Hey, folks! I'm so excited to be able to talk to everyone today. Please ask anything that's on your mind. I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings full of fantastic food! -Ben

Hi Ben! I loved your enthusiastic approach to everything and enjoyed watching you on the show. I would love to know what is next for you?

Wishing you the best in all your future endeavors, God Bless you and yours!

Ben--

Thought you were great!! I really felt for you when you got the fish for the third-graders. Good luck to you!!!

Ben--

Thought you were great!! I really felt for you when you got the fish for the third-graders. Good luck to you!!!

Hey Ben! You know me.... totally silly when it comes to tech stuff... I have no idea what happened here! I wanted to get his message to you (below) and it only showed up on my own page. It's SO me, isn't it? I hope this sticks to your page now

You're the BEST!!!!

ChunMae
Posted:
2007-11-26 4:54 PMHey

Ben!!!!! OK, you make me cry....big crocodile tears for this little girl.

I can't believe that God put you in my life, you're such a GIFT!!!! Aside from the fact that you are adorable and lovable, you are an AMAZING cook! I'm so grateful that you had the opportnity to show some of your talents and skills, as well as your beautiful personality in this competition. Your book is FABULOUS and I know your future is going to be amazingly BRIGHT! You're the BEST Ben! A true and bright shining STARR!

You have to come over and make a mess in my kitchen too!
You can make your famous tamales and I'll make Chinese tamales.

Love you Ben! TONS!!!
Chun-Mae

Hey, StaceyD! Thanks for writing. Sorry I'm getting back to you so late, I didn't realize anyone was posting in this thread!

What's next for me? Cookbooks! I've actually always been toying with the concept off a cookbook series called FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Every Recipe Has A Story. I get bored with traditional cookbooks, which are just full of recipes. To me, food is about stories. It's about the family I learned from and the people I've shared kitchens with all over the world.

So the show gave me the motivation to work on it. The first volume is actually out! It's called From Beginner to Expert it 100 Pages or Less. It's really fun and kooky...it follows my own journey from age 4, when I first started cooking, and celebrates the family legacy that's always wrapped up with cooking. There are priceless hundred-year old photos in the book of my ancestors cooking and feeding their chickens, and then modern pictures of me cooking and feeding my chickens. Kinda fun... Also lots of instructional photos that take you through every step of the harder recipes.

It starts with basics, like steaming veggies, cooking a chicken breast, and moves through intermediate stuff like pancakes, biscuits, pies, and the like...then finally moves to some complex stuff like homemade ravioli and tiramisu.

Check it out on my website! There's a preview section if you wanna see what's inside.

Thanks again for watching the show!!!

Ben

Greenslade, thanks so much for your kind words! It was my time to go, and I was actually really grateful that I could leave Jenn and Martica with the chance to go to the finals. I was kinda weary of losing people by the third challenge. I'm not accustomed to other people being penalized when I do well, and it hurt like heck to lose Chun Mae and Chuck.

I went home so happy. I think all my family and friends were more upset than I was, I actually entered my house with a huge smile on my face, I hugged my roomies and every single one of my chickens, and I got into the kitchen and started cooking! Heh heh...

Thanks again.

Ben

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Vist my website, http://benstarr.com, to check out my new cookbook series! FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Every Recipe Has A Story
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hey you were awesome! ~meagan

hey you were awesome! ~meagan

hey you were awesome! ~meagan

hey you were awesome! ~meagan

hey you were awesome! ~meagan

hey you were awesome! ~meagan

hey you were awesome! ~meagan

Hey Ben! Loved you on the show. I think you & Jen should "cook up" cookbook together...you two have such a friendly chemistry & are very entertaining. Wish you all the best of luck!!

Hugs & Kisses!

Lisa

Hey, Lisa! You're adorable! Thanks so much for the encouragement. I'm sure that Jenn and I will stir up something together. We're buddies. Have a great holiday season!!!

Hiya, Meagan! Thanks for dropping off the sweet note. You rock!

-Ben

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Please visit my website at http://benstarr.com to check out my new cookbook series FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Every Recipe Has A Story
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Yes Ben, I know what you mean about smiling even after loosing!! I was one of the 10 ingredient challange finalists, but didn't win. I went home smiling because it was just a terrific experience!! Found Racheal's producers and staff to be fantastic!!!

Good luck and say "hi" to the chickens to me.

Carole Greenslade Reed, Tampa,FL

Hey, Carole! Yeah, I remember you!!! That's so cool!

Yes, I fell in love with the producers and staff at the show. They are all just like Rachael, so warm and friendly and funny...and hard working! MAN those people work! Rachael is lucky to have such a great team. I left there feeling like I had a whole new set of friends in NYC.

Warmest holiday wishes to you!

Ben

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Check out my new cookbook series FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Every Recipes Has A Story, on my website: http://benstarr.com
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Who are you, anyway?