How many food competitions have you seen before? The answer, obviously, is a lot. I mean, I’ve written about tons of them on this very blog! But what Guy Fieri has created with Tournament of Champions is wholly new and different. This one is going to reinvent the competition as you know it, and I have no doubt you’re going to love it. Here’s what you should know.

Guy has rounded up 16 of America’s top culinary stars — the very best of the best. The group comprises a mix of familiar faces and under-the-radar talent you may not know as well (check out the bracket below). Eight competitors are from the east coast and eight are from the west coast, and each has been ranked and given a seed number in his or her region. What’s about to unfold over the course of five weeks is a bracket-style tournament to find out who among them is the ultimate culinary champion.

The battles begin on Wednesday, March 4 at 10|9c when three sets of Round 1 matchups face off in Guy’s demanding arena. The key to this contest will be proper time management and skilled handling of the challenges that Guy doles out. Well, technically it’s the randomizer that’s assigning challenges here. This slot-machine-line contraption will be spun before each battle and reveal to chefs their marching orders. Depending on where the wheel lands, they’ll be asked to make a certain protein, for example, in a particular style of cooking in a specified amount of time. Each option is unique and, yes, totally random, which means that it’s anyone’s game how things land.

Moreover, in an effort to further ensure an even playing field in this competition, the judging will be completely blind. The esteemed judges do not even know who is competing in this tournament as they are sequestered from the arena until the battle is over and the chefs have left. When the panel sits down to evaluate the food, they’ll be judging only the plates before them, not the chefs who prepared them. So once again, it’s anyone’s game.

Guy will have some help on the floor during the battles. Both Justin Warner and Simon Majumdar will be on hand to act as commentators during, and each will shadow a chef as the round unfolds.

Here’s the really cool part. You, the fans, can get in on the action. Starting February 14, you can head to Food Network’s Twitter page to fill out your bracket! We want to know who YOU think will win in each Round 1 matchup and who will advance each week. Fill it out on Twitter and share your bracket, then check back each week as the show unfolds to see how your picks are faring. And, BONUS: Just by filling out a bracket you'll be entered for a chance to win huge weekly prizes — how does $1,000 sound?!

Join the conversation all season long using #TournamentOfChampions on social.