The twelfth season of the American reality television series Food Network Star premiered May 22, 2016 on Food Network. Food Network chefs Bobby Flay and Giada de Laurentiis returned to the series as judges.

This season featured thirteen contestants rather than twelve; the thirteenth contestant, Martita Jara (who originally appeared in the series' eighth season), was chosen via a three-week spin-off series called Comeback Kitchen, where seven former Food Network Star contestants competed for a chance to participate in season 12 of the main series. Comeback Kitchen was hosted by chef Tyler Florence and chef/actress Valerie Bertinelli; and it premiered on May 8, 2016, although it initially became available on demand in some markets in April 2016. This season also continued the inclusion of Star Salvation, a six-week webseries that featured the most recently eliminated contestant competing against the remaining previously eliminated contestants for a chance to re-enter the main Food Network Star competition.

Unlike previous seasons, executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson did not assist in the judging; nor did chief executive Brooke Johnson appear in the finale to introduce the winner (Tuschman left Food Network and Johnson retired prior to the start of the season).

Contestants

Winner Tregaye Fraser – Atlanta, Georgia

Runners-up Jernard Wells – Atlanta, Georgia Damiano Carrara – Moorpark, California

Eliminated

Havird Usry – Augusta, Georgia Aaron Crumbaugh – Spokane, Washington Melissa Pfeister – Los Angeles, California Martita Jara – San Diego, California Monterey Salka – Nashville, Tennessee Rob Burmeister – Staten Island, New York Joy Thompson – Thomasville, North Carolina Erin Campbell – Woodbury, Minnesota Ana Quincoces – Coral Gables, Florida Yaku Moton-Spruill – San Francisco, California

Contestant progress Contestant Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11MentorChallengeWinner ErinMartitaJoyDamiano Tregaye MontereyJernardYaku Damiano TregayeDamiano Tregaye Tregaye Jernard Jernard Damiano Tregaye IN HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH HIGH IN HIGH IN LOW WINNERJernard IN HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH HIGH LOW LOW IN RUNNER-UPDamiano IN HIGH IN HIGH IN IN IN HIGH IN IN RUNNER-UPYaku IN IN LOW OUT OUT Ana HIGH HIGH LOW HIGH LOW IN LOW LOW OUT Erin IN LOW IN IN IN IN HIGH OUT Joy IN IN HIGH IN HIGH LOW OUT Rob HIGH HIGH IN LOW LOW OUT Monterey HIGH LOW IN IN OUT Martita IN HIGH OUT Aaron LOW OUT Melissa LOW OUT Havird OUT

: Because of the challenge outcome, the judges did not select a winning team. Instead, they identified the three best individual cooks. : Yaku returned to the competition after winning Star Salvation. : Melissa did not appear in the finale. : Damiano was eliminated from the final three midway through the finale.

(WINNER) The contestant won the competition and thus became the next Food Network Star. (RUNNER-UP) The contestant made it to the finale, but did not win. (HIGH) The contestant was one of the selection committee's favorites for that week. (IN) The contestant performed well enough to move on to the next week. (LOW) The contestant was one of the selection committee's least favorites for that week, but was not eliminated. (OUT) The contestant was the selection committee's least favorite for that week, and was eliminated.

Comeback Kitchen contestants

ContestantOrig.seasonPenny Davidi7Matthew Grunwald11Martita Jara8Brianna Jenkins6Chris Kyler10Michele Ragussis8Dom Tesoriero11

Contestant progress Contestant Week 1 2 3 Martita IN IN WINDom LOW IN OUTMatthew IN IN OUTMichele IN IN OUTChris IN IN OUTPenny LOW OUT Brianna OUT : Chris was eliminated after the mentor challenge. (WIN) The chef won Comeback Kitchen and returned to the main competition. (IN) The contestant performed well enough to move on to the next week. (LOW) The contestant was one of the selection committee's least favorites for that week, but was not eliminated. (OUT) The contestant was the selection committee's least favorite for that week, and was eliminated.

Star Salvation This season of Star Salvation was hosted by Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and season 11 winner Eddie Jackson.

Contestant progress Contestant Week 1 2 3 4 5 6Yaku IN IN IN IN IN WINMonterey IN IN IN IN OUTAna OUTErin OUT Joy OUT Rob OUT Aaron IN OUT HavirdOUT

(WIN) The chef won Star Salvation and returned to the main competition. (IN) The chef continued in the competition. (OUT) The chef lost in that week's Star Salvation and was eliminated from the competition.

References

External links