The holidays are a season for indulgence, so some families splurge on their festive celebrations at a steakhouse. In the Preheat, host Jesse Palmer asks the bakers to transform classic steakhouse desserts into holiday treats. For the Main Heat, the competitors turn one of the most-iconic steakhouse desserts into a baked Alaska Christmas tree. In the end, judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall will send one baker home.
There's a gorgeous parrot and loveable cockatoo in the kitchen, because this season is all about animals! For the kickoff challenge, hosts and judges Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown ask the 12 bakers to create an animal texture tart decorated with creature-inspired features like scales, feathers, fur or fins. Then, for a twist, the kitchen whiz kids must add an edible version of their animal's tail to their dessert.
The Food Network all-stars get low, slow and out of control as they talk about the very best barbecue America has to offer. Wolfgang Puck eats a smoky sandwich in Los Angeles, and Duff Goldman gets barbecue surf and turf in Maryland. Carla Hall loves smoked wagyu in Washington D.C., while Buddy Valastro eats everything smoked in Atlanta. Plus, grill master Bobby Flay shares his can't-miss brisket recipe, Alton Brown smokes some St. Louis-style ribs, and Valerie Bertinelli shows how to get barbecue flavor without the grill.