Star Scrapbook: Chris Kyler

Chris Kyler was the seventh finalist eliminated on Food Network Star, Season 10. Relive the memorable moments from his time on the show.

Chris Kyler

The seventh finalist eliminated from the competition, Chris, had no trouble delivering engaging performances, as he deemed himself a natural "entertainer." He struggled, however, to marry his point of view of elevated cuisine with his dishes, which the mentors often found to be underwhelming.

Early Impressions

The finalists were given journals to use during their time in the contest, and Chris filled his with ideas for future challenges, reflections on mentor feedback and thoughts on his presentations. On the first day of filming, he made notes about his rivals and wrote: "All of the contestants are great! Very big personalities. Each finalist has their own unique stories."

POV Explained

In just one simple sentence, he penned his culinary point of view: "I'm going to show you how to cook like a four-star chef."

Suave Showing

After a disappointing first challenge on the Hollywood back lot, Chris redeemed himself that night at the premiere party when he successfully pitched himself as the chef to deliver "the tips and tricks that the industry doesn't want you to know." Bob Tuschman admitted, "I feel like there's some charisma there."

Going with It

In a test to teach Alton in breaking down the steak for chicken-fried steak, Chris managed to adapt to an unexpected situation, much to Alton's delight. "You led me through the meat amazingly well considering you had no idea that [meat] was going to come out of [the refrigerator]," Alton told him.

Mixed Results

Chris' second week didn't continue as smoothly as it started, however, as he ran out of time while preparing dumplings on camera for guest judge Alex Guarnaschelli to follow. Despite Chris' struggles with time management, Bobby admitted: "I like watching you cook. You have a lot of style."

Expecting Sabotage

The only Star finalist to have competed on — and won — Alton's Cutthroat Kitchen, Chris was sure he was going to be severely sabotaged by his rivals when a Cutthroat-style challenge befell the competitors. Sure enough, Loreal gave Chris the first sabotage, which forced him to wear a pasta fork taped to his hand.

Time Woes

Despite Chris' impediments to his preparation of spaghetti and meatballs, he managed to prepare an offering, but when it came time to present it, he flopped in front of the judges' panel. Once again, Chris didn't have time to finish his performance, and Bobby told him: "You change your mind in the middle of your presentations all the time. ... It's really distracting, and you're not able to get your point across."

Main Character

At YouTube Space LA in week four, Chris proclaimed, "I'm just going to make sure that I have the biggest role in this video." Indeed he shined in a marketing video for Almond Joy and Mounds candies with Sarah and Loreal, as one YouTube executive explained, "Chris stood out to me as someone I might hang out with regularly if he did have a YouTube channel."

July 4th Reflections

Episode 5 tasked the finalists with their first-ever live demonstrations, and while Chris intended to share his military history with the crowd like he did the mentors, he ditched that plan at the last minute. "I'm thinking I need to maybe be funny instead," he said.

Missing the Culinary

On stage at Knott's Berry Farm, Chris delivered an energetic performance and even managed to impersonate the president while doing so. His "risky" performance, according to Bobby, garnered laughs, but the mentors weren't wowed with his dish, as Giada called his take on macaroni and cheese "a flavorless Alfredo."

Beyond Basic Butter

Given their culinary points of view, the finalists created signature products and imagined their packaging before selling the items in a commercial. "I'm going to make these little coins. ... You just pop them open and you could put them on top of steak."

Script Planning

Before taping his product commercial on a 360-degree greenscreen, Chris jotted down a few potential lines to say on camera: "After years of using plain butter, I have finally found this culinary treasure, truffled butter coins. Taste the evolution. Find the inner chef in you."

Clever Concept

"Definitely one the best things I've seen on this show — ever," Susie Fogelson told Chris of his product idea, which he sold in a desert-themed commercial. The mentors deemed the coins to be the best product of the day.

Next Stop: Las Vegas

In Las Vegas in what would be his final week of challenges, Chris struggled to successfully tempt Giada with buffet food as he worked to explain three dishes in mouthwatering detail. "You're not selling it," Giada said.

Sin City Showdown

For a pool party at Caesar's Palace, Chris wasted no time in snagging beef tenderloins to make his dish, ultimately refusing to split the portion of meat with Sarah. His finished dish of beef and mushroom chips proved only half successful, as Giada found the former to be "overcooked."

Familiar Problems

"He still cannot actually describe his own food," Alton said of Chris' presentation at the pool. Despite this, however, Chris had no problem drawing a crowd to his station, as he explained: "I'm an entertainer. I love the human contact."

Elimination in Perspective

After seven weeks of competition, Chris was sent home after Alton told Giada, "Chris seems to know who he is, but he can't deliver on it." Looking back on his journey in the contest, Chris noted: "Just to be on this show is a blessing and a gift to me. I hope that, if nothing else, this has touched somebody."