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Bobby Flay 'Grills' a New Season of Food Network Hopefuls
Network Announces Season Four Finalists On 'The Next Food Network Star'
Iron Chef Flay Joins Selection Committee As Permanent Celebrity Judge
Series Premiere Set For Sunday, June 1st at 10pm ET/PT
NEW YORK, April 1, 2008 -- Television's most challenging
food fight, The Next Food Network Star, returns this June for a fourth
season filled with star-studded appearances and culinary challenges sure to
test the boundaries of any palette. Premiering Sunday, June 1st at 10pm
ET/PT, the series offers viewers a cast like never before -- filled with 10
contestants eagerly vying to be the next face of the Food Network. From a
stand-up comedian, to a cookbook author and a self proclaimed "Mini Martha
Stewart" -- the contestants are sure to introduce a new flavor to the
line-up. The names of the finalists were announced today by Bob Tuschman,
Senior Vice President, Programming and Production for Food Network.
"Last season's show was our network's highest-rated, most-watched
series ever and we look forward to keeping that bar raised and the level of
competition high," said Tuschman. "This season's finalists are our most
skilled ever, and we put them through the toughest challenges we could
devise. We guarantee viewers an incredibly compelling and entertaining
series."
The 10 finalists include:
Nipa Bhatt, 35 (Victoria, MN) Marketing manager
Jennifer Cochrane, 32 (Woonsocket, RI) Executive Chef, Geppetto's and
Briggs Corner restaurants
Lisa Garza, 32 (Dallas, TX) Owner, Suze Restaurant and kitchenwear fashion
designer
Adam Gertler, 30 (Philadelphia, PA) Former restaurateur, server and actor
Cory Kahaney, 45 (New York, NY) Stand-up comic and playwright
Shane Lyons, 20 (Colorado Springs, CO) Private chef
Aaron McCargo Jr., 36 (Camden, NJ) Executive Catering Chef, Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital
Kelsey Nixon, 23 (North Ogden, UT) Freelance food writer, culinary class
instructor
Kevin Roberts, 39 (San Diego, CA) Radio contributor, restaurant owner &
cookbook author
Jeffrey Vaden, 43 (White Plains, NY) Caterer and former restaurateur
The Next Food Network Star follows Food Network's nation-wide search
for its newest on-air talent. The finalists, ranging from professionals to
amateurs, compete in a series of difficult challenges that test their
knowledge, skills and personalities. The ultimate winner will star in
his-or-her own six-episode series on Food Network. This season, Food
Network chef Bobby Flay joins the selection committee as a permanent
celebrity judge. With appearances from other Food Network stars and other
special guests, the new season of The Next Food Network Star is set to be
the most intense one yet! The Next Food Network Star is produced by CBS EYE
too Productions.
FOOD NETWORK (http://www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network
and Web site that strives to be way more than cooking. The network is
committed to exploring new and different ways to approach food -- through
pop culture, competition, adventure, and travel -- while also expanding its
repertoire of technique-based information. Food Network is distributed to
more than 90 million U.S. households and averages more than seven million
Web site users monthly. With headquarters in New York City and offices in
Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Knoxville, Food Network can be
seen internationally in Canada, Australia, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, the
Philippines, Monaco, Andorra, Africa, France, and the French-speaking
territories in the Caribbean and Polynesia. The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:
SSP), which also owns and operates HGTV (http://www.hgtv.com), DIY Network
(http://www.diynetwork.com), Great American Country (http://www.gactv.com)
and FINE LIVING (http://www.fineliving.com), is the manager and general
partner.
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