or


[06/24/14 - 11:53 AM]
Sit Back and Relax with a Deep Fried Margarita as Destination America Takes You to the Fairgrounds for Heated Competition in New Season of "Deep Fried Masters"
Season two rolls out Saturday, July 12 at 10:00/9:00c on the cable channel.

[via press release from Destination America]

SIT BACK AND RELAX WITH A DEEP FRIED MARGARITA AS DESTINATION AMERICA TAKES YOU TO THE FAIRGROUNDS FOR HEATED COMPETITION IN NEW SEASON OF "DEEP FRIED MASTERS"

--- Fry Judges Jim Stacy, Abel Gonzales and Butch Benavides Return for Season Two Premiering on Saturday, July 12 at 10/9c --

(Silver Spring, Md.) - Childhood favorites, comfort food, and everything you can imagine on a stick - state fairs are an annual celebration of America's crispy, creative cuisine. Destination America's DEEP FRIED MASTERS shines the light on all the ooey-gooey goodness when it returns for a second season, premiering on Saturday, July 12 at 10/9c. This season, viewers are transported to Minnesota, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma to sample everything from fried fluff sandwiches to fried deep-fried banana pudding. The three expert judges -- Abel Gonzales, Jim Stacy and Butch Benavides -- return to taste and test the work of deep-frying enthusiasts across the country. Each contestant is on a mission to demonstrate their talents with the deep fryer but can they serve tasty treats and stay cool under pressure?

"One season of DEEP FRIED MASTERS wasn't enough to capture all the warm and delicious nostalgia so we're bringing back more exciting episodes covered in batter and served hot," said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. "This season is filled with over-the-top creative dishes and colorful competition from beloved state fairs across the country."

DEEP FRIED MASTERS will continue its three-round format, challenging contestants to present a "Signature Dish," "Fried Food on a Stick," and "Judge's Choice" throughout the competition. The contestants' dishes will be judged on taste, creativity, and likelihood of sales. Will they be able to create innovative treats that can be enjoyed while walking the midway? Six contestants, three rounds, and endless possibilities... who will win the heated battle and earn the coveted Golden Corndog Trophy?

The line-up of premieres for DEEP FRIED MASTERS is as follows:

MINNESOTA Premieres Saturday, July 12 at 10/9c Join the judges as they visit the Great Minnesota Get-Together in Falcon Heights, where six of the regions' best fry-cooks face off in three rounds. The contestants serve up the best of the midway, from deep-fried pumpkin pie balls to delectable bison bites. Only the most creative and skilled fry-cook will make it to the end.

TEXAS Premieres Saturday, July 19 at 10/9c. Is everything really bigger in Texas? The judges head south to the famous Texas State Fair to find out. The contestants bring their A-game, preparing Texas favorites like deep-fried frozen margaritas and "Texas Pterodactyl Wings," a giant turkey wing that takes a traditional buffalo-wing recipe to a whole new level. The competition heats up as the cooks try to overcome unforeseen obstacles.

KANSAS Premieres Saturday, July 26 at 10/9c Kansas welcomes Jim Stacy and his fellow judges as they put the Midwest to the test at one of the oldest state fairs in the country. The diverse contestants each bring a different style to the table, from a former New Orleans fireman to a BBQ master. The fry cooks prepare irresistible dishes like "hot crème cakes" and "teeny tacos on a stick," but who will be able to blow the judges away with their unique spin on deep-fried dishes?

OKLAHOMA Premieres Saturday, August 2 at 10/9c Oklahoma City, home of the "chicken-fried steak," is home to midway specialties like fried cinnamon rolls and deep-fried cheese. Stakes are high as the contestants take risks to make an impression with the expert judge, cooking up everything from deep-fried alligator to "Spider Bites," which are actually hot dogs crafted to look like spiders crawling up a skewer. Six masters of the Oklahoma midway duke it out over three rounds in hopes of winning the Golden Corndog Trophy.

Meet the DEEP FRIED MASTERS judges:

Jim Stacy - This Atlanta foodie claims past careers as a tattoo artist and even a clown, but Stacy finally found his niche in deep frying and is now known for his world-famous corndogs. Well-known among connoisseurs of fine street food, Stacy started with a gourmet corndog wagon and turned it into his first restaurant, Pallookaville, which opened in the fall of 2013 and now offers more than just corndogs. He's perfected the Bananas Foster Corndog and invented the Fryinstein Monster - an unholy union of beef frank, spicy Italian sausage, and juicy Polish kielbasa, all skewered on the same stick and wrapped in a super-secret golden cornbread.

Abel Gonzales - America's deep-fried butter creator is back! Gonzales gives new meaning to the saying "everything's bigger in Texas" - the "King of the Deep Fryer" is originally from Dallas, gaining fame in the state fair scene for creations such as deep-fried PB&J sandwiches. While many vendors operate year-round, Gonzales' sales are so successful that he only has to work for twenty-four days each year.

Butch Benavides - When it comes to creativity, Benavides is the master. A five-time winner of the Big Tex Competition at the largest state fair in the U.S., Benavides specializes in playing with new and exciting flavors. Ranging from chicken-fried cactus bites to deep-fried bacon cinnamon rolls, his booth is a must-stop on the midway at the Texas State Fair.

DEEP FRIED MASTERS is produced by Jane Street Entertainment with Donna MacLetchie and Linda Lea serving as executive producer. For Destination America, Sara Helman is executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, Marc Etkind is general manager, and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel and Discovery Fit & Health.

About Destination America

Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in nearly 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 2 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.





  [june 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· DEEP FRIED MASTERS (DA)





[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM]
Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX
Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.

[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM]
"20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board
In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.

[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week
"Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week
The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.

[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer
The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.

[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM]
FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One
Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5
Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.

[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.

[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM]
The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT
The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.

[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM]
Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15
The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.

[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge"
In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.

[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak
Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.