Host Sunny Anderson locks three pastry chefs inside Hersheypark overnight to create sci-fi-inspired chocolate showpieces that impress judges Ralph Attanasia and Maneet Chauhan. An award-winning chocolatier meets his match in two strong competitors as they race through the park picking up candy and making delicious sweets. An artist who loves to create life-sized cakes struggles with her main character while a young chocolatier has a complete chocolate meltdown over a tempering technique gone terribly wrong. A mid-competition surprise leaves the chefs "mooing" for more time as they must race through the park for another Candy Clue. Finally, the judges hand out some hot compliments and cold critiques when deciding whose chocolate masterpiece is good enough to earn $10,000 and a dream vacation in Hershey, Pennsylvania!
In the season five premiere of The Next Food Network Star, the 10 finalists are immediately thrown into their first challenge. They head to Food Network Kitchens and are greeted by the selection committee (Iron ChefBobby Flay and Food Network executives Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson), who inform the finalists that they’ll be split into two teams and catering Food Network’s "Sweet 16" party.
The teams are tasked with creating delicious dishes and serving tables packed with Food Network stars like Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown, Duff Goldman, Sunny Anderson and Masaharu Morimoto, and also Access Hollywood co-host Nancy O’Dell! The first finalist is then eliminated.