In this semi-final episode, the remaining four chefs face the chilling master challenge first to create a "frozen world" cake. Host Jesse Palmer assigns each chef an arctic theme, and they must design a cake that includes layers of ice cream, sorbet or frozen mousse, a crunch element, and cake. The top two chefs move on to the finale, and the bottom two chefs battle in a sudden-death round by making a frozen dessert with a surprise reveal element, hoping to impress judges Duff Goldman and Molly Yeh if they want to survive.
Emeril Lagasse stops by to make a holiday Rack of Lamb with Apple Mint Puree, then take holiday parties up a notch with Katie Lee's Christmas Tree Cheese Ball and Marcela Valladolid's Snowman Cheese Ball. Plus, two ways to serve ham for the holidays, the quickest tricks to create a classic Yule Log Cake, and new tips on how to decorate a store-bought gingerbread house. Geoffrey Zakarian warms everyone up with Peppermint Hot Chocolate while carolers amp up the holiday spirit!
Mentioned in this episode:
Holiday Cheese Balls
Gingerbread House
Yule Log Hacks
Hosts and judges Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown challenge the sibling teams to create two separate cakes that fit together just like a puzzle. Then, the bakers must decorate each puzzle cake piece to represent their sibling. Assigned cake flavors include chocolate, lemon, spiced, carrot, red velvet, strawberry, cookies and cream, and raspberry. When the last piece locks into place, the least successful team is eliminated.
Whose idea was it to order to two enormous cakes, both due on Wednesday? Duff and his staff go into overdrive to create a cake for the 1500th episode of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? And Elena burns the midnight oil putting the finishing touches on a cake for the indie band Pavement before they perform their reunion concert in front of thousands in Central Park.
The finalists have their work cut out for them during the Camera Challenge when they must use a sweet Hershey's product to turn dessert into dinner. Special guests Duff Goldman and Michael Symon challenge the finalists to create a Dueling Desserts party. When the finalists are split into two teams, tension mounts as they struggle to work together to beat their opponents and save themselves from elimination.
Fun spring getaways are the name of the game as host Ali Khan challenges the remaining bakers to combine destination desserts with classic snacks. The Spring Break fun continues as the bakers create a two-dessert landscape resembling a vacation in a national forest, amusement park, city or tropical beach. Judges Kardea Brown, Nancy Fuller and Duff Goldman decide which bakers make it into the finale.
Guy Fieri sends his buddy Noah Cappe along with acclaimed chefs Tiffani Faison and Jet Tila to hit the food scene in Davis, California. Once in town, they each select two restaurants, trying everything from college hangouts and local pubs to bicycle-friendly eateries and high-end sushi. After tasting a wide variety of delicious food, they select one dish each to take to a crowd-packed showcase in the Davis city center where a panel of Guy's esteemed judges will taste, evaluate and determine which restaurant has the best bite in town.
Only two finalists remain and they have the rare opportunity to spend time with Chef Bobby Flay in the kitchen, preparing a meal for surprise guests. The guests turn out to be the eliminated contestants and the entire group sits down for a reunion dinner. Host Marc Summers takes a look back at how the season unfolded and the winner of The Next Food Network Star is revealed!
A Food Network Star must be ready at any moment for Food Network to ask them to participate in a television special; this week, each team will do just that. Each finalist will have to create and perform a live, themed television special based on a holiday or event. Food Network Star season two winner Guy Fieri hosts each special and gives feedback on which team and individuals performed the best.
Twelve young sibling teams step into the pastry school style kitchen and learn that they must try out for their spot in the competition. Hosts and judges Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown put the teams through two rounds of skills challenges to assess which 10 teams will move on and which two teams will be eliminated before the competition even starts! In the first skills test, the nervous teams put up their best cupcake. For the second skills test, the teams must create a pie from scratch that's good enough to prove they have what it takes to compete. First impressions are everything, and in the end, two teams do not make it through the tryouts.