"New" Food Network Show 'All-Star Academy' Is Actually 'America's Best Cook'

Photo - Food Network

The Food Network announced a "new" series called All-Star Academy where ten home cooks from across the country are paired up with four different Food Network chefs to compete in culinary challenges for a grand prize of $50,000.  The eight episode series is hosted by Ted Allen, and the four Food Network mentors will be Alex Guarnaschelli, Bobby Flay, Michael Symon, and Curtis Stone.  The season is set to premiere in March 2015 on the Food Network.

In April 2014, America's Best Cook premiered on the network and was hosted by Ted Allen with Alex Guarnaschelli, Tyler Florence, Michael Symon, and Cat Cora as mentors of home cooks competing for a $50,000 prize. 

The slight differences between the two are that Bobby Flay and Curtis Stone replaced Tyler Florence and Cat Cora, and the new competition will start with 10 competitors rather than 16.  Everything else is pretty much the same including the production company.  Perhaps the Food Network had issues with the name America's Best Cook and had to rename the series due to this?

(Scripps/FN Dish)