Ambitious foodies try to snag a show

Dave Josephson says he can catch his food, kill it and cook it — a skill set he hopes will give him a shot at becoming a “Food Network Star.”

Josephson was one of dozens of Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis wannabes who turned out Tuesday for an open casting call for season eight of the popular reality TV series at the Sheraton Waikiki. No cooking was required at the auditions, which comprised a five-minute interview with casting producer Jennifer Dubin.

“They have to have the culinary know-how, they have to have that star quality and they have to have that passion for food — and that camera presence,” said Dubin, who had been given lei, fruit and other gifts by some of the auditioners. “You got to be able to ‘take a room.’ It seems like we have some great people here, so hopefully we got some ‘Next Food Network Star’ candidates.”

Last year, comedian-turned-sandwich specialist Jeff Mauro was chosen to host his own television program on the Food Network.

Those auditioning were eager to express their ideas for the show.

Cary Peterson, who owns Kohala Burger & Taco on Hawaii island, said, “I want to prove to the world that Mexican food and hamburgers are real food and that they take real skills and real background and real levels of execution to do perfectly every time.”

Though he has no experience performing on television, Peterson said: “Every day’s a show at my place. I’m on the grill every day and pretty much know everybody who comes in. They come back in and talk to me every day and find out what’s good, what’s fresh, what’s special.”

Jessica Stare, who owns a Pilates studio and physical therapy clinic in Kailua, wanted to emphasize healthful, affordable and convenient ways to eat well. “We talk to people about health and nutrition and their bodies every day,” said Stare, whose previous experience before a camera was making an exercise DVD. “And I just love to eat and I love to teach.”

Josephson sees the chance to be on television as a business opportunity that happily coincides with his many interests. He is a fishing boat captain, real estate broker and writer, having authored a book, “The Macho Man Diet,” which chronicles his own weight-loss travails.

“I can go catch my own food, hunt lobsters, get mahi, ahi, ono, go shoot a pig and deer, and film myself killing it, catching it, then bringing it back to the kitchen and cooking it,” he said. “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”

Josephson filmed cooking videos to promote his book on the Internet, but was using the income from selling real estate on Maui to make them. He recently moved to Oahu to make ends meet.

Having his own show on the Food Network would allow him to “just drop everything else,” he said.

His dream would be to “open my own bar, Captain Dave’s, and (film) my show in the bar.”