Food Network Star is a reality television series that aired from June 5, 2005, to August 5, 2018. It was produced by CBS EYEtoo Productions for seasons 1–8 and by Triage Entertainment for seasons 9–14. It aired on the Food Network in the United States. Prior to season seven, the series was known as The Next Food Network Star.
Season One Summary
The first season of The Next Food Network Star series was taped in February 2005, and was composed of five episodes in June 2005. Chicago area caterers Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh emerged as the winners, and went on to host a show called Party Line with Dan & Steve; later titled Party Line with The Hearty Boys, which premiered on September 18, 2005.
The runner-up, Deborah Fewell, was chosen to host a special on food at beaches, Surf N Turf, which aired in June 2006. Michael Thomas was the recurring chef on The Tyra Banks Show. Susannah Locketti made an appearance on The Tony Danza Show, and is also an on-air chef for Publix grocery stores in the southern United States.
Contestants Name Age Hometown Place Dan Smith & Steve McDonagh 42 and 40 Bellmore, NY and Wayne, NJ Winners Deborah Fewell 32 Los Angeles Runner-up Hans Rueffert 32 Jasper, GA 3rd Susannah Locketti 33 Plymouth, MA 4th Eric Warren 52 Los Angeles 5th Michael Thomas 36 Venice, CA 6th Harmony Marceau 30 New York City, NY 7th Brook Harlan 24 Columbia, MO 8th
Season Two Summary
The second season of The Next Food Network Star series was taped in December 2005 and began airing in March 2006. Guy Fieri was announced as the winner on April 23, 2006, beating Reggie Southerland.
Fieri has achieved considerable success and a Daytime Emmy at Food Network since his victory, and is still regularly on air as of February 2026. Guy's Big Bite premiered in June 2006 and aired for 13 seasons until December 2016. Fieri's second series, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, premiered in April 2007 and has aired for 33 seasons, being the recipient of several Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He went on to the series, Ultimate Recipe Showdown, premiering February 17, 2008, and Guy Off The Hook on September 14, 2008. His reality competition Guy's Grocery Games debuted in October 2013 and has aired for 29 seasons.
Fourth-place contestant Nathan Lyon began hosting his own series, A Lyon In the Kitchen, on the Discovery Health Channel in March 2007.
Four of the seasons cast members along with Fieri reunited on Season 10 episode 4 of Guy’s Grocery Games which aired on July 31, 2016.
Contestants Name Age Hometown Culinary P.O.V. EliminatedGuy Fieri38Ferndale, CA"Off the Hook" California CuisineWinnerReggie Southerland39Los AngelesModern Soul FoodRunner-upCarissa Seward33San Diego, CASimple Food for EntertainingWeek 6Nathan Lyon35Los AngelesHealthy and Seasonal FoodWeek 5Andrew Schumacher26Brooklyn, NYCooking TechniquesWeek 4Evette Rodriguez35Port St. Lucie, FLLatin CuisineWeek 3Elizabeth Raynor32Sausalito, CASimple Mediterranean CuisineWeek 2Jess Dang24Menlo Park, CAAsian CuisineWeek 1
Season Three Summary The third season began on June 3, 2007, and the winner was announced on Sunday, July 22. In season 3, judges sent 1 or 2 contestants home weekly. Once the field was down to 2 final contestants, the viewers picked the winner. Marc Summers (host of the first 2 seasons) only returned for this season's finale. Bobby Flay would host subsequent season finales.
During the season, the contestants lived in a shared house in New York City. The contestants' challenges included cooking concession food for an NBA game (with guest Darryl Dawkins) to a mini version of Food Network's Iron Chef America (with guest judges Bobby Flay and Cat Cora). The Selection Committee consisted of Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson along with one guest. Guest judges included Alton Brown, Giada De Laurentiis, Duff Goldman, season two winner Guy Fieri, and Robert Irvine.
Paula Deen and Rachael Ray participated in contestant challenges, and Bobby Flay also played a role in the guidance and selection process. Amy Finley was chosen by America as The Next Food Network Star on July 22, 2007. Her new show The Gourmet Next Door premiered on October 14, 2007, and ran for six episodes. Finley later declined to continue with the series, citing relocation to France for family reasons.
Among the contestants this season was former child actress Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine, best known for her appearances in the Mighty Ducks film franchise.
Contestants NameAgeHometownOccupationEliminatedAmy Finley33San Diego, CAStay-at-Home MomWinner1Rory Schepisi31Vega, TXRestaurateurRunner-UpJoshua Adam "JAG" Garcia25Havelock, NCChef-de-CuisineWithdrew1Paul McCullough36Los AngelesCatererWeek 6Adrien Sharp29Jackson, MILocal Cooking Show HostWeek 5Michael Salmon53Brooklyn, NYDirector of Operations for Macy'sWeek 4Tommy Grella Jr.34Methuen, MASelf-Taught ChefWeek 3Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine29New York, NYFormer Child ActressWeek 3Nikki Shaw38Oakland, CACatererWeek 2Patrick Rolfe33Seattle, WAChefWeek 1Vivien Cunha40Hermosa Beach, CACatererWeek 1
: Amy Finley was eliminated Week 7, and the original finalists were Rory Schepisi and Joshua "JAG" Garcia. After the final elimination episode was aired, evidence came to light that JAG had lied about both his culinary training and his military service, representing both as more extensive than they actually were. Food Network allowed him to withdraw from the competition and reinstated Amy Finley, who was voted The Next Food Network Star.
Season Four
Summary Season four of The Next Food Network Star premiered on Sunday, June 1, 2008. Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson are joined by Bobby Flay as the selection committee for this season. Each new episode aired on Sundays at 10:00 PM EDT. For this season, the viewers no longer received the chance to vote for the winner; producers instead made the final decision. This led to an error by FoodNetwork.com, which briefly posted the winning moment video on their website three days before the finale aired. The winner for the fourth season was Aaron McCargo Jr. His winning show idea, Big Daddy's House, first aired August 3, 2008.
Finalist Adam Gertler was hired to host a Food Network show called Will Work for Food, which debuted on January 19, 2009, and was cancelled after one season. He hosted the Food Network show Kid in a Candy Store, which aired two seasons.
Kelsey Nixon co-hosted a web show on food2.com (a Food Network sister site aka Cooking Channel) and also appeared in the premiere of Chefs vs. City in 2009. In 2010, Gertler and Nixon became co-hosts of The Next Food Network Star After Party, a half-hour recap/interview show following that night's episode of Star, on Cooking Channel. Nixon stars in Kelsey's Essentials, a program on kitchen and cooking basics for The Cooking Channel that ran November, 2010–2013.
Contestants NameAgeHometownOccupationEliminatedAaron McCargo Jr.36Camden, NJChefWinnerAdam Gertler30Philadelphia, PAFood ServerRunner-UpLisa Garza32Dallas, TXRestaurateur/DesignerRunner-UpKelsey Nixon23North Ogden, UTAssistant Culinary DirectorWeek 7Shane Lyons20Colorado Springs, COPrivate Chef and actorWeek 6Jennifer Cochrane32Woonsocket, RIChefWeek 5Nipa Bhatt35Victoria, MNMarketing ManagerWeek 4Jeffrey Vaden43White Plains, NYFood Service ManagementWeek 3Kevin Roberts39San Diego, CARadio Talk Show Host/Restaurant Owner/AuthorWeek 2Cory Kahaney45New York, NYStand-up ComedianWeek 1
Season Five
Summary Season five of The Next Food Network Star premiered on June 7, 2009. Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson were joined by Bobby Flay as the Selection Committee for this season, which was filmed early 2009 in New York, New York and Miami, Florida. Melissa D'Arabian was declared the winner on August 2, 2009, with the title for her show being Ten Dollar Dinners. Her show premiered on August 9, 2009.
On August 17, 2009, Food Network announced Jeffrey Saad would return in a series of online videos based on his pilot, now called "The Spice Smuggler." The program premiered with four -minute videos featuring one spice and a recipe incorporating it. Saad was named the national representative for the American Egg Board. In November, 2010, Saad debuted in a new show for The Cooking Channel titled United Tastes of America, which explores multiple aspects of traditional American food.
Finalist Debbie Lee has carried her "Seoul to Soul" concept to the streets of L.A., opening a lunch truck, Ahn-Joo, featuring a range of Korean food.
Contestants NameAgeHometownOccupationCulinary P.O.V.EliminatedMelissa d'Arabian40Keller, TXStay-At-Home Mom"Kitchen Survival Guide"WinnerJeffrey Saad42Los Angeles, CaliforniaRestaurateur/Food Consultant/Recipe Developer/Chef"Ingredient Smuggler"Runner-UpDebbie Lee39West Hollywood, CaliforniaRestaurant Consultant"From Seoul to Soul"Week 8Jamika Pessoa30Atlanta, GeorgiaPersonal Chef/BusinesswomanCaribbean CuisineWeek 7Michael Proietti28City Island, NYExecutive Chef"Global A Go-Go"Week 6Katie Cavuto30Philadelphia, PAPersonal Chef & DieticianHealthy and Green CuisineWeek 5Teddy Folkman33Alexandria, VARestaurant Owner/Executive Chef"Gourmet Bar Food"Week 4Eddie Gilbert30Los AngelesApprentice Chef"Modernized Traditional Food"Week 3Brett August33New York, New YorkExecutive Sous ChefItalian-American CuisineWeek 2Jen Isham30Orlando, FLSales Manager"Housewife 2.0"Week 1
Season Six
Summary The sixth season of the series premiered on Sunday, June 6, 2010. Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson were again joined by Bobby Flay as judges; in addition, Giada De Laurentiis served as an on-set mentor. On July 17, 2010, a post-competition recap and discussion show premiered on The Cooking Channel. Shows were filmed in Los Angeles, California and New York, New York.
On August 15, 2010, Aarti Sequeira was declared the winner, and her new show Aarti Party premiered on Sunday, August 22, 2010, and features American style cuisine with unique Indian flair. Season 2 of Aarti Party premiered that December.
The Food Network also signed runner-up Tom Pizzica to host a new show called Outrageous Food, which premiered in November 2010. The last new episodes of Aarti Party aired in mid-2013.
Contestants NameAgeHometownOccupationCulinary P.O.V.EliminatedAarti Sequeira31Los Angeles, CaliforniaFood Blogger"Aarti Paarti"WinnerHerb Mesa41Atlanta, Georgia Personal Trainer/Personal Chef"Cooking Con Sabor"Runner-UpTom Pizzica 32San Francisco, CAUnemployed Chef"Big Chef"Runner-UpAria Kagan30Hollywood, FLPrivate Chef"Family Style"Week 9Brad Sorenson25Austin, TexasProfessional Chef"Pro"/"Culinary Quest"Week 8Serena Palumbo31New York, New YorkAttorney"Serena's Trattoria"Week 7Brianna Jenkins30Atlanta, GeorgiaCaterer"Sexy and Fabulous Flavors"Week 6Paul Young32Chicago, ILWaiter"Blue-Collar Dollar"Week 5Darrell "DAS" Smith28Los AngelesHigh School Culinary Teacher"Food is the Life of the Party"Week 4Dzintra Dzenis44Austin, TXPrivate Cooking InstructorWeek 3Doreen Fang38Los AngelesCaterer/Cooking Instructor"Simply Complex"Week 2Alexis Hernandez40Clarksville, INPart-time food WriterWeek 1
Season Seven
Summary For the seventh season, the reality television series was renamed, after the first episode, Food Network Star, dropping the word "Next". It premiered Sunday, June 5, 2011. Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson were joined again by Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis as the judges for this season. The series was filmed in Los Angeles, California and New York, New York.
Season seven winner Jeff Mauro's show "Sandwich King" premiered on Sunday, August 21, 2011. In spring 2013, Jeff hosted $24 in 24, a show in which he went to several cities and ate an entire day's worth of meals on 24 dollars. Mauro is currently a co-host on "The Kitchen", airing Saturday mornings on Food Network with cohosts Sunny Anderson, Katie Lee and Geoffrey Zakarian.
Contestants