The Fort Worth Star-Telegram interviewed Rory Schepisi, owner of the new Boot Hill Saloon and Grill in Vega, Texas, about her experiences with the TV reality show, “The Next Food Network Star,” that debuts Sunday.
Schepisi grew up near New York City, but fell for Vega and a local cowboy while taping a CMT reality show, “Popularity Contest.” She eventually moved there and is days away from opening her new restaurant in Vega.
You’d think that Schepisi would welcome getting back to the Big Apple for the Food Network show’s taping, but not necessarily.
“I grew up right outside of the city and was always there,” says Schepisi, 31, during a phone interview. “But it was almost like ‘get me back to the country,’ because I became so accustomed to being out in the country, and now I was on the city streets again, and it almost sent me into a panic attack a couple of times.”
Schepisi also plugged her restaurant on Route 66.
She hopes to pull in Amarillo foodies and road-food hunters through advertising and word of mouth. And being on a national TV show can’t hurt.
“It’s going to entice people who are traveling who might have seen the show to say, ‘Hey, you know what? I remember Rory’s restaurant’s in Vega. Let’s get off and get on Route 66 and go check it out.'”
Schepisi’s MySpace site for the Food Network show is here.
UPDATE 6/3/07: The Record newspaper of New Jersey also has details about Schepisi and the Food Network’s show.
UPDATE 6/4/07: A review at AllYourTV.com described “The Next Food Network Star” as “one of the best reality shows on television.”