garlic bulbs Have you ever entertained thoughts of becoming a cooking show personality?

Chances are, since you're currently reading a food blog, you've thought about it. Perhaps you have a running narrative flowing out of your mouth as you make your lunch, explaining in chatty style to your cat the origins of oil-packed tuna and how to make it shine. Maybe you've always wanted to be as perfect as Martha or, at least, body-check Rachel off camera and show her how it's really done.

If any of the above sounds familiar and you have a special affinity for garlic, this could be your big, fragrant chance at local stardom.

KTEH Cooks with Garlic is giving you the opportunity to show the Bay Area what you've got. In December, KTEH will broadcast a live show featuring local viewers preparing their favorite garlic recipes.

Submissions so far have been encouraging-- and interesting. All types of professional and amateur cooks have already submitted. A local master chef; a Pavarotti-lover who once got him to sign her package of veal in North Beach; a vegetarian Peace Corps volunteer (and “future film star”) who plans to cook lamb, stating that “eating is not destroying; everything is merely transferred.” That's one segment I'm going to want to see. I hope she makes it.

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All kinds of recipes have been submitted, too. Lamb dishes, chicken cacciatore, salads, and-- I only offer this as a warning-- a preponderance of soups. No one, so far, has been adventurous enough to submit a garlicky dessert recipe. Perhaps you can be the first.

No professional experience is required-- just a love of cooking, a bit of enthusiasm, and a knack for teaching. A clever introductory letter is helpful, beginning your letter (as one submitter did) with "I'm not sure I'd make a great tv chef" is not.

Sound like fun? Good. Just remember to be kind to the little people when you're famous.

How to apply:

Step 1: Send them a letter, telling them why you would make a great "TV Chef," and an original recipe that you would like to prepare live on KTEH. The recipe must feature garlic as an ingredient. Submissions must be received by September 15, 2008. (the date was extended from September 1, 2008)

Send Submission by Email or Postal Mail:

Email: Garlicrecipe@KTEH.org

Postal Mail:
Garlic Recipe
KTEH
1585 Schallenberger Rd.
San Jose, CA 95108

Step 2: All recipes submitted become the property of KTEH and will be included (with your byline) in our KTEH Cooks with Garlic Cookbook.

Step 3: KTEH will review the letters and recipes and invite selected viewers to video tape themselves preparing their recipe. These videos will be posted on our website.

Step 4: If you are selected, start your video camera and prepare your recipe as you would if you were on television. Then upload your video to their website (instructions to come) or send it to KTEH and they'll upload it for you.

Step 5: KTEH viewers will be invited to vote for the video they like best.

Step 6: Videos with the most votes will be reviewed by KTEH producers who will invite their favorite "chefs" to prepare their garlic recipe on their live special, KTEH Cooks with Garlic, December 3, 2008.

Step 7: If selected, you will be asked to provide all the ingredients for your recipe and a completed version of the dish. If your recipe is made in stages, you will need to provide a version in each stage-- just like Martha!

Step 8: The show! Chefs will be assigned a time slot and have 10 minutes to prepare their recipe.

Step 9: Each TV Chef appearing on the show will receive a KTEH Cooks with Garlic Cookbook and a DVD of their appearance on the show.

cooking starcooking star

You Could Be the Next Garlicky Cooking Star!