Follow Good Bite's exit interviews each Monday as we track the progress of The Next Food Network Star! Last night we said good bye to Doreen Fang.

1.Before being cast on TNFNS, did you watch the show?
 I watched the first season and the last season.  And episodes here and there throughout the years. 

2. Was this your first time auditioning? 
 Yes, this was the first time I have every auditioned for any type of television show.

3. What was your favorite memory from being on TNFNS?
My favorite memory from this show would be the friendships that I have developed and maintained from being a part of TNFNS.

4. If you were to describe your personal style of cooking, what would that be?
When I cook for clients, I automatically go into the California Cuisine mode, my specialty. When I'm at home or cooking very casually, I tend to go towards Asian influenced - a more home-style Asian cooking approach.

5. What is one kitchen gadget you can't live without?
The most important kitchen gadget I can't live without would be my knives (8" or 10" chef's knife).

6. Favorite meal to cook a date/boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife?
Filet mignon with a red-wine/veal stock reduction, creamy, buttery black truffle mashed potatoes and simply crispy sautéed green beans (haricot verts).

[Photo: Courtesy Food Network]

7. Who inspired your love for food?
I would say it was really my mom that inspired me.  Even though I was so sick of eating Chinese food for practically every meal, I loved helping her cook in the kitchen.  Standing by the table as she rolled out potsticker skins just waiting for her to throw a skin my way so I could make a potsticker.  Or making Chinese steam buns, or preparing for the numerous parties my parents hosted.  She always prepared everything lovingly and patiently.  And she was kind of the person who started the whole concept of "all day eating." We would go from restaurant to restaurant, eating their specialty dishes – all in one day.  That's one of my favorite things to do today...I love that. 

8. First kitchen memory?
Setting toast on fire while my mom took a nap.  I must've been four or five?  I can't remember for certain, but I can still remember the toast catching fire and my thinking...OMG!  I need to put that fire out!  As for me cooking on my own, I used to make green onion pancakes myself (a simplified version)...getting a mixing bowl (the smallest one from a set of blue and white nesting bowls), I'd get the sack of flour, cut up my green onions, add an egg, water and salt.  Getting out the frying pan, adding the oil and just making little pancakes for myself.  Fried rice was another one of my staple dishes that I would make for myself at a very young age. 

9. If you could meet any chef alive or dead, who would it be?
I would like to meet Susur Lee.  One of my favorite chef's of all time would be Thomas Keller, but I have met him once before, but would love to be able to sit and talk with him too at great length about his passion for food.

[Photo: Courtesy Food Network]

10. If you were to describe the whole TNFNS experience in one word what would that be?
Educational.

11.The judges consistently said that they didn't understand your personal cooking approach/style. Has the show helped you figure this out? 
I actually already know my own personal cooking approach/style, it's ultimately California cuisine, but right now, I'm in this place where I am all about learning new cuisines.  I trust my skills as a chef, along with the fact that I have a very good palette to be able to try something and re-create it.  It’s about not being afraid to try something new, and maybe it isn't perfect the first time, but you go back and try it again.  People tend to stay away from things they are unfamiliar with and that's why I want to teach people...to explore, try new flavors, foods, ingredients and come home and not be afraid to make it themselves.  I'm breaking it down and showing people you don't have to be an expert in just one thing...be open to trying new things.  I tried to convey this love for trying new things, but it wasn't something that they felt would work, so I then had to try and come up with another point of view. 

12. Why did you choose to make pulled pork for the last challenge? If you could go back and make another dish, what would you choose?
I wanted to do something ambitious and thought it would be tasty, but obviously, without my handy pressure cooker and such a limited amount of time it was more of a roast pork than anything.  I knew it wasn't going to be ready in time, but the signs were already made so I couldn't change the name of the dish.  If I could go back, I would still make the same dish because it was very creative and even though it wasn't aired, I actually got a ton of compliments on the dish.  The actual taste of the dish wasn't the issue, it was just the word usage and using the word "pulled pork," which already creates a mental and emotional image and your palette then expects something to be super tender in the mouth.  So basically, I would just rename to Roasted Root Beer Pork. 

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