Ranch House Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

New episodes of Restaurant: Impossible begin this week and in this episode, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Ash Fork, Arizona to makeover Ranch House Cafe. Ranch House Cafe is owned by Felicia Ramirez, who has been sacrificing her time with her children to try to make the restaurant work.  The business is failing and Felicia is overwhelmed by guilt due to her mounting debt.  Robert will need to help Felicia change her attitude and strategy in hopes of saving the restaurant and her family.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Ranch House Cafe to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Holiday Baking Championship Winner Season 9

Photo - Food Network Facebook

Tonight at 8pm ET on Food Network is the two-hour season nine finale of Holiday Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home $25,000.  This season there are actually five remaining contestants for the final episode.  The five remaining contestants competing for the prize are Aaron Davis (cake decorator), Bill Makin (home baker), Aishia Martinez (pastry chef), Dru Tevis (pastry chef), and Jessica Wang (pastry food stylist).  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 tonight states, "Ready for a holiday getaway, host Jesse Palmer escapes the cold weather by challenging the bakers to create desert-inspired succulent tarts. The two least successful bakers ski into a cookie cake showdown that will keep one competitor on track for the final bake. In the Main Heat, the remaining bakers use cake to highlight some of the most popular holiday vacation spots before judges Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman and Carla Hall award the best cake maker with $25,000 and the championship title!"

Food Network has posted what the final cakes looks like on their Facebook page (pictured above), but we don't know which baker made each one.  I will update this post with the winner of Holiday Baking Championship season 9 after the episode airs and feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won season 9 on Holiday Baking Championship.....

Holiday Baking Championship Season 9

Photo - Food Network

The ninth season of Holiday Baking Championship airs on Monday nights at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network.  This season is once again hosted by Jesse Palmer and the judges are Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman, and Carla Hall.  This year there are twelve bakers competing for a $25,000 prize and a feature in Food Network Magazine. Season nine of Holiday Baking Championship is eight episodes long. 

The bakers competing for the $25,000 prize on season nine are:

• Aaron Davis (cake decorator)— Surprise, AZ
• Christine Herelle-Lewis (pastry chef) — New York, NY
• Antoine Hopkins (pastry chef) — Philadelphia, PA
• RaChelle Hubsmith (home baker — Salt Lake City, UT
• Bill Makin (home baker) — Brooklyn, NY
• Aishia Martinez (pastry chef)— Union City, NJ
• Harshal Naik (pastry chef) — Bedford, PA
• Zakiya Newton (pastry chef) — Gotha, FL
• Sumera Syed (home baker) — Dallas, TX
• Dru Tevis (pastry chef) — Rehoboth Beach, DE
• Jessica Wang (pastry food stylist) — Los Angeles, CA
• Kristen Weidlein (pastry chef) — Staten Island

The Holiday Baking Championship season finale will air on Monday, December 19th and I will do another post about that episode before it airs.  Feel free to discuss season 9 of Holiday Baking Championship in the comments of this post. 

UPDATE - Here is the post for the finale. 

Halloween Baking Championship Winner Season 8

Monday night at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season eight finale of Halloween Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home $25,000.  The four remaining contestants competing for the prize are Lauren Rogers, Zac Mercer, Jill Davis and Blayre Wright.  The final episode is just one hour long this year despite being a two-hour episode in the past.

The episode description for the final episode of the season states, "For their final night at the hotel, John Henson asks the bakers to celebrate by creating sweet and savory grazing boards in honor of a dearly departed couple. Then, judges Carla Hall, Stephanie Boswell and Zac Young are invited to the deadliest wedding of their lives when the final bakers create three-tiered black wedding cakes. Only one baker can be crowned Halloween Baking Champion and stay at Hotel Henson ... forever."

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

Continue reading to see who won season 8 of Halloween Baking Championship.....

Halloween Baking Championship Season 8

Photo - John Henson Twitter

Halloween Baking Championship season 8 airs on Monday nights at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network and this season has twelve bakers (vs. 10 last year) competing for a $25,000 prize. This season also has John Henson as host again and the same judges -  Stephanie Boswell, Carla Hall and Zac Young.  

The twelve bakers competing for the Halloween Baking Championship prize are listed below:

• Marcus Brackett - Rockville, MD
• Jill Davis - Owosso, MI
• AJ DeDiego - Atlanta, GA
• Kristi Descher - Valencia, CA
• Justin Dominguez - San Antonio, TX
• Lola Forbes - Mesa, AZ
• Margarita Garcia - Miami, FL
• Alexey Ivanov - Brooklyn, NY
• Zac Mercer - Denver, CO
• Lauren Rogers - Olympia, WA
• Maricsa Trejo - Richardson, TX
• Blayre Wright - Lancaster, PA

The full episode guide for season 8 is not out yet, but I would expect to see the final episode on Halloween - Monday, October 31st.  I will do another post for the finale, but you can comment on this post to discuss the season.

UPDATE - Here is the post for the finale.

Two New Bobby Flay Shows Coming to Food Network

Photo - Food Network/Discovery

Last year, Bobby Flay renewed his contract with Food Network and now we are starting to see some of the new programming that is being created under his new contract.  Two new Bobby Flay shows will be premiering on Food Network  - Bobby and Sophie on the Coast (August 22, 2022) and Bobby's Triple Threat (September 27th, 2022).

Bobby and Sophie on the Coast is only a three-episode series and the press release describes the show as, "In each one-hour episode, Bobby and Sophie explore Los Angeles, with its year-round sunshine and local ingredients that make the city a treasure trove for the best restaurants and chefs. From the glamorous Hollywood establishments to the urban revival of Downtown LA’s hot new eateries, Bobby and Sophie are on a mission to enjoy the most inventive and delectable cuisine the city has to offer. And with so much inspiration, Bobby can’t resist using the very local ingredients to cook up his own dishes for Sophie. It’s the ultimate coastal culinary adventure, Bobby and Sophie-style!"

Bobby's Triple Threat will be a six-episode series and the press release describes the show as, "In each one-hour episode, one extraordinarily talented and eager chef is challenged to go against the trio of culinary titans handpicked by Bobby himself for a chance to take home $25,000. The stakes couldn’t be higher, as Bobby celebrates and tests the most talented chefs in America. This is Bobby's game and Bobby's chefs, and there's only one rule: it's all or nothing."

The three culinary titans on Bobby's Triple Threat are Tiffany Derry, Michael Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson, all of whom are Top Chef alumni.

Ratings will probably determine if either of these shows get a second season.  Are you looking forward to watching either of these shows?

The Great Food Truck Race Season 15 Winner

Photo - Food Network

Sunday Night at at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of The Great Food Truck Race where the winning team will take home $50,000.  The two remaining teams competing for the prize are Maybe Cheese Born With It (David Gedert, Mahogany Reign, Keith Logue) and Señoreata (Evanice Holz, Adri Law, Chelly Saludado).

The final episode is in San Diego and the description states:

"The final two teams go head-to-head at a San Diego brewery where they must sell a dish based on the other team's signature menu item. After tasting a flight of craft beer, the teams create new specials to sell as a paring to brewery patrons. Next, Tyler Florence and Chef Ruffo Ibarra challenge the trucks to cook with the hottest chilies in the world. Both teams pull out all the stops, but only one team is awarded the $50,000 and crowned winner of the hottest season ever!"

I will update this post with The Great Food Truck Race season 15 winner after the episode airs.  Feel free to discuss this season and the finale in the comments.  It seems like this season of The Great Food Truck Race has had a lot of complaints from regular viewers on the Internet. 

Continue reading to see who won The Great Food Truck Race season 15....

Greg's BBQ - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Belen, New Mexico to makeover Greg's BBQ.  Greg's BBQ is owned by Greg, an ex-Marine who is micromanaging his son who works with him.  Greg is also dealing with stress which is causing issues in both his health and his restaurant. Robert Irvine will need to get Greg to trust his son and put his health first to save both himself and his restaurant.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Greg's BBQ to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Vinny's Little Italy - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Boulder City, Nevada to makeover Vinny's Little Italy.  Vinny's Little Italy is a pizza restaurant where the owner Vinny is stuck in his ways and refuses to listen to his family or staff.  He may lose everything if he doesn't commit to changes that Robert Irvine will suggest to make his restaurant up-to-date.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Vinny's Little Italy to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Steak N Stuff - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Cottonwood, Arizona to makeover Steak N Stuff. Steak N Stuff is a family-run restaurant where the co-owners Mark and Susie are struggling to keep the restaurant open.  Their son Blake wants more responsibility, but Mark wants to do everything himself which is impacting the restaurant and his health.  Robert needs to dig into the problems of the restaurant to help save the restaurant and the family.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Steak N Stuff to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Texas Cowboy BBQ - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Abilene, Texas to makeover Texas Cowboy BBQ. Texas Cowboy BBQ is owned by George and Taylor who are married and have issues sharing duties at the restaurant.  Taylor wants to be a bigger part of the restaurant, but George is closed off and unwilling to accept help.  Robert will need to get George to accept his wife's help in hopes of saving their marriage and restaurant.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Texas Cowboy BBQ to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Eddie's - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Shreveport, Louisiana to makeover Eddie's. Eddie's is a seafood restaurant owned by Mavice, who is following her father's legacy.  The restaurant is known for its stuffed shrimp, but this signature dish and the restaurant aren't what they used to be. Mavice's inability to adapt is impacting the food, finances and her family.  Robert will need to convince Mavice to make the necessary changes to save the restaurant and their family's legacy. 

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Eddie's to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

333 Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Granada, Mississippi to makeover 333 Restaurant. 333 Restaurant is owned by Allyson, who is a full-time art teacher. Despite being a teacher, she requires the restaurant's manager to contact her before making every decision, no matter how small.  This means there is no clear leader in the restaurant and the restaurant is in danger of closing.  Since Allyson wants to continue to teach, Robert needs to get her to trust her staff in running the restaurant.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about 333 Restaurant to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

The Great Food Truck Race Season 15

Photo - Food Network

The newest season of The Great Food Truck Race airs on Food Network Sunday nights at 9pm ET/PT.  This season is in Southern California and there are nine teams competing for a $50,000 prize.  The season is eight-episodes long and the nine teams competing are:

• Amawele’s – San Francisco, California (Pamela Drew, Wendy Drew, Emma Januarie)
• Eso Artisanal Pasta – Morristown, New Jersey (AJ Sankofa, Kristina Gambarian, Matt McFadden)
• Food Flight – Atlanta, Georgia (Kate Schulz, Betsy Wallace, Grant Stevens)
• Girl’s Got Balls – Fox River Grove, Illinois (Shauna Fetterman, Lizzy Scudder, Carrie Jones)
• Maybe Cheese Born With It – Toledo, Ohio (David Gedert, Mahogany Reign, Keith Logue)
• Salsa Queen – Salt Lake City, Utah (Salsa Queen Zapata, Jim Birch, Missy Workman)
• Sauté Kingz – Daytona Beach, Florida (Count Foreman, Jessica Foreman, Jesshuan Foreman)
• Señoreata – Los Angeles, California (Evanice Holz, Adri Law, Chelly Saludado)
• Southern Pride Asian Fusion – Colorado Springs, Colorado (DJ Williams, Houston Greenlee, Gio Palacio)

The season finale will air on Sunday, July 25th and I will do another post for the finale.  Feel free to discuss this season in the comments.

UPDATE - To see who won The Great Food Truck Race season 15, visit this post.

Amistad Grill - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Homestead, Florida to makeover Amistad Grill. Amistad Grill is a restaurant that has a Uruguayan twist on dishes that is owned by the Barreiros family.  The owner Omar is constantly scolding his wife and daughter in the restaurant due to trust issues and the stress of the restaurant is tearing the family apart.  Robert Irvine will need to inspire Omar to slow down and listen to his family, along with cooking with a passion in hopes of making the restaurant a success.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Amistad Grill to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Grumpy's Diner - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Madison, Florida to makeover Grumpy's Diner.  Grumpy's Diner is owned by Jessica, who is struggling to keep the business open.  She wants to pass the restaurant down to her son Justin, but he lacks the self-confidence to be able to make the restaurant a success in the future. Robert will need to get Justin to believe in himself so he is trusted to take over Grumpy's

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Grumpy's Diner to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition Winner

Photo - Food Network

Tonight at 9pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition where the winner will take home $25,000 for a charity of their choice.  The final four celebrities competing for the prize are Tracey Gold and Elisa Donovan representing Anne Burrell and Matthew Lawrence and Jodie Sweetin representing Jeff Mauro.  After the first challenge, Anne and Jeff will decide which two celebrities will go to the final challenge to make a three-course meal.

The episode description states: 

"To start off the final week in boot camp, the remaining celebs play Ravenous Ravenous Recruits, using grabbers to retrieve ingredient balls from a ball pit. For the final skill drill cook, it's every recruit for themselves to create a composed dish using assigned ingredients. Chefs Anne Burrell and Jeff Mauro teach their final two recruits how to make a three-course, restaurant-quality meal, and the finalists put all their culinary skills on display to impress a panel of culinary experts. Judges Ilan Hall, Nilou Motamed and Ayesha Nurdjaja evaluate the recruits' dishes in a blind taste test and determine the winner of the $25,000 prize to charity."

I will update this post with the winner of Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition after the episode airs and you can discuss the season and episode in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition....

Sweet Potato Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Stone Mountain, Georgia to makeover Sweet Potato Cafe. Sweet Potato Cafe is owned by Karen and Darrell and the restaurant is destroying their finances and 25-year marriage.  Karen feels overwhelmed at the restaurant from handling most of the responsibilities while Darrell takes a back seat.  Robert will need to get Darrell to take on more and Karen to regain her passion in the kitchen to turn the restaurant and their marriage around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Sweet Potato Cafe to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Giovanni's Italian Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Sylacauga, Alabama to makeover Giovanni's Italian Restaurant. Giovanni's Italian Restaurant is owned by Chrissy who is struggling to keep the family restaurant open after the sudden death of her sister.  The restaurant is outdated and Robert Irvine will need to help Chrissy rediscover her passion to help turn the Giovanni's around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Giovanni's Italian Restaurant to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Forks and Flavors - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Kennesaw, Georgia to makeover Fork and Flavors.  Fork and Flavors is owned by married couple David and Darnell and David is the chef at the restaurant. David is struggling to run the kitchen because of his husband's big personality.  Darnell's need to always be right is causing problems with the daily operations of the restaurant and Robert Irvine needs to come up with a plan to save both their relationship and their restaurant.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Fork and Flavors to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Moondoggy's Pizza & Pub - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Brunswick, Georgia to makeover Moondoggy's Pizza & Pub.  Moondoggy's Pizza is owned by two best friends, Renesha and Brandy, who have no idea how to run their restaurant.  Renesha feels disrespected by staff and customers while Brandy is failing to be a leader and communicate.  This is putting the restaurant deeper in debt and in danger of closing.  Robert will need to teach them the basics of running a restaurant and how to build better culture among the staff.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Moondoggy's Pizza to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Spring Baking Championship Winner - Season 8

Photo - Food Network

Monday night at 8pm ET on Food Network is the season 8 finale of Spring Baking Championship where the winner will take home a $25,000 prize.  The four remaining bakers competing for the prize are Romuald Guiot, Carolyn Portuondo, Dennis Van, and Jaleesa Mason. This will be a double episode with someone being eliminated during the first hour and the winner announced in the second hour.

Tonight's episode description states:

"The remaining four bakers are part of the Spring Baking Championship family now, so host Molly Yeh delves into family history in the final challenges, requesting a cherished family recipe and an heirloom wedding cake. Judges Kardea Brown, Nancy Fuller and Duff Goldman crown one baker the Spring Baking Champion and award the sweet $25,000 prize!"

I will update this post with the season 8 winner of Spring Baking Championship after the episode airs.  I know people have some strong opinions on Molly Yeh as host for this season, so feel free to discuss that and this season in the comments.

The final episode was released early on Discovery+, so the results of the final are known before the episode airs on Food Network.  Continue reading to see who won Season 8 of Spring Baking Championship.....

Smith's Soul Food Bistro - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Gastonia, North Carolina to makeover Smith's Soul Food Bistro.  Smith's Soul Food Bistro is owned by Cheryl, who is a former basketball coach who wants to help kids in her community by giving them jobs at the restaurant. Unfortunately, Cheryl does not know how to run a restaurant and Smith's Soul Food is in danger of closing.  Robert will need to teach Cheryl how to operate a restaurant so the restaurant can be saved and the kids still have a place to work.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Smith's Soul Food Bistro to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition Cast 2022

Photo - Food Network

Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition will be returning to Food Network on Sunday, April 24th at 9pm on Food Network. The season will be six-episodes long and Anne Burrell and Jeff Mauro will be mentoring the celebrities on their challenges. Tyler Florence and Rachael Ray have done this in the past and this is Jeff Mauro's first time on Worst Cooks as a mentor. This celebrity season has a 'That's So 90's' theme and the celebrities competing for a chance to win $25,000 for charity are: Lori Beth Denberg, Elisa Donovan, Tracey Gold, Jennie Kwan, Matthew Lawrence, Mark Long, Jodie Sweetin, Nicholle Tom and Curtis Williams.

If you don't recognize the names of the celebrities, here is what they are most known for:

• Lori Beth Denberg - Nickelodeon sketch show All That, The Steve Harvey Show
• Elisa Donovan - Amber on the movie Clueless, Morgan on Sabrina the Teenage Witch 
• Tracey Gold  - Actress on Growing Pains, also known for battle with anorexia
• Jennie Kwan - Actress on California Dreams, also a voice actress
• Matthew Lawrence - Actor on show Boy Meets World and movie Mrs. Doubtfire, brother of Joey Lawrence
• Mark Long - MTV's Road Rules and Real World/Road Rules Challenge shows
• Jodie Sweetin - Stephanie Tanner on Full House, Dancing with the Stars
• Nicholle Tom -  Maggie on The Nanny, Ryce Newton in Beethoven movies
• Curtis Williams - Actor on The Parent ‘Hood

This year there are six episodes and nine celebrities participating, while last year there were six episodes and seven celebrities. Feel free to discuss this season in the comments and I will do another post for the finale which will air on May 29th.

UPDATE - To see who won this season of Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition, visit this post.


The press release from Discovery about the show is below:

7th Restaurant and Lounge - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Charlotte, North Carolina to makeover 7th Restaurant and Lounge.  The owner of 7th Restaurant and Lounge, Don, has overcome odds since being paralyzed after being robbed at gunpoint and shot.  His family's survival depends on the success of his restaurant and he has trouble asking for help because he doesn't want to show signs of weakness.  Robert Irvine needs to convince Don that it takes more than just one person to run a restaurant in hopes of making 7th Restaurant and Lounge a success.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about 7th Restaurant and Lounge to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Tournament of Champions Season 3 Winner

Photo - Food Network

Sunday night at 8pm ET on Food Network is the two-hour season 3 finale of Tournament of Champions. There are four chefs remaining who are competing for bragging rights and a $100,000 prize, which is the largest ever for this competition. The final four chefs are Jet Tila, Brooke Williamson, Tobias Dorzan, and Tiffani Faison.  Brooke Williamson has been in the final four for all three seasons of Tournament of Champions and Jet Tila was in the final four of season 2 but lost against Brooke.

For the semi-finals of season 3, Jet Tila will face Brooke Williamson in a rematch from last year and Tobias Dorzan will go against Tiffani Faison.  Then the two winners of those match-ups will face off in the finale to determine the winner of Tournament of Champions season three.

See a previous post about all of the matchups and outcomes for season 3 of Tournament of Champions, but below is how the final four got to this point:

• Jet Tila beat Carlos Anthony 85-81, Elizabeth Faulkner 89-88, and Shirley Chung 80-71.
• Brooke Williamson beat Crista Luedtke 85-79, Brian Malarkey 87-80, and Michael Voltaggio 84-83.
• Tobias Dorzan beat Christian Petroni 75-74, Einat Admony 81-77, and Karen Akunowicz 81-79.
• Tiffani Faison beat Bryan Voltaggio 85-83, Amanda Freitag 87-85, and Maneet Chauhan 83-80.

I will update this post with the winner of the final three match-ups after the episode airs and you can discuss this season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won the final matchups of Tournament of Champions season 3.....

Dreadlife Kitchen - Restaurant Impossible Update

Photo - Robert Irvine Facebook

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Hendersonville, North Carolina to makeover Dreadlife Kitchen. Dreadlife Kitchen is owned by Ray, who is an ex-con who has spent decades turning his life around for the sake of his son.  The restaurant has outdated decor, no systems, and no identity which is causing it to struggle.  Robert needs to help Ray transform his business and build his brand in hopes of turning the restaurant around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Dreadlife Kitchen to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Spring Baking Championship Easter Winner

Photo - Food Network

Monday night at 10pm ET on Food Network is the season finale of Spring Baking Championship Easter where the winner will take home a $25,000 prize.  The show was previously called Easter Basket Challenge, but this year it was changed to Spring Baking Championship Easter.  The three remaining bakers competing for the prize are Tatiana Kovalenko, Sydney Perry and Brittany Lombardi.

Tonight's episode description states:

"In the finale, host Sunny Anderson asks the three bakers to take on the ultimate challenge: a 4-foot-tall edible Easter basket filled with over-the-top desserts and the ultimate Easter cake. They're literally putting all their eggs in one basket as judges Jordan Andino and Stephanie Boswell decide which baker is named the Easter Champion and walks away with the Golden Egg filled with $25,000!"

I will update this post with the winner of Spring Baking Championship Easter after the episode airs.

Continue reading to see who won Spring Baking Championship Easter......

Mizz Juju's - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Huntsville, Alabama to makeover Mizz Juju's. Mizz Juju's is a soul food restaurant owned by Daniel who is a former NASA physicist.  He thought he could handle the restaurant business, but the restaurant has opened and closed multiple times, has never made money, and has no equipment.  After ten years of failures at the restaurant, Daniel has broken off an engagement and borrowed money from his parent's retirement savings.  Robert needs to turn things around to help save Mizz Juju's and help Daniel pay his parents back.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Mizz Juju's to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Rest Haven - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Clarksdale, Mississippi to makeover Rest Haven. Rest Haven is a Lebanese restaurant owned by Paula who is also in charge of the kitchen.  Her unwillingness to change is ruining the restaurant and she may not be able to pass it down to her son.  Robert Irvine needs to teach Paula to trust her son and her staff to save the restaurant and her family's legacy.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Rest Haven to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Spring Baking Championship - Season 8

Photo - Food Network

Spring Baking Championship season 8 airs on Food Network on Monday nights and this season is hosted by Molly Yeh who replaces Ali Khan.  The judges on the show are once again Nancy Fuller, Duff Goldman, and Kardea Brown.  This season will be 10 episodes long and there are twelve bakers competing this year.

The twelve bakers competing for the $25,000 prize and a feature in Food Network Magazine are:

• Alexis Wells - Carlsbad, CA
• Annabelle Asher - Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Carolyn Portuondo - Honolulu, HI
• Dennis Van - Austin, TX
• Diego Chiarello - Houston, TX
• Jaleesa Mason - New York, NY
• Jenniffer Woo - Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Justin Ross - Richmond, VA
• Kim Wood - Simsbury, CT
• Romuald Guiot - Los Angeles, CA
• Tom Smallwood - New York, NY
• Yohan Lee - Nashville, TN

Feel free to discuss Spring Baking Championship season 8 in the comments and I will do another post for the final episode.

UPDATE - To see who won Spring Baking Championship season 8, visit this post. 

Tournament of Champions Season 3 Bracket and Winners

Tournament of Champions season 3 airs Sunday nights at 8pm on Food Network and 32 chefs are competing for a $100,000 prize.  

The 16 chefs competing in the East bracket include: Eric Adjepong, Einat Admony, Karen Akunowicz, Kelsey Barnard Clark, Maneet Chauhan, Madison Cowan, Tobias Dorzon, Tiffani Faison, Darnell Ferguson, Amanda Freitag, Richard Hales, Christian Petroni, Michael Psilakis, Aarthi Sampath, Justin Sutherland and Bryan Voltaggio.

The 16 chefs competing in the West bracket include: Carlos Anthony, Shirley Chung, Chris Cosentino, Tiffany Derry, Elizabeth Falkner, Phillip Frankland Lee, Timothy Hollingsworth, Antonia Lofaso, Crista Luedtke, Brian Malarkey, Aaron May, Joe Sasto, Jet Tila, Marcel Vigneron, Michael Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson.

Food Network has not put out a bracket yet (I think they will when it is down to 16), but they did release all of the seeds for the chefs and which bracket they are in.  Based on that, I put together the above bracket to show the full picture.  Also, this post has a little more information about the season.

This post will be used to track the winners for each episode, so come back after each episode to see who won the matchups that aired on Sunday.

Continue reading to see who won in each episode...

Deno's I-76 - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Keenesburg, Colorado to makeover Deno's I-76.  Deno's I-76 is a diner located right off of Interstate 76 that is owned by Darlene.  Robert finds she has been abandoned by her employees and is working herself into the ground.  Robert will need to help her find new staff and inspiration to turn the diner into a must-stop destination. 

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Deno's I-76 to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Worst Cooks in America Winner - Season 24

Photo - Food Network

Tonight at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network is the season 24 finale of Worst Cooks in America where the winner will take home a $25,000 prize and bragging rights for their mentor.  The final contestants competing for the prize are Kara Anderson and Marti Cummings representing Anne Burrell's team and Peachez Iman-Cummings and Cheyenne Loomis representing Cliff Crooks' team.  After the first challenge, Anne and Cliff will pick which two recruits will represent them in the final challenge.

The episode description states, "For the final week in boot camp, the remaining recruits must put their newfound knowledge to use in the real world by foraging for produce at a rooftop farm. Then they have to create unique dishes with a curated box of farm-fresh ingredients. Chefs Anne Burrell and Cliff Crooks teach their final two recruits how to make a three-course, restaurant-quality meal, and the finalists must draw on all of their new culinary skills to impress a panel of culinary experts. Judges Matt Abdoo, Kwame Onwuachi and Millie Peartree sample the recruits' dishes in a blind taste test and determine the winner of the $25,000 prize."


I will update this post with the winner once the episode airs and feel free to discuss the episode/season in the comments.

Continue reading to see who won season 24 of Worst Cooks in America.....

Kids Baking Championship Winner - Season 10

Photo - Food Network

Monday night at 8pm ET on Food Network is the season 10 finale of Kids Baking Championship where the winning baker will take home the prize of $25,000 and a feature in Food Network Magazine.  The final two episodes will be played back-to-back and the winner will be revealed after the 9pm episode.

The four remaining bakers going into tonight's episodes are: Sarah Patel (Knoxville, TN; age 10), Ellora Martinez (Yorba Linda, CA; age 9), Summer Haque (Yorba Linda, CA; age 10), and Nadya Alborz (Knoxville, TN; age 10).


The first episode description states, "In one of the most difficult challenges of the season, hosts and judges Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman embrace the "loaded" foods trend by asking the remaining kid bakers to make loaded milkshakes from scratch topped with two different baked goods. All that baking and ice cream making will secure the three best bakers a place in the finale."

The final episode description states, "In this over-the-top finale, hosts and judges Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman ask the youngest final three bakers in the history of the show to make a championship-worthy, two-tiered cityscape cake that captures the quintessential sights of an assigned iconic city: San Francisco, New York City or Washington D.C. In the end, one baker emerges as Kids Baking Champion, winning a spot in Food Network Magazine and $25,000."


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

Continue reading to see who won Kids Baking Championship season 10....

Kaiserhof Restaurant - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in San Diego, California to makeover Kaiserhof Restaurant. Kaiserhof is a German restaurant that is stuck in the past which is causing it to fail.  The chef/owner Peter does not want to make changes to the restaurant due to fear of changing his late father's original design and menu.  Robert Irvine needs to convince Peter to change to become more current if he wants to turn Kaiserhof around.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Kaiserhof Restaurant to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

The Breakfast Place - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in San Jose, California to makeover The Breakfast Place. The Breakfast Place is a breakfast restaurant owned by Mexican immigrants Cristina and Raquel.  They have been in the service industry for decades, but are currently struggling as owners of a restaurant.  Robert finds that the restaurant is uninspired, dirty and close to closing. He will need to help save their friendship and their restaurant before it is too late.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about The Breakfast Place to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Tournament of Champions - Season 3

Photo - Food Network

Season 3 of Tournament of Champions hosted by Guy Fieri begins on Food Network Sunday, February 27th at 8pm.  They changed the format again for this season with there now being 32 chefs competing to win the prize and bragging rights.  They also upped the ante by making the prize $100,000.  With the extra competitors there will be extra episodes (eight) and each episode will be two-hours long with four matchups in each.

The 16 chefs representing the East are:

Eric Adjepong, Einat Admony, Karen Akunowicz, Kelsey Barnard Clark, Maneet Chauhan (season 2 winner), Madison Cowan, Tobias Dorzon, Tiffani Faison, Darnell Ferguson, Amanda Freitag, Richard Hales, Christian Petroni, Michael Psilakis, Aarthi Sampath, Justin Sutherland and Bryan Voltaggio.

Madison Cowan, Maneet Chauhan, Darnell Ferguson, Amanda Freitag, Christian Petroni, and Bryan Voltaggio all have competed in past years, while the other chefs are competing for the first time.

The 16 chefs representing the West are: 

Carlos Anthony, Shirley Chung, Chris Cosentino, Tiffany Derry, Elizabeth Falkner, Phillip Frankland Lee, Timothy Hollingsworth, Antonia Lofaso, Crista Luedtke, Brian Malarkey, Aaron May, Joe Sasto, Jet Tila, Marcel Vigneron, Michael Voltaggio and Season 1 winner Brooke Williamson (season 1 winner)

Elizabeth Falkner, Antonia Lofaso, Brian Malarkey, Aaron May, Jet Tila, Marcel Vigneron, Michael Voltaggio and Brooke Williamson have competed in the past, while the other chefs are new to the competition.  Elizabeth Falkner was competing on the East in season 1, but now is in the West.

You will also notice a lot of the competitors have appeared on Bravo's Top Chef in the past.

Simon Majumdar and Justin Warner will once again be providing the play-by-play analysis of the competition, and Hunter Fieri will again be following the action backstage.  The rotating panel of judges include Scott Conant, Cat Cora, Dominique Crenn, Giada De Laurentiis, Traci Des Jardins, Rocco DiSpirito, Lorena Garcia, Alex Guarnaschelli, Mashaharu Morimoto, Eric Ripert, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai, and Jonathan Waxman.  Alex Guarnaschelli competed in season 1, but is now a judge in this season.

I will update this post with the bracket once it is known and update this post each week with the winners like I did last year.  Feel free to discuss season three of Tournament of Champions in the comments.

UPDATE - Visit this post to see the bracket and to track the winners.

Casa Real - Restaurant Impossible Update

This week on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Loveland, Colorado to makeover Casa Real. Casa Real is a family-run Mexican restaurant that has been open for six years.  Despite being open for six years, owners Ritchie and his mother Alma have not earned any profits.  Ritchie has been running virtual kitchens to try to salvage things, but even those are failing.  Robert needs to turn the restaurant around in hopes it doesn't end up closing.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Casa Real to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

KC's BBQ - Restaurant Impossible Update

On this week's episode of Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in Berkeley, California to makeover KC's BBQ. KC's BBQ has been around for over 50 years and Patrick is trying to continue his father's legacy.  The restaurant is in danger of closing and this has caused Patrick to go into a deep depression.  Robert will need to get Patrick to regain his self-confidence and improve his relationships in hopes of saving the family business.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about KC's BBQ to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Jalisco Cafe - Restaurant Impossible Update

Tonight on Restaurant: Impossible, Robert Irvine and his crew are in San Diego, California to makeover Jalisco Cafe. Jalisco Cafe's owner Maria has no idea how to run a restaurant and faces endless obstacles such as bad food, complacent staff and a filthy kitchen.  It is one of the filthiest restaurants Robert Irvine has ever seen.  Robert will need to clean the place up and give Maria the tools to succeed in hopes of turning Jalisco Cafe into a success.

As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Jalisco to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):

Worst Cooks in America Season 24

Photo - Food Network

Food Network's Worst Cooks in America season 24 airs on Wednesday nights at 9pm ET/PT starting tonight, January 5th, 2022. This season brings a new mentor competing against Anne Burrell which will be Cliff Crooks.  Cliff Crooks has been on multiple Food Network shows such as Chef Boot Camp and also appeared on Bravo's Top Chef with a little controversy. Worst Cooks in America usually airs on Sunday nights, but this year the episodes will air on Wednesday nights.  The ratings for Worst Cooks in America are usually good, so it will be interesting to see how the move from Sunday to Wednesday impacts the ratings.  This year, there are twelve contestants competing and some are complete strangers, while others are pairs that know each other. The twelve contestants that will compete on the show are:

• Married couple Eddie and Kara Anderson (Leitchfield, Kentucky); 
• Married couple Bianca Bencosme and Hector Peralta (York, Pennsylvania)
• Drag artists and best friends Marti Cummings and Peachez Iman-Cummings (New York City)
• Best friends Hilda Ike (Kissimmee, Florida) and Deneise White (Poinciana, Florida)
• Al Kingswriter (Tony, Wisconsin)
• Melody Moore (Atlanta, Georgia)
• "Long-lost cousins" Angie Padilla (San Jose, California) and Cheyenne Loomis (London, Kentucky)

The winner of Worst Cooks in America season 24 will receive $25,000 and I will do another post about the show before the season finale. This season is 8-episodes long with the finale being on Wednesday, February 23rd. Feel free to discuss this season in the comments section as people like to discuss the season and the contestants as the show progresses. 

UPDATE - To see who won Worst Cooks in America season 24, visit this post.