Nikki Shaw

Where are you living/working now?

We're still living in LA and in Oakland during the summer months.

What have you been up to since NFNS?

I?ve done several TV, radio and magazine interviews. After that, people all around the country are contacting me to perform cooking demonstrations and keynote speaking engagements. Currently, I'm working with a radio station in San Francisco talking about different foods and recipes.

What did you enjoy most about being on NFNS?

I think the exposure was very valuable for me.

Do you still keep in touch with other contestants?

Yes, we occasionally e-mail each other. Usually, it's Rory, Paul, Tommy and Salmon.

Any behind-the-scene happenings from NFNS you can tell us about?

Oh yeah, I could write a book! But, I won't.

How did being on NFNS affect your culinary career?

It definitely gave me more credibility. I noticed that people were hiring me to be a part of the entertainment. Every time I catered an event, the client would invite me out of the kitchen to "say a few words" to their guests. Then, they wanted me to hang out and mingle with the crowd.

What advice would you offer the next round of contestants?

Leave your feelings at home! You better have thick skin.

When you look back, would you have done anything differently?

Well, when I dropped my peach cobbler on Bobby Flay I wanted to die. The funny thing is, that it turned out to be my little "claim to fame." Every time I did a TV or radio interview that was the first topic of discussion. So, I decided to just have fun with it and embrace it.

Are you recognized from your time on NFNS?

Wow! I never knew there were so many NFNS fans. People stop me a few times each week to say hello. One day I was walking down the street in San Francisco and a bus stopped in the middle of the street, full of people. The doors opened and I hear "Hey Nikki, you're my winner!"

What was the greatest lesson you learned from your time on NFNS?

I learned that anything is possible. When one door closes, another one opens.