| Food Network Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Format | Reality |
| Presented by | Claire Robinson (2010-present) Keegan Gerhard (2005 - 2010) |
| Starring | Various contestants and a rotating panel of judges which includes: Kerry Vincent Keegan Gerhard Patrick Coston Katherine Alford Mark Bittman Mark O'Connor |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 1 hour |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Food Network |
| Original run | as specials, 2005 as series, 2006 – present |
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.
Contents |
The competitions are judged by specialists in their culinary fields dependent upon the particular 'challenge'. Contestants are given eight hours to complete a task and must adhere to the competition rules, for example, cake competitions often require that a cake reaches a minimum height, exhibits a certain theme, and is able to be moved to a judging table without falling over. At the end of the eight hours, 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 can range from two to hundreds. Occasionally, regional competitions are held to determine who the competitors are to be 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".[1] In this format, six cake designers competed for a prize of $50,000
In April 2010, original host Keegan Gerhard was promoted to judge alongside Kerry Vincent, and was replaced as host by Claire Robinson.[2] The way in which the results were read also changed for most of, but not all of the shows; where previously only the winner was announced, the newer format's results began with announcing the third- and fourth-place finishers who were then asked to leave the stage before the victor was revealed.
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.
In April 2009, a special version of "Challenge" was launched called Last Cake Standing. This series began with six competitors, with an elimination at the end of each episode until only three competitors remained. The challenges in this series were often harder and longer and with more twists than those in the 'normal' series. The finale was the longest in challenge history (24 hours)and saw the champion (Mary Maher), win a $50,000 grand prize.
In April 2011, Food Network launched a second series of Last Cake Standing, in a separate "spin-off" format with eight competitors and a $100,000 grand prize. [3]
| # | Title | Winner(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wedding Cake Challenge | |
| 2 | Birthday Cake Competition | |
| 3 | Vegas Pastry Battle | |
| 4 | Chocolate Competition | |
| 5 | Pizza Battle | |
| 6 | Spooky Cake & Candy Cook-Off | |
| 7 | Holiday Cake-Off | |
| 8 | Designer Wedding Cake Cook-Off | |
| 9 | Army Cook-Off | |
| 10 | Navy Chef Challenge | |
| 11 | Al Roker's BBQ Showdown | |
| 12 | The Road to Bocuse d'Or | |
| 13 | Going for the Gold: Bocuse d'Or | |
| 14 | Bocuse d'Or: A Pussies Dream | |
| 15 | Food Network Pastry Daredevils | |
| 16 | Mystery Cake | |
| 17 | Fire & Ice | |
| 18 | Elvis Birthday Cakes | |
| 19 | Texas Steak Cook-Off | |
| 20 | National Pie Championship | |
| 21 | Memphis in May BBQ | |
| 22 | Campfire Cook-Off | |
| 23 | World Pastry Championship | |
| 24 | Seafood Cook-Off | |
| 25 | Teen Chef | |
| 26 | Southern Living Showdown | |
| 27 | Reno Rib Cook-Off | |
| 28 | America's Bread Battle | |
| 29 | Build a Better Burger | |
| 30 | Wedding Cake Classic | |
| 31 | Gingerbread Championship | |
| 32 | World's Best Bartender | |
| 33 | U.S. BBQ Championship | |
| 34 | $50,000 Pastry Challenge | |
| 35 | The Chili Competition | |
| 36 | Cook & Ladder Competition | |
| 37 | Fiery Foods Challenge | |
| 38 | Culinary Team USA | |
| 39 | World's Best Pastry | |
| 40 | BBQ Bootcamp | |
| 41 | The BBQ Circuit | |
| 42 | Chocolate Festival Fantasies | |
| 43 | Cowboy Cook-Off | |
| 44 | BBQ Country Cook-Off | |
| 45 | Big Island Cook-Off | |
| 46 | The National Chicken Cook-Off | |
| 47 | Great Chowder Cook-Off | |
| 48 | America's Best Pastry | |
| 49 | Great Garlic Cook-Off | |
| 50 | Big Beef Battle | |
| 51 | Chili Bowl | |
| 52 | The Great American Pie Cook-Off | |
| 53 | Varsity Cook-Off | |
| 54 | The Spam Cook-Off | |
| 55 | World Pizza Challenge | |
| 56 | Wild Game Cook-Off | |
| 57 | Best Young Chefs in America | |
| 58 | Culinary Champions | |
| 59 | Here Comes the Cake | |
| 60 | The Great Steak Cook-Off | |
| 61 | Royal BBQ Battle | |
| 62 | All Fired Up! | |
| 63 | Extreme Pastry | |
| 64 | Cowboy Challenge | |
| 65 | Big Pig Jig | |
| 66 | BBQ Chili Challenge | |
| 67 | The Great Cake-Off | |
| 68 | Slam Dunk Skillet Showdown | |
| 69 | World Bartending Championship | |
| 70 | Gilroy Garlic Cook-Off | |
| 71 | Gingerbread Challenge | |
| 72 | Gordon Elliott's Door Knock Dinner College Cook-Off | |
| 73 | Keep on Shucking | |
| 74 | Master Chefs | |
| 75 | National Pastry Team Championship | |
| 76 | Pillsbury Kids Bake-Off | |
| 77 | Southern Living Cook-Off | |
| 78 | All-American Tailgating Cook-Off | |
| 79 | World Baking Cup | |
| 80 | World Pastry Cup | |
| 81 | World Pastry Cup: Sweet Rewards |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | $100,000 Chicken Challenge |
| 2 | Cupcake |
| 3 | Food Network Chocolate Fantasy Challenge |
| 4 | Food Network Pastry Daredevils |
| 5 | Build a Better Burger 2 |
| 6 | Disney Dream Desserts |
| 7 | Ultimate Wedding Cakes |
| 8 | Gingerbread Champions |
| 9 | Incredible Edible Mansions |
| 10 | Rock & Roll Pastry |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sugar Showdown |
| 2 | Celebration Cakes |
| 3 | |
| 4 | Hot Chefs |
| 5 | Cookies |
| 6 | Birthday Cake Surprise |
| 7 | Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast |
| 8 | Candy Castles |
| 9 | Cereal Skylines (100th episode) |
| 10 | Pizza Champions |
| 11 | Sugar Skyscrapers |
| 12 | Flying Knives |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fantasy Fruit Sculptures |
| 2 | Luau Beach BBQ |
| 3 | World Championship Steak Cook-Off |
| 4 | Cartoon Cakes |
| 5 | Fastest Foods |
| 6 | World Pastry Team Championship |
| 7 | Popcorn Giants |
| 8 | The Great American Seafood Cook-Off II |
| 9 | The Cake Awards |
| 10 | Award Cakes |
| 11 | Build a Better Burger III |
| 12 | Chocolate Runway Challenge |
| 13 | Wedding Cake Surprise |
| 14 | National Wedding Cake Championship |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Edible Ornaments |
| 2 | Princess Cakes |
| 3 | Villain Cakes |
| 4 | Great American Pie Cook-Off |
| 5 | Haunted Gingerbread House |
| 6 | Sweet 16 |
| 7 | Extreme Cakes |
| 8 | Simpsons Movie Cake |
| 9 | Mac and Cheese |
| 10 | Super Heroes |
| 11 | National Chicken Cook-Off |
| 12 | World Championship BBQ Cook-Off |
| 13 | National Beef Cook-Off |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Outrageous Pumpkins |
| 2 | Mystery Client Cakes |
| 3 | Chocolate Landmarks |
| 4 | Dr. Seuss Cake Extrodinaire |
| 5 | Surprise Engagement Cake |
| 6 | The Rematch: Fantasy Fruit Sculpture |
| 7 | Superstar Food Stylists |
| 8 | Disney Pixar Cakes |
| 9 | Cirque du Soleil Cakes |
| 10 | Pillsbury Bake-Off |
| 11 | Dr. Seuss Cakes |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | American Pie Festival |
| 2 | Big Bash Caterers |
| 3 | Ice Cream Clash |
| 4 | Tag Team Cakes |
| 5 | Extreme Holiday Cakes |
| 6 | The Next Great Chef |
| 7 | Big City Cakes |
| 8 | Cereal Bridges |
| 9 | Battle of the Brides |
| 10 | Birthday Bombshell |
| 11 | Chocolate Masterpieces |
| 12 | Italian Family Feast |
| 13 | America's Best Burger |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Disney Celebration Cakes |
| 2 | Miley Cyrus' Sweet 16 Cakes |
| 3 | Surprise Birthday Cakes |
| 4 | Blind Date Cakes |
| 5 | Disney Classics Cakes |
| 6 | Last Cake Standing: Personal Best Cakes |
| 7 | Last Cake Standing: Elopement Cakes |
| 8 | Last Cake Standing: Extreme Superhero Cakes |
| 9 | Last Cake Standing: Sweet 16 Sextuplets |
| 10 | Shrek Cakes |
| 11 | Extreme Candy Carnivals |
| 12 | Ice Age Cakes |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Food Magicians |
| 2 | Sesame Street Cakes |
| 3 | Fashion Cakes |
| 4 | Amazing Pie Championship |
| 5 | Edible Cities |
| 6 | Cereal Bridges 2 |
| 7 | Fantasy Vacation Cakes |
| 8 | Sugar Adventures |
| 9 | Newlywed Cakes |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beauty Pageant Cakes |
| 2 | Extreme Cakes 4 |
| 3 | Chocolate Wonders |
| 4 | Incredible Anniversary Cakes |
| 5 | SpongeBob Birthday Cakes |
| 6 | Extreme Villain Cakes |
| 7 | Sugar Impossible |
| 8 | High School Reunion Cakes |
| 9 | Sex and the City 2 Cakes |
| 10 | All Star Grill-off |
| 11 | Toy Story 3 Cakes |
| 12 | Extreme Candy Coasters |
| 13 | Paranormal Cakes |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Cakes |
| 2 | Food Landscapes |
| 3 | Ultimate Cookie Clash |
| 4 | Dora the Explorer Cakes |
| 5 | Roller Derby Cakes |
| 6 | Runaway Chocolate |
| 7 | Disney Beauty and the Beast Cakes |
| 8 | Outrageous Pumpkins 2 |
| 9 | Flying Sugar |
| 10 | Extreme Urban Legend Cakes |
| 11 | Giant Wedding Cakes |
| 12 | Thanksgiving Family Face-Off (200th episode) |
| 13 | Holiday Windows |
| 14 | Sugar Destinations |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Monster Bugs |
| 2 | Standup Comedy Cakes |
| 3 | Chocolate Surprise Proposal |
| 4 | Best in Show Cakes |
| 5 | Extreme Mardi Gras Cakes |
| 6 | Demolition Derby Cakes |
| 7 | Easter Cakes |
| 8 | Donut Champions |
| 9 | Sugar Inventions |
| 10 | Sugar and Candy Fashion |
| 11 | WWE Wrestling Cakes |
| 12 | Wild West Chocolate |
| 13 | Romance Novel Cakes |
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Awesome 80's Cakes |
| 2 | Star Wars Cakes |
| 3 | Chocolate Myths |
| 4 | The Smurfs Movie Cakes |
| 5 | Renaissance Festival Cakes |
| 6 | Extreme Dinosaur Cakes |
| 7 | Extreme Pirate Cakes |
| 8 | Lion King Cakes |