make it in the kitchen.

Through weeks of competition, the LSU alumna won cooking challenges, shot screen tests, took Giada De Laurentiis’ advice to loosen up and nearly snagged the top spot in this summer’s season of Food Network Star.

“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine,” Gaffney says of the competition’s prize: her own show on the Food Network. “I’ve been watching the network since I was young, and I’ve been watching this show in particular since it came on 10 years ago.”

But as much as the second-runner-up dreamed of TV stardom, she admits that she never thought a reality show would be something she enjoyed. Auditioning for the show, Gaffney says, began as just “something crazy” to end her twenties with. And, fresh out of the finale’s top three, it seems she’s made that something crazy count.

Born and raised on the southern shore of New Jersey, Gaffney made “coastal cooking” her signature approach on the show, though the East Coast isn’t her only influence.

“Louisiana is a perfect example of how wonderful coastal cooking can be. To me coastal cooking is food that’s simply prepared, uses fresh ingredients and has big, bright flavors. And I think a lot of the traditional dishes from Louisiana really reflect that,” says Gaffney, who transferred to LSU in her sophomore year and fell in love with the college town.

Gaffney says one of the most eye-opening aspects of fame has been the support she’s received, from gatherings to watch new episodes each week with friends and family to hearing from fans back home. As the only female finalist, Gaffney has been approached by a lot of young girls who are inspired by her success.

Bolstered by her fans and a perpetually positive attitude, Gaffney is continuing her work as a personal chef in Atlantic City and still wants her own Food Network show one day. She plans to try her hand at writing, encouraged by the popularity of her blog during the show’s run.

“Going through this process has taught me what I want out of life, what gives me the most enjoyment, and what sort of things I want to pursue,” Gaffney says. “I think the future is bright.” nicolegaffney.com