Well, to be frank, you may not know this, but this information is a good month’s old. Now some blogs and foodzines ran it as long ago as early April. No I have no idea why either. For myself here, I was going to hold off still a bit closer to the actual June date, but since now everyone and their grandmother seems to be jumping the gun an entire month early, I may as well too — else you might for a moment think I was actually the last one to know. Nope, I’m just not a big proponent of, ahem, premature dissemination.

Since the Food Network is already blitzing it’s own airwaves though; it is apparently that time again. So, as we deal with final week of Last Restaurant Standing and are at roughly mid-way points for both Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef, get ready in four weeks for the fourth season return of The Next Food Network Star.

“What’s unique about The Next Food Network Star is that having top culinary chops is only half the battle,” said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production. “If you can’t find the winning formula to deliver first rate creative food, a unique culinary point of view, and star charisma week after week, you’re going home. This year’s finalists are absolutely the most talented and fiercely competitive we’ve ever had on the show.”

The 10 finalists include: Nipa Bhatt (Victoria, MN), Jennifer Cochrane (Woonsocket, RI), Lisa Garza (Dallas, TX), Adam Gertler (Philadelphia, PA), Cory Kahaney (New York, NY), Shane Lyons (Colorado Springs, CO), Aaron McCargo Jr. (Camden, NJ), Kelsey Nixon (North Ogden, UT), Kevin Roberts (San Diego, CA), and Jeffrey Vaden (White Plains, NY).

According to the press release: “This season’s finalists are put to the test with complex challenges that determine their culinary competence and on-screen star potential. Challenges include a late night race through the streets of Manhattan, creating easy versions of complicated dishes for the staff of Bon Appétit magazine, teaming up with girl scouts to create healthy meals and cooking under the bright lights on the Las Vegas strip.”

“This season Bobby Flay takes a seat with the selection committee full-time. [...] Throughout June and July, the selection committee, aided by a rotating cast of remarkable guest stars including Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown, Cat Cora, Sandra Lee, Gina and Pat Neely, Masaharu Moriomto, Tyler Florence, Michael Symon and season two winner Guy Fieri, will narrow the field down until the finale.” The new season premieres Sunday, June 1st at 10pm ET/PT.

Between the new, slicker commercials with the dance hall beat pulsing, and Bobby Flay being majorly featured, it looks like FN this year is gunning to make NFNS much more Top Chef with (and this is admittedly our assumption) Flay taking on a more Tom Colicchio-type function. FN seems unable to find any Padma’s though; why they didn’t just go straight for it and grab Kathie Lee Joel (who’s was just on Paula’s Party the other week, so we know she’s around) and just complete the picture is beyond me.


Finalists (l to r): Nipa Bhatt, Shane Lyons, Adam Gertler, Lisa Garza, Aaron McCargo Jr., Jennifer Cochrane, Kevin Roberts, Kelsey Nixon, Jeffrey Vaden and Cory Kahaney.

{05 May 2008}