Emily Ellyn, Food Network Star Season 8 Finalist

Emily Ellyn

Emily, 29, grew up on a farm in Ohio, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and then moved to Paris. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in hospitality management in Orlando, Fla. Emily loves using fresh, local and culturally intriguing ingredients.

Emily Ellyn Videos

See All Videos

Ep. 7 Reaction: Emily's Exit 03:00

Casting: Emily Ellyn 03:29

Bio: Emily Ellyn 02:44

Emily Ellyn Photos

See All Photos

Farewell to Retro Rad

Emily Ellyn was eliminated from Team Alton in Episode 7. The 29-year-old Ph.D. student had many successes with her quirky-cool "Retro Rad" POV, inspired by her love of the '50s.

Team Alton, All the Way

Emily was a perfect fit for Team Alton. She summed up the teams at the beginning of the season: "If this were high school, Team Alton would be the nerds, Team Bobby the jocks and Team Giada, I'm thinking cheerleaders." She was proud to be grouped with Alton's brainy, nerdy crew.

Curious Cook

Emily's cooking was never boring. In the food tour challenge, Emily's assigned location was a matzo factory on New York's Lower East Side. She gathered ingredients to create a Passover meatloaf, encompassing all ingredients of a traditional Seder into one bite.

Dish Makeover

In the Fashion Week challenge, Emily removed her silver dome to find a dish in desperate need of a makeover: ham steak with pineapple and maraschino cherries. Sure enough, she was able to make it Retro Rad. "This challenge was tailor-made for Alton's team," Bob said. "They're all so brainy and fun."

Food Fascinator

Team Alton killed their Fashion Week show and won the challenge. Emily's "Hats Off to Ham" dish, complete with a "food fascinator" headpiece that she wore proudly, was a big hit.

Applesauce for Guy

The following week's Guy Fieri live show challenge was not as successful. Emily got the short end of the stick when Martie rambled on and left her without much time for her segment of the Halloween special. Still, Guy and the judges loved Emily's applesauce.

Safe

Team Alton's shaky Halloween special landed all four team members in the pitch room. After viewing each camera presentation, Bob and Susie immediately declared Emily and Justin safe.

Littler Italy

In the next challenge, Team Alton knew they had to bring it. Emily made a dessert panini for their Italian-themed food-court kiosk. She schmoozed with the diners while teammates Martie and Justin scrambled to fry their dishes. "She's smart when she describes and she's smart in her culinary ideas," said Bob.

Victory Dance

Emily did a celebratory jig upon hearing that Team Alton won the food-court challenge. Bob and Susie thought they knocked it out of the park: "They were having such a good time together, telling stories but also telling the group story of their Italian kiosk."

Thanksgiving in a Bite

In the next challenge, Emily knew exactly what she wanted to make to sum up her POV in one bite for the press panel: "Nothing's more representative of that '50s family lifestyle than gathering people around that Thanksgiving table. I'm making Thanksgiving in a bite."

Meet the Press

The presentation element threw Emily for a loop. "I'm afraid to tell stories of my past," she admitted. Susie wanted more from her: "You didn't say anything about yourself when you embody this wildly fascinating POV to a T!"

Last Shot

Emily ended up in Episode 7's Producers' Challenge, a battle of burgers. "I know you can cook. You just need to make that connection with the camera," Alton told her. She made a classic diner burger and gave the camera presentation her best shot.

Emily's Exit

Despite Alton's pitch, it was Emily's time to go. "I am so privileged to have gotten to work with you. What a great experience," she told her team. "It's taught me a lot about myself. I am moving forward and inspiring people as a result."