Amy Finley facts for kids
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| Born | 1973 (age 51–52) San Diego, California |
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| Education | École Gregoire-Ferrandi |
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Television show(s)
The Gourmet Next Door
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Amy Finley (born in 1973 in San Diego, California) is an American cook and writer. She became famous after winning the third season of The Next Food Network Star. This win gave her a chance to host her own cooking show on the Food Network. Her show, called The Gourmet Next Door, started on October 14, 2007. After six episodes, Amy decided to stop filming due to family reasons. She then moved with her husband and children to a farm in Burgundy, France. She wrote about this experience in her book, How to Eat a Small Country.
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About Amy Finley
Amy Finley is a married mother of two children, a son named Indiana and a daughter named Scarlett. She studied at UCLA and later at the École Gregoire-Ferrandi in Paris, which is a famous cooking school. After finishing her studies in 2001, she worked briefly at the Rose Bakery in Paris.
In 2004, Amy published a travel book about Italy called The Adventure Guide to the Italian Riviera. After becoming a TV star, she wrote for magazines like Bon Appetit and San Diego Magazine. She also appeared on TV shows like The View and radio programs like The Splendid Table on NPR. Amy says her cooking style is inspired by French grandmothers and the famous chef Julia Child.
Her TV Shows
Amy Finley won the third season of The Next Food Network Star. This show is a competition where chefs compete for their own TV show.
The Next Food Network Star
During the competition, Amy faced some challenges. At one point, she tried to leave the show, but the judges told her to stay. She was eliminated in Week 7. However, another contestant, Josh "JAG" Garcia, left the competition. This allowed Amy to return for the final episode. She then won the competition, beating the runner-up, Rory Schepisi. This made her the second woman to win the show.
The Gourmet Next Door
Amy's show, The Gourmet Next Door, was named after her idea that anyone can cook fancy, "gourmet" food at home. The show aired from October to December 2007, with six episodes. After these episodes, the show was replaced with reruns of Guy's Big Bite. In May 2008, Amy shared that she had decided not to return for a second season. She explained that being a TV personality was very stressful. She lived in Burgundy, France, with her family for a while before they moved back to San Diego.
Other TV Appearances
In 2012, Amy Finley appeared on an episode of Chopped. This episode featured other winners from Food Network Star, including Aarti Sequeira, Melissa d'Arabian, and Jeff Mauro. Amy was eliminated after the second round of the competition.
