KATIE LEE EMBARKS ON A GOURMET GETAWAY FULL OF SUN, SAND AND SURF ON A FRESH SEASON OF "BEACH BITES WITH KATIE LEE"

New Season Premieres Thursday, June 1st at 10pm ET/7pm PT

NEW YORK - May 1, 2017 - Katie Lee follows her taste buds on a culinary adventure to find the best beach bites and regional surfside cuisine on the return of Beach Bites with Katie Lee, beginning on Thursday, June 1st at 10pm ET/7pm PT on Cooking Channel. On her travels, Katie gets a first-hand look at how the local chefs prepare the finest fare that the shores have to offer. From shrimp and crab cakes in South Carolina, grilled fish tacos in Florida, barbequed chicken sandwiches in Alabama, and spicy poke in Hawaii, Katie dives into it all. Put on your flip flops, grab your sunglasses, and get ready for this gourmet getaway!

"Viewers will beach hop right along with Katie Lee throughout the season to delicious destinations across the country, discovering mainstay restaurants serving memorable meals and enticing eateries making waves with their food," said Courtney White, SVP Programming, Scripps Networks Interactive.

There are few things that pair together quite like beachin' and grillin', so Katie heads to Lake Havasu, Arizona where she meets a local chef serving up freshly-caught striper with the boldest flavor of all - the char of a fire grill. Then, over in Maui, she discovers a local twist on barbeque with Kalua Pork that is cooked in a traditional underground oven. Katie continues to heat things up in San Diego as she samples 37 different levels of hot wings! But to beat the heat, she indulges in a sweet treat of classic shaved ice on the North Shore of Oahu.

After some fun in the sun, there is nothing better than a delicious dish to chow down. On the shores of Alabama every day is a fry day, as Katie enjoys a high-end twist on the southern staple of chicken fried steak made with wagyu. Katie's quest for the best beach bites also leads her to Myrtle Beach for some Southern Stuffed Salmon. But first, Katie starts the day soaking up the views with a beachside breakfast in Gulfport, Florida, where she enjoys a hearty plate of corned beef hash. Whether it's a grilled, barbequed, stuffed, or fried, Katie is tasting it all!

Visit CookingChannelTV.com/BeachBites for exclusive videos, Katie's best beach pictures, and a guide to some of the best beachfront restaurants across the country. Fans can also share their favorite tasty travels online using #BeachBites.

For Katie Lee cooking was not just a hobby growing up - it was a way of life. Katie began cooking at the tender age of 4 under the guidance of her mentor Grandma Dora. Using fresh vegetables from her Grandpa's garden and meat from the family's cattle and pig farms, she quickly learned the value of seasonal ingredients. Today, Katie is an Emmy(R) Award-nominated co-host of Food Network's The Kitchen and author of three cookbooks - The Comfort Table (2008), The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions (2009), and Endless Summer Cookbook (2015). In addition to her comfort food cookbooks, she published her first novel, Groundswell, in 2011. Outside of her culinary and literary adventures, Katie is an ambassador for 96 Elephants and works closely with the Wildlife Conservation Society. When not working or volunteering, she resides in the Hamptons and NYC, enjoying surfing, traveling.

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