Enlarge this imageJason Smith, winner of Food Community Star, time thirteen.Eddy Chen/Courtesy of Food Networkhide captiontoggle captionEddy Chen/Courtesy of Food items NetworkJason Smith, winner of Food items Network Star, time 13.Eddy Chen/Courtesy of Meals NetworkJason Smith, a cafeteria supervisor in Grayson, Ken., failed to have any formal culinary education, but he had a desire: for being a Food Community star. Soon after 10 months of cooking, foodstuff demonstrations and exuding a good deal of Southern appeal, Smith’s aspiration arrived legitimate. He conquer out a lot more than a dozen opponents during the network’s once-a-year Food stuff Community Star level of competition. And in his personal terms, he is 「happier than po sum eating a tater pie.」 Smith (@lowcarb77) joins Listed here & Now’s Robin Young to talk about how he made it to the top. Interview Highlights On reaction to his victory back home in Kentucky You know, they are just so thankful. They are just happy to get on the lord honey bandwagon. It’s just like a little bitty village and they just love it. On being bullied as a kid, and losing weight Oh yes. I was a lot overweight. Honey that wasn’t no little bit I was a lot. I was the biggest hog in the bunch, trust me. But now I loved to Rock Ya-Sin Jersey eat, so that was kinda my fault.Actually I lost a whole person about six years ago. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and I just went low carb for a while and lost the weight. I went like from 258 pounds to 139 I lost a whole person. On his colorful wardrobe and personality It’s about a way of life. It’s about standing out, from my outfits to my cooking. I mean I’ve always dre sed this way. This has just been a part of me ever since I can remember, and I’ve always liked to wear bright, colorful clothing, different patterns. And it just makes you stand out from the world, it makes you not blend in to everybody else. I want everybody to be their own personality. Don’t stand inside the corner and just blend in with the crowd. Honey, come out of the corner and become your have personality. Believe in yourself. And I do that with my clothing and my meals: I take what my style is, and the way that my 『Jasonisms,』 as most people say ＂em, come out and everything, and I put that in my food items. We go around this sun only one time, and we might as well have fun while we’re doing it. And that’s what I do every day. On his 「Jasonisms」 Finer than frog hair split four ways … I’m happier than the usual po sum eatin』 a sweet tater pie, ＂cause there ain’t nothing better than sweet tater pie, and po sums are Anthony Castonzo Jersey happy creatures, ＂cause they’ll eat anything. On being responsive to fans on social media I do have a feeling that that’s a little bit a part of why I won, because I pay attention to my fans, my friends, my family. It doesn’t matter who sends me a question, I’m going to answer it. I may not answer it right away, but I’m eventually gonna get to it. And I feel like that that’s just part of me giving back to everybody, that I’ve got to take them on https://www.coltsglintshop.com/Denico-Autry-Jersey such a great journey. The least I can do is to help them out within the kitchen on social media if they have a question. I’ve had people that say stuff to me that’s not about cooking or about food items, it’s like, 『I’m going to this event. Should I wear a red jacket, or a should I wear a black shirt?』 And I’m like, 『Well I need to see what you’re trying to put together,』 and they’ll send me pictures and I’m like, 『No, girl, this ain’t gonna work. We’ve gotta do something different.』 So, you know, I just like connecting and staying connected with everybody. And I feel that everybody is family to me, whether it’s a fan in Australia, or whether it’s a fan in my next-door town. I just feel like we’re all family, and I just love taking everybody along and helping people. This interview aired on Aug. 22 on Right here & Now, a public radio show from NPR and WBUR in Boston