Russell Jackson, who built a fan base for his pioneering underground dinner series SubCulture Dining before opening the shortlived Lafitte on Pier 5, relocated to New York last year and has now landed himself on food television, on the new season of The Next Food Network Star. Jackson has always been an outspoken voice, loudly scoffing via social media at his initial bad review by Michael Bauer and brazenly hosting foie gras dinners before the ban took effect, so, basically, he was made for TV.

As the Inside Scoop reports, Jackson was cast via the audition video below, in which you can get a taste of his personality, and check out his signature mohawk. The show will begin airing on the Food Network starting this Sunday, June 2.

And in case you weren't aware, the first season of Next Food Network Star gave us Guy Fieri, who did indeed become a star.

Jackson, 49, made his name in S.F. largely because he came early to the pop-up/underground dinner thing, dubbing himself the Dissident Chef and hosting meals in private homes years before the trend took hold for local foodinistas. Michael Bauer ultimately warmed up to Lafitte a little after some menu changes, but it never won any raves, and ultimately closed in early 2012 after barely two years. After the closing, Jackson announced he'd be heading to New York, though he popped back up in April in S.F. following his appearance on Iron Chef America, where he was defeated by Jose Garces.

[ISSF]