It was only a single year ago which Eddie Jackson was in Food Star Kitchen, battling eleven alternative hopeful rivals with a goal of earning a desired title of Food Network Star. Now, with which victory secured, he's returning to this hallowed arena, this time not as a finalist though as a decider of Star Salvation. Yesterday we chatted with his fellow judge, Alex Guarnaschelli, in an exclusive interview. Now we're bringing we a one-on-one chat with Eddie. Find out what it's similar to for him to return to where it all proposed as well as get his thoughts on a pressure competitors face during this stage of their journey.What's it similar to to be behind in Food Star Kitchen, where your own Star journey began only a single year ago? Eddie Jackson: we got to be honest, its weird. When we walked in to a kitchen we roughly ... had a mental relapse since we suspicion about all a stress as well as things which we had to go to only to win, as well as its usually been a year, so, we know, its still fresh in my mind. So we got to admit: Its a small ungainly entrance behind in since Im freshly private from a competition. But during a same time Im only privileged as well as unequivocally respected to be giving these eliminated finalists any recommendation which we can.Does a actuality which youve participated in Food Network Star as well as which we know better than any a single what it takes to do this job shift a way we judge? Maybe a small more harshly? EJ: You know, we wouldnt contend which my knowledge on a uncover would concede me to decider them more harshly. we only consider which we know what Im articulate about. You know what we mean? You know, we was there, we was ... in your shoes, as well as we was not usually in your shoes, though we was in your boots unequivocally recently. So we know all which youre feeling. we know all a things thats starting by your head, so Im starting to give we each bit of recommendation which we possibly can since we know. we was there.Knowing what we know now, thinking behind to what we were similar to on day a single of Star, how would we explain a growth? What do we instruct we had known then, if we had a clear ball as well as we could have seen where youd be? EJ: The thing which Ive schooled right away is to regularly emanate a good balance. A good sense of calm though during a same time we wish to be fun, we wish to be energetic, we wish to be yourself. And we consider if we had had which knowledge during a unequivocally commencement of a competition, we could have breezed through. But nobody gets it on a first try. Its all about trial as well as error, as well as by my knowledge in a past year, we know, doing alternative shows, Ive schooled to regularly emanate which change as well as only regularly let yourself shine through.Whats your biggest piece of been-there-done-that recommendation which we can offer a finalists? EJ: My biggest bit of been-there-done-that advice, we would have to contend as well as we keep saying this as well as this is something which we feel similar to we do unequivocally well however we am off a camera, when Im only hanging out, is exactly how we am on a camera. Its not similar to [I] spin it on or spin it off; its regularly on. Its a single of those things which we possibly have it or we dont.That's been your biggest key to success? EJ: we consider which is my biggest key to success, is only regularly staying true to myself as well as being myself as well as not perplexing to be something which Im not. Im not starting to be Alex Guarnaschelli. Im only starting to be Eddie Jackson since thats who we am, as well as thats what we move to a table.Whats a biggest piece of recommendation which youve received, possibly from Bobby as well as Giada last year or only elsewhere in a commercial operation thats unequivocally helped we excel? EJ: we consider a biggest bit of recommendation Ive been given is only last year on Food Network Star we was in a bottom, as well as Bobby Flay looked during me as well as was similar to ... youre an extraordinary cook, only be yourself. And he pronounced a food will take caring of itself. And we was too busy perplexing to make certain which we was perplexing to get a dish right, perplexing to get things perfect which it was sort of holding me behind from being myself since we was so worried about alternative things. ... He only told me which let yourself shine as well as a food will take caring of itself 'cause we patently can prepare as well as we did that, as well as a sky was a limit after that.What is it similar to operative with Alex? A year ago she was judging you. EJ: You know what, operative with Alex ... shes an Iron Chef. Just a actuality which Im here, alongside her, being a mentor is something which we regularly look forward to something which we wanted to get to. That was a single of a reasons which we came to Food Network, so which we could be operative hand in hand with these extraordinary chefs from opposite a world, as well as right away Im here as well as Ive made it. And any recommendation which we can give to these finalists to assistance them get where Im at, Im starting to do it.What do we need to see in them in conditions of camera skills as well as in progress chops in order to find your winner? EJ: we consider which what were looking for is which a single person which as shortly as we see them, as shortly as they open their mouth, they pop. Because we consider which thats what a star is all about, we know. Ive been by a competition, so we unequivocally know what it takes, as well as we consider which a most-important thing for me is starting to be able to see which a single of these finalists is starting to only cocktail as shortly as they open their mouth. As shortly as we see their food, Im like, "Thats a one."Everyone whos competing has had a bad day, possibly in a kitchen or on camera. Somewhere theres been a flop. Which part of a job do we consider is harder: mastering a in progress or presenting effortlessly? EJ: Without a doubt we consider which its hard to master a on-camera part. Because everybody here, we know theyre chefs as well as theyve been in progress flattering most their total lives. They didnt only start in progress right prior to this show, so we know they know how to cook. But a thing is, to be able to take which as well as benefaction it on camera, whether youre articulate or in progress during a same time, thats starting to be a key: Who can do it in front of a camera?So many finalists let nerves get a better of them. Do we have any recommendation for finalists in conditions of putting them in reserve as well as getting a job done? EJ: One tip which we would give for anybody thats carrying nerve issues is to only literally relax, youre here for a reason. You can cook, we have a personality or else we wouldnt have been chosen to be on a show. And only be yourself. We contend it time as well as time again to only be yourself, though people dont comprehend how easy it is if we only relax, take a low breath, as well as only close your eyes, so to speak, as well as only suppose which youre hanging around with your boys as well as your family. And we consider thats something. If they do that, theyll be OK.How would we explain a kind of do-or-die pressure finalists have been feeling right now? EJ: Its do or die during this point, so my philosophy would be to only let it all hang out. we mean, only go all out. we consider thats a single of those things we have to do in this foe since we have zero left to lose during this point. Youve already been eliminated ... so theres no need to fool around it safe. Put yourself out there when we get in front of which camera, go for it, like, unequivocally go for it, high energy. we mean, we have zero else to lose. So which would be a small bit of recommendation we would give all these eliminated finalists.What's your mentoring strategy? Do we have a specific type of proceed we similar to to use to inspire finalists? EJ: My proceed is starting to be taking my practice from a uncover since we know what it took for me to win. So Im starting to give them which advice, all which we know in myself which we had to do to win, we know: being myself, regularly smiling on camera, creating a indicate of view as well as adhering to it, as well as only carrying fun on camera. You know, a single of a biggest things which we schooled how to do was to have fun on camera since thats who we am naturally, as well as we feel similar to a lot of times people have been scared to be themselves on camera, so thats a bit of recommendation Im starting to give them.Everyone here wants a job of a Food Network Star. How would we explain what which job is unequivocally like, right away which youre living it? EJ: Its tough as well as its fun during a same time. ... Youre a Star now, as well as theres a integrate of things which we have to assimilate when we become a next Food Network Star, is all eyes have been on you, so we have to make certain that, we know, when youre out in public, people have been starting to recognize you. So we wish to make certain which youre being respectful to people because, during a finish of a day, its only not about we its about a total brand during Food Network. And we consider thats very, unequivocally key, is only to make certain which youre regularly display a best side of yourself since youre representing something thats most larger than yourself. And then, we know, youre starting to be put to work; youre part of Food Network, as well as Food Network is a mecca when it comes to food, as well as youre starting to be roving a lot. And only assimilate which if this is something we really, unequivocally want, youre starting to have to put in a bid as well as a time after we win to fundamentally take yourself to a next level.Star Salvation premieres Sunday night, immediately following a finish of a brand new episode of Food Network Star, which airs during 9|8c.