Food Network has officially renewed Cooks vs. Cons for Season 2, to premiere July 10, 2016.
Chopped After Hours has also been renewed for a second season, premiering July 5, 2016.
In daytime, the network has renewed Trisha’s Southern Kitchen Season 8, premiering July 30, 2016, with Giada in Italy Season 2 premiering July 31, 2016. Full press release follows:
Competition Heats Up on Food Network in July with Premiere of ‘Chopped Grill Masters Napa’ and New Season of ‘Cooks vs. Cons’
Plus: Don’t Miss the Finale of Food Network Star and New Seasons of Giada in Italy and Trisha’s Southern Kitchen
FoodNetwork.com Serves Up the Perfect Fourth of July Menu, Party Planning Tips and Fun Ideas for the Family
NEW YORK – June 2016 - It’s time to heat up the barbeque because Food Network is grilling up a new batch of competition this July, starting off with the premiere of Chopped Grill Masters Napa when sixteen top-notch grillers head out of the studio and in to wine country with host Ted Allen for a special five-part tournament beginning Tuesday, July 5th at 10pm.
Then at 11pm, a new season of Chopped After Hours premieres where the judges move from the table to the kitchen and take on the mystery basket ingredients to transform them into delicious dishes.
Next up, host Geoffrey Zakarian is back for another season of Cooks vs. Cons on Sunday, July 10th at 10pm in which amateur cooks compete against professional chefs in a blind test to see if they have what it takes to rival the best of the best in the culinary world. Tune in and see if you can figure out who’s who before the final reveal! Then, all-new episodes of Cupcake Wars begin Monday, July 11th at 8pm featuring celebrities competing in the Cupcake Wars kitchen, but host Jonathan Bennett is not giving them any special treatment! One eliminated Food Network Star finalist finds redemption on Sunday, July 24th at 8pm in the special Star Salvation when they get a chance to re-enter the Food Network Star competition. Then, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis introduce the next Food Network Star to America in the epic finale premiering on Sunday, July 31st at 9pm. Food Network also dishes out primetime premieres of Beat Bobby Flay, Cake Wars, Chopped Junior, Cutthroat Kitchen, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Guy’s Grocery Games.
In daytime, country music star Trisha Yearwood returns for a new season of Trisha’s Southern Kitchen on Saturday, July 30th at 10:30am giving viewers a front row seat to her favorite family recipes and Southern hospitality tips as she entertains family and friends. Giada De Laurentiis travels back to her birthplace on an all-new season of Giada in Italy on Sunday, July 31st at 12pm for a summer in beautiful Florence, Italy filled with family, friends and of course, authentic Italian cuisine!
Also premiering in daytime are new episodes of Farmhouse Rules, The Kitchen, Patricia Heaton Parties, The Pioneer Woman and Valerie’s Home Cooking. FoodNetwork.com is the ultimate summer destination with seasonal recipes, entertaining tips and party tips for Fourth of July. Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
PRIMETIME PREMIERE EPISODES
Beat Bobby Flay
Premiering Thursday, July 7th at 10pm – “Green With Envy”
Bobby Flay may have co-starred with her on Entourage, but tonight Perrey Reeves is co-starring with Chopped vet Scott Conant to try and tarnish Bobby’s record. They’ve brought in Los Angeles chef Vikki Krinsky and lifelong vegetarian chef Pankaj Pradhan to get the job done.
Premiering Thursday, July 14th at 10pm – “Dancing With The Devil”
Former boy bander Lance Bass and bad boy chef Michael Voltaggio are teaming up to put Bobby Flay in his place. On stage in hopes of squaring off with Bobby are Delaware chef Robbie Jester and the Garden State’s top-rated French chef, James Laird.Premiering Thursday, July 21st at 10pm – “Ladies Night”
Food Network’s Katie Lee and Cooking Channel’s Laura Vitale are dressed to kill Bobby Flay’s record. It’s between Denver chef Jennifer Jasinski and New Jersey restaurateur Eric Levine to face off for the coveted chance to Beat Bobby Flay.Premiering Thursday, July 28th at 10pm – “Stop, Drop and Roll”
The arena is on fire when Iranian competition-junkie Kevin Naderi and Polish-Italian chef Mark Vecchitto aim to face off with Bobby Flay in round two. Choosing the finest are New York City bad boys, TV personality Donny Deutsch and The Kitchen co-host Geoffrey Zakarian.Online, find out what it takes to beat Bobby when Food Network chefs reveal the skills and tactics needed to defeat him. Check out behind-the-scenes photos and videos, relive highlights, tour the set and much more. Join the conversation with #BeatBobbyFlay.
Cake Wars
Premiering Monday, July 11th at 9pm – “Emoji”
It’s the most expressive episode of Cake Wars ever, as four talented cake artists compete to take their cake creation to a party celebrating everyone’s favorite little icons, Emoji! Who will earn a smiley-face, and who will earn a frowny-face? Host Jonathan Bennett, judges Ron Ben-Israel and Waylynn Lucas and guest judge Gideon Maheux, co-founder of Iconfactory, will decide which baker will take home $10,000.Premiering Monday, July 18th at 9pm – “Cobra’s Curse”
Hold onto your seats and brace yourself for a hair-raising ancient Egyptian adventure, as four bakers battle to have their cake creation as the centerpiece of a party celebrating the grand opening of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s newest thrill ride, Cobra’s Curse! Brian Morrow, Corporate Vice President of Theme Park Experience, joins host Jonathan Bennett and judges Ron Ben-Israel and Waylynn Lucas to help crown the $10,000 winner.Premiering Monday, July 25th at 9pm – “Beauty and the Beast”
Be our guest as Cake Wars celebrates a “tale as old as time!” Four bakers go to battle to have their cake as the centerpiece of a party celebrating the 25th anniversary of the iconic film, Beauty and the Beast, and take home $10,000. Paige O’Hara, the voice of Belle, is on hand to serve as guest judge with host Jonathan Bennett and judges Ron Ben-Israel and Waylynn Lucas.Online, check out the images and recipes of the winning cake artists’ magical creations, hilarious behind-the-scenes videos of Jonathan and the judges on set and more. Plus, weigh in on your favorites on Twitter using #CakeWars.
Chopped Grill Masters Napa
Premiering Tuesday, July 5th at 10pm – “Chopped Grill Masters Napa: Part 1″ – TOURNAMENT PREMIERE!
Sixteen high-caliber chefs are fired up to grill in beautiful Napa Valley, California, competing in another epic Chopped tournament event! $10,000 is at stake in each preliminary competition, and the champs will fight it out for $50,000 more. The first basket features a sea creature and a pretty, colorful veggie. A ballpark snack might throw the chefs a curveball in the entrée round. Then the judges are happy to see chiles in the dessert basket.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Michael Chiarello, Amanda Freitag, Marc Murphy
Premiering Tuesday, July 12th at 10pm – ” Chopped Grill Masters Napa: Part 2″
Four new highly-skilled Grill Masters take over an outdoor Chopped kitchen in Napa Valley. Baked beans and lamb belly are two of the must-use ingredients in the first round. Then a seafood-heavy basket in the entrée round requires a great deal of work and creative thinking for the grillers. The two Grill Masters who move on to dessert run into trouble when one of the mystery ingredients shows a tendency to char quickly.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Michael Chiarello, Amanda Freitag, Marc Murphy
Premiering Tuesday, July 19th at 10pm – “Chopped Grill Masters Napa: Part 3”
Another group of grillers gets a chance to compete in beautiful Napa Valley! The Grill Masters pound away in the first round, in an attempt to tenderize the seafood protein in the appetizer basket. Then in the second round the chefs get the gift of beef in the basket, but will they focus so much on the beautiful rib-eye that other mandatory ingredients are neglected? The final two chefs get some sweet surprises in the basket that they hope will be a good start for some yummy grilled desserts.
Host: Ted Allen Judges: Amanda Freitag, John Koch, Marc MurphyPremiering Tuesday, July 26th at 10pm – “Chopped Grill Masters Napa: Part 4”
Three grilling champs have already won a spot in the grand finale; now a new group competes furiously for the final spot! In the appetizer round, some beautiful mushrooms and a strong jam are among the mystery ingredients that the Grill Masters face. Fish butchery and flavor balancing come into play in the entrée round. Then the chefs get a yummy cake in the dessert basket.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Amanda Freitag, Marc Murphy, Geoffrey Zakarian
Chopped After Hours
Premiering Tuesday, July 5th at 11pm – “After Hours Revisits Redemption, Fried Foods and Veterans Special” — SEASON PREMIERE!After hours, the judges transform Chopped mystery baskets into winning dishes! In round one, vegan lobster sends fear through their hearts, until Ted Allen initiates a friendly game of vegan-meat basketball. In round two, Ted shows his ingenious invention: the “tempura chocolate sandwich cookie.” Finally, Geoffrey Zakarian rewards three superbly unusual desserts in round three with seriously strong mystery basket mixed drinks.
Host: Ted Allen Competitors: Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Aarón Sánchez, Marcus Samuelsson, Geoffrey Zakarian
Premiering Tuesday, July 12th at 11pm – “After Hours Revisits Family, College and Chicken”
When the Chopped competitors leave, the judges stay behind in the kitchen after hours to take on the very same chaotic combinations. Dough flies in round one as Geoffrey Zakarian races to reinvent the calzone and Maneet Chauhan accepts a lucrative bet from Ted Allen. Entrées get fratty in round two as Chris Santos indulges in collegiate amounts of cheese, while Marc Murphy shows his range by sinking pong shots across the kitchen. Marcus Samuelsson and Amanda Freitag manage to conjure up confections from poultry in round three, but Aarón Sánchez’s toasted spices take the cake.Host: Ted Allen Competitors: Maneet Chauhan, Amanda Freitag, Marc Murphy, Aarón Sánchez, Chris Santos Marcus Samuelsson, Geoffrey Zakarian
Premiering Tuesday, July 19th at 11pm – “After Hours Revisits Thanksgiving, Moms and Sitcom Moms”
After hours, the Chopped judges leave their comfy seats to take over the stoves and demonstrate how brilliantly a basket can be transformed. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey becomes finger food and Latin American cuisine in a stunning round one, despite the presence of some angry birds. Round two brings out the mother in Marc Murphy, who makes quick work of carrot baby food and offers wine bottles to the competition as they speedily plate. The final sitcom-themed showdown boasts nostalgia-inducing flavors and unheard-of combos that may well become future staples.Host: Ted Allen Competitors: Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Aarón Sánchez
Premiering Tuesday, July 26th at 11pm – “After Hours Revisits Mac N Cheese, Grandpa and Circus”
It’s total anarchy in the Chopped Kitchen when the judges cook after hours and must make use of a dreaded orange powder packet! Aarón Sánchez is prepared for smooth sailing, but will the orange powder leave the others feeling like fish out of water? In round two, the judges share their secrets for making London broil tender in just half an hour. And finally, the judges are the three-ring leaders of a circus-themed round three, with desserts so good they leave Ted Allen skipping numbers in the final countdown!Host: Ted Allen Competitors: Ron Ben-Israel, Maneet Chauhan, Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag, Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarón Sánchez, Chris Santos
Chopped Junior
Premiering Tuesday, July 5th at 8pm – “Summer Sizzle”
School’s out, but it’s time to make the grade by cooking for the judges. Some funny cookies and a lean meat are part of the appetizer basket puzzle, and burnt bacon becomes a problem in the entrée round. Then, some cleverly-decorated cake pops are hardly the toughest ingredient in a dessert basket that also contains a shocking, crunchy snack.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Roblé Ali, Jennie Garth, Marc Murphy
Premiering Tuesday, July 12th at 8pm – “Goat Gumption”
Four fresh-faced junior chefs must give it their all to impress the judges. In round one, the competitors must confront a soft drink with a wacky flavor, and some grapes in a funny shape and a crunchy healthy snack are required elements in the young chefs’ goat entrées. Then, there’s big drama in the dessert round as one competitor attempts a last-ditch dash to the ice cream machine.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Jourdan Dunn, Carla Hall and Chris Santos
Premiering Tuesday, July 19th at 8pm – “Boared Silly”
The judges are ready to put these junior chefs to the test! The first round has boar and is anything but boring when plans fall apart for one of the competitors in the final seconds. A delectable fish and some colorful tubers are two of the must-use entrée ingredients, then a taco theme in the dessert basket promotes a lot of creativity.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Ali Larter, Arnold Myint, Chris Santos
Premiering Tuesday, July 26th at 8pm – “Rattled”
When the young chefs must butcher and cook snakes in the appetizer round, will they be too squeamish to let their skills shine through? In the entrée round, a dense oddball of a cake must be worked into lamb shoulder dishes. Then, the last precious seconds of the round are a show of desperation and cooperation as the finalists are challenged to make creative, caffeinated desserts for the judges.Host: Ted Allen Judges: Chris Colfer, Raiza Costa, Amanda Freitag
Cooks vs. Cons – Premiering Sunday, July 10th at 10pm – SEASON PREMIERE!
Geoffrey Zakarian hosts the next generation of cooking competitions, a battle which asks the ultimate question: could a talented home cook beat a pro, or does a true professional have skills that no amateur could match? With a level playing field, and no one knowing which cook is which, only a blind taste test will prove who has the best dish. If the professional is victorious, they’ll take home $10,000, but if an amateur can beat the odds and take down the pro, they’ll walk away with $15,000!Cupcake Wars
It’s a fight-to-the finish for cupcake dominance in Cupcake Wars hosted by Jonathan Bennett and featuring an all-star cupcake showdown as celebrity contestants battle to prove their baking skills in this sweet competition! In each episode, celebrity bakers face-off in a series of challenges to impress the judges and compete for the chance to debut their creation at a major event. Let the cupcake battles begin!
Premiering Monday, July 11th at 8pm- “Celebrity: Cheerleader Cupcakes”It’s time to “Go! Fight! Win!” as Perez Hilton, Audrina Patridge, Lea Thompson and Nick Young battle for cupcake dominance and compete to have their cupcakes at the center of a party celebrating the nation’s champion cheerleaders and their coaches. Kristine Cather, director of marketing for the United Spirit Association, joins judges Florian Bellanger and Elizabeth Chambers and host Jonathan Bennett to help decide which celebrity takes home bragging rights and a donation to their favorite charity.
Premiering Monday, July 18th at 8pm – “Celebrity: Hello Cupcakes”
It’s time for cute overload as Shawn Johnson, NeNe Leakes, Lamorne Morris and Johnny Weir wage a celebrity cupcake battle royale for the chance to have their creations at the center of a massive party celebrating Hello Kitty, the globally-beloved icon of fashion and friendship. Fashion designer Betsey Johnson serves as guest judge alongside Florian Bellanger and Elizabeth Chambers and host Jonathan Bennett in this winner-take-all battle, as the last celeb standing walks away with a donation to their favorite charity.Premiering Monday, July 25th at 8pm – “Celebrity: Josie and The Pussycats”
Celebrities Adrienne Bailon, Jessica Bermudez, Charlie and Max Carver, Ron Funches, Katherine McNamara and Emeraude Toubia fight to create show-stopping cupcakes for a party celebrating comic book rock icons Josie and the Pussycats. If these stars are looking for VIP treatment, they’ve come to the wrong place, because they’ll be eliminated one by one until the last celeb standing walks away with bragging rights and a donation to their favorite charity. Jesse Goldwater, creative consultant for Archie Comics, joins Florian Bellanger and Elizabeth Chambers on the judging panel and host Jonathan Bennett.Cutthroat Kitchen
Premiering Wednesday, July 6th at 9pm – “Getting’ Judgey With It”
Cutthroat Kitchen judges Richard Blais, Antonia Lofaso, Simon Majumdar and Jet Tila compete, and first up, three of the judges have to make a poached egg breakfast on a bench press prep station. Then, one judge has to make a grain bowl while working backwards — “against the grain.” Finally, one judge enters a soundproof chamber so they cannot hear what dessert they have to make in the final round.
Host: Alton Brown Judge: Eric GreenspanPremiering Wednesday, July 13th at 9pm – “You Dim Some, You Lose Some”
One chef has to get their dim sum ingredients by solving pictographs, then one chef has to boil their penne pasta in flaming vodka. Finally, one chef must make sugar cookies while carrying around a “sugar baby.”Host: Alton Brown Judge: Sherry Yard
Premiering Wednesday, July 20th at 9pm – “The Tong and Short of It”
One chef has to join a “flash cobb” dance while making a Cobb Salad. Then, one chef has to make moo shu in a cowbell, and finally, one chef has to make baked Alaska while being pulled around the kitchen in a dog sled.Host: Alton Brown Judge: Richard Blais
Premiering Wednesday, July 27th at 9pm – “He’s Just a Po’ Boy”
Two chefs make a catfish po’ boy in a giant cat condo, then two chefs prep their loco moco on a train moving around the kitchen. Finally, one chef has to make shoofly pie while wearing fly sight goggles.
Host: Alton Brown Judge: Anne BurrellDiners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Premiering Friday, July 1st at 10pm – “Soakin’ Up Maui”
This trip, Guy Fieri is cruising the islands with his buddy, Chef Reno Henriques, on a culinary tour of Maui, Hawaii. First, they sample a real-deal taste of regional favorites like loco moco and kalbi ribs. Then, they stop at a legit barbecue joint smoking up St. Louis-style ribs and the bomb burnt ends, and a food truck dishing out the freshest catch served raw, baked and even deep-fried.Premiering Sunday, July 3rd at 10pm – “Big Time Barbecue”
This trip, Guy Fieri is firing up big time barbecue all over the country. Of course there’s killer ‘cue cooking up in Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina. But, how about ribs and collards in Compton, California, and southern-style sandwiches in Philadelphia? Plus, all the fan favorites like the bomb brisket, off-the-chain chicken, and lights-out pulled pork. So get your bib on and dig in to this saucy, smoky special!
Premiering Friday, July 8th at 10pm – “Asia, Africa and India”
Food Network
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