SIT BACK AND RELAX WITH A DEEP FRIED MARGARITA AS DESTINATION AMERICA TAKES YOU TO THE FAIRGROUNDS FOR HEATED COMPETITION IN NEW SEASON OF "DEEP FRIED MASTERS"

--- Fry Judges Jim Stacy, Abel Gonzales and Butch Benavides Return for Season Two Premiering on Saturday, July 12 at 10/9c --

(Silver Spring, Md.) - Childhood favorites, comfort food, and everything you can imagine on a stick - state fairs are an annual celebration of America's crispy, creative cuisine. Destination America's DEEP FRIED MASTERS shines the light on all the ooey-gooey goodness when it returns for a second season, premiering on Saturday, July 12 at 10/9c. This season, viewers are transported to Minnesota, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma to sample everything from fried fluff sandwiches to fried deep-fried banana pudding. The three expert judges -- Abel Gonzales, Jim Stacy and Butch Benavides -- return to taste and test the work of deep-frying enthusiasts across the country. Each contestant is on a mission to demonstrate their talents with the deep fryer but can they serve tasty treats and stay cool under pressure?

"One season of DEEP FRIED MASTERS wasn't enough to capture all the warm and delicious nostalgia so we're bringing back more exciting episodes covered in batter and served hot," said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. "This season is filled with over-the-top creative dishes and colorful competition from beloved state fairs across the country."

DEEP FRIED MASTERS will continue its three-round format, challenging contestants to present a "Signature Dish," "Fried Food on a Stick," and "Judge's Choice" throughout the competition. The contestants' dishes will be judged on taste, creativity, and likelihood of sales. Will they be able to create innovative treats that can be enjoyed while walking the midway? Six contestants, three rounds, and endless possibilities... who will win the heated battle and earn the coveted Golden Corndog Trophy?

The line-up of premieres for DEEP FRIED MASTERS is as follows:

MINNESOTA Premieres Saturday, July 12 at 10/9c Join the judges as they visit the Great Minnesota Get-Together in Falcon Heights, where six of the regions' best fry-cooks face off in three rounds. The contestants serve up the best of the midway, from deep-fried pumpkin pie balls to delectable bison bites. Only the most creative and skilled fry-cook will make it to the end.

TEXAS Premieres Saturday, July 19 at 10/9c. Is everything really bigger in Texas? The judges head south to the famous Texas State Fair to find out. The contestants bring their A-game, preparing Texas favorites like deep-fried frozen margaritas and "Texas Pterodactyl Wings," a giant turkey wing that takes a traditional buffalo-wing recipe to a whole new level. The competition heats up as the cooks try to overcome unforeseen obstacles.

KANSAS Premieres Saturday, July 26 at 10/9c Kansas welcomes Jim Stacy and his fellow judges as they put the Midwest to the test at one of the oldest state fairs in the country. The diverse contestants each bring a different style to the table, from a former New Orleans fireman to a BBQ master. The fry cooks prepare irresistible dishes like "hot crème cakes" and "teeny tacos on a stick," but who will be able to blow the judges away with their unique spin on deep-fried dishes?

OKLAHOMA Premieres Saturday, August 2 at 10/9c Oklahoma City, home of the "chicken-fried steak," is home to midway specialties like fried cinnamon rolls and deep-fried cheese. Stakes are high as the contestants take risks to make an impression with the expert judge, cooking up everything from deep-fried alligator to "Spider Bites," which are actually hot dogs crafted to look like spiders crawling up a skewer. Six masters of the Oklahoma midway duke it out over three rounds in hopes of winning the Golden Corndog Trophy.

Meet the DEEP FRIED MASTERS judges:

Jim Stacy - This Atlanta foodie claims past careers as a tattoo artist and even a clown, but Stacy finally found his niche in deep frying and is now known for his world-famous corndogs. Well-known among connoisseurs of fine street food, Stacy started with a gourmet corndog wagon and turned it into his first restaurant, Pallookaville, which opened in the fall of 2013 and now offers more than just corndogs. He's perfected the Bananas Foster Corndog and invented the Fryinstein Monster - an unholy union of beef frank, spicy Italian sausage, and juicy Polish kielbasa, all skewered on the same stick and wrapped in a super-secret golden cornbread.

Abel Gonzales - America's deep-fried butter creator is back! Gonzales gives new meaning to the saying "everything's bigger in Texas" - the "King of the Deep Fryer" is originally from Dallas, gaining fame in the state fair scene for creations such as deep-fried PB&J sandwiches. While many vendors operate year-round, Gonzales' sales are so successful that he only has to work for twenty-four days each year.

Butch Benavides - When it comes to creativity, Benavides is the master. A five-time winner of the Big Tex Competition at the largest state fair in the U.S., Benavides specializes in playing with new and exciting flavors. Ranging from chicken-fried cactus bites to deep-fried bacon cinnamon rolls, his booth is a must-stop on the midway at the Texas State Fair.

DEEP FRIED MASTERS is produced by Jane Street Entertainment with Donna MacLetchie and Linda Lea serving as executive producer. For Destination America, Sara Helman is executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, Marc Etkind is general manager, and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, American Heroes Channel and Discovery Fit & Health.

About Destination America

Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in nearly 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 2 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.