Who Won The Next Food Network Star

From LoveToKnow Reality-TV

You will be amazed at the list of chefs, cooks and restaurant owners who won The Next Food Network Star over its first four seasons.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay joined the The Next Food Network Star in 2009.

About The Next Food Network Star

The Next Food Network Star is a competition reality show in which contestants vie for a chance to host their own Food Network show, among other prizes. Each week, after a series of complicated and stressful cooking tasks, the contestants are judged by panel of experts who are also known as the selection committee. One player is sent home while the remaining individuals move on to the next round. The contest winds down to two contestants, who then face off for the ultimate title. During the first three seasons the public chose the winner, but that rule was changed for season four where as the show's judges and producers selected the finalist.

The show was hosted by talk show host Marc Summers for its first two seasons and for the finale of the third. There was no host after that. The selection committee, however, includes:

Susie Fogelson: Food Network vice president of marketing and brand strategy
Bob Tuschman: Food Network senior vice president of programming and production

Up to season four, a celebrity chef would sit in and be part of the selection committee. However, beginning with season five, celebrity chef and restauranteur Bobby Flay took over that post.

Who Won The Next Food Network Star Each Season?

If you are a fan of the Food Network, you may already know that a few of the shows' hosts were winners on The Next Food Network Star. That is the top prize that can be won in this food competition.

Season One

The first season of The Next Food Network Star' premiered on the Food Network in June 2005 just four months after it was taped. The winners, Chicago caterers Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, were the first and only duo to date to win the competition. Their Food Network show was originally called Party Line with Dan & Steve, but was changed to Party Line with the Hearty Boys. The show ran for 32 episodes and was canceled at the end of 2006.

Season Two

Season two ended with a bang and with Guy Fieri being chosen as the next Food Network star. This season began taping in December 2005 and aired in March 2006. Fieri's first show was called Guy's Big Bite, which to date has run for four seasons. He also has hosted:

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (in its fourth season as of 2009)
Ultimate Recipe Showdown (as of 2009, it was in its second season)
Guy Off the Hook (debuted in 2008)

To date, Guy Fieri is the most successful winner of The Next Food Network Star. Besides his own shows, he has appeared as a guest judge on the aforementioned show, and appeared alongside chefs Paula Deen and Robert Irvine on other Food Network programs.

Season Three

The third season of The Next Food Network Star, which began on June 3, 2007, was to date the most controversial. Right before the finale between Rory Schepisi and Joshua Adam "Jag" Garcia, it was discovered that the latter contestant had lied on his application. He falsely claimed to have been deployed as a U.S. Marine to Afghanistan and also said he graduated from The New York Restaurant School. He withdrew from the competition and Amy Finley, who was eliminated in week 7, was called back and ultimately won the show.

Finley's Food Network Show, The Gourmet Next Door, aired for six episodes and didn't return. She cited the stress of being a celebrity as the reason for not renewing her show.

Season Four

On June 4, 2008, the fourth season of The Next Food Network Star began and by the end of the next month, it was announced that Aaron McCargo Jr. was the winner. His show, Big Daddy's House took to the airwaves on August 3, 2008. The second season of his show started in January 2009, and to date, is still on the air.

This was the first season that did not allow the public's vote to choose the finalist. This, however, led to an error by a Foodnetwork.com employee who posted the winner three days before it was supposed to be announced.