FOOD NETWORK EXPLORES HOW THE MIND THINKS ABOUT FOOD ON NEW SERIES "HUNGRY GAMES"

Series Premiere Monday, October 20th at 8:00pm ET/PT on Food Network

New York - September 15, 2014 - Ever wonder why ice cream is so deliciously addictive, or why it makes our brain freeze when we eat it too quickly? Or why a menu item can sound so irresistibly good that you just have to order it? Chef Richard Blais reveals how you taste, choose, and crave favorite foods on new series Hungry Games, premiering Monday, October 20th at 8:00pm ET/PT on Food Network. In each of the six half-hour episodes, fun hidden camera experiments and man-on-the-street taste tests will reveal surprising facts about the inner-workings of the brain that will change the way you think about food.

"The interactive games and taste tests on Hungry Games are fun and challenging, and viewers will be surprised by the revelations about why we choose and experience food the way we do," said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President Programming, Food Network.

Throughout the season, Richard Blais investigates the psychology and science behind our food decisions and cravings. In one episode, he learns about the role that expectations play when tasting new foods, by experimenting with an untraditional salmon-flavored ice cream taste test. Richard also explores the surprising power of language to stimulate cravings for a slice of cheesy pizza. He discovers the secret x-factor of juicy burgers, and the irresistible appeal of greasy, salty bar foods. Plus, he gets to the bottom of why comfort food really is so comforting. In another episode, Richard exposes the hidden psychological connection between rooting for a winning sports team and the amount of food we consume during the game. He also discovers the reason why mom's homemade side dishes always taste the best. These mind-blowing discoveries will change the way you think about what you eat!

Fans can visit FoodNetwork.com/HungryGames for fun food trivia, interactive quizzes, photos from the show and more, as well as connect on Twitter with the hashtag #HungryGames.

Richard Blais' passion for food and the service industry led him to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. As an ambitious student, he studied at the French Laundry in Yountville, CA under renowned chef Thomas Keller. After graduating, Blais ventured to New York to work with Chef Daniel Boulud at his famous flagship, Daniel. In 2000, Blais relocated to Atlanta where he established, Trail Blais, a forward-thinking culinary company that consults on, designs, and operates some of Atlanta's most popular eateries. In 2012, he opened The Spence, a classic eatery that serves accessible, ingredient driven food. The following year Blais released his debut cookbook, Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate, which was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award in 2014. Most recently, he opened his first West Coast restaurant, Juniper & Ivy, in San Diego.

Hungry Games is produced by Lucky 8.

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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.