Bobby Flay dishes on Minneapolis

So why did the Twin Cities land in the spotlight for the TV reality show? We asked Bobby Flay, the celebrity restaurateur who hosted the program.

The reason is simple: location, location, location. California and New York represented the coasts. "Minneapolis is a very good representative for, I don't want to say middle America, but the middle of America," said Flay.

And it's flavorful. "It's a very good food town. I'm very excited about the food there and the footprint at the Mall of America.

"I remember thinking that the food scene was very progressive, and Minneapolis should get more national attention than it currently does," said Flay. "There are really good cooks there and people on the cutting edge."

Flay and the other judges (Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle; Lorena Garcia, Miami restaurateur; and Curtis Stone, Australian chef) expect to be involved in the progress of Soul Daddy. "We're going to give them whatever help they need, working on menus, helping them manage. Part of what you get from us is a support team," he noted. "That's part of the deal."

LEE SVITAK DEAN