Aarti Party

Where did The Next Food Network Star winner Aarti Sequeira celebrate her win? "I watched it at this great gastropub called the Village Idiot in LA -- not only is it gorgeous (massive windows that open out onto the oh-so-LA Melrose Ave., exposed brick interior, huge chalkboard with the menu and the best deer-print wallpaper I've ever seen), but I adore the cocktails and the food." And when queried if she would ever open her own restaurant, Aarti replies: "Oh gosh. Yes. And no. I mean, I interned at one of the best restaurants in the country (Suzanne Goin's Lucques) and I saw how hard Suzanne works at it...Chef-owners really are warriors to me. So while I'd love to come up with an outlet for people to taste my food, I don't think I could be there every day. Does that make sense?" [Good Bite]