Melissa d'Arabian

{{Infobox chef

| name = Melissa d'Arabian

| image = VOICE AWARDS-2015 (21409781648).jpg

| caption = d'Arabian in 2015

| birth_name = Melissa Donovan

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Tucson, Arizona, U.S.{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/melissa-d-arabian/index.html |title=Melissa d'Arabian's Food Network Star Interview |publisher=FoodNetwork.com |date=2009-08-03 |accessdate=2009-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804080202/http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/melissa-d-arabian/index.html |archive-date=2009-08-04 |url-status=dead }}

| spouse= Philippe d'Arabian

| death_date =

| death_place =

| style = American
French
Low calorie

| education =

| restaurants =

| television = Ten Dollar Dinners
Kitchen Survival Guide (pilot){{cite web |author=Atlas, Darla |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/080309gdnextfoodstar_hp.a42d28f6.html |title=Former Keller resident wins her own show on Food Network |publisher=Dallas Morning News |date=2009-03-08 |accessdate=2009-08-03}}

}}

Melissa Donovan d'Arabian is an American cookbook author and television show host. She won the fifth season of Food Network Star in 2009. Following her victory, she went on to host Ten Dollar Dinners on Food Network.{{cite web |url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/melissa-darabian/bio/index.html/ |title=Melissa d'Arabian : Chefs : Food Network |accessdate=2013-04-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502082539/http://www.foodnetwork.com/melissa-darabian/bio/index.html |archivedate=2013-05-02 }}

Early life and education

Born in Anaheim, California, d'Arabian moved throughout her childhood to Tucson, Arizona; San Diego, California; and Bethesda, Maryland.{{Cite web|url=https://vickyandjen.com/|title=Home|website=Vicky & Jen}} During this time, d'Arabian attended several private Christian schools.{{Cite web|url=https://refreshedmag.com/cooking-up-joy-food-network-chef-rediscovers-lifes-value-after-deep-sorrow/|title=Cooking up joy | Food Network chef rediscovers life's value after deep sorrow}} d'Arabian's parents divorced when she was a few months old, and she and her sister were raised solely by her mother.{{cite web |url=http://www.melissadarabian.net/site/assets/Risen-Magazine_12.1.13.pdf |title=Risen Magazine}} Because her single mother was paying her way through medical school, Melissa discovered her passion for cooking and developed her budget strategies very young. In an interview with Food Network, she said, "That's where I learned about cooking as a way of showing people that you care about them."{{Cite web|url=http://www.melissadarabian.net/about/|title=About|date=July 9, 2012|website=Melissa d'Arabian}} After high school at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Maryland, d'Arabian attended the University of Vermont, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. d'Arabian joined Alpha Chi Omega. After a period working on cruise ships as part of the entertainment staff, d'Arabian studied at Georgetown University, earning her MBA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/profiles/talent/melissa-darabian/bio|title=Melissa d'Arabian Bio|website=Food Network}}

Television and professional career{{anchor|TV/Professional career}}

File:Melissa d'Arabian signing in the Cooking Stage area.jpg

After winning Food Network Star, d'Arabian launched her show, Ten Dollar Dinners in 2010. The show focused on affordable meals that cost ten dollars or less to make. The show ran for three seasons. In 2012, she published her first cookbook, Ten Dollar Dinners: 140 Recipes and Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh Meals Any Night of the Week, which became a New York Times best seller. Also in 2012, d'Arabian began hosting a show on the Cooking Channel, Drop 5 Lbs. with Good Housekeeping, which featured low-calorie recipes and weight loss tips.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/profiles/talent/melissa-darabian/bio|title=Melissa d'Arabian Bio : Cooking Channel | Melissa d'Arabian : Cooking Channel|website=Cooking Channel}}

d'Arabian is a frequent judge on Guy's Grocery Games, where she has demonstrated her ability to speak fluent French.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3678322/fullcredits |website=IMDB |access-date=8 February 2024 |title="Guy's Grocery Games" the Weighting Game (TV Episode 2014) - IMDb }} She has also appeared on several other Food Network series, such as The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Chopped, Food Network Challenge, and The Best Thing I Ever Made. Her recipes and budgeting tips have also been featured on the Today Show, CNN, People, Food Network Magazine and iVillage.com.

=Ten Dollar Dinners=

Ten Dollar Dinners is an American cooking television program hosted by d'Arabian. It debuted August 9, 2009 at 12:30 PM EST.{{cite web|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/ten-dollar-dinners-with-melissa-darabian|title=Ten Dollar Dinners|access-date=26 March 2019|via=www.foodnetwork.com}} Melissa d'Arabian is the winner of the fifth season of The Next Food Network Star.[http://television.aol.com/insidetv/2009/08/03/melissa-darabian-wins-next-food-network-star/ News story]. Television.aol.com. accessed August 4, 2009 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805055608/http://television.aol.com/insidetv/2009/08/03/melissa-darabian-wins-next-food-network-star/ |date=August 5, 2009 }}

The second season of her program premiered in January 2010 on the Food Network. During this season, she received a new kitchen set, which has the set up similar to a home kitchen. The third season of her program premiered in July 2010.

In each episode, d'Arabian shows the viewers how to cook up a dinner for four people based on a budget of $10 USD.{{cite web | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/379976789 | title=Budget dinners for 9-9-09: Food Network star shares frugal philosophy on 'Ten Dollar Dinners' | publisher=Longview News Journal | date=September 9, 2009 | accessdate=May 12, 2022| id={{ProQuest|379976789}} }}

Personal life

While working in merchandise finance in Euro Disney, d'Arabian met her husband, Philippe. They live near San Diego, California, with their four daughters. d'Arabian identifies as a Christian and attends the First United Methodist Church of San Diego.

=Mother's suicide and related charitable work=

On April 12, 1989, d'Arabian lost her mother to suicide.{{Cite web|url=https://parade.com/220878/melissadarabian/lessons-of-loss-melissa-darabian-reflects-on-what-she-learned-from-her-mothers-suicide/|title=Lessons of Loss: Melissa d'Arabian Reflects on What She Learned From Her Mother's Suicide|first=Melissa|last=d'Arabian|date=November 2, 2013|website=Parade}} d'Arabian described the loss of her mother as taking a toll on her financially, logistically, and emotionally. Following the death of her mother, d'Arabian states that she entered into a "decade-long tail spin". She attributes this period of time to the isolation she felt due to the stigma of suicide. This experience led d'Arabian to become involved in mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Specifically, d'Arabian advocates for reductions of stigma against suicide, mental health, and substance abuse as well as encouraging people to reach out when they feel suicidal.{{Cite web |url=https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/voices-of-experience/beyond-tears-translating-grief-into-suicide-prevention/ |title=Beyond Tears: Translating Our Grief Into Suicide Prevention |website=EverydayHealth.com}}

Since 2009, d'Arabian has worked with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Initially, the AFSP approached her after she dedicated a recipe to her mother on an episode of The Next Food Network Star. They published one of her recipes at a National Survivors of Suicide Day event. d'Arabian has participated in the San Diego Out of the Darkness Community Walk, been a part of the AFSP panel at the Congressional Spouses for Suicide Prevention and Education congressional briefing, and donated cookbook proceeds to the organization. In May 2013, d'Arabian was awarded the Survivor of Suicide Loss Award by the AFSP.{{cite web |url=https://afsp.org/melissa-darabian-speaks-congressional-spouses-suicide-prevention/ |title=Melissa d'Arabian Speaks to Congressional Spouses about Suicide Prevention |website=American Foundation for Suicide Prevention |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810073104/https://afsp.org/melissa-darabian-speaks-congressional-spouses-suicide-prevention/ |archive-date=10 August 2016}} She has also competed on Guy's Grocery Games, Chopped, and Cutthroat Kitchen for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.{{Cite web|url=http://www.melissadarabian.net/2014/05/melissa-competes-on-guys-grocery-games/|title=Melissa Competes on "Guy's Grocery Games"|date=May 19, 2014|website=Melissa d'Arabian}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.melissadarabian.net/2012/08/chopped-our-unofficial-results/|title=Chopped…our unofficial results!|date=August 1, 2012|website=Melissa d'Arabian}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/cutthroat-kitchen/meet-the-all-star-chefs-on-cutthroat-kitchen-superstar-sabotage|title=Meet the All-Star Chefs on Cutthroat Kitchen: Superstar Sabotage|website=Food Com}}

d'Arabian has volunteered with a number of other charitable organization including teaching family cooking courses for Coronado Substance Abuse Free Environment and live-tweeting her mammogram for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.{{Cite web|url=https://web.coronadochamber.com/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=4036|title=Coronado SAFE Celebrates Family Day with Food Network Host Melissa d'Arabian | Coronado Chamber of Commerce Coronado, CA|website=Coronado Chamber of Commerce}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.melissadarabian.net/2014/10/its-breast-cancer-awareness-month-and-i-live-tweeted-my-mammogram/|title=It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I Live Tweeted My Mammogram|date=October 17, 2014|website=Melissa d'Arabian}}

Filmography

=Television=

Year	Title	Notes
class="wikitable"
2009	Food Network Star	Season five winner
2009–2011	The Best Thing I Ever Ate	Appeared on 8 episodes
2009–2013	Ten Dollar Dinners	Host
2010	Best Places I've Ever Been	Disney Memories episode
2010	Food Network Challenge: All-Star Grill-Off
2011–2013	The Best Thing I Ever Made	Appeared on 2 episodes
2012	Chopped All Stars
2012–present	Drop 5 Lbs with Good Housekeeping	Host
2013–2014	The Picky Eaters Project	Web series
2013–present	Guy's Grocery Games	Judge and contestant
2014	Cutthroat Kitchen: Superstar Sabotage Tournament
2015–present	Smart Carts: Winning the Supermarket	Web series

Bibliography

Year	Title	Publisher	ISBN
class="wikitable"
2012	Ten Dollar Dinners: 140 Recipes and Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh Meals Any Night of the Week	Clarkson Potter Publishers	978-0-307-98517-0
2014	Supermarket Healthy: Recipes and Know-How for Eating Well Without Spending a Lot	Clarkson Potter Publishers	978-0307985149