Food Network Star Returns For Tenth Season With New Cast Of Contenders And More Intense Culinary Challenges

NEW YORK, April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Food Network's long-running competition series Food Network Star is back for a tenth season in June, with culinary icons Alton Brown, Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay leading the charge to discover the next promising face in food television. The twelve new contenders are put to the test in a season filled with unique competitions challenging their kitchen and on-camera chops, to find out who has the talent and charisma to follow in Alton, Giada and Bobby's footsteps and helm their own show. Exclusive web series Star Salvation also returns, giving one eliminated contestant the opportunity to rejoin the on-air competition, which culminates in an audience vote to determine who wins the ultimate prize - their own show on Food Network. Shot in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, Food Network Star season ten kicks off with a one-hour premiere on Sunday, June 1^st at 9pm ET/PT, and the winner will be named in the season finale on Sunday, August 10^th at 9pm ET/PT.

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"Every season, viewers love seeing new talent emerge on Food Network Star," said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Food Network. "Watching three superstars of the food television world – Alton, Giada and Bobby – help the finalists hone their food, voice and on-camera skill is fascinating, fun and compelling."

The finalists are: Luca Della Casa (San Antonio); Emma Frisch (Ithaca, NY); Nicole Gaffney (Atlantic City, NJ); Loreal Gavin (Indianapolis); Chris Kyler (Stafford, VA); Kenny Lao (New York); Christopher Lynch (New Orleans); Lenny McNab (Debeque, CO); Aryen Moore-Alston (Memphis); Sarah Penrod (League City, TX); Reuben Ruiz (Miami) and Donna Sonkin Shaw (New York).

In the season premiere, the contestants are welcomed to Los Angeles for their Star-making journey by Alton, Giada and Bobby, who invite the cast to their own red carpet premiere party that very night at a Hollywood studio backlot. Each finalist must present themselves to a select group of tastemakers, including E! personality Ross Mathews, and prepare their most impressive party bite for the challenge judges Alton, Giada, Bobby and Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson. 

Upcoming episodes feature a Cutthroat Kitchen competition, viral video challenge from YouTube Space LA, visit to Knott's Berry Farm, Las Vegas buffet and pool party-themed challenges and an on-camera appearance on Rachael Ray. Guest stars include Food Network personalities Alex Guarnaschelli, Robert Irvine, Jet Tila and Rachael Ray.

Web series Star Salvation returns for a second outing on Sunday, June 1^st and goes live just after Star's east coast airing.  Available exclusively on FoodNetwork.com/Salvation and hosted by last season's Food Network Star winner Damaris Phillips and Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, the six-episode web-only culinary contest gives eliminated finalists a chance to re-enter the competition. In a nod to the show's tenth season, two fan favorites from past seasons return in the premiere Salvation challenge to battle the first eliminated finalist. The winner will re-enter Food Network Star on Sunday, July 13.

For more 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.

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 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's rate base has grown tenfold and is now the second largest monthly magazine on the newsstand, with over 11.6 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 (NYSE: 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