The Food Network has put out a press
release detailing the programming in April on the channel and some of the
highlights include:
The new season of Chopped All-Stars starting Sunday April 7th.
Also new episodes of the normal Chopped
More new episodes of Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell, Restaurant Stakeout and Cupcake Wars
The start of a new season of Restaurant Impossible and Mystery Diners
New seasons of Sandwich King and Guy's Big Bite during the daytime on weekends.
Press Release Below:
THIRD CHOPPED ALL-STARS AND NEW SEASONS OF RESTAURANT: IMPOSSIBLE AND MYSTERY DINERS
PLUS: New ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’, ‘Sandwich King’ and ‘Guy’s Big Bite’ AND Springtime Recipes from FoodNetwork.com
NEW YORK – March 12, 2013 – Food Network cranks out the competition
in the season three premiere of Chopped All-Stars on Sunday, April 7th
at 9pm, when sixteen culinary masters battle it out for the title of
All-Star champion and a $50,000 prize for the winner’s charity. Robert
Irvine also returns for a sixth season of Restaurant: Impossible on
Wednesday, April 17th at 9pm to rescue failing establishments in only
two days with $10,000. Then, on Friday, April 19th at 10pm, Mystery
Diners returns for a third season using hidden cameras and surveillance
to uncover what really goes on when the boss isn’t around.Food Network
also serves up new episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Sandwich
King and Guy’s Big Bite, plus more premieres of primetime and daytime
favorites. Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
FEATURED SERIES
Chopped All-Stars
Premiering Sunday, April 7th at 9pm -”Food Network vs. Cooking Channel” – SEASON PREMIERE!
In this first competition of Chopped All-Stars, Food Network and
Cooking Channel favorites battle it out in the Chopped kitchen. Nadia
G.’s dash to deliver a creative appetizer before the clock runs out
makes for a very exciting first round. Then, in the second round,
something’s fishy in the basket and something wild happens as two of the
competitors bump into each other putting one chef’s dish at risk. With a
spot in the $50,000 All-Stars finale and a favorite charity on the
line, two finalists go head-to-head in the dessert round.
Competitors: Nadia G., Jeff Mauro, Gabriele Corcos, Sunny Anderson
Judges: Chris Santos, Geoffrey Zakarian, Maneet Chauhan
Premiering Sunday, April 14th at 9pm – “Mega Chefs”
In this second face off of the All-Stars $50,000 tournament, big time
contenders with considerable competitive prowess take each other on in
the Chopped kitchen. The judges are eager to see what these Mega Chefs
can do with sea bass and cream soda in the first round. Then, in the
entrée round, the competitors must get their tails in gear to make
oxtail and labneh into delicious dishes. It is no piece of cake for the
finalists figuring out how to transform a classic snack cake into an
elegant dessert.
Competitors: Elizabeth Falkner, Chuck Hughes, Gavin Kaysen, Richard Blais
Judges: Chris Santos, Marcus Samuelsson, Maneet Chauhan
Premiering Sunday, April 21st at 9pm – “Chopped Judges”
It’s judgment time for the Chopped judges! In the first round, the
judges-turned-competitors must crack the code of the basket after
cracking open diver scallops. Then, in the entrée round, can the chefs
make a beautiful bird fly with canned pizza sauce? With bragging rights
and a shot at making it to the $50,000 finale on the line, the last two
chefs bravely tackle the dessert basket, and while one of the
ingredients makes them smile, it is all business for a tense thirty
minutes.
Competitors: Alex Guarnaschelli, Amanda Freitag, Scott Conant, Marc Murphy
Judges: Aarón Sánchez, Geoffrey Zakarian, Marcus Samuelsson
Premiering Sunday, April 28th at 9pm – “Celebrities”
Lights, camera…baskets! Four celebrities with different backgrounds
and a shared love of cooking charge into the Chopped kitchen. The
competitors must skillfully use vanilla cupcakes to create a
one-of-a-kind appetizer, and then something crispy and something jiggly
make the main course a study in contrasts. When two entertaining cooks
proceed to the final round, they put on a performance with circus
peanuts and curry powder.
Competitors: Johnny Weir, Joey Fatone, Laila Ali, Judy Gold
Judges: Maneet Chauhan, Geoffrey Zakarian, Marcus Samuelsson
Premiering Sunday, May 5th at 9pm – “Finale”
The four All-Stars champs compete for $50,000 to their charitable
cause. In the first round, competitors use a super salty veggie and a
fresh seafood item to create an edible appetizer. Then, cheddar-filled
pretzels make it a fun-filled entrée round. The judges cannot wait to
taste creative desserts made from freeze dried grapes and Marcona
almonds, but only one competitor can win the $50,000 prize for their
charity and become a Chopped All-Star.
Judges: Aáron Sánchez, Geoffrey Zakarian, Marcus Samuelsson
PRIMETIME SEASON PREMIERES
Restaurant: Impossible
Premiering Wednesday, April 17th at 9pm -”Joe Willy’s” – SEASON PREMIERE!
Chef Robert travels to Fishkill, N.Y. to meet owners Joe and Dena
White and their floundering restaurant, Joe Willy’s Seafood House. The
Whites have owned and operated Joe Willy’s for five years but are now
drowning in debt, and the restaurant stress is causing tension in the
family. The one glimpse of hope lies in Joe’s knowledge of buying
seafood, but Robert has his work cut out for him when he realizes that
not only is the restaurant in shambles, but so is the family dynamic.
Premiering Wednesday, April 24th at 9pm – “Old World Italian”
Chef Robert Irvine’s next mission is to breathe new life into the Old
World Italian Restaurant in Murrells Inlet, S.C. He needs to clean up
16 years’ worth of bad habits to save George and Teresa Hayek’s
family-run restaurant. Where most couples their age are retiring,
extreme debt has made it so George and Teresa can’t. They opened the
restaurant with the hope that their culinary-trained son, George Jr.,
would lead the kitchen, but sixteen years later, George Jr. is still
living in his parents’ shadows. Between the financial stress of the
restaurant and their on-going health issues, the couple has lost sight
of what’s most important – their family.
Mystery Diners
Premiering Friday, April 19th at 10pm
When a restaurant owner suspects employees of not doing their jobs –
whether it be stealing, lying, mistreating customers or generally doing
lousy work – they call in the Mystery Diners. These Mystery Diners are
undercover operatives who go into restaurants, bars and food service
establishments with hidden cameras and perform surveillance to find out
what’s really going on when the boss isn’t around.
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Premiering Monday, April 22nd at 10pm – “Tacos and Tots”
This trip, Guy hits the road for joints taking childhood favorites to
a gourmet level. In Denver, he visits an old-time bar going all-out on
homemade tater tots, pork rinds and a monster pastrami sandwich. In
Tacoma, he stops at the neighborhood spot turning out pork shoulder
tacos, elk sliders and tater tots stuffed with parmesan cheese.
Premiering Monday, April 29th at 10pm – “Chicken, Chili and Chowder”
This trip, Guy hits the road for some made-from-scratch comfort food.
In Burbank, Calif., he stops at a family-owned chili-serving spot with a
name dating back a century. In Philadelphia, he visits the three-story
gourmet food joint crankin’ out clam chowder with gnocchi and a regional
favorite. In Toronto, a smokehouse kicks burgers and fried chicken up a
notch and turns a traditional BLT on its head.
DAYTIME SEASON PREMIERES
Sandwich King
Premiering Sunday, April 7th at 11am – “Diner Favorites”
Jeff visits Moon’s Sandwich Shop, an old-school diner and one of
Chicago’s original sandwich shops. Then, he returns home inspired to
create the BLD (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) Sandwich and a twist on the
classic Club Sandwich with his wife and son helping in the kitchen.
Premiering Sunday, April 14th at 11am – “Mangia! Mangia! Italiana!”
As a teenager, Jeff worked at the Taste of Chicago Food Festival,
where he would eat a Ricobene’s famous steak sandwich every day. Now, he
returns to learn their secrets and offer up his own take.
Premiering Sunday, April 21st at 11am – “Gimme S’more”
S’mores are Jeff’s son, Lorenzo’s, favorite dessert sandwich, so Jeff
takes a trip to the Angel Food Bakery, where they’re experts at making
the sweet treat. Then, he offers up his own twist on the old standard,
two ways – one for grown-ups and one just for kids.
Premiering Sunday, April 28th at 11am – “Amazin’ Asian”
Jeff visits The Hen House, voted as having one of Chicago’s top 50
sandwiches. Taking what he learned, Jeff puts his own spin on a
Vietnamese-inspired sub
Guy’s Big Bite
Premiering Sunday, April 21st at 10:30am
Guy Fieri’s bleached blonde hair, goatee and skateboarder shorts make
a strong statement – you are what you eat! Whether it’s his Mojito
Chicken, Pepperoni Lasagna or Jambalaya Sandwich, one thing is certain,
Guy Fieri’s food is as fun, fearless and fundamental as his
larger-than-life personality.
PREMIERE EPISODES
Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell
Premiering Thursday, April 4th at 10pm – “French Connection”
Husband and wife restaurateurs Kevin and Stacey Jennings need a new
Executive Chef for their Raleigh, N.C., French brasserie – Coquette.
Anne Burrell tests the candidates French cooking skills by tasking them
with creating both a savory and sweet crepe using the exact same
ingredient. Next, the chefs must use a common meat in French cooking:
rabbit. The two remaining chefs must run the dinner service for a night,
and their approaches are so drastically different, the owners must make
a dramatic decision.
Premiering Thursday, April 11th at 10pm – “The Austrian Wirsthaus”
World-renowned chef and restaurateur Kurt Guttenbrunner is in need of
an executive chef for his Austrian wirsthaus, Blaue Gans. The chefs are
put to the test when they must turn rustic goulash into a refined dish
and make palatable cuts of organ meat. The final two chefs are each
handed the keys to this hip Tribeca restaurant for one evening to prove
they have what it takes. One chef’s struggle with a dish almost sinks
his whole dinner service while the other chef gets overwhelmed in the
kitchen.
Premiering Thursday, April 18th at 10pm – “A Family Affair”
Family-run Victor’s Café is celebrating its 50th anniversary and
needs a new executive chef to continue their tradition of highlighting
Cuban cuisine. The chefs are asked to create a signature adobo blend,
and then they must cook both a classic and new version of a traditional
Cuban dish. The two final chefs are each handed the keys to this NYC
restaurant to run their own dinner service for one night. Both chefs
approach the service similarly, so the owners wrestle with the difficult
decision of who would be best to bring into the family as Executive
Chef of Victor’s Café.
Premiering Thursday, April 25th at 10pm – “Jet-Set Clientele”
Miami hotspot, Nikki Beach, needs an executive chef to head up their
new Ibiza, Spain location. Anne Burrell tasks the four competitors with
creating a platter for guests to share during the day, and then they
must create an elegant seafood dish for the evening. The remaining two
chefs each run the restaurant for an evening. One chef starts well but
struggles with execution problems while the other stumbles at the start
but recovers well.
Cupcake Wars
Premiering Sunday, April 7th at 8pm – “Weird Al Yankovic”
It’s going to get a little weird in the Cupcake Wars kitchen when
four competitors try to bake their way to an exclusive book release
party for iconic comedian and guest judge, “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Premiering Sunday, April 14th at 8pm – “Fan Favorites”
Four all-star bakers, handpicked by fans, compete for the chance to
serve their cupcakes at a celebrity-packed charity gala hosted by guest
judge, ‘N Sync’s Lance Bass.
Premiering Sunday, April 21st at 8pm – “People’s Choice Awards”
The viewers choose the ingredients for this special episode of
Cupcake Wars where four bakers compete for the opportunity to be front
and center at a VIP party for The People’s Choice Awards. People’s
Choice Awards President, Fred Nelson, serves as guest judge.
· Premiering Sunday, April 28th at 8pm – “Tiffani Thiessen’s Birthday Bash”
Four returning bakers get a second chance at the winner’s title as they
battle it out to serve their cupcakes at a birthday party for guest
judge Tiffani Thiessen, star of White Collar, 90210 and Saved by the
Bell.
Chopped
Premiering Tuesday, April 2nd at 10pm – “Heads Up”
The chefs are alarmed to see one of the ingredients in the appetizer
basket staring back at them, yet that “heady” ingredient is not the
challenging item for some. Then, in the entrée round, one chef
unexpectedly plays with fire, creating a dangerous situation. In the
end, two finalists find a way to combine yellow rice and persimmon.
Premiering Tuesday, April 9th at 10pm – “Viewers’ Choice Baskets”
Chopped fans logged on to Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter and
suggested the ingredients for this Viewers’ Choice competition,
resulting in possibly some of the cruelest baskets ever. In the
appetizer round, the chefs are stunned and stumped to see two brightly
colored man-made items and one of nature’s most odious foods. Then, for
the entrée basket, the viewers chose a canned product that became
infamous in a previous competition. In the end, the last basket proves
to be brutal for the finalists.
Premiering Tuesday, April 16th at 10pm – “Aussie Awesome”
The chefs open the first basket to find ingredients inspired by
Australia, including one that has everybody’s jaw dropping. Then, in the
entrée round, one competitor makes very ambitious plans, but will
everything come together as time runs out? The finalists can’t lollygag
with lollies and lemon verbena in the dessert basket.
Restaurant Stakeout
Premiering Wednesday, April 3rd at 10pm – “Three Strikes and You’re Out”
Willie is called in to help Mohammad, owner of Shiraz Persian
Restaurant in Elmsford, N.Y., who has already been forced out of
business twice before. With staff fighting, laziness and an owner who is
too afraid to lay down the law, Willie quickly discovers that there may
be more problems at Shiraz than even he can fix.
Premiering Wednesday, April 17th at 10pm – “The Big…NOT So Easy”
Willie steps in to help Lisa, owner of The Bayou in North Bellmore,
N.Y. After 22 years serving up authentic Cajun flavors, customers now
seem to be disappearing. Willie soon discovers that a disillusioned
leader and a staff that treats the place more like Mardi Gras than a
restaurant, may be at the heart of the problem.
Premiering Wednesday, April 24th at 10pm – “To Catch a ‘Restaurant’ Thief”
Willie comes to the aid of Danny, owner of Danny’s Steakhouse in Red
Bank, N.J. After 42 years in the business, Danny has seemingly tried
everything, but his business is struggling. Danny is desperate to slow
down, but doesn’t think his staff can manage without him. Willie
discovers that not only is the staff incompetent, but there may be a
thief in their midst.
Iron Chef America
Premiering Sunday, April 7th at 11pm – “Garces vs. Jackson”
Iron Chef Jose Garces faces off against challenger Russell Jackson,
a.k.a. “The Dissident Chef.” Judges include John T. Edge, Anya Fernald
and Jose Andres.
Daytime:
Barefoot Contessa, Giada at Home, Paula’s Best Dishes, Pioneer Woman
DIGITAL CONTENT
Spring Entertaining Guide
Ease into spring with recipes and menus just right for company, from
Giada de Laurentiis’ Salmon Cakes to the Barefoot Contessa’s Lemon
Yogurt Cake.
Guys’ Guide to Drinks
From classic cocktails to new takes on old favorites, we’ve got the
best mixed drinks to help men sip with style. Plus, get signature drinks
from Bobby Flay, Alton Brown and Guy Fieri.
Easter
Invite friends and family over for an Easter springtime feast. Get
classic recipes for Alton Brown’s ham, Paula Deen’s sinful biscuits,
Sunny Anderson’s spring salads and delicious desserts like shortcakes
and cupcakes.
Cinco de Mayo
Throw a fiesta this May 5th with margaritas, tacos and authentic recipes from Aarón Sánchez and more.
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 and empowering through its talent and
expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S.
households and averages more than 9.9 million unique web users monthly.
Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine has tripled its rate base
and delivers a circulation of 1.5 million. Headquartered in New York,
Food Network has a growing international presence with programming in
more than 150 countries, including 24 hour networks in Great Britain,
India, Asia and Africa. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which
also owns and operates Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com), DIY
Network (www.diynetwork.com), Great American Country (www.gactv.com),
HGTV (www.hgtv.com), and Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com), is the
manager and general partner.