Tournament of Champions 6: Qualifier Winners

Season 6 of Tournament of Champions (TOC VI) on Food Network begins on Sunday, March 2nd.  This year there are 16 chefs competing in qualifiers in hopes to earn a spot in the final tournament bracket.  Eight of the 16 chefs competing in the qualifiers will earn spots by winning head-to-head battles.  The Tournament of Champions season 6 qualifiers start on February 16th and the 16 chefs trying to earn one of the eight spots in the final bracket include:

• Stephanie Boswell
• Chris Oh
• Brittanny Anderson
• Jacob Town
• David Viana
• Mika Leon
• Pyet Despain
• Adriana Urbina
• Ashleigh Shanti
• Demetrio Zavala
• Jonathon Sawyer
• Dara Yu
• Carlos Anthony
• Dawn Burrell
• Bruce Kalman
• Maria Mazon

There will be four qualifier episodes, with two airing on February 16th and two airing on February 23rd.  Each of the chefs that advance to the final will be 7 and 8 seeds in the tournament. Right after the episode on the 23rd, the final bracket will be revealed with the final 32 chefs competing on Tournament of Champions season 6.

I will track the winners of the qualifiers below and I will do another post when the bracket is revealed to track the winners of the final bracket.  

Continue reading to see who won the Tournament of Champions qualifier matchups.....

Worst Cooks In America Winner - Season 28

Sunday night at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network is the two-hour season 28 finale of Worst Cooks in America: Celeb Heroes vs. Villains where the winner will take home a $25,000 prize for their charity and bragging rights for their mentor.  This will be a double episode where there is an elimination during the first hour and the final recruits will compete for the prize in the second hour. The final contestants competing for the prize are Adam Rippon and Frankie Grande representing Jeff Mauro's team and the Heroes; and Corinne Olympios, Tiffany Pollard, and Wes Bergmann representing Antonia Lofaso's team and the Villains.  

The episode description for the first episode states, "The recruits compete in an intergalactic scavenger hunt called "May the Course Be with You" as they race to retrieve ingredients for their next dish. The longer they take, the less time they have to cook! Then, chefs Jeff Mauro and Antonia Lofaso invite the teams to dive into the deep with squid ink seafood pasta. The two bottom recruits face a blind elimination challenge, where they must make fresh pasta and sauce to avoid getting lost in space."

The episode description for the finale states, "For the final showdown, the remaining recruits work together in a "Celebrity Game Night" challenge to win ingredients before they must go head-to-head against their own teammates to earn a spot in the top two! In their last skill drill cook, the final four cook a composed dish to prove their worth. Then, chefs Jeff Mauro and Antonia Lofaso guide the finalists in preparing a three-course restaurant-quality meal. Judges Gino D'Acampo, Judy Joo and Kelsey Barnard Clark will blind-taste the dishes to crown the winner of $25,000 for charity!"


I will update this post with the winner once the episode airs and feel free to discuss the episode/season 28 in the comments.  I know people were wondering where Anne Burrell was this season, but based on comments she made online, it seems like she wasn't asked back for this season. 

Continue reading to see who won season 28 of Worst Cooks in America Heroes vs. Villains....

Holiday Wars Winner - Season 6

Sunday night at 9pm ET/PT is the season 6 finale of Holiday Wars where one team will take home the $25,000 prize. The final two teams remaining and competing for the prize are Merry Mixers: Taishi Ligon (cookie artist), Danielle Lechuga (cake artist) and Jake Park (sugar artist) versus Snow Good: Jonathan Elias (sugar artist), Chrissy Pescua-Povey (cookie artist) and Rachelle Reyles-Derry (cake artist).

The episode description for the final episode states, "For the final challenge, the last two teams standing must imagine the hilarity that ensues when a pet takes on the family Christmas tree! All three team members will be in the spotlight, and both teams must add lighting effects to their scene. Jeff Mauro, Shinmin Li and Kardea Brown must make their toughest decision yet: who will be crowned Holiday Wars champion and take home the grand prize of $25,000?"

I will update this post with the season six Holiday Wars winner after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season/final episode in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won season 6 of Holiday Wars......

Harry Potter Wizards of Baking Winner - Season 1

Thursday night at 8pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of Harry Potter Wizards of Baking where the winning team will be announced.  There are two teams remaining that are hoping to be crowned the Wizards of Baking winner.  The first team is Zoe Burmester (cake artist) and Jordan Pilarski (executive pastry chef) and they will be competing against Elizabeth Rowe (cake artist) and Juan Gutierrez (executive pastry chef and chocolatier).  There is no cash prize, but the winners will get a "Wizards of Baking Cup."  They will also be included in an upcoming Harry Potter cookbook which is already available for pre-order and will be released in March 2025.  There have been other Harry Potter cookbooks released in the past, but the one releasing in March is more focused on the Food Network show Wizards of Baking.

The episode description for the final episode states, "It's the final showdown in the illustrious Great Hall, and hosts James and Oliver Phelps challenge the teams to create a showpiece that reaches at least 6 feet tall and commemorates at least one event that takes place in the Great Hall. The bakers must also include two enchanting culinary effects and incorporate at least two tasting elements. Surprises unfold throughout the finale, including the return of guest judges Warwick Davis, Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright, who join judges Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef to crown the first-ever Wizards of Baking champions among a crowd of ecstatic Harry Potter fans."

I will update this post with the winner of Harry Potter Wizards of Baking after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won Harry Potter Wizards of Baking.......

Holiday Baking Championship Winner Season 11

Monday night at 8pm ET on Food Network is the two-hour season eleven finale of Holiday Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home $25,000.  This season there are five remaining contestants in the final episode.  The five remaining contestants competing for the prize are: Jer Barrios (pastry sous chef from Carson City, Nevada), Rolf Runkel (pastry chef from Calgary, Alberta), Rafi Dekrmnjian (bakery owner from Northridge, California), Steven Levitt (home baker from Aurora, Ontario), and Natasha Aschoff (bakery owner from Plymouth, Massachusetts).   One of the contestants will be eliminated during the first hour of the episode and the final four will compete during the second hour for the $25,000 prize.

The episode description for the final episode states, "In the season finale, host Jesse Palmer is throwing a gingerbread house party with all the trimmings! In the preheat, the bakers create faux candy desserts, traditional candy decorations that are actually desserts on the inside. Then, the competitors must take inspiration from holiday eggnog flavors to create the most impressive eggnog desserts for judges Carla Hall, Duff Goldman and Nancy Fuller, and one baker will be eliminated. For the final challenge, the bakers construct gingerbread house cakes in unique architectural styles like modern, Tudor, cozy cottage or castle. In the end, only one baker will be named Holiday Baking Champion and take home $25,000!"

I will update this post with the winner of Holiday Baking Championship season 11 after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won Holiday Baking Championship season 11.......

Halloween Baking Championship Winner Season 10

Monday night at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season ten finale of Halloween Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home $25,000.  This season there are four remaining contestants competing for the prize and they are: Joel Gonzalez (Executive Pastry Chef), Hollie Rivera (Assistant Pastry Chef), Aaron Davis (Pastry Lead) and Manny Martinez (Bakery Owner).

The episode description for the final episode of the season titled "The Past Comes Back To Haunt You" states, 

"The final bakers take on two very difficult challenges inspired by the past -- all leading up to a time-traveling monster mash! In the Dissection Lab, John Henson works on some gross anatomy, and he asks the bakers to create desserts with gummy hearts that will be "dissected" by judges Carla Hall, Zac Young and Stephanie Boswell. Then in the Quantum Physics Lab, John hops into a time machine and journeys to the ancient past for inspirations like medieval vampires and early aliens for time travel cakes. The best baker heads into the future with the Halloween Baking Championship title and the $25,000 prize!"

I will update this post with the winner of Halloween Baking Championship season 10 after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won Season 10 of Halloween Baking Championship on Food Network....

Halloween Wars Season 14 Winner

Sunday night at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season 14 finale of Halloween Wars where the winning team will take home $25,000.  The prize has been $50,000 in the past, but it has been $25,000 for a few seasons.  The two teams remaining are Shriek Squad (Kristina Patenaude, Jamie Louks, and Jonathan Elias) and Scream of the Crop (Kyle Miller, Sarah "Bloodstain" Blostein, and Sarah Arnold)

The episode description for the final episode named "Haunted Hotel on Halloween" states: 

"For their final challenge, the last two teams standing create their largest displays yet: the spookiest hotels on Earth! It's up to Jonathan Bennett, Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira to decide who will be checking out with the Halloween Wars championship title and the $25,000 grand prize!"

I will post the winner of Halloween Wars season 14 after the episode airs and you can discuss the episode/season in the comments.  

Continue reading to see who won season 14 of Halloween Wars on Food Network....

Halloween Baking Championship Season 10

Halloween Baking Championship season 10 airs on Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network and this season has ten bakers (vs. 12 last year) competing for a $25,000 prize. This season has the same hosts and judges as previous seasons with John Henson being the host and Stephanie Boswell, Carla Hall and Zac Young being the judges.

The ten bakers competing for the Halloween Baking Championship prize are listed below along with their occupation:

• Hollie Rivera (Winnipeg, MB) - Assistant Pastry Chef
• Aaron Davis (Surprise, AZ) - Pastry Lead
• Manny Martinez (San Antonio, TX) - Bakery Owner
• Carly Robertson (Lehi, UT) - Bakery Owner
• Joel Gonzalez (Scottsdale, AZ) - Executive Pastry Chef
• Lillian Chng (San Diego, CA) - Home Bakery Owner
• Megan Aucone (Sayreville, NJ) - Pastry Chef and Lead Cake Artist
• Samantha Santiago Torres (Chicago, IL) - Executive Pastry Chef
• JL Hinojosa (Austin, TX) - Pastry Chef De Partie
• Thierry Aujard (Norristown, PA) - Executive Pastry Chef

The finale of Halloween Baking Championship season 10 should air on Monday, October 28th and I will do another post for the finale.  Feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

UPDATE - To see who won Halloween Baking Championship season 10, visit this post.

The Great Food Truck Race Season 17 Winner

Sunday Night at at 8pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of The Great Food Truck Race: Games on the Gulf where the winning team will take home $50,000.  The two remaining teams competing for the prize are Bao Bei (Kevin Hsieh, Cody Hoover, Zakary Keres) from Washington DC and Wally's Waffles (Wally Strzepka, Maggie Strzepka, Joe Caiafa) from Chicago, IL. 

The final episode is in Fort Meyers, Florida and the description states:

"Two food truck finalists join Tyler Florence for the final leg in Fort Meyers, Florida, where they feed their fans on a day of intense selling and challenges. Then at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami, the teams' ultimate fate will be determined, and the winner will claim $50,000 and the title of Great Food Truck Race champion."

I will update this post with The Great Food Truck Race: Games on the Gulf season 17 winner after the episode airs.  Feel free to discuss this season and the finale in the comments.  

Continue reading to see who won season 17 of The Great Food Truck Race......

The Great Food Truck Race - Season 17

The Great Food Truck Race season 17 airs Sunday nights at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network starting June 30, 2024.  This season of The Great Food Truck Race is named "Games on the Gulf" and has a Gulf of Mexico theme with stops in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Last season had a David vs. Goliath theme where food truck pros competed against rookie teams.  This season will have all rookie teams who have never operated a food truck. There will be nine food truck teams competing for the $50,000 prize and the season will be eight episodes long with some of the episodes being two hours in length. 

The nine teams competing on season 17 are: 

• Argentina's Empanadas (Wichita, Kansas) - Carolina Freeman, Paola Mentis, Chad Freeman
• Bao Bei (Washington DC)  - Kevin Hsieh, Cody Hoover, Zakary Keres
• Cooks with Passion (Atlanta, Georgia) - Andrew Bernadine, Terry Jones, Jasmine Smith
• Down to Get Tacos (Gilbert, Arizona) - Karina Wollangk, Kiana Wollangk, Oz Gudino
• Fishnet (Baltimore, Maryland) - Ferhat Yalcin, Uswa McDowell, Keyia Yalcin
• Kalye (New York, New York) - Rob Mallari-D'Auria, Barry Jacinto, Mark Besanna
• Plates on Deck (Davenport, Florida) - Ken James, Ziomara Taveras, Samuel Jenkins
• SOLA Po'Boys (Los Angeles, California) - Serrano Barnes, Barenese Butler, Randy Butler
• Wally's Waffles (Chicago, Illinois) - Wally Strzepka, Maggie Strzepka, Joe Caiafa

Something new for this season is that the teams are divided into "Stars and Stripes" squads with the top sellers each week awarded gold, silver and bronze medals that come with a cash bonus. The season finale for season 17 of The Great Food Truck Race is on Sunday, August 4th and I will do another post for the finale.

To see who won season 17 of The Great Food Truck Race, visit this post.