Some contestants came in with a strong sense of what they wanted to communicate, but others didn't, which made it challenging because we had no idea what we were walking into with each episode. The first thing we'd ask was about them and their product narrative. Some contestants went straight into execution like choosing colors and fonts, while others needed more guidance.

One contestant came from a family with a lineage of seafood. She wanted to communicate something elegant and modern without losing the historical value of her brand. It was a bit of a balancing act of managing communication expectations; some contestants encouraged the visual design to flow harmoniously with the wording on their packaging, while others were much more literal with their communications and wanted to say too many things, thereby losing the value of a singular idea. Mostly, it was a lot of doing what we as designers love to do every day -- tell stories visually.

Bay Area Bites: And how about hanging out with Stacy Keibler and Mrs. Fields' guru Debbie Fields? Any gossipy tidbits to share?
Lin: I can't say I wasn't a little starstruck. These are celebrities we've all seen and heard about and it was a bit surreal that Matt and I got to share the stage with them. I met Stacy and she's super nice -- and surprisingly tall! -- in person. Debbie is the nicest person I met on set, followed by a long line of others behind the scenes. Debbie's daughter was even backstage pitching in. The entire team, from the talent to the writers, producers and P.A.s, were awesome. I can't share any real gossip in the negative sense, just have great things to say about them all. What it boils down to is they're just regular people with incredible talent and business acumen.

Bay Area Bites: Michael Chiarello now has a San Francisco restaurant called Coqueta. On the episode, he wasn't displaying his fun-loving side as much and was more of a hard ass. What are your thoughts on Chiarello?

Lin: Michael Chiarello is the boss! I think some of his comments were the most insightful and honest among all the judges. He is a genuine article, someone who really wanted contestants to succeed, even if it meant breaking a few hearts along the way. Everything that came out of his mouth came from a thoughtful and intelligent place, and he really helped improve contestants' products. With the filming of each episode I gained more and more respect for him and I think viewers will feel the same way. Here's my shameless self-promotion — Michael, if you need any design help with your next San Francisco venture, call us!

Bay Area Bites: Did you get to sample the food? What was it like?
Lin: Matt and I got to taste most all of the food products, usually after their transformations with Michael. Some were better than others. Without divulging too much about future episodes, I'll just say that we got to sample a few things that we never thought we'd be eating in our entire lives! All the food was great, though I have a personal preference for seafood and tacos.

Bay Area Bites: What are some familiar food products that show "good" design elements? And what products do not?
Lin: I can't speak for specific products on future episodes, but in general I believe the most successfully designed food products on the show have a compelling backstory, cultural history, family lineage or a strong and simple perspective. You can almost taste it in the food if the contestant really poured their heart into what they were making.

"Good" design in terms of food branding can come from many places and I suppose it all depends on the product's narrative. For example, I love kimchee. You can find a 1,000-year-old recipe someone's grandma sells in an inconspicuously marked plastic container at a Korean market in Daly City, or you can find a more modern vegan, organic, all-natural version at an upscale grocery story dressed in ultra modern design. Each tells a different product narrative, and both have their merits from a communication design perspective.

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