**All Times ET/PT**

**FOOD NETWORK JULY 2012 HIGHLIGHTS**

SIZZLING SUMMER LINE-UP WITH FINALE OF "FOOD NETWORK STAR" AND PREMIERE OF "CHOPPED: GRILL MASTERS"

Plus: '3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay'

NEW YORK - June 13, 2012 - Food Network brings the heat this summer with the season finale of Food Network Star, a five-episode Chopped stunt and all viewers crave for summer food and fun. It's a back-to-back primetime event on Sunday, July 22nd with the much-anticipated season finale of Food Network Star at 9pm and the premiere of Chopped: Grill Masters at 10pm. The remaining Food Network Star finalists take a look back on their journey to the finale, and one contestant's dream comes true as the judges reveal who will be the next Food Network Star on Sunday, July 22nd at 9pm. Following the dramatic finale, Food Network launches a five-episode Chopped stunt as 16 competitors head to the Wild West to compete in Chopped: Grill Masters for a $50,000 grand prize beginning Sunday, July 22nd at 10pm. Melissa d'Arabian boosts the daytime lineup with a new season of Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian beginning Sunday, July 15th at 10am, and Bobby Flay comes to the rescue of restaurants across the country in 3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay Friday, July 20th at 10pm when he helps save food businesses from failing before opening night. Food Network also dishes out premiere episodes of primetime hits including Chopped, Cupcake Wars, Iron Chef America and Restaurant: Impossible. Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

FEATURED SERIES

Food Network Star

· Premiering Sunday, July 1st at 9pm - "Deen Family Beach Party" The finalists head to Miami for the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival where Paula Deen (Paula's Best Dishes) hosts a summer beach party for VIP guests. They must provide the food for the beachside occasion and in addition to creating a dish for the party, they also create a kids version to appease the youngsters in attendance. The finalists shop at Target for fun and stylish items to help bring their family beach party to life. The final eight also perform a 30-second "entertaining tip" on-camera which will be watched by the judging table, and whoever wins the challenge receives a $20,000 Target gift card.

· Premiering Sunday, July 8th at 9pm - "Deliciously Unpredictable Demos" The seven remaining finalists are invited guests at a standing-room-only Food Network South Beach Food and Wine Festival demo tent with 150 fans and upon arrival the tables are turned - they each must take the stage for their very own cooking demonstration in front of the huge crowd! The finalists take the stage for their demos, and unbeknownst to them, each one will face a technical glitch set up by the producers. Tensions are high as each finalist struggles to save themselves from elimination.

· Premiering Sunday, July 15th at 9pm - "Pilot Greenlights" The six remaining finalists star in promos for their own Food Network shows directed by their producers/mentors. Network stars including Sunny Anderson (Cooking For Real), Anne Burrell (Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Worst Cooks in America), Melissa d'Arabian (Ten Dollar Dinners), Robert Irvine (Restaurant: Impossible), Jeff Mauro (Sandwich King) and Aarón Sanchez (Chopped) give feedback on the promos. The finalists who survive the drastic and dramatic cut get to make pilots for their show produced by their mentor. At the end of the show, viewers vote online at www.foodnetwork.com/star to determine who will receive the ultimate prize during the July 22nd finale: their own Food Network show.

· Premiering Sunday, July 22nd at 9pm - "Finale - A Star is Born" - SEASON FINALE Before the winner is revealed, the finalists are back in the studio with their mentors and judges to view never-before-seen footage from the season. Bobby, Alton and Giada each share their favorite moments and discuss why they think their finalist should win during an emotional look back at remaining finalists' journey to the finale. Then, the results are in as America has voted to determine who will be the next Food Network Star.

Chopped: Grill Masters

Food Network's blowing the roof off Chopped, traveling to the glorious Arizona desert for a breathtaking event! Sixteen outstanding grilling professionals face off in an old Western town in this captivating five-part tournament. The stage is set for the ultimate culinary feud, with astonishing mystery ingredients and tremendously talented competitors. Only four chefs can make it to the final fiery showdown, and when the dust clears, the greatest grilling pro of all will walk away with $50,000.

· Premiering Sunday, July 22nd at 10pm - "Grill Masters: Part 1" To kick off the first-of-its-kind Chopped grilling tournament, the first four Grill Masters must prepare a dish using cookies and yak steaks in the appetizer round. Then, a giant surprise awaits the competitors in the entrée basket, and in the dessert duel, chocolate meets fruit for a showdown not to be missed. Competitors: Ray Lampe, Jen Duncan, Tommy Duncan, Galen Zamarra Judges: Marc Murphy, Amanda Freitag, Aarón Sanchez

· Premiering Sunday, July 29th at 9pm - "Grill Masters: Part 2" Four more Grill Masters step up to the challenge for a chance to compete in the $50,000 finale. In the first round, the chefs must hatch a successful meal plan using chile taffy and Hawaiian blue prawns. Then, after the remaining competitors serve up their rack of boar entrées, the judges debate the relative complexity of flavors in the three dishes of the entrée round. Delicious Italian surprises await the finalists, but perfect desserts will be difficult to execute in a windy and intense final round. Competitors: Sam Choy, Nicole Davenport, Carey Bringle, Dushyant Singh Judges: Marc Murphy, Amanda Freitag, Aarón Sanchez

SEASON PREMIERE

Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian

· Premiering Sunday, July 15th at 10am - "Chick, Chick, Ole" - SEASON PREMIERE Melissa d'Arabian serves up the craveable flavors of restaurant-style fajitas on a budget-friendly bill. Her Grilled Chicken Fajita Platter is loaded with strips of lime-marinated chicken breast and veggies, ready to fold into Melissa's Homemade Flour Tortillas. Grilled Tomato Salsa is the perfect topping for this delicious chicken meal.

· Premiering Sunday, July 22nd at 10am - "Appetizing Savings" Melissa d'Arabian makes a whole meal inspired by popular appetizers. Bowls of chilled White Gazpacho, Spicy Turkey Lollipops with a raspberry glaze, warm Blue Cheese Fondue, and Crispy Fried Celery Sticks will fill you up without draining your wallet.

· Premiering Sunday, July 29th at 10am - "Back in Tucson" Melissa d'Arabian shares some of her favorite recipes from her childhood in Tucson. She whips up her Arroz Con Pollo, and for dessert, Applesauce Empanadas are a hit with kids and adults alike. She tops it off with Garden Iced Green Tea.

ON-AIR SPECIAL

Chopped: Food Network Stars - Premiering Sunday, July 22nd at 8pm

Winners of the hit series Food Network Star compete to see who can beam brightest in the Chopped Kitchen. Cooking for the powerhouse panel of Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis and Alton Brown, the competitors must be ready for whatever they find in the notorious baskets. It is a bubbly first round with sparkling cider as a mystery ingredient. Then, a black cloud hovers over the entrée round in the form of black chickens. With $10,000 going to one Star's favorite charity, a lot is riding on crafting desserts from frozen peas and cinnamon cereal. Competitors: Melissa d'Arabian, Amy Finley, Jeff Mauro, Aarti Sequeira

ON-AIR THEME WEEKENDS

Food Network's Summer Party Weekend

Premiering Saturday, June 30th and Sunday, July 1st from 7am to 12pm Get your summer party started right with a full weekend lineup of Food Network chef's seasonal tips and premiere episodes of Barefoot Contessa, Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction, Giada at Home, Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen, Mexican Made Easy and Paula's Best Dishes.

Food Network's Bird is the Word Weekend

Premiering Saturday, July 14th and Sunday July 15th from 9am to 12pm Food Network's chefs share their favorite bird recipes in an all-out salute to the endless variations of that mighty food staple, chicken - featuring premiere episodes from Barefoot Contessa, Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction, Giada at Home, Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen, Mexican Made Easy, and Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian.

NEW EPISODES

Chopped

· Premiering Tuesday, July 3rd at 10pm - All-American Competition It's a special All-American Chopped! From apple pie in the appetizer basket to bourbon for dessert, the patriotic theme makes for some yummy, original dishes.

· Premiering Tuesday, July 17th at 10pm - "Orzo It Seemed" The judges find creativity in the variety of flavors in the four chefs seafood sausage appetizers. In the entrée round, the chefs must integrate tiny pasta and a powerful liqueur into their dishes.

· Premiering Tuesday, July 31st at 10pm - "Belly Dance" The chefs get started with tuna belly in the appetizer basket while lamb top round is round two's mystery protein. For a delicious dessert, the chefs must put cayenne pepper and canned pumpkin in the works.

Cupcake Wars

· Premiering Sunday, July 1st at 8pm - "USO Salute" Four returning Cupcake Wars champions come back to prove themselves and serve their cupcakes at a black tie gala celebrating the 70th anniversary of the USO.

· Premiering Sunday, July 8th at 8pm - "Tony Hawk" Four cupcake bakers try to skate their way into an exclusive party for Tony Hawk's Stand Up for Skate Parks event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

· Premiering Sunday, July 15th at 8pm - "Kate Walsh Perfume" Four bakers will compete for the opportunity to serve their cupcakes at a VIP party celebrating the release of "Private Practice" star Kate Walsh's latest fragrance, Billionaire Boyfriend. Kate Walsh judges.

· Premiering Sunday, July 29th at 8 pm - "Angry Birds" Cupcakes will fly as four competitors fight for the chance to have their cupcakes featured at a huge kickoff party for the new Angry Birds Space app in Seattle, Washington.

Iron Chef America

· Premiering Sunday, July 8th at 10pm - "Flay vs. Isidori" Iron Chef Bobby Flay faces off against challenger Joe Isadori. Chef Isadori is the executive chef at Southfork Kitchen in Bridgehampton, New York. The judges are Joshua Applestone, Georgia Pellegrini and Glen Davis.

· Premiering Sunday, July 29th at 10pm - "Symon vs. Nunez" Iron Chef Michael Symon faces off against challenger Jesus Nunez. Chef Nunez is chef and owner of Gastroarte Restaurant in New York. The judges are Jose Andres, Cady Huffman, Andrew Zimmern and Sophie Michell.

Restaurant: Impossible

· Premiering Wednesday, July 11th at 10pm - "Longbranch Steak and Seafood" Chef Robert Irvine heads to Fayetteville, Ga. to try and keep Longbranch Steak and Seafood in business. Owner Lisa was given the restaurant two years ago as a wedding gift from her husband and has been struggling financially and emotionally ever since. Robert races against the clock to clean the filthy kitchen, whip the insubordinate staff into shape and give Lisa the confidence and tools to run a successful restaurant.

· Premiering Wednesday, July 18th at 10pm - "The Main Dish" Chef Robert Irvine heads to The Main Dish in Meridianville, Ala. where he finds a family desperate for help. Owners Lynn and Ken bought the restaurant five years earlier because Ken loved to cook, but with no restaurant experience at all, the couple now find themselves working 80 hours a week and over $50,000 in debt.

· Premiering Wednesday, July 25th at 10pm - "Zandi's Grill" Chef Robert Irvine quickly realizes that Zandi's Grill in Millersville, Md., isn't just failing because it's in a hard-to-find location, with lackluster food, poor service and tired décor; It's failing because sisters and owners Yvonne and Evette have completely lost their passion for the restaurant and are watching it crumble before their eyes. While Chef Robert comes up with a new look and a new menu, will he also be able to give Yvonne and Evette the tools and passion they need to successfully run the business?

SERIES PREMIERE

3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay - Premiering Friday, July 20th at 10pm

Bobby Flay, critically-acclaimed chef and owner of 15 restaurants, is saving new food businesses that are at risk to lose it all before they even open. With only three days until opening, Bobby offers his expertise to restaurateurs with no prior experience in the high stakes world of food. With everything on the line - including savings, livelihood, and integrity - these new businesses need Bobby's help or failure is imminent.

· Premiering Friday, July 20th at 10pm - "Melt Mobile Meltdown"

Bobby Flay goes to Stamford, Conn. in attempt to open Melt Mobile's gourmet grilled cheese truck in only three short days. With best friends who have mortgaged their homes and are at each other's throats, soggy sandwiches and absolutely no organization, Bobby has a lot on his plate to get this grilled cheese truck moving before it stalls.

· Premiering Friday, July 27th at 10pm - "A Sticky Situation" Bobby Flay takes on New York City chicken finger joint, Sticky's, in an effort to get them open for business in only three short days. With zero leadership, dwindling funds, no recipes and a slew of negative press, Bobby has to roll up his sleeves to save four young entrepreneurs from a very sticky situation.

PREMIERE EPISODES

Daytime: The Best Thing I Ever Made, Bobby Flay's Barbeque Addiction, Giada At Home, Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen, Mexican Made Easy, Paula's Best Dishes

Primetime: Chopped, Diners Drive-ins and Dives, Mystery Diners

DIGITAL CONTENT

Grilling Central

This year FoodNetwork.com celebrates endless summer with recipes from fan-favorite chefs every week. Kicking off with appetizers from Giada De Laurentiis, burgers from Bobby Flay, ribs from the Neelys, Sunny Anderson's hot dog, Guy Fieri's chicken wings, chicken three ways from Iron Chef Marc Forgione, dessert from Ree Drummond and much, much more. Additionally, 2012 is the year of barbecue, and we're bringing the best BBQ recipes, tips and how-tos from Pat and Gina Neely and other Food Network chefs. Hungry readers will also find favorites for grilling up a good time, including nearly 200 burger recipes, 120 grilled chicken recipes and 122 hot and spicy recipes. Plus, more than 40 delicious healthy recipes to enjoy all summer long.

Food Network On the Road

Food Network On the Road (formerly Food Network Local) has just re-launched with an updated look including new host and show pages, an interactive map and the ability to rate and review the restaurants seen on Food Network shows. Food Network On the Road features top destinations featured on Food Network, including hot spots from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Heat Seekers and more fan-favorite shows.

Make It 5 Ways Tacos

Liven up dinner with everyone's favorite Mexican dish - tacos! We have taco recipes from Bobby Flay, Paula Deen, Rachael Ray and more, and don't miss Guy Fieri's California Tacos with tempura cod and tequila lime aioli.

Fourth of July

Celebrate Independence Day Food Network style with recipes for all-American foods like hot dogs, flag cakes and more.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Find low-calorie, yet high flavor dinners that won't break the bank from chefs like Melissa D'Arabian and Alton Brown. We'll also show fans how to make smarter shopping choices and feature recipes the whole family will enjoy.

Summer Seasonal

Find the best produce and get entertaining tips and weeknight dinner ideas in our summer seasonal packages.

· Summer Produce Guide

· Summer Entertaining Guide

· 5 Weeknight Dinners, Summer

Father's Day

Mix and match summery recipes for a fun-filled Father's Day, and find Guy Fieri's favorite belly-filling dad pleasers.

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