So, Utahn Kelsey Nixon didn 't just survive the fourth episode of "The Next Food Network Star," she nailed both challenges.

Her tilapia dish is being served at Red Lobster. Even if she doesn't win, the exposure she's getting could be parlayed into other opportunities. For instance Kevin Roberts, a finalist ousted the second week, is now a celebrity spokesman for Frank's RedHot pepper sauce.

Last week signaled quite a comeback for the Brigham Young University grad from North Ogden. In the third episode, Nixon was near the bottom after Martha Stewart dismissed her Sloppy Janes by saying, "I never eat that kind of food."

From the comments posted on desnews.co and on the Food Network's Web site, it appears that Martha came off looking worse than Kelsey.

I have to wonder if that's all Martha had to say, or if her comments were selectively edited to sound more snooty than she intended. At any rate, I'm thinking Nixon might drop that "Mini-Martha" nickname.

I find it interesting that the judges criticize so many of the finalists for not having enough personality but then slam Nixon for having too MUCH personality. After all, these are the same folks who brought you Paula Deen and Rachael Ray, hardly shrinking violets.

What about the other contestants? At first I was really put off by Lisa the Dining Diva. It didn't help that I'd just seen the new Indiana Jones movie where the Cate Blanchett villain had Lisa's same black retro hairstyle. I liked Lisa better after she took that tumble in the kitchen and took it in stride. Maybe she'll give up cooking in designer heels.

I cringe every time Jennifer starts apologizing for her food, because how many of us recognize a little of that in ourselves? By the time she word-whipped her mashed potato pizza, everyone was sure there was something wrong with it. And there was - who would wilingly pair those two components together?

I think Kelsey and Shane could be teamed together for a cooking show. His low-key personality would complement Kelsey's perkiness, and their youth would appeal to young viewers. Many of my friends have pre-teens who tune in to the Food Network, and this might give them another reason to keep watching.

I'm a sporadic TV watcher, so I can't speak from a lot of viewer experience. But so far, I'm wishing that the finalists weren't ALWAYS put in such beat-the-clock, impossible circumstances. The judges seem shocked when the food isn't perfect. A few more minutes in the kitchen or a few better choices for ingredients, and they would probably get more palatable results to sample.

Judge Bob Tuschman wrote in his blog that chef Michael Symon threw up after eating all those bizarre fish dishes on Episode 4. What did they expect, when they limited the ingredients to things such as marshmallow creme and caramels? But, as they say, that's show biz.

So who do you think will win? Predictions, anyone?