NEW YORK, April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Food Network
competition series Food Network Star returns for an
eleventh season this summer, with a cast of twelve talented
hopefuls competing to become the next new face in food
television. Food superstars Giada
De Laurentiis and Bobby
Flay are back as mentors/judges, joined this season by a
roster of top-notch special guests and judges. In the biggest
audition of their lives, the finalists battle in a series of unique
challenges designed to determine who has the personality, on-air
charisma and cooking skills to win the ultimate prize – their own
show on Food Network. Exclusive web series Star
Salvation also returns, giving one eliminated contestant
the opportunity to rejoin the competition. 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.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7045238-food-network-star-season-11/
"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."
The finalists 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).
In the season premiere, the twelve hopefuls arrive in
Los Angeles and are introduced to
food icons 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,
attended by a crowd of Food Network fans, each video is screened
and 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. For one
finalist, their dream ends, while the remaining eleven continue on
their journey. Upcoming episodes include a dazzling
Fourth of July-themed celebration,
intense food truck/social media challenge and do-or-die live
television demo.
Special guests/judges 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.
This season also features a fully-integrated, multi-platform
partnership with Volkswagen, organically woven
throughout the series and helping propel the competition. A
Food Network Star contestant's success requires an
uncompromised drive to stand out and shine, and having the right
partners, tools and expert guidance allows this group to compete at
the level they need to excel and, for one, to ultimately win.
Exclusive web series Star Salvation returns to
FoodNetwork.com on Sunday, June
28th and goes live after Food Network
Star east coast airing. Hosted by Iron Chef
Alex Guarnaschelli and former
Food Network Star winner Jeff Mauro, the six
episode culinary competition gives eliminated finalists a chance to
re-join the competition. The Star Salvation winner
re-enters the competition on Sunday, August
9th.
Viewers wanting more can visit FoodNetwork.com/Star for
exclusive interviews, photo galleries, blogs, behind-the-scenes
footage, interactive quizzes 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 up to 35
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.
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SOURCE Food Network