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Reality shows are so popular right now. Aside from the some of the cooking related shows and competitions, I just can’t stomach most reality shows. The best feature about a show like Food Network Star is that it doesn’t seem completely fake to me like some of the other “reality” shows do. Plus, seeing the food is always interesting too.
For those unfamiliar, Food Network Star takes a group of finalists and puts them against each other in a number of cooking challenges. Competition can be tough, but contestants do have some help from mentors who are known professionals in the cooking world. For upcoming season 11, Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay are returning as mentors/judges.As the competition goes on, contestants are eliminated. At the end of the season only one contestant remains, and that person wins the dream prize of having their own show on Food Network. If you have a television and haven’t checked out Food Network, you should. But don’t do it while you’re hungry, LOL.
“Each season, our viewers love following the journey of Food Network Star contestants as they develop from aspiring newcomer to confident pro,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President Food Network. “Having Giada and Bobby guide these finalists along is like watching a master class in food television.”
Other special guests/judges that will be appearing this season include Food Network personalities Sunny Anderson, Richard Blais, Anne Burrell, Melissa d’Arabian, Bobby Deen, Duff Goldman, Alex Guarnaschelli, Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro, Damaris Phillips, Rachael Ray, Geoffrey Zakarian and comedian David Alan Grier.
The finalists for season 11 are: Emilia Cirker (Reston, VA); Jay Ducote (Baton Rouge, LA); Christina Fitzgerald (St. Louis); Rosa Graziano (Los Angeles); Matthew Grunwald (Scottsdale, AZ); Eddie Jackson (Houston); Michelle Karam (Santa Barbara, CA); Sita Lewis (New York); Alex McCoy (Washington DC); Arnold Myint (Nashville); Rue Rusike (Brooklyn, NY) and Dominick Tesoriero (Staten Island, NY).
A Food Network Star contestant’s success requires an uncompromised drive to stand out and shine. Having the right partners, tools and expert guidance allows the group to compete at the level they need to excel and, for one, to ultimately win. Another part of the guidance this season will come in the form of Food Network Star’s new fully-integrated, multi-platform partnership with Volkswagen, which will be an organic part of the series that is designed to help propel the competition.
In the season premiere, the twelve finalists arrive in Los Angeles, where they meet Giada and Bobby. Each finalist must produce a 30-second introductory video and make their signature dish for a food festival to be held the next day. At the festival each video is screened and the signature dish tasted by a judging panel including Giada, Bobby, Food Network executives Susie Fogelson and Bob Tuschman, and People Deputy Editor J.D. Heyman. The competition ends for one finalist, while the remaining eleven continue on to the next episode. Upcoming episodes include a dazzling Fourth of July-themed celebration, intense food truck/social media challenge and do-or-die live television demo.
Speaking of the finalists that don’t continue on. The exclusive web series Star Salvation is also returning, hosted by Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and former Food Network Star winner Jeff Mauro. Star Salvation is an exclusive web companion series to Food Network Star that provides one of the eliminated finalists the opportunity to rejoin the competition. Star Salvation will return to FoodNetwork.com on Sunday, June 28th and goes live after Food Network Star east coast airing. The Star Salvation winner re-enters the competition on Sunday, August 9th.
Food Network Star season eleven premieres on Sunday, June 7th at 9pm ET/PT and the winner will be crowned in the season finale on Sunday, August 16th at 9pm ET/PT.
For more details on Food Network Star, fans can visit FoodNetwork.com/Star all season long for exclusive interviews, video, blogs, behind-the-scenes footage, photo galleries and more. Fans can also connect with each other and the show’s stars on Facebook at Facebook.com/FoodNetwork and on Twitter with the hashtag #FoodNetworkStar.
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I love watching this show, there’s such talent! I’ll be tuning in for sure, can’t wait!
I’m a big fan of Survivor and Dancing with the stars. They couldn’t be any less related, but I find them both highly entertaining.
I have only seen a few episodes of this show, but it was fun to watch! I love cooking shows.
They couldn’t have picked a better panel. We definitely watch this reality show – it’s so interesting and GOOD! I learn names of foods watching this show – it’s the best!!
I always like seeing what they come up with. There are times they get a recipe type challenge and I think I could not make a dish out of what they are given but they somehow pull it off.
I dislike most reality shows. I loved What Not to Wear though.