The Summer Heats Up As A New Crop Of Culinary Contenders Face Off In Return Of Food Network Star

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"To become a Food Network Star requires top-tier culinary skills, an impressive television presence and the utmost dedication," said Allison Page, General Manager, U.S. Programming and Development, Scripps Networks Interactive. "Each season our viewers are inspired by the journey these talented hopefuls take to go from novice to pro, and Bobby and Giada are the perfect pair to cultivate and determine the next 'Star.'"

On the May 21^st premiere of Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen, seven former finalists return for a second shot at stardom. Co-hosts Valerie Bertinelli and Tyler Florence kick off the proceedings by identifying what kept each of the alumni from prevailing in their previous season. Then, the competitors must each take on a retro dessert in desperate need of a comeback and shoot an Instagram video about their updated version. Duff Goldman joins Valerie and Tyler to help judge the results and one contestant will be eliminated. Over three episodes Valerie and Tyler test the returning competitors' resolve to determine who will join the new batch of Food Network Star finalists.

In the season premiere on June 4^th, 12 potential Food Network Stars arrive at the beautiful and historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles, hoping for their big break. Bobby and Giada greet the anxious competitors with some troubling news: they have to pass one more big audition before they will officially be considered finalists. But that's not all, there is one more person joining the competition, and that's the winner of Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen. Special guests Robert Irvine and Monti Carlo help Giada and Bobby decide who will be the first competitor sent home. Throughout the season Bobby and Giada are joined by a roster of top-notch special guests to present the finalists with challenges that test their culinary and on-camera prowess, including a special game day challenge featuring ESPN anchors Jemele Hill and Jaymee Sire. Additional special guests joining the action this season both in and out of the studio include: Sunny Anderson, Melissa d'Arabian, Anne Burrell, Josh Denny, Guy Fieri, Hannah Hart, Eddie Jackson, Sandra Lee, Sabin Lomac, Tiffani Thiessen, and Andrew Zimmern.

The finalists this season are: Blake Baldwin (Flemington, NJ); Trace Barnett (Brilliant, AL); Toya Boudy (New Orleans, LA); Addie Gundry (Lake Forrest, IL); Rusty Hamlin (Atlanta, GA); Suzanne Lossia (Detroit, MI); Nancy Manlove (Texas City, TX); Amy Pottinger (Honolulu, HI); David Rose (Atlanta, GA); Jason Smith (Grayson, KY); Caodan Tran (Dallas, TX), and the winner of Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen. The returning Comeback Kitchen alumni battling it out to join the new season are: Rob Burmeister (season 12); Emilia Cirker (season 11); Matthew Grunwald (season 11); Josh Lyons (season 8); Danushka Lysek (season 9); Jamika Pessoa (season 5); and Joy Thompson (season 12).

Exclusive web series Star Salvation returns on Sunday, June 25^th and goes live just after Star's east coast airing. Available on FoodNetwork.com/Salvation and hosted by Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and Food Network Star season seven winner Jeff Mauro, the six-episode culinary contest gives one eliminated finalist a chance to re-enter the competition. The winner will re-enter Food Network Star on Sunday, August 6^th.

Volkswagen also returns as a sponsor within the series this season, featured in a comprehensive and organic integrated execution, aiding the finalists in their bid for stardom and helping to elevate and drive the action as the competition proceeds to its heart-pounding conclusion.   

For more Food Network Star, fans can visit FoodNetwork.com/Star all season long for exclusive interviews, video, blogs, quizzes, behind-the-scenes 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.

Food Network Star is produced by LEG/Triage Entertainment.

FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers' best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to nearly 100 million U.S. households and draws over 46 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine's rate base has grown 13 times and is the #2 best-selling monthly magazine on the newsstand, with 13.9 million readers.  Headquartered in New York, Food Network has a growing international presence with programming in more than 150 countries, including 24-hour networks in the United Kingdom, Asia, and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Scripps Networks Interactive (NASDAQ: SNI), which also owns and operates Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com), HGTV (www.hgtv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com), Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com) and Great American Country (www.gactv.com), is the manager and general partner.

SOURCE Food Network

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