Master Chef winner--Whitney! YAY!!

I don't normally blog on Thursdays, but I watched the finale of Master Chef last night and had to comment.

I didn't get to watch the whole thing because Survivor started, which rings in the New Year of reality-based shows.  When I flipped it over to MC, I was excited to see Whitney up against Dave.  I think the judges did a fantastic job of narrowing the field down to these two (and yes, I had a bizarro dream about Gordon Ramsey!).  Both of them were questioned by the judges in the beginning of the process.  Whitney--because she was so young (read: no experience) and only cooked for her family, and Dave--a software engineer with an ego the size of Texas, too cocky and arrogant.  Heck, Dave almost didn't make the first cut!

But they both brought the goods during the entire process, improving each and every challenge.  They both had excellent palates and an instinct for cooking.  But they also had very distinct points-of-view.
Dave was high-end restaurant quality cooking.
Whitney was down-home cooking with an upscale twist.

As much as I appreciated Dave and his dishes, I wondered if I would buy the Master Chef cookbook if he won.  I decided that I wouldn't.  Why?  Numerous reasons: 1) who really eats that way? 2) Who has the time to cook that way?  when you are chauffeuring kids around, or it's a school night and you're helping with homework while trying to cook, 3) High end food costs high end money. IMO Most cooks are trying to make enough quality food for as inexpensively as possible.  I have no interest in making a Beef Wellington at home.  That's a special occasion dish and I go out to eat on those occasions.

Whitney is more salable. She takes inexpensive items and twists them enough to make them seem gourmet.  Now, that's what I'm talking about!  She has the ability to appeal to the masses, whereas Dave is limited.  And yes, I plan to buy this cookbook when it comes out.

So, to bring this back to writing.  How does this pertain to writing, you say?  Well, think about it. 

Dave is the Oprah pick, the literary novel that snooty people talk about in their book clubs. I don't belong to a book club--I get cranky when someone tells me that I 'have to read this'.

While Whitney appeals to the masses.  She's the sleeper novel that hits big, the Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games type of books.  Not necessarily big right off the presses, but in the long run she has more staying power.

That's my insight for the day.
Write on!