Food Network’s Newest “Hot List” — Stars to Watch in 2024
We’re so excited to announce our third annual Food Network Hot List, our picks for some of the most-exciting food personalities and culinary rock stars making their mark in the food content space.
Food Network
Say hello to our 2024 Hot List! From our most-recent Tournament of Champions winner to an award-winning private chef, this year’s dynamic and diverse group of talent are making magical things happen in and out of the kitchen.
Alyssa Vincent
Tiffany Derry
We couldn’t be more excited to have Tiffany Derry on our Hot List this year! She proved she can handle ANYTHING on Worst Cooks in America and she’s an absolute FORCE as a titan on Bobby's Triple Threat. She has multiple successful restaurants, and her skills are undeniable. We are SO lucky to have her in the Food Network family. Stay tuned today to get to know Tiffany as we share new recipes, tips and more!
Owen Han
This social media star and content creator has a thing for sandwiches (move over, Jeff Mauro), but he can do so much more! With both Chinese and Italian heritage, he was exposed to a wide variety of foods from a very young age... And just wait ‘til you see what he cooks up next!
Claudette Zepeda
Claudette Zepeda is one to WATCH...and once you’re watching, it’ll be hard to look away! With a fearless style, a bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine, and over 20 years of restaurant experience, watching Claudette at work is a masterclass. Just ask Bobby Flay and his titans, who Claudette beat this year!
Ashley Holt
Whether you know her as Ashley Holt or by her pseudonym, @sugar_monsterr, this is one baker you won’t regret following. She’s more than a baker – she's a cake artist, a pastry chef, a culinary producer and a food stylist who has crafted over-the-top confections for A-list celebs and fashion icons. You may have seen her judging on The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown or absolutely dominating on Chopped, but stay tuned to get to know Ashley even more!
Pyet DeSpain
Give a warm welcome to Pyet DeSpain! Pyet's passion is to uplift indigenous culture and traditions via storytelling, traveling, and cooking, and you may have seen her beat out all the competition on the first season of Next Level Chef. Her life's work is dedicated to Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, where she combines the food of her heritage - both Native American and Mexican. Watch Pyet compete for a spot in this year’s Tournament of Champions in the next qualifier round, starting Wednesday at 8|7c!
Laurent Dagenais
You may recognize Laurent from his viral cooking videos and his iconic ~twirl~ to the camera, but he is WAY more than that. This talented Canadian chef knows how to inject his bubbly and fun personality into his cooking videos and bring his fans outside to new and undiscovered places. We are so excited to watch Laurent grow!
Stephanie Boswell
Welcome Stephanie to our 2024 Hot List!! She’s an internationally acclaimed pastry chef that we’re sure you’ve seen across Food Network shows. If you’ve ever seen her on Halloween Baking Championship, you know she loves to committ to a costume! We can’t wait to see what else Stephanie bakes up. Stay tuned for some special announcements about her this year!
Anders Krusberg
Franco Noriega
Franco is a chef, model, and restaurateur with a passion for global cuisine. On Hot Dish last fall, Franco took viewers on a culinary journey, sprinkling in tidbits of his Latin American and Italian background along with favorite cooking tips and tricks. And that’s only the beginning - we’re so excited to see what Franco does next!
Martel Stone
Remember this name: Chef Martel Stone! Whether you saw him win Chopped, or dominate Guy’s Grocery Games, Martel is definitely one to watch. A Philly native, Martel started his professional journey in the Navy before finding a home in the kitchen, later working for James Beard winning chefs like Kwame Onwuachi! He is a FORCE in the kitchen, and we can’t wait for you to see more of his competition skills this year!
Mei Lin
Mei’s the QUEEN of cooking competitions. She won Tournament of Champions IV, defeated all three titans on Bobby's Triple Threat and earned the title of Top Chef on Bravo! Mei grew up working in her family-owned and -operated Chinese restaurant and now has earned acclaim for her Szechuan hot fried chicken restaurant, Daybird. Don’t miss Mei competing on TOC V starting Feb. 18 at 8|7c!!
