Stacey Poon-Kinney, San Diego restaurant owner, to appear on Food Network Star

Now that her first stint on reality T.V. has resulted in resounding success for The Trails Eatery, located on Jackson Drive in San Diego, Stacey Poon-Kinney is coming back for more. While serving as both chef and owner of her restaurant, she has found the time to become a finalist on the year nine of “Food Network Star”.

Who is this Stacey person? She’s the pretty brunette we see falling down the steps in a recent commercial for the Food Network reality show.  No problem. Stacy is confident she won’t fall in the kitchen.

Her initial exposure to and on the Food Network was on the popular show, “Restaurant: Impossible”. The restaurant she co-owned with her father was not succeesful. In 2011, they contacted Robert Irvine, host of the restaurant fix-it show. Seeing a worthwhile show in The Trails Eatery, Irvine and his crew entered the picture and altered the future of the restaurant and Stacey.

The series’ method is for premise of the show is that Irvine goes to an eatery in disarray. He studies the menu, the locale, and the workers, all on camera, with his narrated comments. He then tells the often-contradictory owners just what they need to do to save their sinking ship.

With Stacey’s place, Irvine ordered up a $10,000 complete remake, producing a new look that was warmer and more welcoming. Besides the physical changes, the publicity from appearing on the global show has resulted in customers walking in from around the world. Poon-Kinney reports sales have gone up 100% since the segments at The Trails Eatery were aired.

The ninth season of “Food Network Star”  begins Sunday, June 2, 2013. It will be shown at 9pm in San Diego. The three judge/coaches from last year, Alton Brown, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis return to take the chefs through their paces in a search for the next star. Good luck, Stacey!