Cooking Channel, Food Network cook up fresh series

April 14, 2011 by Kelly Anderson

Scripps Networks has unveiled its upcoming line-up for Food Network and Cooking Channel, including 20 new series and 22 returning shows across both networks, at its upfront presentation.

The Cooking Channel will premiere a slew of new primetime series, including Eat St. on April 12, which celebrates North America’s best street food with host James Cunningham; while Unique Sweets, premiering on April 24, gives an inside look at the most exciting desserts.

Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse will hit the Cooking Channel on May 5 with The Originals with Emeril, a series on historic eateries across America. Host Annie Sibonney will put the focus on Spain’s culinary culture with From Spain With Love, premiering on May 27.

Seafood is the focus of Hook, Line & Dinner, premiering on June 7, hosted by expert fisherman and obsessed seafoodie Ben Sargent.

Cooking Channel’s new daytime series include a series in July from Chinese Food Made Easy‘s host, Ching-He Huang Series (w/t), which follows the young food entrepreneur in San Francisco, a city known to celebrate Chinese cuisine.

Also premiering in July is The Perfect 3, where Cooking Channel’s favourite faces spotlight the perfect three dishes in 13 classic categories, from burgers and brownies to sandwiches and salads. The series also has an online element, with each episode throwing to CookingChannelTV.com to see a webisode featuring a viewer cooking with Kelsey Nixon (Kelsey’s Essentials).

Debuting in the fall, Baking Made Easy features UK chef, baker and patissiere Lorraine Pascale.

Food Network’s new primetime series includes Have Cake, Will Travel, a season premiere set for April 26. The series follows Ashley Vicos, the reigning queen of the cake decorating world.

A barbecue challenge is the focus of Best in Smoke, premiering on May 8, while Crave, premiering on June 20, follows host Troy Johnson as he finds new gastronomic passions.

Premiering in July, Heat Seekers stars chefs Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking as they discover the most deliciously spicy food across the country.

A family owned cookie shop at the Jersey shore are the focus of Tough Cookies, airing in July, while Chef Hunter, airing in August, follows chef recruiter Carrie McCully as she tasks four rising-star chefs from across the country to compete for an executive chef position at a prestigious restaurant.

Sugar High takes Duff Goldman out of his Ace of Cakes bakery and puts him on the road to find sweet treats, airing on August 8, and Halloween Wars pits five teams of cake decorators, candy makers and pumpkin carvers against each other in a competition to make the best Halloween treats.

Supersizers, airing in January 2012, follows two food adventurers going through the history of food and sees how the culinary past affects their bodies.

The net’s incoming daytime series feature new on-screen talent, with Pioneer Woman, focusing on blogger and author Ree Drummond and Food Network Star Winner Series (w/t), both set for August. Country singer and cookbook author Tricia Yearwood will also have her own cooking series, set for debut in September.

Returning series for the Food Network include season two of 24 Hour Restaurant Battle on April 21, season seven of Chopped set for May 3 and Food Network Star‘s season seven will air on June 5. Cupcake Wars season three will premiere in June, season two of Restaurant: Impossible airs in July, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives will see its season 13 premiere in August and The Great Food Truck Race‘s season two will air on August 14.

Season six of The Best Thing I Ever Ate is set for September, while Next Iron Chef: Celebrity (w/t) will air on October 30. Season three of Worst Cooks in America will premiere in February 2012.

Cooking Channel’s returning series are Unique Eats season three premiering on April 3, From the Kitchens Of… with new episodes in the spring, season two of Chuck’s Day Off airing on May 1 and Kelsey’s Essentials season two set for June. Season three of Food(ography) premieres in July; Everyday Exotic season two is set for July 9 and Bitchin’ Kitchen season two is set for July 20.

Hungry Girl season two is set for August 6 and Brunch @ Bobby’s season two premieres in August. Finally, Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day season two premieres in August, Extra Virgin returns to the network in the fall and Spice Goddess season two airs in October.

Tags: Cooking Channel, Food Network, Scripps Networks, upfronts

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