However, the finalists were often surprised by what was emphasized on-screen. "We would go in thinking we knew exactly who would get sent home, but the person we thought had done the best was the person who got sent home."

For instance, in the third episode, Nixon's Sloppy Jane sauce was dismissed by Martha Stewart. "With the Martha challenge, all day long people had been congratulating me, and thought I would win. But then I nearly got sent home."

Nixon was also criticized by judge Bob Tuschman for her frequent references to her stint in culinary school.

"I think they picked the three times that I ever mentioned culinary school," she said. "I had just graduated, and that experience was fresh in my mind. But they're producing a television show, so they're going to make it as interesting as they can."

Some judges perceived her upbeat personality as fake. But Nixon said that was because at first she had a hard time containing her excitement with being around the Food Network stars, who are like movie stars to her.

"Also, I have an innate passion for cooking on television. I think the majority of the finalists on this show love to cook, but they don't have a passion to cook on TV. It took some work on my part to channel that."

But Tuschman later told her parents that if he ever had a daughter he'd want her to be just like Nixon, and that the week she was eliminated, he'd never gotten so much hate mail before in his life. "So I think they finally 'got' me."

What did Tuschman mean with his comments that Nixon needs to "live a bit first"?

"I've actually asked him that very question," she said. "I think he feels like I don't have enough authority on camera. But I don't want to intimidate people. I was pitching a show geared to a younger demographic, and I think there's something charming about learning with me, rather than from me. You don't have to have 20 years in the restaurant industry to do that. It's just a matter of finding the right place."

As far as any favorite finalists, "I really enjoyed Aaron. He's a great person, an easy person to live with for those six weeks. He has a magnetic personality that people will love to watch on television. I wish him all the success in the world."

The feeling must be mutual, because McCargo traveled to Salt Lake City for Nixon's wedding. So there were no hard feelings when McCargo won the "Throwdown" cooking challenge over Nixon, a factor in her exit from the show?

"There are no hard feelings at all," she said. "That challenge was solely based on cooking ability. It was my weakness and his strength."