Food Network Challenge: Competitive Cooking TV Series
Food Network Challenge is a competitive cooking television series that currently airs on the Food Network. Each episode, professional chefs compete in a timed competition in their professional specialty. The winner receives a check for $10,000 and a gold medal.
The competitions are judged by various chefs that specialize in the task being focused on. Contestants have eight hours of time to complete a task, usually with qualifiers. For example, cake competitions often have minimum height requirement, must match a certain theme, and require the competitor and assistant be able to move the cake to a judging table without it falling over. When the time runs out the host says the show's catchphrase: "Competitors, Stop Your Work".
Episodes are shot in front of a live audience, usually at tourist attractions such as the Mall of America or Disney World. Depending on the discipline and scope of the competition, the number of competitors range from three to hundreds. Occasionally, regional competitions are held to determine the competitors each week. Some of the events are also held as world championships or as invitationals.
The winner usually receives a check for $10,000 and a gold medal. In competitions featuring five or more competitors, silver and bronze medals are also sometimes awarded, though they have no cash prize. In 2009, the show debuted its first elimination-style competition called "Last Cake Standing". In this format, 6 cake designers are competing for a prize of $50,000. Each week, one competitor is eliminated.
In April 2010, original host Keegan Gerhard was promoted to judge alongside Kerry Vincent, and was replaced as host by Claire Robinson. The way in which the results are read was also changed for most but not all shows. Where previously only the winner was called out, now the third- and fourth-place finishers are announced and asked to leave the stage before the winner is announced.
Food Network Challenge Season 13 Episode 1 (Awesome 80's Cakes) airs: Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on Food Network.
Food Network Challenge Season 13 Episode 9 (Star Wars Cakes) airs: Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on Food Network. Synopsis of the episode: Four cake artists recreate Star Wars cakes to celebrate the re-opening of Disney Resorts Star Tours ride.
