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.
Format
The competitions usually emceed by chef Keegan Gerhard and judged by various chefs that specialize in the task being focused on. Contestants are given a certain length 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.
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 competiton called "Last Cake Standing". In this format, 6 cake designers are competing for a prize of $50,000. Each week, one competitor is eliminated.
Competitions
The competitions presented on the program cover a wide range of areas, from cake decorating to ice sculpting to Teppanyaki to macaroni and cheese, with cakes being the most frequently covered area.
Notable Competitors
- Duff Goldman (of Ace of Cakes)
- Buddy Valastro (of Cake Boss)
Episode Guide
- Season One
Episode 1: Wedding Cake Challenge
Episode 2: Birthday Cake Competition
Episode 3: Vegas Pastry Battle
Episode 4: Chocolate Competition
Episode 5: Pizza Battle
Episode 6: Spooky Cake & Candy Cook-Off
Episode 7: Holiday Cake-Off
Episode 8: Designer Wedding Cake Cook-Off
Episode 9: Army Cook-Off
Episode 10: Navy Chef Challenge
Episode 11: Al Roker's BBQ Showdown
Episode 12: The Road to Bocuse d'Or
Episode 13: Going for the Gold: Bocuse d'Or
Episode 14: Bocuse d'Or: A Chef's Dream
Episode 15: Food Network Pastry Daredevils
Episode 16: Mystery Cake
Episode 17: Fire & Ice
Episode 18: Elvis Birthday Cakes
Episode 19: Texas Steak Cook-Off
Episode 20: National Pie Championship
Episode 21: Memphis in May BBQ
Episode 22: Campfire Cook-Off
Episode 23: World Pastry Championship
Episode 24: Seafood Cook-Off
Episode 25: Teen Chef
Episode 26: Southern Living Showdown
Episode 27: Reno Rib Cook-Off
Episode 28: America's Bread Battle
Episode 29: Build a Better Burger
Episode 30: Wedding Cake Classic
Episode 31: Gingerbread Championships
Episode 32: World's Best Bartender
Episode 33: U.S. BBQ Championship
Episode 34: $50,000 Pastry Challenge
Episode 35: The Chili Competition
Episode 36: Cook & Ladder Competition
Episode 37: Fiery Foods Challenge
Episode 38: Culinary Team USA
Episode 39: World's Best Pastry
Episode 40: BBQ Bootcamp
Episode 41: The BBQ Circuit
Episode 42: Chocolate Festival Fantasies
Episode 43: Cowboy Cook-Off
Episode 44: BBQ Country Cook-Off
Episode 45: Big Island Cook-Off
Episode 46: The National Chicken Cook-Off
Episode 47: Great Chowder Cook-Off
Episode 48: America's Best Pastry
Episode 49: Great Garlic Cook-Off
Episode 50: Big Beef Battle
Episode 51: Chili Bowl
Episode 52: The Great American Pie Cook-Off
Episode 53: Varsity Cook-Off
Episode 54: The Spam Cook-Off
Episode 56: World Pizza Challenge
Episode 57: Wild Game Cook-Off
Episode 58: Best Young Chefs in America
Episode 59: Culinary Champions
Episode 60: Here Comes the Cake
Episode 61: The Great Steak Cook-Off
Episode 62: Royal BBQ Battle
Episode 63: All Fired Up!
Episode 64: Extreme Pastry
Episode 65: Cowboy Challenge
Episode 66: Big Pig Jig
Episode 67: BBQ Chili Challenge
Episode 68: The Great Cake-Off
Episode 69: Slam Dunk Skillet Showdown
Episode 70: World Bartending Championship
Episode 71: Gilroy Garlic Cook-Off
Episode 72: Gingerbread Challenge
Episode 73: Gordon Elliott's Door Knock Dinner College Cook-Off
Episode 74: Keep on Shucking
Episode 75: Master Chefs
Episode 76: National Pastry Team Championship
Episode 77: Pillsbury Kids Bake-off
Episode 78: Southern Living Cook-Off
Episode 79: All-American Tailgating Cook-Off
Episode 80: World Baking Cup
Episode 81: World Pastry Cup
Episode 82: World Pastry Cup: Sweet Rewards
- Season Two
Episode 1: $100,000 Chicken Challenge
Episode 2: Cupcake
Episode 3: Food Network Chocolate Fantasy Challenge
Episode 4: Food Network Pastry Daredevils
Episode 5: Build a Better Burger 2
Episode 6: Disney Dream Desserts
Episode 7: Ultimate Wedding Cakes
Episode 8: Gingerbread Champions
Episode 9: Incredible Edible Mansions
Episode 10: Rock & Roll Pastry
- Season Three
Episode 1: Sugar Showdown
Episode 2: Celebration Cakes
Episode 3: Bartender Battle
Episode 4: Hot Chefs
Episode 5: Cookies
Episode 6: Birthday Cake Surprises
Episode 7: Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast
Episode 8: Candy Castles
Episode 9: Cereal Skylines
Episode 10: Pizza Champions
Episode 11: Sugar Skyscrapers
Episode 12: Flying Knives
- Season Four
Episode 1: Fantasy Fruit Sculptures
Episode 2: Luau Beach BBQ
Episode 3: World Championship Steak Cook-Off
Episode 4: Cartoon Cakes
Episode 5: Fastest Foods
Episode 6: World Pastry Team Championship
Episode 7: Popcorn Giants
Episode 8: The Great American Seafood Cook-Off II
Episode 9: The Cake Awards
Episode 10: Award Cakes
Episode 11: Build A Better Burger III
Episode 12: Chocolate Runway Challenge
Episode 13: Wedding Cake Surprise
Episode 14: National Wedding Cake Championship
- Season Five
Episode 1: Edible Ornaments
Episode 2: Princess Cakes
Episode 3: Villain Cakes
Episode 4: Great American Pie Cook-Off
Episode 5: Haunted Gingerbread Houses
Episode 6: Sweet 16
Episode 7: Extreme Cakes
Episode 8: Simpsons Movie Cake
Episode 9: Mac and Cheese
Episode 10: Super Heroes
Episode 11: National Chicken Cook-off
Episode 12: World Championship BBQ Cook-off
Episode 13: National Beef Cook-off
- Season Six
Episode 1: Outrageous Pumpkins
Episode 2: Mystery Client Cakes
Episode 3: Chocolate Landmarks
Episode 4: Dr. Seuss Cake Extraordinaire
Episode 5: Surprise Engagement Cake
Episode 6: The Rematch: Fantasy Fruit Sculpture
Episode 7: Superstar Food Stylists
Episode 8: Disney Pixar Cakes
Episode 9: Cirque du Soleil Cakes
Episode 10: Pillsbury Bake-Off
Episode 11: Dr. Seuss Cakes
- Season Seven
Episode 1: American Pie Festival
Episode 2: Big Bash Caterers
Episode 3: Ice Cream Clash
Episode 4: Tag Team Cakes
Episode 5: Extreme Holiday Cakes
Episode 6: The Next Great Chef
Episode 7: Big City Cakes
Episode 8: Cereal Bridges
Episode 9: Battle of the Brides
Episode 10: Birthday Bombshell
Episode 11: Chocolate Masterpieces
Episode 12: Italian Family Feast
Episode 13: America's Best Burger
- Season Eight
Episode 1: Disney Celebration Cakes
Episode 2: Miley Cyrus’ Sweet 16 Cakes
Episode 3: Surprise Birthday Cakes
Episode 4: Blind Date Cakes
Episode 5: Disney Classics Cakes
Episode 6: Last Cake Standing: Personal Best Cakes
Episode 7: Last Cake Standing: Elopement Cakes
Episode 8: Last Cake Standing: Extreme Superhero Cakes
Episode 9: Last Cake Standing: Sweet 16 Sextuplets
Episode 10: Shrek Cakes
Episode 11: Extreme Candy Carnivals
Episode 12: Ice Age Cakes
- Season Nine
Episode 1: Food Magicians
Episode 2: Sesame Street Cakes
Episode 3: Fashion Cakes
Episode 4: Amazing Pie Championship
Episode 5: Edible Cities
Episode 6: Cereal Bridges 2
Episode 7: Fantasy Vaca
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