Hamilton area resident seeks to be next Food Network star

Plenty of people dream of having their own cooking show. Jessica Tom, a resident of West Windsor, near Hamilton, is going to try to make that dream a reality.

Tom will be appearing on ‘Food Network Star’, which airs over the summer. She will be joined by nine other aspiring cooking show hosts as the reality TV competition begins its 14th season.

Although Tom has the goal of being a cooking star, she already comes from a traditional culinary background. She majored in English at Yale University and published a novel in 2015 that was centered around the restaurant scene in New York. The protagonist of the story is a foodie who lands a gig as a ghostwriter for a food critic.

Reality TV shows can use flyer printing to promote their upcoming seasons, especially in areas where a local will be appearing on the program.

During the new season of the show, Tom and the other contestants will be mentored by established Food Network stars Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay. The winner of ‘Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen’ will also be joining the contestants during the new season.

Her appearance on the program is actually Tom's second attempt at becoming a Food Network Star. She auditioned for the show back in 2005, but was told she did not have enough experience to land a spot.

The winner of the TV series will be announced during the program's finale, scheduled for August 5.